U nfortunately, natural resources are invaluable treasures that we often fail to appreciate. This is evident in the many illegal dumpsites and trash left behind by careless individuals. It’s not uncommon to see riverbanks, meadows, and roadside areas covered with plastic bags and various types of waste, which not only mar the beauty of nature but also seriously pollute it. Many of these materials, such as plastic and metal, are difficult to decompose and remain in the environment for decades. However, despite the negative impacts of our bad habits, there are those who tirelessly work to preserve nature in a somewhat unconventional way.
In the small town of Ljusina, near Bosanska Krupa, lives Almir Dervišević, an environmental activist who has been dedicated to protecting his local environment for several years. In his free time, he collects waste and organizes cleanup campaigns, joined by his fellow townspeople.
“My interest in ecology began a few years ago when I noticed a lot of trash and waste around us, and no one was doing anything to address it. So, I decided to focus on cleaning forests, roads, villages, and the banks of the Una River,” says Dervišević.
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To date, he has covered kilometers of roads, collecting hundreds of trash bags, but this effort has never been a problem for him. His work has become well-recognized in the community, and others have started joining him.
“I began organizing waste collection campaigns, and when I organize them, five to eight volunteers usually join me. So far, I’ve had many successful campaigns. I usually clean on weekends, which takes about four to five hours. My good friend Razim Dervić helps me the most,” Almir adds.
He points out that he most often finds cans, bottles, and other waste along roadsides. He hopes that people who throw trash out of their vehicles will begin to recognize the harm their actions cause and will take more care in the future. Everything he collects is packed into large bags, which the local utility service then transports to the municipal landfill in Bosanska Krupa.
At the beginning of his efforts, people were surprised by his commitment, but over time, he gained the support of his fellow citizens. Although he has mainly focused on cleaning his immediate surroundings, Almir plans to expand his activities to other towns.
“I believe littering could be reduced if laws were stricter and those polluting nature were penalized. I think that people who pollute our beautiful nature lack self-respect because if they respected themselves, they wouldn’t do what they do to nature. I fight against such behavior and always will. I would like stricter laws and penalties to reduce the amount of waste. I believe that’s the only right way. Besides, we all need to be responsible and not litter. Personally, I would love to see every town organize similar actions so that we can all work together to preserve our beautiful nature,” Dervišević emphasizes.
Prepared by Jasna Dragojević
The story was published in the Energy portal Magazine RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS
