Envrionmental Issues

One thing that taking the Tajumulco trip made clear for me is the seriousness of some of Guatemala's enviornmental is the environmental issues.

Deforestation is a major issue on three fronts. First Hurricane Mitch, arguably encouraged by man-made climate change, did substantial damage to the region which has been slow to regrow. Second, the mountain pine beetle, accidentally introduced from Asia, has felled entire swaths of forest. Third, the local families and buisnesses participate in deforestation in two ways:

First, the individuals have been pushed onto more marginal land because of a the centralization of land ownership, further concentrated by the civil war. They have also pushed into cultivating the land more intensively, because they have to feed their families, as well as earning extra income at market for taxes, school fees, and material goods. They clear this land, higher up in the hills, for farming. But most of the nutrients are stored in the trees, rather than in the soil, so the land quickly loses its fertility. Often, they are forced to cultivate the land continuously, which quickens the process.

Both individuals and buisnesses use Western farming methods, like heavy tilling, fertilizers and pesticides. The heavy tilling means that without the trees and continuous weed or crop cover, the soil is eventually eroded, blown away by the high winds and rains, making the land completely barren. Erosion is also encouraged when they the campesinos keep too many heads of cattle, sheep or goats at elevation. The animals graze down the vegetation, as well as trampling new tree growth.

The pesticides used here are often illegal in the States, and have been linked to the deaths of thousands of campesinos and their children. They are generally sprayed aerially, so they fall on the farmers and their families, as well as infiltrating the water supply. Fertilizers create eutrophication, where excess fertilizers run off into the water supply, and an overabundance of nutrients creates algal blooms that stifle other marine life. Additionally, both pesticides and fertilizers are major expenses, which require every growing applications.

The locals also cut trees down, for use or sale as fuel for fires and fodder for livestock. In addition to deforesting the land for fuel and fodder, the locals also harm the trees as pictured above. They slash them with a machete and all the sap runs down into the cut space. Then they scape off the sap and sell it as kindling. This sucks all the water out of the tree, killing it, as well as rendering it useless for firewood.

The deforestation also exacerbates the dearth of drinking water. Trees help sustain the water table, and filter the water underground. However, with increasing population, agricultural industrial pressure, the water is being used and polluted at increasing rates. To get clean water here, you must buy bottled water. This water, as well as tap water, is more expensive than in the States, an unsustainable expense for most of the population.

However, the pollution problem that bothers me most in Guatemala is the trash. I know this is silly, because it's probably the least pressing issue, but the countryside is absolutely marred by litter. It´s common practice to toss all trash in the street. With changing standards of living and consumer preferences, junk food wrappers make up most of the litter.

I know this is super dorky, but I'm so interested in how all of these issues interact. Human health, population pressure, land tenure, war, changing consumer preferences, changing cultivation methods, deforestation, erosion, water issues, pollution big and small are all interlinked, and improving any one of the issues can improve the others.