The map of free water in the new iTunes app

by Sofia Lorenzini

Among the thousands kinds of iTunes apps, every now and then you can find one designed for the environment, as well as for ourselves and our pockets. The new app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad can be downloaded from the iTunes Store, and it allows you to find the closest free drinking fountains.

The interactive map, after finding our location, indicates us the distribution points closer to us, reachable by foot or car.
The app, downloadable for 0.79 euros, is called “Free Water in Italy – Find the closest fountain!” and was developed by Daniele Antonietti, who explains: "The idea was born when we knew that some mayors wanted to close the drinking fountains. With Free water we'd like to form a circle of people who fight for this right. People from many sectors are adding up (from cycling, to dog lovers or those who are involved with the environment)".

So far more than 10,000 drinking fountains have been uploaded in the map, both in large and small cities, and there's an additional possibility to improve the service by customers, reporting the missing points of interest through a special section of the app. Users use this service constantly and willingly.  

Free water in Italy has already been translated into English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese, and it tries to spread its voice through the major social networks, from Facebook to Twitter, where it has its main page that you can follow for updates and the chance to win copies of the app. Unfortunately Daniele Antonietti said that he didn't always find people willing to post the link to the app on their websites.  

At the Free water launch, it was in second place among the most downloaded and appreciated apps in the travel category, now it has about 300 users who use it about 20 times a day. Reviews from customers are good, with positive comments about the functionality of the app and its economical benefits.  

 The app aims at fulfilling the dual function of saving money, avoiding to buy expensive bottles of water, and at the same time saving the environment from useless plastic. The app description says: "Why to promote environmental pollution with plastic bottles? Why a tourist would have to pay 3 euros for a bottle of water in the middle of a big city?". But the users resulted to be more interested in the environmental aspect rather than the economic one, as reported by Daniele Antonietti: "Users are not interested in the financial aspect of the app, but rather in the environmental and social ones."

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The water become a slogan!

by Silvia Faletto

With the nearing of the Congress RIO +20, who will verify the achievement of the sustainability Objectives posed by the Rio de Janeiro’s ONU conference twenty years later, and the official Recognition of the human Right to the water and hygienic services from the general Assembly of U.N. (occurred the 28th July 2010), also Europe has to take action in this camp.

For that reason, the E.U. will complete and publish into next months a thematically project that will take term in 2050, and the advertising Competition “The Future who we want” is a first Initiative turned to all the citizens. The competition has been opened the 10th December 2011, and it has been developed thanks to the collaboration of three important UN organism: UNRIC (United Nations Regional Information Centre), UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme), and the UN Information Centres.

The participants are called into create a advertisement that can be an inspiration to the quotidian and future water’ safety, across the presentation of a maximum of five images with relative slogan.

The realizations has to hold the symbol of the advertising campaign “The Future who we want: Drop by Drop”, and they can be sent through the website www.dropbydrop.eu till 29th February 2012.

The winner will be elected, apart from the vote of a international jury composed by important exponents and experts from the involved sectors, also from the public preferences: in facts, from 1st to the 21 March, all citizens can participate to the public vote, and they will so contribute to the final choice.

At the end of the vote, apart from the first prize, a compensation of 5000 euro, the jury will award also the Youth Prize, who’s reserved to participants with age lower or equal to 25 Years old, and the Public Prize, who’s assigned to the one that with his work has received more votes.

Do you are not applicant advertisers, or simply haven’t you any graphic abilities?

Don’t worry! Apart to vote the favourite slogan, the campaign “Drop by Drop” offer to everyone the possibility to sign cares and Initiative carried out into the normal quotidian Life.

All these voices will activate a global debate, a chain reaction on the web, and this will point out how it’s possible to do something, here and now, to manage, to safe and to guarantee the right to the fundamental and prime need to the life: the water.

To receive more Information go to the website www.dropbydrop.eu.

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From stranded waste to Christmas decorations

by Silvia Faletto

Eat the Mussels caught few hours earlier along the Coasts of our Sea, this is always a pleasure.
However, even if this practice is done wisely and environmentally carrying out, this activity often brings damages that we don't view : the remnants of broken and useless fishing Nets end up on our Beaches, and they become a seroius Danger to all the fragile Ecosystem based on coastlines.

For this Reason, Legambiente Volunteers in Mola (BA) regularly collect Litter over the Mola's Coast , and for Christmas 2011 they propose a new Way to bring new Life to what otherwise would be another Sea Garbage.

From the Transformation of Nets, in fact, it has been create a "Christmas' Ega": this is a nice eco-friendly Decoration to our Tree, and it also helps to protect the Environment from which it come.

Obtained by wrapping the fishing Net around a Egagropile (a sphere of residues beached Posidonia, an aquatic plant typical of the Mediterranean), the “Christmas' Ega” is part of the Achievements designed to promote a Christmas craft that respects the environment.

How to write the president of Legambiente Mola, Antonella Berlen, the objectives to achieve with this campaign are numerous and ambitious: "The first Goal of this Initiative is to collect a very specific type of Waste that is present in large Number to our Shorelines: the infamous Net used to Processing Mussels. In addition to this, we want to approach the Garbage and its transformation in a creative Way to Rejection, and also we would Reduce the new Trash produced by buying decorations impactful.

