Littering is a huge problem, especially in Del Rio. People litter because it's easier to just dispose of trash by throwing it wherever rather than finding a trash can or dumpster. Unfortunately, this is a huge problem for Del Rio. Del Rio residents often litter by the creek, the lake, parks, and many other places valuable and unique to the community.

Despite this, there is a strong network that wants to help around Del Rio. Organizations like the Del Rio Parks Foundation, Republic Services, W&W Trucking, and Del Rio High School’s very own high school club, Eco-Action, are committed to addressing the issue of littering in Del Rio. 

Eco-Action is a club that cares for and helps our environment. Club president, David Bosquez, knows there are practical ways to reduce littering in Del Rio. “Some effective strategies to reduce litter in our city would definitely be to make trash cans more common and accessible,” Bosquez said. Currently, the club regularly holds clean-ups to pick up trash around the city and bring more awareness to the littering problem in the community.

Bosquez knows littering has a serious impact on public health and safety. “[Littering] takes away from the cleanliness of our city by tainting nature's natural beauty in parks and areas that are for all of us to enjoy…it creates unnecessary filth that can harm natural waterways we rely on for drinking water and recreational purposes [such as swimming and fishing].” 

San Felipe creek is a favorite spot for locals. Aside from recreation, San Felipe creek has deep historical ties and a long history of influence to Del Rio. This history is documented on the Edwards Aquifer Website by Gregg Eckhardt: “Crude irrigation systems, drawing water from San Felipe Springs and Creek, were first devised by Indian and Spanish inhabitants of this area. Anglo-American settlers also saw the need for irrigation in this arid region, and in about 1869, a group of landowners formed the San Felipe Agricultural, Manufacturing & Irrigation Company”. Stopping littering and keeping the creek clean is important to respecting this meaningful history.

Even Amistad Lake, just outside Del Rio, attracts many travelers that want to see the prehistoric rock art in the area.

Despite the significant history present in our community, many people still don’t understand why littering is such a big issue or why they should care. However, Eco-Action is motivated to respond to these concerns. 

“[Littering] makes our city look a lot less beautiful…litter can interfere with our hobbies,” Bosquez said. “Even if it may not directly affect you, it can harm someone else, wildlife, or the entire community…we should take bigger strides when it comes to mitigating litter and cleaning up [Del Rio].”