Public communication and sustainability

by Alessio Sciurpa

The Italian Public Communicators community meets at Com.Lab, scheduled in Bologna on 14 and 15 October, to discuss, share and improve processes, technology and professionalism .

This “COM.Lab, Communication and Technology Innovation" second edition, is promoted by the Italian Association of Public and Institutional Communication in partnership with Bologna Fiere.

The event will also be an opportunity to reflect on issues of sustainability: On October 15 it will be held the round table "COMMUNICATING ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY: BETWEEN GLOBAL SCENARIOS AND LOCAL POLICIES". Among the topics under discussion, the environmental information, the actual distance between the environmental community and citizens, participation and information by combining up to the policies of local marketing, how to collect the needs of the area to make them true heritage project, and the role that the professional public communicator function and his work, playing in these areas.

Will discuss it together Bompani Mauro, Manager of Communications Area ARPA Emilia-Romagna, Roberto Cavallo, President of International Association for Environmental Communication (AICA), Stefano Cazora, press office of the State Forestry Corps, Marina Galluzzo, City of Udine Communications Manager, Giampiero Mucciaccio, Director Antartide Center. Will coordinate the round table Paolo Tamburini, Italian Public Communications Adviser and Manager for the Emilia-Romagna region of communication, education services for sustainability . Latter region, which includes an excellent environmental portal, Ermes Ambiente, and an interesting "intranet 2.0".
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The future of waste management in Europe

by Eleonora Anello

How Europe will tackle the issue of waste and, specifically, the collection? Can the recycling help to curb climate change? The current economic crisis may affect UE policies? Have we the right tools to deal with the situation today?

These are the topics addressed by the conference: Selective collection of municipal waste - Practical aspects and best practices in Europe, organized by ACR+ (Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and sustainable use of resources) in St. Julian's, Malta, from 7 to October 9.

Two days of work organized by WestServ Malta (the Maltese public company, which deals with the integrated cycle of waste) and ACR+, which on this occasion will also hold its annual general meeting.

The meetings are addressed particularly at those with responsibility for waste management, political or technical, members of NGOs or associations, wishing to apply or to anticipate the new regulations, improve waste management by developing the best technical solutions, improving service to citizens and strengthening their communication effectiveness.

The conference will address various aspects of the collection of municipal waste, deepening the case of islands and tourist cities; experts from various EU countries will present some best practices in this sector. Also planned a focus on EU enlargement to new member States, with a reflection on the integration of policies related to the integrated cycle of waste.
Registrations are still open: for more information, visit the website.

ACR+ is an international network of members who share the goal of promoting sustainable consumption of resources and waste management through the prevention at source, the reuse and the recycling. The action of the network is based on three fundamental principles: sustainable development; the prevention and the recovery of waste; the partnership between public authorities.
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The boomerang effect

by Alessio Sciurpa

Legambiente (Italy) has realized a new campaign for “Clean up the World”, 2009 italian edition, which we spoken in ours previous post. “Clean Up the World" was originated from the collaboration between the Clean Up Australia and UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), linked by the common objective of extending on a global scale as proposed under the “Clean Up Sydney Harbor Day " on 1989 in Australia.

It is one of the greater voluntary environmental campaigns in the world, that help get rid of waste in parks, gardens, streets, squares, rivers and beaches many cities in the world.

The Legambiente campaign turns out to be of detail impact. The composition is simple and linear, the choice of the background colors values and underlines the message and turns out well correlated with the subjects chosen. Thus like the materials used for the graphical elements.

Overall, clear communication and balanced. A good correlation between visual and text, between everyday objects and their weight on the environment after finishing their cycle of life or their usefulness. The campaign subtends one of the environmental communication‘s concepts and of the communication in the field of the refusals: every action we perform in relation to our environment sooner or later will involve of the consequences.

The environment has a good memory, you should not forget that.
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Spring cleaning with "Clean Up The World"

by Silvia Musso

700 thousand volunteers only in Italy, more then 35 million operating all over the world. These are the numbers of the "Clean Up the World" promoted in Italy for the sixteenth year by Legambiente. TGR "Ambiente Italia”, Rai historic program dedicated to protecting the territory and the nature, will devote a special episode at this event, which confirms itself the larger international initiative of volunteer in the environmental field. The television appointment is Sunday, September 27th from 9.45 on Raitre.

