Rubbish

With 36% of the country living on less than $2 a day, it's extremely difficult for Tanzania to gain revenue through taxation. Without taxes there are few, if any, public services like trash collection. Joe and I were unsure of what to do with our garbage. There's a big metal barrel in our courtyard that had some trash in it so we just added ours and planned to burn it. Unfortunately, its the rainy season, so the barrel quickly filled with a disgusting fly-attracting scum liquid which would not burn. After seeing so many houses with piles of trash out the front we decided to just tip the barrel on to the already small pile of refuse in front of our gate. Sorry neighbors, for the stench. Today it didn't rain at all so Joe went out after work to try to burn the pile (still stinking but smaller and spread out by chickens and dogs). Some neighbors approached and informed him that there is a public dump practically behind our house! Someone offered to move our trash to the dump for a few dollars. So now we know. During this same interaction Joe also found us a gardener. As it is the rainy , the small patch of grass in front of the gate is nearly a foot tall and our bushes are expanding. He will come in the morning.

Comments

[Dee]

Something new every day. Love to hear about it.

[bunny]

ha! that's totally something i would do--wonder what to do with my garbage only to find out that there is a dump so close, only after i'd tried to do something about it.