Rossano Ercolini had started as a school teacher and his tireless efforts have turned him into Europe's Environmental Goldman winner at the verge of 20 years. Having bagged the world's most prestigious award for grass-root activists, for Rossano it was not pre-planned. It was when the council in his hometown Capannori announced to build two waste plant incinerators 2 km away from his school that the problem started bugging him.
Holding small discussions among his society members, he soon got victory in convincing the politicians as well working in touch with Dr Paul Connett, an American professor and activist prominent for his work on incineration. The pros of recycling weighed out that of incineration.
Capannori was the first council to take up zero waste target following 80% of recycling rate. Influenced and inspired, 124 other councils of Italy took up the same as an obligation and surprisingly enough, even Naples, with dominant politics, has been taken up for the challenge.Rossano has also coupled with Lavazza, the leading coffee brand in Italy to find a solution to the rubbish bags full of coffee packaging.
He says:"Zero waste is not a destination, it's a journey. We won't complete it tomorrow, that's obvious, but we have to start today."
Holding small discussions among his society members, he soon got victory in convincing the politicians as well working in touch with Dr Paul Connett, an American professor and activist prominent for his work on incineration. The pros of recycling weighed out that of incineration.
Capannori was the first council to take up zero waste target following 80% of recycling rate. Influenced and inspired, 124 other councils of Italy took up the same as an obligation and surprisingly enough, even Naples, with dominant politics, has been taken up for the challenge.Rossano has also coupled with Lavazza, the leading coffee brand in Italy to find a solution to the rubbish bags full of coffee packaging.
He says:"Zero waste is not a destination, it's a journey. We won't complete it tomorrow, that's obvious, but we have to start today."