Cinemambiente: way to the thirteenth edition

by Annalisa Audino

It will be since 1st to 6th June, the first and most important Italian festival dedicated to environmental issues: Cinemambiente Festival, directed by Gaetano Capizzi and organized with the National Museum of the Cinema of Turin. Arrived at his thirteenth Edition, for the 2010 Edition, the festival moves from autumn to spring for linking in an important international event to raise awareness on issues of ecology and sustainability, The International Day for the Environment to be held on 5th June.

The review has as main objective the growth, through cinema, of the culture of the environment: screenings, debates, exhibitions, art initiatives, meetings, presentations of books and many other events intend to communicate the eclecticism of the environment and especially our role for its safeguarding. Two events, in particular, will demonstrate this year the international character of the festival: projections of No impact Man, the Italian film, preview, which tells the experiment of Colin Beavan and his family who have lived for a year to zero impact, and Mallaig, winner of best documentary Oscar 2010, on the serious danger of extinction of dolphins.

Interesting will be in any case all screenings of the Festival. The International Documentaries Competition consists of a dozen titles, including The end of the line of “Rupert Murray”, a searing document on risk of extinction of many species of fish, that became a case in England; the winner of Al Gore Reel Current Award Garbage Dreams by Ever Iskander, on "garbage people" that in Cairo collect approximately three tons of waste per day and live in a shantytown of waste; Big River man by John Maringouin, winner of the Sundance 2009, concerning the crossing of the Amazon swim of Martin Strel, said "man fish" by Indians, hero and show man in Slovenia.

The international character of the festival combines attention to Italy, with its negative cases of unauthorized alteration of the environment, but also of various experiences. The Italian documentary competition will tell some cases, such as Le White by Simona Risi, on asbestos of white houses of Rogoredo in Milan, and People of Alpes by Giovanna Poldi Allai, Sandro Nardi, Philip Lilloni, which tells instead a place where the relationship man/nature is still very strong, whose protagonist is the musician Lindo Ferretti.
The three competitions joins the section panorama: particular attention will be given to some of the cornerstone topics of festivals including the Focus on biodiversity, the Focus urban green (whose scope is presented the garden, which tells the community garden greatest of all the United States) and ambient/actions, which will host the projection of Logorama, Oscar 2010 as best short animation. Inevitable finally link with squares, that will be affected by a number of initiatives on the environment, including the 5th June Park(ing) Day, on June 6th the Bike Pride and the national gathering on guerrilla gardens, in addition to moments of literary debate.

Moreover, Envi editorial staff is glad to underline that this year into the context of Cinemambiemte Festival, the yearly AICA Prize will be also organized.
The AICA Prize, at its 7th edition, since 2004, aims to award who focus citizens’ attention on environmental issues, throughout communication campaigns, creating an environmental culture and awareness.
There are three yearly prizes: the AICA Prize “Communicating with Citizens improves the Environment”; the special prize “Communicating the Kyoto Protocol” and the Career Prize (entitled to Mr. Beppe Comin, one of the pioneers of environmental communication in Italy).
The first category focuses every year on a specific topic, that this year will be “Communicating the biodiversity”.
The award-giving ceremony is scheduled for June, 6th, 9 p.m. More...

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Give way to a new civilization

by Annalisa Audino

The official bulletin is impressive: every year on Italian streets are killed 1,000 people between cyclists and pedestrians of which 30% loses his life while crossing the street on strips, more than 20,000 are injured and over 50% of victims has more than 65 years. And what is more ridiculous is that all these tragedies are avoidable with the mere compliance by driving (and sometimes who walk). Precisely in order to draw attention to the rights violated in the so-called "road users weak" started on April 15, the national campaign "Siamo tutti pedoni" (We're all pedestrians). Venice, Bari, Bologna, Cosenza, Genoa, Palermo, Rome, Monza, Pisa, Trieste, Naples, Palermo, Barletta, Verona and many other cities partecipate to this campaign.

The communication campaign and related initiatives taking place behind the pedestrian crossing where motorists waiting for the Green piezosurgery booklet with cartoon characters who invite messages to drive putting safety first, pedestrians in the first place, but not only. In the booklet, delivered by operators with hats and t-shirts dedicated to initiative, you can smile and think with cartoons of Giannelli, Vauro, Giuliano, Staino, Pillinini, Rebori, Maramotti, Minoggio, Gomboli and Zaniboni. And so, between the image of Dante crosses "hell" of a busy street and little Red Riding Hood who is encouraged to pass through the Woods and not for the road because "than meets the Wolf", is reflected on the difficulties of who to move uses the oldest means of transport: the feet.

Many are also the familiar faces of real or imaginary characters whose image is associated with messages of prudence: among these Eva Kant explains to Diabolik that out of the car is "a pedestrian as others" Licia Colò reminds us that man is a " pedestrian to nature" and Piero Angela reads "When you drive recalls that even thou art a pedestrian ". Massimo Gramellini urges finally to bring "the air of Europe on Italian streets" and points out that "In civilised countries the pawn is sacred". Among the characters involved there is also the writer Carlo Lucarelli, comedian Vito, correspondent of Striscia la Notizia Cristina Gabetti, actors Lucio Allocca and Germano Bellavia (the Vigili Otello and Guido in Italian soap opera "Un posto al sole"), Franco Taggi of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and philosopher Duccio Demetrius. All praise the art of walking, a habit that is good for the health of humans and Earth because, inter alia, the pawn non-polluting and does not waste energy.

