The Dirty Truth about La Paz, Mexico

Embark on a journey of understanding with us as we dive into the critical environmental issues facing the city of La Paz, Mexico, shedding light on the air quality challenges and the path toward a more sustainable future.

To join the April 19, 2024 event, call 612-230-7768 to RSVP for the free event.

Brighton West speaks with Martin Goebel, board chair of the environmental organization CERCA, in a conversation that unveils the intricacies of pollution, energy production, and the potential for clean energy in Mexico.

- The video opens up the air quality discussion in La Paz, identifying the frequency of good versus poor air days and placing the local situation within the wider context of Mexican and U.S. air quality norms.

- We delve into the contributors to La Paz's air quality issues, distinguishing between the environmental impacts of transportation and the emissions from local power plants, despite the absence of heavy industry.

- Renewable energy takes center stage as we explore the opportunities and limitations of solar and wind power in La Paz, highlighting existing projects and the barriers to their full-time use.

- The crossroad of politics and the environment is discussed, considering how the current presidential administration's policies may shift with the election of new candidates who have backgrounds in renewable energy studies.

- The conversation shifts to what individuals can do to contribute to cleaner air in La Paz, from personal energy consumption choices to active support and participation in initiatives led by organizations like CERCA.

[jacquelinemarie]

So glad to hear that there's an organization that's educating the public & advocating for clean energy in La Paz in particular & Mexico in general! I plan to do my part by installing solar on my property, advocating for clean energy whenever I can, & continue to utilize EPA standards for my vehicle until I can purchase a hybrid, which will help even more. Viva La Paz! ✨😎💛

[Daniela-exg]

Thank you, Brighton for addressing this topic. My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 non small cell lung cancer. She never smoked. It's not genetic. Unfortunately, it's the environment. She's been battling with chemo & immunotherapy for four years now. La Paz has the natural resources to produce clean energy. Preventative healthcare should be a priority. Hopefully Cerca can make an impact by raising awareneess and advocating for change.

[laura-yukh]

Great video and excellent interview. Food, Shelter, and Trash are always items that are needed/generated. I would truly appreciate a video on locally sourced foods and shipped foods. Another possible area to explore is how the city of La Paz deals with its waste (domestic, commercial, and manufacturing). Let’s get to the underbelly: How is infrastructure being maintained/updated? Your videos are informative and this one in particular is a must watch.

[brendagoodnight]

Brighton, Wow, way to go on tackling a difficult subject. Bravo.

[sonnymaguiresmith]

Would be awesome to see Cerca advocate for salt water electricity especially since we have desalination plants here. The byproduct of desal, being brine, is an excellent source of fuel to produce electricity. Countries in Europe are already put this technology into practice and as their research grows so does the efficiency. Anyone can light up a light bulb with some salt water and 2 electrodes. Columbia even has a company, that with the involvement of local indigenous people, have invented a water light that lasts for 45 days on half a litre of salt water. Love this stuff. I am a geek too for anything that involves "macgyver-ing".
Great video buddy!!!

[ikerteuscher]

Brighton one of the best and informative videos. Good for you. Martin, gracias por lo que hace CERCA, excelente informacion sobre el problema y las posibles soluciones.

[leemartinez]

These types of videos are the most useful to expats living in Mexico.

[marilynlippert]

An excellent video, Brighton! The expertise and clarity of Martin's explanations are great. Cerca is doing valuable work!

[daniellekennaday]

Great video, Brighton! So informative. I have very mild asthma, and there were a few days last year that the heavy air pollution set off an asthma attack. Fortunately, it hasn't seemed to be a problem this year. It's great to see an org like Cerca advocating for the health and well-being of the residents of La Paz.

[gracegamsky]

Thanks so much for this informative interview! Really great to hear about Cerca's work and how we can support this important effort. Great job!

[leemartinez]

Great video! How about a video on choosing a water filtration system and measuring rooms in your house for selecting the best mini-split AC system?

[cindyk]

I'm pleased to hear that Mexico has something like Cerca advocating for alternative energy sources! Solar and wind are excellent sources to create electricity but I am wondering about the current in the Sea of Cortez for example. Here in Detroit they have been talking about underwater "wind" turbines that turn with the current, I believe other countries use it, I wonder if it is a viable option for Mexico as well? What has been on my mind for a while is how a good portion of Mexico is going dry (ie mandatory water conservation). Thanks for the interesting video!

[roundpaws]

Fantastic video. Very informative. I live in Mazatlan and my biggest complaint is the exhaust fumes from the cars but I’m sure the dirty power plant is just as bad an influence 😢. Thank you for Cerca and all they are doing.

[qxjbkdq]

Thank you so much for this video! It's a difficult topic and so many opinions. I really do hope the future produces change for the health of the people in this area and hopefully cabo will also get on board with helping because so much of the energy is used for them. La paz truly is an amazing place and all the people deserve to thrive here!

[troy]

We added solar onto our house in Punta Mita for about $6, 000 US. We didn't opt for the batteries. Instead we mainly sell power back to CFE and our electric bill stays at the minimum.

[edwardwoolsey]

4th year wintering in L.P., right below the bunker fuel boys. I have about 40 yrs experience in renewable energy and I will do what I can to see some of the huge potential of this region developed. It will happen, but sooner is better. This area really lends itself to layered microgrids of wind and solar. A market is the missing link...imo.
Desal may be the answer. See you at the meeting Friday. And Thank You so much...this is hard...but must be done..

[cl]

That guy reminds me of the Professor on Gilligan's Island, just a little older with glasses. Good to hear they are making progress for a cleaner environment overall. They are at a crossroads and really hope they make it happen.

[athomeincabo]

Great video Brighton. Such great information. Thanks for sharing

[FreeToBe_Me]

I love your other content, but these issues are truly a priority in choosing where I plan to live (part time like you do) in Mexico. Thanks for this episode!

[hectorvara]

I live in Southern California. Rather recently we were out of Edison power for 3 1/2 days because Edison deliberately shut our power because they were concerned that Santa Anna winds could knock down their power lines and cause fires. There became a great demand for portable home generators. I have solar, but no way to store the energy output of solar. I also have a portable generator which I ran off of propane periodically to keep our two refrigerators running and some basic lighting in our house. This situation made it quite clear to me that I need to think of alternatives for electrical power at home. You don't miss the electrical power until it is not available. I have since become aware of solid state generators generators that can be charged from various sources and can recharge lithium batteries. I have also become aware that generators that produce inverter power deliver cleaner output power which results in better power for sensitive equipment such as a computer or even led lights. Moral of this story is don't rely on one source of electrical energy.
Thanks for this episode. All of your videos have been very interesting.