Al Muhamalat heya al Qamama - Trash is Trash

 I want to thank the people who came to the Solutions to Littering Unconference. Though a modest gathering, I learned that the trash extends to most of the areas the experienced hikers have visited, and that tires make up a good deal of the rubbish in the desert. I was able to notice this on a road trip I took this past weekend as well.

In fact, there is one thing more thing I have been noticing since my first ride through the Empty Quarter 26 years ago. There are wrecked vehicles on the opposite side of the fence being sandblasted away bit by bit. At first, I wondered how they had gotten there - on the opposite side of the fence. That was until one trip several years ago when I witnessed a large crane that had lifted a wrecked car that had been on the side of the road for a while. When we happened upon it, the crane operator was in the process of depositing its load in its new home on the sand. It is hard to tell if that car is still there as there are now many abandoned vehicles of all sizes resting, rusting, and being slowly chipped away by the ever shifting sands. I imagine the Empty Quarter was once a pristine sight to behold - breathtaking in my mind’s eye. However, it has now been reduced to an unvalued makeshift vehicle graveyard.

Young Lady or Old Woman (Covey, 2020, p. 26)

As long as these vehicles remain in place, being added to over time, no one will be able to truly see nor appreciate the desert for her natural beauty. These cars need to be removed as the tires, plastic bags, wrappers, cups, and endless list of rubbish. The beauty needs to be revealed. In different parts of his book, Covey (2020) refers to the idea that we may see things differently by saying, “You see the young lady, and I see the old woman” (p. 352). Look at the image above, What do you see? When you look at Saudi’s deserts, what do you see?

I would love to organize a meet up to collect the trash in the desert starting on the roadside,

but since convening is not allowed, I have a proposal. I challenge you to put on a pair of

gloves and your mask, take a bag, and clean up in your neighborhood. This is a simple way

to let others know you value your environment. Who knows, you may just inspire someone

else to do the same.

#TheDesertIsATreasure

References

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary

          Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

Media Sources

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary

          Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

[The image of the vehicles in the desert] were created by the author of this blog post.

More Voices have Better Solutions

To date, many of us have been having private conversations one-on-one about the littering problem in this beautiful Kingdom and about possible solutions. Now, I am excited to be hosting this Solutions to Littering Unconference to bring those ideas together and to synergize our efforts. However, I have heard a few of us wondering what an unconference is. Well, the thing about an unconference is that everyone who wants to be heard, gets to be heard. We will convene with no agenda - just the question of how can we keep Saudi beautiful. There will be a discussion to throw out ideas, and those ideas will then become our agenda. There will be breakout rooms for each agenda item, and we will choose which items we would like to explore, add to, and/or inquire more about. We can visit as many rooms as time will permit. We will then convene once again to share highlights of our interactions. The great thing about this format is that it “creates space for peer-to-peer learning, collaboration and creativity” (Young, n.d., para. 1). The more ideas we share, the bigger the impact we will be able to make.

In an unconference, there are no bad ideas. Covey (2020) talked about the synergistic communication, stating, “When you communicate synergistically, you are simply opening your mind and heart and expressions to new possibilities, new alternatives, new options” (p. 309). I may think my idea is the best idea until I hear your idea. Our ideas may blend, grow, or transform through this process. In fact, none of us know what will come out of this, but we have to believe in “the whole being greater than the sum of its parts” (Covey, 2020, p. 311).

We will all go into this knowing that we all want to have a clean society for ourselves, our children, and even our guests. It will take the right campaign that speaks to the people. Get ready, I am going to relate this to Texas again. Just four years after the “Don’t Mess With Texas” anti-litter campaign was launched on January first of 1986, roadside trash was reduced by 72% (Nodjimbadem, 2017). On top of that, this commercial just brought tears to my eyes as a Texan so many years after the fact. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could start a movement that produced this type of results and feelings in Saudi Arabia with our synergy?

I do not know how many people will join me for this evening’s Solutions to Litter Unconference

(Zoom Link), but I do know that if you are there, your voice will be heard. Join in Zoom Meeting

ID: 878 114 0050 at 6:00 pm Saudi time, and bring your synergy!

