Unfortunately, the DR doesn't have a system for recycling yet, although I've heard that some people pay private companies for their recycling services. In the town I just moved to in Monte Christi, the mayor pays people to clean and sweep the streets. This prevents trash from piling up in the streets and attracting pests, and is also one of the ways the mayor stays popular in town!
Something that most Americans might not think about right off the bat is how having access to running water affects the way people deal with waste. In the DR, especially in underserved rural communities, many people don't have access to running water, including toilets or sinks. Instead, they use latrines. If a latrine isn't set up correctly, it can overflow during the rainy season and cause waste to enter yards and waterways. This creates unclean living situations and causes contamination. The organization Friends of the DR is currently working to improve this by building low-cost bathrooms (with running water!) in people's homes. How we deal with waste not only affects our planet but our communities too.
I know that waste management can be an unpleasant topic to talk about. Sometimes, it's easier to just throw something in the trash and not think about where it might end up. However, it's important to consider how our actions contribute to landfills and pollution, and how we can all try to help make the world a cleaner place. I hope this journal is encouraging rather than discouraging because even though we have a long way to go in reusing and recycling our trash, there are so many amazing people and organizations working on the local level to find better solutions for managing our waste!
