Albairate protagonist of environmental sustainability

by Valeria Rocca

Saving resources and educating to environmental respect. This is the dual objective of the project “Risparmiando Educando” (Saving educate) eco-initiative of the assessor of environment and tourism in Albairate (MI) Giovanni Pioltini.

The project, in collaboration with ECOALBA Onlus and sponsored by the Consorzio Comuni dei Navigli, provides a range of "virtuous" initiatives on waste, water, energy, security and technology that will involve the citizens, the companies and the schools in the city , throughout 2010.
The most innovative aspect of the project is the willingness of the City of rewarding citizens less wasteful and more dynamic through a series of incentives, which result in a saving on the rate of environmental hygiene. The mechanism is simple: each initiative has been associated with a score. The participants, based on what they join, can accumulate points to receive a maximum discount of 30 euros for household.

The activities scheduled are numerous. In February 2010 was activated in the community the figure of “eco facilitator”. His task is to raise awareness on environmental issues and remind them of the importance of recycling and saving the basic rules.

Since March, however, are planned cycles of educational/environmental training.
The first "How to turn waste into money" is scheduled for March 30, 2010, at 9 P.M. at Auditorium San Luigi, Piazza Don Bonati, in Albairate.
Roberto Cavallo, AICA (International Association of the Environmental Communication) President and council member of ACR+ (Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling) and founder of the ERICA cooperative, will attend the meeting as an expert of waste management.

In the next months, meetings on other issues such as water will follow, with a visit to the treatment plant in June, technology, energy and security.

Sunday, April 11, the "Green Day" dedicated to cleaning the Navigli area will be held and, also in April, cycling routes are scheduled, to encourage citizens to use bicycles as a real daily transport, reducing traffic and pollution.
For further information about activities and news of the project you can visit, the City of Albairate web site, in the section “Risparmiando Educando” and join to the newsletter of the initiative.