Clean Up Australia Means BusinessJanuary 29, 2015

Business Clean Up Day will be held on February 24. It will be a month away, which is quite a long time. But now will be a good time to think about the significance of this campaign.

Why is there a need to do it? It's better to rephrase the question. Why do we need to keep our surrounding clean enough? It's not a fun thing to do.

If you're a teenager (and reading this), can you honestly say to yourself - and to everyone - that you like cleaning? If you're an adult (and reading this), how often do you clean your flat? It's our responsibility to do it, but there are days when it seems like a burden. Alas, an untidy house yields many unwanted consequences. (Misplaced things, unnecessary time on finding it, unhealthy environment.)

Although Clean Up Australia wants to promote this campaign for environmental reasons, we will be more motivated if we do this for personal reasons. Let's go over it:

Cleanliness makes you feel good. John Wesley, an Anglican theologian, coined the phrase, "cleanliness is next to godliness". This was recorded during his sermon in 1788, when hygiene was an issue. The idea originated from Babylonian texts, but there would be no need to elaborate on this. There's no words to describe what you feel after a bath. It's the same thing when you see a room, spotless and in order.

An untidy surrounding is not good for the children. Always remember that the kids are susceptible to microorganisms. They are growing up, which means their organs and immune system are not fully develop. Yet. Even adults are not immune, as a human body is not made up of steel.

What goes around comes around. Don't be surprised if human action, careless and without any regard to the environment, is the reason for some of the natural calamities (e.g. cyclones) that happened during the past decade. It displaces thousands of people, even fatal in some cases. So better keep the surroundings free of litter, even throwing it on proper disposal sites.

Nothing like working together. There's something special about working with other people with a common cause. You have something to look forward to, other than work. Nothing better to distract yourself from your daily routine. You'll also feel good about doing something. It's different from that other feeling.

Tidiness reveals a lot about yourself. Some people may have an impression that you have nothing else to do, but it might be them. You're a responsible individual, which many people will like. Others may see you as efficient and orderly, which is a plus in a working environment. Nothing is more pleasing to the eye than seeing a tidy space. People often notice it.

Need we say more? Then again, we might be missing something. Go on, tell us what you feel. Join the Business Clean Up Day.

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