Job Discussion Forums

[Samantha]

Cangringo wrote:

[hlamb]

Cuernavaca had a garbage problem a few months ago, when the dump suddently refused to accept any more garbage. So the garbage trucks stopped picking it up and there were mountains on the streets. The police had to close off the main street and clean up one area because it was becoming a traffic hazard. They finallly found somewhere else to dump it but it really opened people's eyes to how much was being produced.

I don't think Canadians are any better. I mean, in my family we tend to be very conscious of it and try not to use products with a lot of packaging, but a lot of people don't bother. Sure we have recycling but it helps if people use less to begin with. But we do hide our garbage well.

[dixie]

The thing that confuses me the most about Mexico's garbage problem is the lack of public garbage cans. I walk my dog and see signs all over saying not to throw your garbage on the ground...yet there is not a single garbage can anywhere in sight...let alone within a few blocks! To me, a big help would be to have garbage bins all around. I would think it would be easeir to collect than sweepign the streets..and it certianly makes the outside world a nicer place to walk around.

[El Gallo]

The Army cleaned up Sumidero Canyon near Tuxtla. It took about a week and several tons of garbage was removed. One month later, the trash was back. It's a permanent problem that mars the beauty of Chiapas and hurts tourism. Guy has a point that there is no garbage collection infrastructure for trash cans on the streets and highways but I think a "pack your trash" education program could be effective if the people thought the problem was important. In my neighborhood, any vacant lot or pathway is a convenient land fill for the lazy. It's disgusting and probably one thing I will never become accustomed with in Mexico.
The river that runs through Tuxtla - Rio Sabinal - is an open sewer because of corruption in the city government that accepts bribes to allow people to dump their sewer pipes into the river. Every time I drive by this river, my friends asks: "hechas pedos?"

[Ben Round de Bloc]

Do most other cities in Mexico have a whole fleet of people sweeping the streets like they do in Merida? All major avenues in the city and most streets in the downtown area have people out there every day with their brooms and huge orange barrels, sweeping up and cleaning up the refuse that collects along the sides of the streets. Out in the colonias people employed by the city come by once every few weeks to pick up all the litter that has accumulated along the streets and cut down the weeds and grass.

[Samantha]

Yes, in many areas of our city manual street sweepers, usually elderly men, are hard at work. They will take small bags of trash away too for a few pesos, if you can't wait for the garbage truck. I always tip a little for a good sweeping in front of the driveway. Saves me doing it and gives him money for a refresca. We also tip the city workers to attend any little projects that may exist when they pass. Weed-whacking, tree trimming, etc. It's a win-win...I get those chores done without nagging and they get a few extra pesos.

Just yesterday I saw a lettered message in the rear window of a local mini-van which made me do a double take. "Don't throw your garbage on the street", in Spanish of course. I would bet the children riding in that vehicle use trash cans.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Samantha]

Good thing many tourists don't read Spanish or they may have climbed right off those buses.

I once assigned a project to my grade 6 class which involved writing a letter to the Mayor (in English) giving him suggestions as to how we could better clean up our streets and what should be done with those who litter. I was fed up with watching them throw wrappers on the school grounds at lunch time and on the streets outside after school. (Upscale private school with workers running around with brooms cleaning up after them) The students didn't like writing that letter one bit, and one cheeky little girl informed me that it was a waste of time because the Mayor couldn't read English. Right, keep writing. Actually, once they got through claiming they didn't know how to write letters, some very thoughtful ideas came forth. I like to think the lesson may have sunken in with at least some of the little litterers.

[ls650]

[eclectic]

mexicans in la Perla del Sur, a bar here in Union City, NJ, often get so pissin drunk they piss all over each other in the bathroom, pissing with their eyes closed on the legs and jeans of the others standing quite close at the next urinal.

[Guy Courchesne]

And who says Mexicans can't assimilate well?

[thelmadatter]

oooohh ouch, Guy!

[Guy Courchesne]

Sorry, Jersey. It was either pick on the state or asking...

[eclectic]

eclectic wore those jeans for the LAST time that night, though this has happened to a friend of mine in La Perla del Sur atleast 3 times THIS YEAR. Once, as I entered the bano, a felt I tripped on something like a lof, and looked down to see a passed-out Mexican on the floor in front of the urinals, and other Mexicans (OK there were SOME Guatemalans in there too) just standing over him and pissing into the urinals, like he was a piece of furniture.

[eclectic]

no place like Jersey, Guy, you coulda picked on it all ya wanted, Id be right there agreeing with ya.

Once, the INS came in and asked anyone with ID to leave at once, then lined up atleast 30 Mexicans and a few Guatemalans against the wall, took photos, names and addresses, then let them all go!!! ????

2 days later La Perla del Sur was back open, with the same girls working and the same guys getting pissed and pissing. POlice come in about once a week to bust a bathroom drug deal in progress, or to help the security of 4 bouncers hoist the tangled brawling Mexicans out of the bar and onto the street, only to leave them there rolling around and still throwing punches.