Today I reflect on a goal that can give meaning to every waking hour: taking responsibility for my environment. At La Joyita prison, prisoners started Eco‑Sólidos in 2014 to transform waste into value—composting food scraps, recycling plastics and aluminum, and planting trees. Now 80–90% of all garbage is recycled, drastically improving sanitation and morale Basura Cero+11The Guardian+11ICRC Audiovisual archives+11.
Positive daily goal: dedicate one hour daily to caring for communal spaces—sorting recyclables, cleaning corridors, tending small gardens. This builds habits of stewardship and teamwork. Visualizing how compost feeds saplings reminds me that small acts compound into real change.
Personal benefits:
● Sense of purpose: cleaning and gardening can combat idle time and helplessness. ● Skill-building: teamwork, organization, patience, attention to detail.
● Reduced tension: collective projects create camaraderie and reduce conflict ICRC Blogs.
Plan: Waking at 6 AM, spend 30 minutes organizing collected recyclables with peers; then an hour in the prison nursery, watering plants or preparing compost. Reflect briefly after, noting what I achieved and learned. Over time, I’ll observe physical improvements in our space and within myself—new routines, pride, emotional uplift.
Why it matters: This engagement isn’t just busywork; it’s part of a system that led to sentence reductions (2 workdays = 1 day off) , developing skills that translate to the outside. Through daily environmental care, I invest in the world, my future, and my integrity.
