Composting and Anaerobic Digestion as Biotechnological …
793
3 Sustainable Practices in Higher Education Institutions
as Tools for the Achievement of the Sustainable
Development Objectives
Song et al. (2015) point out factors such as population growth, accelerated urbanization, economic expansion, and rising standards of living as the main causes of
increased solid waste generation worldwide. Organic wastes is about half of the
municipal solid waste generated in Brazil and can be treated on a variety of scales
to the production of organic compost (Brazil 2010).
Although the organic leftovers correspond to a significant portion of the solid
waste generated, the actions for treatment and recovery of solid waste, commonly
adopted in the country, prioritize the treatment of other types of materials. Thus,
organic waste is usually not valued and goes to disposal in landfills or dumps often
leading to problems of both environmental and sanitary nature (Brazil 2017). Currently in Brazil less than 3% of solid urban waste is destined for recycling through
techniques such as composting and anaerobic digestion, reinforcing the fact that
promoting the recovery of this waste is among the greatest challenges for the implementation of the National Solid Waste Policy (ABRELPE 2016).
Higher Education Institutions (HEI), which host several activities with educational
and environmental interfaces, can act as living labs, being suitable sites for the study
and implementation of projects that contemplate composting and biodigestion as
modalities for the reuse of organic solid waste. Some HEI have worked on scientific
initiatives related to the administration and valorization of this type of waste, and
these researches have emerged as important tools of environmental management
regarding the scope of sustainability (Costa et al. 2016; Souza et al. 2017).
Among the main challenges related to adding value to the organic solid waste
directly in its place of generation, it is worth mentioning the educational persuasion
of the public that attends these environments. People’s awareness must occur in the
most diverse possible ways, since the conviction and participation of the population
is a determining factor in the successful implementation of decentralized organic
solid waste management systems.
Regarding environmental issues, Guimarães (1995) states that environmental education must be continuous, multidisciplinary, integrated within regional differences,
geared to national interests, and centered on the questioning about the type of development we want. The same author establishes that this form of education has the
formation of a collective conscience in the individuals as a primary goal allowing
individuals of discerning the environmental importance in the preservation of the
human species and, above all, to stimulate a cooperative behavior in different levels
of intersocial relations.
At this point, education is no longer seen as an end in itself, but as a means to
achieve a major goal: sustainable development in all sectors of activity (UN 1992).
Since sustainable development is “one that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”, it is essential
that it be discussed locally “think global—act local” (WCED 1987).
793
3 Sustainable Practices in Higher Education Institutions
as Tools for the Achievement of the Sustainable
Development Objectives
Song et al. (2015) point out factors such as population growth, accelerated urbanization, economic expansion, and rising standards of living as the main causes of
increased solid waste generation worldwide. Organic wastes is about half of the
municipal solid waste generated in Brazil and can be treated on a variety of scales
to the production of organic compost (Brazil 2010).
Although the organic leftovers correspond to a significant portion of the solid
waste generated, the actions for treatment and recovery of solid waste, commonly
adopted in the country, prioritize the treatment of other types of materials. Thus,
organic waste is usually not valued and goes to disposal in landfills or dumps often
leading to problems of both environmental and sanitary nature (Brazil 2017). Currently in Brazil less than 3% of solid urban waste is destined for recycling through
techniques such as composting and anaerobic digestion, reinforcing the fact that
promoting the recovery of this waste is among the greatest challenges for the implementation of the National Solid Waste Policy (ABRELPE 2016).
Higher Education Institutions (HEI), which host several activities with educational
and environmental interfaces, can act as living labs, being suitable sites for the study
and implementation of projects that contemplate composting and biodigestion as
modalities for the reuse of organic solid waste. Some HEI have worked on scientific
initiatives related to the administration and valorization of this type of waste, and
these researches have emerged as important tools of environmental management
regarding the scope of sustainability (Costa et al. 2016; Souza et al. 2017).
Among the main challenges related to adding value to the organic solid waste
directly in its place of generation, it is worth mentioning the educational persuasion
of the public that attends these environments. People’s awareness must occur in the
most diverse possible ways, since the conviction and participation of the population
is a determining factor in the successful implementation of decentralized organic
solid waste management systems.
Regarding environmental issues, Guimarães (1995) states that environmental education must be continuous, multidisciplinary, integrated within regional differences,
geared to national interests, and centered on the questioning about the type of development we want. The same author establishes that this form of education has the
formation of a collective conscience in the individuals as a primary goal allowing
individuals of discerning the environmental importance in the preservation of the
human species and, above all, to stimulate a cooperative behavior in different levels
of intersocial relations.
At this point, education is no longer seen as an end in itself, but as a means to
achieve a major goal: sustainable development in all sectors of activity (UN 1992).
Since sustainable development is “one that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”, it is essential
that it be discussed locally “think global—act local” (WCED 1987).