The industrious scavengers will be committed to clean up the waste not only on beaches and forests but also corners of the city left to the neglect where unfortunately there are waste of all kinds.The direct RAI will touch every corner of our country, starting from Abruzzo where public administrators will be guests, at Stupinigi Park in Turin, to Sardinia, to Puglia and Sicily.

Beppe Rovera shall lead for over two hours the broadcast with guests, experts, representatives of institutions and especially the volunteers. Moreover to the head office of Turin, Alessia Mari and Vanda Bonardo (National Head Office of Legambiente) will respond to the questions and the comments from viewers for which active the free line 800 017 792.

The Italian edition of "Clean Up the World" will be the occasion to reiterate once again that through the separate collection before and recycling of waste then, these can transform them into useful resources. Furthermore, rolling up their sleeves will create concrete action but at the same time symbolic asking for more clean and livable spaces.

Tgr Ambiente Italy will air regularly every Saturday from 3rd October at 14.50 again on Raitre. More...

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Teaching, thought and action in environmental education

by Alessio Sciurpa

On September 30th , from 9.30 at the space Oberdan Viale Vittorio Veneto, 2 (Milan - Italy), the Province of Milan has organized the workshop “Agirpensando: Teaching and sustainable environment”. An opportunity to exchange ideas on how to do environmental education on school for teachers and educators. The opening of the new school year and presentation of environmental education projects of Pegasus, the training program of the Province of Milan to promote knowledge and understanding of environmental issues, it’s a good opportunity to riflect about it.

What we expect from Environmental Education, heightened of important content including sustainability, peace, world community, is first to provide information and knowledge and secondly to build values, shape attitudes that promote the formation of an "ecological" mentality that allows the individual to manage the uncertainties that we face on a daily basis in society. The workshop will be an opportunity to exchange ideas on how to do environmental education in schools: what the goals, methods, relationships between subject areas, relationships with the community and territory. Roberto Cavallo, President of AICA (International Association for Environmental Communication) moderate the meeting.

Detailed program here. More...

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Zadoorian and the cult of the reuse

by Eleonora Anello

For the lovers of the reuse and the good fiction we suggested you an event not to be missed: Friday, September25th, the literary festival Collisioni will host in Alba (Piedmont, Italy) Michael Zadoorian, Armenian writer of Detroit, disciple of Carver. Envi.info will attend the evening to go into with the author of "Second Hand", a novel published in the United States in 2000 and immediately became a literary case and arrived in Italy last year, the junk culture.

Who are the junkers? We can speak of a real philosophy of life? This is a movement?
Perhaps none of this. Rather than a lifestyle that often becomes an obsession. Indeed the issue of reuse is closely related to environmental issues. In fact, a purchase spared helps to produce a smaller amount of waste and then is good for the nature and the environment. Besides, why buy new goods when those that we still work?

While Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson in "The Scavengers' Manifesto", a book that we presented in a previous post, talking about “scavenger”, Zadoorian prefers to use the term "junker", who is fascinated by frippery, from the old things, from what some call the refuse. Think instead that the objects used are imbued with a singular charm. In addition and without any doubt, bring together two worlds: the past and the present.

Nothing new for the United States, where the Garages Sale are a real tradition. In the weekend, especially in provincial areas, families exhibit everything they no longer use in the garden of the house to be sold to hardcore collectors, to lovers of vintage, to fanatics of the reuse or simply to curious that they will give a new life to the forgotten things.

The cult of the reuse against the globalization of a frenetic consumerism of the accumulation that enslaves so many people and is highly destructive to the environment promoted by a sliding book, that dealing with lightness of important themes. A cultured and refined way to do environmental communication. More...

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IED Master in Environmental Communication

by Eleonora Anello

Entering its 6th edition the Master in Environmental Communication IED (Istituto Europeo di Design) is confirmed as a consolidated training reality.

