FAQs

Here you will find answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding Basura Bash.

QUESTION:  What is the most common trash item collected during Basura Bash?

ANSWER:   Plastic bags by far are the #1 item collected during the Basura Bash Waterway Clean-Up! Learn more about plastics, waterways, watersheds and a healthy environment...

QUESTION:  What kind of places are getting cleaned?

ANSWER:  Basura Bash is an outdoors event, and volunteers will be walking and collecting loose trash, so you do need to be healthy enough to do those things.

There is a big range of conditions among all the locations, everything from mown grassy banks to wild creek beds with foliage overhanging the water, so there is a place for almost any willing volunteer to help out.  Adults will need to be able to supervise their own children, so please do not plan to send young unaccompanied kids.

QUESTION:  What type of volunteer am I?

ANSWER:  If you are part of a group that includes young children, let us know, because some parks where we locate our tributary cleanups are picnic areas with the creek nearby, and we can set aside an area for kid groups only.

If you want to participate while supervising children, those type of spots let you watch the group and work at your own pace.

The more tame terrains are along areas, where the banks are a constant incline.  But those long banks can gather a lot of debris, so volunteers will have plenty of work.

The most rugged sites are sections of some tributaries (i.e. Salado Creek:  Martin Luther King Park) that are steep or have very heavy flood debris accumulations that are far from the access points.  If you are strong of body and spirit, let let us know and we can direct you to some of the more challenging locations.

QUESTION:  What kind of recycling can I do at Basura Bash?

ANSWER:  Basura Bash will have two opportunities to recycle.

First, when we pick up trash along the rivers and creeks, we will have two kinds of bags for volunteers to fill. Black Bags will be for trash and the Blue transparent Bags will be for Recyclables. Recyclables include plastic bottles, aluminum cans and glass containers.

If recyclables are dirty they can not be recyled. So please be aware of this issue and place what's gathered into the correct bag.

Also, please remember this when at home so that your rinse out your recyclable before placing them in your recycling bin. 

Second, volunteers can bring their own Electronics Recycling to the Basura Bash Headquarters at Mission County Park. Our Partner, Corona Visions, will accept anything with a power cord, including dancing flowers and singing fish.

QUESTION:  Who is Basura Bob?

ANSWER:  Basura Bob is the name of the Fish on our Logo. For more Information about Basura Bob stay tuned to updates on our website.

QUESTION:  What sizes do the t-shirts come in and are they 100% cotton?

ANSWER:  The t-shirts come as Small, Med, Large, X-Large, XX-Large, and are 100% cotton. 

QUESTION:  I registered our Group for our Zone and will be faxing forms after I get all the signatures for the liability release form. 

When will I know if we get the Zone we requested so I can inform our Group where to show up?

ANSWER:  Sometimes we have too many volunteers registered for a particular Zone and may have to ask if you don't mind moving your group to another.

We apologize for the any inconvinence such a move may cause but you will be informed as quickly as possible of any change.

You can download information regarding where to go and park for any Zone on our website in the Area Clean-Up Maps & Group Leader Info section. Near the bottom of the page, go to the 'Group Leader' info and select the packet for your zone.

QUESTION -  Is a Group Leader responsible for individuals outside of our group and working in the same zone as us? 

ANSWER - Each group/individual will have their own 'Group Leader' who will be only responsible for their own group. You should not be responsible for individuals outside your group.

QUESTION -  How do we know if all paperwork is in order after it is faxed?

Can our group increase after the forms are faxed in?

If so, what about t-shirts for the last minute signups?

ANSWER - We have not always had the staff to respond to every fax that we receive. However, we will have copies of what we have received at the different Areas on Saturday morning.

If you have additional volunteers you can bring a new Liability Release form for them in the morning and we should have extra t-shirts available - hopefully. If you are interested helping Basura Bash with such tasks or any other please email us.

QUESTION -  Who is the media contact? Can we contact them to take pictures of our group?

ANSWER - Our media contact is Sonia Jimenez.  While there are many people taking pictures of different groups and happenings at Basura Bash, at this time we do not have staff designated to this specific task. If you would like to volunteer please email us.

QUESTION - Since we're a Group is the extra yearly cleanup on the honor system?

ANSWER - Yes, we do not currently have a system to track the cleanups outside of the Basura Bash.

QUESTION - At registration does the primary/alternate captain come pick up the packet and then go to the Zone to meet their group and start picking up trash at 9:00?

ANSWER - Yes, this is absolutely correct. Please ask your volunteers if they would rather have a large canvas bag as opposed to a t-shirt for Event 2011. We are offering the choice of a canvas bag in lieu of a t-shirt this year.

QUESTION:  Where do the items we separate into the Blue Bags recyclables go?

ANSWER:  One of our sponsors GreenStar is providing the services to recycle all the plastic bottles, aluminum cans and glass containers that the volunteers pick up during the Clean Up.

QUESTION:  Can I get Community Service credit for volunteering for Basura Bash?

ANSWER:  Yes, you are definitely doing our community a big service by helping to clean up the San Antonio River and other creeks, so we'll be happy to certify that you have contributed your time for Basura Bash.  

Volunteering for Basura Bash will earn you 4 hours of service. Either be sure to bring your organization's community service documentation or ask for one of the Basura Bash volunteer certificates at your Tributary registration and breakfast location.

QUESTION:  Where do the Electronic items we bring to Mission County Park end up for recycling?

ANSWER:  Corona Visions (210.521.7612) is providing the services to disassemble and recycle all the components of the electrical appliances and electronic gizmos brought in by Basura Bash volunteers.

QUESTION:  What happens to all the gloves used at the clean up and what are the best ways to clean the various types of work gloves, so they can be re-used in future.

ANSWER:  All the gloves are washable and reusable. Even the leather ones can be washed in cold water.

Usually, it's best to throw them all in buckets to soak and get off the really disgusting messes. Then a regular wash in the washing machine with regular detergent does a god job of getting them clean for the next use.

DO NOT Machine Dry the gloves. AIR DRY the gloves. As you can see, air drying gloves make a great cornucopia of our volunteer's willingness to do their part.