Ecoparque (Region 1 Import DVD)

Tijuana is not only an entry point of people from Mexico to the United States, it is also the entry point of water that collects in the Tijuana River Watershed. The water flows via the Tijuana River and its tributaries from Mexico and empties into estuaries and coastal waters of the United States. In the developing neighborhoods of Tijuana, ecologists and architects from both countries have implemented a decentralized park system that addresses one of earth's most pressing challenges--the conservation of water quality and resources in the midst of growing populations and economies.

This film explores the creation and impact of Ecoparque. Based on permacultural principles, this innovative system transforms residents' wastewater into a flourishing park on a formerly barren urban hillside. This reuse of "waste" simultaneously serves as a welcome alternative to the release of sewage into coastal waters. Ecoparque's faculty and staff describe how the biofiltration derives safe, nutrient-rich water and compost that support the diverse ecosystem around the facility. Neighborhood members express how the rare green area provides a valued educational center and a shaded refuge in an otherwise paved-over, desert area.

The film also explores the viability of Ecoparque's zero-waste method as an affordable option for outskirt settlements along the Mexican/U.S. border and elsewhere. The success of Ecoparque makes a scientific and economic case for the preference of neighborhood-scale, nature-mimicking facilities rather than a centralized conveyance and chemical treatment for many canyon communities.

With enthusiastic reception from students, educators, planners, policy-analysts, and decision-makers around the world, Ecoparque is a source of critical and constructive discussion on cross-border relations, ecology, sustainable economic development, community empowerment, and architecture.