Gonzalo Iván Arcila González, known to his friends as Chalo, was a diver, underwater photographer, ecologist, environmental entrepreneur, and lifelong adventurer. Born in Mérida, Yucatán, he spent much of his life in Akumal, Mexico, where he became deeply involved in protecting the extraordinary marine and terrestrial ecosystems of the region. A Fellow of the Institute of Ecotechnics, Gonzalo traveled to and participated in IE projects around the world, bringing together his passions for exploration, photography, ecological restoration, and practical environmental technologies.

In 1990, Gonzalo joined the Biosphere 2 project, coordinating the collection and inventory of corals and fish for its million-gallon artificial ocean and documenting the project through underwater video and photography. The experience profoundly influenced the direction of his subsequent work. In Akumal, he became Co-owner and Managing Director of the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation S.A. de C.V., working on wastewater treatment and recycling systems and the restoration and reconstruction of damaged ecosystems. He later founded Sustainable Technologies, providing research, environmental consulting, alternative construction technologies, ecosystem restoration, environmental impact studies, and the design and implementation of sustainability projects.

An internationally recognized and award-winning photographer, accomplished technical diver, sailor, writer, and lecturer, Gonzalo used exploration and imagery to communicate the beauty and fragility of the natural world. His photographs appeared in books and magazines, and his book Ventana al Paraíso (Window to Paradise) celebrated the landscapes and life that inspired him. Above all, Gonzalo brought an infectious spirit of curiosity, creativity, and adventure to everything he undertook. His life embodied the ecotechnic ideal of combining direct experience of the natural world with practical action to protect and regenerate it.

31 July 1954 – 23 October 2016