References

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary

          Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

Nodjimbadem, K. (2017, Mar. 10). The Trashy Beginnings of “Don’t Mess With

Texas”: A True Story of the Defining Phrase of the Lone Star State. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/trashy-Beginnings-

dont-mess-texas-180962490/

Young, K. (n.d.). unConferencing: How to Prepare to Attend an Unconference. Unconference.net. http://unconference.net/unconferencing

-how-to-prepare-to-attend-an-unconference/

Media Sources

DontMessWithTexasTV. (2015, April 6). Stevie Ray Vaughn.

https://youtu.be/BVyZ6d_G3js

[The flyer for Solutions to Litter Unconference] was created by the author of this blog post using

            Postermywall.com.

What is the Solution to Litter?

 During most of the 1960s, Lady Bird Johnson served as First Lady of the United States of America (National Parks Services, n.d., para 1). Her main cause while in office was the beautification of the environments - natural, rural, and urban (National Parks Services, n.d., para. 2). Through her Beautification Project, First Lady Johnson advocated for “clean water, clean air, clean roadsides, safe waste disposal and preservation of valued old landmarks as well as great parks and wilderness areas” (National Parks Services, n.d., para. 4). Her efforts began more than 50 years ago, and Saudi would do well to follow her example. In fact, this has begun. We have all seen the flowers that bloom in the cities and the palm trees producing dates in the medians of the freeways. However, we have also all seen the trash that lies among the flowers and under the trees. Well, at least most of us do see it according to the results of the survey I pushed out (linked here: Perception of Littering In Saudi Arabia) over my last two blog posts (see table below on How important would you rate littering as a problem in your daily life?).

Jawad, N. (2021)

By conducting the survey, I hoped to gather data about how people in Saudi Arabia (KSA) feel about littering, their willingness to make a change, and the perception of the causes of the littering problem within the Kingdom. This survey was administered to high school students as well as to adults. 31 people from the Central and Eastern provinces responded to the survey, but I have no way of knowing exact ages nor genders of the respondents. While this survey was small and was certainly not scientific in nature, it did yield some interesting results. For instance, about 81% of the respondents felt they could do something about the littering problem in KSA (see table below titled Which of the following would you be willing to participate in?), and only 4 out of the 31 respondents indicated that they would not be interested in participating in an anti-litter campaign in any way. This is highlighted in the table below titled The Littering Problem is something I cannot do anything about. I interpret this data to mean most people would value a clean environment in the Kingdom. When asked to complete the statement, “In my opinion, the littering problem in Saudi Arabia is mostly due to...” the topics of 23 respondents fell under four main categories with some answers included more than one reason: Ignorance at 43.5%; ; Lazy/Carelessness at 30.4%; Perception of the problem/desert at 26.1%; and Lack of resources (bins or recycling facilities) at 17.4%.

Jawad, N. (2021)

Jawad, N. (2021) When we take a look at the solutions people feel need to be put into place, this is where differing opinions arise. Covey (2020) pointed out that before one tries to be understood, one should first “seek to understand” (p. 293). He went on to suggest that this builds an emotional bank account which allows people to see your side more clearly (p. 295). To this end, let’s look at the solutions to the littering problem some of the respondents of the survey gave. On Valentines Day, one respondent said, “I would love to help organize an event to help clean the streets of Riyadh.” However, On February 9, another said cleaning the streets would not be enough, and composting and recycling would be necessary in eliminating the litter. I did not want to sway the answers in any way, so I prompted them with this, “This box is for any further comments, questions, and/or ideas you have related to littering and/or an anti-littering campaign in Saudi Arabia” to which eight people gave solutions. Education was the most talked about. Recycling solutions and fines were also mentioned.

The data leads me to believe that people in Saudi Arabia feel the biggest factor to the

littering problem is ignorance of and to the problem and that education is where the

solution lies. Let’s talk more about this! On Wednesday, February 24th at 6:00-7:00

please plan to attend an Anti-litter Campaign Unconference in which the participants

decide what we discuss. Save the date!

