We were…, and we are f***ing lucky.
[ 2023 & 2025 photos from land of Morocco ]
I remember my youth in 80's and 90's in Poland. Just after the "iron curtain" fell. That wonderful moment of our country's growth. Western products everywhere, Rambo movies, Matchbox toys, first Lego etc. New products everywhere.
We were so breathless, so amazed. And we went for it. Tried all to push the country, to earn, to learn, to use, to taste that new reality.
Each countries go through some kind of growth phases. Some earlier, some later. Yet it's not the same every time. State of global civilization has a huge impact on problems we encounter on that path.
In that 80's or 90's, what we had to carry our everyday shopping was a simple bag from paper. Or a fabric one. Usually years old, strong and a bit dirty. And most products were at the same time packed in paper or glass bottles and jars.
We totally didn't think about any environmental responsibility, ecology etc. But due to the lack of plastic back then we couldn't do that much harm in that case to our environment. And along the years, especially during last 10 years, we've educated and become aware that waste segregation & collection is a thing. And some other, more important odds were fought over along the way.
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Morocco is growing. It's probably “in our 90's”. But now plastic is a thing everywhere.
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And it's not yet on their priority list to care for it.
But that's not the only reason for their situation You can see in photos.
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There are 3 reasons for that "plastic flowers" to "grow” everywhere. And it's sometimes really everywhere. Even far, far into the landscape. Far beyond our vision. Sad and scary to look at.
First reason is connected to the type of land Morocco has. Endless, empty, rock and sandy planes. With so little vegetation. So few blockades to stop the flow of that plastic. In Central Europe, Poland, it's grass & trees almost everywhere. Even if the waste is there it usually stops on first few meters, easy to be cleaned later, when the “right time” comes. In North Africa it's not the case.
Second reason is the wind. As simple as it is, with that naked land it creates a negative combo, dragging that light, colorful, easy to acquire bags everywhere.
And the third one. The one that is a manifestation of local culture. It's usual for communities that for each day of week they organize a local market next to successive cities or villages. Each day next place, moving the whole produce, attracting new customers, endless cycle of sales.
[ taken in 2023 ]
Connected with how easy and lazy it's to pack everything in single use bags, that creates that huge bombs, eruptions of waste with repeating pattern constantly reappearing along the whole land.
[ taken in 2025 ]
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[ taken in 2023 ]
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Morocco is trying to work on that problem. And from what I heard they can see it all. They are not blind. But it's not yet time for it. Growth has its priorities. And there are a lot of people and communities to be taken care for first.
What can we do about it? Is there a way to help? Probably not. Countries, cultures grow. And if the growth of that country will be steady…
[ taken in 2025 ]
… all that flowers will wither.
[ taken in 2023 ]