There is an old saying that, “The road to ruin (you might have heard hell) is paved with good intentions. One of those roads became evident in the little community of La Cholla (Cholla Bay).

“The good people of Cholla know that some folks in the community collect aluminum cans for money,” said Pat Champion, a member of the Cholla Bay Homeowners Association board of directors. “One man buys feed for his animals, others use the money to offset family expenses.

“To help these neighbors, many residents separate their aluminum cans and leave them near the street for easy pickup. The problem is, the wind can carry them away; and even when they just lay there, they are unsightly – they are litter,” Champion added.

To solve the problem, the Keep Cholla Beautiful Committee (KCBC) is placing small “Aluminum-Only” recycle barrels at strategic locations in the community. Barrels are currently available at Tucson Beach, Firecracker Park, beside the road along the bay and at the exit from the community.

KCBC chairman Charlotte Keller said, “We know that it’s a little more effort than dropping a plastic bag of cans street-side; but in many cities in the States, you have to take all of your recycling to bins at a shopping center or waste disposal plant. We hope people will go the extra half-mile, not only help neighbors in need, but to help keep our little community litter free.”

The committee, which has adopted the slogan, “Working to make Cholla the cleanest community in Peñasco,” has placed additional trash barrels on area beaches, in addition to the aluminum recycle containers. Committee members patrol the streets and beaches each week, collecting as may as 90 13-gallon bags of trash a month.

“We’d like to see all neighborhoods in Puerto Peñasco join the effort,” Keller said. “It just takes a little time and effort to enhance environmental awareness and the beauty of this wonderful Sonoran city.”

Aluminum Only Recycle Barrels have been placed at strategic locations in the community La Cholla by the Keep Cholla Beautiful Committee to help the environment and locals who benefit from recycling.