By Jane Bauer

Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.
Goran Persson

When we started The Eye four years ago, our collective goal was to provide information about things beyond guidebooks, beyond tour and hotel recommendations, beyond telling people only what they wanted to hear.

We hoped to give a glimpse of what life was really like here, and when I look at this issue, I feel as if it truly encompasses our mission. Huatulco is sometimes dismissed as a resort and tourist enclave. ‘Real’ travelers seem to go to Zipolite, San Agustinillo or Puerto Escondido- thinking that Huatulco is just one big resort. That couldn’t be further from the truth. This month showcases what a vibrant and evolving community Huatulco is. Julie Etra reports on the local landfill and recycling programs. Deborah Van Hoewyk explores the underground art scene happening at the Colectivo Tilcoatle, a true sign of the emerging consciousness in Huatulco.

There is the article on the Organic Market that is held the first and third Saturdays of the month in Santa Cruz and the Spay and Neuter clinics for animals. All of these groups and movements have one thing in common, to improve our community. It doesn’t matter where you live, getting involved in your community not only helps others but helps yourself.

The US National Health Service studied the health benefits of volunteering. These studies asked whether volunteering actually leads to improved health, or simply that healthy individuals are more likely to volunteer. The study states “While it is undoubtedly the case that better health leads to continued volunteering, these studies demonstrate that volunteering also leads to improved physical and mental health. Thus they are part of a self-reinforcing cycle.”

So if your resolutions for 2015 have anything to do with improving your health, you might want to skip the gym and see what is going on around town!

See you next month,

Jane