Production of mezcal in Mexico is booming. That is to meet growing demand of the increasingly popular spirit in the United States. The boom in production has both created opportunities for producers, particularly in the state of Oaxaca, and come with environmental costs. One study found that plantations of agave, used to make mezcal, have expanded by over 400% over the past three decades, increasingly replacing forests and farmland with a species of agave known as espadin, used in most commercial mezcal. The loss of trees and vegetation is accelerating soil erosion, reducing the land's ability to capture carbon and recharge groundwater, creating heat islands in heavily planted areas.
Mexican-American clothing designer Willy Chavarria has apologized for an Adidas sandal that he created after being accused by Mexican authorities of "cultural appropriation" for copying an indigenous shoe design. The design launched by Adidas is known as the Oaxaca Slip On." It's a black sandal with braided leather straps attached to a chunky sports shoe sole. Mexican artisans and authorities say the intricate leather braids look strikingly similar to the traditional footwear known as huaraches made by the Zapotec Indigenous people in Oaxaca. Chavarria responded to mounting criticisms in a statement addressed to the "people of Oaxaca" in comments sent to The Associated Press on Tuesday. He said that "I am deeply sorry."
By LUIS ALBERTO CRUZ and FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ Associated Press
Hurricane Erick has made landfall in the western part of Oaxaca state in Mexico. Earlier, forecasters upgraded Erick to an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane before lowering it to a Category 3. Early Thursday, the hurricane's center was located about 20 miles east of Punta Maldonado. Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 125 mph. It was moving northwest at 9 mph.
