Littering & Environmental Education

[lhtown]

I have sometimes wondered if the "adopt a road" program now so prevalent in the US would work in the DR. Find a local business, such as a hotel or supermarket or rum company -- or even a local branch of one of the political parties, what the heck! -- that adopts part of a highway and arrange to keep it cleaned up.

Anybody think it could work? Maybe start with the North Coast highway between PP and Cabarete, and the highway between Las Americas airport and Juan Dolio to the east and to SD to the west?

Regards,
Keith

I know it isn't exactly what you re talking about, but there are a few instances of major businesses (for example Vimenca here in Santo Domingo or Falconbridge in Bonao) who have taken responsibility for the median area in the road/highway near them. We are only talking about a few blocks at most and not miles of highway, but in most cases, the medians such businesses are caring for are beautiful and neatly kept often with flowers and other plantings.

 

[suarezn]

In the US there is the "Adopt a Highway, Adopt a road, etc..." program which seems to be very successful at maintaining roads and highways clean. The premise is that organizations, companies, etc...adopt a piece of highway (usually several miles) and become responsible for maintaining it clean. I wonder if something like this could be implemented in the DR.
IMO the trash problem in the DR needs a three pronged approach. First you educate, educate, educate...Second you hit the airwave with campaigns like the ones proposed in other posts in this thread, and third and most importantly you heavily penalize those who break the trash laws. Make examples of a few people...Shame them publicly if you must, and you will see an immediate change.
I've heard that back when Trujillo was in power the DR was actually the cleanest country in Latin America...

 

[beckyred11]

I'd Like to Help!

Hello All!

It's been awhile since I logged on to DR1, and was pleasantly surprised to see a forum devoted to the Environment. Just last week I was feeling sad as I walked around our school grounds and saw all the garbage, and sat on the beach amongst broken bottles, empty water bags and other trash. I actually had planned to write an article in our school newspaper regarding this environmental concern. I am a teacher at an International School in Juan Dolio, and have planned to begin something internally in our school but have not known where to begin. I would gladly accept any advice on different programs that have worked in other schools or communities. I believe that education is the first step to overcoming this problem! I also believe that the teachers must be educated first, and then they will be able to influence their students!

Becky

 

[Cleef]

I have hope, but it's been waining.

Just the other day, one of my brightest students - an 8th grader - was about to leave for the day with his mom - who also works at the school - and I saw him hop out of the car to put on the new license plate.

This is in the parking lot, right in front of the school, right in front of the office. He took the plate out of a bag and threw the bag to the ground.

I was beside myself, I jumped into the phone booth and got on my treehugger costume and cape and sprang to action.

I got on him pretty hard about it and he just kind of laughed it off and jumped back in the car. Mom didn't blink an eye.

Anyway, my thoughts on littering are always ablaze when I go golfing at Isabella Villas which abuts the Arroyo Hondo. There are barrios all along it and they dispose of their trash right in the river. There are piles of garbage like you wouldn't believe. When a good rain hits, it all collects into huge pools of waste. But, give it a couple days and it all is grown over in vegetation.

Not sure what my point is beyond this. If a family in the barrio is not able to feed themselves a couple square meals a day, and have very little hope otherwise, I don't think minding their trash is EVER in their thought process and I really can't imagine it ever will be.

When the two most basic needs are a roof over your head and a meal to eat, and you barely have either, recycling and proper disposal of garbage will be very hard to convince them of.

I know this sounds very negative and well, it is, but it's just something that crossed my mind as I wipped my beer bottle into the river - I'm kidding.

I have hope, but there are so many other things on the docket for the DR to concern itself with. Not that I don't see the importance, I damn well do, but the culture here doesn't, and that's what has to change before any pie-in-the-sky initiatives will take hold. No matter how well intended they are.

And, as Chiri pointed out, any government funding will be quickly diverted so forget them ever being a positive influence.

I can only shake my head and pick up after myself, and drill my students on why it's important. But like everything else, they don't care about a godamn thing except "winning money".

 

[sjh]

In Cabrera some of the local expats in conjuction with the mayor have begun a program called Cabrera Verde.

Projects include school education, planting trees, installing trash cans, picking up trash etc. The organization has really improved the look of the town and everyone is proud of the changes.

Start one in your local area.

 

[Criss Colon]

"Lets see,what will I do today?"

Listen to music,play dominos,drink "Presidente",Watch "El Show Del Mediodia",drink some MORE "Presidente",Sorry,no time to Re-Cycle today! "Fulano Dominicano"

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

"If they don't get paid,they don't do it"!!!!

 

[Onions&carrots]

I hate to admit it but I am guilty of the crime. I won't throw garbage in front of my house. But when I'm driving around in the DR I'll just throw it out the window. I won't even be careful about it. I won't even look. Once I throw a whole bunch of Burger King wrappers, bags, cups and it hit the car next to me while driving. The guy cussed at me and I cussed back. I got kind of scared and I had my hand on the trigger in case he got stupid.

Sorry but Dominicans in general will do what's convenient without regard to others. I truly hope you guys are successful in this well meant task.

