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Is there a Lakeside Trash/Litter Clean-up Program?


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We just retired to Ajijic and have been wondering about the trash/litter problem.  We enter the Carreterra at Rio Bravo, and have been astonished by the amount of trash being dumped at the corner.  It seems like whole truckloads including furntiure and construction waste are being abandoned there.  During the last rain storm the arroyo near Rio Bravo was totally clogged by what appeared to be construction debris and trash....this was noted as pieces of concrete and wire plus plastic bottles were streaming down Rio Bravo and Calle Ocampo.  We're having some remodelling done on our home, and we asked our Mexican contractor about this situation, and he indicated that there really is no dump for people to take trash to, so they dump it in the arroyos or wherever.  Do the expats have a volunteer system to help clean up Lakeside?  Does anyone know if there is a dump?  Please let me know what you guys who have lived here longer know....and what we can do to make Lakeside clean and beautiful...thanks!

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Any renovation I've had done I've had my contractor clean in up and he carted off to a dump somewhere he said was approved.   I know there has been a lot of construction on the corner of the Carretera and Rio Bravo.  The arroyo gets clogged and dug out every year, usually up on Amazonias.  There are signs not to dump trash so there must be a person with the Municipio to call IF you see someone dumping.  If it looked offensive to me I'd probably just hire someone to take it away.

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Thank you, El Cartero,

I think the issue with contractors and construction, is that we pay them to dispose of construction debris in an approved dump, which they then pay a fee to for the disposal.  I think the issue is with the poorer residents who cannot afford the fee to dump trash....and that is why we have this issue with garbage.  I am sort of appalled that with all of the expats living here, more of an attempt has not been made to clean it up....besides the arroyo and water problems caused by the garbage, there is also the health issue as all this garbage attracts vermin.  Perhaps we need a program like the roads is the US have....families or groups sign up to "adopt" certain blocks, and they do the work to keep that area trash free.  Is there anything like that here?  As I drive through Lakeside, I find garbage to be pretty pervasive, and I don't think it's doing our Lake any good either....thanks you for any help you can give.

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Wait until the dry season when the roadside vegetation is gone and the litter and garbage is showing.  Don't mention a "program like we had in the States".  This is Mexico and what makes you think we don't have or haven't tried businesses or families to adopt a section of road to keep it clean.  Garbage collection is paid for with property taxes so there is no weekly or monthly fee for garbage.  Many times the "garbage" is too big for the trucks to take, like an old sofa.  The people who need to be rid of such stuff have few options to dispose of it as the dump is over the mountain in Ixtlahuacan and they don't have a truck to get it there.  Many Catch 22s in Mexico.  You asked about what you can do to help the trash problem.  The answer is:  you go pick it up and dispose of it properly.

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I'm certain that as soon as our Chapala "government" gets its latest 10 percent tax increase in January (three times the rate of inflation, again) all our streets will be cleaned up and all the pot holes fixed.  After all, one would certainly think that any "government" that can afford to spend $3 million pesos (Chapala contribution) on the "road to Jesus" can certainly be counted on to provide good basic services?

Right? :D

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Will you all be leaving soon?  You seem to have so many complaints about the paradise that you chose for your retirement years.  There are some things you can do something about, and there are many others that you will never change. To continue to gripe about them causes an increase in the frequency of the use of the term, “pinche gringo gruñosos“, and the resentment that it entails.

Years ago, this forum was a pleasant place for aspiring retirees to seek help, advice and information on retiring on the shores of Lake Chapala.  Lately, it seems to have become a place to gripe.  Chapala, Ajijic and Jocotopec have grown up a bit, as has Guadalajara, but the basic ambience and the pleasant Mexican population remains.  What is changing seems to be the temperament of the expat retirees.  If I were able to return to Mexico, I might look elsewhere, in spite of my love of our many years in Chapala.  Come to think of it; we did move from Ajijic to Chapala early on, and part of the reason was the feeling that the concentration of “us“ was having an ill effect upon the place.  We found Chapala more to our liking for the next decade.

Cheer up folks.....enjoy your retirement.  Old age, infirmity, mental deterioration and death await us all.  In between; ENJOY !!!!!!!!

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3 hours ago, Mainecoons said:

I'm certain that as soon as our Chapala "government" gets its latest 10 percent tax increase in January (three times the rate of inflation, again) all our streets will be cleaned up and all the pot holes fixed.  After all, one would certainly think that any "government" that can afford to spend $3 million pesos (Chapala contribution) on the "road to Jesus" can certainly be counted on to provide good basic services?

