Community Movement: Limpia Tu Barrio

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico has so many attractive qualities that both locals and visitors alike can appreciate…miles of beautiful beaches, the calming Banderas Bay waves, a lively nightlife scene and foodie options galore. However, one of the less appealing aspects of life in Mexico is the unfortunate trash situation. Sadly, it is very common to see bottles, papers and other rubbish scattered on the ground, but thankfully this culturally accepted norm has slowly started to change. With the help of a British expat, the Limpia Tu Barrio movement, which means Clean Your Neighborhood, has motivated locals to attack Puerto Vallarta’s trash issue to create a cleaner and more environmentally friendly city for everyone to enjoy.

Grass Roots Campaign

What started as frustration from seeing so much trash as she walked her two young kids to school, a British expat and local PV resident started to bring bags to pick up trash along the way. In just a few short blocks, she was able to fill multiple bags of trash daily during her walks, leaving her neighborhood cleaner and more beautiful.  She then shared photos of her experience on social media, and began inviting others to join in to help clean up Puerto Vallarta as well. A short time late, she started organizing weekly trash pick ups on Saturday mornings at 9 am so that other PV locals could help the cause. The groups would pick up trash for a short time alternating between different neighborhoods and areas throughout town. The best part is that young children are involved, so the “Limpia Tu Barrio” trash pick ups have become an educational experience for youth to understand the importance of putting trash in its place. By doing so, hopefully the detrimental cycle of this socially accepted norm can be broken so that our city will be as clean as it can be.

Join The Cause

A variety of neighborhoods and areas have been targeted by this community movement including Versalles, El Centro, Las Moras, the Malecon and even the beach. The goal is to generate awareness for the importance of putting trash in its place, and to also highlight how simple it is to take a few moments and pick up trash along your way each day. Individuals involved in the movement regularly post pictures on social media showing full bags of trash, and comment on how quickly they were able to accomplish the clean up. Even 5 minutes can make a huge difference. Want to learn more on how you can get involved and help mother earth right now? It is as simple as taking a bag along with you during your daily routine, and start picking up any trash you come across. If you want to join in the community group clean ups on Saturday, go to Facebook page Limpia Tu Barrio PV at https://www.facebook.com/groups/594006014293083/.

Together, we can all help to create a cleaner and healthier Puerto Vallarta for everyone to enjoy!