By: Carson Chambers and Zoe Sirivejachipan
Since we’ve been in Thailand, we’ve experienced a wide array of subcultures within the country. Within each unique area, we have been exposed to a variety of subtle differences and similarities. All humans have to deal with the not-so-glamorous issue of waste – what do we qualify as waste? How do we dispose of it? How will it affect one’s culture and environment? So far we’ve been to two different rural villages, the big city of Bangkok and a tourist island and how waste is dealt with.
I first started to notice the differences in how the people of Kalasin deal with trash after breakfast on our first day. We (the Westminster crew) ate, left some trash scattered around, piled our plates with plenty of leftover food scraps, and started talking about plans for the day. But what was going to happen to the plastic bottles, left over scrambled egg and oatmeal packets? In the United States, once our trash is in a garbage can, it’s taken care of and out of our lives. But what about in Kalasin where there are no landfills, garbage trucks or recycling centers?