Right? :D

I went to Delicias for breakfast this morning and a few adults and about 20+ students  wearing rubber gloves and carrying the large black garbage bags were getting all the basura from the sidewalk and roadside on Hidalgo. Don't you ever get tired of complaining about the same old same old? Maybe you should also pay attention to what RVGRINGO has advised above.

 

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Nice to see they're cleaning up your town as usual Pedro.  Here, they didn't bother to show up to pick up the trash yesterday per the schedule.  Do you think government should rely on student volunteers to perform basic services?

Do you think 3 million pesos blown on a "road to Jesus" is appropriate spending for a municipality that can't pick up the trash because their trucks are all worn out or fix the streets these days?

RV, you don't live here and haven't for quite a while, hence you don't have the "privilege" of seeing your taxes go up at three times the rate of inflation while already meager services go straight down.  Sorry you are missing out on the "fun" of living with this government.

That's the reality for most of the unfortunate residents of the Chapala municipality.  I'm sure they love the enablers in the expat community who don't call them on it while at the same time harshly roasting any private business that is less than perfect.

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Guest bennie2

too many expectations for some small towns somewhere in mexico. it is what it is. some days that dont go out untill after 3 pm because there are high piles of smelly garbage. they are about 6 feet high and can extend about 12 feet on the corners. i only go to those streets if i need to buy something. not my responsiblity im not a sanitation man.

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No Bennie, it is not "is what it is."  I can take you to numerous places around Mexico where government manages to provide basic services without the rich tax base this one enjoys and abuses.  Get out and do some traveling.

OP FritzLeona, 8 years ago you wouldn't have had to start this thread.

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Trash truck is out this morning picking up the trash by Río Bravo, and there are hundreds of people picking up bags and bags of litter from the roadway from West Ajijic into the village. Thanks to the organizers and more thanks to those spending their Sunday morning helping clean up the litter!

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There are few gringos who pay a worker to fix the holes on their road (for 200 pesos?) They do not need government to do that and lots also pick the bashura along their streets or have kids to do that. There is also Lakeshore clean up (here and there) you could also join in. It is easy to complain but not so easy to take initiative to do something about it. I would say that the situation with garbage is much better these days than it was a decade ago when we did not even have a regular city garbage pick up and will be better yet  in the future as the young Mexican population will be more aware and educated. There are some "doers"  but much more "takers" and complainers among us.

Some people will always complain no matter what.

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18 hours ago, FritzLeona said:

We just retired to Ajijic and have been wondering about the trash/litter problem.  We enter the Carreterra at Rio Bravo, and have been astonished by the amount of trash being dumped at the corner.  It seems like whole truckloads including furntiure and construction waste are being abandoned there.  During the last rain storm the arroyo near Rio Bravo was totally clogged by what appeared to be construction debris and trash....this was noted as pieces of concrete and wire plus plastic bottles were streaming down Rio Bravo and Calle Ocampo.  We're having some remodelling done on our home, and we asked our Mexican contractor about this situation, and he indicated that there really is no dump for people to take trash to, so they dump it in the arroyos or wherever.  Do the expats have a volunteer system to help clean up Lakeside?  Does anyone know if there is a dump?  Please let me know what you guys who have lived here longer know....and what we can do to make Lakeside clean and beautiful...thanks!

You could could start by picking up a box of large garbage bags from Walmart and cleaning up your street...

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Well, one thing I can say is that I live in downtown Chapala and have not seen heaps of garbage and rubbish littering the streets here and ironically, Chapala is the town with the largest number of Mexicans living in it.  So, go figure!  Yes, you will pass by some junkfood wrappers and maybe an empty beer or coke can from time to time, that is just what happens when you live in an area with heavy foot traffic in a developing country.  But from what I can see in Chapala is that the neighbors here do a pretty good job of cleaning up the streets in front of their homes.  Lots of the trash you may see, come from when someone puts a bag of trash with chicken bones in it out front for the garbage truck, and the neighborhood dogs and cats find it first and string the garbage all over the place.  That is not not a daily occurrence but the citizens here do a fairly good job cleaning it up when it happens. 

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All I am trying to say is that Mexico is still a developing nation and it will be many years in the future if ever that it will be as clean looking as Scandinavian countries, but for those reading this forum from afar, this area is far from looking like a trash dump.  Sure, there are some that litter around and some people dump their refuse out on the streets and there are also many people that go around to try to keep the area looking clean.  And top of that, some areas are cleaner than other areas.

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21 minutes ago, dichosalocura said:

All I am trying to say is that Mexico is still a developing nation and it will be many years in the future if ever that it will be as clean looking as Scandinavian countries, but for those reading this forum from afar, this area is far from looking like a trash dump.  Sure, there are some that litter around and some people dump their refuse out on the streets and there are also many people that go around to try to keep the area looking clean.  And top of that, some areas are cleaner than other areas.

