IKEA & Sun Workshop: Waste – reduce and reuse

As part of its sustainability initiative, IKEA Planning Studio in Split is organizing a series of workshops in cooperation with “Sunce”. The first of six workshops, called Waste – Recycling at home, was held on October 8, and participants had the opportunity to actively participate and express their views on the importance of waste sorting.

Waste – Recycling at home workshop

The workshop started with three key questions that encourage reflection on individual contributions to environmental protection. To the first question, “Can I as an individual do something about protection and the environment?”, one of the participants answered with the quote “Says 2 million people.” The group agreed that everyone needs to start with themselves in order to achieve a significant impact on the environment.

– There are many ways an individual can contribute to environmental protection, and according to the waste management hierarchy, reduction is one of the first steps. The principle of waste reduction is the first and most important step in the waste management hierarchy as it focuses on reducing the amount of waste. The reason is simple: if we reduce the amount of waste, the costs for waste management are lower, the need for new landfills is reduced, and the carbon emissions needed to produce new products are reduced. All of this has a positive impact on the environment. – emphasized Tea Kuzmičić Rosandić, project manager of “Sunce”.

Reducing waste can be achieved by an individual in a variety of ways: by limiting the purchase of unnecessary things, buying sustainable products, using sustainable alternatives, and exchanging things we no longer need for those we need. On the “Sunce” website we have a section Living Green, which is dedicated precisely to the instructions for sustainable living. – LINK

Difference Between Recycling, Separation and Waste Reduction

On the issue, which concerned the importance of waste separation and recycling, participants presented different perspectives. The participant from Kaštela added that people need to recognize the difference between recycling and waste separation and shared her positive experience of a door-to-door system that works well in Kaštela, although she was skeptical at first.

The most prominent are the ambiguities around the separation of plastics and the numbers denoting types of plastics. Through further discussion, participants shared additional useful information on how to properly handle different types of plastics.

– Avoid the numbers 3, 6 and 7. These numbers point to certain types of plastics that are often harder to recycle, and are not accepted by many recycling systems due to the technological and financial challenges of recycling. Choose plastics with labels 1 or 2 that are considered the best option because these types of plastics are relatively easy to recycle. Paper envelopes with a lightweight plastic window do not need to be separated. Instead, you can put them together with paper materials. This practice facilitates the separation process. – Maja Golem from “Sunce” explained to them.

Opinions on environmental awareness in the city

When asked about the state of environmental awareness in the city, a participant from Slavonia shared her dismay at the amount of garbage in Split.

– As part of this workshop, it is important to emphasize the role of the Green Phone as a free tool for citizens who want to report problems related to environmental and nature protection, but are not sure who to turn to. If you have questions such as ignorance about the disposal of waste oils and batteries, you want to report environmental destruction, felling of trees, illegal landfills, pollution of the sea, air or soil, or you are interested in who solves noise problems in the neighborhood, call the Green Phone on 072 123 456 . – said Ivona Stjepić, associate at The Green Phone of the Sunce.

Eco quiz brought practical tips for waste separation

The eco group, or sweepstake, further enriched the experience of the participants, giving them the opportunity to test their knowledge of sustainability and take home the prize.

Through questions and answers, participants learned that baking paper goes to municipal or biowaste, ceramics to mixed waste, and that halogens and electronic waste can be disposed of through the service of “Tehnomobil” completely free of charge. Oils are separated at gas stations, and you can turn them into “grandma’s soap” that all the judges knew about. And do you know how to do it?

Upcoming IKEA & Sunce Workshops

The workshop on waste sorting with the association Sunce and IKEA Studio for Planning Split provided participants not only with theoretical knowledge of sustainability, but also an opportunity for active participation and dialogue.

The first of the six workshops held represents just the beginning of the journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle. We will continue with the workshops every Yellow Wednesday, i.e. the first Wednesday of the month, giving the community the opportunity for education, dialogue and active participation in environmental conservation.

Upcoming workshops:

December -> Home
Ecology January -> Waste –Reduce and Reuse
February -> Composting
March -> Workshop: Energy and Water
April -> Environmental responsibility in the family

There are 10 seats for each workshop. Keep a close eye on our social networks to find out in time that applications have started. We would like to point out that the workshop in April will be a joint workshop for parents and children. Also, we remind all interested parties that to participate in our future workshops they must be registered in the IKEA Family profile.