Wednesday, June 11, 2008

A SICILIAN SOLUTION ...

.. to refuse collection.

Back in March, the inspirational and aptly-named Mayor Cicero of Castelbuono [Palermo] had the idea of using mules to collect the refuse in this town of 10,000 inhabitants. The scheme seems to be a great success, for, as the Mayor says, this way they are cutting down on pollution whilst saving their historic heritage; the mules also have names and are popular with the town's children.

"National environmental concerns" is an oral examination topic so I was discussing this with students yesterday. Then I read more about it here .

Hat tip to my student Luca.

10 comments:

CherryPie said...

What an unusual and charming solution :-)

Leslie: said...

What about the ... um ... "refuse" they deposit on the streets?

Lee said...

Hi Welsh! Sorry for being such a stranger this year, but I promise I will try to be more "accessible" from now on. Time has been of the essence and I ran out of essence - and motivation at times, I think! ;)

jmb said...

Leslie had the same thought as I did. Still I think it is a very charming story too.
Funny how the students can teach things to the teacher sometimes.

Sackerson said...

Brilliant idea - has a kind of wit about it.

Gledwood said...

what you can wear makeup OVER sunscreen? I always assume sunscreen's going to make me look like a frying sausage y'know that glistening sizzling in the sun look

i only caught the sun bug in India. "oh I don't want a tan blah blah" I'd told myself before going plus I thought lying in the sun vulgar. anyway soon as I realized the darker you are (or the longer they think you've been there) the lower prices got everywhere: one massive impetus for a sudden massive sunsession meltdown obsession!!!

i used p20 you only apply once a day in strict connexion with instructions (something to do with NOT wearing moisturizer over it within 90 mins. + allowing it 90mins to sink in) after this it really does last ALL DAY including if you swim in the sea (it goes down to factor 18 then) ... I fell asleep for 4 hours ++ on a tropical beach with only this & swim trunks on and went nothing worse than a vague light pink. then my body FINALLY seemed to kick in and tan itself this bronze that was so kind of intense it took literally 2 years to fully fade. absolutely true!!

Gledwood said...

I thought the only thing they used "mules" for these days in Sicily was the drug-exportation haha! (sorry ?:-/...

Gledwood said...

actually surely you don't get drugs exported from Sicily not now. in the 1970s the maff had heroin refineries for Turkish opium that went from there via France to New York hence the so-called "French Connexion" which was nothing to do with overpriced clothes!!!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, cherrypie. I think it's rather charming, too. Hi, Leslie. I never thought about that! Lee, my old friend, how lovely to hear from you. Hi, jmb. Yes, you can always learn from your students. Ciao, Sackerson. I agree. Hi, Gleds. Thanks for your tanning story. Yes, you can wear make-up over a good sunblock. No comment re drugs trade.

dean.morrison said...

You may all be pleased to know that I was driving through Castelbuono recently and what did I see? A donkey carrying the garbage! The programme still is in operation - beautiful.
http://siciliamo.blogspot.com

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