In Mendoza, the irrigation ditches, parallel to the sidewalks, farms or parks, make for a rather peculiar irrigation system, from the Huarpe Indians through Engineer Cipolletti to the present day.
These ditches have materialized in exposed or vented ditches, vital channels for crops, for plants and green in general, of such fecundity that 'the cuyum' or desert that is our Cuyo, has been penetrated and fertilized by the cuyanos vine growers, fruit growers and neighbors in general.
This proverbial system has re-greened immense extensions of Cuyanas lands and has recovered them for cultivation, afforestation and the landscape, channeling the waters, preferably meltwater, and taking advantage of the Andean decline.
Over time, these ditches have not been able to escape the effects of man-made pollution.
In this case, recurrent obstructions are noted in these aqueducts, mainly due to the lack of apprehension of man, neighbors and passers-by, who indiscriminately throw plastic containers and other garbage, many of which, in addition to jamming the irrigation rhythm, seriously and increasingly affect the environment of the Mendoza capital, which, by nature, is not one of the most gifted as we know.
Faced with this state of affairs, there is an opportunity with macro-influence impacts.
In fact, young people from Mendoza, street children, the most vulnerable can be guided, organized and accompanied by the municipality and NGOs to shape urban-rural micro-enterprises in their case- and work cooperatives, functional and with the capacity to solve satisfactorily the problem raised.
In this perspective, the municipality would pay each young person, for each container, a value in money or education or training or nutrition or internships or recreation or equivalent value.
Young people, in accordance with current legislation, may form one or more work cooperative / s.
These cooperatives, micro or small companies that are organized for this purpose, or mixed economy companies could assume the treatment, recycling and eventual burial of plastics, glass, cans, batteries, etc., deserving in this case the greatest administrative simplification as well as positive discrimination treatment in terms of taxes, fees, contributions and services.
This synergy would not only quickly solve the current problem but could assume the maintenance and prevention of the irrigation system and even go for more and better services, always prioritizing sustainability.
The link with educational centers and the media for education and awareness campaigns on the issue would also be of the utmost importance.
The impacts would be multiple, diverse and positive, both from the ecological, social, family, productive, labor, cultural, landscape and municipal perspectives.
This is what it is about when we talk about the solidarity economy, about the economy as one more social tool, but, in addition, it would be a good way to respond favorably to both strong demands from legions of unemployed youth, youth employment or the first job -before that they leave the country - as well as imperatives in order to develop credit and training tools specifically aimed at micro enterprises (arts. 1, 23 and cc. of the Regime of Small and Medium Enterprises of Law 24,467, and its promotion, law 25,300); decisively promote education, training and development in general and cooperative in particular (laws 16,583, 23,427, 24,195) and, finally, through this socioeconomic development, achieve the best possible human development, in light of art. 75 inc. 19 and cc. of our National Constitution.
