Manners maketh man. This is a proverb written in the 15^th century by the principal of the Eton University in England.

The proverb ‘manners maketh man’ means that politeness and good manners are essential to humanity. Manners means being polite and cultured. Maketh here means to complete, perfect, or create. Man refers not just to men but to all humankind. So, the proverb is extolling the virtues of good manners.

We in the Samoan society pride ourselves in our manners, how we respect our elders, the matai, church leaders and even our children. It is reflected in how we talk, dress, and behave at home and outside, performing daily chores, keeping our homes clean and in many other aspects.

But there is one thing that the majority of us are guilty of being ill-mannered in. This mannerism is putting the rubbish in the bin.

Many Samoans are so fond of throwing empty packaging, food containers, plastic bottles, lolly wrappers and cigarette butts, the list can go on, out of their car windows or on the side of the road even while walking.

This is a problem, a very big one and it can come back to bite us if we do not make that one simple change.

It should start from the home and then in schools. Just a simple act of putting rubbish in the bin, no matter where you are. If you are driving and there is no bin close by, keep the litter inside and dispose of it off at your final destination and in a bin.

If you disagree that litter is a problem, then look around. Look along the streets in town, along Vaitele Road, or commonly used roads.

In some cases the villages clean up but the problem still persists. All we have to do is put that litter in the bin. Do not forget that this piece of good mannerism has a flow on effect. If you practice this, so will the children.

There is also a saying that an old dog can never learn a new trick, but in this case we have to.

The Samoa Conversation Society once said that in Samoa, about 7,000 tonnes of plastic is consumed each year, making up about 16 per cent of the country's waste and in the absence of recycling, most goes into landfill or litter.

Litter adversely affects the environment. Littering along the road, on the streets or by the litter bins, toxic materials or chemicals in litter can be blown or washed into rivers, forests, lakes and oceans, and, eventually can pollute waterways, soil or aquatic environments. Based on recent data, 7 billion tons of debris enter the world’s oceans annually and most of it is long-lasting plastic.

Litter also reduces air quality due to the smell and toxic chemical vapor emanating from the trash. A polluted environment can encourage the spread of diseases. Toxic chemicals and disease-causing microorganisms in the trash may also contaminate water systems and spread water-borne diseases which can negatively affect the health of both animals and humans if unclean or untreated water is consumed.

Cigarette butts take a grand total of 10 years to decompose because of cellulose acetate, contrary to the common perception that cigarette butts decompose very quickly in only a matter of days. In reality, cigarette butts are a serious threat to the environment, as they contain toxic substances like arsenic which can contaminate soil and water.

Plastic litter is another threat to the environment and its inhabitants. It has often been mistaken for food by both land and marine wildlife. When consumed by animals, they reduce the stomach capacity since they cannot be digested. In the long-term it affects the animals’ eating habits, eventually killing the animals.

Much of marine wildlife including birds, whales, dolphins and turtles have been found dead with plastic and cigarettes found in their stomachs. An estimated 100,000 sea mammals are killed by plastic litter every year.

A report released by Japanese experts in 2019 revealed that mismanagement of plastic waste from the Pacific region accounts for 2.7 of the 12.12 million tonnes of plastic filling the oceans every year.

It found 64 per cent of plastics are making their way to landfill and 24 per cent are being reused at least once, but 12 per cent of plastics are burned, used outdoors in some way or dumped in a backyard landfill.

“Of the inadequately managed amount, about 715 tonnes per year could potentially end up in the ocean,” the report states.

This is despite the fact that the region represents just 0.14 per cent of the global population.

This is largely due to little to no collection, recycling or export systems widely available in the Pacific, and poor waste collection rates in rural areas.

So now you see how important that one act of putting litter in the bin is. That one action will not only preserve the aesthetic beauty of our beloved Samoa but will go a long way in saving this planet. We from the Pacific are so quick to jump on the climate change bandwagon and have a go at world’s largest emitters but here we are at home doing the opposite.

There is also a need for the Government to make anti-litter laws more effective, and even more effective the policing of it so hefty fines can be imposed on those littering. Whatever has happened to the Waste Management Act 2010 which was enacted to ensure everyone plays their part in keeping our environment clean. What is the point of having such laws when no one is enforcing them? There is also a need to have tax rebates for investors who want to set up plastic and paper recycling businesses.

These things can and should happen but for now, please put the litter in the bin.