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| From left: Rom Kieffer, Norbert Scheed, Waltraud Jochum |
Staff and visitors to the United Nations Office at Vienna took advantage of the beautiful spring weather to celebrate the first official commemoration of Mother Earth Day on 22 April, which was adopted by the General Assembly in 2009. Earth Day celebrations have been taking place around the globe since the first environmental 'teach-in' organized by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, but this is the first time it is celebrated as an official UN observance.
In Vienna, colleagues had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of "green" initiatives and activities, from buying heritage seeds to cycling to work and getting a free bicycle service. Norbert Scheed, district mayor of Vienna's 22nd district where the UN Offices are located, arrived by bicycle to participate in the festivities. Accompanied by a group of staff members, and wearing a UN T-shirt, this was the first time Mr Scheed had used this mode of transport for an official function. But now that he had seen how easy it is to cycle around the district, he vowed to ride his bike to the office more frequently. "As long as I don't have a meeting where I have to wear a suit! " he explained.
"The 22nd district is the largest and greenest district in Vienna," he proudly proclaimed, listing the high percentage of green spaces, but also the expansion of the public transportation network as achievements for his administration. A new subway line (the U2) will extend into the district as of October and two additional streetcar lines are also being added to the network. The district mayor also mentioned the large number of recycling and composting facilities in the district, pointing out that residents are entitled to pick up free compost at at least two facilities in the City. The 22nd district was the first in Vienna to have a sustainability model to govern and help with a wide range of political solutions. "It's a type of checklist," Mr Scheed explained. "When a decision needs to made, we go through the sustainability model and see whether all points are met and whether the final result will be not only environmentally friendly, but also include a social component. We want vibrant, inclusive communities where everyone feels safe and feels welcome." He praised UNOV for their commitment to recycling, energy efficiency and promoting the use of bicycles and public transportation among staff.
Throughout the day, there was a steady train of visitors participating in four different "Mother Earth Day" stations:
spring and gardening: rare seeds and plants and tips on planting and gardening - including free pots and soil
spring and sport: free bike services to everyone who arrived by bicycle
spring and sun: demonstration of the use of solar energy for individual homes
spring and car: vouchers for free emissions checks and a chance to see the latest Toyota Prius Hybrid model
The event was supported by a number of organizations and local businesses including the NGO "Arche Noah" (Noah's Ark) who promote the use of heritage seeds and plants and encourage citizens to grow their own food, various local automobile dealers and clubs, the bicycle shop Velocity, and the City of Vienna's Energy provider "Wien Energie" who were on hand to offer advice on the use of solar power.
In recognition of Mr Scheed's commitment to the cause of environmental sustainability and also to thank him for his hospitality -- as the representative of the district that many UN staff members in Vienna call home -- Rom Kieffer and Waltraud Jochum of the UNOV General Services Sections awarded Mr Scheed the first ever "Greening the UN" pin.
Due to the resounding success of the days' activities, more similar actions and events are planned for World Environment Day (5 June).
