by Eleonora AnelloThese days rivers seem to have been forgotten by citizens, except for when they make a comeback due to their levels rising dangerously or black oil spills staining their fresh water.
So the rivers which cross many urban centers, become the protagonists of different environmental communication campaigns (some of them clearly fanciful such as the Big Jump). There are also initiatives that contribute little less spectacularly to rivers’ revival and to their promotion as public spaces to be exploited in a sustainable way. As the Infopo internet portal, opened in June 2009 and completely renovated this year in July.
Conceived and designed as an instrument of information and analysis on river’s life and places, its pages provide information, data, photos and movies, book reviews and references.
We ask Daniele di Domenico, head of the project, how are the things going...
«From the mails and comments we have received, we notice that Infopo has aroused much interest among the people even not using up the whole Web interactivity. We had peaks of interest during the environmental disaster which struck the Lambro river (and thus the Po) last year, because of the oil spill. Typically, these events raise a lot the population’s attention, making them demanding clear answers».
Why do you choose a website?
«CIDIEP, the structure which promotes the project, is in the field of information and education on environmental issues affecting the Po basin. From 2007 we promote projects in partnership with schools and local governments in order to encourage citizens’ participation to local governments’ decision processes. Working on such a big area (from Piedmont to the Delta of the Po river) we thought that a website could facilitate movements of information and help sharing experiences between far realities. Moreover, by a web-based analysis, we noticed that there were no spaces for grouping simple environmental information for public. There were just sites and portals managed by technical organizations and then professionals addressed. So we tried to work through the portal as CIDIEP used to do in field: we translated into plain and accessible language the information we obtained directly from authoritative sources such as authorities, environmental agencies, local governments, etc…».
Are you satisfied of your work?
«Well ... There is still much to do. It takes time before the network is aware that you exist and recognizes the website as a reference point, as a place where you can find information and ask questions and instances. Despite the crisis which is sweeping our country and considering the means at our disposal, we are pleased of the results we are getting».
A preview for our readers?
«At the moment we can just say that we are using Infopo as a support tool for concrete actions to activate across the territory».
So the rivers which cross many urban centers, become the protagonists of different environmental communication campaigns (some of them clearly fanciful such as the Big Jump). There are also initiatives that contribute little less spectacularly to rivers’ revival and to their promotion as public spaces to be exploited in a sustainable way. As the Infopo internet portal, opened in June 2009 and completely renovated this year in July.
Conceived and designed as an instrument of information and analysis on river’s life and places, its pages provide information, data, photos and movies, book reviews and references.
We ask Daniele di Domenico, head of the project, how are the things going...
«From the mails and comments we have received, we notice that Infopo has aroused much interest among the people even not using up the whole Web interactivity. We had peaks of interest during the environmental disaster which struck the Lambro river (and thus the Po) last year, because of the oil spill. Typically, these events raise a lot the population’s attention, making them demanding clear answers».
Why do you choose a website?
«CIDIEP, the structure which promotes the project, is in the field of information and education on environmental issues affecting the Po basin. From 2007 we promote projects in partnership with schools and local governments in order to encourage citizens’ participation to local governments’ decision processes. Working on such a big area (from Piedmont to the Delta of the Po river) we thought that a website could facilitate movements of information and help sharing experiences between far realities. Moreover, by a web-based analysis, we noticed that there were no spaces for grouping simple environmental information for public. There were just sites and portals managed by technical organizations and then professionals addressed. So we tried to work through the portal as CIDIEP used to do in field: we translated into plain and accessible language the information we obtained directly from authoritative sources such as authorities, environmental agencies, local governments, etc…».
Are you satisfied of your work?
«Well ... There is still much to do. It takes time before the network is aware that you exist and recognizes the website as a reference point, as a place where you can find information and ask questions and instances. Despite the crisis which is sweeping our country and considering the means at our disposal, we are pleased of the results we are getting».
A preview for our readers?
«At the moment we can just say that we are using Infopo as a support tool for concrete actions to activate across the territory».
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