The Master, in collaboration with AICA (International Association for Environmental Communication), borns from the awareness that more and more businesses, public agencies and nonprofit institutions must address the problems and opportunities that the environment offers. The environmental communicator responds to the needs of companies regarding aspects of "green marketing" and the relationship of the company to the territory, or, in the case of companies that produce environmental services, it is responsible for communication addressed to the citizen -user.

The course is 200 hours, divided into modules of three days over 6 months, a trend that also allows those who are already working within and want to implement their training, to attend courses. The seat of the lessons is in Turin to the IED. The closing of entries and the ability to access the three scholarships to cover part is set to 2 October.

This is the link to see the detailed program and more information. More...

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Cheese 2009 - A Thousand Ways With Milk

by Alessio Sciurpa

Grana, Fontina, Emmentaler, Raw-Milk Butter, are some of the “guest” of Cheese – Milk in All its Shapes and Forms is back for its seventh edition, to be held September 18-21, 2009 in Bra (Piedmont) and organized by Slow Food and the City of Bra (one of the four founders of the Slow Cities movement and member of AICA – Int. Ass. for Environmental Communication).

With the 150 thousand visitors of the previous edition, Cheese, as well as having helped consumers’ perception of the world of cheese, turning the spotlight onto the diversity of artisanal production, is also a environmental communication’s tank, highlighting the entire production chain and in charge of nutrition education, biodiversity and land conservation.

Some examples are Cheese Educates: through direct contact with producers and
their products, visitors to the event can learn how to recognize cheeses, evaluate their merits and defects, understand their production techniques, and discover their special characteristics and qualities.

The Master of Food: five hours courses each, divided into two lessons - will be dedicated to everyday cheese. The classes will explore some of the world’s most popular and copied cheeses, comparing industrial and artisanal production. The Master of Food will explain how to read labels, understand the traditions of different areas and differentiate between cheeses commonly found in the supermarket. During the lessons, an analysis of Grana, goat’s cheeses, Fontina, Emmenthal, Provolone and feta and their corresponding territories (the Po and the Loire rivers, the Swiss and Italian Alps, the islands of Crete and Sicily) will seek to define how to make a choice that protects the environment and cultural traditions, while satisfying the palate and the wallet; The Master of ecological horticulture: premiered in Cheese 2009, ecological horticulture uses minimal resources of energy, water, etc.. entrusted to the action of nature itself, in order to maintain the ecological balance; Cross-Border Cheeses: One of the new features this year is the space dedicated to products and producers from the Italian-French transalpine area. It is crucial to maintain agricultural production, seeking to support “chains of excellence", starting from the places of origin, which can also be developed from a tourism perspective. It is equally important that the agriculture sector participates in regional management, given its fundamental importance in protecting the environment, with farming practices like terracing slopes, forest cleaning and cutting and summer pasturing limiting the effects of geological instability and the risks of forest fires.

Also Friday, September 18th at 18.30 at the literary café, the association Slow Food - Italia takes stock on its new project of alliance between the Presidium of the peninsula and Italian cooks interested in giving space to the products protected by the Slow Food menu (at least three) in particular those of their region.

Bruna Sibille, Mayor of Bra: «An event on milk and cheese, two important segments of the rich European food basket of European food resources, can only aim to become a lower environmental impact event. This can be done through various elements, increasing educational profile and the production and disposal of waste. Element which, in a survey where you can taste food, it is not secondary. Cheese is inserted in the vein of the initiatives promoted by Slow Food for the defense of agro biodiversity. In this context, the event hosts the Presidium of milk around the world, as are many spaces to promote the concepts of good, just and clean which are the basis of Slow movement. The municipal administration for Cheese then wanted to try to make an additional element, which we have renamed the “presidium of the waste”. We use some volunteers near the ecological islands scattered along the event, to try to guide people towards a proper waste separation, with the aim of increasing the quality of the fractions of paper, glass, plastics and biodegradable waste. For the latter, we have studied a specific project, that requires the use of biodegradable and compostable tableware (cellulose pulp, Mater-Bi and PLA) by all the exhibitors and the public establishments affected by the event». More...

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Ravenna 2009 - "Lab and Lab"

by Alessio Sciurpa

5 lectures, 16 workshops, 20 labmeeting, 8 cultural events. Here are the numbers of Ravenna 2009 (Italy) a festival dedicated to waste, water, energy, sustainability and innovation, cities and territories. Three days of meetings of an informative-formative, to be held in Ravenna from 30 September to 2 October.

