Environmental protection in Puerto Rico

May I ask what's behind your question? Is it just personal interest, are you a member of an organization, are you starting an initiative, are you a writer? Knowing this will help in supplying you with the information you want. It seems you've shot gun this question to many country sites.

Before this thread runs off topic any further I will post my off topic reply.

Any member can start a new thread on a topic. However the subject matter must be within the parameters of the forum code of conduct.

The forum moderators post these threads so as to get feedback from members residing in that country and to keep the forum topical and current.

Anyone can feel free to answer post on the thread or not.

Can we please get back on topic now. Thanks.

So the topic is "Environmental protection in Puerto Rico". Here's something to get the ball rolling.

Check out the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) site for Puerto Rico: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-puerto-rico
There is much info there about specific environment issues and activity to address them.

Check out Fundación Surfrider Rincón at: https://rincon.surfrider.org/
They have been in the vanguard of protecting the beaches and ocean in western Puerto Rico. They are responsible to creating the Tres Palmas Marine Preserve in Rincon: https://www.google.com.pr/search?q=tres … yosbQzM%3A
They are responsible for stopping the insane proposal to build a bike path in Rincon from Domes Beach to the La Cambia restaurant last year - by threatening to bring Rincon to Federal court based defects in their plans. They are on top of any wrong-footed development ideas that will potential destroy the beaches. They take water samples from numerous beaches, analyze them, and post the results so people can see which beaches have high bateria counts. Etc., etc., etc.

There are many environmental issues in PR, including the fact that 90% of septic systems do not meet current standards and requirements. However I think things are better here than in Bejing.

Added as an after thought.

There could be a GLOBAL thread for topics that are GLOBAL, e.g. environmental protection (versus how can i get a Puerto Rico driver's license). A global thread would facilitate the discussion of and sharing information about important topics that are important to the global expat community.

A great organization is para la naturaleza. Their website is paralanaturaleza.org  I tend to stay away from mega-groups like the Sierra Club who spend the majority of their donations on lobbying. However, the Puerto Rican branch of the Sierra Club seems to be  far from the madding crowd.

Hi everyone,

I have removed a few off topic posts from this thread. Let's please concentrate on environmental matters now. We can't say the subject isn't important to everyone.

Thanks

Julien

Before PR wastes a lot  of "green" energy on lofty issues such as carbon footprints, global warming, and alternative energy, I would like to see some emphasis on basic issues such as cleaning up trash,  removing construction debris, improving septic treatment (as mentioned above), removing derelict structures, enforcing building codes and encouraging neighborhoods to paint and improve building maintenance.    These very practical things would improve today's environment and create significant employment.

Trash is the big one for me. It kills me to see the roads and beaches littered with trash, often right next to signs asking not to litter and/or trash cans. Driving to Guajataca forest, you're deep in nature and surrounded by trash for part of the drive. It kills me.

I think education is what needs to happen here, but getting anyone to listen would be an uphill battle. Just the other day a neighbor kid threw a plastic water bottle over the fence into my yard. I was like, really?

Regarding garbage, Rincon has free and regular garbage pickup. Some people think that if the garbage service was not free people would elect to throw stuff on the land versus pay extra to have it picked up.

I'm wondering if garbage pickup exists in other communities and if it does is it gratis.

Heartily echo the above posts regarding trash.

The past couple of years has seen some infrastructure improvements for bike paths around Old San Juan and Condado.  There is a dedicated bike path around Paseo Caribe that is exclusive to bikes.  It's short, but it's a start.  There's a master plan in the works called Paseo de Puerta de Tierra which will ultimately traverse the northern side of Old San Juan.

I have a Brompton folding bike, which is perfect in city environments like the SJ Metro area.  It'll be interesting to see the progress of the improvements.

I've heard that the funds for infrastructure maintenance and improvement almost are sucked dry by the Puerto Rican government and in a short while there will literally be no funds for these activities (except for grants such as the one from U.S. Department Of Agriculture to the town of Rincon to build a boutique hotel next the town plaza).

I live in Mayagüez since 8 years and they used to puck up the trash every week. Now it's every two, sometimes three weeks but it was and is still free but that doesn't change anything of the environment trash problem! If I ask Puertoricans why it is like that, the answer is, that it is their culture!! 

I live in Mayagüez since 8 years and they used to pick up the trash every week. Now it's every two, sometimes three weeks but it was and is still free but that doesn't change anything of the environment trash problem! If I ask Puertoricans why it is like that, the answer is, that it is their culture!! 

Here at least in Mayaguez they do NOTHING!!!

SpecialKev wrote:

Trash is the big one for me. It kills me to see the roads and beaches littered with trash, often right next to signs asking not to litter and/or trash cans. Driving to Guajataca forest, you're deep in nature and surrounded by trash for part of the drive. It kills me.

I think education is what needs to happen here, but getting anyone to listen would be an uphill battle. Just the other day a neighbor kid threw a plastic water bottle over the fence into my yard. I was like, really?

I guess the parents don't like you much, in my time my parents would have left me with a sore butt for being disrespectful.

The problem is not education, the problem is not caring and lack of respect for nature and others. They know what they should do but don't care.

Oh I let the parent know in my best spanish. I could tell he wasn't happy. The dad and I are generally friendly / sharing tools and fruit so I'm sure he gave the kid a talking to.

Good for you, Specialkev, in letting the parent know what was going on.

(Smack) why you had to let him see you when I told you to throw it in his yard? (Smack), you need to learn to never get caught, (smack, smack), I dont care if if I told you to do it, never get caught, (smack)

It's possible, but I'm a glass half full kind of guy

Kidding just making fun!

LOL

We lived in motifs on the beach with a dock .Locals would leave their trash  fishlines hooks etc .Dog shit. My husband would spend at least 3 hrs a day cleaning the cans and bottles they left in the ocean.  After 6 months of this shit .I told him I am not paying all this money to have to pick up after other people .They would be in front of our gate and dock until 3 am

Hello guys.
I just moved here last October, and among many problems I think is that there are not clear laws, enforcement and punishments for disobeying them.
Let me just give you one example. It is heart breaking to walk on the beach and see so many dangerous sharp pieces of broken bottles in the sand (which I always take and trow it away). People and mainly kids can get seriously hut by it. In Florida, Destin to be specific, there are laws forbidding you to bring glass bottles on the beach. Well my defiant 21 years older decided she could get away with it. She wasn't though the first third of her beer, when a police officer approached her and gave her a long speech about the law, along with a ticket. I don't even want to start on people walking their dogs on the sand and not picking up after them. Every time I see a baby, a child, any person for this matter, sitting on the sand I feel bad.

Here is my solution to trash on the beach. I am making a chandelier from all the colored plastic trash I am collecting on the beach. It does have a drift wood nest as the base. I use the fishing line to hang the pieces of plastic, etc. It will have glow in the dark beads so when the light is turned off it will glow for a while. I will be doing a series and calling them "bio-luminescent Lights". I plan on doing a series of them and having an installation in one of the abandoned buildings here in Ponce and then have them tour the island to help inform people. If I get a chance to post the final piece I will do that and or let everyone know when I have the exposition.

When we walk the beach (most mornings) we have taken to bringing an empty grocery bag and collecting all the trash that we find.  It seems to make a difference.

I think that a gradual increase in public sensitivity to to the environment is inevitable and hopefully we will see an impact of social awareness.

I hope so, Sitka!

Here is an article about a garbage burning site they want to start in Arecibo. http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/20 … or-project