Description
The infrastructure in many parts of Tijuana, Mexico has suffered as a result of recent explosive population growth, leading to disparities such as unpaved roads, lack of drainage, bare soil, unlined channels, and unfinished housing structures. Los Laureles Canyon, located in western Tijuana, is an example of such an area. Here, seasonal rains lead to environmental hazards such as landslides and flooding; in addition, exposed soil and debris are being washed into streams and channels, further leading to degraded sediment quality in the Tijuana watershed. This degraded sediment and community-produced waste, in addition to numerous infrastructural disparities, impact the well-being of local residents and have larger ecological and socioeconomic effects on the region. Studying the infrastructural and environmental issues of the communities upstream from the Tijuana Estuary is important because of their link to its degradation; however, the focus of this research is on quality of life for residents in these communities and utilizing their perspectives to identify what issues are most prevalent. This study consists of two components, one being hand-distributed questionnaires to Los Laureles Canyon residents on the Mexican side of the border, the other being interviews with experts familiar with these communities on the U.S. side. Working within a political ecology framework and wider economic and political backgrounds, I have identified local perspectives concerning infrastructural and environmental disparities in Los Laureles Canyon and gathered information about the role of local communities and governments in understanding and addressing these issues. Furthermore, I hope to increase awareness of environmental and social injustice in the area. This study finds that local residents of Los Laureles Canyon are aware of and concerned about the issues happening in their communities, but local and regional governments are doing little to address the problems.