Morever, the campaign wants to bring financial Support to the association, and so to contribute to the expenses (rent, electricity, telephone, water, etc.), which otherwise fall on already committed volunteers. Finally, we wants to give the opportunity for this Christmas, to transform the Net into another already designed Decoration, to allow the Ball to get back on the coast of Posidonia."

Subscribing a “Christmas' Ega” to associations and businesses that participate to this Project, we'll contribute to a important Campaign, which calls each of us to work to the Present and the future of Italy!

For more information: Legambiente "The Capodieci - from the countryside to the sea", www.legambientemola.it.

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Eco-Cemetery: even the afterlife become ecological

by Marzia Fialdini

In this period traditionally dedicated to the commemoration of the dead, and if we consider an ecological living as the primary mean to improve the environment, then we should perhaps reflect on the fact that humans continue to pollute even after their death. How? It may seems incredible, but every funeral is a real threat to the environment: the coffins are often made with precious woods and toxic paints are used, cemeteries require expensive maintenance and a big quantity of pesticides is used to keep intact and fresh floral arrangements.

The new frontier of ecology then passes from the cemetery: the end of a life can represent a new impetus to the environment. Last year in March the first eco-friendly cemetery was inaugurated in Blackley, a small town near Manchester, central England city. In this area the bodies of the dear departed were placed in biodegradable and free of carcinogens coffins and marble slabs have been replaced by a rough stone or a tree, on which was engraved a figure, so that the earthly remains are uniquely traceable. Furthermore, the hearse has become electric and there is no need of gardeners, because the nature, running its course, thinks of everything. In the United Kingdom in a short time the green cemeteries have already reached 228 units.

In Holland, the environmentalists have proposed a fascinating idea: growing a tree from one’s ashes, helping to give new life to the Planet. In Australia on July 1 a somehow “revolutionary” eco-cemetery was inaugurated: no tombstones, so, to record and locate the exact position of the deceased, you have to use the GPS. The zero-impact cemetery is the St. Francis Field (owes its name to St. Francis of Assisi), at the Kemps Creek Cemetery in the western suburbs of Sydney. It currently has a capacity of 300 people, 300 real eco-dead who will reduce their footprint on the environment in life as in death. How? Everything inside the cemetery is natural and environmentally friendly: from biodegradable coffins made without the use of chemicals and with a zero emissions process, to the procedure of preparation of the body that takes place without using preservatives and disinfectants, thus facilitating the natural recycling. The use of a site is granted for a period of 30 years, after which it can be further renewed.

And in Italy? In our country since 2007 biodegradable coffins are available, but they are certainly not the most popular. However in 2010, for the first time, a design object called November Rain, focused on the importance of water, was created to use in cemeteries: it is life, so recover it, store it and reuse it are noble gestures that every human being should do even after his death. November Rain is a project of Andrea Vecera for a self-sufficient tomb, which recovers the water and also use it to generate electricity to power a led.

Nature has given us life, therefore it’s right that the body, after being buried, goes back to Her again. The cycle continues.

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INFOPO: a river to navigate on!

by Eleonora Anello

These 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».

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Water relay race: the protest goes on

by Eleonora Anello

The Water relay race goes on, a nation-wide event which is involving a large public. It started on last September, 13, from the Genoa Water Festival and it is going to cross 12 Italian cities for ending in Bari, on October, 17.

At the starting block, as torch-bearer (actually “water-bearer”), there was Pietro Mennea, ex 200 m Olympic record holder. The sprinter travels city by city bringing the water flask, filled at every stop, as a symbolic changeover between the cities involved. Waiting for him at every stage there is Marina Senesi, daily linked to the Radio Due broadcast Caterpillar.

The Water Relay Race, supported by Federutility (Federation of Italian Water and Energetic Companies), tries to promote initiatives for enhancing tap water consumption and for arising citizens’ awareness towards a conscious and correct use of water seeing that Italian water’s quality is pretty high.

At each stage the involvement of host cities’ public water system managers have been fundamental, as planned in the campaign. Anyway not everything went like clockwork: in Reggio Emilia, Ancona and Florence the initiative have been challenged by the “Committees for Public Water”, who accused Federutility for ignoring referendum’s results.

More protesters than participants? Follow the final rush on the website or on the initiative’s Facebook page or even better other information sources.

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Environment has a lead role in Milano

by Eleonora Anello

Milano Film Festival, in its sixteenth edition, decided to concentrate on environment protection trying to lower its impact on the hosting urban surroundings. There will be ten days of screenings dedicated to raise awareness on environment issues.

Many movies and many themes will be covered. The first one is “water”, in collaboration with CAP Holding, a public company that is in charge of the water system in 230 municipalities in Lombardia.For the second year, they have built up a “water’s house” in Piazza del Cannone and two water nozzles nearby the refreshment stands in order to deliver sparkling and still tap water without any transportation impact. The aim of the campaign is to request people not to consume plastic bottles and glasses. On every eco-glass and flask you can find the campaign slogan: “I drink tap water”.

