Questões socioambientais e o viver na cidade de Viçosa MG: Uma análise a partir da percepção de seus moradores

• Autor(a) principal: Carvalho, Mariana Martins de
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: LOCUS Repositório Institucional da UFV
• Texto Completo: http://locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/3366
• topic: Percepção; Questões socioambientais; Sustentabilidade Urbana; Ética ambiental; Perception; Social-environmental questions; Urban sustainability; Environmental ethic; CNPQ::CIENCIAS SOCIAIS APLICADAS::ECONOMIA DOMESTICA

This work focused on living in Viçosa, MG, from the viewpoint of its population, using as reference its social environmental problems, and supported by theoretical discussions on urban sustainability and the new environmental ethics. The objective of this work was to identify the possibilities and/or limitations in implementing urban sustainability and the new environmental ethics. The qualitative research was guided by the following sources: secondary data; photographic documentation; interviews; Viçosa Municipal Chamber s meeting minutes from 2001 to 2010; and local newspaper articles from 2001 to 2011. The sources investigated showed that the process of transformation of Vicosa s urban space had as its main driving force the creation of ESAV in 1922 today s Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV) attracting professionals and students. This process took place at an accelerated pace, without planning. Based on the photographic analyses, it was possible to detect some signs of the changes in the urban scenario as a result of these events. Different changes were brought about by the main local agents: the political power, the real estate agencies, federal entities, the floating population, and the permanent population. These transformations had a negative impact on the city of Viçosa, such as the environmental hazards reflected in the landscape, generating problems to the population, such as illegal constructions (in permanent protection areas); São Bartolomeu Stream pollution ; accelerated construction of skyscrapers; traffic jam; sound and visual pollution; garbage in the streets; and poorly maintained sidewalks and streets. Overall, the data found in the weekly newspaper Folha da Mata and in the Municipal Chamber s meeting minutes are rather similar. As the sources reveal, the population is mainly concerned with the city s infrastructure, often requesting improvements and solutions for their particular streets or suburbs, despite the fact that these problems exist throughout the city. However timidly, the population s manifestations signal a more critical view of the reality. The interview analyses show that most the interviewees are aware of the problems faced by Vicosa, and of the effect such problems have on their own life. However, most do not perceive themselves as responsible and co-participators in creating these problems, attributing both the causes and power to solve them to the local public government and to the UFV. Despite that, some perceptions point to the possibility of achieving changes, such as the value attributed to popular participation in the process of transformation, and in the decisionmaking process involving sustainable actions, shown by different interviewees. Even though it is impossible to generalize, these specific manifestations represent the beginning of a process of construction of urban sustainability. The liabilities are related to the attitude of some citizens who do not see themselves as co-participators in this process of transformation and /or, in the solution of the problems. However, one should bear in mind that, since this work focus on the population s perception of living in Viçosa, using as reference its social environmental issues, these actors are just part of a process involving other actors: speculative real state agents; and the State, represented by the local public power and by the UFV, which, while responsible for Vicosa s prominent status in the national scenario, is equally responsible for its problems, being, thus, part of the process.