Uno de los objetivos de Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper es mejorar el manejo de los residuos sólidos en los pueblos costeros de Mal País, Santa Teresa, Hermosa y Manzanillo. Las campañas de abril y mayo tuvieron que ser canceladas debido a que la gente estaba dejando su reciclaje (e inclusive su basura) en días que no son, creando un mini botadero en la cancha de fútbol (ver foto). Fuera de los días indicados, Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper no puede asumir la responsabilidad sobre las bolsas que la gente deja “esperando que alguien más las recoja”. Los costos de hacer la campaña apenas se cubren con la venta simbólica del material. Es decir, lo hacemos para que la gente que quiere reciclar tenga la facilidad de hacerlo. Hacemos un llamado a la población para que aproveche este servicio correctamente.
El próximo jueves 2 de junio (de 9am-5pm) recibiremos sus materiales reciclables (plástico, latas, latón, cartón y vidrio) en el SALON COMUNAL de Santa Teresa (detrás de la cancha de fútbol, metiéndose por la callecita en frente a Chicken Joe’s).
El material reciclable representa más del 50% de los residuos sólidos de los hogares y negocios. Es muy importante desecharlo de forma responsable utilizando el servicio solo en los días indicados, por espíritu cívico, por respeto y por amor al paraíso que muchos de nosotros tenemos el beneficio de llamar casa. La primera parte del proceso de reciclaje comprende manualmente separar los materiales, se les solicita traerlo limpio; el olor a leche podrida no es muy agradable. Luego de separar el material, este se va a ser debidamente procesado en diferentes lugares del país. El viernes a medio día, el lugar debe quedar limpio hasta la próxima campaña de reciclaje. Favor respetar esto sino nos veremos obligados a cancelar del todo la campaña de reciclaje.
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One of the main objectives of the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper organization is to improve solid waste management across the coastal towns of Mal Pais, Santa Teresa, Hermosa, and Manzanillo. April and May’s recycling campaigns had to be cancelled due to the public space having been littered prior to the designated days, almost turning it into a dumping ground (see picture). The Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper cannot take responsibility for the bags people leave in the hope of someone else would clean the mess on “non-recycling” days. We encourage people to take full advantage of the service provided without them feeling entitled to “out of office hours”. The costs of the recycling campaign are just barely covered, so it is not a commodity.
Thursday June 1st (9am-5pm), everybody is invited to bring their recyclables (plastic, aluminium (cans and tin), cardboard, and glass) to the SALON COMUNAL in Santa Teresa (just behind the soccer field, take the road in front of Chicken Joe’s).
Considering that more than 50% of household waste is composed of recyclable materials, it is of utmost importance to dispose of these in a responsible manner and to use the recycling service on the days it is provided, not only to show good civic spirit, but out of love for this paradisiacal corner most of us are fortunate enough to call home. Since the first part of the recycling process involves a final sorting the materials by hand, it is ideal for all recycling to be brought clean; the smell of milk gone sour after all day in the heat is not particularly appealing. Once collected, the sorted materials begin their journey to different recycling plants across the country; the public space is clean once again, with most of the community hoping that it will stay just as tidy until the next recycling operation, so as to avoid the need to cancel for good.
Taking responsibility for the products we buy, how we can reuse, reduce and recycle them extends to the actions we take once we are willing to part with them or once they outlive their usefulness. What nourished us or brought us joy during previous hours and days needs to continue the journey of becoming someone else’s source of income. The cycle cannot continue if we keep breaking the chain, so let’s keep public spaces clean, shall we?