How Living in Azerbaijan Makes Your More Environmentally Friendly

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about AZ’s trash problem and the terrible environmental outlook throughout the country.  But there are a number of things the locals do that is actually environmentally friendly. Many Americans could learn a thing or two from life here.  Here’s a list of some of the green ways AZ’s live:

1)    Unplugging electronics when not in use

Since most home’s I’ve been in have few more than one outlet in a room it’s easy to be conscious of electricity when you don’t have much to plug in.  Most of the electric bill on most Azeri’s tag comes from the television, refrigerator and cell phone chargers.  When they’re not watching TV most will unplug the cord since even if it’s not turned on an electronic will still gauge power through the cord.  Some Azeri’s even unplug their fridge in the winter when it’s cold enough not to need one (I could get extra points for going a whole 2 years without a fridge!)

2)   Not using lights during daylight hours

Most people simply live by the daylight and only turn on the lights when necessary in the evening and more often in the winter with fewer daylight hours. Also, with the irregularity of lights and sometimes having to go for a few hours without any electricity it’s easy to be green friendly when you have a forced blackout a few times a week.  

3)   Reusing everything possible until it’s completely worn down

Whether it’s clothes, jars, shopping bags or socks, nothing gets tossed until it’s used to the full extent.  Clothes are expensive so they’re worn for years and mended and reused or passed onto others. Bottles and glass jars are used like Tupperware is in the states, storing leftovers. Which leads me to…

4)   Not wasting food

Leftovers are always eaten.  When you live off so little and cooking takes so much time it makes sense that someone will eat all of it, and if the bread is old, at least it’s a meal for the animals.

5)   Being conscious of water use

Since showering occurs once a week in cold months and sometimes we are forced to go without water for weeks at a time in hot months, Azeri’s are ever careful with how much they use.  There’s no flushing of the toilets, no dishwashers and no washing machines.  Dryers? Forget it-it’s line drying all the way.  The one use of water I still have yet to understand is the pouring of water in the street or in front of one’s house.  It appears they want to clean this area yet the dust/mud is so much that this act is ever temporary.

6)   Carpooling

Or I should say marshutka people-packing.  This isn’t my favorite since I have come to dread most of my traveling in this country. It’s so erratic and doesn’t follow a schedule that makes sense but it is logical to travel with as many people as possible; versus one person driving an SUV car wasting all sorts of gas.

So yeah, they have their obsession with plastic bags and oil but they do manage a few things that receive high marks in environmentalism. When you have little, you learn to work with and live with little. And that’s definitely not a bad thing. Maybe we Americans could learn a thing or two.