The DMMA... is not just another day

On June 5, we celebrate World Environment Day (WMD), what are these types of celebrations for? , you should know that it is a fundamental tool of the United Nations to promote environmental awareness in the world.

This year, World Environment Day will revolve around Small Island Developing States in support of the United Nations naming 2014 as the International Year of SIDS (acronym in English), relating this topic to climate change. Specifically, the slogan chosen to reflect this theme has been “Raise your voice, not the sea level” ... in Ideas MedioAmbiental we add “and act now.”

How can you celebrate World Environment Day 2014? The United Nations recommends organizing cleaning campaigns, initiatives to reduce food waste, deciding to walk or bike to work, encouraging you to plant trees, getting started composting, launching recycling campaigns or on social networks... Every action counts and when they multiply their impact becomes exponential.

World Environment Day serves to make us realize that caring for the Earth is everyone's responsibility and that we must become agents of change.

At Ideas MedioAmbiental we also do our bit on this day (as on others) so on June 5, we celebrate this day through a forum organized by the Department of Environment of the City of Albacete at the initiative of Environmental Ideas within its CSR policy (environmental awareness line).

In it, we had the opportunity to learn first-hand about all the environmental services that the City Council has been providing through the companies and entities responsible for their management. All this through a simple presentation of the service and added value that they have incorporated; together with an exchange of opinions about the current environmental diagnosis of the city, and including the definition of immediate challenges and analysis of possibilities for improvement.

The following have participated as speakers:

• Department of Environment of the City of Albacete
• FCC-Management of MSW and maintenance of green areas
• Asla Foundation-maintenance of green areas
• R que R- Albacete Recycle and Out of Series: collection of used clothes
• García Galvis-paper collection
• ADR-Albacete Recovery — collection of waste oils and WEEE
• ELECNOR- Ecopark Management
• Aguas de Albacete-Integral Water Cycle Management
• Comprehensive University Services-Environmental Education Plan
• Camacho Recycling-Selective glass collection
• Albacete Games - Children's Game Maintenance
• Campos Brothers. Albabici- Bike loan service
• Noah's Ark- Collecting abandoned pets
• Organic Gardens Association - AHOE
• Environmental Ideas.

In our opinion, the main conclusions reached after the interventions, subsequent question time, and final informal closing colloquium were:

First, there are not a few current environmental services provided by the City Council of Albacete, leaving open to independent debate the evidence that we all have a lot to do (administration, companies and society in general)... although the real problem is being able to calculate the real time frame of action and/or reaction that we currently have, since we have made a lot of progress, but maybe not fast enough or effective, or that we simply don't arrive on time; in any case at Ideas MedioAmbiental we are committed to the “glass half full”, to act and that nature decides

2. That a more than significant percentage of the City Council's environmental resources are managed by local companies or companies from the province of Albacete, highly capable and experienced companies; which is a clear indicator that the green sector is important in Albacete and to be considered as a strategic sector to be reinforced through policies such as green public procurement or specialized continuous training. Local resources complemented by the experience and solvency of large national and international companies with which to take on major environmental challenges.

3. That green employment represents a real opportunity for many people who decide to dedicate themselves professionally to this sector, employment that has the added value of high flexibility when it comes to integrating groups with difficulties in entering employment and under conditions of equality with respect to other profiles.

4. There is a high level of specialization and innovation in the sector, fundamental ingredients in the formula for the success of any economic activity. Proof of this is that many local projects are the first step in ambitious internationalization projects for easily scalable green services.

5. The environmental commitment of Albacete society is significant in view of the number of associations, collectives and entities that promote, and above all apply, sustainable development or environmental protection.

We thank the city council, and especially all the participants, for their contribution and active participation, hoping that this will be the first of future forums, tables and even weeks dedicated to the environment, since dialogue and coordination of actions is essential to continue consolidating the Environment as a matter of more than relevant importance.

Undoubtedly, there are many issues left to talk about, many opinions to give,... but we have already taken a first step; let's dedicate 1 day, 2, 3 or 40 days a year to celebrate the day of the environment, forests, fauna,... or forums and initiatives of this type that promote awareness, green employment or knowledge management,... but first of all let's work the rest of the year with commitment and enthusiasm in their protection and conservation, since time is running against us and we are playing the most important thing we have: LIFE.