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Cameroon Through New Eyes | 6. Power, Water, and the Art of Enduring
Mountains of Plastic, Rivers of Resilience
And this is only the beginning. The ugly rawness hidden in the night assaults your senses with relentless force under the unforgiving glare of daylight. In Douala, visual pollution remains a major issue. Let’s start with the overwhelming plague of trash that blankets the streets.
Trash seems to be everywhere you look, but the real eye-catcher is the sheer amount of plastic. The town of Douala is practically drowning in heaps of plastic waste, which even clogs its waterways. Is there a waste collection service in the city? If there is, it is certainly hard to find. Growing up, it was definitely cleaner than it is today. I remember that back then, the waste collection service, Hysacam used to pick up trash from in front of our house every day.
As if that weren’t bad enough, the air hangs heavy with exhaust as cars relentlessly pump out toxic fumes—reminding me of my time in Kampala, Uganda, where I had often find black dust in my nose after just a single day outdoors. Indeed, after my trips to Kampala, I was always returning to the United States with a sore throat because of breathing in such a polluted environment, where it seems cars and trucks are barely regulated for the level of toxic emissions they release into the atmosphere.
So, did my recent trip turn me into an ecologist? My journey to Cameroon proved to be a profound revelation, particularly for someone like me who does not identify as an aspiring environmentalist. Indeed. while I am a fan of programs that highlight ecology issues —such as my frequent listening to the show “La Terre au Carré” on the radio France Inter—I do not identify as an environmentalist in the traditional sense. In fact, unlike those who drive electric vehicles, install solar panels, or engage in constant discourse about climate change, my perspective is more nuanced. Still, the unescapable and heartbreaking presence of astounding plastic waste—manifested in bags and bottles—was nothing short of astonishing. It is a powerful reminder of the severity of the situation and highlights the urgent need for environmental awareness in Cameroon—and across Africa as a whole.
Cameroon Through New Eyes | 8. Freedom Isn’t Free — Especially for Women