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12-06-2006, 01:37 PM
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Honorificabilitudinitatibus
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 13,670
(96)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jackieboo
Here we go again with the 'I remember when' and the 'what if's'. All fine if we're going down memory lane.
Rocky, you of all people, comparing the U.S. to the DR. Campaign and all nothing would have really been done about trash in the States without hefty fines and the seat belt issue? That didn't come about until the car manufacturers had to pay out millions in law suits. Again, people didn't really start buckling up until hefty penalities were enforced.
The point of my post was not to talk about how other countries changed their litter problems, the point was to offer 'real' suggestions and start taking care of the problem now.
So even if we started a gigantic ad campaign, who's going to clean up the garbage that's currently on the streets and beaches?
The Domincan people are clean, don't you see the clothes hanging out to dry every weekend and see women sweeping their dirt floors clean every day? They'd put their garbage in a trash container if they new someone was going to pick it up.
This is not a cultural thing, it is an economic thing. The government officials are concerned about lining their pockets, the poor are concerned about feeding their families and the ex-pats, well, they're worried about.... well, they bitch about a lot of things and do very little to enact what they bitch about.
Now we're at over 400 views on this thread and only one person has PM'd me to discuss serious solutions. Why?
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Well, if you're going to put it that way, let me say this.
I think your ideas will not work, which is why I mentioned the idea I have, which I have been thinking about for some odd 15 years.
Now, you did just move here and I don't think you have quite as deep an understanding of Dominicans as I might have.
I don't play in the clown bin, never been there.
If you don't want opinions that oppose yours, simply say so and I will unsubscribe from this thread.
If you want to find the solutions, you may do well to listen to those who have been here for a long time.
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12-06-2006, 02:00 PM
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Gold
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,166
(93)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jackieboo
This is not a cultural thing, it is an economic thing.
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How!! I disagree 100%!
My fiance is an officer in the large Cibao environmental society that's been around for like 30 years. Garbage and litter is one of their hot buttons. I can assure you, Dominicans who are rigid environmentalists know it's cultural.
That's not to say that organized collection isn't a problem. But the culture dictates a lack of concern about it.
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12-06-2006, 02:02 PM
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Gold
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,166
(93)
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How about a move for businesses and organizations to "adopt a mile of road"? Works well in the states.
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12-06-2006, 02:11 PM
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Gold
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,166
(93)
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12-06-2006, 02:18 PM
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On Vacation!
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,027
(10)
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12-06-2006, 02:23 PM
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On Vacation!
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,027
(10)
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English
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12-06-2006, 04:05 PM
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On Vaction without a return ticket!
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 338
(10)
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Thank you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by CFA123
jackieboo,
perhaps because, like me, they haven't yet thought of a solution that they feel would work.
i'm more familiar with cabarete than sosua, and as a smaller area it should be easier to clean up. my initial thought was the addition of sidewalk trash bins would help, but i don't think that alone is sufficient.
your idea for a once a week/month 'trash for cash' for the area between cabarete and sosua might work, it certainly wouldn't do any harm.
for within the cities, i think i'd try the 'disney world' approach. if you ever walk through a disney park, there are employees constantly sweeping up every leaf or piece of errant trash. as far as i can see, that's their only job.
i know you expressed not wanting to hire anyone, but perhaps with your drive to accomplish something you can band together a few people to convince businesses to contribute funds & perhaps management to the effort? enough interest, perhaps the cities themselves will hire the people if the funds are known to be available.
1. create core group of motivated people led by yourself
2. determine # of people to hire in each city, estimate cost
3. present concept, willingness to participate, and request for participation to Ashoresoca (hotel/restuarant association)
4. seek funds from businesses
5. put out some trash cans on the streets in front of businesses that will commit to emptying them regularly.
6. buy brooms, dust pans
7. hire employees
8. put them to work
If you could get a commitment from businesses and individuals of say, RD$100,000 monthly. That could hire, what, 10-15 people full time for cleanup duties?
It might not sound like much initially, but just 15 people = 30,000 man hours of clean up annually.
Put 2-4 in Cabarete. The other 10-12 in Sosua. Get more funds? More people.
Perhaps even have them work at night when there are fewer cars parked and sidewalks aren't as jammed.
Another thought to fund any type of clean-up project... placement of 'clean up sosua/cabarete' cans at hotels/businesses/restaurants where tourists can donate to the effort. It's actually a good enough cause to have someone soliciting donations from tourists.
If you are able to get something together, I'll contribute funds to the effort.
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CFA:
Thank you for your insight and very productive ideas. We need more ideas
like these and more than anything I need help organizing the campaign.
I need all of your help coming up with THE answers (pl). There's not going to be one single answer, but we have to start somewhere. We have to prove to the business owners and the population that we are serious about the trash problem. To do that we're going to need support to get it off the ground.
As Rocky so kindly points out I have only been here 5 months and do not have the connections that some of you may have.
Are there any of you out there willing to meet face to face and discuss real live possible solutions?
PM me if you are interested. We're up to 2 responses (1) of which has pledged money and doesn't even live here.
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12-06-2006, 05:07 PM
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On Vaction without a return ticket!
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 338
(10)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cobraboy
How!! I disagree 100%!
My fiance is an officer in the large Cibao environmental society that's been around for like 30 years. Garbage and litter is one of their hot buttons. I can assure you, Dominicans who are rigid environmentalists know it's cultural.
That's not to say that organized collection isn't a problem. But the culture dictates a lack of concern about it.
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I still don't see how you can call littering cultural. If the economics allowed the government enough money for clean up and enforcement then there wouldn't be a problem.
Having traveled throughout Central and South America it seems a little odd that the wealther nations are much cleaner than the poor nations. Must be a cultural thing that Costa Rica is relatively clean and El Salvador is really dirty......
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12-06-2006, 05:51 PM
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Gold
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,166
(93)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jackieboo
I still don't see how you can call littering cultural. If the economics allowed the government enough money for clean up and enforcement then there wouldn't be a problem.
Having traveled throughout Central and South America it seems a little odd that the wealther nations are much cleaner than the poor nations. Must be a cultural thing that Costa Rica is relatively clean and El Salvador is really dirty......
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I'm not saying it. A Dominicana in the ecological movement is saying it.
The roots may be economic. But it's now cultural.
It costs NOTHING to keep trash until it can be properly disposed.
Funny how wealthier countries have better education systems, too. Education can alter culture.
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I don't play in the clown bin, never been there.
