Don't Be A Litterbug

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
113
Hey, it's a start. http://www.sosuanews.com/index.php?id=5188&article=1

12 May 2018
Tougher action against environmental pollution
Tougher action against environmental pollution
Tougher action against environmental pollution
The municipality of Sosúa announces that stricter action will be taken against environmental pollution. Those who deposit the waste in public spaces (streets, sidewalks, parks, beach) will be apprehended by the police and fined. In accordance with law 120.99, the penalty is 2 to 10 days in jail and fines of 500 to 1,000 pesos. The penalties may be imposed in combination depending on the nature of the offense. Police in Sosúa has been ordered to detect violators and severely punish them.


I still think they should indoctrinate the kids at the same time. It's worked before.

vintage-1960s-dont-be-a-litterbug-pennsylvania-department-of-highways-porcelain-sign-2023
 

Timotero

Bronze
Feb 25, 2011
689
29
48
Hey, it's a star............


I still think they should indoctrinate the kids at the same time. It's worked before.



That Native American (Indian Chief then) with a tear on his eye got to me back in the sixties. To this day I won’t litter. Trouble here in the DR is that public trash cans are few and far between. So I usually end up just carrying my trash home. 
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Seamonkey

Bronze
Oct 6, 2009
1,896
755
113
The message and education has to start somewhere. I remember the tv commercials and campaigns back in the 70s' in Canada. It took time, but it worked. The younger generation will adapt to it here in the DR, especially if the understand that pollution will kill their rivers and beaches.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
They get it drilled into them in my son's school but it hasn't worked that well. I don't know what the answer is. If we can't stop people from dropping litter how are we going to tackle other environmental issues like reduction/elimination of single-use plastics and styrofoam, which require a stronger personal effort?
 

BermudaRum

Bronze
Oct 9, 2007
1,208
372
83
They get it drilled into them in my son's school but it hasn't worked that well. I don't know what the answer is. If we can't stop people from dropping litter how are we going to tackle other environmental issues like reduction/elimination of single-use plastics and styrofoam, which require a stronger personal effort?

Some may not believe this story that I witnessed several months ago while in a public taxi from Sosua to POP. A Dominican man sitting in the front threw a bag of trash out the widow, the driver stopped to the side and yelled at the guy and told him to go and collect the bag. After the man yelled something back at the driver, he was told by the driver who looked like he was going to knock the guys head off to get out. The man left and a local friend in the taxi at the time explained what went down between the two guys . I still couldn't believe what just took place. I guess it's like my grandmother would say; to get where you want to be, baby steps and patients will always help you get there. For the passenger in that taxi, not throwing trash out into the road would also help;)
 

JasonD

Bronze
Feb 10, 2018
1,009
2
38
Dream on!

Won't happen, it'll stay the same.

The behavior is innate and pass on by genetics, these people like chaos, struggles, and by their own nature they aren't organized nor would they ever strive to be.

More trash, the better. Chivos sin ley!
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
Dream on!

Won't happen, it'll stay the same.

The behavior is innate and pass on by genetics, these people like chaos, struggles, and by their own nature they aren't organized nor would they ever strive to be.

More trash, the better. Chivos sin ley!

Your neighbours must have some fascinating tales to tell.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Hey, it's a start. http://www.sosuanews.com/index.php?id=5188&article=1

12 May 2018
Tougher action against environmental pollution
Tougher action against environmental pollution
Tougher action against environmental pollution
The municipality of Sosúa announces that stricter action will be taken against environmental pollution. Those who deposit the waste in public spaces (streets, sidewalks, parks, beach) will be apprehended by the police and fined. In accordance with law 120.99, the penalty is 2 to 10 days in jail and fines of 500 to 1,000 pesos. The penalties may be imposed in combination depending on the nature of the offense. Police in Sosúa has been ordered to detect violators and severely punish them.


