Varese is ready for European Week for Waste Reduction

The seventh European Week for Waste Reduction, which is taking place throughout Europe, from 19 – 27 November 2016, is dedicated to reducing the impact of packaging.

And Varese is so ready, with a full program of events taking place throughout week organised by Varese Province and Council, ASPEM – Gruppo A2A and Legambiente VareseOnlus, in collaboration with Caritas, the Parish of Masnago, the “De Filippi” School of Hotel Management and all schools in Masnago (the “A. Frattini” High School, the “Ferraris” High School, and the “Vidoletti” Middle School), and with the collaboration of Karakorum Theatre, CESVOV and Slow food.

“Varese Province has always pursued an avant-garde environmental policy in relation to waste management, which has given, and continues to give, excellent results,” said Gunnar Vincenzi, the President of Varese Province. “We made the results of our differentiated waste collection official a few weeks ago. Today, we’re presenting another good initiative related to this topic, but from another perspective this time, namely reuse, which goes to reducing waste production. The event has an educational, as well as practical goal, because being able to extend the life of an object means making a small, albeit concrete, contribution to creating a society that really has environmental sustainability at heart.”

“European Week for Waste Reduction is an important event, with a lot of potential, which we’ve tried to develop, this year,” said Dino De Simone, Councillor for the Environment, Wellbeing and Sport on Varese’s town council. “The role of the council, in this case, is similar to that of the playmaker in basketball; we’re on the court beside schools, parishes and associations, we direct actions, by participating actively in the initiatives. We want to give value to the skills and passions of the people of Varese, in this case, applied to teaching about reducing waste and squandering.”

And this is why a series of initiatives have been organised with schools, for example, theatre shows and meetings with the Honourable Maria Chiara Gadda, the sponsor of the law on reducing food waste, which was recently approved.

“As they did for all of the Reuse Days, ASPEM are pleased to take park in the initiative, making personnel and means available to gather whatever there is in the square at the end of the day,” said Sandro Azzali, the Chairman of ASPEM, who considers “the participation in the event by local schools, such as the “Ferraris” High School, the “Frattini” High School and the “Vidoletti” Middle School, to be very positive. This response gives value to ASPEM’s decision to add schools to the targets already contacted to be actively involved in the publicity campaign to reach the 65% separated waste collection target, required by the Regional regulations.”

The promoting associations will include the environmental organisation, Legambiente Varese, who will lend their expertise for the sorting and census of the waste. “Our volunteers will be in Piazzale De Gasperi, on Saturday, from 8 am to 3 pm,” said the Chairwoman Valentina Minazzi. “They’ll give a hand in collecting and sorting, but, above all, they’ll support the Provincial Waste Observatory in collecting data, which will then be needed to calculate how much this initiative has contributed to reducing the objects destined for the dump.”

Minazzi explained that this “one off” initiative “might be decisive in raising awareness of the topic, triggering a virtuous circle of good daily practices that lead to the growth of a genuine ‘circular economy’, in which waste destined for disposal is reduced drastically. The support of the authorities, and the involvement of the schools is vital, also for the civic and ecological education of the citizens of tomorrow.”

THE CLIMAX: REUSE DAY

The 6th Reuse Day, in Varese, which has had huge success in past years, is coming to Masnago; on Saturday, 19 November 2016, from 8 am to 3 pm, people can bring objects in good/excellent condition, to Piazzale De Gasperi, and collect them free of charge, to give them a new life.

For large objects, an announcement can be put up, to say they are available for collection, with photos and a contact number, without direct delivery.

Furthermore, thanks to the collaboration with Caritas, any objects still on display at 3 pm will be examined and taken by the organisation; what they can use, they will keep, and the rest will be sent for disposal (or recovery) by ASPEM.

REUSE DAY: INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS

What can you bring to Piazzale De Gasperi on Saturday 19? In general, objects in good or excellent condition, small or medium-sized, that will not block the roadway. Objects of interest include cabinets, chairs, shelves, beds, matrasses, vinyl records, lamps, tables, baskets. But also cages, demijohns, picture frames, parasols, books, collections, comics and sports equipment.

Please do not bring objects not in good condition, large objects that cannot be transported by vehicle (in this case, the exchange is made by putting up notices and photos), waste that has come from door to door collections, or jars, cans of paint, vehicle batteries, mineral oils, building materials, or dangerous materials in general.

In case of heavy rain, the event will be postponed to 26 November.

THE EVENTS OF REUSE DAY

In Piazzale De Gasperi, on 19 November, there will not only be reusable objects. In addition to this form of reusing objects that are not yet waste, there will be a series of events.

First of all, also this year, it will be possible to taste food made from potential scraps and food leftovers: once more, the food will be made by the “De Filippi” Hotel Management School. Then, there will be a sale of roasted chestnuts for charity, and sustainable mulled tea: the tea will be available, but you will have to bring your own cup from home, to prevent producing new waste. There will be activities, with popular group dances, the Ciclofficina, for free repairs for anyone that wants to come to Bicycle Day, an installation made with recycled materials, by the “A. Frattini” Artistic High School, in Varese, in collaboration with the sculptor Aldo Zuliani, and finally, the presence of CESVOV and of Fair Trade Groups from Varese, who purchase packaging-free fruit and vegetables.

THE PROGRAM FOR EUROPEAN WEEK FOR WASTE REDUCTION

European Week for Waste Reduction will not only be Reuse Day; it will start on Friday 18 November, 2016, at 9 pm in the hall of the parish youth club in Masnago, with the meeting “From European Week for Waste Reduction to caring for products. Building a social economy”. Speeches will be given by the Hon. Maria Chiara Gadda, the sponsor of Italian Law No. 166/2016 against food waste, Dino De Simone, Councillor for the Environment on Varese Town Council, Valerio Crugnola, Luciano Gualzetti (Caritas Lombardia) and Mario Agostinelli.

Maria Chiara Gadda will also be at GlocalCibo, on Saturday, 19. In the Impero Hall of Villa Panza, from 4 pm, she and Dino de Simone will speak about: “Fighting food waste, from catering to packaging: the new law on good practices”. Others will present case histories and make concrete proposals.

On Monday, 21, and Thursday, 24, at the “De Filippi” High School, there will be cooking classes on how to use kitchen leftovers creatively, with chefs of the school.

On both days, the classes will be from 6.30 to 8.30 pm, at the High School, in Via Brambilla, 15. Registration for the evenings is compulsory: call 0332 238004, from 9 am to 1 pm, by 18 November. There are a maximum of 20 places available per evening. The cost of taking part is €10 per night. The lessons will be followed by tasting and/or takeaway of the dishes prepared.

From 21 to 25 November: the European Week for Waste Reduction will continue in the schools of Masnago: initiatives for reducing and preventing waste, at the “A. Frattini” High School, with a contribution by Arch. Caporaso, at the “Ferraris” High School and at the “Vidoletti” Middle School, with the participation of Chef Sergio Barzetti, who, on 23 November, will meet the children of the middle schools and of the REMIDA Centre, and hold a workshop at the elementary school on the creative reuse of materials.