Global Courant
The history of the Primero de Julio neighborhood began in 1967. Currently, different projects seek to positively impact the environment within the town and one of them was born from the organization Conciencia Verde, directed by Christofer Rodríguez, 29, who works together to 15 more people.
Green awareness arose in September 2019. Since its inception, those involved have been motivated to create ecological projects and other ideas for improvement for the benefit of the planet, support to rescue the Guacamayas ravine, reforestation and are currently united in the idea of ” Ecomural”.
They have managed to be a common point for the participation of schools, colleges, churches, companies, individuals and others who collect plastic bottle caps, as well as other elements to bring this plan to life. The great dream is to continue creating a mural that reaches a million caps and that currently already has shapes, colors and nature motifs that make an impact.
The beginning
Rodríguez was born in the colony. In his love for nature he has read topics and watches videos about recycling.
In 2020 Rodríguez began to investigate how to make murals with plastic bottle caps, “there are murals in other countries and the idea of doing it in Guatemala began to form, I told a group of friends to help me,” he recalls.
At first it was difficult because people did not believe in the capacity of this project. Together with other people they spoke and reached an agreement to do it in the 7th. avenue, between 18 and 20 street of the colony.
That is the perimeter wall of the Institute of Basic Education First of July, the measures were taken to plan. The space is 157 meters long, by 2.80 meters long approximately.
The invitation was posted on social media by Facebook and instagram from the Green Consciousness group. The calculations were made and one million plastic lids need to be collected.
In six months almost half of the mural has been reached, currently there are more than 320 thousand covers and little by little the covers and materials are gathered, while the volunteers place the hundreds of covers that are transforming the place.
Christofer Rodríguez, promoter of the ecomural in the Primero de Julio neighborhood. About 15 people are involved in this process and dozens of volunteers. (Free Press Photo: Erick Ávila)
“We want to make the longest mural in the world…we just want to do something different and make an impact,” says Rodríguez. The great purpose is also to obtain a Guinness Record
The drawings have had the support of the artist Aldo Zar Sánchez and the designer Elizabeth Córtez. One of the most immediate needs is to get golden covers to give life to the jaguar that Zar Sánchez created.
Currently there are cameras that monitor the place, since it has been reported on social networks that some people removed some pieces, so young people often seek to motivate the community to take care of this space that is becoming an attraction for visitors who come from different places to participate in its construction, or to leave their covers.
An ecological fair was promoted on June 3 in Colonia Primero de Julio next to the Ecomural. (Free Press Photo: courtesy Christofer Rodríguez)
More caps are needed, as well as a glue called Pegamix and other materials such as a special varnish.
The largest mural so far is in Venezuela and has 400 thousand caps. This was done by the artist Óscar Olivares, who has done other murals in different parts of his country and all of them add up to a million covers.
collection points
Receiving plastic caps of all sizes is the goal. The ideal is that they arrive washed and separated by colors, although otherwise, the volunteers also take care of it.
To take the materials or participate in the Ecomural of the Primero de Julio neighborhood, visit the pages of Facebook and instagram of Green Conscience, or write to WhatsApp 4273-2661.
