Who's Responsible for Sweeping these Dirty Stairs?
Most of the sidewalks and stairs in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, get swept first thing each morning by the local residents, shopkeepers, and city workers. Volunteers like the Vallarta Garden Club help out, too. Some areas get neglected, like this important set of stairs running beneath the protected tree at the corner of Pรบlpito and C. Rodolfo Gรณmez in the Romantic Zone. I walk these stairs two or three times each day, usually with my Mexican Chihuahuas, Max and Sophie. Recently, the trash, leaves, and dirt have begun to accumulate, building up to the point where it is dangerous to walk down in my flip-flops. And then we walk back up through this mess and track the filth into my home.
It had become clear that no one is sweeping or picking up trash in this area. In fact, it appeared that this had become a dumping ground.
Yesterday, as I felt the gritty dirt collecting between my toes, on my heels, and covering the soles of my feet, I became irritated. Who is responsible for sweeping these heavily trafficked stairs in the Romantic Zone? And what about all this trash accumulating under our protected tree? Then I recalled how Jon used to sweep the cobblestone street in front of our home in Sayulita. I even wrote a blog, 7 Unexpected Benefits of Sweeping the Street in Mรฉxico. Maybe I needed to be responsible for sweeping these stairs, at least once. I could use the exercise, anyway. I gathered my supplies—my broom, trash bag, and vinyl gloves. Sophie and Max were ready for a walk, so we made their usual circuit, down the stairs, around the neighborhood, and back, all the while with me using the upside-down broom as a walking stick.
When I returned to the stairs, I tied the dogs where they could see me, donned my gloves, and planned my attack with my broom. I knew I couldn’t sweep the whole mess in one day when the weather is so hot. So, I decided a four-foot-wide, cleanly swept strip down the right side was a good goal for that morning. No way was I going to tackle the junk that had been dumped in the garden beside the stairway! I started at the top, as my dad had taught me, and was proud of my progress after ten minutes, even as I thought about how my dad and Jon would have told me this was the wrong broom for the job. I had only reached the sixth step when a young man approached me. I recognized him as one of the local garbage pickers—the people who sort the trash to remove beverage cans to recycle, reusable items to resell, “edible” meals in take-out containers, remnants of alcoholic beverages, and various other things they decide should not go to the landfill. With Spanish and hand signals, the man indicated he wanted to sweep. In my Spanglish, I asked him if he wanted to sweep the whole stairway. When he said he did, I asked, “Cuanto?” How much? He shook his head. Nothing? Of course not.
I gave my helper 50 MXN pesos and indicated there would be more money at the condominium Security desk when he finished and returned my broom. I took the garbage bag to the pile of leaves and trash accumulated at the bottom of the stairs and started scooping the mess in. My helper waved his hand at me, shook his head, and pointed to himself. “You want to do this, too?” I asked. “Si,” he answered eagerly. I thanked him, and we exchanged names. I had made a friend, or at least a friendly acquaintance. I noticed as I walked away that his girlfriend had arrived. She’s a trash-sorter, too, so she would probably get recruited to help. I talked to two condominium Security guys at the desk, explaining that I had hired the young man for my project, and asked if they could give him my 100-peso bill when he finished and returned my broom. They agreed and even called across the street to let my helper know he was to report to them.
That afternoon, when I walked down the stairs with Max and Sophie, not only was it swept clean, but all the trash from the garden next to them was gone. My friend had earned his wages, and I suspect the security guys inspected the job and instructed him when they felt the job was complete. I am grateful to everyone who has helped with this project. How can we keep it clean? Leaves fall continuously from our beautiful trees. The benefits of sweeping are many, but here are the five that seem most valuable to me: 1. Greatly Improves the Neighborhood Appearance 2. Decreases the Amount of Soil, Trash, and Debris Washed down the Street into the Ocean when the Rainy Season Starts. Plastic Washing into Our Oceans Is a Big Concern. 3. Increases Safety for Walking 4. Others Offer to Sweep and Clean, Creating Relationships 5. It Welcomes Our New Neighbors and Visitors
The next troubling mess I want to tackle is that trash pile under our protected tree, dumped right next to the “Prohibido Tirar Basura Aqui” sign that clearly says it is prohibited to throw garbage there. In this photo, the pile is so huge, it covers all of the sign except the top.
Why are there no trash barrels like the ones our neighboring condominiums provide? Why doesn’t anyone sweep up this messy area? Even the most fastidious trash-pickers leave bits of plastic on the ground that need to be swept up before the rain comes in a few weeks.
Please check out my blogger blogs, Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico” and “Retirement Before the Age of 59” to discover other projects I tackle while living in Mexico. Thank you for reading my blogs and books.
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