On the European Day of the Natura 2000 Ecological Network, May 21st, Sunce and Biotherm carried out a beach clean-up action at Pantan special reserve as part of their traditional campaign It’s not water, it’s more. They successfully removed 180 kilograms of waste from nature.
– The constant pressure on nature is increasing and one of the biggest environmental threats is the litter that ends up in the sea. Over 80% of the waste in the Adriatic Sea, mostly plastic, originates from land as a result of human activities. We must understand that beach and sea clean-ups are not enough. If we do not identify and solve the causes, the problem will keep recurring. In the new Interreg project ‘WASTEREDUCE’ with Italian partners, we are working on innovative technological monitoring of the sources and types of waste. Once we put innovative solutions into practice, we hope to learn more about the origin, accumulation and types of waste. – said Dalka Zanki from Sunce.
– It is important to be aware that everything people leave in nature is not only left for future generations but also for themselves for the rest of their lives. With such behavior, we are reducing the natural area that people can visit and enjoy. – says Ivana Piljić from Biotherm.
It’s not water, it’s more in raising ecological awareness
United under the slogan It’s not water, it’s more, Sunce, Biotherm and their influencers, employees of the Public Institution Sea and Karst, students of the Split School of Economics and Administration and students of Marco Polo Liceo Artistico from Venice faced the south wind to clean Pantan beach. The sea currents and wind had washed an incredible amount of various waste onto the beach, mostly plastic.
As part of the clean-up action, Matea Taraš from Sunce conducted an interactive exercise with the participants on the threats to biodiversity. According to the results, most participants believe that improper waste disposal, excessive construction and concreting, fishing, anchoring and nautical tourism pose the greatest threats to biodiversity, while they attribute a somewhat lower level of impact on biodiversity to tourism activities. The smallest threats to biodiversity were identified as cycling, hiking, diving and cultural tourism.
– We always need to start with ourselves and the habits of each individual. – said influencer Petra Mikšik.
The Preservation of Pantan
– Pantan is not only an ornithological and ichthyological reserve but also an area with unique biological features. However, Pantan is threatened by various human activities due to its unfavorable location near roads, the airport, navigable areas and a densely populated area. Overbuilding, concreting and channeling of the area and waterways, disposal of construction waste, illegal hunting and fishing are just some of the significant problems this exceptional area faces. – noted Taraš.
– The expert and ranger service conducts regular monitoring in the Pantan area. The waste we find in this area is a result of human activity and sea currents. We plan to prepare project and technical documentation for the revitalization of the Pantan lagoon, after which it will proceed with the application and implementation of other projects in this area. – said Dujo Vlastelica, a representative of the Public Institution Sea and Karst.
Introducing Environmental Topics into the Educational System
The clean-up action was greatly contributed to by students from the Split School of Economics and Administration, as well as students from the Italian high school Marco Polo Liceo Artistico, who, as part of the ML-FREE project, address the cross-border challenge of marine waste.
– Now I see that you are facing similar marine waste problems here as we are in Venice. – said Luca Paul Gradara, a student from Venice.
– It is important to involve young people in addressing this challenge because their energy and creativity can be crucial in finding sustainable solutions to the marine waste problem. Additionally, it is important to integrate environmental protection and sustainability topics into the educational system to ensure that young people gain awareness of the importance of preserving marine ecosystems and develop the skills needed to actively participate in this process. – emphasized Tea Kuzmičić Rosandić, project manager at Sunce.
Results and best practices examples from the ML-FREE Project will be presented at the Marine Litter-Free Tides of Change Conference, taking place in Split November 4th to 6th.
The synergy of projects onducted by Sunce in waste management and prevention of marine litter is already yielding impressive results and influencing various stakeholders at both national and cross-border levels.
Be part of our synergy, join or volunteer.