São Paulo is the largest city in Latin America and Santos is Latin America’s largest port. Both cities, just 55 km apart, face major environmental challenges. In Santos, rising sea levels are threatening houses along its coast; in São Paulo, the city suffers from bad air quality, as well as from poor waste management.

For My Mark: My City programme lead Daniela Teixeira, many young people had little information or felt disenfranchised from environmental issues in their city. She designed a pilot programme specifically to help those with little knowledge of climate change engage with specific issues in each city. The programme would also help transform ideas into action by providing micro-grants to the most promising.

We have been fortunate to be able to partner with two local organisations driving change: Instituto Procomum in Santos and Pimp my Carroça in São Paulo.

Citizen Prototypes In Santos

Instituto Procomum is a civil society organisation based in Santos that builds community initiatives through interdisciplinary programming. We gathered 30 young people at the Institute’s lab in Baixada Santista to prototype citizen initiatives that would improve sustainability. After a day of workshops with scientists, artists, and engineers, we ran a competition to find the best ideas. Three projects were selected and from October we will be supporting our young changemakers as they develop their proposals.

Pimping Sustainability in São Paolo

In São Paulo, Daniela worked with the grassroots organisation Pimp my Carroça. Part of the “Pimpers” Movement, they have a mission to remove recyclable waste collectors from invisibility and to help to reposition them in society. Pimp my Carroça also aims to raise awareness of garbage and waste issues in the daily lives of people in São Paulo.

For this programme, Pimp my Carroça gathered 30 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds living in different areas on the outskirts of the city. Together we organised graffiti workshops, DJs, and chefs making food on the spot, providing a laid-back atmosphere in which to talk about climate change and the steps young people could take to be changemakers in their communities. Collectively, the group agreed on two community action initiatives to take forward together.

Imagine if we took this creative approach to waste management to other areas of the world. Groups like Pimp my Carroça are redefining how waste management is thought about, and making young people see the value in stepping up to make a difference.