The “Captain Clean” campaign was sponsored by Makkah municipality and Makkah traffic police to discourage residents and visitors from throwing litter in public places. — Photo courtesy of Alriyadh.com By Amal Al-Sibai Saudi Gazette ‘Captain Clean' is a new environmental awareness campaign launched in the Holy City. The catchy campaign name is motivating the young and the old to join in on keeping the Kingdom's cities clean. The campaign was sponsored by Makkah's municipality and Makkah traffic police to discourage residents and visitors from throwing litter in public places — and especially to put an end to some people's habit of throwing garbage out the window from their cars. The message is that “superheroes” look out for the cleanliness and health of their cities and they protect their local environment by not littering in their cities' streets and roads. “Last week was the fourth stage of the campaign, which aimed to raise society's awareness about the negative effects of littering on the environment. Participants and volunteers of the campaign were spread out in the shopping centers in the Holy City to distribute plastic bags to shoppers to keep in their cars for discarding waste, rather than throwing them outside the car window onto the roads. “Visitors to the shopping malls received educational brochures and pamphlets along with the small plastic bags. Our teams of volunteers and participants have been working for a full month, with morning and evening shifts, to reach the message to as many residents, visitors, and pilgrims as possible,” said Mahdi Bahader, the assistant deputy mayor of services in Makkah. Bahader added that the goal of the campaign is to stop the environmental deterioration in Makkah and to remind both Saudis and expatriates of the sanctity of the Holy City and the special place it has in the hearts of all Muslims worldwide. “The main purpose of the campaign is not merely to penalize and fine littering motorists just for the sake of fining them; the purpose is to create greater respect for this sacred and blessed place. It is every individual's responsibility to protect the environment and appearance of the Holy City,” Bahader said. At the conclusion of the Captain Clean campaign, Mayor of Makkah Dr. Osama Fadhl Al-Bar and Director of Traffic Col. Mishaal Al-Maghrabi plan to hold a press conference to let the public know of the stipulations and details of the new fines that shall be imposed for littering on the roads in Makkah. __
