El Cerrejon

My entry photo consists of one of the pits of El Cerrejon which is about 250 meters of depth. We can see El Cerrejón with two different point of views: the industrial benefit and the resulting environmental impact. This industry can be really important for the economy of some countries, since it’s the largest open air coal mine in the world and it is transnational. However, even if it tries to practice reforestation and nature protection, it is still harming the environment and many Wayuu communities. One of the ways this mine is harming Wayuu communities is by using from 17 to 35 million liters of fresh water a day diverted from the main rivers in the region. This amount would be easily distributed into most of Wayuu communities if it was not diverted. Also, one of the things that surprised me most was the air condition in the mine, the sky in some parts was completely black, but the damage has already been made. One solution is that El Cerrejon can apply to their problem is using already used water from the city and the Wayuu communities for their mines.