“I Want to See Clean Steel” (Eu Quero Ver o Aço Limpo) Сampaign

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

About the city. Rio de Janeiro, a vibrant metropolis known for its landscapes and cultural richness, faces significant environmental challenges, particularly in urban areas like Santa Cruz. As one of the city’s westernmost neighbourhoods, Santa Cruz is undergoing revitalisation efforts to improve living conditions and promote sustainable urban development.

Goal

The aim of the project is to encourage the community to take care of public spaces, especially during the rainy season, preventing improper waste disposal and the proliferation of pests.

Implementation period. The project was launched in 2025.

Fact

• “The aim is to mobilise the community to take care of our surroundings and raise awareness about the importance of environmental preservation. Through fun and educational activities, we want each resident to feel part of this collective commitment to our neighbourhood and the city. The secretariat not only monitors the progress of the works, but also carries out socio-educational work to achieve family autonomy,” – says Edson Menezes, secretary of Government Coordination.
• The Morar Carioca do Aço program has already delivered 96 units to families and will soon deliver fully furnished units to another 200 beneficiary families. The program plans to build 704 residential units, distributed across 44 apartment blocks. By requalifying the region, the program promotes improvements in the quality of life of residents with urban redevelopment works and the implementation of public services in an area of ​​195 thousand square meters. 

Solutions

The Rio City Hall held the “I Want to See Clean Steel” campaign at Morar Carioca do Aço, in Santa Cruz, in the West Zone.

The ‘I Want to See Clean Steel’ campaign includes educational activities, workshops on making soap from recycled oil, a scavenger hunt with pupils from Haydéa Vianna Fiúza de Castro Community School, and cultural activities for all ages. The highlight of the programme was the pupil scavenger hunt, in which participants had to collect recyclable materials in the shortest possible time. The winners received prizes such as eco-bags, reusable bottles and a tour of the city’s cultural sites.

In addition, children were able to create carnival masks and 100 plant seedlings were distributed to participants. The event was also attended by health representatives who offered dengue vaccines to young people aged between 10 and 16 years old and conducted arbovirus prevention activities.

The event was supported by several municipal departments and institutions, including the Municipal Health Department (SMS), Municipal Education Department (SME), Municipal Environment and Climate Department (SMAC), Comlurb and others.

The event ended with the distribution of ecological fans and a carnival performance by street cleaner Renato Sorriso and the group “Chegando de Surpresa”, from Comlurb, with awareness-raising songs and a march created especially for the campaign.

Team

The Rio City Hall. The action is organised by the Municipal Secretariat for Government Coordination (SMCG) in partnership with several government agencies.

Timeline

• On Friday, 14 February (2025), the City of Rio held an ‘I Want to See Clean Steel’ campaign at Morar Carioca do Aço, in Santa Cruz, in the West Zone, starting at 8am.

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