Interview to Bruna Brembilla, Provincial Assessor, Department of Environment of Milan: environment at school and environmental communication

by Eleonora Anello

On April 24 ended the First Festival of Environmental Communication addressed to schools and organized by her department. Could you present us a budget?
For participation, the subjects treated and the level of quality achieved, the budget was positive.
The schools that have participated are more than 50, with about 140-150 classes and 27 of these have made a final product that was presented during the festival in different categories of project (green spot, environmental slogans, small “ecological guards”, sustainable mobility).
About 50 classes from across the province of Milan were present in the 4 laboratories set at the “Bacon School Institute” from Monday to Friday.
The conference was attended by over 200 people.
In total, more than 4000 visitors, had partecipated at the festival.

What role environmental communication have, addressed to young people?
To awaken the critical sense as to commercial communication and advertising, where young people are often the ideal targets. Through the green spots, posters, games, children were given the opportunity to create and to disseminate messages that were different from those commonly used. Change the communication model and spread a different paradigm, more sustainable and responsible is our aim. In particular the concept of environment has been analyzed and interpreted freely by the young people in two different and complementary ways: the first is the usual sense of the environment from an ecological point of view, and then the subjects treated were waste, water, energy, also highlighting how these topics are contiguous to each other and how to involve each other. The second meaning given to the environment concept, refers to the social and the underlying issues: bullying, drugs, socialization, relationships.

You have rightly placed emphasis on the environmental education, what role plays within your communication strategy?
The environmental communication has a primary importance in performing the regional department functions. In fact, beyond the festival, we consider essential to provide citizens with a clear communication about the activities and projects that the department plays for the particular area that it covered.
I think to the waste and recycling plans or energy saving and the policies promoted about water: in all these cases the communication, information and education are always intertwined in order to promote a lifestyle more sustainable and conscious.

In which way has the department answered to the event?
The activities in the territory have been numerous: thematic meetings and moments of confrontation there have been no stopping. The response was very good and shows the great interest in the subject. In particular the response we have had on festival by schools and parents has been very satisfactory. Moreover, quite unexpectedly even other provinces have asked for participation, which demonstrates the great attention about topical environmental theme.

What will you recall?
In the initiatives of Pegaso, the project for schools of environmental education in the province of Milan, I always notice a very high level in terms of quality of work, exchange of ideas, skills and energy of teachers, students and parents. In particular this year I have to mention the girls and boys of the “Cannizzaro School” of Rho that under the capable leadership of Marzia Campione have managed the press office of the festival, new experience for them, with enthusiasm, competence and passion.