Alianza Cero Basura: Challenges in Sustaining Its Mission

In February 2025, Carla Ramirez stepped in as interim director of Cero Basura BCS, a community-driven non-profit in Todos Santos, Mexico, dedicated to establishing the country’s first zero-waste tourism destination. Ramirez’s appointment came at a pivotal moment: the organization had made progress in waste reduction and community engagement, yet it continued to struggle with inconsistent volunteer participation and fragmented data-collection efforts. Todos Santos—a Pueblo Mágico on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula known for its vibrant art scene, coastal charm, and growing tourism—faced mounting environmental challenges such as water scarcity, inadequate waste infrastructure, and rising economic disparities. Cero Basura sought to determine how it could create a sustainable, scalable, and inclusive volunteer system to address these waste-management challenges and ensure high-quality data collection.