Argentina won two Oscars for the environment

From 20 to 24 April, City Miami They dress in green to welcome outstanding actors and heroes who promote positive change on the planet. The green awards Formerly known as the Latin American Green Awards, an event Sustainability The largest in Ibero America, collecting the best sustainable projects at an award ceremony held for the first time in United State.

Among the 2,522 initiatives from different countries in Europe and America that participated in the ninth edition of the Green Awards, two Argentine and Mendoza projects were awarded: Ecocanje, in the Economy category with special mention to Scalability and Junín Punto Limpio, a lighting recycling project in the Public Policy category.

This year, the Green Awards, Sustainability Week, ran between Guayaquil and Miami. For four consecutive days, several talks were held at the University of Miami where the finalists for the best sustainability projects were able to access an interesting agenda of conferences, workshops and network with important leaders in the fields of economics, public policy, communication, and blockchain from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay and Costa Rica the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic.

The award ceremony was held at Arsht Center – Knight Concert Hall in Miami. Each project was evaluated by a jury made up of international institutions, including the United Nations. Awards were presented in categories: economics, biodiversity, energy, human development, cities, communications, waste and public policy.

The countries with the most awards are: Colombia 9, Peru 6, Mexico 4, Venezuela 3, 2 for Argentina, 2 for Chile, 1 for the United States, 1 for Spain and 1 for Guatemala.

What are the Argentine ideas and actions given?

The award for best project in the Public Policy category went to “From Light to Light”, one of the initiatives implemented at the Junín Punto Limpio recycling plant in which more than 3,000 sodium lamps, from public lighting, have been converted by LED technology that allows efficient energy. In turn, in the said factory, they carry out a differentiated collection and reuse of plastic waste in different products developed at the Gonen municipality recycling plant. Used in building sustainable housing, these bespoke products are class-style items intended for expansion and building improvements for corporations, entities, NGOs and individuals.

For its part, EcoCanjeGC received a special mention for scalability in the economy class. The Saeed Project has achieved this distinction with its PET-PET-Pack-Per-Load SUBE exchange programme. This makes it possible to travel on public transport without using money and contributing to the care of the environment. The main objective of the ECOCANJE program is to promote the circular economy of Godoy Cruz circle by implementing an ecological exchange system that allows citizens to access various benefits of PET bottle disposal, for example, for services or benefits. . More than 3,500 users from Godoy Cruz City joined the program and allowed more than 75,500 bottles to be retrieved, avoiding the emission of 9,6576.7kg of CO2.

José Javier Guarderas, current Director (CEO) of this initiative stated: “The Green Awards is the key environmental and sustainability platform that has established itself as the largest showcase of environmental and social projects in America, Europe and Africa. Each year, the top 500 projects in the region are linked, trained, rewarded and highlighted, which promotes a green economy through eight categories in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”

Argentine creativity also featured prominently in the Green Awards

Chacho Puebla, a creative Argentine, founded Felicidad, a project – neither an agency nor a consultant – whose goal is to contribute to a more sustainable, equal and prosperous society. Together with a team of professionals from around the world (Mendoza, San Juan, Spain, Portugal, and Ecuador) Felicidad carried out the full launch of the ninth edition of the Green Awards. The campaign is designed to break with the sustainability continuum and propose a diverse and bold approach. The idea was to adapt to the moment and the audience to which it was directed, and to pay attention to geographic pillars, generations, gastronomic or cultural themes, among others. Thus, as many as 500 copies have been created that call for reflection on the importance and necessity of taking care of the health of the planet to ensure survival.

In conclusion, Cristina Arena, coordinator of the Green Awards in Argentina since its first edition, commented: “I feel very proud and grateful in this new 2022 edition of the Green Awards in which Argentina leads for the second year in a row in the Public Policy category for the best public policy and another small statue in Economy category. Every year the challenge of reaching the largest number of projects is renewed and this is only possible thanks to our allies and network of ambassadors. Congratulations to all the winners and especially Junin Punto Limpio de Mendoza, and Ikokanji, Godoy Cruz de Mendoza municipality on the special award for scalability.”