PEASMA makes environmental advances
By Eugenia Velasco
| Environmental Education Project San Miguel de Allende PEASMA aims to educate a new generation promoting awareness, love and respect for the environment. |  |
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We stimulate enthusiasm for learning both in and out of the classroom. Working with teachers to reinforce activities in a practical way, we focus on short-term hands-on workshops and field trips that allow students to become closer to their natural surroundings and to see the immediate impact of their actions.
We have seen a positive response from the children participating in the program. Asking children what they like best about the PEASMA Project, they report their favorite activities as outdoor field trips, games, team work, exploration, getting to know nature and creating things with their hands. Most of the children (96.5 percent) feel the workshops should take place on a yearly basis because they get to play, have fun and learn.
We have seen success this past school year, with 29 schools that participated in reforestation (see sidebar). Participation of 1,116 children and 28 adults helped in the planting of 1,200 trees and bushes in El Charco del Ingenio, Parque Clouthier and Parque Bicentenario. We had support from the Botanical Garden, the Departments of Environment and Ecology, COMUDAJ, Save the Laja River A.C. and CEMEX.
We have trained school teachers, directors and assistants in different municipalities in the state of Guanajuato with financing from the state’s Institute of Ecology. Training for the PEASMA team was given on the following topics: first aid; regional fauna and flora, worm composting, environmental education in international forums, methodology of Save the Children Mexico, children’s rights, reforestation, assertive communication, letter to Earth, methodology of Cultural Caravan (an environmental project started by Natalia Ortega in Michoacán) and others.
With the aim of continuing environmental education in San Miguel, PEASMA has a number of goals and objectives for the next school semester. In the September to December 2009 term, we seek to assist approximately 4,500 elementary school students in San Miguel and some rural schools. We plan to continue with our Create Forests program in 30 participating schools.
In the upcoming semester, PEASMA also looks to keep its presence in the news media, re-securing radio spots to provide environmental suggestions. We will maintain our current involvement with non-governmental organizations, the Municipal Government, State and Federal agencies as well as in the private sector.
PEASMA also hopes that in the approaching semester we can obtain the financial support necessary to cover the program’s expenses for this year and next year. We aim to solidify continual financial support systems and plan to organize a fund raising event for November or December.
Eugenia Velasco serves as the general director of PEASMA. Laura Bautista directs administration and Rosa María Ríos is in charge of operation. Wendolyn Vázquez oversees communication and fund raising. This year the group will continue training the PEASMA team.
PEASMA is thankful for the support during 2008–2009 from: Save the Children Mexico Guanajuato Region, the State of Guanajuato Institute of Ecology, Environment and Ecology Departments of the Allende Municipality, Audubon Society in Mexico, San Miguel Garden Club, Save the Río Laja Inc., Botanical Garden/Charco del Ingenio, Reforest Mexico A.C., San Miguel Community Foundation, Rincón Foundation, Casa de Aves, Zeus Products, León Foundation, BBVA Bancomer Foundation, Art Print Express, John Rowe, Sheila Sheehan, Guajuye, SEMARNAT Guanajuato – CECADESU, Quiera Foundation, Vivero Mangueyes and personal donations.
For more information about PEASMA visit www.peasma.com,
email peasma05@yahoo.com.mx or call (415)152-3686.
Participating children and Organizations
Education programs and activities had the total participation of 7,814 children and 1,215 adults
Children’s participation
Save the Children Mexico, Guanajuato Region and the San Miguel Garden Club
1, 352 First grade children
Audubon Society of Mexico and Save the Children Mexico Guanajuato Region
1, 232 Second grade children
Departments of Environment and Ecology
1,251 Third grade children
Save the Laja, Inc. and the Botanical Garden El Charco del Ingenio
1,287 Fourth grade children
Reforestamos México A.C.
