as our mouths were agape from the raw beauty of the mountainous landscape, we found ourselves coughing – at points choking – on dust. and upon conversing with locals like the taxista on day two, it was clear that the dry climate is far from breaking news. this 10-year drought has become commonplace for mendozans, each year a bit worse than the last.

sure enough, a 2021 study found that five of the largest rivers in the mendoza basin are under extreme hydrological drought conditions. in addition to the desiccation of key wetland ecosystems, agriculture and livestock have suffered tremendously. wine production has decreased by almost a third, and key reservoirs can no longer promise water to local communities. as an attempted pivot, snowfall from the andes has been increasingly relied on – but what happens when snowfall decreases each year? last winter, the valley received no snow at all. snow-covered vistas are either distant in memory, or far up in the mountains.

activism in mendoza

on the final day of our trip, we had the gift of spending time with members of mendoza’s asamblea popular por el agua. this group of young climate activists have planned and implemented a series of largely- attended protests, dances and other events over the past five years. on this day, we drove two hours south to attend a public fair framed around the distribution and celebration of seeds in the town of san carlos.

they shared their work with us, which has proven incredibly effective in creating change and mobilizing substantial numbers of people in the fight for rights to clean water for everyone. their framework of diverse, creative, unrelenting activism allows them to address specific communities with each campaign, ensuring that their message truly reaches everyone.

their campaign also addressed questions of environmental justice in the face of climate change, since the impacts of drought, water pollution, and privatization will be distributed unequally, such that certain communities bare the largest burden of these actions. by utilizing infrastructures that already exist, such as grassroots organizations, farmer coalitions, news channels, famous singers like the puerto rican rap group calle 13, and more, they have brought their message to large audiences.

la feria de semillas adopted this similar technique, bringing local farmers, vendors, specialists, the work of local students, and regional nonprofits into the same space in order to amplify their message and strengthen connections within this network of various actors. having only witnessed four days of mendoza, i found myself blown away. first, at the seriousness of the situation. as environmental crises often are, this drought is at the nexus point of concurrent crises: public health, economic and ecological. second, i was blown away at the wisdom and clarity of the activism already in place. it was targeted, inspiring, and oozing with the joy of community. in my past activism in the u.s., i had never encountered a group that could so gracefully balance hope and reason.

upon boarding the return flight to buenos aires, i felt shaken awake. the land had a lot to say, but so did the people. this work is rich with demonstrations of conflict transformation in practice. the seed fair attendees brought their own history and life experience into the space; each had their personal stories of the drought and its impacts. in order to equalize and publicize the knowledge of this predicament, a panel of local experts elaborated on the historical and current situation.

similarly, there was a native plant workshop, open to the public, where attendees could learn about local plants and how to cultivate them. these structures built both freedom and responsibility for every individual at the fair: by gathering sources of local knowledge and sharing them among the community, each individual becomes an agent of change. they too can distribute this knowledge. they are part of the solution.

there’s certainly no lack of social justice issues to choose from in the 21st century, but i was particularly interested in songs about climate change. i didn’t expect much in the mainstream way — somehow ariana grande’s new song from the movie “don’t look up,” featuring the line “get your head out of your a**. listen to the goddamn qualified scientists. we really f****d it up, f****d it up this time,” didn’t seem as poetically transcendent as a bob dylan verse. 

instead, i looked back in the direction of folk and found pinegrove, an indie rock band with a new album titled “11:11” on the way. from the first single on the album, titled “orange” –– which was inspired by photos of an oregon wildfire circulating the web –– to songs such as “flora,” “respirate,” and “11th hour,” the themes of the environment and the increasing pressure of the climate crisis are clear.

in a recent interview, evan stephens hall, singer-songwriter and frontman for pinegrove, walked me through his songwriting process and inspiration behind the album. he also gave insight on how he incorporates activism in his daily life and how he copes with the current state of climate change.

this interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

q: looking at the tracklist, most songs have some form of allusion to nature and climate change. was this intentional from the start or was the larger theme revealed to you the more you wrote and recorded?

