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‘De-Litter’ initiative aims to remove waste from Jordanian streets
By Huda Dabeet, Jordan News
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AMMAN — While walking down the streets of Amman during the lockdown, Nerissa Abu Hanna was annoyed by the amounts of trash discarded into the street, which is why she decided to take a small trash bag and collect them from the street. This action led to her launching the “De-Litter” initiative.اضافة اعلان
The scene of waste on the streets was one she described as horrible. However, she shared that the scene was one that many were accustomed to and no longer considered abnormal.
The trash Abu Hanna found on the streets was primarily due to the influx of single-use protective gear (masks and gloves) used by the public to limit the spread of COVID-19. However, she found that while dealing with one issue, another took its place, which is why “De-Litter” was founded in 2020 as an environmental initiative.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
The founder started picking up waste from the streets and then shared the results on her personal social media account. “The picture of trash that I posted received a lot of engagement, and many were encouraged to participate in cleaning the streets and neighborhoods in the areas in which they live,” shared Abu Hanna in an interview with Jordan News.
The feedback she received was from followers on social media and neighbors, who thanked her for her effort in cleaning the streets. After seeing her posts, many people took the initiative and began collecting trash from their neighborhoods and streets, and after they shared the before and after photos with Abu Hanna.
“We used to collect waste in the streets and put it in containers, just to protect people from it,” the founder shared.
The concept of the De-Litter initiative developed and expanded, welcoming volunteers and widening the type of waste they would collect from the streets.
The name “De-Litter” is used to portray the opposite of litter, which means to throw waste on the ground in public places and instead focus on the concept of the prefix “de,” meaning to undo the litter, bringing back the streets to their original state. “De-Litter is the opposite of littering,” said Abu Hanna.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
To inspire and engage others, the founder formed a network of people who go on walks to collect trash from the streets by posting the activities and initiatives on various social media channels.
When it comes to participation, Abu Hanna believes that everyone can play a role in creating positive change that will positively influence the environment, adding that by avoiding littering, starting to recycle, and cutting plastics much as possible, everyone can help decrease waste presence.
“These actions demonstrate how a change in human behavior can go a long way in protecting our environment,” she said.
Her fully public initiative aims to set a realistic vision of how people can keep Jordanian streets clean, which is why she uses before and after images to depict the litter that that initiative cleans.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
Abu Hanna added that while collecting waste, random people would join to help, which shows that this action impacts people similarly to how social media influences people.
“De-Litter” also collaborates with local environmental initiatives, which carry the same goal of protecting the environment. “There is a lot of collaboration with other local initiatives since we undertake various actions that help to environmental preservation together, such as going on a group walks to clean the streets, in addition to other activities,” she said.
Currently, the number of volunteers reached around 60, but volunteers participate based on what time and place works for them, shared Abu Hanna.
The founder shared that the main challenge she has faced is the lack of support from the authorities as the initiative is self-funded. “I went to the authorities to seek support because I pay for all of the cleaning equipment myself, but there was no support,” she said.
However, she added that she got encouragement and support from her family and friends, noting that “support is not only financial but also moral.”
She added that her goal for the future is for people to adopt a zero-waste culture and the go green concept.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people noticed a positive change in the environment due to the decrease of activities that were harmful to the environment due to quarantine.
The “De-Litter” initiative aims to raise community awareness through street cleaning campaigns, which directly impact residents and share the dangers that waste poses to the environment.
Read more Lifestyle
The scene of waste on the streets was one she described as horrible. However, she shared that the scene was one that many were accustomed to and no longer considered abnormal.
The trash Abu Hanna found on the streets was primarily due to the influx of single-use protective gear (masks and gloves) used by the public to limit the spread of COVID-19. However, she found that while dealing with one issue, another took its place, which is why “De-Litter” was founded in 2020 as an environmental initiative.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
The founder started picking up waste from the streets and then shared the results on her personal social media account. “The picture of trash that I posted received a lot of engagement, and many were encouraged to participate in cleaning the streets and neighborhoods in the areas in which they live,” shared Abu Hanna in an interview with Jordan News.
The feedback she received was from followers on social media and neighbors, who thanked her for her effort in cleaning the streets. After seeing her posts, many people took the initiative and began collecting trash from their neighborhoods and streets, and after they shared the before and after photos with Abu Hanna.
“We used to collect waste in the streets and put it in containers, just to protect people from it,” the founder shared.
The concept of the De-Litter initiative developed and expanded, welcoming volunteers and widening the type of waste they would collect from the streets.
The name “De-Litter” is used to portray the opposite of litter, which means to throw waste on the ground in public places and instead focus on the concept of the prefix “de,” meaning to undo the litter, bringing back the streets to their original state. “De-Litter is the opposite of littering,” said Abu Hanna.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
To inspire and engage others, the founder formed a network of people who go on walks to collect trash from the streets by posting the activities and initiatives on various social media channels.
When it comes to participation, Abu Hanna believes that everyone can play a role in creating positive change that will positively influence the environment, adding that by avoiding littering, starting to recycle, and cutting plastics much as possible, everyone can help decrease waste presence.
“These actions demonstrate how a change in human behavior can go a long way in protecting our environment,” she said.
Her fully public initiative aims to set a realistic vision of how people can keep Jordanian streets clean, which is why she uses before and after images to depict the litter that that initiative cleans.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
Abu Hanna added that while collecting waste, random people would join to help, which shows that this action impacts people similarly to how social media influences people.
“De-Litter” also collaborates with local environmental initiatives, which carry the same goal of protecting the environment. “There is a lot of collaboration with other local initiatives since we undertake various actions that help to environmental preservation together, such as going on a group walks to clean the streets, in addition to other activities,” she said.
Currently, the number of volunteers reached around 60, but volunteers participate based on what time and place works for them, shared Abu Hanna.
The founder shared that the main challenge she has faced is the lack of support from the authorities as the initiative is self-funded. “I went to the authorities to seek support because I pay for all of the cleaning equipment myself, but there was no support,” she said.
However, she added that she got encouragement and support from her family and friends, noting that “support is not only financial but also moral.”
She added that her goal for the future is for people to adopt a zero-waste culture and the go green concept.
Nerissa Abu Hanna launched “De-Litter” to remove the waste from Jordanian streets and encourage others to find ways to help protect the environment. (Photos: Handouts from Nerissa Abu Hanna)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people noticed a positive change in the environment due to the decrease of activities that were harmful to the environment due to quarantine.
The “De-Litter” initiative aims to raise community awareness through street cleaning campaigns, which directly impact residents and share the dangers that waste poses to the environment.
Read more Lifestyle
