Waste

A municipal councillor and her team were inspecting the underground drains near the Panjim market. They opened up the lid of a manhole, surrounded the area with safety markers and went to the next manhole in that line. In less than five minutes when they returned, they found the open chamber filled with all sorts of trash. Somebody must have started it and the rest followed.

The next incident happened during an outbound training program conducted on a beach. Despite our pleas to dump the garbage in the bins, the beach was littered with water bottles and paper napkins. My team was cleaning up the waste, when their CEO joined us. Immediately, all senior managers joined and eventually everyone tagged along. The CEO started and the rest followed.

Two different occasions... One common lesson... We have it in our genes to ape the influencer. If many influencers unite to involve in positive proactive initiatives, the impact will be wider and deeper on the predicament we find ourselves in. We have to embrace the powerful possibilities of a united impact on the stakeholders of the situation.

In trekking, we learnt the rule of not just carrying our own garbage to the bin, but also the rubbish we found on the way. The newcomers would tend to say ‘that’s not my waste.’ One of the seniors would calmly pick up the piece of rubbish and confide, ‘but it is our path’. The circle of influence is widened when the preachers practise what they preach.

Hence we need to ask ourselves whether we are aligned to the expected behaviour we wish of others. We need to rededicate ourselves to not only doing the right things but to joining the positive projects that others initiate to further common good. There are many who want to the right stuff. If we all unite, the impact will never go to waste!

It won’t go to waste when right things happen together...
‘unite to impact’ the influencers to make it even better!

                              

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.