Recyclable Nation

As a counterpoint to what I have told you about all the crazy littering going on in Ghana, I figure I should tell you about what they are doing right for the environment. So on to the many recycled things in Ghana:

1. Tro-tros. You know all those VW vans that you crazy hippies used to drive in the 70's? Ever wondered what happened to them? Well, my friends, I can solve that conundrum for you right now. They are all in Ghana because they have all been converted into tro-tros. After your stoner selves got finished with them, these crafty Ghanaians ripped out that shag carpeting and those disco balls and installed bench seats with fold out chairs for the aisles. They aren't joking around about fitting as many people in there as possible. The phrase "packed in like sardines" takes on a whooole new meaning. You are close enough to the other people where you literally know what they ate for lunch. SERIOUSLY.

2. Watermelon seeds. You think they are just for spitting contests, but oh no. No, no, no, no, no. As I type, right now, I am wearing them around my neck. That's right, suckas, here in Ghana, we make necklaces by stringing them all together. It actually looks really cool.

3. Glass bottles. All the sodas and most of the juices that you drink here come in beautifully recyclable glass bottles. Thank goodness they are doing something to make up for the mass of plastic bags strewn across the ground. These glass bottles can be recycled the normal way and just reused for more sodas and juice... OR ... you can get creative and smash em up, melt em down, and make glass beads out of them! It's so cool when it's done right. They can be painted or the colors of the glass can just show through- ah the beauty of art!

4. Hair. That's right. EWWW. People do the whole weave thing and it is not uncommon to find used hair on the ground.

I had others, but I'm about to go to the orphanage. I'll finish this post later. Sorry to run!!

Love,
Haley