Mérida, Yucatán – With the participation of more than 16 leading individuals, companies, and organizations committed to the environment and sustainability, Bepensa, together with Fundación Tláloc and PetStar, launched the Holbox Circular program, an innovative project aimed at promoting sustainability and conservation on the island.
Among the people, companies and organizations that attended were; Franklin Campos Ancona, Ecology Coordinator for the Holbox Mayor's Office; Edith Tzahiri Peraza Gasca, Holbox Telebachillerato teacher; Morelia Montes Barahona from the Holbox Animal Shelter Alma Verde Casa Wayuu; Ismael Moguel Canto from Ferry Naviera Holbox Express; Liane Ake Canto from Jaal Kaak Naab AC; Refugio García, collector and member of the Cambia y Siembra Vida project, ECOCE; Antonio Betancourt, Biodiesel producer, Parley of The Oceans; VIP Holbox; Holbox Community Telebachillerato; Nómadas; Cinzia Properzi from the Hotel Boutique El Corazón; Carlos Jesús Morales Enríquez from the tourism company Azul Tourquesa; and José Gerardo Ávila Canto from Manahoichi.
The Holbox Circular initiative is a significant step toward comprehensive waste management in this natural paradise and marks the commitment of various organizations and civil society to conservation and sustainability.
This is a three-year project that will begin with a pilot intervention program along the so-called "Holbox Circular Corridor," which runs along Paseo Kuká and Tiburón Ballena. This will be carried out in collaboration with hotels, restaurants, and residents, with whom actions will be developed to improve the environment and make it more sustainable.
The launch of this initiative was marked on May 6th and 7th with a series of activities that brought together representatives from Bepensa, the Tláloc Foundation, and PetStar, as well as members of 16 Holbox organizations, who worked tirelessly to conserve this natural treasure.
Carlos Mendieta Zerón, Director of Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability at Petstar, explained that this intervention model has been tested by the Tláloc Foundation in different parts of Mexico, with the goal of contributing to the construction of sustainable communities. Now, they are seeking to replicate this positive experience in Holbox, adding to what local leaders have been promoting for years.
"We hope this will help address a very sensitive issue here in Holbox, which is the comprehensive management of solid waste under a circular economy framework. But we hope this will also spearhead opportunities for many other projects related to the regeneration of nature, the recovery of public spaces, and the modification of behaviors to make them more environmentally friendly," he commented.
For his part, Manuel Rivero González, head of Corporate Affairs at Bepensa in Quintana Roo, stated that Holbox Circular represents a great opportunity for this tourist paradise and sets an example of what can be achieved when everyone—society, the private sector, and authorities—tackles sustainability issues and join forces to care for the environment.
"For Bepensa, these types of actions have always been a priority. In all the territories where we operate, we are socially responsible, always seeking to help our community and address the challenges posed by environmental care, always in collaboration with citizens and authorities," he emphasized.
Prominent figures were present at the launch of the initiative, including Manuel Rivero González, representative of Bepensa; Carlos Mendieta Zeron, representing PetStar; Franklin Campos Ancona, Ecology Coordinator for Holbox in the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas, Quintana Roo; Ineritza Jiménez, secretary of the Holbox Gastronomic Society; Eduardo Pacheco, local leader of the Holbox Circular project and undersecretary of the island's Hotel Association; Cinzia Properzi, representative of Fuerza Viva de Holbox, an association that supports positive actions on the island; as well as Agustín López, Project Coordinator at Fundación Tláloc and General Coordinator of the Holbox Circular project; and representatives of various local associations committed to environmental conservation.
The official presentation of the "Holbox Circular" project was a success, with significant participation from organized civil society, as well as members of 16 Holbox groups who help preserve the island through activities such as waste collection, tour guides, and vegetable oil collectors, among others.
At this event, Eduardo Pacheco, local leader of the Holbox Circular project, presented awards to the 16 organizations and individuals who participated in this event and are part of the first phase of developing a work plan for Holbox Circular.
“The more people we can join Holbox Circular or the work initiatives or any other project that we can try to improve living conditions, the truth is we should do it,” said the community leader of the project, who is also part of the island's Hotel Association.
A day later, on the morning of May 7, the Tláloc Foundation held the “Co-creation of the Holbox Circular” workshop to coordinate the island's organized civil society in the implementation of the “Holbox Circular Corridor” pilot project, with the development and presentation of a comprehensive work agenda.
During this activity, the challenges and opportunities on the path toward sustainability were addressed. Agustín López Colmano, General Coordinator of the project, stated that the first step of "Holbox Circular" is to gather and share the challenges the island faces by asking the residents themselves, since they are the ones who truly understand the areas of opportunity. Then, based on this information, we will propose courses of action to follow.
The results of this first round of work will be presented next June, and the lines of action for the coming months will be established.
We will be the island's allies, embracing the efforts of past generations and building a bridge toward the #HolboxCircular we want to build.
