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JAG
Junior Nomad
Posts: 38
Registered: 11-2-2012
Location: ROSARITO,MX
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I think the Basura problem is generational as you can see the new signs along the road about keeping the highway clean as well as the new generation
being taught in school to pick up after yourself and not throw thrash out the window of your car, things will get better.
The older generation still operates as before and just doesn't see the trash along the road as a problem. Thats the way its always been,
Toss the beer or soda can, so what. The new generation can see its a problem, The parents just don't see it way.
I think as time goes by, the younger generation will prevail and the highways and streets will become better.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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In my experience over many decades, there is a greater litter and trash problem in BC than in BCS. The mess near Santa Rosalia has more to do with the
industrial mining operation than anything else. I do recall, many years ago, on my first S/B trip, being astounded as I ascended the Infierno, gawking
at the Sea of Cortez, only to be confronted by the ugliness at the bottom of the grade.
But, I stand by my observation that by and large, litter and trash are a much bigger problem in the Northern state.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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People create garbage. At the time of the 2010 census, there was 5 times as many people in the northern state (3.155 million) than in the southern.
(637,026)
Seems some folks can bag it, but can't quite make it to the dump or barrel. This was on a US interstate...in Utah of all places!
[Edited on 1-28-2014 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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unfortunately it doesnt stay in MX. Here are images of the plastic that washes over the border during rains, from Tijuana river into the US estuary on
the other side.
plastic trash in Tijuana river
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Loretana
Senior Nomad
Posts: 825
Registered: 5-19-2006
Location: Oregon/Loreto
Member Is Offline
Mood: alegre
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I am so impressed by Bahia Balandra, so close to the major metropolitan area of La Paz and possibly the cleanest beach I have ever seen near a
city......
and the gentle reminder on this sign says it all........
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
-Nikola Tesla
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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BASURA
A Baja Highway eyesore we all hate. "Don't throw stuff out your window. Respect the environment." Sounds easy, right? Unfortunately, it takes a
while to sink in....but the good news is, it's happening.
We can all help in small ways.
For many years, the garbage left on the beaches in Conception Bay after Easter was unbelievable...and created many health problems. Quite a few of us
with pickups and trailers would work with the concessaires to clean up the filthy mess. Within a couple days there was a pretty, pristine beach
again. The community effort ensured this and created good relationships between different cultures. We helped each other and made good friends that
lasted thru the years.
Locally and more personally, some other things can possibly be recycled.
These two youngsters helped themselves ...and me... by hauling away this old aluminum boat. Created a job and made them some scrap aluminum money.
(hmm...I have NO idea why this writing is.. blue?)
Here's another old eyesore. An aluminum shed we built before the highway to house my old cabin cruiser, Pompano. It weathered many a storm and
mishap over the years.
Hurricane Jimena's high winds finally did it in after 40 years of surviving other hurricanes, downpours..and clumsy drivers backing boats, trailers,
and motorhomes into it's walls, plus other forms of mayhem.) Lots of good building material left in the shell, though.
Here's some Mulege amigos. They needed the material to reconstruct thier Mulege house roof..which had blown away in Jimena. Gracias, amigos...we
helped each other...and with no litter.
Little by little....it happens. Keeping it biodegradable helps. I won't waste much time waiting for a government to solve problems....besides, it
fun to get involved, plus meeting a great bunch of friends.
[Edited on 2-3-2014 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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RIGHT ON, Roger!!!!!
Barry
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805gregg
Super Nomad
Posts: 1344
Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
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It's a cultural thing learned from the parents, we followed a Baja family into El Coyote beach, they beat us to the only shade, next to the one
remaining palm, we watched as the (father, that was watched by his son) proceeded to take the trash and used diapers and throw them at the base of the
palm tree. Next to them on the other side of the palm were 2 guys sitting in the bed of their pickup drinking beer and throwing the empties at the
base of the palm, even though about 40' away was a trash can. Then later a Baja family came to camp on the beach, the father, first raked the beach
clean and disposed of the litter in the trash can, then he set up a nice camp complete with their own shower and bano, his children learned to respect
their country, but it is their country so it's really none of our business, it is much cleaner now than in the distant past
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 2-9-2004
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"it is their country so it's really none of our business"
Pollution of our earth is everyone's business. Nobody has a right to dispose of plastic bags so that they get blown into the ocean and consumed by
marine creatures who will die because they cannot digest them. Nobody has a right to dispose of fishing line that will entrap and kill marine animals.
Why leave your empty Pennzoil can on that tiny island tidal zone in a Marine Preserve? If tourists are beckoned and invited into a country, allowed
by visa and permit, paying for rooms, taxes, and expect to enjoy an unspoiled beach, desert, forest - certainly not created by mankind in the first
place - but only temporarily held in our stewardship - then anyone everywhere should respect the land, and in its most fundamental way, by not
trashing it. "It's their country"? Is it? If it's your own backyard that you want to trash, go for it - but outside of your own personally owned
property, it's NOT theirs to trash.
Baja CA is cleaner now than it used to be - the rusty upsidedown cars are gone, the piles of broken 7-Up bottles gone; most of the continuous stream
of bottles and cans gone. But much of this has been replaced with diapers, plastic bags cought on fences and trees, bottles full of pee - so gross.
