2009 is not shaping up to be a banner year either in the States or in Mexico. It is not for me to understand how we got into this messy and difficult crisis. I do know, however, that for as long as I have lived in Mexico I have always been amazed at how people have practiced conservation of personal resources in ways that would astound Americans. Many of these common practices have given way over the years, falling victim to a more consumer oriented society propelled largely by multinational corporations. It may be that the tide will turn back in the light our current global disaster.

What have these conservation acts looked like? The first one that I noted happened across the board in schools. Young children were taught to write small and to fill up both sides of a page. Pencils were used down to the very quick. Children were usually put in charge of cleaning the classrooms and all cleaning supplies were the responsibility of the parents to provide. New clothes were not the norm at the start of each school year. Actually most children wear uniforms which cuts down considerably on the cost of school clothes. There is also a “miracle” bar soap commonly used in Mexico that seems to take out any type of stain so clothes can be worn for much longer.

In the home women use vinegar and old newspaper to clean windows. (Heloise would approve of this). The tap is turned off as soon as enough water has filled the bucket and the use of hot water is not common, even in kitchens and bathrooms. (Many people believe that showering in hot water before going out in the morning is bad for your health). Shops, in the past, only sold drinks in returnable bottles and most folks brought their own grocery bags to use and reuse. Today the ubiquitous plastic bottle craze has totally changed the landscape of Mexico and overrun landfills. Plastic bags are given out in the market and grocery stores which has helped to change the habit of reusing one’s own bag.

Here people do not feel the same pressure to have the latest gadget, except maybe for cell phones. Most families are content with one TV and one stereo in the household, most do not own cars (although with the many traffic snarls this is hard to believe!), and most people automatically turn off lights as they leave a room. Adults still conform to the habit of using both sides of a sheet of paper, will tear off a small piece to write a note knowing that the rest of the page will serve later, use carbon paper, and do not fill the copier with ink until it almost runs white on a page. Government offices usually require multiple copies of documents but they will not make the copies, the client needs to bring them in which is another example of a general lack of resources. And one last observation: Mexico is largely a cash society. If one chooses to use a credit card the monthly interest rate approaches 50%!! By using cash folks know when they have money to spend and when they do not.
In 2009 we might all learn to pay more attention to what we have, and strive to get by with less.