Comments on: A Glass of Lake Sevan Water http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/ A blog about Armenia: business, politics, the future and good lavash Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:08:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5 by: Doug M. http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-250808 Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:33:39 -0800 http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-250808 A while back I e-mailed a friend saying, "I am so conflicted about this country -- I could easily make a list of 50 things I love about Armenia, and 50 things I hate." He asked me what would be on top of the "things I hate" list. I thought for a moment and replied, "Garbage. I know there are worse things, but there's just something so disgusting about the garbage everywhere." So I'm very sympathetic to you and your friend. I wish I knew what the answer was... Doug M. A while back I e-mailed a friend saying, “I am so conflicted about this country — I could easily make a list of 50 things I love about Armenia, and 50 things I hate.”

He asked me what would be on top of the “things I hate” list. I thought for a moment and replied, “Garbage. I know there are worse things, but there’s just something so disgusting about the garbage everywhere.”

So I’m very sympathetic to you and your friend.

I wish I knew what the answer was…

Doug M.

]]> by: Nareg http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-251099 Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:19:45 -0800 http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-251099 it seems like garbage has always been in issue for who knows how long in armenia. either in yerevan or by lake sevan i always feel disappointed about this issue. i started to visit armenia in 2002 and it is hard to believe this garbage was a problem during the soviet era...or was it? it seems like garbage has always been in issue for who knows how long in armenia. either in yerevan or by lake sevan i always feel disappointed about this issue. i started to visit armenia in 2002 and it is hard to believe this garbage was a problem during the soviet era…or was it?

]]> by: arapo http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-251287 Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:15:33 -0800 http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-251287 Sounds like heads need to roll before people wake up to the fact that they are contributing to their own longterm destruction. APATHY IS RAMPANT IN ARMENIA AND THOSE MOTIVATED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE COLLECTIVE GOOD ARE A TINY MINORITY!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like heads need to roll before people wake up to the fact that they are contributing to their own longterm destruction. APATHY IS RAMPANT IN ARMENIA AND THOSE MOTIVATED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE COLLECTIVE GOOD ARE A TINY MINORITY!!!!!!!!!!!

]]> by: arapo http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-252050 Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:46:25 -0800 http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-252050 To answer Nareg's question - Not Really. Remember 20 years ago we're talking about a non-consumer-based society. You didn't have the paper and plastics,in all its packaging forms, for people to simply toss away after using. Funny story...A few years ago in Yerevan I had rented an apt and not seeing anything resembling a garbage can for the building I had to ask a neighbor or two where they threw their refuse. One told me the place was a 5 minute walk to the neigborhood garbage collection site, but added that they usually discarded their garbage in the street bin.Then too, I saw people just leave their garbage in the hallways!!!! To answer Nareg’s question - Not Really. Remember 20 years ago we’re talking about a non-consumer-based society. You didn’t have the paper and plastics,in all its packaging forms, for people to simply toss away after using. Funny story…A few years ago in Yerevan I had rented an apt and not seeing anything resembling a garbage can for the building I had to ask a neighbor or two where they threw their refuse. One told me the place was a 5 minute walk to the neigborhood garbage collection site, but added that they usually discarded their garbage in the street bin.Then too, I saw people just leave their garbage in the hallways!!!!

]]> by: nazarian http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-252950 Thu, 01 Feb 2007 18:08:31 -0800 http://www.blogrel.com/2007/01/30/a-glass-of-lake-sevan-water/#comment-252950 Nareg's right. During the Soviet times there were no plastic bottles. It was all glass and you could return them for refund. Of course, a lot of people did not do that and would instead throw them away. Plastic bags were a big deal, too. They did not have the plastic shopping bags. The storage bags were washed and reused. But littering the environment was a problem then, too. Armenians love having parties in the woods, and after each party they would leave the garbage behind. A lot of it was biodegradable food leftovers but you would have aluminum foil, glass bottles and all other kinds of garbage. Nowadays littering is more of a problem because it's a capitalist society and it's a consumer society. Unfortunately, the people's ignorance and apathy for their surroundings may have gotten worse. They fail to realize that their environment belongs to them. Arguing that it is where their children will live is not a very convincing approach. Most of the people would leave Armenia themselves, and wish their kids do so, if they could. Nareg’s right. During the Soviet times there were no plastic bottles. It was all glass and you could return them for refund. Of course, a lot of people did not do that and would instead throw them away.

Plastic bags were a big deal, too. They did not have the plastic shopping bags. The storage bags were washed and reused.

But littering the environment was a problem then, too. Armenians love having parties in the woods, and after each party they would leave the garbage behind. A lot of it was biodegradable food leftovers but you would have aluminum foil, glass bottles and all other kinds of garbage.

Nowadays littering is more of a problem because it’s a capitalist society and it’s a consumer society. Unfortunately, the people’s ignorance and apathy for their surroundings may have gotten worse. They fail to realize that their environment belongs to them.

Arguing that it is where their children will live is not a very convincing approach. Most of the people would leave Armenia themselves, and wish their kids do so, if they could.

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