Djavan Santos: Dumps Progression Through Time

It would be interesting to view the development of the dump through time via various forms of documentation, i. e. satellite imagery, statistics, video.

Using google earth, there is a function to scroll through the updated satellite images, allowing user's to view a  landscape's change over time. it would be interesting to compile the images of the dump in mexico through time lapse and view the dumps changes through the satellite lens.

- what is the annual growth rate of the dump in mexico?

- what can be determined about the dump via satalite imagery?
(Google Earth) http://www.google.com/earth/index.html

- what other forms of documentation can be used to track the evolution of the dump through time?







Djavan Santos

Is there something to learn form the dump dwellers?

When I started researching the Bordo Poniente I immediately became curious about the communities that live near or in the dump. Not sure if anyone remembers but I played a brief news piece from NPR about the dump dwellers in one of our first class meetings. I'm always fascinated by the way media delivers information especially when it comes to representing Latin America. The NPR piece was plagued with derogatory words when talking not only about the living conditions but of the people as well. If the dump dwellers are mostly illiterate, and lack political representation, how are their voices heard to the greater public? What can we learn from this community?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5327140
-Cristina

Here is a link detailing the geologic history of the mountains surrounding DF, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. 
http://www.mantleplumes.org/Mexico2.html

some beach trash photos of mine
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janesko/sets/72157623617823583/with/4549053547/

some Palo Alto dumpsters and trash
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janesko/sets/72157623800532879/with/4590435901/

-David Janesko

Concerning trash...

I have lived in places in the U.S. that are extremely trash conscious, (such as Portland, OR), and other places where there is not even a recycling program in the whole city, (Bisbee, AZ). From my experience- the variation seems to do a lot with community activism and commitment as well as support from the specific state. Assuming the U.S. as a whole is either great or terrible in regards to trash management, is not entirely valid.

•        Does Mexico experience something similar? How concerned are people about the trash in their communities?
•        I am also wondering how active alternative building projects are that seek to utilize specific kinds of trash as building material?  ( Ex.- homes built from old tires or offices from old metal shipping containers)
•         How supportive is the Mexican government in providing funding, tax breaks, etc., for independent organizations/projects which attempt to find working solutions for Mexico’s trash?

- Heather R.

      

Soil and Water Contamination

I am interested in the health of soil and water, and have heard many stories about high levels of toxicity in the Bay Area ("nothing lives in the bay water, because of all the oil spills", "Don't get vegetables at the farmer's market from these farms, they are from an area with toxic soil"...) 
I know the dump in Mexico City affects the surrounding elements with runoff and whatnot, so here are some basic questions:

How fertile/toxic is the soil in SF and in MC?
What kinds of toxins are present?  Why?
What is being done to clean them up?  Where does the contaminated soil go?

What toxins are present in the water supply?  How safe/unsafe is the tap water? 

Here are some links I found useful in beginning to answer some of these questions:

http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-02-26/news/17188773_1_pg-e-coal-tar-chemicals

http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/A-supersize-cleanup-effort-97990319.html

http://www.epa.gov/region9/water/dioxin/sfbay.html

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4937&page=1

-Ariel H.

More found objects..

C






And everyday I walk through the streets of SF there are some objects that appear to be in "good" condition, but discarded...
What about the matresses...would people think about bedbugs in Mexico City (do they have bedbugs there???) or would they just pick them up and give them some good use? Where do these matresses end up in SF?

Movie from the project Monumentos Menores by Sandra Calvo and Pedro Ortiz Antoranz

Here is the movie Cirujia Plastica (Plastic Surgery) by Sandra Calvo, documenting the repair of a plastic cargo box by El Jarocho, a man who works at the biggest market in Mexico, El Central de Abastos. Even though the box is broken, it is not thrown out, but given a renewed life as a useful and interesting object.

-Mick

About found objects...(by Denise Treizman)

As a latin american having just moved to SF, I am still impressed by the objets you can find as "trash" on the middle of the street...related to this issue I was wondering..
Would people throw this type of objects (which apparently look "usable" at least) in Mexico City?
If they do, how long would the object last on the street as "trash" until someone would pick it up and give a good use to it?
Could these objects that we find in the streets of SF have a better use or destination if they were thrown in Mexico City?

Mick: Composting in Mexico and San Francisco

I look forward to seeing everyone's first investigations and questions. Please put your name on your post, so we know who asked what.

I know that in Mexico City, not too long ago people were required to separate their organic and inorganic trash. I also know that oftentimes, when the trash gets thrown into a collection truck, the collectors often mix up the two types of trash.

Is there a functioning large scale composting dump area in Mexico City? Have they been able to extract biogas from it? 

According to Emilio Godoy's 2009 article in IPS: 

"The biogas emanating from the garbage that has built up over the past five years in Mexico could generate 80 MW of electricity, and another 16 MW could be produced annually from the new garbage, according to the National Autonomous University of Mexico's Institute of Electric Research (IIE). "

from http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=48578

Does San Francisco have a biogas collection system? Is the compost buried, placed in sections, or processed in some way?

-I found that San Francisco takes all food scraps to the Jepson-Prairie composting facility in Vacaville, pictured above.

see link:   http://www.life.com/image/86093789

So far I see nothing about extracting biogas from San Francisco food scraps.

-Mick Lorusso