Since 1995, San Antonio community members gather every February to participate in a one-day, all volunteer event to clean the San Antonio Watersheds. The event known as Basura Bash brings awareness to the hazards trash can cause in our community when it is not disposed of properly.
On February 19, 2022, more than 70 volunteers of all ages gathered at Allison Park to collect trash from the creek beds that flow into the San Antonio River. Volunteer groups included the Rotary Club of San Antonio Mission Trail, Trash Magnets, Girl Scout Troup 527, Boy Scout Troup 345, Montessori Schools, and members of the River Road Neighborhood community. The Rotary Club of San Antonio Mission Trail worked in pairs to collect four, 40-45 gallon, bags of trash along the watershed including larger items such as mattresses, a parking cone, and a broken toilet. This year, Basura Bash partnered with Litterati, a global litter intelligence company using machine learning and data science to help cities get to the root cause of litter. Volunteers were able to utilize this app to catalog trash and tag larger items that could not place in a trash bag. This event is just one local example of how Rotarians can engage in efforts that support Water & Sanitation, one of the seven Areas of Focus of Rotary International. Access to clean water is a necessity for all community members and ensuring our water source is free of trash is key in protecting the region’s main drinking water source. “When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.”