Imagine please a world where all consumables were packaged with bio degradable wrapping: corn husks, banana leaves, etc. In this world all the glass, plastic and aluminum were so valuable that they were scavenged through till nothing was left. This was Mexico as of fifty years ago. That all changed very quickly.
Now people still have the "use it and throw it on the ground" mentality that came from eating everything from corn husks. The adults have it, the teachers have it, the police have it, the kids have it; everyone. This is not deep rural Mexico we are talking about either. People in our big town and neighboring large city throw their plastic, glass, aluminum, and paper on the ground along with their: sinks, tires, mattresses, and corn cobs.
When I first came here to Hidalgo and El Potrero Chico in 2005 I was appalled, as I think most gringos are, when they see something so far outside their paradigm. For me, seeing a child throw a bag on the ground in front of their mother and a police officer, who should be stopping this child, is just as shocking as seeing someone prepare dog meat for stir fry. Latin America is truly different from the United States in this way; the littering I mean. So I set to work to clean up El Potrero Chico.
I organized the first EPC trash clean up in 2005. We have a El Potrero Clean up every year. They have been picking up momentum over the past three years. This year we, El Potrero Chico International School and La Posada, had the support of a fresh municipal administration. The town of Hidalgo provided trash bags, a truck, workers, flyers, and most of all; moral support. There were twenty kids from secondary school participating. In exchange for their help EPICS set up top ropes to give them a taste of why all of us crazy mountain climbing gringos flock to their town. The idea is to show the youth that recreation and a clean environment go hand and hand. The mayor came as well as the director of culture and participated whole heartedly. Many climbers joined in and really gave back to the place they love.
El Potrero Chico will be trashed next year when I return. It's OK. I will have another trash clean up. My hope, and the reason for all of this, is that in fifteen years when these kids are adults we will not need a clean up every year. Maybe then we can start talking with them about simple little things like recycling***. For now I'll be happy if everyone can embrace putting their trash in one place; the land fill not El Potrero Chico.
*** If anyone wants to come and set up a recycling program the infrastructure is not far away in Monterrey. They just need a collection center, transportation, and local support/education. I just don't have the time or energy to do everything. I would love and embrace this action and would lend to it as much energy and local knowledge as I could.
