Welcome to Illinois - Sao Paulo Partners

What We did during 2007  and more... Environmental Education / Youth Pat Sullivan of the Illinois Environmental Education Association went to São Paulo to discuss Environmental Educational §         Visited Floravida in Botucatu to share best practices from Illinois with Sao Paulo, related to environmental education. o       Created network among local professional environmentalists   o       Carried out successfully 3 workshops on environmental education (attended by more than 100 educators and students), with emphasis on group participation and student and curriculum applications Luis Fernando Guggenberger and Sao Paulo President Eduardo Giembinski visited Chicago to establish: §         Educational exchanges and Institutional contacts with the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Chicago Culture Center, and natural prairie sites in Macomb to open ongoing dialogues about environmental preservation and restoration. Geno Bonaventura furthered the relationship during his visit to Sao Paulo §         Met with directors of Botanic Garden of Sao Paulo, along with Eduardo Giembinski and Paulo Ganzelli §         Gave also a presentation about Marketing and Logistics at Faculdade Metropolitana Unidas (FMU) Marisa Woehlert organized the 2007 Global Youth Service Day in Humboldt Park on April 21, in conjunction with Violeta’s group in Atibaia, São Paulo. This was part of a City-wide initiative by Friends of the Parks who hosted a spring clean up at parks across the City, followed by an awards ceremony, food and entertainment. Architecture and Urban Planning / Green Tech/ General Technologies Pat Saldaña Natke shared insight into the efforts in Chicago to transform public housing projects into sustainable, livable communities with her counterparts in Sao Paulo. While less than 10% of Chicago residents but more than 30% of Sao Paulo residents live in poverty, both cities share the same struggles and challenges in regard to addressing safe shelter and housing. Natke met and gave presentations to Jorge Wilheim of the SEHAB (Sao Paulo Housing Authority), visited various favelas surrounding SP, and exchanged ideas with staff of Projeto Arrastao.   She also gave lectures and presentations to students in the architecture program at UIC and offered an internship to Lucio Fleury, a young architect from Sao Paulo. 2007-08 Foundation Grant award from POA allowed Carmen Hallet to further develop the Green Architecture Small Entrepreneur Program and recruit new members related to this project.  This project also relates to our Education and Youth efforts, with a component that involves Environmental Education for High School students. Geno Bonaventura initiated the conversation with several experts from Sao Paulo and Illinois in the area of Ethanol and Renewable Energies (Alternative Energies). Over the years, ethanol fuel has been about one-third less expensive than gasoline. One third of all vehicles that Ford Motor Company sells in Brazil have run on Ethanol since 1978. Many citizens of the U.S. do not know that many cars can run on alcohol, despite the long history of alcohol fuel outside of the U.S.  On the other hand, Ethanol is seen in some circles in Brazil as an attack on indigenous cultures, particularly in Central America, where corn is the staple crop. Also, the energy returned on energy invested (EROEI) for ethanol is close to 1, which means that it takes nearly as much energy (through natural gas based fertilizers, farm equipment, transformation from corn or other materials, and transportation) to create ethanol as the ethanol itself produces when put to work. The U.S. has the greatest number of cars per person on earth, which is driving the research into alternative fuels.  The meetings with professionals leading research into this industry helped us to understand, however, that there are a myriad of issues to explore before moving full speed ahead.  For example, Dr. Paulo Saldiva from Sao Paulo University explained that the government of Brazil began using Ethanol as a substitute for gasoline in 70’s when gasoline was scarce, but said more tests need to be performed because Ethanol generates air pollution that may cause acute and chronic adverse health effects. Even at levels below the legal limits, Ethanol’s constituents may interact with each other, generating new complexes that are more aggressive with stronger impact on nasal cavities which are susceptible to air pollutants. Additional research/connections included: §         Visited Dr. Paulo Saldiva at Sao Paulo University to talk about Alternative Energies §         Visited a Sorocaba University which specializes in food processing and packaging project as requested by John Santas, Prof. Blascheck and Dean Eater back in August 07– via Paulo Ganzelli and Eduardo Giembinsky §         Met with Dr. Suani for a panel of discuss for Alternative Fuels at Sao Paulo University Leadership Development and Governance The Executive Board deepened connections between Illinois and Sao Paulo more than ever before, which was made possible by two successful Travel Grant visits by São Paulo Chapter Board members to Chicago/Illinois by Luis Fernando Guggenberger, and President Eduardo Giembinski and his wife Rosangela.  In addition: §         Sao Paulo President Eduardo Giembinsky and Illinois President Bob Hernquist attended the POA leadership orientation in Washington, DC together §         The two sides of the partnership developed a joint Work-Plan format: Between grant and personal travel, several board members met to discuss future projects and formats that would work in both cultures §         Promoted Projeto Arrastao American Business Fellows Michael Lofstrom Completed the American Business Fellows program in the Dominican Republic, with a vision to apply learning to the Enviro-Agro Tech Transfer program in Brazil and Illinois, as well as the Green Technology project planned for 2008.  Specific program concepts shared and put into practice included organic product marketing, small farmer and community organization, participation in Fair Trade programs and certification processes, and linking new organic producers with existing “cluster” informal cooperate organizations.