It’s a Saturday, bustling Cairo returns. After Friday, empty streets and day of rest and prayer, the comforting chaos comes back to life. As usual I’m using my Saturday morning to prepare for the upcoming week with a grocery shop.
I check the pollution report, sometimes posted in my school group chat to see if I’ll need to bring my reusable mask. I say to myself “not as bad as last week” and leave my mask with the washing load I needed to do, deciding I will be okay for today’s trip.
I grab my purse and my large bag, which I now use for both my school books and shopping and head to Saad Zhagloul my nearest metro stop. I’m always proud to get the metro as its something I was hesitant to do first arriving in Egypt. I tried all methods of transport, bus, car, moto, walking and this I realised was most sufficient to me. Its fast, reliable and clean, beautifully decorated. I’m squashed and feel comforted amongst the crowds of Cairenes.
Today a woman caught my attention. She looks exactly how I imagine I would in a few hours; bag filled with groceries but with a water bottle in hand. In fact, it was the bottle that mainly caught my eye. It looks like the exact size I’ve been searching for. Ive been waiting to switch to a reusable bottle since our landlord has installed a water filter, but I couldn’t find the right one online. Amazon Egypt didn’t have what I wanted.
I think to myself. Okay, I’ll ask her.
As usual, i rehearse my Arabic beforehand hoping she’ll understand me.
She responds, “Souk Saad Zhagloul Ukhti”.
To my pleasant surprise, she described a place all too familiar to me. Saad Zhagloul Street is one behind mine, and home to a bustling local market. I had considered buying groceries there but never thought to look for a bottle. She continues saying “hunaak kulo haga” describing I can get everything there.
I smiled and thanked her realising shes given me more than directions. Why had my first instinct been to check Amazon instead of my local market? Meaning no wait, delivery fees and a smaller environmental impact.
Looking around the carriage again, I notice the woman’s groceries are probably local produce, carried in a reusable bag alongside her reusable water bottle. Then, another thought follows.
Here we all are taking the metro another sustainable choice. For me this was a low cost conscious decision to avoiding traffic and pollution. But, for many of the people around me it is simply part of everyday life. Whether they realise it or not, each shared journey contributes to a more sustainable Cairo.
I realise, I am reminded of the diverse forms of sustainability. It can be found in everyday habits such as taking the metro, shopping locally, carrying a reusable bag, and discovering that everything I need is already close to home.
