Environmental Awareness of the Young in a Rural Community in the Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua, Mexico

Abstract

With the aim at exploring the environmental awareness of the young sector in a predominantly indigenous community, fifty structured street interviews were applied to young individuals, aged 14 to 21, attending schools at Turuachi, a distant undeveloped rural community in the Sierra Tarahumara, in the State of Chihuahua, Northern Mexico. The data were analyzed by the software SPSS® (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Most of the interviewees showed a good knowledge of basic ecology concepts. However, their perception of environmental problems appeared to be more influenced by everyday experiences. Despite forest being a major natural resource in the area, the group studied viewed cropping as the main economic activity. The main environmental problem was garbage pollution followed by deforestation and drought. The Chi² test showed that women had a stronger perception than men about the garbage issue (p<0.057) and a clear disposition (p<0.001) to participate in municipal cleaning campaigns. Nearly all the participants were willing to engage in activities to preserve environmental quality; community action and specific workshops were selected as viable organization alternatives.

Key words: environmental education, community participation, environmental problems.