a: i always go in wanting to write honestly about whatever i’m thinking about and especially whenever i’m feeling. between march and may of 2020, i was feeling a lot of pretty new things, and a lot of pretty intense things, and so it’s no surprise to me that a lot of climate anxiety made it onto the album. once i started to see those themes, then i wanted to emphasize or strengthen the themes, so that each song could sort of speak to the other songs without, ideally, being too redundant.

q: in the youtube description of the song orange, you describe “the ethereal, almost dissociative feeling of being alive at the end of history.” in particular, you sing the lyrics, “i try to laugh, or sleep it off. that awful feeling something’s off.”

is this feeling –– that we’re witnessing the beginning of the end –– something that weighs on you often? how do you cope? and do you remain optimistic?

a: yeah, you know, for every year between 2016 and 2020, i was so despondent. i cope with it by writing music –– and i also have to say one incredible way to work through it is to get involved. i’ve volunteered dozens of hours phone banking for bernie [sanders] and it really felt good to have conversations with people. i’ve moved from a place of actual despondency about our future to something a little bit… you might almost call it optimistic.

q: how do you balance making a song that’s catchy and enjoyable to listen to while conveying a message about a topic as serious, and at times as complex, as climate change?

a: i do try to avoid being too didactic. i’ve always thought that it’s important for there to be enough space for the listener to put themselves in and step into the song and imagine it. at least for my vision, it needs to be sort of accessible in some way, and also abstract enough. there’s something interesting about saying something, but kind of reframing it as something more accessible. for me, it’s more like a catchy melody or something like that, but the idea is that there’s something for everybody there.

q: as you said, often in music, people find comfort in relatability, where they can recognize themselves or their experiences in the lyrics. the interesting thing is as climate change affects more and more people globally, this too will have a greater sense of universality. do you think in this respect, the number of songs about climate change will increase in the coming years? 

a: how could it be any other way? more people will personally know somebody who’s affected or they themselves will be affected and i think we’re just going to see more people talking about it. hopefully that results in some real change. but i wouldn’t think of it as a trend, it’s more of just like an alarm bell.

q: it’s interesting because when i look to the past i see music and activism being so tightly linked. where is the anthem for this generation?

a: i think that the way people consume music is a little bit different. i feel like everybody’s listening habits are very decentralized… but you’re right that music is a great format for activism. i think that [just music] won’t do on its own, but it’s part of the conversation.

q: there’s certainly a faction of music lovers who believe musicians shouldn’t be activists and simply just want to hear them make music. there’s a certain ‘shut up and play’ aspect to it. do you think musicians have a role as activists, to use their platforms for a greater cause?

a: there’s not a template that you can superimpose on every other artist, so i want to speak very narrowly here, but the way i feel is that i have a microphone and i want to say what’s on my mind. i’m making the sort of art that i want to make and people engaging with it is completely voluntary, so i really have no interest in entertaining this ‘shut up and play’ crowd. 

of course they’re saying stuff in the comments occasionally. but you know what, there are many, many more people who are saying like, ‘thanks for speaking about this,’ or best yet, ‘i haven’t thought about it in this way.’

q: would you consider yourself an activist? would you consider the music you create a form of activism?

a: i would, but i also want to push back slightly against just categorizing myself as an activist because in a certain way that says that i’m different than a regular person or regular citizen. in reality, the barrier to entry is non-existent. absolutely anybody can be an activist. and i think that even if you’re thinking remotely revolutionary thoughts, or you’re interested, or you’re just feeling upset about the climate, to feel that grief fully is a revolutionary action, and we need you in the movement.

i’m not a policy expert, i’m not a climate scientist, but i do have a lot of experience writing songs. this is just what i have to give and i think that everybody has a role in the coming times, and we need to kind of humbly embrace what that is and do it, to the best effect. that’s the way community works.

q: what are you hoping people will take away after listening to the album?

a: i hope that there are some people who will feel a little bit of comfort hearing these songs. it’s, in some small way, optimistic, though it’s honest about the challenges we face. hopefully it’s a bit of a rorschach. you can find what you need in the moment and that’s all welcome and that’s all good. i’m just happy people are listening.

