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"It is difficult to pinpoint the moment when I became an environmentalist", says Roberto Cavallo to the audience gathered in the council hall of the municipality of Assemini. The grandson of a farmer, the son of an eminent naturalist scholar, he grew up in a bustle of European scientists, playing with the earth and climbing up the trees, like a brand new rampant baron. At the university then accusations came from his fellow students, and the first doubts arose: "It is the fault of Christians if the environment is continually devastated. Over the centuries, Christianity has proposed an anthropocentric vision of the relationship between human beings and nature". From this point, and along twenty-five years rich of prestigious assignments, the effort to bridge the gap between the verses of the old testament and the environmental philosophy that was gaining momentum in the late XX century. Thus "The Bible of Ecology" (Elledici) was born, with its eight chapters and a web of references running to and fro between quotes of the Old Testament and contemporary scientific data.

"If they were intelligent, they would think about their end." Thus Deuteronomy summarizes the numbers that describe the current climate catastrophe, and the dangerous hesitations of the political world. "Woe to you who are devastated without being devastated" explains the 42 precious metals and rare soils contained in our mobile phones. "Lithium - explains Cavallo - exists only in Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. A long time ago I said that these countries would go through periods of social disorder. The increased cost of tram tickets is just the last straw. One of the main reasons lies in a simple question: how can we citizens find ourselves in these conditions despite the rich resources of our country?".

In 2015, a fundamental year for the environment thanks to the Paris Agreement and the encyclical Laudato sii of Pope Bergoglio, the economic migrants were 250 million. Just four years later, says Cavallo, they have become a billion and a half. Sea level rise, wars waged for natural resources, droughts, floods and pollution. Only a rediscovered dialogue between generations, between the scientific community, the institutions and civil society can thwart what appears to be inevitable. It is the ninth chapter of the book that addresses hope. Not just words, however, but actions and images. After the presentation of the volume, the short film "Immondizia" was shown, a tribute by filmmaker Mimmo Calopresti to Pasolini and "Keep clean and run", the by now seasonal feat of Roberto Cavallo. The agronomist, essayist and waste expert required throughout the continent runs followed by faithful companions or volunteers met in the splendid natural scenarios of southern Italy. The snow, the villages, the river, the cities, the sea and the countryside: Cavallo crosses them and collects the waste that spoils the beauty of nature wrapped in silence. He involves the communities in the clean-ups, talks with the old people about the uncontaminated past, with the children about the future, with Mimmo Lucano about the integration model of Riace, a system based on ecology that so much attention has drawn, in Italy and abroad.

"Beauty will save the world". Rachel Garau, Assemini’s Culture Councilor, chose Dostoevsky to give the evening a title: "This is only the first of many initiatives dedicated to environmental protection. Roberto Cavallo inspired us and we will try to put some of his suggestions into practice, as administrators and as citizens. The municipality is already working to reduce the use of plastic in institutional spaces. We follow with interest all the environmentalist organizations and their ideas. For this reason, we are happy to begin a collaboration with the MEDSEA Foundation, which will evaluate essays and artworks of our middle school’s students, who are involved in a contest focused on environmental protection. Tonight's meeting reminded us that children are fundamental for the survival of the planet as we know it".