The participation on the basis of environmental communication

by Eleonora Anello

It was held on April 30, 2010 in Lissone (North Italy) the seminar, conclusive event of the project “La scelta sui rifiuti” (The decision on waste), which means choice: choosing, sharing, exploring, working, find alternatives. The initiative was coordinated by Creda, an association founded in 1987 by Legambiente, WWF, AGESCI, and Italia Nostra, and involved in research, education, training and communication on environmental issues and urban ecology.

Dr. Daniela Conti, how was born this waste project?
«The project comes from the desire to face a topic as important as finding a place in the territory where giving rise to a disposal facility, solid waste, especially organic. The Province of Monza Brianza in its plan indicated this need mainly because of its recent establishment. So it decided to give Creda a citizens’ involvement project. We have worked together with the Consortium that is directly involved in waste disposal and serves 16 municipalities where our action mainly focuses. The project was funded by CARIPLO».

Who are you targeting?
«We turned to the young involving 81 school classes, approximately 1,800 individuals in addition to school staff who supported us with interest and families can rely on relapse. In the middle schools we have focused on information. We visited six disposal facilities for organic waste, some producing compost and others energy. We went to Pinerolo and Montello, true excellence in the industry, and then to Asti, Calcinate, Annone and Voghera, where pupils were given the possibility of forming an opinion on even disproving stereotypes. I can say that the suggestions have been discredited by the facts. We then entered further into the heart of the problem with the students to understand how to manage in a sustainable way the waste, not just organic, but more generally we have addressed broader issues such as recycling, reuse, in order to produce the final papers that will create to a final exhibition touring. For high school boys, the approach was different. To understand how to identify sites for composting and overcoming the NIMBY syndrome (acronym for Not In My Back Yard) we used a role game mainly to bring out the elements necessary to overcome stereotyped behaviours. Lastly, in a meeting open to the public attended by hundreds of people, numerous experts and students has prepared a final document relating to the experience then presented to local administrators».

Your approach focuses mainly on the participation...
«Involving citizens in the realization of these works is crucial. Only in this way it is possible to achieve significant results on the territory and I’m referring not just to waste management but also to other topics such as mobility. We want not just to inform but to take to heart problems to overcome. Certainly it is not the easiest and immediate way but certainly one that gives the best results, enriched recipients making much more willing to change their lifestyle».