1,116 Fifth grade children
BBVA Bancomer Foundation
1,315 Sixth grade children
Adults’ participation
257 San Miguel de Allende teachers
29 San Miguel de Allende school directors
409 Parents
410 Teachers from other municipalities
Total participation in special events
“Earth Day” (trash collection day) 93 children and 27 adults
Workshops for the Fair of Candelaria 62 children and 8 adults
Workshops for Day of the Child 64 children and 32 adults
Week of Reforestation 1,116 children and 28 adults
Training on Micro-watersheds and a competition on scale models 42 children and 15 adults
Participating schools: 23 urban schools and 6 rural
Hermanos Aldama
Maestro Justo Sierra
Ignacio Aldama
Lucas Balderas
Heroínas Insurgentes
María del Refugio Aguilar
Revolución
Francisco Villa
Virginia G. de Anguiano ( La Lejona)
José Vasconcelos
Instituto Fray Bartolomé de las Casas
Fernando Montes de Oca
Ricardo Flores Magón
Leona Vicario
El Nigromante
José María Morelos
Milenio
Jean Piaget
Gabriela Mistral
Esdrass
Nueva Senda
5 de Mayo
Constitución de 1917
Benito Juárez (Estancia de Canal)
Emiliano Zapata (Estancia de Canal)
Benito Juárez (San Miguel Viejo)
Prof. Ernesto Guajardo (Comunidad de Jalpa)
Ignacio Zaragoza (Comunidad de tres Palmas)
Ignacio López Rayón (Comunidad La Campana)
Green Advances in 2008
School Composts
45% of composts were found in good condition and the school had given it proper maintenance
27% of composts were in bad conditions with no maintenance
27% of composts were removed by the schools
Collection of PET (Poli Etilen Tereftalato) plastic
15 San Miguel schools participated in the collection program with the support of Public Municipal Services, which donated Products Zeus, A.C de C.V
Collection on a weekly and quarterly basis
889.5 kg of PET plastic was collected in 4 months (Sept–Dec 2008)
In 2009 the program will be taken from the Direction of Municipal Public Services
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Expresión en Corto recycles
Each edition of Expresión en Corto has managed a central theme. Previous themes have included: “In the Land of the Blind,” “Seven Virtues and Seven Sins,” “Censorship, Self-Censorship and Provocation,” “Breakout Filmmaking” and “Identity.”
The festival features special week-long programs of classic films dedicated to each theme and invites international filmmakers, writers, researchers and historians to offer conferences on the theme. This year the festival is Greenlighting responsible environmental practices, in observance of Mexico as host of the international 2009 World Environment Day celebrations.
With recycling containers lent and donated by the company Otto México, to be serviced by the local recycling company RECIQLA, Expresión en Corto launches the first prototype public recycling program in San Miguel de Allende. Otto México will be loaning and donating 60 containers to Expresión en Corto, in the cities of San Miguel and Guanajuato, for the 10 days of the festival, July 24–August 2.
The containers will be installed in San Miguel the week of July 21, in each of the festival’s main venues: Jardín Principal, Teatro Ángela Peralta, Teatro Santa Ana (Biblioteca Pública), Bellas Artes (Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez “el Nigromante”), Galería Kunsthaus, Panteon Municipal (Salida a Celaya), MMCinemas (Plaza Luciérnaga), Casa de la Cultura and the Museo de la Ciudad (ex cárcel). The containers vary in size and color to distinguish between the types of materials that are to be deposited. Otto México will lend and donate papeleras (bins) that are similar to those currently being used by the city to collect trash, as well as larger containers on two or four wheels.
RECIQLA will collect all the recycled materials deposited into the San Miguel containers during the 10 days of the festival. RECIQLA, which for the past year has been running a private recycling service in San Miguel, uses only two types of containers: Blue containers for newspapers, paper, books, boxes, cards, envelopes, promotional materials and plastic bags, and Green containers for Tetra Pak, PET and plastic bottles, aluminum, glass and cans.
Otto México will post stickers on similarly colored containers explaining to the public how to correctly deposit the materials. Expresión en Corto invites the public to use these containers to deposit their unwanted recyclable materials during the 10 days of the festival.
Consult www.expresionencorto.com
for complete listings of official programming, activities, special events, tributes, conferences and workshops.
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