Sharing Community: Energy
Colectivo Ecologista Jalisca (CEJ), a civil society organisation based in Guadalajara, Mexico, are one of the first Green Action Week participants to use the theme of Sharing Community to explore the issue of energy. This is their story of investigating a more sustainable energy future for their community through participatory photo essay and video storytelling and a coalition campaign for alternatives.
“Sharing community means a clean energy community”
First CEJ introduced their audiences to the story behind their electrical appliances, and where that energy might be currently coming from, teaming up with Colima 2030.
“We all have to discover where our energy comes from”
Then they organized a series of webinars with experts to learn more about what it takes to produce and distribute the power that makes that long journey to our houses. Sadly it was clear a large part of it is not clean.
“I was born in Mexico, a country full of biodiversity – and oil.”
Then they went on a photo expedition around their region, from the city of Guadalajara to the power plant where the energy was coming from, talking to the people they met on the way.
You can click on the gallery below to see the individual photos fullsize, or you can watch the video for the photoessay narrated by 15-year-old Saul. Photographer: Gaal Cohen.
Discover the Origin of Your Energy
Since Green Action Week, this work has led to CEJ’s involvement in a coalition campaign of groups across Mexico urging a change towards sustainable energy. The campaign, ‘CombustiblesProhibidos’ (Forbidden Fuels) is using the CEJ photo essay and hashtag ‘Discover the Origin of Your Energy’ and CEJ’s involvement means their work will reach a wider audience and start to tackle the systemic issues.
#DescubreElOrigenDeTuEnergía
#DiscoverTheOriginOfYourEnergy
“We propose:
A fair energy transition: in a participatory manner, a route away from fossil fuels that is socially inclusive, with a gender perspective, that addresses the impacts on current and future generations, incorporates the needs of local communities, and guarantees respect for human rights. It is essential to generate spaces for dialogue to collectively develop social programs that trigger sustainable local development and diversify the economy in communities where the coal removal program is applied.”
– Message from the organisations involved in the Combustibles Prohibidos initiative
