From Waste to Organic Agriculture: Saving Resources and Reinforcement of Social Economies in Madrid

#Summary - Resumen

Economías Bioregionales is an association involved in projects aiming to strengthen local and environmental economies.

We are working with the following objectives:

  • Reduction of the amount of Waste in Madrid by Bio-waste community spaces pick-up and supporting community compost-sites.
  • Fertilization of soil through bio-waste by local farmers in order to save carbon footprint emissions.
  • Usage of bio-waste to be introduced to local authorities as part of social and environmental policies.
  • Create a Community currency favoring Circular Economy.
  • The writing of a DIWO handbook for issuing a complementary currency based on agro-composting techniques.
  • Experimentation of financying ways for a permanent Social and Environmental Economy.

Economías Bioregionales es una asociación involucrada en proyectos con el fin de fortalecer la economía local y medioambiental.

Actualmente, está trabajando los siguientes objetivos:

  • Disminuir los residuos en Madrid, estableciendo nodos de recogida de Bio-residuos y apoyando el compostaje comunitario.
  • El uso de fertilización orgánica por agricultores locales con el fin de reducir las emisiones de carbono.
  • Introducir a las Autoridades Locales la utilización de los bioresiduos como política social y medioambiental.
  • La creación de una Moneda Comunitaria que favorezca la economía circular.
  • La publicación de un libro DIWO para poner en marcha monedas sociales basadas en téctnicas de agrocompostaje.
  • Experimentar modos de financiación para establecer empleos basados en una economía social y medioambiental.

#Introduction - Introducción

In Spain and other European countries we have a challenger linked with the UE sustainable objectives of the circular economy: to value the organic waste. The aim of our proposal is to implement and experiment ways to give value to the organic waste in a different organic manner, in contrast to what local authorities are currently doing.

En España y otros paises europeos tenemos un desafio pendiente que está ligado a los objetivos de sostenibilidad de la Unión Europea y de economía circular: El aprovechamiento de los residuos orgánicos. El objetivo de nuestra propuesta es implementar y experimentar modos de valorización de los residuos orgánicos, a diferencia de lo que las autoridades locales están llevando a cabo.

We have already run a 5 month pioneering pilot with Madrid Local Council: Madrid Agrocomposta. The network of the pilot was composed by 4 small startup organic farmers as agro-composters managing the organic waste of 4 public schools, 15 vegetable stalls of 2 municipal markets and 200 homes. The results have been impressive, with a global amount of 17,5 tonnes with a very low waste improper (0,2%) and a very small budget.

Hasta ahora hemos llevado a cabo un proyecto piloto con el respaldo del Ayuntamiento de Madrid: Madrid Agrocomposa. La red del piloto estaba compuesta por 4 productores orgánicos encargados de la gestión de los bioresiduos de 4 colegios públicos, 15 puestos en 2 mercados municipales y 200 hogares. Los resultados resultantes han sido muy buenos, con una recogida total de 17.5 toneladas con muy bajo número de impropios (0.2%), contando con un presupuesto muy bajo.

In the following days we will introduce a community currency, called MOL, for exchange of household Bio-Waste with fresh products from the local farmers association AUPA during local agricultural events.

En los próximos días implementaremos una moneda local producto del intercambio de Bioresiduos producidos en casa con productos de las huertas proveniente de la asociación AUPA, que será llevado a cabo en mercadillos agroecológicos locales.

On November 8th, at 18:00h we will meet in MediaLab Prado-Madrid, in order to create the Association “Coopera y Composta” (Cooperate to make compost), for

El 8 de Noviembre a las 18:00h nos encontraremos en Medialab Prado Madrid, con el fin de crear la Asociación “Coopera y Composta”.

#You Need For It - Qué hace Falta?

  • Contact local ecological producers.

  • Local Market events with producers.

  • Bio-Waste Container.

  • Scale for Bio-waste weighing.

  • Transportation of Bio-Waste to Compost-site.

  • Bio-Waste Checks with weight related value.

  • Contactar productores ecológicos locales.

  • Crear un evento con productores.

  • Báscula para pesado de los bioresiduos entregados.

  • Contenedor para Bioresiduos.

  • Establecer una Moneda de Bioresiduos de acuerdo a los Bioresiduos entregados.

Steps - Etapas

##Step 1 - Before the Event // Etapa 1 - Antes del Evento.

  • Create a local event with the participation of ecological Producers.

  • Stablish a value for a Community currency (MOL) based on the amount of Bio-waste rescued.

  • Spread the event explaining the objective of exchanging Bio-Waste for Ecological products.

  • Crear un evento agroecológico con la participación de productores locales.

  • Establecer un valor a la moneda Comunitaria (MOL) basada en la cantidad de bioresiduos recogidos.

