How was Proyecto Ecovia, Vas Verdes A.C . born? What are its objectives ?

TODAY, PROYECTO ECOVIA:

Is working to modify a revenue act and state waste legislation towards establishing the first green tax of its kind at a national level for handling Christmas trees as waste.

Proyecto Ecova (Ecovia Project)

This citizens movement was formally established in 2007 in response to a perceived need for: 1. Active participation in collecting, reuse, and recycling postconsumer urban solid waste; and 2. Educating citizens about topics related to waste, its management, and environmental consequences.

Coordinates the electronic waste (e-waste) management and education committee of the State of Jalisco. Creates and distributes educational-informational materials about waste in the State of Jalisco. Topics include: drug expiration dates, expanded polystyrene, batteries, school books and materials, electronic waste, etc. Coordinates the integrated Dangerous Household Waste

Mission
Vias Verdes A.C. is an independent, apolitical, nonprofit organization that informs and educates citizens, students, businesses and public servants about reducing, reusing, recycling and managing waste in order to achieve personal and therefore social transformation towards sustainability and the common good.

Management Committee in the State of Jalisco. Participants include 20 municipalities, the Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development Waste of Jalisco, SEMARNAT, of the

Environmental

Management

Network

Mexico,

universities, research centers and subject area experts.

Vision
To distinguish itself as a nonprofit organization providing the best knowledge and tools available to educate and transform people, businesses, and institutions, addressing sustainable waste management by offering and implementing real solutions involving social participation in actions connected with the life cycle and management of waste.

Help us do more. Donate your time, creativity, knowledge, items or economic resources. WITH YOU, WE CAN DO MORE

Proyecto Ecova
Vas Verdes A.C.
Av. Chapultepec #376-A Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mxico Phone: (52) 33 36154486 informes@proyectoecovia.com www.facebook.com/Proyectoecovia www.twitter.com/ProyectoEcovia

Worrying about environmental problems wont help. Doing something to change them will.

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ACTIVITIES
Proyecto Ecovia: Runs two collection centers for reuse, recycling, and ongoing education in the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara, and supports the operation of several citizen collection centers at educational institutions and workplaces. Develops an informal, ongoing educational program for high school and university students to inform and train them in waste product management through reuse and recycling, then replicates those projects in the community and at business establishments. Organizes specialized conferences and workshops. Offers talks and field trips for educational institutions and private companies. Organizes public awareness events about waste (What About Styrofoam? Palacio Municipal of Guadalajara, June 2010). Works with public servants on matters related to waste and collection centers. Works with authorities to draft waste management plans and legislation.

Organized an exhibition called What About Styrofoam? in June 2010 at the Palacio Municipal of Guadalajara, featuring a panel of specialists to address the management of this issue at a public level. Developed a Christmas tree collection and education program in collaboration with the municipality of Guadalajara, by which trees are converted to compost used in city parks. The number of trees collected grew 10 times within the 3 consecutive years of the program. Developed an electronic waste collection and education program in collaboration with municipal governments for three consecutive years, spanning 30 municipalities of the state of Jalisco during the last period and setting the national record for collection of e-waste with 104,440 tons in one month. As a result, we saved 6,964,637 liters of water, 1,260,029 kilograms of fossil fuels, and 71,546 kilograms of chemicals; freed up 468 cubic meters of landfill space; and prevented 1,045 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Proyecto Ecovia promoted e-waste awareness to public servants, companies, volunteers, and citizens to achieve

WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PROJECTS AND CONFERENCES WITH THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES, INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNMENTS, AMONG OTHERS Scouts of Mexico Escuela Preparatoria de Jalisco, Universidad de Guadalajara The American School Foundation of Guadalajara Colegio Alemn de Guadalajara Colegio Franco Mexicano Universidad de Especialidades Universidad Enrique Diaz de Len Center for Earth Systems Engineering and Management School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Arizona State University The Commission for Environmental Cooperation North American Free Trade Agreement COPARMEX Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropologa Social (CIESAS) (Center for Research and Higher Education in Social Anthropology) KODAK of Mexico IBM Recicla Electrnicos Mxico S.A. de C.V. Cmara de Comercio de Guadalajara (Guadalajara Chamber of Commerce), Collectors Association of Jalisco Municipal governments of Guadalajara, Zapopan, Tlajomulco, Tonal, el Salto, Zapotlanejo, Tlaquepaque, Sierra de Quila, SIMAR SURESTE, SIMAR SUR SURESTE Inter-municipal Board of Ro Ayuquila Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development of the State of Jalisco Environmental Waste Management Network of Mexico, Jalisco branch Red Estatal en Jalisco de Promotores Ambientales en la Prevencin y Gestin Integral de Residuos (GIRESOL) (Jalisco State Network of Environmental Promoters of Prevention and Integrated Waste Management) American Consulate of Guadalajara SEMARNAT, Jalisco division

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Presented at Mr. Dick Hausmanns conference titled Integrated solid waste managementthe German experiencechallenges, triumphs, and mistakes. (August 2009) Collected and sent 550 tons of waste to be recycled (to date) through our collection centers. Organized a visit to Ro Ayuquila to evaluate its inter-municipal boards work in waste management. In attendance were state workers, companies that specialize in waste management, academics, consultants, and students.

these results. Recognized in 2009 by the National Chamber of Commerce, Services, and Tourism in Guadalajara and by the association of Waste Collectors. Received the 2010 Jalisco Environmental Commitment Award for Citizen Organization of Waste Separation, given by the Government of Jalisco.