Center Promoting Brazil-PG County Sister City Partnership

The Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy (Center) is proposing a Sister City partnership between Pedreira City, located in São Paulo County, Brazil and Prince George's County, located just outside of Washington, D.C. The principle basis for the partnership will be a mentor/protege recycling program and a parallel environmental education program. Secondary partnership activities will include English and Portuguese education and sports. The partnership will promote soccer in Prince George's County and baseball and football in Pedreira. (Complete Program Description)

Prince Georges County Executive Jack Johnson below left and Pedreira Aerial View below right

Pedreira currently produces 25 tons of trash per year and the local population is still unfamiliar with separating trash from reuseable materials. Pedreira City seeks to develop strong recycling and environmental education programs in order for the community to have a program to protect their environment. Some materials previously thrown into the sanitary landfill are now being recycled, but it is not sufficient to reduce the waste. Pedreira City is seeking professionals that can help to organize the collection and reprocessing of recyclable materials, the dissemination educational information to the public and training programs.

The Center will promote this Sister Cities Program between Pedreira City (PC) and Prince George's County (PGC) in order to fulfill our commitment to 'think globally and act locally.' The Center was contacted by a representative of Pedreira's Selective Collection agency and we agreed to work together to promote a Sister City Recycling program between Pedreira City and Prince George's County. Pedreira city is a small city with approximately 40,000 people and many of its inhabitants are ready to work for a better world and environment. Prince George's County has about 900,000 inhabitants.