The campaign started on 15 April and runs until 31 May. Takes place under the patronage of the President of the Republic and is promoted by CGIL, CISL, UIL unions, pensioners, for the road safety education and security of Emilia Romagna, Antarctica and numerous local government, health care companies and associations.

At the third edition will also many collateral in the squares of cities adherents, including workshops for children and an exhibition, "Siamo tutti pedoni", 40 panels in Forex whose leitmotif is the satire and irony, in the belief that snatch a smile, though often bitter, can be very effective to reflect. The cartoons like arrows, may hit for their simplicity and directness the hearts and minds of people over many words. The exhibition presents over to the cartoons also illustrations, photographs with characters associated with messages, panels with scientific and educational texts, text devoted to walk and instructions to be of "good pedestrians".

The event then, as well as the exhibition, wants to offer an opportunity to reflect on the tragedies involving pedestrians and, more generally, their lives difficult city reigned almost sovereign cars. At the same time, it wants to spread awareness about the possibility of creating in Italy, like other European countries, a cultural climate and structural conditions adapted to grow safety and pleasure of pedestrian mobility. Walking is good for your health, persons and of the Earth. Everyone who walks does not pollut and does not waste energy. The goal is to build a virtuous circle that hold together the many social and institutional actors: retired from schools to unions, municipalities, associations.
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Reborn Conai’s spot

by Eleonora Anello



Informing the citizen because the separate waste collection depends on his behaviours. This is the objective of the campaign relaunched by Conai (National Packaging Consortium) “Da cosa rinasce cosa”, “Nothing comes from nothing”, advertising slogan that refers to the known law of Lavoisier, so nothing is created, nothing is destroyed: simply changes its form.

Aired for the first time in 2009, during the National Recycling Week (13-18 November), an innovative Web & street events directly from Conai, where actions on the territory in some Italian cities have been married to a strong web presence, the success and the popularity of this commercial made it to return to the small screen. So since this April, 11th and for three weeks back on air a familiar spot, recognizable from its jingle that conveys a strong and positive message. Thanks to its chorality and the varied, expressive and communicative casting, the spot is set in the nursery of the “Department rebirth” where nurses don’t care for newborns, but the “re-born”: coffeepot, hanger, vases, that have seen the light thanks to the recycled material. That's easily explained the importance of recycling. It seems that the Italians did not have to be done away.

In these days Conai, old Aica’s member, presented its annual budget. Despite the period of severe crisis that saw increase the costs and decreased the revenues for the Consortium and has reduced the consumption of individuals; the willingness and the number of containers destined for recycling bins have increased. «In the 2009 budget, the total recovery, the result of the amount of packaging waste brought to recycling and energy recovery, reaching 72.3% of the consumption - said the Conai press office- the equivalent to 7,762,000 tonnes recovered at 10,742,000. The Conai system, even in an economic downturn, registered a growth of overall recovery of + 3.75 percentage points over the previous year».

The increase in waste for recycling has affected all areas of Italy and is most evident in the South, although the gap between North and South, quantitative results in terms of per capita, remains and is still significant (in the North are collected and sent to recycling 89 kg of waste for inhabitant for year, while the Centre 52 kg and the South 37 kg for inhabitant). «In 2009 Conai confirmed to be an efficient system- says the President Piero Perron- because, even in a critical period, managed to achieve their goals. Its role, it was instrumental in supporting recycling activities at the national level, ensuring the smooth withdrawal and starts to recycle all packaging waste delivered by the municipalities and, with it, the results of the six overall recoveries of packaging materials».

The campaign relaunch, consistent with the institutional role of the consortium, aims to promote the culture of recycling and focusing the public attention on this issue and the results achieved to date. More...

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Recycling with affection also in Ravenna

by Annalisa Audino

You know that bad feeling when you throw something that was dear, but now it has finished his "career"? They remain there, to secure it a lot of times, to wonder "Do I throw it away or not? Will or won’t it serve me? "until someone obstinately store it in a drawer or closet, arguing that might be useful or just because it's a memory, others, more courageous or perhaps less romantic, bring it to landfills or make it with the garbage. Well, the RCA project, Rejection with Affection, has found the solution by bringing into circulation articles intended to landfill, but still in good condition. So what has become useless for a person becomes useful to another and not really seem to discard them.

RCA stimulates thinking waste and on daily gesture of "recycling", highlighting the importance of a critical and aware. The project operates special trays fitted with sliding transparent and Interior divided into shelves, that allow inside objects "rejected". From the idea of showcase, they want to create a new relationship between the inside and outside of the casing: the action of "Chuck" and "dig" turn into a "give and take". The Bank becomes so Exchange point for objects that restore utility, as well as meeting and sharing between people. Dumpsters are positioned on the streets and in public spaces (libraries, schools, centres, etc) and for the moment are located in Venice, Rovereto, Mestre, Matelica, Rivignano and now also Ravenna.

