Sofia, Bulgaria: Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Sofia, informed through her official Facebook account that on the eve of Earth Day – April 22, she launched a new initiative, part of the Metropolitan Municipality’s policy “Together for Clean and Green Sofia”. The Metropolitan Municipality creates “Green Islands” in the universities of the municipality.
Yesterday, with her team and in the presence of Mayor Mrs Fandakova and the Rector of the Chemical Technology and Metallurgical University (HTMU) in Sofia, prof. Dr Eng. Senya Terzieva Zhelyazkova found the first Green Island in high school.
Separate waste collection containers, food waste containers, as well as a green waste composter are located at the Green Island in HTMU. It is also a place with raised beds where herbs are planted.
“This is how we aim to popularize the urban gardening initiative. The space is enriched with various flowering and green plants, and three trees have been planted”, said mayor Fandakova.
The collected food waste will be transported to the Khan Bogrov Biological Treatment Plant, where electricity and green waste are produced into compost.
The initiative “Together for Clean and Green Sofia” will spread to the territory of other universities in Sofia. The aim is to increase the engagement of citizens, particularly young people, to sustainable models for ecological and inclusive urban development, as well as to form environmentally-friendly consumption habits and reduce the carbon footprint of each in Bulgaria.
The partnership of Metropolitan Municipality and HTMU began more than ten years ago, when the first air quality improvement programs were developed, and the permits for the first investment sites in the field of waste management were prepared.
The metropolitan municipality has formed two scientific councils – one in the field of climate policy and one in air, represented by all established university specialists in the field of environmental protection.