References

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary

          Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

National Parks Services. (n.d.). Beautification: A Legacy of Lady Bird Johnson.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/lady-bird-johnson-beautification-cultural-landscapes.htm

Media Sources

Jawad, N. (2021). Perception of Littering In Saudi Arabia [Data set]. SurveyMonkey.

             https://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/giMibyDDHL9qkKnIDclw

               VwXkjnav94bQuOJTGhOM9Mc_3D

We all Win Without Litter

Litter on the Road, Al-Rabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Today on my 15-minute ride to work, I tried to count the pieces of trash I saw. I quickly got to 50. However, I decided the task was impossible as there were mounds of trash as I moved farther north toward the outskirts of Riyadh. This made me wonder how others feel about this. Is this acceptable to you?

As I see it, this is completely unacceptable. I want the trash gone, and I can only believe you want the trash gone too. For this to happen, we need to find solutions we can all be happy with - Win-Win solutions as Covey (2020) called them. He talked about this Win-Win ideology as creating a situation in which “all parties feel good about the decision and feel committed to the action plan” (Covey, 2020, p. 238). This seems easy enough as none of us want the litter around.

Riyadh Season Venue, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Photo supplied for Al-Khudair, 2019)

During the 2019 Riyadh Season, fines for littering were imposed, “ranging from SR500 ($133) to SR1,000, on people found to be littering” (Al-Khudair, 2019, para. 2) after litter clogged a fountain at a venue (Al-Khudair, 2019, para. 1). The Riyadh Season attractions were new events to the Kingdom and were widely popular. The organizers saw a need to keep the venues clean, and fines have been proven to work in other areas in which change was required. For instance, after the enforcement of traffic violations, the rules of the roads were obeyed more often. In line with this, the enforced littering fines did help keep the venues cleaner. However, after the events were over, this enforcement needed to be continued.

I am trying to research how people really do feel about the litter problem in Saudi Arabia. This is where I need your help. I am asking as many people as possible to take 2-3 minutes of their time to complete a short (7 question) survey (Linked here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F739XH6) in order to gauge your feelings about this problem and possible involvement in creating solutions. After you take the survey, please forward it to your friends and ask them to do the same. Your input will go a long way in helping find Win-Win solutions to this problem.

References

Al-Khudair, D. (2019, October 22). Riyadh Season: SR500 Fine for Littering

          During Festival, Organizers Say. Arab News.   

          https://www.arabnews.com/node/1572416/saudi-arabia

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary

          Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

Media Sources

Al-Khudair, D. (2019, October 22). Riyadh Season: SR500 Fine for Littering

          During Festival, Organizers Say. Arab News.   

          https://www.arabnews.com/node/1572416/saudi-arabia

[The photo of litter on the road] was created by the author of this blog post.

Which comes first?

Litter Collected in a Planter Area, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Earlier this week, I reached out to Halla bint Khalid (bint Khalid, n.d.), a Saudi artist and children’s author, to ask if she had written a book about littering or the environment. Part of her reply to me was, “a book would not be enough. It requires a national campaign, fines, and education programs” (bint Khalid, 2021). I was excited to see that she and I are on the exact same page. There must be a shift in the mindset of the people. However, her honest reply started me to wonder which part of her equation should come first. Steven Covey (2020) highlighted “you can’t become principle-centered without first being aware of your paradigms and understanding how to shift them and align them with principles” (p. 169). With this in mind, we have to ask ourselves some probing questions.

First of all, what paradigms exist in Saudi Arabia (KSA) that have led to the existing litter problem within the Kingdom? Interestingly enough, I found an answer to this in my kitchen - at least part of it anyway. Let me explain. After breakfast, my husband sometimes puts his dirty dishes in the sink on the left. In my mind, This sink is reserved for clean dishes, so I arrange the dishes neatly in the sink on the right. This morning, there were only a few items in the sink, but I did not go through the effort it would have taken to clean them because I knew my housekeeper would be down in a little while to tidy the kitchen. This is when I had the realization that this is part of the problem. We make messes knowing someone will be along later to tidy it up. In fact, there is the idea that by leaving a mess, we “are giving someone else a job” - a phrase I have heard often when discussing this topic with other people.