In the Emilian town will be placed 5 dumpsters RCA, three of which in schools that are made available for experimentation and that will accompany the practice of the exchange for a training and educational approach: the G. Garibaldi primary school, the secondary school State Technical Institute and the Commercial G. Ginanni. The other two boxes will be available to the citizenship and placed the Office Customers of Hera Ravenna (via Rome North) and the seat of CittA@aativa (via Carducci 14). The latter casing will be also used in the various environmental initiatives to convey a more effective communication campaign on the need to reduce waste generation and retrieval of materials and articles which useful measure to slow the consumption of resources. The initiative makes use of the financial contribution from the Emilia Romagna Region aimed at raising awareness to the ecology and sustainability.

«The purpose of the campaign is to promote the culture of the separate waste collection, relying on the communication level, the phrase “I'm sorry to throw it away..." –promoters say- The project aims to investigate the potential of art in everyday language, exploring the boundaries between public and private, community and individual».

And many people are enthusiastic about the initiative: encouraging citizens to the practice of reuse and reuse, RCA is acting in full respect of the four priorities, introduced in 1997 by the Ronchi Decree, now summarised in the "R" Policy of 4 (reducing the amount of waste generated; reuse of materials post-use; recycling post-use; energy recovery from waste). Entities, institutions, associations, corporations or ordinary citizens can activate Refusal With Affection: you should write to info@rifiutoconaffetto.it.

Try you too! More...

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Thousand ways to say biodiversity

by Anna de Polo

What does it mean “biodiversity”? If you could answer to this question with nothing else but rumbling words, no fear! You are in good company. It seems in fact that the European citizens have few and confused ideas about biodiversity. A Eurobarometer survey on the “Attitudes towards biodiversity” reveals that only 38% of Europeans know the meaning of the term, although another 28% have heard of it but do not know its meaning. A majority feel that biodiversity loss is a serious issue, although they do not think they will be personally affected by the decline. This survey makes clear that is necessary to inform the European citizens about this argument and to give them the feeling that the biodiversity conservation does not mean only defence of some exotic dying species, but also actions affecting their own daily life.

For this reason the European Commission launched an awareness raising campaign with the slogan “We are all in this together”.The main trust of the campaign, which coincides with the UN’s designation of 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, will be to show citizens the potential implications that the biodiversity loss will have on their lives and the role they can play in preventing this loss. It will be important to stress those aspects of biodiversity that interest people directly, included the agroalimentar diversity, i.e. the variety of plants and animals that feed us. The director of Biodiversity International, Emile Frison, said: «Any discussion of biodiversity conservation and preservation needs to remember that biodiversity of crops and livestock is absolutely fundamental to human survival and well-being».

A promoter of the importance of agroalimentar diversity is Diversity for Life, which is organizing from 19 to 23 of May in Rome, at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, the “Settimana della Biodiversità” (Biodiversity Week). Accademics, scientists, economists, writers, cooks and artists are coming together to inform the public opinion about the rule that agroalimentar diversity plays in improving healthy, in fighting malnutrition, in adapting to climate changes and strengthening the local traditions and identities. The Settimana della Biodiversità activities include conferences, round table discussions, film festivals, photograph exhibitions, science coffees, interactive exhibits, concerts and workshops for children. During this event it is awarding a prize to the winner of the Second Edition of the Contest “ Celebrate the Guardian of Diversity in the Mediterranean Sea”, that acknowledges the contribution of farmers, scientists, activists and others to biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean Sea.

Biodiversity is the diversity of life, in any of its form and at any level of organization (from the genetic to the ecosystemic one). The variety of the living forms is a treasure for the planet and for its present and future inhabitants, because it represents the way in which nature “diversifies its investments”, protecting itself from climate changes, epidemics, diseases etc. Therefore it’s a heritage to preserve for the well living of us, of our children and of our planet. More...

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Differentiate in line with Earth Day’s values

by Paolo Ghiga

On 22 April 1970 the first Earth Day of the Earth was celebrated by the Democrat Senator Gaylord Nelson who invited the public to protect the environment by putting it in front of ecological disasters perpetrated by man. That day of April 20 million people responded to the call. The principle of earth day cares and ennobles everyone all inextricably from our sources, we have the right to a healthy environment, sustainable and renewable, and we must strive for continued to be so. This occurrence that the United Nations celebrate every 22 April is recognized by 175 Nations. The led educational and cultural manifestation consists of projects and suggestions to try to eliminate or limit the harmful effects of human activity: the conservation of natural non-renewable energy sources like oil, gas, fossil, the condemnation of the use of harmful chemicals, the protection of habitats and ecosystems such as forests and rainforests, essential for life on Earth and the protection of endangered species and endangered species. Great interest, finally, is always the problem of waste.

On the occasion of Earth Day in 2010, New York will apply the new laws for recycling of garbage, updating them after 20 years. The Big Apple is preparing to deploy the streets a plethora of bins, while the system of collection will present some variants: residential buildings will have to separate the waste; in multifamily housing blocks with lift you can instead, on every floor, differentiating paper, cardboard, glass and plastic. In the case of brownstones, buildings without elevator, the waste collection will be carried out in small plastic bins at road owned by the estate.
Another variant is the presence of containers used for the collection of used clothing and rags, equal to about 10% of the total waste products, usually collected along with the rest. The efforts, in addition to cost containment, have turned to reduction of final mass of junk. But there's more: toxic materials are recycled and introduced a provision which obliges retailers of paints to withdraw the packs dried and those that can no longer be used to collect them separately. The Councillor of the junta Bloomberg, current Mayor of New York, Christine Quinn, says that the cost of the operation will be zero. The savings in having to remove a smaller quantity of wastes (8000 tonnes less plastic, equivalent to the production of rubbish to 10,000 inhabitants) will lead to balance.