— 

the new pinegrove album “11:11” is out now.

luke strominger writes:

as a floridian and beachside resident, i value the importance of the environment in our everyday lives. without a sustainable environment, our economy will depreciate. each year millions of tourists travel to visit our pristine beaches, resulting in economic prosperity across the state. issues like sea-level rise and severe weather threaten the economic success brought by them. finding innovative market-based approaches and utilizing natural solutions to their greatest potential is key to solving these issues. for these reasons, i’m excited to visit glasgow and attend cop26 and gccs with the american conservation coalition. 

world leaders gather at cop26 to collaborate tackling climate change on a global scale. time and again these international discussions have inspired grand quotes and foreboding predictions over fruitful action. therefore, it’s incredibly important for the conservative point of view to be not only present but heard. conservatives seek pragmatic and commonsense solutions that can be acted upon now without the strain of bureaucracy. one of the leading conservative voices at cop26 is rep. john curtis, founder of the conservative climate caucus. he will be leading a delegation there, showing that both ideological groups are engaged on the climate. historically, conservatives have led on these issues. one such accomplishment was the enactment of the environmental protection agency under the nixon administration. 

there will be over 100 exhibitors and 200 events at cop26. given this, i plan to learn from and share my experiences with attendees and exhibitors, who are taking action in their communities. every region of the world has its own environmental challenges and natural solutions. it’s important to understand them in order to formulate an effective overall strategy. this is especially true when discussing a global approach to climate change. 

through my experiences in florida, i’ve seen how limited government, free markets and natural solutions have all intertwined to form an effective conservative approach. targeted state funding has helped protect our natural solutions, like the everglades, and increased our resiliency to sea level rise and hurricanes. the free markets have helped mitigate effects, such as mote marine laboratory, which has restored 100,000 corals in florida’s coral reef, an ecosystem that has suffered in part due to climate change. 

having said that, local action is the basis for global cooperation on climate change. actions like cleanups, forums, and events with local officials all play a role. it not only increases one’s knowledge of the issues surrounding their area but also motivates others to continue spreading awareness leading to the multi-tiered approach demonstrated in florida. if this is a focus of discussion at cop26, i believe we can truly 2022年卡塔尔世界杯官网 by having an understanding that tackling climate change should not be a one size fits all approach but a global partnership that takes every region’s challenges and solutions into account.

clay robinson writes:

arizona is ground zero for environmental action. the grand canyon state is growing at an exponential rate, both in population and industry, increasing our need for innovation in the energy sector and new technology for water storage and conservation capabilities. as an activist with the american conservation coalition, i look forward to visiting glasgow to attend cop26 and gccs to engage with on these issues and bring what i learn back to arizona.

as a native californian, i’ve experienced water shortage first-hand and the effects it has on the agriculture industry and residential population. for a majority of my childhood, i lived in a severe drought and learned at a young age to conserve water. when i moved to arizona, i had an understanding that water conservation would be just as important, especially in the desert. as arizona continues to grow, we need to manage our water efficiently and create new technologies that reduce waste.  

then there’s the emerging energy question: can arizona sustain its growth while providing quality, clean, and cost-effective energy supply? this is where cop26 and gccs will prove to be crucial to our future activism and policy advocacy in the state. the opportunity to hear from world leaders and organizations committed to solving the same environmental issues we face in arizona at this summit will be an invaluable experience.  

we have the opportunity to capitalize on the momentum happening in arizona. i’ve already seen how a market-based approach has been successful. arizona farmers are developing technologies that reduce water consumption, arizona’s competitive economy has invited several electric vehicle companies to produce the next solution in transportation, and our universities are working to sequester carbon from the atmosphere using carbon capture technology. innovation is alive and well in the grand canyon state, but there’s still more we can do.

there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to climate change. that’s why we need a market-based, innovative approach that focuses on issues in a local context. the american conservation coalition and its partners in the united kingdom and australia can play a key role at the summit by offering a competing perspective to the progressive narrative — one that works and has been proven to be successful. 

how can the conversation in glasgow help arizona find climate solutions to water and energy? global engagement will lay the foundation for local action in communities across our country, including arizona, because it presents a unique opportunity to learn from leading scientists, activists, and government officials who have taken action on these issues. the experience in glasgow will prove to be invaluable to our work in arizona as we build our strategy to advocate for water security and clean energy.

moving the planet forward will require more than rhetoric—it means taking action. the alarmist attitude will not solve climate change. rather, it will be a combination of common sense solutions and bipartisan conversations that will change the direction of our environment, especially in arizona.