«Milano Film festival’s care on environment combines with water public companies efforts to promote a sustainable employment of water – Alessandro Ramazzotti, CEO of CAP Holding explains – Put water at people’s disposal, in a meeting place such as a cinema festival, is an attempt to enhance tap water’s quality and to invite citizens not to waste it».

On the waste side, thanks to Amsa, a separate refuse collection system including paper, plastic and cans has been activated. If someone is not sure about the correct delivering of garbage can ask the Legambiente volunteers for help.

Milano Film Festival is also official partner of CiAI, the National Consortium for aluminum waste Recovery and Recycle. Cristina Gabetti – TV journalist and newscaster – will officiate a panel that will award the CiAI Prize for Environment to the best movie on environmental issues and sustainable development.

Lastly, landscapes will be protagonist in the “FAI il tuo film” contest. Italian Environment Fund (FAI) wants to enhance the best Italian places using cinema, part of its well-established campaign called “I luoghi del cuore”.

What else? Enjoy a sustainable view!

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Sixteenth edition for the International Summer School in Applied Environmental and Regulatory Economics

by Silvia Musso

For all those among undergraduates, graduates and employees in the private and the public sectors who wish to deepen environmental economics issues, the Fondazione Ambiente of Turin (North Italy) offers you the option of attending a summer school.

The Summer School in Applied Environmental and Regulatory Economics, at its sixteenth edition, is organised by the Fondazione per l’Ambiente “Teobaldo Fenoglio” in collaboration with the Faculty of Politics of the University of East Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro" and lasts two weeks, since 5th to 16th September.

The course is articulated into three parts: a theoretical module, an industry analysis of the businesses dealing with environment with reference to issues such as waste, water, public transport, sports facilities, etc. and, finally, a discussion of case studies. Students will conclude their path with a final report, the purpose of which is precisely the analysis of a particular story case. Students will be engaged in collecting economic data and financial analysis of the main legal instruments governing the sector.

Also this year, after sixteen years, the Foundation has wanted to offer a chance to study and teaching during the summer to allow as many people as possible to interface with these issues.

In this context, the course is designed to provide the students with the basics of the theory of regulation that are applied to real case studies for a deeper understanding of regulatory issues and debates. Main topics are information asymmetries, industrial cost analysis and tariff setting, regulator’s capture, quality concerns, mechanism design and incentive contracts, the links and trade-offs between environmental and industrial policies within the national and European legislation framework.

Fondazione per l'Ambiente, founded in Torino by 24 public and private partners operating in Piedmont - among which all the four universities present on the regional territory - is a non profit body that promotes research, communication and experts' training in the sector of environmental and regulation policies at local level.

Environment is in fact a common good and everybody has to have the possibility to approach to a proper environmental information and knowledge, up-to-date with the current political and economical changes in order to be able to communicate them .

To have more information about the Summer School: iss@fondazioneambiente.org.
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Re Boat Race: The Recycling Race on Lido di Ostia

by Giuseppe Totaro

Creativity, genius and environmental protection: these were the ingredients of the Re Boat Race, the race of boats made entirely from recycled materials, which took place at Lido di Ostia on 19 and 20 June, in the sixteenth edition "From 100 to 1000 Sails - the festival of the sea of Rome".

The idea of eco-friendly first race of Italy came to Sunnyway and was a real hymn to the creative recycling: each team has built for themselves their own boats, and many have chosen to do it directly on the beach the day before the race. The materials used wewrw numerous: plastic, cans's aluminum or Tetra Pak used for milk and beverages.

The communication of the event was particularly effective, considering also the many people who attended it: constant presence among the media dedicated to the world of sailing, funny flyer and poster to promote the initiative and a really complete blog dedicated to the event, www.reboatrace .com. Apart the registration form and a series of images of similar initiatives around the world, were available all relevant information to make a perfect boat with recycled materials and a rich gallery of videos about other races taking place every year especially in the United States.

The Re Boat Race was not the first initiative in this direction. The most recent examples were the Plastiki, the catamaran made entirely of recycled PVC bottles that accompanied the Englishman David Rothschild in solo ocean crossing from San Francisco to Sydney or the Soap Kayak Race, the race with a cardboard canoe which was held in September on the river Adda.

The first "recycled" race is an example of how environmental initiative, created from a simple idea, if is right-communicated can give a big feedback to the themes of communication of reuse, especially if it is associated with a funny event of great impact as the Re Boat Race.
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Councillor’s secrets

by Daniela Zannetti

The human anthropic pression on environment and natural resources, in addiction to destruction of ecosystems, can generate threat against citizens health. Some environmental policies seek a reduction of the impact, acting on the waste disposal cycle. That’s the case of Rossella Zadro, Ferrara environmental councillor, which explains her initiatives on “reciprocity” for the reduction of garbage production, or composting to valorize organic matter without combustion.

