{"id":22392,"date":"2015-06-05T09:01:11","date_gmt":"2015-06-05T12:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=22392"},"modified":"2017-05-01T15:24:53","modified_gmt":"2017-05-01T18:24:53","slug":"world-environment-day-five-community-projects-for-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=22392","title":{"rendered":"World Environment Day: Five Community Projects for Sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"

Favelas are natural incubators<\/a> for\u00a0new ideas<\/a>, sustainability initiatives<\/a> and community-led projects. They are increasingly being recognized as\u00a0models\u00a0of sustainability\u00a0worldwide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

World Environment Day<\/a> is organized annually\u00a0by the United Nations to bring awareness to environmental issues around the world. In honor of this year’s World Environment Day theme “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care,”\u00a0RioOnWatch<\/em>\u00a0has compiled a list of five favela\u00a0initiatives that aim to make communities greener and more sustainable.<\/p>\n

1. Vale Encantado<\/h3>\n

\"Vale<\/a><\/p>\n

Vale Encantado<\/a> is a community in Alto da Boa Vista, hidden within the Tjuca rainforest. Its name is Portuguese for “Enchanted Valley”. With no public investment, residents have developed local talent and sought and secured help from collaborators, local and international, to\u00a0plan a sewerage system, implement solar panel,\u00a0biodigester, community gardens and generate economic opportunities linked to eco-tourism.<\/p>\n

In a recent piece<\/a> for\u00a0RioOnWatch,<\/em> Asha Nimodulu wrote about the history of Vale Encantado and how\u00a0it became\u00a0a model for sustainability:<\/p>\n

“In constant search for a solution [for the community’s stalled economy], Ot\u00e1vio Barros<\/a>, a 5th\u00a0generation resident elected president of the Vale Encantado Residents\u2019 Association in 2005, got his answer upon being introduced to\u00a0the French friend of a neighbor from the nearby condo. Upon meeting Ot\u00e1vio and discovering the sustainability\u00a0gem that is Vale Encantado,\u00a0Jerome Auriac encouraged Ot\u00e1vio to look into eco-tourism and\u00a0established the French\u00a0NGO ABAQUAR\u00a0Paris<\/a>\u00a0to help. They began working together\u00a0to build the potential of Vale Encantado for environmental tourism, Ot\u00e1vio becoming formally trained as a guide and establishing the Vale Encantado Cooperative in 2007, to provide employment to community families while supporting the environment.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In 2014, the community was used as a case study<\/a>\u00a0to demonstrate favelas\u2019 potential as models of sustainable development<\/a>\u00a0during the international sustainable building conference\u00a0GreenBuilding Brasil<\/a>, held in S\u00e3o Paulo in\u00a0August.\u00a0Vale Encantado is \u00a0also one of eight communities featured in Catalytic Communities<\/a>\u2019 film, \u201cFavelas as a Sustainable Model<\/a>,\u201d released in the\u00a0Rio+20\u2019s People\u2019s Summit in June 2012. The community has recently been featured as an example<\/a> on the Inter-American Development Bank’s blog.<\/p>\n

2. Complexo do Alem\u00e3o’s Verdejar<\/h3>\n

\"Youth<\/a><\/p>\n

Portuguese for “Becoming Green,” Verdejar<\/a> is an NGO located in the North Zone<\/a> of Rio, in the community of Complexo do Alem\u00e3o<\/a>. Founded in 1997<\/a>\u00a0by late poet Luiz Poeta,\u00a0Verdejar<\/a>\u2019s activities include reforestation, serving as a lab for green sanitation experiments, community gardening and environmental education. The NGO successfully obtained protection of the\u00a0North Zone\u2018s last remaining piece of\u00a0Atlantic Forest<\/a>, the Serra da Miseric\u00f3rdia, a 17 square-mile\u00a0piece of land in Alem\u00e3o.<\/p>\n

In 2013, Verdejar’s efforts were recognized after\u00a0being awarded the status of Culture Point<\/a> by the federal\u00a0government. The recognition resulted in a documentary produced by young residents of the community<\/a> to bring awareness to the destruction of Serra da Miseric\u00f3rdia, which has suffered with granite mining and other sources of pollution from the electric utility, Light.\u00a0<\/em>The company was also\u00a0responsible for the removal of the NGO from its previous headquarters<\/a> in 2012.<\/p>\n

Verdejar’s late founder Luiz Poeta spoke to\u00a0RioOnWatch\u00a0<\/em>in 2011<\/a>\u00a0before passing away with Cancer. He said<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cAgroecology is a movement that intends to transform the society it encounters. Love is practiced; people hug one another, live together, and value agriculture, womens\u2019 rights and gifts, and quilombos<\/a> (settlements where descendants of slaves still live today). It is a movement for transformation.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information and to stay up-to-date with Verdejar activities, follow them on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Rocinha’s Movimento Preserva Vila Laboriaux<\/h3>\n

\"Child<\/a>
\nWith a long history of government neglect and threats of eviction,\u00a0Vila Laboriaux<\/a>‘s journey is an example of resistance. Much of it is thanks to the community group Movimento Preserva Laboriaux that was finally recognized for its resilience and hard work<\/a> this year after being\u00a0named one of 85 winners of the City of Rio\u2019s Local Actions Prize<\/a>, part of Rio\u2019s 450th<\/sup> anniversary celebrations<\/a>. The group\u00a0promotes the sustainable development of Vila Laboriaux in Rocinha<\/a>, where 600 families live. In a recent piece<\/a> for\u00a0RioOnWatch,\u00a0<\/em>Sarah Jacobs listed\u00a0the activities offered\u00a0by the group:<\/p>\n