—

about the authors:

luke strominger is a 2020 graduate of the university of central florida, and clay robinson is a sophomore at arizona state university. both are activists with the american conservation coalition and based in florida and arizona, respectively.

music courtesy of epidemic sound.
first track: paradigm shift by gavin luke
second track: azoic by max anson

this unique collaboration will leverage planet forward’s storytelling platform, the global futures lab’s research and subject matter expertise, and the powerful reach of peril and promise, public media’s premiere digital platform focused on climate change and sustainability.  

i am incredibly excited to be hosting this series. we’ll tell stories that reveal both the urgency of the moment and the potential of human ingenuity. we’ll hear from compelling people who are taking bold steps to overcome the odds and 2022年卡塔尔世界杯官网 . we’re working with incredibly committed partners.

“we have a shared mission to spotlight scientifically sound stories and fact-based journalism to explore the impact of climate change and creative innovations in possible solutions,” said eugenia harvey, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for wnet and executive producer of peril and promise. “we’re excited to bring this monthly series to viewers nationwide.”

each episode will look at an issue confronting our changing planet — devastating wildfires, the unprecedented impact of young climate activists, record-breaking heat and what it will take to keep america’s cities habitable — through the experience and stories of people who are on the front lines. 

the series will draw on planet forward’s network of schools, partnerships, students, and researchers who inspire research, action, and hope. each episode will also engage a young storyteller to get the perspective of someone who will live through the 21st century and experience climate change firsthand.  

“we face an urgent challenge to confront the climate crisis and its myriad societal impacts,” said steven beschloss, senior director of narratives at the asu global futures lab. “solutions that can lead to positive futures depend on smart ideas, motivated thinkers and doers, and powerful storytelling that can expand the population committed to making change.”

to celebrate climate week, our first episode is available now at wnet. in this episode i interview two amazing young leaders. alexandria villaseñor, a 15-year-old climate activist and founder of earth uprising, shares her experience protesting at the un and speaking at the 2020 democratic national convention. we discuss how the youth voice can bridge the climate divide in a polarized america. then we catch up with rohan agrawal, a senior at university of mississippi and former planet forward student correspondent. rohan is determined to use technology to find climate solutions. and he tells us he may actually run a country one day!

i started planet forward more than a decade ago to highlight issues, innovations, young voices, and the narratives of remarkable people committed to positive change through courageous ideas and determined action. this new series will help us elevate our students and amplify their stories. 

we face daunting challenges on a scale we’ve not experienced in all of human history. but we have more tools and technology than ever before. and innovators are working hard to change the planetary equation. by telling these vital stories, we will inform, inspire, and engage new voices and new ideas. 

if you have a story to suggest or a person you think we should feature in this series, please reach out and provide background and contact information to editor@planetforward.org.

see the episode here:

the internet is a double-sided tool in that it helps both to spread one’s message and to learn another’s. the resulting effect is that people can learn about a movement and then act on it. hence why many teenagers who use social media feel that they can make a change. 

a recent poll by the kaiser family foundation and the washington post shows that teenagers are less likely to feel helpless about the climate crisis than any other generation, and are one of the most likely to feel optimistic and motivated. in addition, around a quarter of the polled teenagers said they had participated in some form of climate activism. 

i reached out to around 30 high schoolers from all around the country to see whether i would find similar results. in some places, the outcome was as expected, and in others, quite surprising.