Ferrara city councillor Rossella Zadro's "mutual" ambiental policies says «What keeps terms between entity and territories it's not money, whose create gradients, but is the "gift" that generate a common reciprocity». Zadro explains: «Recovering unsold goods at the end of the day, giving those to associations, helps to keep down the ammount of waste destined to dump». Zadro also support the idea of giving a TIA discount to sellers to gain a beneficial “gift” exchange for everyone implicated (Andrea Segrè’s Last Minute Market). «Or the recovery of still usefull drugs thanks to a public and private partership: universities, phamarcies and local governs , this operation allows a saving of 110 thousands euros on drugs and provide univeristary students formation credits. The result of this operation also gives to pharmaceutical companies the possibility of changing their "blister". We would like that companies are going to modify their production on the promise of wastage reduction».

“XI commandment should be: do not waste", a policy without hesitations for keeping up the demand of "ambient" from citizens. Like the "No" at Linea2 by multiutility Hera implant (waste and energy, water services) that were destined to burn 45 thousands Tons of biomass waste. «Mayors and municipalities should cleaning the air from the products of combustion- says the councillor- particulate matter (PM) emissions from Hera were destined to impact on an area already occupied by a petrolchimical implant and by a incinerator that dispose 130 thousand Tons of garbage».

It's a recent news: the petrolchimical implant will get a magistrature controlled activity after a citizens petition. A monitored territory where recovery is every day duty, even Hera is getting a tweak to reduce even more the emission that now are 10 times under the law's limits. «We cannot compute the social cost in terms of pubblic health wherever pollution is not controlled - explains Zadro who adds - Our rapports with Hera are good but even if burning biomasses is provided by the Regional Waste Plan we are shocked from the fact that in Bologna (Hera Ambiente) decisions are made by technicians without any policy evaluation. We work so hard on our the separate collection because we want it to be enhanced as compost and not as mere energy. Without this efforts we wouldn't give the 15% discount on the waste collection tax to those who practice composting, helping to reduce organic waste».

«Keeping in mind that we don't get any help from the national regulation, we designed some other projects with addictional TIA discount to merchants who utilize bulk water. We produce about 719 Kg pro capita garbage, with an experimental policy in a small area outside the center of the city, we detected a reduction of about 105Kg pro capita garbage which 45% is umid-organic waste. We distributed 1819 composters to citizens which 1270 of them asked for the discount, but we will proceed with some verification to assure there will not be pressures only on paying citizen. In our three-year plan with Hera- keep explaining Rossella - we setted some indicators to maintain and overcome the 65% separate collection law expected by 2012 on the 50% base achieved in 2010. Returning to Biomasses, there is an implant at Argenta, it's a short chain one and it's placed in open countryside. A 3MW impant in Ferrara would be unthinkable especially thinking there it would be a raise in truck traffic, already considerable, on the roads near the city».

Municipalities and national provinces should be doing universally recognized environmental pacts. Becoming low waste stakeholder with citizens. Agreeing on common ways between different administrations. Creating Life+ between Nord and South Italy Governs. Finally: building a sustainability net.
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Environment from limit to value. A political experience

by Roberto Cavallo

The pages of the book by Renzo Penna “Environment from limit to value", subtitled “political and administrative experienc "(Editori Riuniti University Press) are 540, but when you have finished them you realize that they could have been even more and you would not feel hard to read.

The tone that comes from the pages is the typical one of those who approach environmental issues: enthusiast!

I met Renzo Penna while he was in charge at the Province of Alessandria as Councillor for the Environment, accompanied by his skillful staff and I immediately understood the cultural approach that he wants to give to his political mandate, and perhaps the main ingredient of his suffered, but resolute resignation.

Yeah, because anyone who deals with environmental issues sighting beyond the electoral mandate and interpreting the essence of sustainable development – the one caged by the Brundtland definition of leaving their environment at least in the same conditions in which it was inherited - is likely to be misunderstood.

And that's what we read in the pages of Renzo Penna; of that environment that perhaps for a while has been a limit for him, but that has suddenly turned into a value: the value is much more than the price, because you cannot buy the value is can buy, you cannot sell it, you cannot discount!

This is the feeling that takes the reader who reads the chapters of the Water, sailing firstly the Orba river and its contract of the river, then from the Tanaro and Bormida rivers, overcoming the tragic events of chemical pollution of ACNA insdustry and the flooding of 1994.

The value of human health and life, infinitely superior than the profit, is what characterizes the dramatic chapter on Air and the paragraph on asbestos.

I find again in the pages of the chapter on waste the real footprint left by Renzo and his administrative experience, that I had the fortune to live professionally. The stubbornly insist on wanting a provincial waste plan based heavily on waste reduction and materials recovery through door-to-door waste separate collection, beyond the political difficulties, makes Justice to Renzo Penna for having pioneered the EU directive that calls Member States and local authorities to set their own programs and plans.

The imprinting of the councilor Penna does not stop at his pages, but fortunately it is directly on the territory, so much so that according to the latest official data of the Piedmont Region are at least thirty municipalities in the province that recycle more than 65% of its municipal waste and some municipalities such as Bassignana or Castelletto Monferrato that have greatly reduced their waste to landfill and throw only 65 kg per inhabitant per year, just that if everyone does this, the Province of Alessandria wouldn’t have problems of urban waste management.

