Understanding education as synonymous with guiding, directing, teaching, courtesy, urbanity, among others, and civism as the respectful behavior of citizens with the norms of public coexistence. We are aware that we would live better on our island if we all applied these well-known and widely violated rules.
From the simple experiment of walking through the streets, we can see how sadly they continuously violate what a society in order and clean means. The examples are many and varied, and of the most recent actuality, such as those of the San Juan campsite in Caleta de Famara.
Do you remember your mothers telling you not to throw papers on the ground? Well, they don't just throw papers, they throw cigarette butts, leave soft drink cans, furniture in the water drains, washing machines and tires in the sea, etc, etc... In addition, they don't pick up their pets' excrement, they carry them loose and without a muzzle.....
We all agree that a system must be enabled to cross the roads, but is it normal to risk your life crossing a highway? or wouldn't it be better to "spend" ten minutes walking and do it correctly?. Without forgetting that we do not respect traffic limits and traffic signs and we interpret them according to our own whim and manner.
The fashion of tuning, modification and personalization of cars, includes not only installing the most garish and luminous spoiler on the market, but the cars seem like authentic mobile discos contributing a little more to noise pollution.
Moreover, I am convinced that if we applied the rules that specify the sanctions for urinating or spitting in public, throwing chewing gum on the ground, leaving garbage outside the collection hours, and outside the container, etc, etc... to the letter, we could raise enough to build the necessary infrastructure in Lanzarote.
The solution is easy, it involves Education and Civism, we must think that the street, the square, the park is an extension of our house and take care of them.
The solution is not to close the campsites, put more bins, or increase the penalties for various infractions. We must be aware that the island is ours and we have to take care of it, it is everyone's obligation and a right to find it clean. What image are we transmitting? What example are we giving to the younger generations? Don't embarrass me by dirtying our living space.
Carmen Morales
Ph.D. in Political Science and Sociology