The doubts about this new course however come from commercial buildings (e.g. headquarters of American and international newspapers). Here the differentiated is not covered and cleaners collect all without distinction. The reason? The New York City Department of Sanitation is not responsible for the collection of waste into skyscrapers; each of them must rely on private companies which, theoretically, must recycle. Cheaper, therefore, pay a fine rather than differentiating.

Don't miss the Internet action named “Green Generation campaign”, according to the official website of Earth Day network, the only worldwide game during the last edition. Designed by blogger Simone Zuin and conducted by some young spread on close contact between them, the awareness initiative aims at the realization of a future based on the exploitation of renewable energy that allows us to free ourselves from fossil fuels, through a commitment ad personam for responsible and sustainable consumption and for the dissemination of a greener economy. If you want to participate you please visit this website http://www.decrescita.com/terra and Facebook or write to the following e-mail address: giornatamondiale@decrescita.com. More...

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Donkeys to promote

by Eleonora Anello

A different experience from the classic carousel ride. It appears so to the children running alongside the promenade of Finale Ligure (Italy) the initiative promoted by AIVAM (Italian Association for the Promotion of Donkey and Mule) based in Giaveno (Piedmont) that for ten years has been fighting to ensure that donkeys and mules would not be forgotten and would not disappear from the countryside and mountains, inventing new uses and disseminating their culture and history.

When we meet Aldo Vico, a retired teacher, founder and coordinator of AIVAM, a child is waiting patiently to give him a drawing that represents herself while riding Grigina, a mule that in 1990 after attending the Palio of Alba (a donkeys race) was destined for the slaughterhouse.

Aldo walks tirelessly back and forth to interact the children with animals for many never approached or petted, and does so in a way very similar to his four-legged, in a slow and relentless, step by step, hoof after hoof. Waited for their turn, the children are placed in the animal almost like a ceremonial: before Aldo tells them some curiosity about the donkeys, then carefully choose the more appropriate helmet, and, finally, they are ready to mount on the back.
Mr. Vico, what are the AIVAM’s activities?
«The exceptional rusticity, the resistance to fatigue and the frugality of these horses so-called "minor", make it the ideal companion for hiking in high mountain and irreplaceable means for transportation of materials of all kinds such as food, camping, sports (canoes, mountain bikes) or cinematographic equipments. At this time, we are working with a construction company that is building a house in a place not accessible by heavy vehicles on the Ligurian coast. Today the donkeys at the margins of society because of modern mechanization and cultural patterns that favour speed, immediacy and little attention to the environment. Unlike the donkey is slow and thoughtful in its certainly ecological exist and work and we "raise" for this».

The communication of your association has therefore the educational purpose, but also serves to introduce you to finance the survival of animals protected. By what means do promotion, in addition to the tour in Finale?
«Our animals need daily care, food, wide space in which to live and shelter. To finance us manage a site, let us expand the number of our members, about a hundred in all Italy, and for years we have been teaching in schools. After an initial inspection by competent teachers, come from schools with donkeys so that the students can see up close. We give more information about the peculiarities of these special horses, do a tour to each student and comment on our photo exhibition, organized in collaboration with the municipality of Giaveno and the Piedmont Region, composed of 23 panels 70x100. The photographs are divided into two distinct strands: one historical and civil, to the beginning to the present day, the other military».

Two girls continue to tear the grass beds to feed the mules of the avenue. Maybe it's time we leave. The tour, monotonous and inexorable, may resume! More...

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The trees growing on buildings...

by Annalisa Audino

That town planning, architecture, engineering are changing is a fact. Just as it is true that all plans are gradually trying to give greater attention to the environmental impact, undertake to safeguard the green areas of cities and try to raise awareness among citizens in respect of the nature that surrounds them. But sometimes the design and art have the upper hand. As it is happening in Milan, where some buildings are designed as covered by an expanse of green up to represent almost a wood: real ecological skyscraper designed by Stefano Boeri.

In these months several activities are ending: the wind tunnel tests of Polytechnic and the design of a system of anchoring the roots of the trees, as well as a constant monitoring of home control applications for the new wood vertical. The goal is the realization within an area of over 300,000 square meters of buildings certificated only with the North American system of LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design). Particularly waiting the challenge on the Island for 29,000 square meters: it is, in addition to the two structures intended for habitation by Boeri (105 and 75 meters), the buildings signed by internationally renowned architects William Mc Donough (offices for 6,300 square meters) and Lucien Lagrange (residential 4 storeys). And all in record time: by 2013 Hines, the company promotion project, thinks to complete all new neighborhood.

In particular, the two buildings of Stefano Boeri will become one of the landmark of Milan that changes and look towards Expo 2015: covered an expanse of green, the two towers provide 120 large trees, 544-sized, over 4 thousand small shrubs. The trees will be planted on the four facades of the buildings and will protect the structure from excessive radiation of the summer months while let pass it in winter. According to the designers they'll fight also noise pollution, grabbing soot release moisture and produce oxygen. And if do they break? Also this was calculated. Evergreen plants, and Feuillants (chosen for their ability to live in conditions and not to create allergies), will get to 6 feet tall and a safe anchorage system will be well publicized to the wall.

