Cont. from front page,

“Waste management in a city is not only the government’s problem but is also the responsibility of all residents,” says Rossana Quiroz, an archeologist and expert on ecological issues. In San Miguel, most people are not used to separating their trash or recycling. This, coupled with the inadequate infrastructure of the municipality’s near-capacity landfill has resulted in pollution and health risks. Now, private organizations and individuals are working to promote a culture of separating trash at home. 

Pollution and a partial solution

According to Quiroz, 107,000 tons of trash are produced every day in Mexico, 53 percent of which is organic material. In San Miguel, we produce 100 tons of garbage a day; during fiestas this can grow to about 120 tons. Quiroz explained that when organic trash is deposited in the landfill it emits high levels of pollutants such as methane gas, which contributes to global warming, and ammonia nitrogen, which pollutes ground water and the atmosphere. 

Quiroz believes that organic waste must be managed at home. “If you have a garden, you can make compost with the organic trash just by burying it. If not, the group Proyecto de Educación Ambiental San Miguel de Allende, PEASMA (San Miguel de Allende Environmental Education Program) sells special containers for making compost at home.” 

The environmentalist has designed a wastebasket to help separate trash at home. Called a basureco, the bin has movable dividers to accommodate varying amounts and types of organic and inorganic waste. Quiroz won a prize for her design from the Federal Environmental Department in Mexico City, and currently she is looking for investors to increase production of the bin.

According to Quiroz, the current thinking among environmental researchers is that landfills should be replaced by new technologies such as specially designed incinerators. 



A foul mix

Ironically, one of the main reasons people give for not separating their trash is that the garbage collectors mix everything together in the trucks anyway. “However, if people separate their trash at home, they will help the authorities with trash management,” said Quiroz

Although the trash is mixed in the trucks, since November 2008, 26 workers at the landfill have been separating out recyclables such as PET plastic, cardboard, paper and aluminum cans. All the organic and sanitary waste is deposited in the landfill, and the potentially polluting compounds leached out by decomposition and rainwater runs into a lined lagoon. This helps prevent contamination of ground water, but evaporation of contaminants into the atmosphere is still a problem. 

According to Luis López, head of the Public Services Department, the recyclable trash collected by the landfill staff has not yet been commercialized. “It is a duty of the city council to authorize and negotiate the sale of the recyclable trash. The income would benefit the solid waste collection service,” he said.

Bagging garbage, especially sanitary waste such as diapers or sanitary pads, would help avoid sickening the trash collectors. However, Cirilo Mendoza, who has worked for seven years as a trash collector, said that it is better for them to have the trash unbagged. “If I fill my truck with bags, it would only hold the trash from two blocks. We need to empty the bags out and step on the trash to compact it so that it fits on the truck. Last year, I was sick with hepatitis for two months,” said Cirilo, as he ate a cookie without having washed his hands. “The doctor said it was from being in contact with the trash.” Cirilo and his men take a lunch break, but they generally do not wash their hands before eating. “We have uniforms—shirts, pants and gloves—but we prefer not to use them because we can work more comfortably without them,” said Cirilo. According to Gilberto Valero, head of the Municipal Solid Waste Service Office, they have tried to convince the workers to wash their hands and wear their uniforms but th
ese are “bad habits entrenched for a long time.”

The San Miguel Landfill

The Solid Waste Collection Service Office (Departamento de Limpia) is part of the Public Services Department (Dirección de Servicios Públicos). According to Luis López, head of the department, 12 trucks collect trash in the city and 4 more in 108 of the more than 500 rural communities. From 7pm to 6am, the 12 trucks are parked at strategic points throughout the city, among them San Antonio, Salida a Celaya, Colonia Allende, Avenida Guadalupe and El Caracol, so that people who did not dispose of their trash during the day can do so at night. Two more trucks are devoted exclusively to emptying public trash receptacles. All trash trucks in San Miguel unload their haul at the landfill located off Carretera a Dolores on the road to the rural community of Palo Colorado. 

“The landfill’s main problem is a lack of infrastructure,” said Francisco Martínez, who is in charge of the landfill. “We are now building a new cell because the existing one is almost full.” According to Martínez, the current cell would have had more capacity if it had been better managed, but the dealer (FADESA) who originally managed the landfill did not fulfill expectations. Currently, the landfill is managed by the local government. 

Another problem with the San Miguel landfill is that plastic bags, paper, and other objects become airborne on windy days. “We have also the problem that people from the nearby community come to scavenge in the trash and dogs come looking for food,” said Martínez. 

Recycling option

According to López and Gilberto Valero, the Solid Waste Collection Service Office has implemented trash separation programs in some schools and talked with students about separating garbage. We are planning a program for collecting organic trash one day and inorganic trash the following,” he said. Other organizations in San Miguel, such as PEASMA, also work with children to promote a culture of separating trash. 

