On my trip to Axim, I was struck by how sustainability, though it wasn’t called that, seemed to be an assumed way of life for residents in villages. The one thing villagers seem to have no qualms about is leaving their trash wherever they might.
I have no way of knowing, but I have a feeling the littering has something to do with history. Up to about 100 years ago, the villagers, along with most of the world, would not have had things like candy wrappers and plastic water bottles, which are used for five minutes or a day, and then tossed to lay about for years (many, many years in some cases) until they disintegrate.
Most things that lasted a long time, say a metal tool, was useful for a long time. Something that was not, like a banana peel, simply disintegrated quickly. Not having to deal with the accumulation of sewage and trash that occurs in large cities would have further inured the villagers to throwing things wherever one pleases.
When plastic wrappers and bags and bottles and everything else came along, thousands of years of at least somewhat sustainable living was thrown off kilter.
For more, check out the video!