«We will verify the plants one by one – explained Laura Gatti, one of the paesaggiste agronome – the real critical moment will be in the first two years, then the roots will make sure the structure. Paramount will be maintenance: sensors will monitor the growth, the need of water, the status of the basins, the steady anchor. There will also be a centralized watering system with probes». Obviously the distribution of trees has been carefully studied: ecological and ornamental plays characters so that the whole Green is recognizable as a system architecture. But is this really the right way to create green spaces in cities? Woods vertical to free climbing? Milan has an important tradition in the field of urban planning and design of the city as intimate connection between architecture, society and social trends: the example given, therefore, should not be to a masterful construction that sand create, firmly on the ground, the right balance between buildings (with solar panels, lifts that work with renewable energy, etc) and green areas? More...

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Ecoman goes by walking school bus

by Eleonora Anello

Green suit and cape, a large E on his chest and a single mission: to teach children to be leading a greener lifestyle healthy and sustainable. It's called Ecoman and is the new superhero created by the Italian Ministry of Environment and the Regional Environmental Center (REC).

The comic will be distributed in booklet form and was presented at Parma, at the Fifth Conference on Environment and Health (March 10 to 12) led by the Italian Ministries of Environment and Health and WHO Europe. The ecological superman, a figure near to the youth imaginary, with the motto “Il nostro agire fa la differenza” ("Our work makes the difference"), poses specific questions to the inhabitants of Asmaville, sickly children, choked by smog and numbed by a lack of movement, on environmental key issues, such as water, electricity, health and climate change.

In the advertising campaign targeting young segment, the comic is widely exploited for its ability to arouse interest, especially for its iconic power and its simple language. In addition to the message that want to convey, its sequence and its static nature, in conflict with the YouTube generation to which it is addressed, can involve the user thanks to its characteristic white space separating the cartoons, filled by the imagination of the reader. And you know, the recipient involved is probably more easily manipulated.
What it raises some concerns about the campaign is not much the choice of the comics, but that of the cartoon character: caring environment, is it truly a heroic act?

Going to school walking bus, as recommended Ecoman, is a fact so extraordinary? To see what happens in Cremona (Lombardy – Italy) since 2006 would not seam. Active in 8 primary schools, 20 lines in operation, 253 children enrolled, 123 carers between parents and volunteers, 13 km route each day, the Cremonese walking bus is operated by the Laboratorio dei Bambini of the Educational Policies Sector of the Municipality is part of a larger project “Io cammino... alla grande!” (“I walk ... great!”) which deals with the future citizens to spread the knowledge of the area, its landmarks, the stories and develop an emotional bond with their places of life.

Stefania Reale, head of the walking school bus, explains how, unlike Ecoman project, «The promotion of the service is actually divided the territory through various levels: from meetings with parents, to the dissemination of a brochure and a poster (especially to search for new companions); from the information presence at the event of the city, to the constantly updating the website and the newsletter allows us to communicate with members. The City also organizes an annual competition and a party with lots of awards for both children and adults, in order to increase the enrolments and to involve the schools should live the walking school bus as an educational service to be implemented in collaboration with the families». More...

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Streets open to children

by Annalisa Audino

It is time to give space to children: Legambiente will give it throughout Italy on Sunday, April 18th with the 2010 edition of “100 strade per giocare” (“100 streets to play”): a whole day dedicated to the theme of traditional games for mobility with a reappropriation of territory, roads and cities. The manifestation, final event of the wider winter campaign “Mal'aria”, is not only an opportunity to enjoy a city more beautiful and cleaner, but an opportunity to return streets and squares to citizens, to rethink public spaces in ways that are more usable by all, to promote and encourage more sustainable mobility which takes account of the needs of younger people. One way to guarantee the everybody the security to cross a road without risking to be invested, walking on a sidewalk unhampered by automobiles savage parked, breathe without risk to human health arising from traffic and smog.

From the smallest villages to the big cities in which the levels of particulates are consistently higher than the norm, the event will be an opportunity to close to traffic streets and squares to return them to the free movement of pedestrians, to organize gatherings in the form of games, theatrical and musical performances, relays, workshops, exhibitions, debates and blitz against invasions of cars!

A communication campaign that wants to be tangible, that wants, in other words, to demonstrate that the city can live without traffic, smog and noise and appear not only beautiful and liveable, but also more healthy and suitable for children. This initiative is a time of celebration and socialization through the play and the conviviality is an opportunity to experience another way of life not only for children but also adults.

You must indeed reduce the level of fine particles due to vehicular traffic, changing lifestyles and technologies: the fight against climate change should pass not only through the municipalities, which may adopt incisive measures for sustainability, but also by individual citizens and associations. In short, as tradition for 15 years, "100 strade per giocare" will be a celebration for everyone, children and adults, without exclusions for a future greener and safer. For more information email ragazzi@legambiente.eu or telephone 0686268352. More...

