My childhood home was surrounded by corn and bean fields. Our home was essentially surrounded by agriculture. We had a long, gravel driveway that led to the main road. I used to ride my tricycle up and down that gravel driveway everyday in the summer. I can clearly remember one summer day when my parents and I went down to the end of our driveway - I was on my tricycle of course.
In the field adjacent to us, a John Deere sprayer was opening up in the field. My parents looked over at the sprayer; they were clearly concerned. At that moment the sprayer started moving through the field, spraying some sort of pesticide over the soybeans. My dad put his hand on the seat of my trike, frantically pushed me back down the driveway, and rushed me to safety within our house.
That was the greatest of our worries – that and blizzards. We didn’t have toxic water, a garbage mound in our backyard, or air unfit to breathe. For the most part, our environment was hospitable and safe. We were fortunate.
It is a difficult thing to comprehend – living in a toxic environment. Home should be safe. For as foreign of a concept this is, my recent trip to Guatemala truly opened my eyes. One of the first things I noticed about Guatemala was, unfortunately, the immense amount of trash and litter. It was everywhere – in the streets, in parks, even in the water. In fact, the only area devoid of trash was the mission. Another concern is that of water. Not all homes have running water. Bathing in the lake and buying water are common practices. Homes that do have running water still have to be cautious. Water in Guatemala is not chlorinated and thereby contains a harmful amoeba that can cause serious digestion problems.
I was shocked by the amount of trash. How in the world could there be so much? Then it hit me. The people of Guatemala have more pressing issues to deal with. How will they make a living? How will they put food on their table? Will a mudslide wipe out their entire town? Controlling litter simply is not a priority.
I am fortunate. I live in a clean environment. I have consistent, running water that is safe to drink. I am surrounded by trash bins. My water is clear and chlorinated. Blizzards and the occasional John Deere crop sprayer are the greatest of my worries. Very fortunate indeed.