The event through its seminars, workshops and events (program at this link) has four main objectives:

• Transparency for a better understanding of the issues at all levels (technical, economic, etc.);
• Transferability of ideas, experiences and best practices;
• Transversality between knowledge and cultures of individual sectors: waste, water, energy;
• Traceability as monitoring of organizational systems and certification of management processes.

It will talk about environmental communication yet in the two workshops: on September 30, "Communication, Environment and Society: Interpreting the companies to create an efficient service”, and in the morning of October 1," Involvement, listening, comparison, decision: participatory communication for environmental and territorial services" in which AICA (International Association for Environmental Communication) will present some international case histories. More...

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How to live a Green Life

by Eleonora Anello

I want to use less-polluting products for me and my family. I wish I could buy foods that come from my territory. I wish I could cook preserving the nutritional properties of foods, without sacrificing flavor. I would reduce the waste that I produce. I would like to get dressed in a natural way.

The lowest common denominator of all these statements is: I want ... but do not know how. From tomorrow, thanks to Green Life, the new Italian "living green" thematic channel of DeAbyDay, the web-TV of De Agostini Editore, respect the environment every day, at home, at work, traveling and in town, will be easier, thanks to practical advice and simple rules.
A useful tool that aims, through interesting case histories, and targeted content, not only to sensitize people to a lifestyle more sustainable, but support them in the transition from one lifestyle to another, effortlessly.

It's easy to do it, if you know how.

The videos contents of the new channel give, in fact, hints and tips useful in everyday life to reduce energy consumption, to make bio shopping, to clean the house efficiently without polluting and taking care of themselves in a natural way or to dress in a environmental friendly manner.

Green Life is characterized by four series of original movies produced by DeAbyDay video factory: Biocosmetics, Household products and cleaners environmentally friendly, Eco-design and Disposal of household waste, the latter conducted by the AICA’s President Roberto Cavallo.

In this first series will be followed by others: Eco Mobility, on how to get around town in an environmentally friendly, Eco Office, to live in eco-sustainable even in the office, Eco House, to preserve the energy resources at home and Eco - baby, to teach children to grow up in a world in transition. More...

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The environment as a heritage

by Alessio Sciurpa

"To meet the challenges of the 21st century we need more transparent policies. To design these policies we need to better assess where we are now, where we want to go and how we can get there. To change the world we need to change the way that we understand the world and to do this we need to go beyond GDP".
Taking cue from the statement by Stavros Dimas, EU Commissioner for environment, in announcing that by 2010 the Commission will present a pilot version of an environmental index.

"The GDP – Dimas said - is not 'designed to be an instrument for measuring the welfare and as such does not take into account certain matters of vital importance for the quality' of our lives, such as a healthy environment, the social cohesion or the measure of happiness 'individual' ”. The question was on the board of economists and the subject of public discussion for some time, but the recent economic crisis and the trend towards a society with low environmental impact, have finally ferried the Commission towards this important decision.
Gross Domestic Product as a measure of wealth of a country is the sum of all production of goods and services of a community, without distinguishing the role that these goods and services have on real welfare. And then special allocation and natural disasters (such as in the recent case of Hurricane Katrina), arms production and sanitation, energy production from fossil and renewable, clean up polluted sites and waste collection are calculated on a single index.A similar conclusion has been received yet by another commission headed by Joseph Stiglitz in collaboration with Amartya Sen and Jean-Paul Fitoussi, commissioned by Nicolas Sarkozy, and whose results will be presented today at the Elysee. In particular the committee focuses on the impact of the concept of sustainable development and its impact on the performance of a community. Given the definition that in 1987 he gave the Burtland report - Sustainable development is development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs - the Committee recommends to find the indicators that measure the human and physical capital, on the assumption that sustainable development is what makes this capital increase, and preserve it for future generations. It is in this context that the words of Dimas - To change the world, we must change the way that we understand it - acquire particular value. When you include an environmental index as a reference to the welfare of a community, not just ethically, but also on the economy, there are two concepts that change of meaning:

Environmental protection - no longer perceived only as something to defend tout court, but as a "heritage" to be preserved, measuring its impact on the life of a community.