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Eart, from concept to quarterly publication

by Silvia Musso

Eart threepointzero, evolution of the “eart” concept, becomes stable quarterly publication. Available in free download here, under Creative Commons license, eart threepointzero borned as “environmental media” on environmental and social themes, unique concept in the international scene. A digital publication that could be produced, circulated and read causing far less impact than traditional magazines. An interactive pdf with an horizontal layout made easier the use of non-linear text, increasing usability while sharing special functions (in addition to RSS), stimulate and simplify the deployment of editorial contributions. Finally, an extra section facilitates the deepening of themes through multimedia content and useful links.

Eart acronym of Environment, Art, Research and Technology, promotes a strictly NO PRINT culture, placing the text at the bottom, in one continuous section with minimal graphic elements. For those who really cannot do without printing – for personal, professional or health reasons – we draw a line between the printable and non-printable areas. The choice of a green font, if it is necessary, save resources when printing.

Even the editorial work is inspired on the principles of emission reduction, using ICT tools and limiting the physical movements, both at organizational and operational, both in the implementation of editorial contributions.

«Eart threepointzero is a cultural centre - says Ilaria Testa, Editor in Chief - Never as now there are the feeling of the need of a new narrative, devoid of the stereotyped buzz that has surrounded and continues to surround nature and our relationship with it. In order to achieve this goal, we promote young talent: in each monograph issue of “eart” a young emerging artist is invited to explore the relationship between man and his environment».

In this issue among others: John Grant and his new book "Co-opportunity”, Gennadi N. Bogdanov heir of Mejerchol'd Biomechanics Theatre, Paolo Fresu and Informatici Senza Frontiere. More...

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Football sided with the environment

by Paolo Ghiga

That the problem of the environment is a very sensitive issue is known to all, so much that for some time also some Italian football teams have decided to disappear from the sponsors' logos t-shirts to host important reflections.
And the examples are many. Some months ago, on the occasion of the transfer at the Court of Turin of the Eternit process for asbestos victims in the territory of Casale Monferrato, in Piedmont, the Casale Calcio (in agreement with other local sporting organisations) has decided as a form of sympathy and solidarity to expose on their jerseys "Eternit giustizia"("Eternit: justice"), to not forget and to shake the public.

It is news recently, however, that from Sunday 21th March t-shirts of Urbino Calcio will host the slogan "Solare sì, nucleare no" (“Solar Yes, nuclear no”), for an initiative so far unique in its kind.

The debate on nuclear power is returned because of the level of current emergency of energy sources and environmental pollution and has already collected opinions strongly opposed technicians.
But there's more: for aficionados of football, now in fibrillation, the Football World Cup 2010 is imminent.
The gest of every nationality, technical discussions on form 4-4-2 instead of 3-5-2 will enrich their days to a month.
The most interesting, though, comes from the tournament produced by Nike and planned, for now, from nine national teams: they will be sustainable, i.e. obtained each from recycling of eight plastic bottles. Given the total number of players (32 teams entered), the economic savings is clear. In addition, approximately 254 tonnes of waste landfill survivors will be sublimated into a task far more honorific: the equivalent in area of 29 football fields, while 13 million plastic bottles recycled polyester become colourful ecological jerseys.
The process of producing wrong-headed of "raw" from Japanese and Taiwanese landfills and by spinning tissue obtained. It is estimated that the savings of energy to produce than using polyester Virgin can reach 30%. The national teams that will show off ecological meshes are Brazil, England, Portugal, Holland, USA, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Serbia and Slovenia, to which we hope the remaining teams, primarily Italy, will follow too.
Some experts argue that the example can be followed by various Nations also locally: think only to saving for Italian Serie a and B, but especially at the aspect of environmental sustainability that would make an entry in its own right in a sport that collects almost the totality of the public favours. More...

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Coin is being tinged with green

by Francesca Capizzi

“Be natural”. This is a new and original project promoted by Coin in order to start the spring season sales.

T-shirt made of milk fiber, millboard made furniture, energy saving bulbs. Also clothes, bags and many accessories made with eco-friendly materials, bio-foods, micro gardens and environmentally friendly games. These objects are just a little part of those you’ll find in the Coin shops until the 25th of April.

Inside this project is integrated the most important aspect: in cooperation with Eco-Way, first Italian advisor in the climate change field, Coin started the initiative “No Effetto Serra – Emission Free”.

The initiative is inspired by Kyoto Protocol’s belief in terms of harmful discharges and aims to compensate for the carbon dioxide produced by the electricity consumed within the shop windows of the 40 shops involved in the project with the planting of 14,700 new trees. The trees will enrich the woodlands of Serra Po, close to Italian city of Pavia.
This is one of the initiatives where the goal is the creation of new green areas and is promoted by Lombardia Region which is related to the 10,000 new hectare wood and green multifunctional systems campaign.

«It is an important project – says Coin- It is the first one of a range of actions taken by our company with regards to environmental responsibility and reduction of the discharges impact». More...

