Garbage. Lots of garbage. That’s what long-time Qatar resident, academic and author Mohana Rajakumar observed during a trip to the beach this weekend.

But instead of just complaining about it, she started picking it up. And then wondered, why doesn’t everyone else do the same?

In a blog post titled “Is everything us against them,” she writes:

Nationality and “why doesn’t the government do something” are knee jerk reactions to what we would otherwise consider civic responsibilities. Maybe it’s a system that pays people based on their passports – not their merit – that is to blame for the root of this ethnic divide. For the same job, it’s completely legal for companies to pay different wages to Egyptians versus Sri Lankans versus Americans. Is this where the root of mistrust begins?

…Rather than continuously looking to others, I’m interested in the power of individuals. Why can’t every person who sees trash on the beach pick some up? Not every piece, but whatever they have time for?

…In a place like Qatar, where mistrust abounds between groups, expat and national, Arabs and non-Arabs, it would be nice if we as expats could do something positive to give back to these communities which are our temporary homes.

Thoughts on this?

Credit: Photo courtesy of Rajakumar on Facebook