  • Difusión del evento explicando el objetivo de intercambio de Bioresiduos por Productos ecológicos locales.

##Step 2 - During the Event // Etapa 2 - Durante el Evento.

  • Contact people visiting the market to let them know about the importance of Bio-waste in organic farming.

  • Perform exchange of Bio-Waste for local products using MOL currency.

  • Plan different financying ways for Bio-waste recovery for strengthening of local enovironmental and social based economies.

  • Contactar con las personas asistentes para conocer el proyecto y señalar la importancia de la recogida de Bioresiduos para la agricultura ecológica.

  • Realizar el intercambio de Bioresiduos por productos locales utilizando la moneda social MOL.

  • Plantear distintos modelos de financión de recuperación de los Bioresiduos para el fortalecimiento de una economía social, local y medioambiental.

##Step 3 - After the Event // Etapa 3 - Después del evento.

  • Value interest for local farming and acceptance of Bio-waste collection and related value.

  • Valorar el interés de la comunidad por la agricultura local y la aceptación de una recogida selectiva de bioresiduos y su valorización.

#Credits - Créditos

Madrid Agroecológico - @MadridAgro

Aupa - Asociación Unidad de Productores Agroecológicos - @AUPA_MadridAgro

Madrid Agrocomposta

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Hi @Padino

That sounds like a very interesting (!) project. :astonished:

May I as a moderator in this forum ask what you are suggesting/sharing by posting here to make sure you get the best support?

(1) Do you plan to share a CHALLENGE about writing your DIWO handbook. Framing it as a challenge could allow you to ask people for specific help for example with graphics or language.

or do you

(2) Want to write an ACTION on how to replicate your idea/solution everywhere in the world.

Maybe you want to do both?

In this case I think it would be good, if you set up an individual topic for both projects (or just start with one). And then post specific requests for example.

I am happy to help you framing both endeavours.

Hi @Lars2i!

Thank you for your interest. I have some questions concerning the functioning of the platform and I openned up this personal profile. In the next hours I’ll open up the one of the organization I’m working at (Economías BioRegionales). This Organization is covering of reinforcement of Bio-waste pick up for local organic farms and use our work to create a network of enviromental and social inclusion jobs.

Out of the questions I have in mind is the purpose of the Template (www.community.oscedays.org/uploads/default/original/2X/0/035bea3accbef6024cfe95460783cd4c870a00d2.pdf) and what to do with it once the flow chart has been developed.

Also, on the video stream, I’d like to know what issues are going to be discussed and if necessary to prepare something in special.

I’ll do my best on behalf of Economías BioRegionales to expose the project the best way possible.

Thank you for your help and for the development of the site.

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Hi @E_BioReg

I see you decided to create an ACTION protocol. Very cool! :slight_smile:

I will answer your question and give a few hinds on your ACTION development.

###1) Your Questions

####Flowchart

The flowchart you asked about is a design-thinking tool on open source business models for circular economy. So it basically is supposed to help you ‚think‘ – but also understand and invent something. What you do with your new ideas and thoughts is up to you. Start to implement it would be of course cool.

And if you have created a filled out version of the template - take a picture and upload the picture here under the ACTION of it.

####Video Stream
The next video stream will be about Phase 2 of the labs – ACTIONS and happens this Friday 10am GMT. We are very happy if you decide to join this video stream. You can talk about your project and about the ACTION you are developing above. 3-4 minutes. The link to join the video streaming will be posted here.

###2) ACTION in development

Some hints:

####Summary
I think the things you shared in the Summary for now a better fitting for the Introduction – Just put it infront of the information you already shared in the Introduction part.

The Summary of the ACTION should be much shorter and explain, what people will do when they follow the steps. Something like:

„In this ACTION you will create a small scale local event inviting local ecological farmers and related organizations to create together and kick-off a community currency backed in organic waste to reuse and give value to those inputs that our society considers as ‘waste’.“

I think, this will make people curious and willing to read on.

####Name
I would also suggest to pick a name that is more concrete and tells people already what exactly is happening. How about:

[ACTION in development] – From Waste To Organic Agriculture: Create A Community Currency Backed In Organic Waste

or even shorter:

[ACTION in development] – Kick-off A Community Currency Backed In Organic Waste In Your Region

###Two languages, cool!
I think it is fantastic, that you write the ACTION already in two languages. Very cool.

I am thinking if we can find a better way to separate the two languages visually. Have you tried to make one language a „quote“ - If you put an „>“ in front of a line of text it will get a grey background.

And look like this.

:slight_smile:

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fyi - @lesmoore postet this in the Circular City Collection:

Here is Miguel explaining a bit about the project:

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