 

[Jwb]

That's the ticket Onion

You don't sound like your dying of guilt (LOL). but that's exactly what I was leading too, it's called "The broken window syndrome". You know, a person walks by what appears to be an abandon building with most of its windows broken. On the floor where he stands lies a pile of rocks to which he believes is what was used to break the windows. He reaches down picks up a rock and challenges himself to break one of the few good ones left. He does so, then walks away feeling fulfilled because he too has broken one, afterall everyone else has done it.

 

[susana]

fix the windows

Aww, but if none of the windows are broken, the one who picks up the stone and tosses breaks one first is the outcast, the vandal.

I think you need to start with a "clean" area, have the children "adopt the highway",... playground, ...city block, let them take responsiblity and pride in it, and the one who litters will be the outcast... the most effective habit changer is peer pressure.

I think something like this can indeed start from the children on up. I think that is really how the environmental movement got hold in the US in the 60's , I can still see the poster on the wall in my school of the Indian crying, while looking at the filthy stream. (Not to mention the commercial that ran on tv to drive it home)....

I also have fond memories of yelling at my dad for "tossing" stuff out the window.

s

 

[Criss Colon]

Hard to think about anything else,.........

....when you are hungry,have no electricity,water,health care,education,or much chance of getting same! Maybe you all have your priorities mixed up! Easy to sit in the USA and say that Dominicans Should Re-Cycle!",hard for them to do when they are worried about surviving! Trash pick-up is # 2005 on the governments "To Do" list anyway!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

 

[Keith R]

CC,
This thread is about litter, not about recycling. Although the two subjects may be linked in many people's minds (sounds like they are in yours), they are really two separate subjects. If you want to rain on recycling's parade, please do it in the recycling thread.

Proper & effective trash collection is low on this government's priority list, true, and environmental education is not even on the list in Hippo's administration. But should that be the case? There are solid sanitary reasons for ensuring proper trash collection and clean streets (anybody heard of dengue? malaria? hanta virus? just to name a few) and there are places equally poor or poorer in Latin America that are far cleaner than Santo Domingo, my friend. And I bet you have, just as I have, visited dirt-poor homes in the DR that are immaculately kept. So I don't buy the poverty = litter argument. And I have seen and heard of cases (some in Latin America) where tremendous improvements in sanitation came about from focused, concerted, steady public education efforts that cost little. So I also don't buy this "it's too expensive to tackle this problem" or "it's a cultural thing" arguments either. Those are cop outs, frankly.

Regards,
The Environment Forum Moderator :glasses:

 

[Jwb]

Excellent choice Rob

KeithR is well tempered, logical and is overall a nice guy.

I hope this forum offers solutions to the terrible littering problem that I observed on my last visit.

Ooops ! I quoted myself. but it's for a good cause. Moderator you are absolutely correct with your reply " This thread is about litter, not about recycling. Although the two subjects may be linked in many people's minds, If you want to rain on recycling's parade, please do it in the recycling thread."

 

[sancochojoe]

young Dominican Lad

I remember when I was walking in colonial in Santo Domingo, and this young lad about 8 or 9 threw a piece of trash on the ground while standing right next to a trash can.

I was angry, but I walked up and picked up his trash right in front of him and put it in the trashcan and walked away. I happen to glance back at him to see his response, and he just stood there staring at me in amazement. I just winked and kept on going.

I personally can't stand it, even when I see it in the states. Some people do it here as well while standing right next to a trash can. Sometimes you see more trash all around a public trashcan then you do inside.

P.S. Vent
There is one form of litering that seems to be worldly exceptable, no matter how clean the country is, and that is throwing cigarette buts on the ground. That irritates the hell out of me, but nobody complains about that.

 

[Richard J]

In Cabrera some of the local expats in conjuction with the mayor have begun a program called Cabrera Verde.

Projects include school education, planting trees, installing trash cans, picking up trash etc. The organization has really improved the look of the town and everyone is proud of the changes.

Start one in your local area.

Anyone interested in knowing about Cabrera Verde, you can view our web-site at http://www.cabrera-verde.com, or email us at info@cabrera-verde.com

 

[Justintime]

Or

throw their cig butt out the window of a moving vehicle. Bad form.... :tired:

I remember when I was walking in colonial in Santo Domingo, and this young lad about 8 or 9 threw a piece of trash on the ground while standing right next to a trash can.

I was angry, but I walked up and picked up his trash right in front of him and put it in the trashcan and walked away. I happen to glance back at him to see his response, and he just stood there staring at me in amazement. I just winked and kept on going.

I personally can't stand it, even when I see it in the states. Some people do it here as well while standing right next to a trash can. Sometimes you see more trash all around a public trashcan then you do inside.

P.S. Vent
There is one form of litering that seems to be worldly exceptable, no matter how clean the country is, and that is throwing cigarette buts on the ground. That irritates the hell out of me, but nobody complains about that.

 

[Justintime]

Check the dates Justin!

I really should check the date on a post before I reply to it shouldn't I? :nervous:

Now...may I please direct your attention to the wonderful web site mentioned (and link provided) in post #34 of this thread.