September 14, 2015
As part of a four day seminar, “The Philly-Rio Experience,” Syracuse EFC visited several centers in Philadelphia that are driving sustainable community development by reducing environmental risk. The purpose of the seminar was to ultimately compare similar programs in Philadelphia and a “sister city” in Brazil by exploring how organizations develop partners, engage the community and youth, and provide sustainability and job training.
Observations made from Philadelphia site visits will support the continued development of the community-based solid-waste management project, ReciclAção, in Prazeres, Brazil. Discussions focused on ReciclAção’s challenges and how information and connections made from these visits could be applied to communities in Brazil–specifically, how best to develop partnerships, enhance community involvement, and build sustainable infrastructure.
Sites included The Village of Arts and Humanities, Knight Center Green Jobs Training Center, Overbrook Art and Environmental Education Center, Drexel University, Faith Temple Holy Church, and the ReCommunity Recycling Center.
Key partners in developing this program included the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of International and Tribal Affairs and ReciclAção from Brazil. ReciclAção partners include local leaders from the Prazeres community and the organizations BrazilPET, Brazil Foods, and CEDAPS.
Syracuse EFC is providing support to EPA’s Office of International and Tribal Affairs to Strengthen and implement public participation in environmental decision-making and other activities conducted in Brazil, with a focus on the ReciclAção program.