Green culture in Mexico Essay

Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.5 planets to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. This means it now takes the Earth one year and six months to regenerate what we use in a year. Mexico City generates more than 12,500 tons per day of solid waste and the % 50 of the waste are from the houses. In Mexico, people don ´t have a green culture to protect the environment because the people don ´t consider their ecological footprint, don ´t know the impact of their activities, and they think that natural resources will last forever. Footprint accounts reveal the ecological demand associated with residential consumption, the production, and the generation of exports. The Ecological Footprint is a resource accounting tool that helps to know what ´s the impact of the activities of the people. In Mexico the ecological footprint calculated in 2003 was 2.6 hectares per person. This means that we use more than the Earth can give us. The second reason for Mexican people don ´t have a green culture is because they don ´t know the impact of their activities. One example is that in Mexico City the main contaminant is carbon monoxide emitted by cars. The persons used every day a car and sometimes for short distances. The consequences of the pollution that people produce are reflected not only in health, also in the disappearance of ecosystems. The Mexican people think that natural resources will last forever. Today, the population growth generates more food production as result; the ecosystems are converted into agricultural, livestock and urban areas. Recently, large-scale industrial developments, including oil development in Mexico and timber and mineral extraction, have increased the threat to forests. Mexico has lost 25% of forest and jungle areas. The consequences of loss of ecosystems are scarcity of natural resources and species loss. People should have environmental awareness for preserving biodiversity and the environment that provides resources. In conclusion, Mexican people don’t have environmental awareness. It is important have a green culture because the Earth gives us all that we need. If we don ´t protect the Earth, the natural resources will be less that we have now. Sources: FAO. The Global Forest Resources Assessment. Roma: FAO, 2005. Print Global Footprint Network. â€Å"Footprint for Nations† Global Footprint Network U, 2011. Web. 17 March, 2012. Semarnat.  ¿Y el medio ambiente? Problemas en Mà ©xico y el mundo. Mà ©xico: Semarnat, 2007. Print