Sea pollution in Lebanon has reached unprecedented levels. Lebanon’s beaches are infected with the worst forms of bacteria and are not safe to swim in. The coastline—from Tripoli to Tyre—is lined with murky waters, and what was once a shimmering shore is now cluttered with plastic bottles and other waste products. It is estimated that Lebanon’s beaches have more than 500 tons of wastes disposed into its sea every day. Plastics, household wastes, hospital wastes, and manufacturing wastes all mixed together to form the ultimate bacteria ridden cocktail for us to enjoy. Our mountains have also been affected by the mismanagement of our environment, and needless to say the air pollution levels have increased, making Lebanon one of the most polluted countries in the Middle East. It is not only affecting our physical well-being, but it also has an impact on our mental health.
On the macro level, Lebanon’s economy depends on tourism, with many businesses relying on the beauty of our nature. This crisis is also threatening the livelihood of people who live off tourism and will eventually deprive us from the most lucrative asset Lebanon is known for. In the absence of regulations, good policy, and government reinforcements, things can only get worse. The purpose of our movement is to give this pressing issue the importance it deserves by confronting parliamentarians and holding them responsible to their duties and responsibilities and making sure the environment takes top position on their agenda. We asked readers to join our movement, choose a picture and comment with the message they would like to share with the parliament. The team at Executive created an eco-friendly postcards using images of a polluted Lebanon and sent them directly to the parliamentarians’ mailboxes. Let’s flood our politician’s mailboxes, Let's #changetheimage