Trash in the River

My post today is in collaboration with hundreds of others for blog action day.
My last visit to Iran was one in which I discovered the multiple types of landscapes the country had to offer. From snowy mountain tops to dusty flat lands, all landscapes were adulterated by the presence of trash accumulated from littering. One familiar image was plastic bags, drink containers, and cigarette butts floating down a small stream at a popular hiking destination in Tehran. I cannot count the times I saw people throwing garbage out of car windows onto the street.
There is a serious problem here and it needs to be fixed for the long term. Growing up in the US, I was constantly reminded in school and television of the problems of littering. Saturday morning PSA's of rockstar dinosaurs taught us to recycle, reduce, and reuse along with the eco friendly super hero, Captain Planet. Iran must invest in the future of its country's environment and ecosystems now in order to save it from ultimate collapse. A shift in awareness of environmentalism will not only stop at littering but also inspire new regulations on industrial and consumer emissions and wastes.
Until then, I will have to constantly remind my uncle to dispose of his cigarette butts in a bottle to be thrown away.