Wednesday, February 15, 2012

First 10 candles for Eco dalle Città


by Silvia Musso

Envi's editorial staff and AICA are pleased to share an important goal.

Eco dalle Città, on line magazine newsletter for the urban environment, and colleague of many adventures, first of all, the European Week for Waste Reduction, celebrates 10 years of activity.

We interviewed Paolo Hutter, magazine's director.

Eco dalle città has been dedicating to environmental communication and information for 10 years. How has the communication environment changed in this decade?
«First, there are many more sites and more sources of information and communication. Although it is still missing - but it is so even in greener countries than ours - a very influential and recognized voice, a "Sole 24 ore" (Italian economic newspaper) about environment. There has been a development linked to the growth of businnesses that feed the so-called green economy. Then there are the general changes in information and communication, those related to the advent of social networks in general and short messages. There are not all positive changes, there is always the risk of superficiality, of lack of memory. And there is still a lot of ignorance around, people confuse smog and greenhouse gas emissions, for example».

What is the communication campaign or event you are more connected and you keep the best memory?
«The campaign we are most related to is definitely the European Week of Waste Reduction. We have participated since 2008 to the first pilot edition of the event. We are part of the national steering committee and we take care of the Italian official website of the event: www.menorifiuti.org. We believe that the issue of waste prevention must find more and more space among the actors involved in the initiative (institutions, companies, associations, schools ...) but also, in general, among the general public.The need to reduce waste production is a current subject and will continue to be so in the future.The data on waste generation in Europe in fact confirm the need to remain vigilant on the reduction: the European Agency for the Environment in Europe has estimated an increase of up to 558 kg per capita by 2020 (was 524 kg in 2008) unless some effective policies to reduce waste production would be realized».

What are the future plans of Eco dalle Città?
«First, the project to survive is already a big project. We started as a newsletter specializing particularly suited to be "adopted" by local authorities. But in recent years it has become increasingly difficult to receive financial funds by local authorities. And the possibility to finance by ourselves with commercial advertising is very low. We still have to learn to tie ourselves to the growth of the green economy. However, ideas about what we like to do, do not lack, if we find the resources. It would be to better articulate the production and supply of qualified and reliable information, crossing the deepening of the environmental issues of everyday life and a greater ability to find and verify the data of what happens and the terms of the conflicts on the choices on the environment».

To celebrate its tenth birthday Eco dalle Città organizes an eco-friendly aperitif. The event, organized for being coincident with the anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol, will be held February 16th, 2012 from 7 p.m. at BLAH BLAH (via Po 21, Turin).

No comments:

Post a Comment