Oaxaca doesn’t yet have green, blue or grey box programs like many American and Canadian cities, but the environmentally friendly movement is slowly catching on – more out of economic necessity than out of a concern about global warming or the general direction in which planet earth is heading. And the economy of the State of Oaxaca is such that while an emissions / vehicle carbon monoxide testing program is “mandatory,” more often than not it’s simply ignored.
Oaxaca is one of the two poorest states in Mexico. Accordingly, simply surviving and eking out a modest existence tend to take precedence over environmental concerns and following green policies. Government is cognizant of the green movement; laws are on the books. But complying with national and international standards and dictates is another matter. Enforcement is woefully lacking.
Emissions Control in Oaxaca
As long as city buses continue to spew black soot from their exhausts, green policy will not matter. As long as emissions control standards continue to be ignored by drivers and government, the recycling plastic bottles, aluminum soda cans, cardboard and newspaper will by and large be inconsequential.
Oaxaca has an emissions control program, whereby when renewing one’s car or truck license plates, one pays for “verificacion,” a process whereby one is supposed to go to a testing facility, and be provided with a sticker to affix to the windshield upon passing the emissions test. One is supposed to attend at the testing center twice annually, rather curious given that in many First World countries the requirement is not so onerous. Not surprisingly, the program does not apply to motorcycles, of which there are many “vintage” models on the roads. Similarly, it should come as no shock that those with older model cars and trucks simply don’t bother attending.
Many Oaxacans simply don’t renew their plates, and those who do are smart enough to know that there’s really no point in going to the emissions testing center with a vehicle which likely will not comply with the standard. Why waste the time finding out, if there is no intention of thereafter taking the steps required to get a passing grade?
Oaxacan economics is such that many drivers simply cannot afford to have their vehicles comply with the minimum carbon monoxide emissions level. And of course government is aware of this. One can purchase an old clunker for $1000 USD or less, and have it on the road the very same day, will nary a worry of being stopped by the police for not having the emissions control sticker – or current plates, or even a valid drivers’ license for that matter.
Recycling Programs in Oaxaca
Recycling of newspaper, cardboard, plastic bottles and soda cans has arrived in Oaxaca. There’s even a hand-blown glass factory close to the city, which uses 70% recycled glass to produce its high-end artistic products. But once again, economic necessity appears to trump concerns for the environment and future viability of the planet for human habitation. Perhaps as long as recycling programs become more prevalent in Oaxaca, and the population continues to otherwise go green, the true reason for progress on these fronts should not be noteworthy.
Some suburbs of Oaxaca, as well as the more environmentally conscious populations such as therug village of Teotitlan del Valle, actually have committees whose members’ mandate is to spread awareness among the local populace and take steps towards improving the environment by collecting recyclable materials and embarking upon community reforestation projects.
In the Oaxacan suburb of Loma Linda, efforts are proceeding; residents drop off recyclable materials at the community center Saturday afternoons, and when enough has been collected, it’s picked up. The community receives money based on weight. Plastic bottles now yield 1.5 pesos per kilo. Funds raised are used for youth projects. The same neighborhood has embarked upon a reforestation project, whereby government gives the community a diversity of saplings, and community members are responsible for planting them either on their own land, or in a designated green area owned collectively by the people.
Municipal employees working the garbage trucks also play a part in the process. Some city residents make it easier for them by separating refuse, while others do not. Regardless, after several stops the garbage men take a break for a few minutes, using the time to sort and organize their bounty. It all ends up at a recycling depot, helping to supplement the employees’ meager salaries.
Garbage men are no different than the majority of Oaxacans, struggling to make ends meet. If appearing to be environmentally conscious is what it takes, and it results in a few pesos more per week going into the coffer of a family, then green it is, with pleasure. But make no mistake – the primary motivation of most is survival, and not a concern for the environment, air quality, or other mainly middle class concerns.
Yes, ecotourism in Oaxaca has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. In fact sustainable living models have attracted international attention. But aside from a minute portion of the local population, and the middle classes of The Western World, there is very little in the way of groundswell – the State of Oaxaca is still in survival mode.
Alvin Starkman - Alvin Starkman runs Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. He is a paid contributing writer for Mexico Today (http://www.mexicotoday.org).
