jagannath venkataramaih [mailto:jags_environs57@yahoo.com] wrote:
>A similar effort during 1988 by a team of scientists
>led by me did work out to the development of  a
>non-formal environmental education model " Ecological
>and Environmental Studies by Students(EESS)" for
>community empowerment in Bangalore,India.

Thank you for this information. I believe you are further advanced than I am.
Did you publish this work somewhere to be consulted?
I would be interested to see the results.

>I am keen to know in your context ;
>
>i) How are the volunteers  identified ? Is it random
>as it is perceived by the interested or you have a set
>of guidelines ?

At the start, we arbitrarily (through personal contacts) selected two
condominium communities for our tests. As the results became available, we
proceeded with interviews in a local newspaper and in a local TV station. As
a result, other communities came forward and offered themselves for the test.
The wholesale and retail markets were picked in the same way, through
personal contacts, and we did not really offer them much choice. A little
later, the environmental department of a neighboring city was contacted. We
explained our work and they told us that in principle, they would like to try the system out.

I am now in the process of writing up a project proposal for this exciting
task. It will take me some time, but after 2000 years of modern destruction,
a year or two will not make this much difference.

>ii) How does the community/stake holders find a place
>in the scheme of initiatives.I learn that Brazilian
>industries do have a pro-active roles to achieve
>better performances in the past.

We have not worked with industrial waste in this study, only with food
marketing waste and household waste. Our function as academes is to put the
information and the management models on the market. We do a lot of public
relations, as I said through the written and oral press, and also through
conferences, but we cannot force anybody to participate. Again, 2000 years of
undesirable behavior will not disappear in a moment. I am ready to wait and
be very patient. My hope is that with the diversion targets identified, one
city administration or the other will eventually listen to us.

Best wishes,
M.Fehr