RECIQLA, a company created by Luis Quero, collects recyclable trash in San Miguel de Allende free of charge. According to Keña Zavala, manager of RECIQLA, if you request the service a small truck will come to your home to pick up all the recyclable trash you have, including PET (plastic that has not been recycled, such as water bottles), HDPE (plastic that has been recycled once, such as cleaning products bottles), glass, cardboard, newspaper, aluminum cans, paper and plastic bags. “Clients can buy our special containers, but it is not a requirement for free service,” said Zavala. “They can use their own containers and just separate out cardboard, paper and plastic bags in one and glass and cans in another.” People can also take their recyclables to RECIQLA, located on Salida a Dolores across from Avenida Independencia, and the company will buy them. All the recyclable trash received in RECIQLA, after being sorted and classified, is taken to León or Querétaro for recycling. 



Routes for RECIQLA service

Modays: Candelaria, Labradores, Sonterra, El Cortijo, Cieneguita 

Tuesdays: Atascadero, Fuentes, Balcones, Obraje 

Wednesdays: Los Frailes, La Cañada, Mesa del Malanquín, El Encanto, El Secreto 

Thursdays: San Antonio 

Fridays: Guadiana, El Parque, Ojo de Agua, La Cañadita, Condos El Caracol 

Saturdays: Centro (only some streets) 

Tel. 153-1159; 150-7470; email: info@reciqla.com.mx;  website: http://www.reciqla.com 

City secretary resigns
By Jesús Ibarra

Due to different political aspirations, Cristóbal Finkelstein Franyuti, city secretary, resigned his position January 12, during the regular City Council session.

José de Jesús Rangel Bautista, city councilor for the Work Party, thanked Finkesltein for having opened his office’s door to all the members of every political party; María Estela Mendoza Campos, city councilor from the PRD party, thanked Finkelstein for his educated, measured and gentlemanly attitude. 

On Tuesday, January 13, Finkelstein passed the office to Mayor Correa’s secretary Tomás Ramírez, who will be in charge of the office until an interim secretary is appointed. 

Jesús Ibarra: Why did you resign?

Cristóbal Finkelstein: I resigned in an act of consistency and personal ethic, since I wish to continue in the public service and I do not think I should take advantage of a position to get another one. I must return to the community so that community itself may help me to make this dream come true. When the law allows it, I will announce my aspirations. 

JI: Are you satisfied with your job as city secretary?

CF: Not satisfied, but happy. I’m happy because of the opportunity I had to serve sanmiguelenses. I think I did a good job. I was very surprised at the reaction of the City Council; although I always had good relations with them, I did not expected the city councilors, of different parties, would congratulate me for my job as city secretary. The number of agreements signed by the City Council demonstrate that there were good relations among its members—98 percent of them were decided unanimously and the rest by majority. 

JI: Of which achievement in your administration are you most proud?

CF: The most important for me was the city’s listing as World Heritage site. It was a commitment I made five years ago, and which I worked on along with many other persons. It was project I saw being conceived, born and developed, and that we concluded satisfactorily last week. It has been a privilege for me to have assisted the foreign community, since I was the head of the International Relations Department. I consider them as an integral and fundamental part of our community. 

JI: What did you miss during your administration?

CF: There are always errors. I could not mention one in particular, but maybe I should have been a little more open to listen. Sometimes, because of the work, one does not have the time to listen and attend every case. There are a lot of things unresolved. If there is a particular error, history will tell.

JI: Who stays in your position?

CF: The mayor’s secretary will be in charge of the office until an interim secretary is appointed. I wish the best to anyone who gets the position, and I recommend him to try to conciliate the different points of view in the City Council.

JI: Besides your political aspirations, is there any short-term project?

CF: I will take a week to put in order my ideas and to solve some personal affairs. Afterwards I will begin to organize the platform from which I will be aspiring to continue serving sanmiguelenses. 

Americans speak about new President Obama
By Krishna Villena

January 20 was a happy day for many because Barak Obama was inaugurated as president of the United States. Atención went to the streets to ask people their impressions.

I expect a very thoughtful thoroughgoing reform of American government and its relationship with the society, that is to the economy, to the rest of the world, to our people, to our health system… and to be very thoughtful and to take the best advice and to not use magical thinking as his predecessor did…and not serve the rich but to serve all of us. He is a good man. I worked for him, that´s why I wear the t-shirt with pride. I knocked on doors and I telephoned people to vote for him. There were thousands and thousands of people like me all over, doing the same for Obama.”

“This will be the government of the people…Obama said today and I agree, “we the people must stay involved,” and not expect him to do it all, it is for us also to do and to tell our representatives: help the president, don´t stand in his way. It´s a great day for us!”

