Urban Pollution: Trinidad and Tobago's dark side

Are cities a threat to the environment?

Cities are major contributors to global environmental problems such as pollution, resources depletion and land intake (Hall and Barrett 2011:306). The environmental problems generated by urban areas are photochemical  smog, burning of trash, contamination of soil and water ways and widespread littering. As many city-dwellers are disconnected from the natural world, it has even been suggested that a new species “homo urbanus” is emerging (http://www.uep2010.com). Developing countries, such as Trinidad, have to balance urban development and sustainability of the environment. To overcome these problems, Trinidad must start small by employing the three R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

The mentality 

This blog highlights the problems of urban pollution and its increasing problems. Walking in urban Trinidad, you are likely to see trash or a dirty drain. These sites pose a health threat not only to the community, but also to wild life. There are some who cherish their space and clean up and dispose the garbage the right way, but there are some are reckless individuals who see it as someone else’s problem. For the pass two year,  I have seen people thrown litter out of their vehicles and drop garbage on the street when there are just meters away from a bin. According from the folks from the rural areas, (central and south) they say it is an urban (Northern Trinidad) lifestyle to randomly dump garbage. I was told a story by a local who said he is tired of the pollution, he said he was walking through Port of Spain and saw an old television in a drain and he was surprise it stood there for weeks.

Eutrophication occurring in a drain.

Blocked drain along Priority Bus Route 

Car exhaust a source of photo chemical smog

A drain leading to an urban stream full of grease and garbage

Changes in urban pollution

Student of the University of The West Indies, St Augustine campus take part in the recycling of plastics, glass and metal containers. To change the mentality of a country, you must start at the grassroots: this shows the youth how important it is to keep the environment clean and to be responsible for their actions.

Recycling in UWI