Ramnicu Valcea: gift logics & garbage dynamics Contact : Ing. Diana Elena Dumitru Serviciul de Gospodarie Comunala si Protectia Mediului Centrul de informare privind managementul deseurilor Str. Calea lui Traian Bl D2, parter Ramnicu Valcea-1000 telfax: 00-40-50-732990 email: infdiana@yahoo.com

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Consumption has increased in the last ten years, garbage too. One of the priorities in the process of integration and one of the transition indicators is the pollution reduction and the implementation of active measures for environmental protection. Garbage management is a difficult problem in the urban area, especially in the huge housing complexes which were functioning as dormitories in the communist industrial cities, being conceived without corresponding infrastructure and salubrity services. Public space is practically unexistent in this urban complexes consisting in mostly low budget social dwellings and quite a homogenous population. All these dwellings have been sold for low prices in the 90s, as the state was unable to carry out with their management anymore. The municipality of Vilcea, a city with 120 000 inhabitants, has initiated a project for distribution of new garbage cans in the city. The project has been realised in collaboration with the municipality of Gottingen and the German Government that have offered to the municipality of Vilcea 5000 Euro garbage cans, vans and computing assistance.The cans have been offered to the inhabitants' associations which took in charge their placement and location in specific sites. Modulable, adaptable, easy to remove and clean up, they have replaced the ancient big collective containers. The organisation with the garbage collection became a private or a small groups' problem which changed the passive attitude inherited from the communist period, when hygiene was perceived as a "collective" task which doesn't engage any individual responsibility. Configurational typologies of red cans, something between public art installation and minimal vernacular architecture, emerged in the whole city. People had to organise themselves, communicate, decide about their location and their management. The project was successful first of all at a symbolic level. The red can, visible everywhere, basically a German gift, have functioned as symbol of civilisation and synecdoche of Europe itself. Every home was presented with a "European object" which had to be taken care, cleaned up... Logics of "gift" crossed dynamics of "waste" to create social space and civic responsibility.. The Eurogarbage cans project has refocused public attention on the public space and generated micro-politics of desire. Vernacular creativity has been spontaneously engaged: some associations decided to cover the cans, to create alleys and to design green surfaces around. A collectively created sociality start up. The network of red cans activated a human network which reconnected local authorities with citizen, and re-established confidence with public authority. In transition, marginal dynamics can initiate other dynamics. Garbage is not only a material waste but a cultural and a political product as well. Garbage management is symptomatic for management in general. It can change civic mentalities and behaviours and generate desire with the urban landscape.