John Boasted, from North Carolina



“I don’t think he could change the world but I think he will make the decisions.”

Joan Palmer, San Miguel resident 

“Lots of wonderful changes especially bringing the troops home from Iraq, the end of the war, economic changes which we desperately need, changes in health care and education.” Barbara Valverde, from California

“A better relationship with Mexico, especially in the economic field, having fair competition in goods and services in both countries.” 

Miguel Valverde, from Califronia

“He faces a lot of challenges, but I´m encouraged that he is up to the challenges. I`m very impressed with his wife; I think she is going to do a great job as First Lady. I live in Washington D. C., so it´s nice to see he is already involved in the community there.” Liz Powell, Washington, D.C.

“I adore the man, I’m not sure weather anybody can do the job he´s been asked to do, but I think if anybody can do it, he can. Our government has changed to a new generation…these are all young people that are running the country. It´s a very different generation from who we are, from who Bush was or Cheney or any of those. I think it´s going to be great.”

Martha Castriada, San Miguel resident

Calderón and Obama first meeting
By Krishna Villena

On January 13, President of Mexico Felipe Calderón Hinojosa first met with Barack Obama, now the US President. The two discussed energy, weapons smuggling, improving border infrastructure, labor and environmental protection aspects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

President Calderón traveled with members of his cabinet such as Fernando Gómez Mont, Interior Secretary; Patricia Espinosa, Secretary of Foreign Affairs; and Agustín Carstens, Finance and Public Credit Secretary. Senators Rosario Green Macías, Luis Alberto Villarreal García and Silvano Aureoles Conejo, from PRI, PAN and PRD respectively, also accompanied the Mexican president. 

According www.lajornada.com, Calderón said Obama expressed interest in improving border infrastructure and stopping the flow of smuggled US weapons into Mexico. Calderón also said Obama “was emphatic in saying he won’t leave Mexico standing alone” in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime. But Calderón acknowledged that the current economic downturn made it hard to discuss immigration reform or the legalization of migrants, one of Mexico’s main aspirations. 

A press bulletin sent to Atención by Senator Villarreal’s office said that Mexican legislators talked with American legislators in order to define the achievements in the bilateral relation of Mexico and US and to look forward to competitiveness, human rights and common regulations. 

Villarreal Garcia, who is also the president of the Commission of Foreign Affairs in North America, commented that both countries “are interested in everything that has to do with competitiveness with other regions in the world.”

Washingtonpost.com said that Obama and Calderón agreed that the two countries should expand their efforts in energy and climate change based on existing commercial, security and cultural ties. One of those ties is NAFTA, implemented January 1, 1994. The pact was signed by the then-leaders of three countries—Brian Mulroney of Canada, Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico and Bill Clinton of the US. The agreement includes trade issues such as agriculture liberalization and environment regulations.

Information from Washingtonpost.com said that the labor and environmental areas are covered by “side accords” negotiated along with—but not contained in—the 1994 trade pact. 

Regarding that issue, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said, at the time, that the president-elect pledged to find ways to work with Mexico to upgrade NAFTA with stronger labor and environmental provisions. Meanwhile, Calderón said in a press conference held in the presidential airplane on the way back to Mexico that they “did not talk about revising the free trade agreement.” 

In a press conference with both leaders after the meeting, Obama told reporters that “the prospects of us working together on energy strategies across borders are going to be critically important” and that the two also discussed immigration, border security and the global financial crisis. Calderón emphasized that both governments needed to combine forces to fight organized crime because “the more secure Mexico is, the more secure the US will be.”

How to…take a bus without a fuss 
By Krishna Villena

(The first in a series of How to do things in San Miguel, next week in January 30 issue, How to make a crime report.)

Local buses in San Miguel, known as urbanos or camiones, are a good way to save money, get out from behind the wheel and cut down on the city’s increasing traffic congestion. You can go almost anywhere by bus, and for thousands of commuters each day this is the preferred mode of transport. 

According to the Transit Department, some bus routes were recently changed. Victor González, coordinator of local traffic education, said that the most important thing to do when catching a bus is to read the sign posted on the windshield, which indicates main stops on the route: stores such as Mega or Aurrerá or the names of colonias, such as San Luis Rey or Centro, or public buildings. To be sure you have the right bus, just ask the driver before boarding.

Tickets currently cost five pesos, and the driver or his assistant should give you a ticket upon payment. It is recommended that you keep the ticket until you exit, because it is proof of insurance in case of an accident. On most buses, the driver’s assistant will collect your fare either when you board or after you have taken a seat. In the absence of an assistant you pay the driver directly. 

