About us – Cero Basura BCS

About us

Alianza Cero Basura (ACB) of Todos Santos and Pescadero is a diverse and inclusive network that works across sectors to promote collaboration, influence policy, and catalyze transformation in the waste management systems of Todos Santos and Pescadero. Our work is grounded in a shared vision for change and is informed by the experience and expertise of our network and the broader community.

Meet the Team

Government Partnerships

ACB is working with both federal and state agencies to codify and expand the impact of our programs as follows:

Community Organic Waste Farm: In partnership with INIFAP, the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research, we created the first Community Organic Waste Farm in Baja California Sur. The Farm is on INIFAP experimental land, and their researchers document our processes for distribution to other communities. The INIFAP testing lab also quantifies the quality of our compost.

Schools. Through the education council of Todos Santos and Pescadero the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) formalized a program to work with ACB to roll out a circular economy program in the public schools of our community.

Businesses. ACB is working with SETUES, the Secretary of Tourism and Economy in Baja California Sur to greatly expand waste management training to local businesses through a certification program.

Alianza Cero Basura (ACB) is the next stage in the highly successful Desplastifícate movement in Baja California Sur. Desplastifícate was instrumental in getting the law passed that banned single use plastics in BCS, and helped hundreds of local businesses and schools to eliminate single-use plastics and embrace composting and recycling. Desplastifícate is now putting its human and financial capital into supporting the long-term strategy of Zero Waste for our communities.

The International Community Foundation (ICF) is a fiscal sponsor of ACB for those supporters who want to donate to ACB and receive a US tax receipt. ICF works closely with over 150 nonprofits in Mexico and Latin America to ensure that they have the organizational skills and tools they need to carry out meaningful and effective work in health, education, and the environment. ICF staff help these organizations to develop work plans, annual budgets, and proposals, while also advising them on strategic planning and leadership development.

Government Partnerships

Members of Alianza Cero Basura have been engaging with multiple government secretariats and directorates at both the state and municipal level. The purpose of these engagements is to build a shared understanding about a long-term transition to circular economies in which we transform the garbage problem into a waste opportunity.

At the Municipal level we are in discussions with the following:

Municipal President
Directors who lead: Integral Management of the City; Public Services; Economic Promotion; Municipal Tourism; Sustainable Rural Development
Representatives of Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT)

These conversations have crystalized into four action items for the 2021-2024 Municipal Development Plan:

Waste separation at source: households, hotels, restaurants
Treatment of organic waste: anaerobic digestion
Collaboration with segregators (scavengers) for recoverable inorganic waste: recycling and transforming
Maintenance of controlled, open dumps: landfills

At the State level we are in discussions with the following:

Executive (Governor) Advisors Coordinator
Legal and Transparency Director
Undersecretariats of Tourism and Sustainability
Head of Acquisitions of the Housing Institute of Baja California Sur

These conversations have enabled the ACB to be a part of the review and editing process for the State Development Plan, and will allow us to help influence waste management efforts related to economic reactivation, inclusive employment, infrastructure, transparency and accountability.

Alianza Cero Basura is committed to:

Educate, inspire and connect our community to zero waste practices.

We support waste management systems that improve the health and wellbeing of our communities, our environment, and our economy.