Argentina

Brief History

Argentina's political and economic history since the start of the 20th century has been tumultuous. In recent decades, a conservative military dictatorship has ceded control to democratic institutions. Much of Argentina's contemporary political organization continues the legacy of Juan Perón (1895–1974), who, as president, favored state intervention in economic activity and co-optation of mass organizations, especially unions.

Since the 1990s, and especially before the economic crisis began in late 2001, Argentinian lawmakers have adopted a variety of progressive environmental measures. Most fundamentally, the Constitution of 1994 explicitly establishes environmental sustainability as the government's responsibility. The same document prohibits the entry of hazardous or radioactive wastes.

During the 21st century, Argentina has struggled to recover from a devastating financial crisis that began in late 2001 and led to massive unemployment, manifold increases in poverty, and a quick succession of governments. One way of examining the economic fortunes of Argentina is through garbage. Each day, Argentinians discarded on average about 0.9 kilograms (kg.) per person in 2000 and 2004–2005 (similar to the averages for Poland and Chile). However, in 2002, this figure fell to 0.67 kg and then rose to 0.8 kg in 2003, as the crisis provoked Argentinians into consuming less and increasing their efficiency with what they did consume. As a result of the global financial crisis of 2009, a similar drop-off occurred, to 0.86 kg.

Cultural Consumption

In addition to soccer, the tango, and gauchos, beef and yerba mate (a drink made from steeping leaves in hot water) are essential elements of a traditional Argentinian identity. Consumption of these two items is nearly ubiquitous. Over 90 percent of Argentine households consume yerba mate. Most of the concern regarding mate focuses on its consumption. Waste from its production has not provoked large-scale environmental concerns beyond those generally applicable to agriculture, such as the runoff of pesticides. Its consumption usually yields a relatively light amount of waste, as it typically involves reusable and shared items, such as kettles or even larger containers of hot water, along with a gourd and metal straw for drinking. Some evidence suggests that mate can cause serious health problems, but other lines of evidence point to its health benefits.

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