This Morning's Breakfast Dishes, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Another part of this is the idea of making the shift from the current mindset to the idea that we all want the country to be clean, and we are all stakeholders in creating solutions and solving the problem. How can we do this? I believe we can draw upon Saudi nationalism. There is, in fact, already great pride in being Saudi, and in my case, in being part of the Saudi society. We have the community needed, but according to the Universal Wheel of Needs (n.d.) creating a community feel to institute solutions will require interdependence and cooperation. Only then can we tackle this awesome, long standing issue.

Me Picking up Trash in my Neighborhood, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

As Halla bint Khalid (2021) pointed out, there does need to be “a national campaign, fines, and education programs” in order to tackle the issue of litter plaguing this incredible country. The idea that our trash is someone else’s responsibility is just part of the problem. We need to understand the whole problem before we can begin to move forward. Here’s where you can help! We need to understand more about people’s perceptions concerning the littering problem and any possible anti-littering campaigns. To this end, please take this seven-question anonymous survey (2-3 minutes) on Survey Monkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F739XH6). Help us understand the heart of the problem, so we can work toward creating solutions.

References

bint Khalid, H. [@hallabintkhalid]. (n.d.). Instagram. 

          https://www.instagram.com/hallabintkhalid/?hl=en

bint Khalid, H. [@hallasworld]. (2021, February 1). Adventures of a Paperweight,

2008. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CKotnMnBVIX/c/

          18091973077227533/r/17867384576271059/

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary

          Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

Universal Wheel of Needs: Universal Human Needs. (n.d.). 

          https://i.pinimg.com/originals/93/b8/f2/93b8f299b4fd7521aca3d3b7e2a0798c.jpg

Media Source Credits

All photos created by the author of this blog post.

A Clear Vision - The Future of Saudi Tourism

My husband and me in Asir Region, KSA, December 30, 2020

Let’s paint a clear picture of the future because as Covey (2020) pointed out, if we have a clear vision of where we want to be, we can “be truly effective” (p. 112) in achieving our goals. In our clear vision of the future, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is a prime tourist destination, hotel rooms and desert campsites are full, world currencies are flowing into the country, Saudi hospitality is known around the globe, and there is a better understanding of the Muslim people and their faith. This is the picture Saudi wants for herself - that clear vision. To this end, the groundwork has already begun. KSA begun issuing tourist visas on September 27, 2019 (Saudi Tourism Authority, n.d., para. 1). The Saudi Tourism Authority (n.d.) declared “the new visa system is a historic milestone in opening Saudi Arabia to tourism” (para. 2). Before that, tourism in the Kingdom was mostly limited to Umrah and Hajj, holy pilgrimages to Mecca, but now, the rest of the country is free to be explored. The next step is making the remarkable natural and cultural sites fit for the tourists who have high expectations. They want clean, safe places to stay and clean, safe places to visit. To achieve this, littering has to stop. To stop littering, there has to be a shift in how we see the desert. To shift mindsets, we have to put an anti-littering campaign in place, and I believe Saudi tour guides can play a big part in promoting the campaign.

This winter, KSA got a taste of what a peak tourist season could look like. Due to Covid-19, Saudi was, and still is, on lockdown. While expatriates can leave the country, Saudis cannot, and many expatriates chose to stay in the Kingdom just in case the country completely closed again. People, who normally flood out of the country for most holidays - who had not traveled in over a year, needed - yes, needed - to travel. Sites like Abha, Al-Oula, and Jazan saw a spike in local and expatriate visitors. Saudi is home to five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and we visited an ancient communal (a site to be added to that list) dwelling in the Asir region during a trip my family and I took to Jazan and Abha in December. That was a trip we would not have taken if it were not for the current circumstances. Granted, we saw beautiful scenery and experienced Saudi hospitality to the extreme. However, just like Riyadh and The Empty Quarter, the mountains and cities in the southeast were littered. This brought us to the conclusion that it was a wonderful experience but not one we were likely to repeat. 

Ancient Dwelling in Asir Region, KSA, December 30, 2020

I would like to point out that when one visits a place of natural beauty, like many of the sites in KSA, one wants to feel at peace. Beauty, harmony, and order (Center for Nonviolent Communication, 2005) are what one would expect to find in such peaceful places - not water bottles, crisps bags, and sheep or fish bones. The frustrating part is that it would just take a little bit of effort to get the trash where it needs to be for the sense of peace to be achieved.