“From its first event\u2013a group clean-up of 1.5 tons of garbage<\/a>\u00a0that had been left to pile up in the community\u2013to today, it has worked in a participatory way, consulting and implementing resident priorities. Other activities organized by the group include urban art, community gardening, cultural activities and environmental education and preservation.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For more information and to stay up-to-date with Movimento Preserva Laboriaux\u00a0activities, follow them on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. “Planting Ideas” in Manguinhos<\/h3>\n

\"Residents<\/a><\/p>\n

A joint initiative between Teto Verde Favela<\/a>\u00a0(Green Roof Favela) and Favela Criativa<\/a>\u00a0(Creative Favela), the\u00a0project Plantando Ideias<\/a>\u00a0(Planting Ideas) was launched in March 2015<\/a> to\u00a0raise environmental awareness within the community of Manguinhos<\/a>, in Rio’s North Zone<\/a>. The project was created by 20-year-old\u00a0community resident Eduardo Costa, who says the objective is simple: to make favelas greener. He explains<\/a> that “by involving the community members in ecological projects and building\u00a0an environmental discourse, residents\u00a0can\u00a0improve their own attitudes toward the environment.”<\/p>\n

The launch event was a simple but fun one.\u00a0Throughout the afternoon of March 4, residents of Manguinhos put on a series of events, from gardening to graffiti to a rap concert, all aimed at raising environmental awareness within the community. A documentary about Teto Verde Favela was screened and residents planted cacti around the community sports center. Brooke Parkin reported<\/a> for\u00a0RioOnWatch<\/em> at the time:<\/p>\n

The screening of the documentary<\/a> Teto Verde Favela\u00a0explained\u00a0the ambitions of the organization: to encourage community residents to have more plants, and in particular, plants on rooftops. Ant\u00f4nio Soares, a biologist who works closely with Teto Verde Favela, explained that they are \u201cimplementing the idea of sustainability in communities through the green roof, with a green covering not only to ease the temperature in the houses but also to make it more beautiful, to give a natural beauty to the area.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click for\u00a0more information and to stay up-to-date with Teto Verde Favela<\/a>\u00a0or Favela Criativa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5. Babil\u00f4nia’s Favela Org\u00e2nica<\/h3>\n

\"Regina<\/a><\/p>\n

When it comes to diminishing waste, Favela Org\u00e2nica<\/a> is a champion. Founded by Regina Tchelly using minimal resources, Favela Org\u00e2nica has become globally recognized as part of the Slow Food Movement. Regins develops creative and exquisite culinary treats from food that is normally wasted\u00a0in Morro da Babil\u00f4nia<\/a>:\u00a0orange peel, watercress stems and pumpkin skin are common ingredients.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea is that people with low incomes and high incomes alike learn how to use all the food they bring to their homes and produce delicious meals like we\u2019re serving today,” Tchelly said in a RioOnWatch<\/em>\u00a0profile of Favela Org\u00e2nica<\/a>.\u00a0“It\u2019s low cost, healthier and more economical for the home.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information on Favela Org\u00e2nica and details of future events visit\u00a0favelaorganica.blogspot.com<\/a> or fan the Favela Org\u00e2nica Facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Favelas are natural incubators for\u00a0new ideas, sustainability initiatives and community-led projects. They are increasingly being recognized as\u00a0models\u00a0of sustainability\u00a0worldwide. World Environment Day is organized annually\u00a0by the United Nations to bring awareness to environmental issues around the […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":22421,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1288,1290,1268,1271,1503,329,452],"tags":[490,950,32,2411,474,385,386,1569,348,2412,637,288,197,37,199,12,156,471,489,514,239,1140,1663,470],"writer":[1356],"translator":[],"illustrator":[],"photographer":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-22392","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-highlight","8":"category-civilsociety","9":"category-favelaculture","10":"category-favelaqualities","11":"category-opportunities-to-support-favelas","12":"category-solutions","13":"category-rio20","14":"tag-alto-da-boa-vista","15":"tag-biodigester","16":"tag-complexo-do-alemao","17":"tag-culture-secretariat","18":"tag-environment","19":"tag-environmental-education","20":"tag-trash","21":"tag-green-roof","22":"tag-laboriaux","23":"tag-local-actions-prize","24":"tag-manguinhos","25":"tag-mata-atlantica","26":"tag-morro-da-babilonia","27":"tag-north-zone","28":"tag-reforestation","29":"tag-rocinha","30":"tag-south-zone","31":"tag-sustainability","32":"tag-tijuca-forest","33":"tag-vale-encantado","34":"tag-verdejar","35":"tag-waste-management","36":"tag-world-environment-day","37":"tag-zero-waste","38":"writer-nicole-froio"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22392"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22392\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22392"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwriter&post=22392"},{"taxonomy":"translator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftranslator&post=22392"},{"taxonomy":"illustrator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fillustrator&post=22392"},{"taxonomy":"photographer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fphotographer&post=22392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}