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Plastic bag free week

by Silvia Musso

In Italy during these last days, many public and private actors, institutions and businesses, schools and associations, are deciding to participate to the National Week of “Porta la Sporta” (Bring your reusable bag). Does the name remind you of something? Certainly it reminds you of the European Week for Waste Reduction. And indeed, as claims Silvia Ricci, responsible of the editorial staff of Porta la Sporta project, the structure at the base of this campaign promoted by the Associazione Comuni Virtuosi together with WWF, Italia Nostra, FAI and Adiconsum, had been suggested by the European project. Also in this case those who would like to participate must send a form to adhere and propose a communication action that will be organized during the week 17th al 24th April 2010. Specifically the main topic is the promotion of the use of the re-usable bags instead of the plastic and disposable ones. According to the organizers bringing your own bag can become something more than a simple habit, it can represent the first ecological awareness act that opens a process for other eco-friendly actions.

Public administrations, schools, associations and even the large-scale retail trade will take part to the event. The massive participation to the Week of Italian chains such as Esselunga, Simply Sma, UNES U! e U2, Despar Triveneto, NaturaSI, is something new that stressed an important change. As underlines Carlo Delmenico, Director of Corporate Social responsibility of the Simply Sma Group (more than 1,700 shops involved): «We have decided to spread this important campaign among our supermarkets, because we are firmly sure that the problem is the culture of disposable goods that the environment cannot bear anymore. With our eco-options, we intend to educate the citizen to an aware and lasting use of materials. Because it is our behavior that will make the difference».

Among the events we present the proposal of the Province of Verbano Cusio Ossola in North Italy that foresees creative laboratories of bags personalization. «Personalizing your own bag – underlines Luisa Erra of the Environment sector of the Province del – has been a way to create an affective relationship with an object, that I or my child has realized and maybe I’d like to use it and I remember to bring it with me». Moreover it will be possible to take pictures of the artistic bags and e-mail them to cucilaborsa@gmail.com. The Province will give 2 euros for every received photography to the Park Agency of Maggiore Lake to clean the natural area of the lake from the waste. An action that connects the abolishment of the plastic bags with the environment protection. «With this action we have wanted to pay attention on the fact that the plastic bags question is a general ecological problem. In the Province territory, some areas of the Maggiore Lake are the first collector of plastic waste, such as, bags, bottles, packaging etc.» explains Erra.
For the Province of Verbano Cusio Ossola as for the other participants (the complete list is available on the official website www.portalasporta.it) that often don’t have high budget for the organization of environmental communication campaigns, to adhere to the Porta la Sporta campaign permits to save money, to find material and news, to download free communication tools. Also the visibility and possibility to create a network among many actors are important aspects. More...

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Awarding one to educate a hundred

by Silvia Musso

Soil consumption, waste, sustainable mobility and new life styles: the “Associazione dei Comuni Virtuosi “ (Association of virtous municipalities), in collaboration with the “Movimento per la Decrescita Felice” (Movement for happy decrease) and Città del Bio (Cities of Organic),launches the new edition of the National prize “Comuni a 5 stelle” (5 stars municipalities), aimed to find and award the good administrative practises and promote the bio-economics.

«Our association was born as warning point for the diffusion of politics and daily choices oriented to reduce the ecological footprint of public administrations, the Municipality intended as a common good, from where to start to create a new model of society based on selfproduction and gift, conviviality and solidarity, sobriety and common sense – the promoters explain presenting the new call for proposal 2010 – The fourth edition of the prize wants to be also an opportunity to contribute to the creation of a wider sensibility among the citizens and a bigger encouragement to public actors about the “good practices” topics, throughout the improvement and promotion of examples of already successfully started experiences».

The participation to the prize is open to all public administrations that have started politics focused on the raising awareness about the “good local practises” with a special attention on: territory management (zero cementation option, Brownfield recovery, participated planning, green building); ecological footprint of public administration (energy efficiency, green public procurement, organic canteen, etc.); sustainable mobility (car-sharing, car-pooling, public transport, choice of alternative fuels to oil etc.); new life styles (projects to stimulate among the citizenship sober and sustainable daily choices, such as selfproduction, short commodity chain, organic food in season, sustainable and responsible tourism, promotion of a culture of peace, cooperation and solidarity, spreading of Fair Trade, ethical finance, etc.).

The public actors interested can e-mail to the address info@comunivirtuosi.org a form that summarizes the enterprise to be presented, by June, 30th 2010.
Then a selected jury will evaluate the best enterprises and decide the winners for each category. Moreover they will select also the absolute winner of the “Comuni a 5 stelle”, among those that had organized a transversal integrated action. The award ceremony will be held during a public meeting in Bisignano (CS), September the 4th, 2010.

To get more information it is possible to contact the Prize Secretariat (telephone number +39 334-6535965 e-mail address info@comunivirtuosi.org). More...

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A wedding all ethical

by Annalisa Audino

Imagine the scene: flowers that come from a cornfield to decorate the church, invitations made with recycled-paper, a boy that wears a white linen smoking, a girl that comes towards him with a dress made by biopolymers of biodegradable mais and an elegant dinner with local products.

It isn’t a strange dream, but only an eco-friendly weeding for all those that also in the most important day of their life want respect the environment and communicate to their wedding attendants their efforts for ecological causes. And there’s more: also the honeymoon can be eco-friendly if you choose to travel by train, by bike or on foot through Buthan or Holland.

The ethical weeding fashion comes from United States and reflects about environmental and social impacts of every choice. And also vips like this new trend: for example Stella McCartney, crying “to be an ethic person is to demonstrate that the wedding day is not an egoistic day”, invited her wedding attendants to plant flowers and trees in a park.

