18/11

The winners of WSYA '11 - Go Green!

One of the UNs MDGs is to integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources. 
Then the next category is "of course": Go Green!
Unfortunately one of the winners (from Mexico) wasn't able to make it to Austria, so we only saw 2 winners in this category.

Aventones
Aventones is a service to create environmental awareness and improve the quality of life in cities, by enabling and promoting carpooling within organizations. In an urban environment like Mexico City, which scores top marks (99 out of 100) on the IBM scale ranking the emotional and economic toll of commuting, Aventones goes against the conventional municipal grain of simply building more roads.

Instead, Aventones chooses to give citizens the tools to make a change in commuter habits. Client organizations such as companies, universities and public authorities, pay an annual fee for access to online software helping users to find relevant matches. Aventones’ communication campaign and implementation strategy builds awareness and motivation, given that the culture of carpooling is virtually unknown in Mexico. In order to guarantee users’ security, car-sharing matches are only possible via private networks with members of the same organization. Participating organizations may also encourage participation through incentives, as well as awards and recognition for outstanding users. Aventones provides members with an easy, social and safe way to offer and find rides within a trusted community, empowering users to reduce traffic, CO²emissions, resource consumption and commuting time.

Website:http://aventones.com/
 

Friends of Nature
Sahabat Alam(Friends of Nature) is an environmental education and action website to stimulate the younger generation, the inheritors of the earth, in their love for nature and the environment. Located in Indonesia, a vulnerable archipelago country of islands with a total population of about 238 millions and displaying the world’s second-highest level of biodiversity, Sahabat Alam was inspired by twelve-year old Adeline, a child alarmed by the disastrous effects of climate change.
The action plan for sustianability, including green energy and clean water projects, school conferences, seminars, exhibitions, song, film and other environmental media, aims to conserve biodiversity and combat climate change through continuous news about the environment, education from an early age and public awareness and mobilization. Projects involving over 26,828 children, youth and adults, begin with planting coral reefs and native trees, providing clean energy, promoting eco-tourism, breeding fish, and go all the way to providing employment using green technology.
The projects are enhanced by Sahabat Alam’s Green e-Content/website and Sahabat Alam’s TV Edutainment Program on Environment, all accessible without fees. Sahabat Alam has brought young generations from Indonesia together with others from all around the world in taking action to save the planet.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sahabatalamindonesia
Website:http://www.sahabat-alam.com/en/