EARTH University and IDB award young eco-entrepreneurs with Greenovators prize
From November 12-13, EARTH University will host the 16 finalists of Greenovators, a contest developed with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that is dedicated to finding worthy ideas and projects from young innovators that mitigate or adapt to climate change. The winners will be recognized in an awards ceremony held on EARTH’s campus, which will be attended by the First Lady of Costa Rica Mercedes Peñas, Secretary of State Jesús Gracias, IDB representative Rodrigo Parot and representatives from the Ibero-American Youth Organization, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The 16 finalists come from Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua, and were selected from more than 750 applicants from Latin America and the Caribbean. They will receive seed money to implement and/or expand upon their innovative projects in environmental education and awareness, sustainable business, resilient agriculture, renewable energy, energy efficiency and water resource management.
“With this project, the University can promote the discussion about climate change and look for the most current answers to strengthen sustainable development and construct a more prosperous and just society,” commented EARTH University President José Zaglul.
In addition to the award, students had the opportunity to share knowledge, ideas, projects and solutions during a round table discussion.
Rodrigo Parto of IDB states “The youth of today are the future of Latin America and the Caribbean. They are responsible for building a better planet and it is our responsibility to support entrepreneurship in young people and work with them to fight against climate change.”
The Greenovator contest is part of the ECOIN initiative, an inter-generational environmental stewardship conference that convenes world leaders to discuss and find solutions to combat climate change. ECOIN will be held on EARTH’s campus in 2015.
According to First Lady Mercedes Peñas, “The government of Costa Rica supports the ECOIN initiative because of its strategic importance in maintaining Costa Rica as a world leader in issues relating to natural resource protection and the fight against climate change.”
Complete list of 2014 Greenovators and their projects:
|
Country |
Young Entrepreneur |
Project Title |
Category |
Prize |
| Argentina | Enrique Oliva Vélez | Hormiplast: Sustainable concrete from BGreen | Sustainable Business |
$10,000 |
| Argentina | Luciano Volpe | Environmental Money | Sustainable Business |
$15,000 |
| Belize | Herminio Soho | Cacao Agroforestry System | Resilient Agriculture |
$5,000 |
| Bolivia | J. Antonio Mendoza Gonzalez | LED Lighting Systems for Energy Saving | Energy Efficiency |
$10,000 |
| Brazil | Alvaro Abreu | ABCD Work:Digital platform for repurposing waste materials in residential construction | Education and Awareness |
$10,000 |
| Chile | Emilio de la Jara Hartwig | Orbital I: Developing energy solutions for remote coastal communities via ocean waves | Renewable Energy |
$15.000,00 |
| Chile | Daniela Zamorano | EcoAlphabetization Communal Energy | Education and Awareness |
$10,000 |
| Colombia | Ángela Pulido Méndez | Ecological and Vegan Shoes | Sustainable Business |
$10,000 |
| Colombia | Hernán Augusto Salamanca Dussán | Multi-purpose Compactor | Resilient Agriculture |
$15,000 |
| Colombia | Iván González Bustillo | My Green Neighborhood: Pro-environment Citizen Creation | Education and Awareness |
$10,000 |
| Costa Rica | Fabio Hernández Ramírez | Determining a socially optimal price for drinking water and sewage services in Costa Rica | Water Resources |
$10,000 |
| Ecuador | Pedro Veintimilla | Chakrita Lab: Reinventing Agriculture in the Galapagos Islands | Resilient Agriculture |
$15,000 |
| Guatemala | José Manuel González Ricci | Environmental Markets | Education and Awareness |
$10,000 |
| Guatemala | Diego Quan | Developing a solar-powered hydrogen burner to replace firewood as an energy source | Renewable Energies |
$10,000 |
| Mexico | Alejandra Contreras Casso López | Eco-Kitchen | Education and Awareness |
$10,000 |
| Nicaragua | María José Rojas Luna | Mün: Artistic Sculptures and Furniture made of Recycled Material | Sustainable Business |
$15,000 |
Mis felicitaciones a todos los emprendedores y a Earth con BID por organizar un evento donde la genialidad e innovación despiertan en jóvenes que quieren ser protagonistas de un cambio en la región….