Over the first half of the semester in my community and regional planning course at The University of New Mexico, we have been discussing topics in class that relates to how communities are designed and how they function once they are built. One topic in particular that I related to most within the first eight weeks was our discussion on Intel and its environmental impacts on the City of Corrales. One problem, in particular, that is most prevalent is the pollutants that come from Intel and make their way directly to Corrales causing problems for the residence and the environment. There are both positive and negative aspects of Intel’s presence in New Mexico.

 

The number one positive thing that comes from Intel being in New Mexico is the economic aspect. Intel has created many jobs for both those in Rio Rancho and Albuquerque and has brought economic prosperity to a state that does not have a thriving economy, to begin with. Furthermore, Intel’s presence allows for much more opportunity and puts New Mexico on the map for other companies to possibly bring their headquarters here.

 

While these are good things for New Mexico’s economic climate it is not a good thing for the environment. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines pollution as “environmental contaminating with man-made waste.  There have been many cases where people have reported health problems and environmental issues in Corrales. Health problems that only came about once Intel moved into Rio Rancho. The City of Corrales is a perfect example of how environmental problems can arise from when a company moves its main manufacturing plant to an area. This toxic relationship between companies and their environment can be seen on a much larger scale. For example, H&M in Bangladesh and Apple in China all have battled environmental problems that still occur today. It is a re-occurring issue in history that contributes to the destruction of the environment and the debilitating health problems for people around the world. In different environmental science courses that I have taken throughout college, I have learned a lot about how companies take the land and use the natural resources to make a profit and leave the land completely stripped and largely harmed beyond repair. And many of those companies are not held responsible for repairing that land to its original state. The harm to the environment is, therefore, an issue for everyone and should matter to each individual on this planet.

 

There are two reasons why I relate to this topic so much. The first reason is that I regularly go to Corrales as it has become a large part of my life and I enjoy spending a lot of time there doing a variety of activities such as enjoying nature walks and spending time with my family. The second reason is that as a college student majoring in architecture and minoring in economics, I am constantly exposed to new information about the environmental and economic problems that arise from stories much like this. Because I am learning about both of these things I am able to see how these two topics relate to one another.

 

Furthermore, I believe it is important to look at both sides in order to fully assess the situation in a thoughtful manner. While there are environmental problems that come from Intel we must look to see if removing Intel would be a smart decision. If intel were removed this would most likely improve the air quality and environmental problems for Corrales. However, it would also take away many jobs and would have detrimental economic repercussions for New Mexico. In my own experience, compromise always comes at a cost. In this case, the relationship between Intel and Corrales is no exception. If the decisions on how to improve this problem fell completely on my shoulders I would say that we should keep Intel but implement regulations and standards that would hold them accountable for any negative environmental impacts that could be linked back to them from their manufacturing process. Therefore, I believe it is important moving forward for city planners and public officials to think about both the economic and environmental impact that companies can have on a community. I think that the economic prosperity of a city is solely dependent upon the state of the environment and therefore should be the main focus of any community success. While these issues expand beyond that of Intel and Corrales it is important to recognize these issues and their complexity in order to solve these problems at large. As a college student still learning about these issues I find that becoming more knowledgeable can only help to make improvements within my life in order to be a more productive and environmentally conscious person in society.

 

Citations

• Merriam-Webster. “Pollution”.  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollution. Access. 8 Oct. 2019.