Berkley Center

The first time I walked down the hallway to my host family’s apartment, the automatic light turned off and left me fumbling in the dark for the light switch and the door. Almost every hallway and public restroom I have encountered in Salamanca, Spain has motion-censored lights that have the tendency to turn off earlier than expected. I have noticed this conservation-minded behavior reflected in many aspects of the Spanish culture, from the typical length of shower (about five minutes or less) to the use of clotheslines instead of drying machines.

During orientation, we considered the possibility of this thrifty behavior deriving from Spain’s previous dictatorship. After the Spanish Civil War in 1936 to 1939, Francisco Franco controlled an authoritarian regime that lasted until his death in 1975. The early years of Franco’s regime, referred to in Spain as franquismo, are characterized by political repression and economic troubles; for instance, the 1940s are commonly called the Years of Hunger. The harsh reality of the Spanish people during franquismo may have prompted a culture of cautious behavior that continues in the use of water and electricity today.

However, my observations here conflict with almost everything I have read about Spain. I have heard that there is a belief that water is a limitless resource and that people are resistant to water conservation efforts. In 2012, Spain had the highest water consumption per capita in Europe. In 2008, Spain experienced a bad drought that made water scarce in many areas. Nevertheless, the public political debate known as the “water wars” seemed to focus less on how to cut back on water consumption than it did on water-related logistical issues, such as whether to get more water through rerouting rivers or by building more desalination plants.

In a cultural adaptation workshop, we learned about Spanish attitudes that similarly conflicted with the environmentally friendly behaviors that I had observed. The cultural trainer described a general lack of concern for public spaces, explaining the common practice of littering in the streets. She told an anecdote about her father-in-law: when confronted about littering in a national park, he replied, “Pero este no es de nadie.”

The idea that you do not have to take care of places that do not belong to you (or anyone in particular) may come from the unequal land distribution throughout Spanish history. Additionally, it may come from the fact that Spanish national parks and other protected areas are fairly recent installations. Unlike in the United States, where President Theodore Roosevelt established several national parks in the early 1900s, Spain did not establish national parks until after franquismo ended in the 1970s. Nonetheless, the concern for conservation, or lack thereof, seems to depend on age. Public service announcements on television and environmental education in classrooms make the younger generations much more environmentally aware than the older generations.

Even so, I cannot necessarily attribute the energy and water conservation I have experienced in Spain to environmental reasons. Spain is currently facing a severe economic crisis. La crisis is a constant topic on television and in conversation, and its effects can be easily seen in the country. Due to the crisis, unemployment and costs have increased, and income has decreased. For this reason, water and energy have become significantly less affordable, which has created substantial incentives for reducing consumption. It seems that economics may be changing water and energy usage and promoting more conservation out of necessity.

The Spanish example highlights the importance of history, culture, and economics in behaviors and attitudes related to water and energy conservation. Whether or not the intention is environmental protection, the behaviors that I have observed suggest that there is a possible environmental silver lining of la crisis. Hopefully continued environmental education efforts can sustain this green trend even after the Spanish economy recovers.