Two Sides
No country ever advertises the bad. We will go to extremes to hide our true colors, especially if it hurts the economy to show what's really going on behind the scenes.
This week my biodiversity class visited Huatanay River which runs through the middle of Cusco and splits the city into the Haves and the Have-Nots. What was once a thriving ecosystem teeming with fish and microorganisms is now a cesspool where the local people dump their trash, sewage, and even animal carcasses. To hide this unsightly place, the Peruvian government has built embankments surrounding the river. They've planted attractive grasses along the top of the embankments and, unless you went out of your way to look, you would never see the river for what it really was; a ruined ecosystem.
The destruction of the river can't be blamed solely on the people though. In most cases, they are doing the best with what they have and there is simply no where else to direct their sewage. Most families living along the river are too poor to send their children to a doctor, much less pay for an adequate sewage system. Rather than help, the government has chosen to add to the problem by pumping blood and other animal waste from a nearby slaughterhouse directly into the river. While the stray dogs love it, it poses a serious health problem for those living near the water.
This week wasn't just about destroying my faith in humanity though. I made my way to Rainbow Mountain on Friday and am now able to proudly say that I have stood at the same elevation as the Everest basecamp and not vomited or passed out. While the mountain itself is impressive, there are so many people shoving their way up to the viewpoint (myself being one of them) that it's hard to really take in the view. The surrounding Andes however, are much more impressive than the Rainbow Mountain. It had snowed the night before so the mountains seemed even more terrifying as they loomed off in the distance. Herds of alpacas grazed along their foothills and some were even brave enough to wander close to the trail. The real wonder of the day though was the Peruvian people waiting at the top of the mountain to take pictures with the tourists. They stood in the snow in their sandals and skirts while the wind whipped around us. If that's not badass, I don't know what is.
There are always two sides to every story. For every beautiful untouched place, there is another that has been absolutely decimated. Yes, Huatanay was incredibly depressing but it was eye-opening and I think we could all use a little more of that.
This week my biodiversity class visited Huatanay River which runs through the middle of Cusco and splits the city into the Haves and the Have-Nots. What was once a thriving ecosystem teeming with fish and microorganisms is now a cesspool where the local people dump their trash, sewage, and even animal carcasses. To hide this unsightly place, the Peruvian government has built embankments surrounding the river. They've planted attractive grasses along the top of the embankments and, unless you went out of your way to look, you would never see the river for what it really was; a ruined ecosystem.
The destruction of the river can't be blamed solely on the people though. In most cases, they are doing the best with what they have and there is simply no where else to direct their sewage. Most families living along the river are too poor to send their children to a doctor, much less pay for an adequate sewage system. Rather than help, the government has chosen to add to the problem by pumping blood and other animal waste from a nearby slaughterhouse directly into the river. While the stray dogs love it, it poses a serious health problem for those living near the water.
This week wasn't just about destroying my faith in humanity though. I made my way to Rainbow Mountain on Friday and am now able to proudly say that I have stood at the same elevation as the Everest basecamp and not vomited or passed out. While the mountain itself is impressive, there are so many people shoving their way up to the viewpoint (myself being one of them) that it's hard to really take in the view. The surrounding Andes however, are much more impressive than the Rainbow Mountain. It had snowed the night before so the mountains seemed even more terrifying as they loomed off in the distance. Herds of alpacas grazed along their foothills and some were even brave enough to wander close to the trail. The real wonder of the day though was the Peruvian people waiting at the top of the mountain to take pictures with the tourists. They stood in the snow in their sandals and skirts while the wind whipped around us. If that's not badass, I don't know what is.
There are always two sides to every story. For every beautiful untouched place, there is another that has been absolutely decimated. Yes, Huatanay was incredibly depressing but it was eye-opening and I think we could all use a little more of that.
Comments
Post a Comment