Environmental damage - no longer perceived as a crime una tantum, but as a crime in progress, measuring the effects in the medium and long term.

In guiding the transition of meaning is evident the role that environmental communication, has played and can play, towards a new conception of environment as a common "heritage".
As a result of this revolution, the e. c. will play the role that it deserves increasingly professionalizing on communities, markets, and those structures of government, too often deficient in this area. The creation of a common lexicon, no more the exclusive preserve of special interest groups, but widespread.
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"My blog is my message"

by Eleonora Anello

Telecom Italia, the protagonist in the communication sector by vocation, is committed to the environment through Avoicomunicare. The blog, central point of an ambitious communication project, is a multimedia platform that opens up new areas of confrontation between business and environment.

Explicit the invitation: make your voice heard too. Indeed, in the space dialogue of Telecom, not only bloggers but also prestigious guests alternate that are confronted by live chat.

To deepen the strategy of Telecom Italia, which gives a strong role to a young communication tool as the blog to strengthen its brand and anchor it to a strong ethics identity, we turned to Loredana Grimaldi, Head of Branding, Corporate Identity & Research, External Relations.

"Avoicomunicare" embraces a few months new marketing strategy: from Gandhi to the environment, from the tolerance to the ecology, riding the trend initiated by major international companies. Where does this choice start?
Avoicomunicare, which in these days celebrates his birthday, is a concrete testimony of the importance of dialogue, of listening to each other, of mutual sharing, of the more positive aspects of the sphere of communication of which Telecom Italia is a protagonist. For this reason we have created a space to reflect together raising the issues dear to those who follow us: environment, development, biodiversity, possible balance between different worlds and cultures, peace building through dialogue and knowledge. In recent months we have focused on the environment because the issue there was indicated through a survey from our community. Environment is a priority and un urgency, by suggesting witnesses and facts on topics that visitors have chosen, we hope to have contributed to the discussion and to the resuming: from alternative energy sources to clean woods, from the reduction of CO2 emissions to car sharing.

Among the changes that strike us is certainly a shift from a communication with a strong emotional impact, through a great communicator like Gandhi for example, to the simple blogger, all related to the narrative of small-sized stories in your video interviews. Then no longer to excite your target, but with involve it firsthand in an ambitious project of environmental communication?
Avoicomunicare outset has been an area of dialogue open to all, the exceptional strength of Gandhi’s communication, to which we've inspired, is in its "my life is my message." We believe that major changes can not be achieved without free expression and the contribution of anyone who has experience, ideas and proposals to be pool. For discussion on the environment involvement from the bottom and information are very crucial, because what is to be changed is the daily behavior of individuals, as well as the choices of a general nature. One of our small contribution to this is the "Carbon meter" with whom in Avoicomunicare anyone can measure its environment "footprint".

Plans for the future?
Avoicomunicare will continue to seek the confrontation and the involvement of those in the network are committed to the environmental issues and will listen of the themes that the same "network" will suggest from time to time. Soon we should begin a new phase with several news that we do not want to reveal yet ... In addition a special attention will be placed also in expanding our presence in the social networks, now we are on Youtube, Twitter and Facebook where in these days, among the first in Italy, we have made available to fans an interesting experiment in “increased reality”.
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9/11 vs. Tsunami

by Alessio Sciurpa

The protests raised against the WWF campaign that has covered Manhattan in the last few days (there is also a video version), sparked the ire of many New Yorkers who were preparing to commemorate 9/11, opens an interesting question:

It is lawful manipulate an event like this?

I can still make two comments:

- The first is: equate the two events, 9 / 11 and the tsunami of 2004, and the difference in their victims, allow also to equate the brutality of the earth (as stated in the campaign’s payoff) with the brutality of man. 9/11 is a deliberate act, the tsunami is a fact of natural origin. Albeit with the same brutality, the nature of itself does not kill intentionally, though the impact human activities on the natural cycles is well established.
- The second is that on the wave of the campaign, several media have also reported the new warning on climate change launched by the WWF at the Geneva Conference: approximately one quarter of world population (1,687,704,845 people) is threatened by flooding (tsunami, etc ) due to the melting of Arctic glaciers. Only the 2004 tsunami did 28mila victims.

