Environmentalism in Kinshasa

Kinshasa is a very dirty city--the biggest culprits are probably the automobiles on the street, which makes the air toxic. But I have come to realize there are some lessons to be learned as well. Even with the horrible quality and extremely dangerous overcrowding of cars and vans, there is a pretty sophisticated system of carpools. Very rarely does someone travel anywhere alone. When I go downtown, I am usually able to offer a few friends or colleagues a ride. Of course this system compensates for the absence of any organized system of public transportation.

People make very little garbage. Paper, which is very expensive, is reused and reused until there is not available space. And people conserve--two signs at the US Embassy men’s room tell the story. The Lingala sign asks people not to steal toilet paper--a valuable commodity in a country where paper products are expensive. The English sign explains that one paper towel is adequate for drying your hands--the Americans unnecessarily go through a whole stack of paper. I certainly used to do that. Congolese already know not to waste paper.

The waste from prepared food, fruits, and vegetables are thrown in the garden for biodegrading. People take short showers, wanting to maintain a decent level of water in the reservoir.

Most of the bottled beverages--sodas and beers--come in heavy glass bottles that are reused (which is a more environmentally friendly practice than recycling). Washed, refilled, and capped. The deposit is several times the cost of the beverage so they are always returned. Bottled water, which is largely for foreigners, can be bought in plastic bottles. Although these bottles are not recyclable, they typically get reused informally in kitchens, gas stations, or elsewhere. “Eau Pure” can be bought in much less expensive plastic bags (50 fc or $0.10 for 70 cl). I am not sure about the environmental impact of the bags.

Whatever trash is created is burned. I am sure there are some environmental ill effects of the burning that depends on what is being burned (i.e. paper vs. plastic) and how it is done. I naively admit that the seeming simplicity of it has an appeal, but I suspect this is misleading. There are probably hazards to the air and the ground that I do not understand. Perhaps someone can explain the process better.

My diet is largely organic as well. I am sure people here would love to get their hands on some pesticides, but they can’t afford them. Whereas in the US, you must pay a premium for organic produce, here in Kinshasa it is the chemically produced goods, available as imports in the markets that cater to foreigners, which are more expensive. So I eat bananas that are ripe and were on a tree the day before. During mango season, I can sit in my room, hear one fall from the tree, go outside and find it, and eat it. The vegetables I eat at dinner come from the garden outside--it is usually pondu, the leaves of manioc (cassava). Things are in season--I notice things I never noticed. Many of the fruits are smaller. Their shapes are irregular. Their colors are inconsistent--some of the sweetest oranges I have ever tasted have green skin. And seasons change things. Bananas were extremely small when I arrived in October, but as the season changes, the bananas grow much larger. I have replaced mangos, which were plentiful when I arrived, with grapefruits, which are now in season.