I would like to close with a small editorial critic. I saw better the chapter “Ecolavori” (Green jobs) as the closure, after the chapter on energy because Ecolavori has been and continues to be a unique experience at the national level, as I think unique was also the administrative experience of Renzo Penna that is so well described in the book I invite you to read.
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The Youth Eco-parliament meets in Turin

by Eleonora Anello

It will conclude tomorrow, June 23, 2011, at the Casa del Quartiere of San Salvario, in Turin (North Italy), the Youth European Eco-parliament work. The sessions that followed each other regularly saw young players from, 18 to 30 years old, that debated on environmental issues and studied the dynamics of decision rules governing the European Parliament.

The initiative is part of the European Eco-citizens project, which belongs to the ban "Torino incontra l’Europa” (“Turin meets Europe"), inserted in the European program “Torino, capitale europea dei giovani 2010” ("Turin, European Youth Capital 2010") and is sponsored by the Istituto per l’Ambiente and the Educazione Scholé Futuro Onlus, with Acmos, .eco, NEC (Notranjski Ekoloski Center) and DVŽU (Društvo vseživljenjsko učenje) and is funded by the National Agency for Youth (Ang) and the Municipality of Turin.

The Eco-parliament is undoubtedly an opportunity to meet and dialogue «to discuss critically, but also creatively environmental issues. Recreating a real institutional structure, the participants can better enter into the dynamics of political decision-making and become active participants able to analyze and intervene in the European political decision-making» as the organizers said.

The topic that sparked the last meetings was the water, a theme dear especially to Italian participants who were preparing to go to express their opinion about the future of this precious good that the current government wanted to privatize.

At the last meeting, by free entrance, Serbs and Italians will face in order to find common points between the environmental policies of two different countries and combine their experiences in an intercultural exchange of best practices for development of community education for sustainability. The goal? Looking for innovative and creative solutions to real problems involving the environment.

An important learning experience that focuses on youth and that demonstrates how future citizens of tomorrow have understood that the current changes taking place in our society require the opening of a profound and systematic dialogue. The Eco-parliament is an opportunity that allows their idea of the environment, the participation and the exchange to meet and get rich with the complexity of European experience, knowing they can affect change and participate actively in local and European politics.
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Message on World Day to combat desertification

«The people who live in the arid lands, which occupy more than 40 per cent of our Planet’s land area, are among the world’s poorest and most vulnerable to hunger. Frequently, they depend on land that is degraded and where productivity has shrunk to below subsistence levels. In the world’s efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals, the challenges facing these “forgotten billion” men, women and children deserve special attention.

This year’s observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification falls during the 2011 International Year of Forests, declared by the United Nations General Assembly to educate the global community about the value of forests and the extreme social, economic and environmental costs of losing them. This effort is particularly relevant for drylands, where dry forests and scrubland provide the backbone of arid ecosystems.

Forty-two per cent of the Earth's tropical and subtropical forests are dry forests. Unsustainable land management and agriculture are a significant cause of their depletion – and of the land degradation and desertification that inevitably follow. Sadly, it is only after these ecosystems are compromised that many communities or authorities become fully awakened to the importance of dry forests to society’s well-being and prosperity.

The management, conservation and sustainable development of dry forests are central to combating desertification. The ongoing greening of the Sahel and other success stories around the world show that degraded lands can be reclaimed by agroforestry and other sustainable practices. We need to scale up these interventions and disseminate their results widely.

We also need to reward those who make drylands productive, so they will prosper and others will seek to emulate their example. Resources currently under development under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change -- such as REDD Plus and the Green Climate Fund – can go a long way towards improving the resilience of dryland populations, who stand to be affected first and worst by climate change. Too often, investing in drylands has been seen as unproductive or risky, instead of a necessary avenue for improving the well-being of local communities and national economies. Our challenge is to change market perceptions so drylands cease to be investment deserts.

This September, the General Assembly will convene a High-level Meeting on Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought on the eve of the 66th session of the General Assembly. Next year, world leaders will attend the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. I urge governments and their partners to use 2 these events to bring greater focus to the quest for solutions to this urgent challenge of sustainable development».
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Referendum campaigns teach bottom up environmental communication

by Silvia Musso

If the institutional public communication does not do its work, people move from the bottom.

In these weeks before the Italian referendum vote of the next 12th and 13th June, in fact it is possible to see real participatory democracy demonstrations.

While the broadcasters and the national media send only some confused message on the next roll, the web is a river full of links, video messages, images, websites etc. aimed at promoting the only instrument of direct democracy that we have in Italy.

If you look a bit, you’ll find a world of various initiatives throughout Italy.

We start from the WWF video campaign “Non farti prendere per il naso. Sono tutte bugie. Sconfiggile andando a votare”("Do not get caught by the nose. They are all lies. Defeat them going to vote"). There are three video messages ("Let's vote yes"; "The lies about the water"; "The lies about nuclear") characterized by the symbol of a long Pinocchio nose. The aim is, in addition to promoting the referendum, "unmask the lies on the water and nuclear" as stated by Stefano Leoni, National President of the Italian WWF in the first video.

