Silicon Valley is being turned into notorious dumping site as furious millionaire locals speak out about trash including tractor tires, porn DVDs and even dead GOATS
- The San Martin Neighborhood Association formed their own pick-up group
- They reported collecting and dumping tons of trash over the years
Residents of a Silicon Valley town have become angry after being forced to clean up tonnes of rubbish themselves after their province refused to help.
San Martin, a census-designated rural town in Santa Clara, California, is home to approximately 6,000 residents. In 2017, residents of the neighborhood association were fed up with being stuck with large piles of trash scattered across the city.
Residents, who could only call the county to help with large messes such as furniture or broken pathways, had to deal with the daily litter and debris that slowly turned their streets into a notorious dumping ground.
Adding to the problem of the huge amount of waste in the city is a small landfill – which becomes a problem when the weather gets windy as the waste is blown everywhere.
Seven years ago, a clean-up group was formed by residents who decided to collect the trash themselves.
Residents of a Silicon Valley town are furious after being forced to pick up tons of trash themselves because their province refuses to help
San Martin, a census-designated rural town in Santa Clara, California, has a population of about 6,000. In 2017, local residents of the neighborhood association were fed up with being stuck with large piles of garbage scattered across the city
Twice a year, several dozen volunteers gather to clean up the trash — an unenviable job that is somewhat mitigated by free food and prizes for the largest and weirdest pieces of trash, according to Mercury news.
“We are unincorporated, we don’t have a local governing body, so we are the citizenship that puts in the time,” said resident Liz Paredes Bahnsen. ‘This is my house. This is my backyard, this is my front yard. Let’s keep it clean.’
Their efforts have expanded over the years and the small group of waste scavengers have collected tons of waste over the years, with a record of 7.7 tons in 2019.
A few dozen volunteers meet twice a year to pick up the trash – an unenviable job softened somewhat by free food and prizes for the biggest and weirdest pieces of trash
Locals have united after their province refused to help with the waste problem
Some of the strangest items include dead goats and chickens, tractor tires, satellite dishes, baby booties, porn DVDs, an entire car roof, and many bottles of cheap vodka and fireball.
Residents are proud of their work for the community. “We were brainstorming about ‘if the province isn’t going to clean it up, what can we do?’ said Sharon Luna, who helped lead this year’s Trash Bash.
‘I am proud of my community. It’s a beautiful area,” said resident Pamela Courtney, standing with the rolling hills of the South Valley behind her. ‘I want people to think that people care when they drive through.’
San Martin isn’t the only community facing a waste crisis. In 2020, the California Department of Transportation reported spending more than $100 million on cleanups.
Caltrans cleaned up 1.3 million bags of trash along state highways. Gabe Molina, superintendent of highways and airports for the southern part of the county, said trash and dumping is a problem throughout Santa Clara County.
Some of the strangest items include dead goats and chickens, tractor tires, satellite dishes, baby booties, porn DVDs, an entire car roof, and many bottles of cheap vodka and fireball.
“It’s very difficult for us to send a team out to pick up papers when we have larger-scale work to do,” he said.
His department helps provide volunteers with supplies such as buckets, trash bags and safety cones. “I think what’s unique about it is that the residents care enough to volunteer and help clean up.”