Stories of sustainable development, an alternative economy, and new growth models—driven by innovation, awareness, and responsibility—are once again the focus of the Non Sprecare Award, now in its 13th edition. The award continues to foster dialogue and exchange among businesses, associations, and civil society. The initiative, conceived by Antonio Galdo – director of www.nonsprecare.it –  and promoted by Luiss Guido Carli University, has the Acea Group as its main partner  . Together with the university, Acea is committed to promoting waste reduction and sustainable water supply.

The Award, which aims to gather and promote best practices in reducing waste, this year turned its spotlight on the topic of energy. Over 100 ideas and projects were submitted by individuals and organizations, all with a common goal: to limit dependence on gas and oil and reduce costs for consumers and those facing significant economic hardship. “We’ve seen a great deal of initiative from the grassroots to effectively tackle the problems related to the energy crisis, thanks to the ingenuity and creativity that Italians are known for,” said Antonio Galdo.

For this edition, broadcast on Luiss Social TV and on the award's Facebook page, awards were given in six categories: Individual, Schools and Universities, Companies, Associations, Institutions, and Youth and Startups.

In the Individual category, two virtuous representatives from vastly different generations were recognized: sixteen-year-old Carla and ninety-year-old Fabio, who demonstrated a profound understanding that life is the most precious thing and should not be wasted. Carla managed to organize a bus to Lublin, carrying food, blankets, and medicine for the Ukrainian people, and returned to Italy with 50 refugees. Fabio, on the other hand, decided to dedicate himself to helping those in need by opening his home to a refugee family, despite his age.

The School and University category award went to three Milanese schools that, together, managed to generate their own energy and then donate it to the local community. The Rinnovata Pizzigoni Comprehensive School, which includes two elementary schools (Dante Alighieri and Rinnovata), a middle school (Puecher), and the Bottoni Science High School, installed solar panels on their roofs to become self-sufficient and donate surplus energy to the local energy community.

The Associations Award went to Stasera offro io, an app that reduces food waste by donating to those in need. Thanks to the web platform created by the Food Bank of Rome, unsold food from small businesses—such as delis, bakeries, fishmongers, butchers, and produce shops—easily finds its way to the tables of families facing financial hardship, connecting donors and beneficiaries. The app has successfully brought together 35 donors in Rome, where, on average, 40% of bread is thrown away at the end of the day.

The Business Award will go to Pier Francesco Rimbotti, founder of Infrastrutture SpA, already a leader in the solar energy systems market in South America. The company won the contract to build a solar plant on an 8-hectare site with 9,760 solar panels in the Litate area of the Fukushima prefecture, where one of the worst environmental disasters in human history occurred.

And there’s more. In the Institutions category, the jury selected ten municipalities in Trentino that, building on their existing hydroelectric plants (which generate 450 million kW annually, over ten times the local consumption in the area), have joined forces to produce their own renewable energy. In addition to water, these municipalities generate energy from wood, which they use to power district heating plants. The project was carried out by Acsm Primiero, one of the largest multi-utility companies in Trentino-Alto Adige. Since 1902, it has been developing along two main lines: joining forces and focusing entirely on local resources—water and wood. Finally, Hoooly, the smart bin designed to replace traditional dumpsters, won the award in the Youth and Startup category. Created by Nicolas Lorenzo Zeoli (24) and Gabriele Cavallaro (25), Hoooly is spherical, automatic, and ensures proper waste sorting by opening the right compartment for disposal via a simple app.

“Luiss has been supporting the Non Sprecare Award since 2017, with the mission of spotlighting and rewarding organizations that are committed to a greener world every day. Indeed, the issues of sustainability and conserving energy resources have never been more central and urgent than they are today. It is therefore essential to build a culture of responsibility that starts with the youngest generation, to create awareness and promote virtuous behaviors and models in everyday life,” said Luiss General Director Giovanni Lo Storto.

Speakers at the awards ceremony included Professor Sergio Fabbrini, Director of the Department of Political Science at Luiss; Engineer Alberto Portolano, Project Manager at Grimaldi Group; and Andrea Pranovi, coordinator of Radio Sapienza;

Representing Acea were Serena Dell'Aira, Head of Partner Development at Acea Innovation, who presented the award to the winners in the Companies category, and Daniele Del Pesce, Head of the E-Mobility Business Unit at Acea Innovation, who delved into the concept of sustainable mobility by outlining some of the goals the company aims to pursue in the green economy, in collaboration with Luiss.