Thank you for reminding us.I think some of us have been here too long to see the trash..Your  post hits the nail on the head..Sorry but I think "we" oldies have become too complacent  about the trash and condition of the roads at Lakeside.

Interestingly how many posters are now "defending",and  "excusing"  the deteriorating services and conditions that have happened with successive Chapala governments.

I think the folks out to day are Mexicans who belong to a area conservation group and who recently cleaned up the lake front.

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Guest bennie2

MC, "it i what it is" applies to ajijic & the general area. sometimes in chapala on a mondays @ 5pm there are huge piles of garbage on a corner near the plaza. where were they all day? in general ajijic is filthy. dont judge a person about traveling, as you assume i havnt seen mexico. been on several vacations: clean & beautiful. when there are internarional cultural activities, historial sites, it is well kept. where there are 5 star hotels they keep it clean. there is little modivation for the gov to do that here. mexicans come in from guad & throw garbage, a mess. the others close the gate in floresta or a gated area. the expats come here regardless. IMO the more expats that clean garbage the less the gov will do. you can hire someone for 2 hours to sweep your street & bring the trash to a dumping group. i can kind of understand that, even if i dont like it. some streets have pickup only 1 day per week.  RV, please refrain from having opinions about a place you havnt been in for several years.

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The garbage was bad 8 years ago and it was bad 16 years ago.. remember the rotten carcases of horses and cows with a little lime..It took one year for a horse or cow to disappear..the past was not any better except that we had pick up 3 times a week and now thanks to an :() person from our street we only have pick up twice a week..

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5 hours ago, TelsZ4 said:

You could could start by picking up a box of large garbage bags from Walmart and cleaning up your street...

Great....and where should I dump all those Walmart bags....in the arroyos???

Thanks for your wise advice!

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20 hours ago, Yo1 said:

Wait until the dry season when the roadside vegetation is gone and the litter and garbage is showing.  Don't mention a "program like we had in the States".  This is Mexico and what makes you think we don't have or haven't tried businesses or families to adopt a section of road to keep it clean.  Garbage collection is paid for with property taxes so there is no weekly or monthly fee for garbage.  Many times the "garbage" is too big for the trucks to take, like an old sofa.  The people who need to be rid of such stuff have few options to dispose of it as the dump is over the mountain in Ixtlahuacan and they don't have a truck to get it there.  Many Catch 22s in Mexico.  You asked about what you can do to help the trash problem.  The answer is:  you go pick it up and dispose of it properly.

Thanks....but you forgot to mention where I should properly dispose of all the trash...let me know where that may be....thanks!

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8 hours ago, RVGRINGO said:

Will you all be leaving soon?  You seem to have so many complaints about the paradise that you chose for your retirement years.  There are some things you can do something about, and there are many others that you will never change. To continue to gripe about them causes an increase in the frequency of the use of the term, “pinche gringo gruñosos“, and the resentment that it entails.

Years ago, this forum was a pleasant place for aspiring retirees to seek help, advice and information on retiring on the shores of Lake Chapala.  Lately, it seems to have become a place to gripe.  Chapala, Ajijic and Jocotopec have grown up a bit, as has Guadalajara, but the basic ambience and the pleasant Mexican population remains.  What is changing seems to be the temperament of the expat retirees.  If I were able to return to Mexico, I might look elsewhere, in spite of my love of our many years in Chapala.  Come to think of it; we did move from Ajijic to Chapala early on, and part of the reason was the feeling that the concentration of “us“ was having an ill effect upon the place.  We found Chapala more to our liking for the next decade.

Cheer up folks.....enjoy your retirement.  Old age, infirmity, mental deterioration and death await us all.  In between; ENJOY !!!!!!!!

No...I will not be leaving soon as it seems that you have.  I do not have any complaints, I am just looking for ways to help with some obvious problems.  I didn't realize I was upsetting a group of jaded expats, who have long since given up on life.  Hope you are enjoying Arizona!  Probably no trash issue to solve there!

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Way to tell it like it is, Fritz!  LOL

These are the same jaded expats that sat around and looked at the graffiti piling up until a few of us got off our butts and got rid of it.  I think this useless local government could double their taxes again and they'd just smile and thank them for the shafting and ask to have their taxes raised some more.

But boy howdy, some poor private sector slob had better not short sheet them or they will go ballistic on this board.

What is funny is the opinion our Mexican friends have of this government and these gringo enablers.

:D

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