The ratio between the data is obvious. But without this campaign, this new alarm would go unnoticed? Or the outrage at a campaign strongly emotional, risk rather damaging the image of who proposes it and the message you want to convey?
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Shopper? No thanks!

by Eleonora Anello

Did you know that there is a growing corner of the Pacific Ocean in which floats a real landfill composed mostly of plastic? To raise awareness and deal with this problem that affects mainly the marine ecosystem, MCS (Marine Conservation Society), a British non-profit association, and movement "Plastic bag free cities", consisting of 140 British towns completely shopper free, havelaunched on 12 September, the first "Plastic bag free day".

The first international day without plastic bag will be the right opportunity when it will be important not to accept shoppers, but it will be even more important to ensure that always carry a bag to the following become a healthy and beautiful practise.

In Italy promotes and supports the initiative "Porta la Sporta” (Carries the bag), the campaign promoted by the Comuni Virtuosi (Virtuous Commons) of which we had already spoken in a previous post. And in order to become the day a real success, organizers rely of word of mouth, a powerful tool for viral marketing, which is giving rise to various events throughout the territory and appears to be the strategic key of a change that could revolutionize the mores of society by helping the environment.

Specifically Porta la Sporta, like British promoting organizations, has planned a classic campaign that starts from the web, pervasive media, democratic and that allow a large number of people instantaneously and cheaply. It retrieves online all the material to spread the initiative in an extensive and comprehensive way at the same time. Not just putting up posters in strategic locations to inform and to involve citizens, but also press releases ready for use to contact local media and local governments that both can do so much for a successful event. These devices make an ordinary citizen becoming a real professional ecoactivist.

Positive the expectations of Silvia Ricci, organizer of the campaign: «As stated in the claim of the international movement "We are what we do". Single positive actions undertaken by so many people amounted can reach large numbers and generate great changes».

Saturday shoppers will be an opportunity for all of us to reduce our addiction from plastic shopping bags on behalf of more durable and trendy shoppers!
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Waste: a sustainable and participatory management

by Alessio Sciurpa

More and more public participation, information and communication based, and permeate the activities of governance in environmental matters. An excellent example of this, is the waste management area, with its multiple benefits.
Specifically to create professionals who can handle this type of division, was created the Master "Waste: a sustainable and participatory management" organized by the Department of Ecology and Sustainable Economic Development (Decos) for the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University (Italy), in collaboration with the Foundation for Sustainable Development (SUSDEF) and the patronage of AnciLazio, City of Viterbo and AUSL Viterbo. 8 months of course, from November 5, 2009 to June 2010.

Edo Ronchi, President of the Foundation for Sustainable Development, co-promoter of the Master. How did the idea of a training course specifically on waste management and why?
The new Directive 2008/98/EC on waste contains significant new features (prevention, preparation for reuse, the elimination of waste after treatment for recovery, quantified targets for recycling, etc.) that resulted in an update of Directors and operators. After the emergency in Campania (south Italy), there is a new and better attention on waste management and in particular the collection: this requires even greater effort in training for the dissemination of good practices already widely tested.

Silvano Onofri, Master Coordinator, can anticipate what will be the educational strands which address the participants?
The course includes a series of lectures on environment, education, participation and waste management, legislation, organization, technology and so on, while a substantial part of the master is dedicated to the Stage, a period of collective training that members can play in the City of Bomarzo. The aim it is to form a laboratory dedicated to the sustainable and participatory management of waste. Many company that are part of the Foundation for Sustainable Development simultaneously has become available to accommodate the students in Stage.

How important is today's active participation in the implementation of good policies in the field of waste management?
Without public participation in social life we can not expect to find a solution to the issue of waste management. We set up a training program that aims to solve real problems because the waste is not an extra, but an important resource of our country to be exploited in a positive way. More...

