Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Cozumel restaurant offers food and beer in exchange for gathering sargassum

Massive amounts of sargassum are once again washing ashore in Quintana Roo, affecting both tourism and the environment.

But a Cozumel restaurant has come up with an innovative way of dealing with the stinky mess: offering free food and drinks to locals and tourists who help clean it up.

Restaurant owner Francisco Reyes said he was looking for a way to motivate guests to come help with the cleanup, improve the image of the area and enjoy some beach time. He calls the initiative a “Sargassathon.”

The restaurant provides the bags, tools, face masks and gloves to protect against the sargassum, which is irritating to the skin. The reward earned depends on the number of bags collected. Three bags earns a soft drink, four earns a beer and 20 bags can be exchanged for a ceviche, french fries and six beers.

Local resident Argel Carillo brought his whole family to participate in the cleanup. In less than 30 minutes, they cleaned a meter and a half-long stretch of beach and filled more than 20 bags.

“We all came because we were free and with more hands, we can fill more bags and get more food,” Carillo said.

With reports from Milenio

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Mexican man in a white baker's tee shirt and apron puts a baking sheet of bread rolls onto an industrial-sized rack

Formal sector employment at historic high in October, says IMSS director

0
Mexico's formal sector employment numbers were the highest on record in October, according to IMSS Director Zoe Robledo.
President Claudia Sheinbaum behind a podium at a press conference gesturing with one hand as she talks to reporters.

Sheinbaum outlines 5 new government initiatives to improve Mexicans’ health

1
President Sheinbaum unveiled a new public healthcare plan on Tuesday, hoping to improve coverage, quality and access for all Mexicans.
Mexico-US trade has seen record highs in 2024.

Mexico’s exports to US climb 6.5% through Q3

0
The value of Mexican exports to the U.S. in the first three quarters of 2024 was nearly $378.9 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%.