Labib, the Great Recycling Fox

I have a confession. It's a big one.

For all my great love of humanity and equality and freedom and happiness... I have no enthusiasm for animal rights or the environment.

Okay, that's probably a little overstated, but two facts remain:

1. I have visited the Tunis Zoo twice now, even though I know that that enclosures are terrible and the conditions that the animals are subjected to are appalling (Grizzly Bears in 40°C heat with no shade, anyone?). The first time was a mistake, the second time my friends didn't believe how bad it was and so I had to show them. The un-reassuringly-cheap entry price should have been a giveaway: 800 milimes (1000 milimes make a Tunisian Dinar) per adult = 32p (GBP) = 49c (USD).
2. I never recycle. Never. I am the worst. Since I left the UK, I forgot all about recycling. Even when I'm home, I have no idea what goes in what bin. It all started when I found out that the scrap metal drive in the UK during World War II (when women donated their best pots and pans to be turned into tanks to fight the enemy) was actually a public relations exercise, and most of the collection was just un-usable and dumped. It was just done to make people feel like they were helping in the war effort.

In the same way, my heart doesn't believe in recycling. Is is really making a difference? Is it really worth the effort. My friend Penny loves recycling and told me all about it, for 21km, on Sunday. Now I'm going to try to be a pro. 

Tunisia doesn't care much about recycling, the streets are pretty messy... but she does have a mascot. A very friendly long-eared fox called Labib. I run past a statue of him on my training runs. I took a picture for you the other day - sorry it's a bit blurry, I was running really fast!!

 

He's also on the plastic water bottles. There are stations all over the place to recycle plastic water bottles, now that Penny's been pointing them out to me, I seem to see them everywhere... who knew??!!

So this is it, I'm turning over a new leaf and Labib and I going to save Tunisia with our great recycling prowess - and I will believe that I am making a difference and not destroying the planet.

Long-eared foxes are a bit of an emblem for Tunisia. I saw one in the desert last month and I wanted to hold it, but my mum pointed out that it was cruel that it was all tied up and that it would be supporting animal cruelty if I held it. Oh. Please refer to point 1 above.

But you MUST admit - he really was a cutie!

So... New leaf... recycling warrior... yep yep yep...

Right after I get back from my holiday on the other side of the planet - heading to the airport now...

Carbon schmarbon!

TTFN!