Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - As part of the Municipal Government's ongoing Clean Beaches program, last week, four to five tons of waste were removed from trash cans at the public entrances to, as well as on, the beaches of Boca de Tomates, Playa de Oro and Flamingos.

According to Puerto Vallarta's Municipal Director of Environment and Ecology, Juan José Navarro Amaral, the beach cleaning team, comprised of members of the City Hall staff and employees of several beach restaurants, was joined by joggers and beach-goers who, when they saw the work that was being done, jumped in to lend a hand.

He said that, from now on, the cleaning efforts will be intensified to two days a week at different public beaches in the destination. "The intention is that visitors who come to Puerto Vallarta during the Summer vacation period find that our beaches are clean recreation areas where they can enjoy a peaceful and pleasant vacation. We are placing a lot of emphasis on the beach entrances, to collecting all the garbage in the trash containers, so that access to the beaches are kept completely clean."

Juan José Navarro said that keeping the destination clean is the responsibility of government and citizens, and this type of activity shows that "in Puerto Vallarta we really do have people willing to take actions in matters that affect us all... these efforts to keep our city clean are continuous, and fortunately part of society is sensitized to the problem and helps us out... A major problem is that people do not put garbage in bags, but put their waste directly into the trash containers or on the streets at the beach entrances, creating odorous and leaching situations."

He noted that the fact that more and more people are joining the Directorate of Environment and Ecology's programs and cleanups is a reflection of what is being achieved through workshops, courses, and the dissemination of Environmental Education materials in our city. However, he invited the public to join in the efforts being made in these areas.

"Joining the effort is as easy as taking a bag, a rake or a broom and cleaning your yard, the sidewalk in front of your house, or a nearby vacant lot. If you go to a park or the beach pick up any trash you encounter, put it in the bag you brought for your own trash, tie it up, and place it in a trash receptacle; doing otherwise is to invite our visitors to throw trash on the ground," he said.