The island of Tenerife supports a population of nearly 1,000,000 people and hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. In addition, many of the people who live permanently in Tenerife generally reside in low-income areas and have to compete with the influx of money from tourism. The community of Tenerife needs to manage the large amounts of waste production and water and electricity consumption on their small island. They also have to achieve this while keeping costs low to support their lower-income citizens. So how do they do this?
Thankfully, all three of these needs are being efficiently met around Tenerife. Large waste bins can be found throughout the streets and include stations for recycling paper, plastic and glass. Residents may dispose of their waste for free at their convenience. These waste bins are emptied each night by garbage trucks which transport the waste to local landfills. Waste is also collected from the streets and water by municipal workers around Tenerife. These workers use palm leaves to sweep up trash, keeping the island impeccably clean.
Water is ingeniously sourced from the volcano at the center of the island, El Teide. Due to its elevation, El Teide and its surroundings receive much more rain and snow than the remainder of the island. This water is then collected and distributed under the name, Fonteide, or the fountain of Teide.
Finally, solar and wind-generated electricity supplies Tenerife with approximately 20 percent of its total electricity. For those who live in low-income areas, there is a two-hour window in which all electricity is free.
