Green Options » rome

Activists Against Horse Carriage Tours in Rome: What Will Animals Think About Their Rights?

Eva Pratesi — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:26:44 +0000

Wandering the streets of central Rome and taking in the breathtaking ruins and archaeological history can be somewhat of a challenge when trying to keep cool in 30+ degree heat. In summer time tourists love to discover the city centre walking or looking up to the Colosseum from the back of a horse carriage.

Now animal rights activists are trying to ban this practice. The group, Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali (ENPA) says that traffic, pollution, heat and heavy carriages expose the horses to health risks, especially during this hot season. According to the association, about 90 horses carry tourists to see the city’s landmarks on busy streets full of speeding cars and motorbikes.

‘Kick the Habit’, the Slogan to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Eva Pratesi — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:54:26 +0000

“Our world is in the grip of a dangerous carbon habit,” UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon Ban said in a statement to mark the celebration of World Environment Day today. “Kick the Habit” (the ‘carbon’ habit) is the international slogan for the event that promotes a movement towards a low carbon economy. World Environment Day, conceived in 1972, is the United Nations’ principal day to mark global green issues and aims to give a human face to environmental problems and solutions.

Not only humans but also art works seem to participate at this global fight against pollution and carbon consumption. It was early this morning in Rome when joggers and dog walkers alerted the police because around 150 statues across the city were wearing anti-pollution masks over their mouths!

Drinking Water, an Italian State of Mind!

Eva Pratesi — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:27:28 +0000

“Nasone“, the typical fountain of Rome

“Ti Voglio Bere” (”I want to drink you”) is the name of a project realized in the city of Torino to promote the use of drinking water. The similarity with the overused sentence “Ti voglio bene” (”I love you”) remind us we should appreciate more this basic element that arrives free in our houses.

Water is a public good even if the market wants to persuade us of the contrary. Water is not a drink as well as air we breathe is not a perfume. It’s a right we have to protect.

Italy is the main consumer of drinking water in the world. For us, there is no problem: not many households keep soft drinks or beer ready in the fridge, but everyone’s always got water. The only two beverages that you see on most Italian tables are water and wine.

Garbage Pollution Not Just A Modern Issue

Michael dEstries — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:22:53 +0000

I live in a college town, and as such, have to deal with a massive amount of pollution from students more interested making it home in a drunken stupor than what to properly do with that bottle of J.D. in their hands. Alas, it's me, a garbage bag, and the occasional cleanup to avoid becoming awash in crap.

According to Italian researchers, such acts of pollution have been a problem since the early days of Rome. Two inscriptions were discovered late last month warning against garbage dumping in the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum.

Using infrared reflectography, the researchers discovered decrees by two joint magistrates, Rufellius Romanus and Tetteius Severus, promising swift punishment with fines or lashes. From the article,

"The town's social makeup was rather different from Pompeii's. But the fact that 'no dumping' decrees were repeated over and over on the board, means that this was a serious problem in the town," Herculaneum scholar Mario Pagano told Discovery News."

Hmmm…perhaps it's time we honored the same traditions and put lashes back into the system? I jest, but I'm sure your average college student would be quick to recycle that bottle of beer, rather than throw it on my front lawn. "When in Rome…."

Article Link: Ancient Italian Decree: No Dumping