We love Mexico.
But there is one thing we have never understood about the towns we visit on our stays in the Nayarit Riviera.
People litter.
There is garbage everywhere in public places and plastic bottles are littered all over the place. Last year our granddaughter Skye (then aged five) said, “Why do they throw their bottles on the ground? Why don’t they put them in the garbage cans?”
Good question.
Well, a few years ago one man in Bucerias decided to tackle the problem. Barry Munro, an Amigos de Bucerias member, used his network of friends and acquaintances to start The RECYCLERS of BUCERIAS.
Volunteers sorting bottles and cans at Bucerias recycle center
It’s a not for profit program run totally by volunteers. The group recycles plastic bottles and aluminum cans. They have purchased large wire baskets and placed them throughout the neighborhoods of Bucerias to collect the recylables and they are educating the community about recycling.
Early every Thursday morning volunteers drive through Bucerias and collect recycling from homes and businesses. It’s all taken to a sorting and storage lot where volunteers sort and bag materials for transport to the recycling center.
The blue go here, the green go there...
It’s catching on. The community is NOTICEABLY cleaner. In the past year they have recycled almost 10 tons of material and donated over $7,000.00 pesos back into the community thanks to all of the recyclers in Bucerias.
The group is also working to place recycle baskets in areas of the community that do not currently have containers. Other future goals include involving local youth in environmental activities and helping to alleviate problems that negatively impact the environment such as trash in vacant lots.
On Monday we spent a few hours helping sort bottles and cans (as shown in the photos). It was great to be able to help out and we look forward to volunteering again the next time we come to Bucerias.
