June 7, 2024 – 19:26
Recently, a commemorative event of the World Environment Day in the Congress University under the motto “Planet versus Plastics”. In this context, the Municipality of Mendoza was distinguished by this high house of studies, with the Mention to Environmental Commitment in the municipal management category, for its project “Experimenting with circular economy for the social production of habitat”. The distinction was received by the team of the Secretariat of Environment and Urban Development of the capital municipality.
At this meeting, they gave themselves recognitions to institutions, individuals and work groups. At the same time, it aimed promote and encourage the effort made by different actors in our community to contribute to the sustainable development from the province of Mendoza.
About the winning project of the Municipality of Mendoza
He aim of the project on environment “Experimenting with circular economy for the social production of habitat”, led by the Urban Laboratory of the City of Mendoza and winner of the IDB “Cities for All” contest, was to contribute to the neighborhood High Sierras located in The favouritewith a perspective of socio-environmental sustainability. This project was developed in an area of high social vulnerability, seeking an interrelated social, economic and environmental impact.
During 2022 and 2023, various participatory activities were carried out, involving multiple actors and prioritizing the participation of neighbors. Among the featured activities are interviews, the “Network of Change” meeting, workshops, dissemination campaigns and the co-construction of a common uses module in the Sierras Altas Recreational Plaza.
The community module built used a sustainable technique developed by the company 3C, based on the reuse of plastic waste. This space will be co-managed between the Municipality and the Unión Vecinal Civil Association, providing a meeting place and a legal tool for neighbors. The project also served to validate the efficiency of the construction system, which led to the sanction of Ordinance 4173/24 in May, approving the 3C system for the entire capital territory.
The project focused on the circular economy, recovering more than 600 kg of plastic bottles in five months and eliminating 864 kg of plastic from the environment. This prevented the emission of 1.5 tons of CO2, equivalent to the amount absorbed by 117 trees in one month. Furthermore, the construction technique used reduced significantly the water use and did not require non-renewable energy.
Since its inception, the project promoted collaboration between various actors, including the public and private sectors and civil society, promoting comprehensive solutions and the co-creation of ideas. The Community participation It was essential to guarantee territorial anchoring and find real solutions to the neighborhood’s social problems. Various methodologies were used to involve the community, such as empathy interviews, community workshops and door-to-door calls.
The choice of the name and the inauguration of the space “Building Sustainable Dreams” They reflect the community commitment to the project. Likewise, the project had the support of various organizations such as CEREDETEC, BID, municipal areas (Government, Housing, Works), RIL, Unión Vecinal and COREME, which facilitated the articulation of efforts and resources for its development.
In summary, this project has not only promoted socio-environmental sustainability in the Sierras Altas neighborhood, but has also proven to be a solution replicable on a larger scale, through housing policies municipal or community self-management.
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