On the issue of water privatization, over the referendum campaign "2 yes" for water as common good", launched by the Italian Forum for Public Water, whose Envi has already reported, at the local level have hundreds of initiatives developed. As the one launched by the City of Capannori that has designed and published a video on You Tube. The video has had many views and has attracted strong interest, as evidenced by the comments left by visitors themselves. Some are very appreciative, others, however, stress that it is too populist and naive. But everyone agrees on the importance of communicating the right and duty to vote.

About the question on the nuclear issue, the experience that seems more effective from the communication point of view, is that of 7 young people who have chosen to deprive of liberty for a month and living locked up in a shelter under clear radiation protection rules. Fully sealed and isolated they cannot eat fresh vegetables, cheese, milk, meat or fish. They live according to strict rules of radiation protection protocol provided in the event of a nuclear accident with release of radiation and have only the Internet to communicate with the rest of the world.

«It's an extreme act - as they themselves show on the site - to stress their No to nuclear power and defending the future of all. They will not get out until the referendum will cancel the nightmare of a return to nuclear power in Italy».

Their project, supported by Greenpeace, is called "You are the crazy people" and this slogan does not certainly need further explanation.

The website contains a logbook, ie messages, videos and daily reflections of these young people.
The countdown, day by day, reminds those who visit the site that the date of June 12 is coming and that all responsible citizens are called to answer.

Looking at the world of Facebook and YouTube music videos are multiplying. One of the most effective is "12th June" which some members of famous groups such as Mellow Mood and Africa Unite cooperated.

The refrain "on June, the 12th of June" is almost a mantra that gets in the head and does not let you anymore. A real subliminal message that reminds the listener that on June 12 we can express our right and duty to vote.

The thousands of people who use the social networks can, in addition to share links and videos, change their profile picture with specific messages that invite to vote as "I do not abstain - Battiquorum".

Then, if the quorum will be reached what better occasion to celebrate? Look in your city the barsa, clubs etc. that have joined the initiative “Vuoto a rendere”. On the evenings of the referendum (Sunday 12 and Monday, June 13), to those who will be in the possession of voting card special offers or discounts (amounts and details are at the discretion of managers) will be guaranteed. To obtain the discount you can simply show the stamp that shows the voter turnout.

The organizers of the initiative say: «We and managers of businesses do not care whether the X was put on the yes or no. Their decision to vote is free and confidential. This initiative is not related to any political party or referendum committee, nor does it give instructions to vote: it only aims to bring more people to the polls and encourage participation in Italian political life».

Where, in fact, public communication lacks, environmental communication is spreading from the bottom using new, innovative and effective channels that have a disruptive force and a skill to reach a large number of people.
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Arte Mare Scienza Festival: a sea of history, science and culture, all to be enjoyed

by Anna de Polo

Imagine sitting in a bar after a long day full of events, enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail, while someone tells tales of the sea, the sea in all its forms, from the roar of the sea storms to the silence of the submarine world, passing through stories of sailors and fishermen. This tempting experience can be enjoyed in occasion of the "Aperitivi con la Scienza” (Appetizers with Science), meetings in the middle between tale and scientific divulgation that are just one of the more than 150 proposals presented in the Arte Mare Scienza Festival: four days of events dedicated to all lovers of sea, nature and culture, where culture means also the rediscovery of the territory and its traditions. Organized by Sheraton Hotel Genova, in collaboration with the Marine Protected Area of Portofino, the Comune of Santa Margherita Ligure and major research institutions, the festival will take place in June 2 to 5 and will have as main theatre Santa Margherita Ligure.

«The idea -as explained by Alessandra Tixi, Press Office of the festival- comes from a group of friends with a desire to convey the wonders of the territory in which they live, the Park of Portofino, unfortunately known more for its mundane features rather than for its natural characteristics. The desire to create an event dedicated to lovers of nature and environment was what made possible to set up the Arte Mare Scienza Festival. The aim of the festival is to promote sustainable tourism, giving to different people the possibility to discover the territory and the traditions to 360 degrees».

And indeed the calendar is full of suggestions for everyone, young and old, experts, enthusiasts and merely curious. For the amateur of image they will offer contests that give the opportunity to capture glimpses of landscapes of difficult accessibility, as well as a course in underwater photography. Food lovers can discover the specialties of Liguria and learn how to consciously buy the fish, while for the youngests they will organize contests that test their skills in the creative design and the nature photography. In addition to all of this there will be courses, workshops and excursions (including sea-watching, diving, eco-kayak tours and excursions in four-plane above the cape) to know and experience the sciences, the arts and the crafts of the sea. Of note, among the various laboratories in the calendar, the Atelier MarineLife, edited by ArteScienza and Menkab, which presents the visual arts as a tool to communicate ideas and disseminate the scientific knowledge, by giving the chance to build three dimensional models of animals of the Marine Protected Area.

It is precisely this combination of visual arts and science that represents one of the strengths of this event, where the sea is the crossroad between science and tradition and its ability to join people of different cultures, ages and experiences is reflected in the heterogeneity of the events in the calendar. The enhancement of the territory and the communication of science and love for the sea through various modes of expression represent the ultimate goal of the festival, which, in its first edition, looks very promising, with a swirl of events not to be missed.
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WATACLIC: lots of resources for water resource

by Irene Gozzelino

As we already mentioned in a previous article, LIFE+, a financial instrument to the protection of the environment promoted by the European Union, among other features distinguishes itself by its strong value in communication. Today we are going to talk about how it has been implemented at “our home", presenting a best practice.

