- How are the people of Puerto Rico coping with climate change and the after-effects of Hurricane Maria? Are there sustainable strategies being employed?
They are coping by using their own resources to create sustainable ways to generate energy, including using methods such as solar power. Since then country has many sustainable resources that are accessible to the, they are utilizing them in order to generate a more eco-friendly community. Many of the people affected by the hurricane are rebuilding the community on their own, and using the destruction as an opportunity to create something beautiful. Since the government does not take action to improve the community, the people have taken matters into their own hands. The community is working together to rebuild property and utilize all of their resources. Since the country imports most resources it is important to utilize what they do have.
- What is ‘Disaster Capitalism’ and how is that making things more difficult for ordinary people in Puerto Rico?
Disaster capitalism refers to how the government uses natural disaster as an opportunity to boost the overall economy of the country. They use the rebuilding period after such disaster as an opportunity for capital gain rather than focusing on the best way to handle the disaster so that the people are not left with nothing. This shows a lack of concern for the people, from the government. Capitalists take these disasters as an opportunity to infiltrate without the barrier of high taxes, thus exploiting the people. Puerto Ricans are currently facing this problem as a result of long standing colonization by the US. This means that the people are not receiving the financial help they need to rebuild their community.
