Expo Zaragoza 2008 :: Environment

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Environment

Sustainable Expo

Sustainability criteria have been applied to material for promotion and common use by the different Expo departments.

As a result of their manufacturing process and the way in which their resulting waste is managed, bio-compostable dishes, bio-plastic cups, wooden cutlery and bags made from potato starch help to reduce the environmental impact produced by an event of this nature.  These elements are bio-compostable and can therefore be disposed of together with food and drink waste to produce organic material.

Expo 2008 gift items and promotional material for events and conferences organised by the organising company also adhere to these principles of sustainability.  Examples of this include the fans made from unbleached, recycled-paper fans printed with ecological ink, pens made from recycled CD plastic or used car parts. Even innovative organic materials, such as seaweed or more traditional ones like untreated wood, are being used for items such as pencils and pens.  

The coffee and sugar for consumption in the Expo Zaragoza 2008 coffee shops will be from certified fair trade sources. Much more than being a gesture of solidarity with producers, fair trade in these commodities guarantees that they are produce of biological agriculture, an important principle for a commodity like sugar and, more particularly, coffee, which is the raw material that moves the greatest amount of foreign exchange in the world after crude oil.

The energy needs of an event like Expo Zaragoza 2008, to be held in the months when the city experiences its highest temperatures, will be covered by electricity generation systems using renewable energy resources (solar and wind) and by a district heating/cooling and electricity plant, which will allow savings to be made in energy resources and economic expense.
 
Hydrogen engines used the different forms of transport during Expo is the most visible part of a strategy to encourage the use of this element as a replacement for the almost exclusive dependence on fossil fuels currently being experienced. In fact, public entities such as the Government of Aragon have shown their interest in this area and have designed plans for the progressive implementation of hydrogen-powered public transport.

The principles of sustainability in construction applied to Expo Zaragoza 2008 have also sought to reduce the environmental impact of building works to a minimum. Expo Zaragoza 2008 has laid down a number of principle for this purpose that have been followed in actions such as use of locally-sourced and even recycled materials. An example of this is the fact that the topsoil, soil and aggregates used come from the Ranillas meander where the actual site is located. The Citizens’ Initiatives Pavilion and the Spain Pavilion are two outstanding examples of sustainable construction.