Non Sprecare Award 2024 – 15th Edition

The closing ceremony for the Non Sprecare Award was held today on the Luiss campus in Viale Romania. This year’s edition of the Award, conceived by Antonio Galdo – director of www.nonsprecare.it –  and promoted by Luiss Guido Carli University, is dedicated to Cities, which are central to Goal 11 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 56 percent of the world's population (4.4 billion people) lives in cities, and by 2050, this figure will rise to 70 percent. At the same time, when we look at Italian cities through the lens of sustainability, we find that in 2023, 18 out of the 98 cities examined exceeded the daily PM10 limits. 

“Luiss is pleased to host the 15th edition of the Non Sprecare Award again this year, which is dedicated to urban sustainability,” said Emiliana De Blasio, the Rector’s Advisor for Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability. She continued, “This initiative aligns with our commitment to being an educational community where inclusion and respect for the environment translate into concrete projects and actions.” The theme of cities highlights the role we can play in the areas where we live. Just to mention a few examples, the building where the event took place has earned LEED Platinum certification, the electricity we use on campus comes 100% from renewable sources, we have a low-impact shuttle service that connects our campuses and helps reduce city traffic, we have water dispensers that limit plastic use, and we have a shared garden for growing local food that involves people with various forms of vulnerability. But for us, the greatest value of initiatives like this lies in the involvement of various segments of civil society, particularly the many high school students. We hope they can become the future ambassadors of a model for a fair, inclusive, and sustainable society.”

“Sustainable development will inevitably pass through cities and transform their character. Not only because of pollution, which has reached very concerning levels, the climate crisis, and the efficiency of services, but also because of an aspect that cannot be ignored: the reduction of inequalities,” comments Antonio Galdo. “ Even cities that function well, with a good public transportation network, a high percentage of recycling, and plenty of green spaces, can be unsustainable if they don’t guarantee, for example, the right to housing and don’t work to bring downtown areas closer to the suburbs.” Unfortunately, the opposite is also happening in Italy, and our cities are becoming increasingly unjust and less sustainable.” 

The six award categories, as determined by the readers of the Non Sprecare website and the Jury, were: Individual, Schools and Universities, Companies, Associations, Institutions, and Youth and Startups.

In the Individual category, the award went to Edoardo Giordan, born in 1993, the protagonist of an extraordinary story. Born in Torrimpietra, a hamlet of Fiumicino, the young man, who loves sports, often feels his right foot and leg go numb shortly after turning 20. Then they turn a marble-white color, accompanied by sharp pain, cramps, and tingling. The diagnosis is Burger's disease, a rare condition for which a lot of physical activity is recommended. In reality, Edoardo has another rare disease, PAES (Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome), for which movement is very harmful. So much so that the young man, due to a classic case of medical malpractice, was forced to undergo an amputation of his leg above the knee. From that moment on, a long period of darkness began in Edoardo's life, and he also struggled with depression. Despite this, he became a sports champion, winning several medals, particularly in the individual and team sabre events. In 2018, he won the Paralympic Fencing World Cup in Pisa and joined the Police. At the Paris 2024 Games, he won the bronze medal in the sabre.

The School and University category award went to Istituto Comprensivo 2 e 4 in Vicenza, which created the Aule Natura. WWF-style green spaces to promote environmental education and sustainability. All students at the school also have lunch boxes so they can take home any food left over from the cafeteria, preventing waste.

The Associations Award went to the Associazione Portierato Sociale del Testaccio. In one of Rome’s most popular neighborhoods, where shops still display their distinctive historic signs and the average age of residents has risen significantly in recent years, Marina, Mauro, Goffredo, and the other volunteers at the Portierato Sociale di Testaccio tackle everyday issues, both big and small, and care for the most vulnerable: the elderly. 

The Business Award will go to Itlas, a model company in the circular economy. Floors, wall paneling, and even armchairs and furniture—all crafted with an elegant and unique design from recycled wood scraps, thereby also reducing the waste disposal chain.

And there’s more. In the Institutions category, the jury selected the municipality of Treviso, which has been named the European Green Capital for 2025, making it the first Italian city to achieve this coveted title. The experience of this Venetian town is crucial for understanding the mechanisms that lead to extraordinary results for the benefit of its citizens. Two key facts are worth mentioning right away: Treviso is the Italian city with both the highest percentage of separate waste collection and the lowest waste tax. 

Finally, BluEat won the award in the Youth and Startup category. The project was brought to life by five women who call themselves the Mariscadoras. They spearhead a recovery and reuse process that turns a threat from the sea, the blue crab, into a job and business opportunity.