In Nairobi City, garbage is put out on the sidewalk for trash collection on designated days. This morning was such a day. Sleep had barely left my eyes when I got out of bed to take the garbage bag outside.
That is where I met Mogaka, the person that has been handling the garbage collection in my neighborhood.
"I am a hustler", he says. What a Kenyan would call an ambitious youth in the infancy stages of their entrepreneurship journey.
What started out as awkward morning banter led to an interesting interaction.
This is what he taught me;
What goes in my bin?
Black bag/bin : This is for waste you cannot recycle. It includes: plastic bottles, tubs and trays, plastic bags, polystyrene, cotton wool and make up pads, nappies and sanitary products, tissues and wet wipes, aerosols, foil and foil trays, food and drinks cans,trigger spray bottles, glass bottles and jars.
Blue bag/bin : This is for waste that you can recycle. It includes: paper and newspapers, magazines and books, cardboard, card packaging, food and drink cartons, greetings cards, wrapping paper (not foil based), envelopes and mail and junk mail.
Green bag/bin : This is for food and garden waste such as leftover foods, flowers and plants, leaves from the garden grass cuttings, twigs and small branches.
Seal and separate food items that can be recycled such as raw and cooked foods – including bones.
To be respectful.
Like most of us, Mogake struggles with gaining respect at the workplace. Unlike us though, there is heavy stigma due to the nature of his job. It does not do justice, his infectious passion and dedication for the environment.
Be respectful by handling your garbage appropriately.
And most importantly............he reminded an important lesson I had forgotten. One man's trash is another man's gold.
With trash put out on the street for collection in a city that never sleeps, it's not uncommon for people to pick up useful items they see in the 'trash,' from plastics to books to appliances. Hence, the phrase,'one man's trash is another man's gold'.
The phrase, which was first written by the Roman Poet Lucretius, was appropriated to refer to any situation where two people disagree
over something. Something that one person considers worthless may be considered valuable by someone else.
So as you discard what is no longer useful to you, maintain it's dignity. Whether it is old clothes, foods, expired items, or even a person you once loved. Wrap it up nicely, maybe kiss it goodbye and wish it a new loving home.
This is not just a long post about garbage disposal habits. It is also a reminder. Just because your value is not clear to others, doesn't mean it ceases to exist. Some people may never see your worth, but others will. As clear as day.
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