when asked what they believed is the most important issue we face today, nearly 40% answered either climate change or a climate-related problem. these answers were not surprising to me, as the coronavirus and racial/social justice issues are topics of extreme importance right now. while climate change was the primary answer, many people explained that they find these other issues equally important in the current world. 

notably, linnea warren, a respondent from syracuse, said, “it’s difficult to choose just one. we have climate change, police brutality and racism, ice holding children in cages, yemen going through a crisis, and the slave trade in libya. there are so many issues in the world that need to be changed, and almost all of these affect everyone.”

on a scale of zero to 100, the importance of fighting climate change scored an average of 84, and only one person gave a rating below 50. 

additionally, 68% said they had taken or were taking action to fight climate change, and 100% said that if there were simple actions they could take to fight climate change, they would do so. this surprised me because, while i had expected a significant commitment to environmental activism, i had not anticipated that the median number would be so high.

these specific results demonstrated that our generation is ultra awake to the fact that climate change is a serious problem worth fighting against. i continued the survey, asking questions geared more toward understanding where they were getting their information from, and whether social media is a large factor in their understanding of these issues.

when presented with a question about how social media informed their view on climate change, only 7% of the teenagers answered “not at all.” furthermore, 57% responded that they source their news from social media, be it all of their information or just a small amount.

these answers help paint a picture of just how impactful social media is in young activism right now. in the same poll where every single person answered that they would, if presented with the option, take action to fight climate change, a large majority finds some amount of their information on social media. 

sasha james, a rising junior from maryland stated: “climate change is the most looming issue by far and most people are either unaware of the gravity of the problem or are denying its existence because they think it is ‘years/decades away’ or because they are too scared to accept the truth and face it head on.”

gen z knows what is happening, and we understand that we must mobilize, as it baldly threatens our future. don’t worry, this generation is not wasting its time on the internet — we’re using it to change the world.

the sale of ivory and rhino horn endangers at-risk animal populations. an estimated 97 elephants are killed for their tusks daily. according to the great elephant census, there was a 30% loss of african savannah elephants over the seven-year period of 2007 to 2014. while rhinoceros populations have grown in the last decade due to the implementation of protections, the international rhino foundation estimates 900 rhinos, roughly 3% of the total population, were killed in 2018.

kate dylewsky, senior policy advisor at the animal welfare institute, suggests it was due time for the district to join the 11 states who previously have passed similar legislation to halt the sale of ivory goods.

“i think it has become increasingly apparent over these years that it is incumbent upon d.c., as a major metropolitan area, to act on this issue, particularly because other large markets for these wildlife products, like new york, for example, have been shut down due to successful legislation,” she said. “the ivory market has migrated to the remaining locations where it can flourish and that includes d.c. so, you know, it was the right moment for the council to say this is something we need to tackle.”

dylewsky also credits the investigatory work done in recent years for bringing details about the ivory market in the district to light. while the federal endangered species act protects from ivory sale and transport between states, a flourishing ivory market continued within the city. a 2017 report by the wildlife monitoring organization traffic reported that the city had more ivory for sale than the five other major cities surveyed, including new york and los angeles. 

in 2019, a humane society investigation found ivory for sale at several local antique stores and vendors at the georgetown flea market. these ivory goods included a full engraved task valued at $600,000 and a multi-figure game board valued at $48,000. yet, the true price of these products is actually far higher: the international rangers federation reports that 269 rangers were killed across africa between 2012 and 2018, primarily by poachers who profit off the sale of animal parts.

this passing of the elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn prohibition act is a long-sought victory for activists and environmentalists, such as dc voters for animals founder max broad. councilmember mary cheh introduced the bill for the first time in 2015.

“mary cheh is great on these issues, but she can’t do it alone,” broad said. “so, when nobody else is championing the policy, then the bill… even though it didn’t have any opposition… the bills couldn’t move forward. so that’s where getting up grassroots support really made a difference.”

for broad, amassing grassroots support included standing on the streets and collecting signatures in dc’s ward 6, the ward represented by judiciary committee chair councilmember charles allen. in previous proposals, the bill had been sent to the judiciary committee before dying in council sessions. in november of last year, broad and leaders of other animal rights ngos led a “tweetstorm” with the intent to further draw councilmember allen’s attention. supporters, including international nonprofits and d.c. residents, participated in the storm which received more than 11,000 twitter impressions, according to broad.

following the tweetstorm, representatives from organizations such as the animal welfare institute, humane society, and dc environmental network met with judiciary committee staff to address technical aspects of the legislation. 