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Bathing prohibition

by Alessio Sciurpa

The shark, a symbol of power, has always aroused a certain awe in humans, embodied in the famous1975 Steven Spielberg film (and its sequels). The environmental communication actions on this subject have never been particularly strong, but I would like underline this South African campaign. That is set in an aquarium, a structure built by human, it is already suggestive. Who of you have never seen in a movie or hanging above the bathtub of a friend, a plate "Beware of Shark". The message is very clear: The real predators are humans. Not sharks.
In fact, every year 100 million sharks are killed by humans, in comparison, at the same time, only 4 people are attacked. Over 500 different species of sharks who succumb to one, the more invasive that has ever appeared on earth: man!

The implementation is very simple, the adhesives were applied on the windows that surround the space between sharks and humans, by reversing the reality, the sign of danger is readable by the recipients: the sharks. Danger, human! And not just for sharks unfortunately.

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Ecoadv: communicate on the water ... zero impact?

by Eleonora Anello

For companies that want to impress consumers; and for those always looking for unique and innovative spaces; for those in search of new forms of communication, the artist and performer Carlo Maria Maggia launches Ecoadv, a mix of environmental art and advertising "natural”.

Project-patent promises to revolutionize the world of communication.

On the one hand, Maggia organizes new and unprecedented advertising space capable of attracting the attention of even the most distracted and detached individual advertising, going to the conquest of expanses of water like oceans, rivers, lakes but also in aquatic environments most urban like harbours, fountains ... or even glasses of water! Secondly its communication claims to be fully eco-compatible.

Working corrugated sheets obtained from extrusion of corn starch and fully biodegradable in water, Maggia has indeed thought of making sculptures, installations and advertising, with a pre-determined length of time, until their complete deterioration: the impact "of end of season" will be zero, since the operations are unnecessary disposal.

The materials used to create advertising, in addition to starch from corn, can be manifold: for example those of organic nature which decompose within a few days, low cost, as ice or jelly.

Envi.info speaks directly with the creator of Ecoadv, the artist Carlo Maria Maggia.

With Ecoadv there’s an attempt to transform its environmental performance art into a tool of communication for commercial purposes, working on a frontier which today is still de-branded: water. There want to talk?
The project starts from an artistic utopia that leads to a social purpose, that is what I’m looking for. I try to approach art in order to improve the relationship between man and nature. The use of advertising is not the peculiarity of Ecoadv.

The strengths are definitely spectacular, the surprise effect and the possibility of endless forms. But nature will appreciate? It’s really a way of communicating "ecological"? Or there are possibilities that this could undermine the biological balance of the environment, flora and fauna, thus giving rise to a boomerang effect for the same advertising message?
Absolutely not. It depends on the amount and size of the message. The products used are 100% water soluble. You can also use the ice! Such campaigns are fully covered in the natural biological cycle, it would be like throwing bread into water! Just knowing how to dose the quantity.

Do you believe that there are real possibilities of development for this advertising technique, or, once the effect surprise will be vanished, you will understand that everything was in turn a great performance?
It can’t be anticipated previously that the project will be successful. But I can tell you with certainty that the world is heading towards the environment and sustainability, and that if this new form of advertising spreads certainly will not be adopted by the multinationals. The only objection that can be advanced is that the logo, after a predetermined period, dissolves in water and at the level of communication can be interpreted in a negative way. For the moment the project has aroused much interest in being a forerunner of a series of initiatives that will explode in the future. More...

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Think! You are “driving” the future of the planet

by Alessio Sciurpa

Every year more than 650,000 people in China die from diseases related to air pollution (World Health Organisation, 2007).

The main causes of Hong Kong’s air pollution are oil- and coal-fired power stations and vehicle exhaust emissions. Waiting to affect the energy choices of the country, the Gray agency of Hong Kong for Greenpeace, asks us to put the attention on a problem much more tangible: the use of the car, through the images above (click on image to enlarge) to support Car Free Day 2009 campaign. The use of minimal elements to form a more defined concept in environmental communication is not new (see for example our previous post, but the making of it is pleasant and safe impact. A semiotic level, images evoke an emotional connection between the claustrophobic and frustrating feeling that everyone (or almost), we test every morning going to work by car, and the subjects of the campaign.
Further information on the site Climatehero, which is also linked to the "Climate Hero on Campus - Creative Project Competition."

The finalists will have a chance to be the Greenpeace’s representative in the
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen following a
successful interview. More...

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