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My first visit to San Felipe was only 5 years ago. Since I have now lived here full time for nearly 4 years, I obviously found attributes to San Felipe that made it possible for me to leave Carmel California for San Felipe. But on day one of my first visit to San Felipe I was appalled by the trash. In fact when I was told that there was a dump in San Felipe and that it was free I had to see it. I offered a friend to take some crap they had laying around to the dump to see what it was all about. For reference I ran a small business in Monterey Ca and routinely had to get rid of packaging materials and used beds that I would take away when I delivered a new bed. It cost me $40.00 to get rid of a king size bed in Monterey. Evey vehicle going into the dump was weighted and you paid accordingly. So I was just amazed that the dump in San Felipe was free and yet it was obvious that it wasn't being used to it's potential. People weren't making it all the way to the dump!
We have winds in San Felipe, and the dump itself is a source of blowing garbage. But after living in town for a few years I have seen a bigger problem that is tied into other problems. Some are cultural, some are financial, and we gringo's need not condemn but to educate and help find a solution to the problems. San Felipe has an other problem that needs to be and is being addressed by a small dedicated group of animal lovers, and that is the uncared for/street dog population.
Non existent laws for the containment of garbage. 55 gallon drums without lids as the predominant trash collection device...black plastic bags stacked against the drums when there is excess garbage. Loose dogs & street dogs,... doing as dogs will do, looking for food. San Felipe's love affair with plastic bags, garbage collectors who take little pride in their work, cars trucks and wind spreading the resulting loose garbage everywhere.
I see the problem as being intertwined. While the animal advocacy groups are doing their best to educate, spay and neuter, street dogs continue to produce more street dogs who find food in garbage, tipping over lidless cans and tearing open bags. Trash collectors, who's job description is veg at best and the winds create an endless cycle of blowing trash & street dogs. The perfect perpetual motion machine.
I have several ideas that can be put in motion that could Educate, (remember our commercials when we were younger, of an American Indian with the tears in his eyes over a trash filled pond)?, create new job opportunities and employment in San Felipe, make a huge impact in reducing the uncontrolled garbage in San Felipe and generating revenue for the animal advocates so they can continue to successfully deal with the dog population in the humane manor their charters dictate.
I will be clarifying these ideas and submitting them as proposals in the very near future. However as a first step I submit the idea; that the San Felipe trash collection process must be held responsible for their lax attitude to trash collection. Even if "they", through lack of resources, education, laws, and street dogs, are not responsible for the improper containment of garbage, They are assigned to collect what is offered up... if they are going to collect it take all of it ...Please.
This morning I helping the garbage collection guys pickup stuff,... up the street from me...to make sure it was all picked up. At their next stop I watched and photographed as they picked up some but left nearly a quarter can of garbage on the street. I cleaned it up in about 3 minutes with a rake and a scoop. I don't think it is to much to ask that the San Felipe Garbage Collection Service arm their employees with a rake, a scoop and a new job description. Pick up the damn garbage!
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