Life+ WATACLIC (Water Against Climate Change) has national scope and it is co-financed by the Emilia-Romagna. The project aims to widespread methods and approaches for a more sustainable use of water resources. The aim is the improvement of the water management in different sectors, ranging from building regulations to planning rules, domestic hydraulics and energy efficiency.

Information events are planned from May 2010 to December 2011. The national launch workshop was held in Rome the 13th of May 2010, offering to participants, besides lectures and discussions of common interest, three "dedicated" workshops, that are designed for people of different professional backgrounds. The clear separation of approaches and issues is highly effective to communication aims and it is key to navigate among the different aspects of a subject as vast as that of water use. The events scheduled for the next months consist of information campaigns, replicated throughout the country and focused on the following themes: “water and rules "," water and money "," water and citizens "," water and energy, “water and innovation”.

Each event offers insights on all issues, from tariffs to technology, and a reasoned point of view to the already existing and effective sustainability approaches. In order to not be limited to the theoretical aspect, then, possible solutions are offered for each problem.

«The communication of the appointments is provided by traditional distribution channels, "dedicated " to the different involved stakeholders- told us Sara Branchini, from the Centro Antartide, who works in the communication sector of WATACLIC – The classics online tools are not excluding the personal contact. Event in event also, a network of contacts among professionals is spontaneously developing, which is becoming an exchange of practices and thus an "antidote" to the well known fragmentation of policies in the management not only of water, but of the environment at large».

No further reasons are needed to attend the event WATACLIC closer to…our tap.
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In Sanremo the “Italian Water Festival”

by Silvia Musso

From February 12 to 19, meanwhile on the stage of the Ariston Theatre singers and international guests will alternate, all seasoned with a handful of gossip, rumors and scandals, out of the theatre, the streets of Italian city of Sanremo will be filled with parallel events through Sanremoff . The famous box of side events at the Festival of Italian Song, created by Pepi Morgia, is characterized by many events: showcases, presentations of books, exhibitions as well as debates, music and performance spaces.

The really important news of Sanremoff 2011 is the realization of the Water Festival scheduled for Thursday 17 and Friday, February 18. This is one of many events coordinated by the referendum campaign "2 yes for the water as a common", the initiative launched by the Italian Forum for water movement to promote public referendum to abrogate the two approved last January 12 by Constitutional Court and the gathering of one million and 400 thousand signatures.

After selecting the winning logo that will characterize the campaign - on the background a blue water bubble with a hand with a pencil that crosses yes - and video posts by Italian artists Elio e Le Storie Tese and Pietro Sermonti downloaded from the referendum website, the next event on the agenda is the Water Festival in Sanremo.

The communicative approach of the two days will be characterized by "flashmobs" in the center of Sanremo, made by street artists of the National Federation of Street Arts and activists of the Forum, the involvement of radio and television stations for the issue of interviews, a Conference Release of CIMAP (Committee for the Defense of Water public in Imperia) to present the Festival of Water and public meetings with voice, sound, images and readings on the water.

The two days will end Friday, February 18 with the free concert attended by Andrea Rivera, Niccolò Fabi, Lorenzo e Simone dei "Mercanti di liquore" and Nadamas. For those not able to go to Sanremo, is also provided web streaming of the concert, which is accessible from the site of the referendum Committee.

"The Water Festival in Sanremo on 17-18 February - says Giorgio Caniglia for the Coordination of Imperia public water - has been chosen as the first major event of the referendum campaign. The Festival of Sanremo is the most important media event of the year in Italy: a time when television, radio, newspapers will all be present. It is an unrepeatable opportunity, therefore, to be seen and talk to the "general public" because we know that if we want to win the referendum, we must come to everyone. So in addition to the score with the final concert, we will do animation in the streets and squares of Sanremo with the participation of street artists, thousands of blue balloons to involve not only the media, but also the families".

Sanremo this year will be remembered not only as the capital of Italian music and flowers, but also as a place of encounter and reflection on a current and delicate issue which is linked to the future of all Italian citizens.
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Oil spill make up

by Eleonora Anello

After the attempts to hide, now is the time to promote. One month after the accident on 11 January when, due to a loss of E.on’s power supply systems, were discarded about 45 tons of fuel oil into the crystalline seas of North Sardinia, the situation is still unclear.

The only certainty is that the most popular media, like TV, radio and print media, have not spoken. Some timid information have appeared on the online journal that suggested above video and photographic documentation of the disaster but have produced a very fragmented and in-depth information.

However, the situation is different on the island, where people personally involved, take the word to the local media, in the desperate attempt to make counter-information. The action of the Sardinian civil society immediately focused after the spill, through highly spectacular initiatives to attract media attention.