You board the bus at the front and almost always exit at the back. The only exception is if the driver is working alone and motions you to sit down without collecting the fare as you enter. In this case, you pay him as you exit the front of the bus.

To signal the driver to stop, press the button, often red, that is usually located near the rear door. Drivers are only allowed to stop at designated bus stops.

Urbanos run from 6am to 9:30pm Monday through Saturday; on Sunday, service starts at 7am and ends by 8pm. Schedules and routes may change due to celebrations or street repairs.

All buses begin and end their routes in Centro at one of two main stops: on Insurgentes in front of the Oratorio church and at the corner of Mesones and Colegio, across from Plaza Cívica.

From the stop on Insurgentes you can catch a bus to popular destinations such as Instituto Allende, San Antonio, Telmex, Telecable, Mega, Unidad Deportiva, Fábrica La Aurora, Bodega Aurrerá, the bus station (Central) and the immigration offices.

If your destination is the Tuesday market (La Placita or Tianguis), La Luciérnaga shopping center, Sapasma, the municipal administration building, Ministerio Público or the General Hospital, the main Centro stop is at the corner of Mesones and Colegio.

You can get almost anywhere in the city on a bus, including all the neighborhoods you might not have explored yet. This article highlights some of the more popular destinations, but with free time and five pesos you can hop on a bus and have an adventure.

From the Insurgentes (Oratorio church) bus stop you can catch buses to: 

Mega

· Centro/Unidad Deportiva (travels around La Lejona)

· Centro/Salida a Celaya (toward Unidad Deportiva and Frailes)

· Centro/Mega (toward Unidad Deportiva and Frailes)

Instituto Allende

· Deportiva/Centro (also to Mega, Frailes)

· San Antonio/Centro 

· Centro/Mega (toward Unidad Deportiva and Frailes)

Fábrica La Aurora

· San Luis Rey (Calzada de la Aurora, Mexiquito)

· Mexiquito/CBTIS (along Calzada de la Luz)

· Malanquín/Centro (leaves you near Hospital de la Fe)



Bus station, Immigration offices, Bodega Aurrerá

· Central/Estación 

· Aurrerá 

· Central/Malanquín (two different routes)



Telecable/Telmex/Frailes

· U. Deportiva (also passes by La Lejona, Mega, Frailes)

· Salida a Celaya/Mega (toward Deportiva and Frailes)

· Pantoja/U. Deportiva (toward the outskirts of the city following the road to Salida a Celaya)



From the corner of Mesones and Colegio you can catch buses to: 



Tuesday market (Tianguis or La Placita)

· Centro/Al Valle/A la Placita/Info.La Luz/Frac. Insurgentes/Frac. La Luz 

· Centro/Placita/Inf. La Luz/Jardines (leaves you near La Luciérnaga)

· Gigante (Plaza Real del Conde, near the Tuesday market)

La Luciérnaga

· Valle del Maiz (also stops at “Gigante” bus stop)

· Gigante (from this stop you can walk to La Luciernaga)

· Soriana/Cereso/Hospital/Oficinas (Tuesday market, too)

Sapasma

· Alcocer (Salida a Celaya to the traffic circle near La Luciérnaga) 

· Valle/Gigante/Inf. La Luz/Inf. Allende

· Jardines/Insurgentes/Centro/Inf. La Luz/5 de Mayo

General Hospital 

· Valle/Gigante/Inf. La Luz/Inf. Allende (Tuesday market, too)

· Centro/Placita/Inf. La Luz/Jardines 

· Jardines/Insurgentes/Centro/Inf. La Luz/5 de Mayo (leaves you near Sapasma)

Municipal administration building

· Centro/Valle/Gigante/Oficinas/Cereso/Hospital/Seevyt/Ign. Ramírez

· Valle/Gigante/Ign. Ramírez/Oficinas/Central

· Ign. Ramírez/Hospital/Oficinas/Placita/Cereso/Gigante


Ministerio Público
· Ign. Ramírez/Hospital/Oficinas/Placita/Cereso/Gigante

· Centro/Valle/Gigante/Oficinas/Cereso/Hospital/Seevyt/Ign. Ramírez

· Centro/Al Valle/A la Placita/Info.La Luz/Frac. Insurgentes/Frac. La Luz



Local mass-transit terminology

Parada is a bus stop. 

La Placita and Tianguis refer to the Tuesday market.

Cereso is the municipal jail.

Ign. Rámirez is the name of the public market near the Centro bus stops.

Hospital on a bus placard refers to the General Hospital.

Oficinas is used for the municipal administrative offices.

Gigante was a supermarket located in Plaza Real del Conde; the bus stop remains and people continue calling it “Gigante.”

Bajan is a verbal indication that you want to get off at the next stop.

Suben indicates that you want to get on the bus.