“when it came down to it, it was really just about grassroots support of individual volunteers in the district that care about these issues tweeting about it and writing their councilmember that they care about these issues and then it was a matter of the coalition of ngos coming together and unifying our voice in support of this,” broad said.

when asked whether the presence of this legislation in the district will simply push the ivory and rhino horn market elsewhere, dylewsky said this fear is not worth the risk of stalling progress.

“i think it certainly has impetus for us to continue this work elsewhere and for us to continue to do that research and analysis to identify other hotspots that may emerge for sales,” she said. “but at a certain point, i think, you reach this tipping point where sellers of these wildlife products no longer find it profitable, or find it too much trouble to continue, to keep them in stock, to continue to offer them to buyers. and i think the combination of the federal regulations from 2016 that prevent nearly all import, export, and interstate commerce of ivory, combined with the 11 states and now the district of columbia that have now passed state-level legislation restricting these sales — i would like to believe that we are very close to that tipping point.”

dylewsky is hopeful that the passage of the bill will set a precedent for action on similar issues within the district in the future.

“i think there’s a lot of appetite for expanding upon humane legislation and i think the more bills, like this one, that pass and are implemented successfully and produce good results, the easier it is to make an argument that d.c. should be emerging as a leader in humane legislation and that this is something that really fits with the culture of our city,” she said.

the elephant ivory and rhinocerous horn prohibition act was signed by mayor muriel bowser on april 27, 2020. it has been sent to congress for final approval, with a projected law date of september 10, 2020.

this past may, wright was stand up paddling, suping, when he first noticed the amount of waste in the potomac river. he picked up some trash and took it out of the water. the next time, he brought a crate for collection. that filled up quickly. when he returned again, more crates came with him. now wright’s set up includes specific crates organized by the types of litter he finds. following a picking session, he sorts through the findings and recycles anything he can in fairfax county. 

wright hopes to inspire others to pick up trash and goes out on the water as often as he can. today he documents his passion for litter picking to share with others on instagram, @sup.garbage.man. as of november 2019, wright has removed over 450 cubic feet of litter from the dmv’s water. that amount of trash could nearly fill a 1960’s vw bus. 

in the future, wright hopes to organize clean up events and invite others to come pick litter with him. joseph also has a road adopted in fairfax county which he cleans regularly. 

i stumbled upon wright’s page on ig while researching for a photo series featuring environmental activists.

what silvero is referring to is the root of one of argentina’s recent causes of local fervor: a government push to monetize the national parks.

argentina is a nation that stretches across more than 2,200 miles from north to south, encompassing stunning national parks of varying land features. while the country hosts these astounding natural sites, the nation itself is facing a difficult economic period.

in late 2018, the argentine government announced a plan called “oportunidades naturales” (natural opportunities), what they deemed as “the call for sustainable tourism investments in natural areas throughout the country,” according to a translation of a government website.

the initiative “seeks to attract private investments for the development of tourist services in natural protected areas of the country.”

enter iguazú national park, a breathtaking wonder, home to waterfalls, plants and wildlife in the atlantic forest. the park is nestled along the iguazú river, which separates parts of argentina and brazil, though the falls stretch across both borders.

through this initiative, plans for constructing a tourist villa inside the famous iguazú national park were drawn out to increase profits from the national park. iguazú is just one of 20 parks impacted by this program.

the villa’s theme is “glamping” or “glamorous camping.” the attraction could be sited on land that has limited use, per the park’s management plan, according to a recent column in el independiente iguazú.

meanwhile, local residents of puerto iguazú, an argentine town near the park, have drawn their own line. and that line physically couldn’t be crossed when tourists tried to enter the national park in early february.

during the week of feb. 3, dozens of locals blockaded the entrance to the national park in protest of what the initiative could bring to iguazú national park.

dr. natalia vespa works with the institute of subtropical biology and moved from buenos aires to puerto iguazú 10 years ago. in february, vespa and jussara di benedetto, an outspoken resident of puerto iguazú, sat down with planet forward to talk about their experience within the park and the town.