In the game of parties not only hiding the media, even the Italian institutions are left defenceless. The Environment Minister, Stefania Prestigiacomo, while facing a tangible catastrophic situation, speaks of unjustified alarm and therefore rejected the request for emergency submitted by the municipalities affected.

In all this, E.on has decided to act promptly, as stated in its press releases. Before sending to clean up the beaches by specialized teams that actually have blocked access to contaminated sites and, now, with a special campaign to re-launch of the image of the affected region.

It is said that the administration of the region has thus presented the bill to the E.on. In addition to the compensation, as learned from the words of the governor Cappellacci, the corporation will contribute with own resources to the promotion of Sardinia to strengthen its image in the world after the incident. Not yet know the communicative choice of this operation. Meanwhile, continue to be transmitted very reassuring messages. But the plan set up by Cappellacci, as he said, has three levels: the environmental remediation, the rebuilding of the tourism image and, finally, the industrial perspective. The latter through the elimination of the two older groups to fuel oil.

However, still some outstanding issues, especially in communication. A communication campaign to re-launch the image, although good, can restore the eco-system before the disaster? This campaign re-launch of Sardinia, will be a means to distract people from the real problems? But in this whole affair, perhaps the question we must all ask ourselves is another. In a society focused on the communication, if the problem is not recognized by the competent institutions, trying not to talk about it, does the problem cease to exist?
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The Italian National Prize “Pianeta Acqua” is back

by Silvia Musso

After the success of the first edition in 2008 – 183 projects participated – the Italian national prize “Pianeta Acqua” is back. It is promoted by the Forum Nazionale per il Risparmio e la Conservazione della Risorsa Idrica (National Forum for the Water Saving and Conservation).

The Award was established with the aim of enhancing the experiences virtuous and "good practices" aimed at promoting rational use of water.

Among the various sections of the Award, one is dedicated specifically to communication campaigns.

The Forum website quotes: «The water is a finite resource and, in many parts of the world, a denied right. The rational use of this resource is therefore a priority. The many experiences in Italy and other countries show that saving water (and the energy required to use it) is possible, thanks to new technologies and more aware behaviors. Among the factors that slow the spread of good practice there is definitely a lack of communication.That is among the primary objectives of the “Forum on saving and conservation of water resources” "is the application of virtuous experience also through more effective communication. The establishment of a prize is moving in this direction».

Institutions, multi-utility, businesses, associations, environmental education centers, schools, advertising agencies and others who have taken action in this field over the past 5 years can participate to the competition.

A panel of experts, consisting of leading figures from academia, institutional and corporate, will vote the best projects.

On the website www.forumrisparmioacqua.it there are the rules and entry form to be completed and returned at info@forumrisparmioacqua.it.

All documentation must be received by February 14, 2011. The award ceremony will take place at the annual meeting of the Forum to be held March 22, 2011, World Water Day.

We are confident of success and this award will have particular resonance this year a few months of the Italian Referendum on Public Water. More...

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Oil spill made in Italy

by Eleonora Anello

Although inexplicably held out of the media stage, another coast was ruined and irreparably soiled by fuel oil. This time it was in Sardinia, in the 18 km of beaches ranging from Fiume Santo to Marritza. January 11th, 2011, in wonderful areas, attractive for thousands of tourists, it is estimated to have been dumped about 18,000 gallons of oil from the Esmeralda tanker during a pumping operation of power plants operated by the German multinational E.On.

The front-page news was not taken into account, but the inhabitants of those areas are rebelling. The latest striking initiative of a counter-campaign game from the bottom, and undertaken after a petition, the formation of various committees and the willingness to become involved in the cleaning, was "Black fish on Platamona Beach”. Created by the ex-Q artists and by the circle of the Rifondazione Comunista Utalabì, was staged on Sunday 16, building on the disfigured sand (Third comb Platamona) a whale. The shape of the dying whale was made with several plastic bags containing the pollutant landed on the coast and displayed outside in spectacular way and attractive to the media's disappointment and protest.

«We wanted to express our anger - explained the organizers to the Nuova Sardegna, a local journal - against this ecological damage ... The whale is not only the symbol of the fish swept away by the oil spill, but more generally of an entire ecosystem severely affected by a inexcusable negligence of the multinational company E.On».

The action was preceded by another abnormal event. Last week, in fact, always on the initiative of the Ex-Q artists, in the streets of Sassari were hung cardboard blacks fish, symbol of the fish deaths and signal of the presence of the Sardinian people.

Meanwhile, from the various meetings that are being treated and from the numerous committees established themselves, the impression is that everything will be merged into a single group that will be a civil party in the trial of those responsible for the environmental disaster.
But the story is always the same. As happened to the Gulf of Mexico, the guilty company looks quiet, minimizes the size and severity of the disaster, makes statements of fact and tries to fix sending workers cleaning the shoreline that has been affected. The big difference is that the U.S.A government has immediately moved, has maintained a hard line against the British Petroleum while in Italy there is silence.

At the moment the «unexpected mechanical failure in the drain line of the collector hoses placed in the dock», as E.On says, is extending to the Golfo dell’Asinara (a protected area), the committees promise to follow and document the events, especially involving the people, in the complicity and indifference of the institutions and the Italian media, we add with regret.
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