A little kid finishes a candy bar. What do they do with it? Throw it on the ground. An adult finishes a soda. What do they do with it? Throw it on the ground. I have encountered very few people here in Peru who have acquired the habit of disposing garbage properly. Even in the most beautiful places trash is strewn haphazardly in the streets and rivers. Seeing someone throw garbage out the window, on the ground, or in the river strikes a nerve with all Peace Corps volunteers I know.
The question is: what can we do about it?
Telling someone to throw their garbage in a trashcan seems like a simple enough task; however, this basic habit requires several other key components. First of all, a trashcan would be nice. Personally I have found myself clutching a sticky popsicle wrapper for an entire morning, never passing a garbage can. I don’t believe Poroto has a single garbage can in a public location. Access is clearly a problem: we’re working on this issue now with the mayor.
Recently the youth group I work with and I decided to help spruce up the town’s mirador, which is the lookout point at the top of Poroto. The youth wrote official documents requesting paint and brushes, garbage bags, and other supplies. The mayor agreed, and we launched a three day clean-up activity in preparation for the “Festival de la Cruz” which is a town party located at the mirador. After several hours of picking up broken bottles, plastic cups, and snack wrappers I believe all the youth agreed on the importance of proper garbage disposal. This is a small step to address a large problem, but if young people learn the value of caring for their local environment this knowledge will be transmitted through their peers and impact the community.
The “Festival de la Cruz” was celebrated with a fresh coat of paint and a garbage-free atmosphere. True to most Peruvian celebrations, religion and heavy drinking were closely intertwined. The event began in the afternoon with a church service and the distribution of huge quantities of food- including a new plate, patasca, which is essentially boiled corn with animal insides. Not my favorite dish, but I’m becoming quite used to anything. The celebration was accompanied by a large band, who played music throughout the evening as I was shuffled between dance partners. The night continued with a procession through the town and a Castillo of fireworks before I escaped and the partying continued.
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