How many more citizens and tourists are in Baja now than 15 years ago? Of course more trash will be generated. The government needs to get involved
with some backhoes and govt. jobs; maybe some recyling that eventually gets re-processed - like tires, glass and aluminum. I do think Baja is making
strides though.
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ElCap
Nomad
Posts: 281
Registered: 1-22-2010
Location: Montara CA, or San Ignacio BCS
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by JAG
I think the Basura problem is generational as you can see the new signs along the road about keeping the highway clean as well as the new generation
being taught in school to pick up after yourself and not throw thrash out the window of your car, things will get better.
The older generation still operates as before and just doesn't see the trash along the road as a problem. Thats the way its always been,
Toss the beer or soda can, so what. The new generation can see its a problem, The parents just don't see it way.
I think as time goes by, the younger generation will prevail and the highways and streets will become better. |
I agree it is a generational thing - here's my firsthand example of that: Last November we did a mule trip to visit the cave paintings of Sierra San
Francisco. When we returned to the rancho at the end of the trip, our guide's entire extended family was there to greet us - young children, brothers
and uncles/aunts, and also both his elderly parents. We pulled out some cold Tecates & sodas that we had stashed in a cooler in our truck, and we
also had a big bag of leftover Halloween candy (the kind that are all individually wrapped). Cervesas and sodas were distributed appropriately, while
the bag of candy was passed around and everyone grabbed a handful. As we sat and chatted, I couldn't help but notice all the candy wrappers on the
ground around el abuelo. As I looked up from the wrappers I caught the eye of our guide's wife - she rolled her eyes, smiled an shrugged. Her young
daughter looked away from me, clearly embarrased. I'll always remember that. As we left a bit later, I saw the young kids picking up the wrappers,
and a man throwing all the cans in the existing pile of cans.
The older generations don't see garbage, the new generation does. Two or three generations ago they didn't even have plastic bags, styrofoam cups,
and individually wrapped items. Most everything came in cans and bottles, or came directly from the land or sea, with no wrapper at all. It takes
education and time for things to change. Generational time.
Buts it's happening.
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elgatoloco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4332
Registered: 11-19-2002
Location: Yes
Member Is Offline
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We have noticed the continuing enlightenment of the populous to the benefits of proper disposal over the years. As was stated .....poco a
poco............
re: scrap metal removal - the Beijing Olympics might have been the best thing to ever happen to THE BAJA roadside landscape. During the run up to the
games the price of scrap was up 60% and the economics made it sensible to haul the stuff away and we saw a lot of it moving during that time frame
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
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Crazycat, you make a good point. At times tidiness is directly event connected. When the governor in La Paz graces the little pueblos in this southern
state with his royal presence all the garbage is collected, the weeds are cut and the little villages sparkle for a while. I love to see it when he
promises to come, they clean up, he doesn't show.
I daresay they do the same thing in good old Uncle Sugar.
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Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
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Always got a kick out of this one:
carpe diem!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64723
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Not long after you first posted that photo Ken, the people of El Rosario cleaned up that hillside! 
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Always got a kick out of this one:
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Ken----If that pic is just east of El Rosario, the dump is very close by where that pic was taken, I believe. As has been mentioned, "WIND" is the
enemy of all open dumps in Mexico, I too have noticed-------a huge problem.
Barry
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
Member Is Offline
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If you like Baja there is no reason not to spend some time cleaning up a bit public spaces. It's very rewarding and is infectious with kids and
neighbors eventually. In fact you can request a dump truck for as little a 500-600 pesos. Today I requested a tractor at 200 pesos and dump truck and
the cost is about 1000 pesos for two trips because it all fits in the schedule or some other load of stones. Everyone is out-Tom-Sawyering each other
cleaning up garbage and we are enjoying a new pristine view!
Do you ever see people walking up and down the peninsula cleaning? Ever ask them why? It's a bit of a spiritual adventure and you might find treasure
or a puppy or see a rare bird or two!
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13194
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Aster and Jag, welcome to the forum.
Trash has always been an issue with me and I have worked very hard to make a dent, the smallest of dents but a dent, here where we live in La Bocana,
BCS.
I put together a website and this year I have decided to organize clean ups every other weekend with the 7 graders I teach English to. After the
clean up, I bake cakes and we sit around and enjoy each others company. The best part of all this is that the school recently decided to have the
kids do projects on pollution and solutions. I was interviewed twice this week. (((:
Here is the link in English and I did another in Spanish:
https://sites.google.com/site/cleaningupbaja/
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
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Blanca, I will probably never understand why the things you do to help your Mexican neighbors humbles me, thrills me and fills me with pride for you,
for your acts of kindness. My frustration lies in the fact that your need to teach the people of this country to be just like you, disgusts me, puts
me off in so many other ways.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13194
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Thanks Osprey,but don't feel disgusted ....as a child I remember hearing the words "Don't be a litterbug." and that is what I am trying to teach the
kids!
Here are some pics from last Saturday:
before:
after:
our B&B guest got invited to come out too....he really helped a lot!
Yours truly:
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13194
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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So, I have been thinking about this post and I want to mention that when San Diego is having a fiscal crisis, the freeways are not cleaned up and the
mess is just as disgusting as the trash I see here in Mexico ........
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