Marco and Friends

K: As tourists, what did you guys come to the center of the city to expect to see?

M: Okay, we wanted to see the historical sites. Do some shopping, I think, was the game plan, and basically just kind of walk around and take in as much of the culture as we can. For the three hours that we have before we have to head out. We’re kind of jam-packing it here!

K: Nice, that’s a way to do it. So, coming from America and the current political climate in America, and then coming to Mexico where the Mexican government is doing a lot for climate change and sustainability --- is that something that you would expect when you were here? Is it something that you knew about?

E: We were surprised to hear about the straw ban --

P:  And the plastic bags, too! –

M: Yeah, it was a little bit of like – where are all the straws? But then, I was talking to the uber driver on the way here and he said that they actually have been imposing that for a while but now it costs as much as a car as a fine if you sell straws. Like, a small car here is what the fine is as of January 1st.

K: Wow.

M: Yeah, so they’re really good. They really care enough. It’s awesome. I actually think it’s a great thing. I already don’t – as much as I can – don’t use straws. The [plastic bag ban] I didn’t know about, at all. Actually the hotel we’re at has solar panels, which I think is amazing. Is it hard to – wait, sorry.

K: It’s okay! Please ask us!

M: I never even thought about historical sites as being renovated for sustainability – is that something that all of the world they’re having trouble with? Trying to get acclimated to?

K: So, that’s what’s interesting is it’s definitely a conscious choice. It depends on the government and the narrative, too, because I think a lot of people – the idea is “oh, why would you affect something that already has so much history when you can build new buildings to be more sustainable? But that ultimately isn’t going to get us very far, right, because we can’t keep building. So that’s why we wanted to come and study this. It’s actually one of the oldest buildings now in the world that’s LEED Gold sustainable.

M: Wow. That’s very cool.

K: Yeah, and when they’re doing it they have to make sure that they don’t mess with the original architecture because it’s a preserved site.

P: Wait so that building right there ---?

M: Is one of the greenest historical buildings in the world?

E: That’s so cool.

K: Does that change you guys’ perception of this downtown central space?

M: Yeah! I love it. I mean, I already was in love with this city and that absolutely makes a big difference. It does. Having a little more of a conscious feeling about what we do, how much pollution we put out there. We’ve been talking about the trees and everything down here, it’s such a cool combination of urban, botanic, vegetation.

K: That’s what we were just talking about! All the trees are so tall!

M: Yeah! It’s all over the place. We went out to Otomi Temoaya, we went to this show last night, and it’s two hours out of here, and it’s forest – pines. And twenty degrees cooler. So beautiful.

K: Okay, that’s all the questions I can think of. Is there anything you guys want to say?

M: No, I think we’re good! Thanks!