05. Mexico

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Mi nombre es Jorge Maldonado. El pronombre con el que me identifico es él. Mi cabello es negro, mis ojos cafés y tengo un peinado curioso. He vivido la crisis climática por 34 años. Hoy es miércoles primero de septiembre del año 2022. La hora en México es la 1:11 pm.

My name is Jorge Maldonado. My preferred pronouns are he and him. I have black hair brown eyes and a funny hairstyle. And I have lived to the climate emergency for 34 years. Today is Wednesday, September the first of the year 2022. And the time is in Mexico 1:11pm.

I live in the state of Mexico, which is a very industrial place surrounded by beautiful landscapes. That contrasts in a very big way. I don't know… it's a mixture between a hilly, mountainous and a flat place. But it is hard to notice because the natural environment is hidden behind human constructions. And I think the biggest thing about the state of Mexico, which is not Mexico City, is very near to Mexico City, But it's not Mexico City, is this mixture between what is industrial, and what is a natural landscape. I grew up going back and forth from the state of Mexico and Mexico City. And I think it has been always like that for me with my whole life. I think the central region of Mexico, especially the state and Mexico City, mixture between industrial sites and natural landscape, where the rich and the poor gather together, making very unusual contrasts. And both places can be depending of the season of the year, hot, rainy or cold. Mexico can be a very weird place, because historically, we have been a mixture between our original people and the Spaniards. So what I think is very particular about Mexico is that we are a mixture of everything.

When do I became aware of climate crisis? Most of my mates were vegan and vegetarian, not me. I wasn't in that time, I couldn't understand why they chose to be vegans and vegetarians, because it was weird for me because I grew up feeding myself with meat. When they start explaining me how everything is connected, because there is a homeostatic thing in the world where everything is connected. If you're starting some species or the water, everything's going to fall apart. So I think that that was the time I got aware of this crisis.

I think all of climate emergencies are present in Mexico, pollution, the lack of water, and as we are very industrial site, we also contribute to the weather change and the heating, general heating of the world. And what troubles me the most is that our politics and our institutions are not prepared or even care to handle this emergency. Right now, the most important one is the lack of water but I think we have almost all the emergencies about climate, no, I think also about deforestation, or illegal hunting of animals. I think those are troubles too. But the most important one is the lack of water. I think Mexico has been always considered as a country with a huge amount of water. Right now, in the northern region of our country. We have no water. For example, I think Monterrey. Monterrey is a state in the northern region of Mexico. And it was contrast constructed over a desert. It's a very a hot place, but it had water. Monterrey is the place where we produce beer, and is the place where we produce, I don't know if I can say, but is the place where we produce some kind of black soda, which is very famous around the world. And the problem was that for producing beer, and from producing these, the soda, we have no water. They are trying to get a river in Sonora, now, which is another state, which is very close to Monterrey, and they are trying to take the water of the river of Sonora to Monterrey. But that is not a solution, because they are taking away Sonoras water to give Monterrey water. We have problem with poverty, because Mexico can be in some regions very poor. But the other problem is that besides they are poor, they have no water, and they have no water, not to drink, not to wash dishes, not to wash their clothes. And they have to wait some big trucks in order to get the water. But it's not enough, maybe 15 years ago, or maybe 20 years ago, that was not the case. But right now we are suffering with that. What I really think is, the saddest is that our institution, our politics are not prepared. They- I know that we have a lot of problems in Mexico, and a lot of problems need to be solved. But this problem is one of the biggest ones. Yes, we have to talk about the role of females in Mexico, of course, we have to talk about and we have to talk about poverty in Mexico. Yes, we have to talk about, but if we don't take care of our landscape, our home, the other battles seems unnecessary because where are you go into battle in our wasteland? Or what?

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Do I believe people around me are climate conscious? Yes, yes, most of the people around me are very conscious. And I'll say it again. They are vegans, vegetarians. But I think a lot of people are not aware, even this is a crisis. You can talk with your friends, and maybe your friends are very conscious about it. But I don't think our friends should be a point of measure. I think if you have some knowledge, you need to, to share it with other people. Because I think there is a lot of people who doesn't know, or are even aware this is a crisis. And I understand why because I am Mexican I live in a third world country, they have other things to think, no, they have to think how am I gonna How am I going to, to feed my daughters and my children and my sons and how I'm going to educate them. And they have to think that in order to give a future, their their sons, children's daughters, they have to give them a place to live and a good place to live. I am concerned about the future, and not only for future generations, but for our generation as well. Because I know this is a common place. Everyone says that. But I think we can be the generation that have all the information on our hands and didn't do anything. So I would like to believe that we can dream and wish to be the generation of change. To be the generation that did something. So I'm concerned. But I do believe that maybe maybe maybe we can dream to be the generation of change.

Acting against the climate change is important because I think we owe it to the planet. We owe it to every living creature on earth. Because pretending to be the most intelligent and sentient on the planet have only led us to catastrophe. And it is time to do something and to pay our debt with Mother Earth.

What you makes me hopeful. I do believe that a lot of people are working hard to fight the environmental and climate crisis and are helping other people to be aware of this huge problem.

Lo que me hace sentir esperanzado es la firme creencia de que muchas personas están trabajando muy duro para combatir esta crisis medioambiental y climática, así como ayudando a otras personas a darse cuenta de este gran problema.