By Diana Hoogesteger
The Agua Vida coalition was formed in 2019 under the Environment and Sustainability Department, at the time directed by Francisco Peyret. It has revised its mandate, and is now a wide network of civil associations focused on water. Each group has a field of action.
In my previous article, “Civil Society for Water,” I exposed the environmental problems and urgency that we, the inhabitants of the Cuenca de la Independencia (the north-northwest area of Guanajuato), and to which San Miguel de Allende belongs, are facing. In short, we are using fossil water that is over 5,000 years old. It contains minerals affecting public health: arsenic, fluoride, magnesium, sodium, manganese, and radioactive radon gas. Some 85% of this water is being used for the extensive and growing export agricultural industry and production of livestock feed (alfalfa and corn). The unregulated and inadequate planning of the exponential growth of San Miguel de Allende with regards to the environmental reality is dcreating delays in water supply in the urban area.
The following groups comprise Red Agua Vida. We invite you to get involved in any way possible: by spreading the word, donating, volunteering, or simply being inspired. There is much we can do.
Salvemos al Río Laja (Save the Laja River) provides education and rehabilitation to the areas around the Laja riverbed. The organization currently operates in 10 rural communities in five municipalities, providing environmental education, natural conservation, and adaptation to water and climate changes. cuencasanacomunidadsana.org
Charco del Ingenio is dedicated to conserving natural areas, fauna, and flora, and to research, collaborating with the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). It educates and maintains a relationship with indigenous groups, providing space for their ceremonies and celebrations, using plants, and preserving native languages. The group also protects and propagates plants and species at risk. elcharco.org.mx
Educación Colaborativa (Collaborative Education) holds forums and provides ongoing education on environmental issues, and creates alliances and action groups with municipalities affected by mining. It is part of the CONACYT program on the topic of Regions of Sanitary and Environmental Emergency, under which San Miguel de Allende falls. It runs continuous learning programs with the Technological University of San Miguel de Allende (UTSMA).
Tikun is an agroecological ranch dedicated to soil regeneration, food self-sufficiency via farming, growing fruit trees, crops, water recharging, solar energy, self-sufficiency, and education by example. It has rehabilitated the community border, and there is now water for everyone in San José de Gracia. It has reforested, and continues to do so in this community. tikkunsanmiguel.mx
Mano Amiga provides microloans for health, environmental, and social welfare projects. manoamigasma.com
Club Rotario is a worldwide network of 1,200,000 neighbors, friends, leaders, and people dedicated to solving problems and providing funding for people. rotarysmamidday.org
Vía Orgánica is a civic association dedicated to food, health, the environment, and education. It has an educational and demonstration ranch with orchards, composting, a regenerative farm, agro-forestry, rainwater harvesting, dry toilets, and a seed bank. Via Organica works with young people from nearby communities to teach them to appreciate and learn about organic and regenerative production. It has done reforestation work in the area with agaves and native trees, and has a nursery. It runs the international campaign, “One Billion Agaves” to green the desert and provide fodder for animals. It works on the systematic change of food production and land use, teaches the public about healthy food, labeling, uses of traditional and regional plants, and promotes small producers. viaorganica.org
Martín Buen Viaje is the representative of Huerto Roma Verde in Mexico City, a space for applied learning about cooking techniques, water, recycling, handicrafts, and village products, linking society with the environment. He is also the representative of Extinction Rebellion—a global movement for climate change. He brings together people involved in this area to create and preserve green areas, and for animal conservation and recognition. He is also a communicator and writer. martinbuenviaje.com
Casa Shala is an educational space that connects internal and external nature. It conducts body-mind-spirit practices. Casa Shala has a sample house in an urban area with dry toilets, rainwater collection, reuse of gray water, and preservation of native flora. It seeks to create a culture of minimal waste production, respect, and care of the environment. The group advocates for the restoration of soil in terms of climate, water, and food. facebook: dhyanayogashala
Caminos de Agua is a civic association dedicated to research, technological creation, education, and citizen participation to find alternatives for the sufficient supply of contaminant-free water. It has supplied many people (especially in outlying communities) with the means to harvest rainwater and filters to make the rainwater drinkable. It reaches out to find ways to systematically change water usage in Latin America. caminosdeagua.org
Audubon works near bodies of water (rivers, lakes, ponds) in environmental education. It is involved in campaigns to clean and prune trees, conserve green areas, and bodies of water to improve and clean natural areas, as well as green San Miguel de Allende. It works with children in the Bahio, linking them through migratory birds with children in Oregon, USA. Audubon promotes the enjoyment of nature through hiking, kayaking, and bird watching. audubonmexico.org
FAI Fundación de Apoyo Infantil (Children’s Support Fundation) works for children’s rights so that they learn to take care of themselves, others, and their planet. Both its community centers are examples of a new approach to water use in urban and rural developments. faiguanajuato.org
These groups meet to support each other on various fronts. Several other organizations in San Miguel do their part to create a culture of awareness, truth, and action to preserve life, in other words, water. “With water—everything; without it—nothing.” Anonymous. You can contact any of these groups to learn about and care for life in our city.
