La Vanguardia ask the people of Barcelona in a poll if they thought the city was dirty. The people responded unanimously "yes." They think the municipal cleaning system in Barcelona is not working well. The article stated that the mayor is committed to, without spending a single penny more, improving the system that is currently being used to keep the city clean. He plans on revealing a set of proposed improvements to the sanitation companies that the city of Barcelona has a contract with until 2017.[1]
Barcelona is one of the densest European cities, which makes it more complicated to clean. In order for the city to look its cleanest, civilians must play their part as well. The first step in this would be not littering. But they must go further than that and clean the areas they are responsible for. Cleaning of sidewalks is not only a recommendation, it is an obligation in Barcelona. There are laws currently in place that say owners of buildings, lots, shops, courtyards etc. are responsible for cleaning the sidewalk and withdrawal of garbage. This law largely goes unenforced. Some people choose to play their part, though it is not usual.1
Personally, coming from New York City, I think Barcelona is a clean city. Walking around the city during the daytime you will see sanitation trucks full of water used to clean the sidewalk. Where I am from, the layers of grime on the street and sidewalk is too thick that hosing it down would not make a difference. I must say though, the one thing that is present in Barcelona, and thankfully not back home, is dog owner’s complete lack of care for wherever their dog goes to the bathroom. Everyday, my walk to and from school involved stepping over piles of puddles of dog waste. If the mayor took care of that, the city would smell a lot nicer, that is for sure.
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