Street Signs

Description

There are various signs posted around Parras that are used to remind the community to keep the town clean. I took pictures of 2 of these signs found around the city. One, which is located next to the stream runing down from el Estanque de la Luz, says that it is prohibited to wash cars there. The other one, found on a residential street, explains that it is prohibited to throw trash there. These signs act as a type of educational appropriate technology in that they are posted in various places with a message intending to keep the town clean and not pollute this beautiful world we live in.

Location

One sign is located on the street that goes up to the Estanque de la luz, near where we did our Micro-Hydro lab. This is the sign that says "Prohibido a lavar..." The other sign is located on Calle Acuña on a telephone pole in front of house number 10. The cross street is Allende. This sign says that it is Prohibited to throw trash.

Justification

I consider keeping Parras clean to support human health and happiness. By not throwing trash on the sidewalk or washing cars in water that is used for the irrigation of plants, people are reducing the levels of contamination and thus live in a more clean and well maintained environment. They are mimicking nature to reduce enviromental impacts by not adding foreign objects to nature, and they are doing this through education by using educational signs.

Issues

I don't know if these sign are really improving the economy and workfore. Maybe they are not making it worse because people won't have to pick-up as much trash or kill their plants with soapy water, but it's not exactly improving it.

Old Community Garden

Description This was a garden in the middle of a poor neighborhood where the women would go to socialize, plant crops and grow herbs. It was watered by rain run off from houses that was directed into channels, and you can still see that some households keep it up. It is also important to note that it is located on communal land

Location This garden can be found in one of the ranch communities outside of Parras

Justification as Appropriate This garden is appropriate technology because (when it was in use) it was created by the townspeople for their need, run by them, created a place where information could be exchanged between neighbors (everything from the latest gossip to cooking and gardening tips). It also used local resources to water (rain runoff) and fertilize (manure from farm animals) it.

Issues with the Appropriateness The main issue with the appropriateness of this technology is that it is no longer in use except for a couple of plants that only very few families use. When asked, the community members were rather vague about why the garden had failed, however it appears as though the community simply lots interest in it- which is emblematic of some major hurdles facing appropriate technology

Instructions

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;Description
:WHAT KIND OF AT IS IT? HOW IS IT USED? FOR WHAT?
;Location
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;Justification as Appropriate
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