In less than two months, an event will take place where concrete solutions will be sought to transform the environmental situation in Bariloche. This is “Sustainable Cities,” a proposal by the Impacta Foundation.
The event, scheduled for late October, aims to find innovative proposals for waste management in the Patagonian city.
One of the main problems is the local landfill. Considered by the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) as one of the 50 most dangerous dumps in the world, it represents a serious environmental and health threat.
Technological solutions for an urgent problem in Bariloche
As Tomás García Laredo, founder of the organization, told Río Negro, the site contaminates the water table and emits toxic gases that affect the health of residents and local production.
“The birds that feed at the landfill can carry viruses and plastics up to 50 kilometers around, contaminating the lakes and affecting tourism,” García Laredo explained.
To address this situation, the Impacta Foundation launched the call “Sustainable Cities – Chapter 1: Trash-Free Patagonia,” a call to action to find specific technological and social solutions for waste management.
The goal is to find ideas that are “proven and applicable,” rather than abstract projects, that can be implemented immediately in Bariloche and serve as an example for other cities.
The six selected teams will have the opportunity to present their proposals at the Sustainable Cities Meeting, to be held on October 30 and 31.
The travel expenses of the teams will be fully covered so they can showcase their projects to an audience that will include municipalities, specialists, and companies from across the country.
Meeting to drive change
The event aims to showcase existing solutions and promote a cultural change. “We want to show that there are possible solutions and, above all, dream that we can have a sustainable society environmentally, socially, and economically,” García Laredo stated.
This first chapter, focused on waste, is the starting point for a broader agenda. The director of Impacta revealed that future topics will address issues such as wastewater treatment, energy, transportation, and housing.
The foundation aims to bring the issue to the citizen’s agenda so that solutions do not depend on isolated efforts. Instead, achieve an integral understanding and a collective and sustained effort.
The Bariloche landfill. (Photo: utopiaurbana.city).[/caption>
“A real transformation is only possible if it starts from an integral understanding of the context and sustained effort. This event is the starting point for a shared path,” García Laredo concluded.
Currently, the municipal landfill receives 200 tons of garbage daily, accumulating more than 500,000 tons in total. However, less than 5% of the waste is recycled, representing a great missed opportunity to promote a circular economy and generate green jobs.