There’s everything for a eco-friendly wedding day. Wedding skeep-sakes, invitations and wedding lists can be created in the same eco-shop with juta, hyacinth, straw, natural inks, african ceramics and woods. Those persons that are more zelous can ask their wedding attendants to replace the wedding skeep-sake or a present with a donation of money for a developing community or a eco-friendly project.

You can buy also eco-wedding rings in shops of cooperatives composed by people differently able that make rings with natural materials that haven’t substained chimical treatment and without precious stones. Or you can buy on Internet a greenkarat wedding ring: rings made by recycled gold and diamonts that come from places where there isn’t war and black market.

And then there are dresses. In Italy there are two eco-friendly proposals. The first is proposed by the stylist Igam Ussaro: he uses textile materials with termoplastic characteristics that come from biopolymers and synthesis plants or recycled materials. The collection, all biodegradable, is called Eco Fast Dress and it’s ecofriendly and cheap. In Sondrio, instead, the Shop Solidarity has created a collection of twelve dress handmade by Bangladesh women.

Finally, also the wedding banquet has to be eco-friendly: so it’ll be in the same place of the cerimony and based on local and biologichal products or vegetarian.

And if your mariage is too expensive, you can follow the American example of Andrea Parrish e Peter Geyer. To pay their marriage, on 31st July, they have to gain money recycling 400 thousands cans. Their friends gave them a lot of cans and they have the collaboration of people coming from all the world, but to have all the money they have to recyle 57,143 can per month, 14,286 per week and 2,041 per day. If you want to help them you can visit www.weddingcans.com.

The artist E. Moises Diaz helped them using cans to realize very strange works in aluminum: the 40% of the money he gained will be donate to the couple. More...

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Google Maps is green: bicycles are coming!!

by Valeria Rocca

“Bicycling” is the new functionality for the American Google Maps customers seeking for routes!

In collaboration with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (organization no-profit in favor of the atmosphere that proposed to create a total net of distances for all the lovers of the two wheels) to the usual distances covered by car, public means of transportation or on foot, Google offers 12,000 km of distributed bicycle distances on 150 American cities.

The service, still at its experimental stage, allows the customer studying the best way possible to do on two wheels.
Among the several functions the signaling of bicycle tracks, preferential lanes, roads to lowland intensity of traffic, climbing routes and the possibility to calculate the time necessary to cover the journey according to the kind of road.
Appropriate signaling do not lack, also for those who use the mountain bike.
The used code is simple and immediate: in dark green the roads exclusively dedicated to bicycles, in light green the municipal bicycle tracks and at last in green, but with dotted lines, the ways unprovided of bicycle tracks, but on which it is possible to go easily by bike, avoiding traffic and dangers.

The primary objective is to stimulate the use of bicycle as alternative mean of transportation. Its use, beyond a reduction of the atmospheric pollution and of the CO2 emissions, creates a new knowledge of the city among its inhabitants, and becomes the symbol of a more active and healthy style of life.
For further information go on www.mapsgoogle.com. More...

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Greenpeace Vs. Nestlé

by Paolo Ghiga



Have you ever eaten a gorilla? No? “You can do it with a Nestlé snack!” could say Greenpeace.
Focus of this strange provocation is the palm oil that is used from the food industry for the manufacture of margarine and replacing oils, eg. the sunflower, much more expensive. Some studies have suggested possible damages to our health from a disproportionate and inappropriate use of this oil, without forgetting the devastating effects related to tons of CO2 and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere due to the replacement of rainforests to make way for Palm.

The video shock proposed by Greenpeace at 12 on 17th March and the subsequent "occupation" by a hundred activists of the Group of Dutch, English and German by Nestlé represents yet another round of boxing match between Greenpeace and Nestlé about the theme. The latter, known as other brands such as Kraft, is now in commercial relations with Sinar Mas, the most important producer in Indonesia of palm oil.Are horrendous those supplied by Greenpeace: the use of this oil in Nestlé branded products amounted to more than 320,000 tons per year for a consumer that has doubled over the past three years. And what’s the meanig of your phrase with gorillas?!?
During a match of boxing often seeks the solution of the knock-out hitting cleverly some area crucial opponent (Chin, spleen, e.g.); in the case of Nestlé what better target if not his flagship the well-known snack Kit Kat? The objective of video shot by environmental organisation is defending the Orangutans Indonesians from extinction. The latter see compromise almost totally their natural habitat, peat bogs, forests from advancing, often illegal, forests of palm oil.

The spot, as they state on their opening notes, is intended for an adult public content via Grand Guignol style and shows an unsuspecting employee grappling with his morning break: finger consumption of Kit Kat concludes, however, unexpectedly, showing a bloodstained pc keyboard. The message is explicit: "Caught! With your hands in blood! ". Each stick corresponds to an "injury" imposed on the forest and, to the latest copies of orangutans. The warning is not contributing to the extinction of a species, stimulating the reaction of Nestlé. Reaction almost immediately: in a press release sent out just a few hours after posting on the website of the video, Nestlé claimed to be available to terminate contacts with Sinar Mas. Better not rejoice in advance, as we all know the words often don't follow the facts: this round has proved beneficial to Greenpeace, we wait for the next to better understand the scope of this new protest environmentalists militants ... More...

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