The initial findings by volunteers during the waste collection in Montjuïc reveal a complex reality: a significant portion of the debris does not stem from incivility but from poverty. Among the collected items are damaged bed frames, dirty blankets, and broken tents, indicating the presence of homeless individuals who have resided on the mountain.
“"We find all kinds of waste, much of which, unfortunately, is generated by people living in Montjuïc."
The volunteers' work requires great sensitivity to distinguish between abandoned waste and the belongings of people who spend the night on Montjuïc. One group decided not to touch a tarp covering a bed frame that appeared to be in use, while they removed a mattress found among the bushes that they considered abandoned.
This neighborhood initiative, supported by the Barcelona City Council through the Sants-Montjuïc Environmental Classroom, has been organized by the Cuidem Montjuïc association for six years. The goal is to involve residents to foster community and undertake positive actions together, framed within the classroom's agenda of free activities to promote resilience against climate change.
In this edition, forty volunteers managed to collect 140 kilograms of waste in just one hour. During the sorting process, additional social issues were evidenced, such as nitrous oxide canisters, also known as laughing gas, reflecting other realities present on the mountain.