I indeed am writing out of frustration because we do not all see eye-to-eye on this issue. Some people see littering as normal, and this is what we want to change in order to achieve the end vision for Saudi's tourism. I challenge tour guides to help people understand that it is not in Saudi's collective interest to continue to throw trash on the ground. Our tour guide, Mr. Khaled Took, a Saudi national, told us a story about how his interactions with an American soldier helped him realize that it was not acceptable to litter, what he referred to as, “just the desert” in his story. During our time with Mr. Took, we came to feel the great love he has for his country and his desire to help people see what he sees when he looks at the beautiful Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Perhaps Mr. Took and other dedicated tour guides like him can be Saudi’s Lorax. They can spread the end vision and help people take those steps necessary to make that vision a reality.

References

Center for Nonviolent Communication. (2005). Needs Inventory. https://www.cnvc.org/training/resource/needs-inventory

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

Saudi Tourism Authority. (n.d.). Saudi Tourist Visa. https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/about-e-visa

UNESCO. (n.d.).World Heritage List. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/

A Clean Take on Saudi and Tourism

Trash Clean up of a New Walking Area in Ar-rabia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - January 16

          The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and her wise leaders have a vision for her and her people. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud stated, “My primary goal is to be an exemplary and leading nation in all aspects, and I will work with you in achieving this endeavour” (Vision 2030, 2021). One endeavor of which King Salman spoke is promoting tourism within the Kingdom. Tourists aspire to visit places that are pristine, but with the trash littering, not only the inhabited places in Saudi but also, the deserts, mountains, and coasts, Saudi will be overlooked as the tourist destination she can be. There needs to be a paradigm shift that “moves us from one way of seeing the world to another” (Covey, 2020, p. 13) in this magnificent Kingdom. There needs to be the understanding that the deserts, as well as the mountains and coasts, are treasures to be kept as God had intended them to be. To this end, I would like to start off an anti-littering public service campaign by organizing cleanup parties in which people, locals and expatriates, would meet at a site to collect the litter. These need to be highly visible places, so others can see the activity and possibly choose to join in. However, they also need to be safe and away from traffic. I am taking suggestion on such places in the comments.

          The great Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a beautiful country, and while most people associate her with the deserts, this country has majestic mountains and miles of coast lines. Her cities are becoming metropolitan, while the towns and villages maintain their individual, old world charm. Saudi Arabia would be the perfect place for tourists to experience these beautiful features and a unique and proud culture. Saudi's winters are the perfect time for North American and European tourists seeking to escape their own harsh winters to bask in mild, sunny days and ultimately spend their money. It could be a win, win situation for everyone. However, who would want to vacation in a place that is not clean?

In fact, when one is visiting another country, one wants to have the feeling that it is a safe place. The Wheel of Needs (n.d.) depicts that order is a factor in one’s sense of security, and litter does not relate to order. For instance, if one goes to Dubai or Kuala Lumpur there is a sense that these are safe places because they are clean. This order shows that the cities are cared for and, in turn, so are the people in them. This includes their visitors. It is widely known that Saudi hospitality is generous, and that the Saudis would never want to have their guests not feeling safe. 

          In the long run, it will be important for the citizens of KSA to understand they have several treasures they can share with the world. While Saudi hospitality is an important part of the experience, it is not the only aspect of tourism that needs to be part of this experience. This will be especially true when people from other regions of the world start to call Saudi their number one vacation spot. The shifts in paradigms that need to take place can be achieved through an anti-littering public service campaign that puts Saudi pride in its country in the forefront. This will not be a quick or even an easy process, but it can start with people witnessing others collecting trash and caring. Then the question can be posed, “If they care, then why can I not can care.” We all need to be part of the solution.

As seen in the photo above, my husband and I are in the process of cleaning a new walking are in our neighborhood. What places have you seen that need such attention? Leave your suggestions in the comment box, and we can set up Meet up Clean ups.

References

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition [Kindle]. East Roseville: Simon & amp; Schuster Australia.

Vision 2030: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (2021, January). Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en

The Wheel of Needs: Universal Human Needs. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://i.pinimg.com/originals/93/b8/f2/93b8f299b4fd7521aca3d3b7e2a0798c.jpg