Social Reflection: Week 3

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Throughout my time in Ecuador, I noticed on multiple occasions the different ways that Ecuadorians were conscious of protecting the environment, wildlife and utilizing their resources. At one restaurant we visited, they used spaghetti straws rather than plastic that often litters the environment. When my host mother did my laundry, she bleached the stains on my clothes as she does for her family when their clothes are stained or damaged. My host mother rarely threw broken or damaged items away, but rather fixed them and continued using them. In the Cotopaxi National Park, there were several signs that prohibited littering the environment and feeding the wildlife. While we were in Misahualli, we visited an animal rehabilitation center that focused on revitalizing and releasing animals that had been abused or unable to function in nature. With such a wide array of different landscapes, creatures and plants unique to Ecuador, there was effort put forth to care for these gifts. However, Ecuador’s government seems to engage in a delicate balance of growing the economy while also protecting the land. Although there are several positive efforts for maintaining a sustainable environment, there is also a lot of damage, destruction and pollution occurring for the sake of the economy. Currently, Ecuador is facing problems of oil exploitation. In order to obtain oil, many ecosystems within the forests have been destroyed with tearing down trees, toxic waste and crude oil left in the rivers and soil destroyed from contamination.

Another region that has been affected by conservation efforts are the highlands. As we saw from driving through the mountains, the highlands offer rich agriculture and livestock. They produce valuable products such as flowers, corn, potatoes and beans. Since the main water supply in Ecuador comes from the Andes, the increased protection of the highlands has benefited agriculture and water sources. Ecuador is also working to promote ecotourism, which could benefit both the economy and nature. Although there have been setbacks in the past, Ecuador is finding new ways to live in harmony with nature while also growing economically.

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