Some Things Are Hard To Get Used To

[NALs]

Yes, there are many recycling services in this country. Fairly low key and very little of it is govt. backed or sanctioned. I see trucks loaded with plastic bottles, cartons, batteries, and metal almost on a daily basis, but to be fair I live in an area where there are a lot of recycling centers.

The city of Santo Domingo does a yearly "Plastic bottles for bicycles" campaign that encourages children to recycle.

There are recycling bins (usually in group of three, each bin for certain types of garbage) scattered through the city, but people seem not to read what each bin is for. They are all filled with all sorts of garbage. Very evident people don't bother seeing the signs or reading whats on the sides of each bins or they do and simply don't care.

 

[JD Jones]

There are recycling bins (usually in group of three, each bin for certain types of garbage) scattered through the city, but people seem not to read what each bin is for. They are all filled with all sorts of garbage. Very evident people don't bother seeing the signs or reading whats on the sides of each bins or they do and simply don't care.

Correct, I see them as well but in reality, they don't have anything to do with the recycling that goes on daily.

 

[william webster]

Rain again.....

after the past few days.... I am expecting Noah to give a call......

 

[tripp789]

Those of us of a certain age who grew up in the USA may recall that littering was common until First Lady Lady Bird Johnson started the anti-littering campaign in the 1960's. “Please, please, don’t be a litterbug, ‘cause every litter bit hurts”. It was one of the most successful First Lady campaign issues and changed the culture. Essentially it started with the kids shaming the adults. My wife and I have discussed this often and would love to promote such an effort here in the DR. this place is being defaced everyday,

 

[tripp789]

Yes, there are many recycling services in this country. Fairly low key and very little of it is govt. backed or sanctioned. I see trucks loaded with plastic bottles, cartons, batteries, and metal almost on a daily basis, but to be fair I live in an area where there are a lot of recycling centers.

Unfortunately recycling programs for things other than glass (cleaned and separated), cardboard and metals is largely useless. I have been in the Waste industry for years in the US and for the most part, recycling of plastics (the biggest problem here) is very unprofitable as many plastics are essentially not recyclable at any reasonable cost. IMO, looked at from a practical POV, the carbon footprint generated by most municipal recycling collection outsizes the benefit. However, the removal of plastics in particular from the environment has many benefits. I think the only practical way to reduce the amount of material would be through a bottle deposit fee program for both plastic and glass.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

Rain again.....

after the past few days.... I am expecting Noah to give a call......

How're the eyes

 

[Sailor51]

Unfortunately recycling programs for things other than glass (cleaned and separated), cardboard and metals is largely useless. I have been in the Waste industry for years in the US and for the most part, recycling of plastics (the biggest problem here) is very unprofitable as many plastics are essentially not recyclable at any reasonable cost. IMO, looked at from a practical POV, the carbon footprint generated by most municipal recycling collection outsizes the benefit. However, the removal of plastics in particular from the environment has many benefits. I think the only practical way to reduce the amount of material would be through a bottle deposit fee program for both plastic and glass.

Do you happen to remenber when milk and other drinks came in paper containers? (change ain't necessarily progress)

 

[JD Jones]

Unfortunately recycling programs for things other than glass (cleaned and separated), cardboard and metals is largely useless. I have been in the Waste industry for years in the US and for the most part, recycling of plastics (the biggest problem here) is very unprofitable as many plastics are essentially not recyclable at any reasonable cost. IMO, looked at from a practical POV, the carbon footprint generated by most municipal recycling collection outsizes the benefit. However, the removal of plastics in particular from the environment has many benefits. I think the only practical way to reduce the amount of material would be through a bottle deposit fee program for both plastic and glass.

I'm not sure, but I think the recycled plastic here is used to make the black Tinacos.

I know of two plastic recycling businesses here, and they seem to receive a lot of plastic containers.

Beer bottles are already recycled, so I'd guess you're talking about glass in general.

 

[windeguy]

I have not yet found "the clean place" in the DR that Nals describes to exist.
But I have only been here since 2003 full time.

 

[NanSanPedro]

Question about trash. Here in Boca Chica trash pick up is random and sporadic (simultaneously). There is no real good place to put the trash except keep it at home and hope you're home when the trash dudes come. The trash dudes came last Sunday after a >3 week absence and we only got them because my kid heard the truck on another street and ran out to meet them. I paid 300 pesos to get rid of it all. No problem with the money, but given trash pick up is so bad here, it's no surprise the place looks like shit half the time.

In SPdM, trash pick up was better, but there were still trash on the sidewalks daily that the stray dogs and cats got into and it got strewn all over the place. Puerta Plata seemed to me to be much cleaner than SPdM, SD, or BC.

Have they ever tried buying a bunch of dumpsters and using them? Or would you need to buy new trucks to be able to lift them so that it's not economically viable? It would not take that much but it sure could use some improvement.