I still think they should indoctrinate the kids at the same time. It's worked before.

vintage-1960s-dont-be-a-litterbug-pennsylvania-department-of-highways-porcelain-sign-2023

I'll believe it when I see it. It would drive me absolutely crazy on the beaches of Las Terrenas to watch a family bring in a picnic lunch and not make any attempt to pick up after themselves. Yes, most of the time the garbage would be thrown in a bag and then left right there or somewhere within 20 feet of a can. This allow dogs and other animals to rip the bag apart and the garbage would be strewn all over. The concept of carry in /carry out is foreign to the DR. The idea that this is their beach and should be treated that way never occurred to them. It seems the concept that this is not their problem is more the norm. My attitude is that I lived in LT and if I wanted cleaner beaches I would have to be part of the solution. I'm happy to see that the political leaders in Sosua seem to understand this. In addition to not littering these Municipalities need to have adequate garbage containers and need to be emptied with the right frequency. In LT many times there were garbage barrels overflowing with trash and it was not picked up for weeks. I still say that if the DR invested in garbage burning steam plants to produce energy and payed people to haul trash there you would see a lot cleaner country. That being said let's hope this works and Sosua can be a model of what is possible. I'm still very skeptical that this will be embraced.
 

ramesses

Gold
Jun 17, 2005
6,672
809
113
That Native American (Indian Chief then) with a tear on his eye got to me back in the sixties. To this day I won’t litter. Trouble here in the DR is that public trash cans are few and far between. So I usually end up just carrying my trash home. 

Iron Eyes Cody...an Italian American guy.

[video=youtube;j7OHG7tHrNM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7OHG7tHrNM[/video]
 

Timotero

Bronze
Feb 25, 2011
689
29
48
Iron Eyes Cody...an Italian American guy.



Wait....what??? Say it ain’t so Joe? Lol. Next thing your gonna tell me is something equally as outrageous. Like say that the original Dos Exquis “Most Interesting Man in the World” wasn’t Hispanic? (;-)
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
few days ago i took our two nieces for a walk: age 2 and 4. i was talking with the older one while younger stayed quiet with some occasional question here and there. 10 minutes into the walk the little one reflected: "mira, basura". and then they both started asking why is there so much trash around? i explained it's because people do not care about environment and throw the rubbish everywhere like chivos sin ley. the older one commented: "puercos". i had a hard time explaining that while technically she was right it was not so nice to call people "puercos". but she wasn't having it. puercos y ya.

so who knows. maybe a new generation will be better. and then a generation after that.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
They say that they're teaching the schools better habits

Let's hope so.

It took years in Canada... the USA is still behind on things like recycling.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
I'll believe it when I see it. It would drive me absolutely crazy on the beaches of Las Terrenas to watch a family bring in a picnic lunch and not make any attempt to pick up after themselves. Yes, most of the time the garbage would be thrown in a bag and then left right there or somewhere within 20 feet of a can. This allow dogs and other animals to rip the bag apart and the garbage would be strewn all over. The concept of carry in /carry out is foreign to the DR. The idea that this is their beach and should be treated that way never occurred to them. It seems the concept that this is not their problem is more the norm. My attitude is that I lived in LT and if I wanted cleaner beaches I would have to be part of the solution. I'm happy to see that the political leaders in Sosua seem to understand this. In addition to not littering these Municipalities need to have adequate garbage containers and need to be emptied with the right frequency. In LT many times there were garbage barrels overflowing with trash and it was not picked up for weeks. I still say that if the DR invested in garbage burning steam plants to produce energy and payed people to haul trash there you would see a lot cleaner country. That being said let's hope this works and Sosua can be a model of what is possible. I'm still very skeptical that this will be embraced.

So, you no longer live in LT?
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,697
8,129
113
I once made a comment to a person who threw some trash on the ground right next to a trash can. His response? The people who are paid to pick up trash wouldn't have a job if everybody used trashcans.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out how common that thought is.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
I saw this the other day and thought of the DR....
This degrades in a matter of weeks

Can't think of how to introduce it

https://www.naturehousegreen.com/

Made from sugar cane waste.... what a natural fit ---get it ?
Excellent, as are the biodegradable plastic bags.

The only issue is price. The biodegradables cost 35% more. I am OK with that, but in a poor country like the DR a peso is huge and a deal-breaker...

If something needs a gubmint subsidy, it would be biodegradable foam containers and bags.

When I become Benevolent Grand PoohBah for Life of the DR, my coronation speech will include mandates of a total 100% ban on styrofoam and the institution of Chain Gangs of Trustees to clean up the roads.