Although this news was disclosed at the time, the local press, I wanted to meet two goals to comment:
1. Make visible impacts in the light of the concept of sustainable urban development,
2. And help the dissemination of what I consider an extraordinary, intelligent alternatives to be replicated and maintained above any consideration of local politics.
1. What was the problem?
Medellín, as almost all cities in the world, was for centuries a informal transport system based on animal-drawn carts , colloquially called "bitches" in our city (see photo 1). Its purpose has always been multiple, hauling construction materials, debris, garbage, furniture and fixtures, water and even potential passengers.
Photo No. 1: Fox and Zorrero (photo Javier Agudelo, El Tiempo, Colombia) Clearly, transportation is an ancient and seemingly innocuously productive. But it is a practice that moves from country to city, it generates many negative impacts, among which include:
- The conflict with the dynamics of urban mobility, caused by the differential speed, resulting in risks, jams, traffic ...
- The deterioration of quality of life animal: walking on asphalt, under endless days, with Poor nutrition and poor, subject to harsh treatment ... is a bleak outlook for any animal.
- The informality, which avoids the most basic work rules, occupational health, transit, interaction and business performance.
All this, in exchange for a practical and necessary, but accompanied by a precarious and plagued by labor in countless cases. A census made by the Mayor of the city in 2009, found a population of 228 foxes running only on the perimeter of the city of Medellín, not considering its metropolitan area. It is estimated that in Colombia, operating about 5,000. What about Latin America?
2. What was the initiative?
were invited, through a highly participatory and persuasive, to all owners of "bitches" to that delivered (chariot and horse) in exchange for a motocoche (see photo 2), if you want to continue in office, or in exchange for seed capital (col $ 7 million, U.S. $ 3,500) to start a venture different products. In both cases, the offer was accompanied by the licensing process, training, social support and even personal cards, to facilitate the transition.
Photo No. 2: New Motocoches (photo Javier Agudelo. El Tiempo, Colombia) After the process, after five (5) partial deliveries (the process of voluntary choice made it necessary as well), along four (4) months, a total of 141 "Zorreras" motocoche welcomed the idea and the rest, 87 "Zorreras", opted for a different productive enterprise. Thus, From this year, the movement of foxes was finally banned in the city (note that the ban is a consequence and not a premise of the process.) Its circulation will be penalized from now, with the seizure of the same. And 228 horses have passed a stage of recovery veterinary outside the Aburrá Valley, then to enter a program of adoption coordinated by the Humane Society and aimed at farmers who need them for their work in the field.
3. A balance must
3. 1. From the point of environmentally:
- Removed a significant obstacle to urban mobility.
- were restored to their natural habitat to a negligible population of 228 horses.
- were removed from the public highway daily stool this equine population.
- It laid the groundwork for better regulation and better control of urban debris.
3.2. From the social point of view:
- is dignified, was formalized and began to professionalize the office of "Zorrero."
- were improved occupational health and hygiene of the trade.
- was preserved and improved use of a population of not less than 500 families.
- new options are opened for investment and entrepreneurship.
- It became clear that animal abuse does have and should have a solution.
- It was demonstrated that social partnership works: several government agencies, NGO and the 228 "Zorreras" participated in the process.
3.3. From the economic point of view:
- was preserved and improved the income and productivity of the office.
- Improved cost structure the business as a horse feed is a fixed cost, but fuel consumption is a variable cost.
- Improved versatility service (soon we will provide various services for home, something unthinkable in the old scheme of "bitches").
- was activated automotive cycle, the product of the initial investment and subsequent operation of the 141 new units.
4. In conclusion
Municipal Administration invested in this initiative (motocoches more seed, more management of the program) a total of col $ 2,896 million (about U.S. $ 144,000). As you can see the benefits, and sustainability of the program itself, which only requires an initial intervention, but leaves door open for many other social measures later (to regulate the handling of debris, the regulation of animal abuse, etc..), I must say that is an initiative that has required more intelligence than money. So now when I've had the experience of sharing with these new motocoches way, I could not help feeling a healthy inner joy at seeing my city improvement, based on the improvement of its people, as shown in the picture final, in which I had the opportunity to witness the new system fully operational.
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