 

[william webster]

How're the eyes

Singular..... just fine.... #2 comes later

 

[bob saunders]

Question about trash. Here in Boca Chica trash pick up is random and sporadic (simultaneously). There is no real good place to put the trash except keep it at home and hope you're home when the trash dudes come. The trash dudes came last Sunday after a >3 week absence and we only got them because my kid heard the truck on another street and ran out to meet them. I paid 300 pesos to get rid of it all. No problem with the money, but given trash pick up is so bad here, it's no surprise the place looks like shit half the time.

In SPdM, trash pick up was better, but there were still trash on the sidewalks daily that the stray dogs and cats got into and it got strewn all over the place. Puerta Plata seemed to me to be much cleaner than SPdM, SD, or BC.

Have they ever tried buying a bunch of dumpsters and using them? Or would you need to buy new trucks to be able to lift them so that it's not economically viable? It would not take that much but it sure could use some improvement.

Glad we don't have that problem. They pick up our area of town every Tuesday, usually around 630 am but occasionally later but always on that day. There are a number of locations where you can drop your garbage at that they pick up daily.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

Cab has been very good in terms of collection. Now only if they would do something about Mojito bar, then the trash would definitely be resolved

 

[drstock]

Question about trash. Here in Boca Chica trash pick up is random and sporadic (simultaneously). There is no real good place to put the trash except keep it at home and hope you're home when the trash dudes come. The trash dudes came last Sunday after a >3 week absence and we only got them because my kid heard the truck on another street and ran out to meet them. I paid 300 pesos to get rid of it all. No problem with the money, but given trash pick up is so bad here, it's no surprise the place looks like shit half the time.

In SPdM, trash pick up was better, but there were still trash on the sidewalks daily that the stray dogs and cats got into and it got strewn all over the place. Puerta Plata seemed to me to be much cleaner than SPdM, SD, or BC.

Have they ever tried buying a bunch of dumpsters and using them? Or would you need to buy new trucks to be able to lift them so that it's not economically viable? It would not take that much but it sure could use some improvement.

Here in Cabarete we just put the rubbish outside and the ayuntamento truck comes and takes it away about once a week (when it doesn't break down). Don't you have that in Boca Chica?

 

[NanSanPedro]

Glad we don't have that problem. They pick up our area of town every Tuesday, usually around 630 am but occasionally later but always on that day. There are a number of locations where you can drop your garbage at that they pick up daily.

This is one of the few times I wish I was a citizen so I could go down to the mayor's office and ask him WTF he's doing?

 

[NanSanPedro]

Here in Cabarete we just put the rubbish outside and the ayuntamento truck comes and takes it away about once a week (when it doesn't break down). Don't you have that in Boca Chica?

Not on our street. But like I said, the street next to us has it sometimes and my kid caught a break last Sunday. Other people don't want you piling your trash where they live and that's completely understandable. I have found an uninhabited site next to the autopista where I can drop a bag at a time. It gets picked up weekly I think.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

This is one of the few times I wish I was a citizen so I could go down to the mayor's office and ask him WTF he's doing?

You still can. It doesn't matter if you're a resident or not. It's all the same answer: "mire lo que pasa..." And ends with... "clarrrr, tu saaaaa"

 

[Kozy]

I’ve been in the DR, first visiting, then living here for 30 plus years. Obviously,
I love it here. I could go on and on about the countless things I find amazing and inspiring
about the DR, but to be brief, let’s see, ……. the top two are probably the incredible
diverse natural beauty and the warmth and friendliness of the people.
This country has 1000 miles of coastline, numerous mountain ranges, each with its
own unique characteristics. Lush green tropical, semi arid, high elevation pine tree dominated,
ect. ect. I would recommend to everyone to get out and explore the DR. The north coast
is just a very small part of the country.
The warmth of the people, the friendliness of the culture inspires me daily. No need to
elaborate. K

 

[Gadfly]

Those of us of a certain age who grew up in the USA may recall that littering was common until First Lady Lady Bird Johnson started the anti-littering campaign in the 1960's. “Please, please, don’t be a litterbug, ‘cause every litter bit hurts”. It was one of the most successful First Lady campaign issues and changed the culture. Essentially it started with the kids shaming the adults. My wife and I have discussed this often and would love to promote such an effort here in the DR. this place is being defaced everyday,

Yes, and the “Pitch-in” campaign in the 70’s was tellin folks to toss it in the trash can. The baseball reference could work here.

 

[Auryn]

The current mayor of San Pedro has launched a clean up program with the hashtag #SanPedroLimpio.

He posted a bunch of photos of shiny new garbage trucks, complete with himself in the passenger seat beside an operator.

He showed some pictures of areas that have been cleaned up as well.

I remain in unconvinced but I do admit it’s starting to look better.