In Oostende and along most of the Belgian coast, the behavior of foreigners was decried. Accusations were flying all over the networks. Look how foreigners behave! No respect for our coasts and the environment.
But is it really their fault? I doubt it.
Flanders is a stickler for waste separation. It’s what distinguishes a good citizen from a bad one. It’s the way the latter behaves and looks after the garbage cans. And they’re very strict. Fines come thick and fast, and the policy pays off. Thanks to these fines and a reactive, disciplined administration, Flanders can pride itself on being clean. Compared with the rest of Belgium, there is virtually no litter on the streets.
A Fleming who buys a meal in a tray, for example, has to go to the local garbage can and throw it away, and garbage cans are rare. Or take it home and dispose of it in his own garbage cans.
If you don’t put up any garbage cans, you can see straight away whether there are strangers or not.
By restricting garbage cans, we can see the behavior of people who are not “local”. Not used to such a drastic waste policy.
Foreigners unfamiliar with this habit quickly give up and throw their garbage on the ground. This tells others just how much “bad mentality” is present on their soil.
The Coast is no exception to this policy. The Flemish have the longest streetcar line in the world(Kusttram/67km), are the richest part of Belgium (330 billion GDP in Flanders in 2023) and have the intelligence to manage things in the event of an influx of tourists.
Here, the photo was taken on Google Maps following the direct line on foot from Oostende station. Imagine the place full of tourists coming by train?
If there aren’t enough garbage cans, it’s because it’s deliberate.
By removing the garbage cans, we can see how the “stranger” behaves towards the place he’s visiting.
In Brussels or anywhere else in the world, when you go somewhere, there are plenty of places to get rid of your garbage.
We’re not going to keep them in the jersey, are we?
