Ciao raga!

Bologna has an intricate history with water. During the twelfth century, a complex network of artificial canals was created throughout the city in order to power the water mills and tanneries of the city. Because of the immediate and easy access to water, Bologna became the main textile centre in Italy for centuries. Today, many of these canals have been bricked over, but there are a few that are still standing, and when it rains the water level becomes surprisingly high. In Piazza Maggiore, there is a statue of Neptune, the Roman god of water, a dedication to this vital resource. The water in Bologna, both in the twelfth century and today, comes from the Apennine Mountains, and it is then treated in the city’s water treatment plant. Tap water is safe to drink and most people who live here prefer to drink tap water because it is healthier and saves plastic. 

The primary source of energy throughout Italy is natural gas, although since  2015 there have been great efforts made to increase reusable energy use. My studentato uses the energy company Enel, which was founded in 1962. They claim to work on a model of sustainable development but Enel is still reliant on gas rather than solar or wind power, so I find it difficult to believe this claim. I think that the source of water is sustainable, because it is coming from a mountain range and there is an abundance of it, but there is not much information about the water purification process, so if it is energy intensive, it would not be particularly sustainable. 

Another interesting note about sustainability in Italy– Italians are obsessed with trash. Refuse is separated into plastic, compost, glass, paper, and indifferenza, and they consistently maintain trash division. When I first moved in, I did not realize this, and I was putting regular trash in the plastic trash, but luckily my roommates were understanding, and it was a good opportunity to talk about how different it is in America (sure we try to recycle, but we are not very consistent…). 

(one of the few surviving canals, makes me think of Venice!)