Our little beach in front is almost trash free right now.
Tis a little strange, however, we pick up so much trash from our beautiful dunes and beach and then dump it on some beautiful land designated a dump.
Just feels strange. I guess it would seem different if the dump area was managed---just a thought.
Just a hint---the really heavy contractors bags from Home Depot are great---often we can dump them at the dump and reuse the bag.
Diane and JohnAl G - 1-6-2008 at 03:05 PM
It admire you Diana for you efforts and when I get there, I would like to help or is it more for fun?
I wonder what your Mexican neighbors think about your efforts? One would hope they join your soon...nice thought anywayK31 - 1-6-2008 at 03:49 PM
Im glad you set the example maybe theyll feel embarrased...
My people why dont they care!Al G - 1-6-2008 at 04:05 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by K31
Im glad you set the example maybe theyll feel embarrased...
My people why dont they care!
K31...the people in Baja are going through the era we went through in the fifties...don't know your age, but I lived through it and I can tell you we
did not do any better...ti them Baja is a very big place, at least it was until the gringos started moving in. Our values differ...but that does not
make us right for them now. There is nothing wrong with gentle nudges, but it is still their country.
The real disaster is Mexico companies going to disposable beer and food containers...I can only imagine what it would have been like in the fifties
when we all throw our trash out the window, if we had had all the disposable containers the Mexican industry is pumping out to it's citizens now.
Understanding and gentleness is what we need from Nomads...please.BMG - 1-6-2008 at 04:08 PM
Teaching by example is the way to go. Al G - 1-6-2008 at 04:19 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by BMG
Teaching by example is the way to go.
I agree BMG..but not to embarrass them...clean up without them needing to know or see. They will know and see the results...after regulation by our
government, it took decades for the majority of US to care...
Not just Mexico.
BMG - 1-7-2008 at 12:01 PM
Hard to believe how bad the situation has gotten in Naples.
"The region's dumps reached full capacity more than a decade ago, and since then a state of emergency has been declared every year. Eight different
commissioners have been appointed, but they have all failed to solve the problem. State of emergency means government money: €1.8 billion (more than
$2.5 billion) in emergency funds have been devolved to deal with the problem."DianaT - 1-7-2008 at 02:16 PM
Al is so right about the 1950s---as a small girl I remember so well going out to the desert and target shooting tin cans and bottles, and no one
thought about picking up any trash.
Then there was Tin Can Beach and places like that---trash was everywhere---beach land in California was once considered next to worthless and the
desert was really considered worthless. We just did not see the trash----lack of awareness.
Now our motivation is just to improve our feng shui, and you should see the trash Mrs. Diver is picking up. We pick up her large, full trash bags on
our way to the dump.
It is just another way to enjoy a beautiful walk in our little paradise.
Diane and JohnBob H - 1-7-2008 at 08:35 PM
It's nice to see that you care so much about your beautiful location.
I must say that over the last several years I've seen a great improvement with trash being collected. I think the younger generation is doing more
and more to clear debris, etc.
Bob H
my two cents
BAJACAT - 1-7-2008 at 10:29 PM
On one of my many trips to Guadalupe canyon,Im driving going towards Palomar canyon, I see on my side mirror a plastic bottle flying out of my truck,I
stop right away and ask who did it.My cousing said's it was me!! not making nothing of it.well put it this way I made her go and pick it up,later on
the trip Nature took it's revenge..
[Edited on 1-8-2008 by BAJACAT]
I forgot after this inccident she never did it again
BAJACAT - 1-7-2008 at 10:37 PM
bajadogs - 1-7-2008 at 11:21 PM
Cat, Ouch!!
John and Diane... gracias, es muy imortante. Here is a pic of my girl picking up after the '04 Baja 1000 trashed the place.
[Edited on 1-8-2008 by bajadogs]
Iflyfish - 1-8-2008 at 05:35 PM
I recall the year plastic bags were introduced into Mexico. Every one used to use the reboso or sicel bag, pardon my spelling, and the land was
relatively clear of litter, save for the ever present rusting beer cans.
I recall my parents driving and throwing their empties out the window. This particularly sticks as I recall my uncle rolling up his window and
shattering it as he tried to throw a beer bottle out (he was a cop). There simply was no consciousness about these things.
One of the best things that happened in this arena in the US was the use of the refund on containers which I am proud Oregon was one of the
pioneering states to enact. That made a real difference.
You can change behavior in three ways:
Punish, administer pain, and as close to the event as possible, like the post above, in which shame was used to punish
You can reward behavior. This is the most successful and has the best feelings attached and has the best outcomes. One can reward behavior with money,
fame, encouragement, praise etc. Contests are great for this i.e. beach cleaning contests, biggest bag wins etc. Or schools rewarding kids with poster
contests, enviornmental events etc.
The third way to change behavior is Negative Reinforcement and that too involves the administration of pain. i.e. closing beaches till they are
cleaned up etc. Not very effective in the long run.
Slow and easy does it with lots of education and awareness.
I saw a campaigne in Mexico City where children were rewarded with prizes for picking up dog feces. 40,00 pounds of dog feces are released into the
air in Mexico City each day. This information was used to mobilize.
My hat is off to all those who participate in enviormental clean up events and to those who support them.