“for national parks in argentina, the objective is to preserve the natural resources. that’s it,” vespa said in spanish. “aside from this objective, there should not be exploitation of these resources within these parks.”

in a translation of an official statement to planet forward from the national parks administration in argentina, they state that, “oportunidades naturales project does not consist of the installation and development of tourist villages, but is based on small-scale, sustainable, distant implementations.”

the statement declares that the program “is aimed at positioning argentina as a world destination for nature tourism, integrating this development as a tool for growth and promotion of regional economies and generating foreign exchange,” per a translation into english.

town already offers tourism opportunities

vespa said locals already are facing problems within the town of puerto iguazú and she fears that these strains on the relationship between the town and the park will only escalate if construction of the tourist villa within the national park is pursued.

“the town already has bad issues with the lights, water, and internet,” vespa said in spanish. she noted that many neighborhoods in the town went without water for two weeks last month.

puerto iguazú is greatly frequented by tourists, as it is a short 11-mile drive to the northwest of the national park and is host to many restaurants, hotels, casinos, bars, shops, and, of course, residents. much of what the proposed tourist villa would offer could stymie not only business but the needed attention to keep puerto iguazú afloat as a town. vespa fears that if the villa is pursued, puerto iguazú would further augment these issues and lack of attention.

currently, there are hotels within the national park on the argentine side and on the brazilian side.

in an article by misiones online published on feb. 19, vespa is quoted to saying that the national park already has a large public with infrastructure and benefits for tourism.

“we consider the implementation of a project that has its main objective to generate opportunities of touristic development, without solving the current problems that need to be addressed to mitigate the impact of tourism in the natural area, unnecessary,” according to a translation of the interview.

the protests in early february reflect the current sentiment of some locals. according to radio cataratas, organizers from la asamblea vecinal sent a note that expressed their desires for the cancelation of the “natural opportunities” project in the iguazú national park as a whole, noting plans for future protests.

for di benedetto, she sees the aforementioned protests as being exemplary of how things go in south america.

“we know that in argentina and all of latin america, there’s this condition of reproducing things,” di benedetto said, citing past revolutions and movements in the southern hemisphere. “clearly, we want this (the protests against the villa) to mark a precedent.”

going forward

beyond infrastructure problems and competition for tourists, there’s another issue on the minds of protesters.

a worker at the national park, who wished to remain anonymous, said he understood what drove so many puerto iguazú locals to protest the possible construction of the tourist villa in the park.

“many people think about the environmental impacts of the villa,” he said in spanish.

planet forward was told by the administration of national parks, “in the case of the iguazú national park, on a total of 67,000 hectares of total surface area, within the public use area, the actual utilization of the park visitation is reduced to 300 hectares (0.5%).

“in this sense, the oportunidades naturales project is studying interventions that, at most, foresee the use of only 12 hectares, previously intended for public use.”

but “the town (puerto iguazú) is small, too,” the anonymous park worker said. “because of this, people think that the tourists will only go to the tourist villa.”

while en route to town after a day spent in the national park with taxi driver silvero, planet forward interviewed him about his thoughts on reactions to the plans.

“we are going to have a lot of consequences that will hurt us if we don’t fight against this (the villa), and take care of nature,” silvero said passionately.

when asked if he fears an impact on his livelihood should the plans of a tourist villa be pursued, silvero said he is not. he simply wants nature to continue to be protected.

with the financial state that argentina is currently in and the promises for sustainability by the administration, ways to increase profits off of iguazú could offer benefits.

vespa, who has a doctorate in biological sciences, said, “the people of iguazú do want investments in tourism, but they should stay in puerto iguazú.”