The Garbage on the Beaches

[Mahara]

Hi

We are birders and go to Costenera Reserve at least once a week and have been to Ribera Norte and Vicente Lopez Reserves as well. What always disturbs me is the amount of garbage at the shoreline and in the marsh by the walkways at Costenera.

Does anyone know if there are any environmental programs in place to clean up the shores and waterways? In Canada there are many activities where everyone pitches in for an hour or so on a given day and picks up garbage. Last week we were out at the Tigre and it's also a dead tire graveyard.

At Ribera Norte we talked, as best we could, to some workers, presumably conservation officials, and made the suggestion that each person coming into the park be handed a garbage bag and pick up one bag of plastic bottles, etc. There is so much garbage it would problaby only take 5 minutes! He said this would absolutely not be allowed.

My Spanish is not that good (taking lessons) but it would be good to know if any conservation efforts are going on or who I could talk to.

Any comments? By the way, Argentina is a fabulous place for birding.

Thanks.

 

[MizzMarr]

Do you know why he said that it wouldn't be allowed? I, too, am disturbed by the amount of garbage that just gets thrown around (in the water, in the parks, litter in general) but think it's a lack of education. There's a Juega Limpia campaign that is going on (and believe it or not things have improved to a small degree) but I don't know of any proactive cleanup groups in the city. Would be interested to get involved in something, but feel that locals would HAVE to be involved as well for it to have a real impact and foothold.

 

[Mahara]

Do you know why he said that it wouldn't be allowed? I, too, am disturbed by the amount of garbage that just gets thrown around (in the water, in the parks, litter in general) but think it's a lack of education. There's a Juega Limpia campaign that is going on (and believe it or not things have improved to a small degree) but I don't know of any proactive cleanup groups in the city. Would be interested to get involved in something, but feel that locals would HAVE to be involved as well for it to have a real impact and foothold.

I agree and am constantly amazed when I see people throwing paper wrappers on the street and generally showing disrepect for this beautiful city.

Do you know where there is any info on the Juega Limpia campaign?

 

[MizzMarr]

I think it's mostly a matter of education (rather a need for re-education). Believe it or not it has improved a fair amount from when I arrived in 2006--people actually do pick up dog poops once in awhile now, too! I still have to work myself up to saying something when I see someone litter, but my boyfriend has no problem calling people out, saying something along the lines of, "No es tuyo? No la olvides en la calle!" when he's handing their garbage back to them. He's perhaps used a few stronger phrases as well. I know it's harder when you're not comfortable in the language.

Anyway, I remembered the campaign name wrong it's "Jugá Limpio". I found a couple of websites:

http://www.jugalimpio.gob.ar/index.php
http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/med_ambiente/juga_limpio.php?menu_id=29459