Littering & Environmental Education

[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

[Jwb]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

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

Originally Posted by sancochojoe

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]

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

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