To educate and leave a positive impact on the environment, Sunce and Garnier organized Cetina Canyon clean-up action on World Water Day on March 22, 2024. In less than two hours, just over 60 people removed 537 kilograms of waste from four different locations along the Cetina River.
– It’s disheartening that we’re happy when we collect this much waste. We hope that one day waste management in Croatia will be so good that it will be a success when we collect as little waste as possible. – said Tihana Arapović, the organizer of the action from Sunce.
The action was also supported by the Public Institution More i krš (under whose jurisdiction the protected area of the canyon is), the municipal company Peovica d.o.o. from Omiš, Sub-merus and Calypso Diving from the project From River to the Sea – Let’s Be Plastic Free, as well as students and a teacher from the High School “Braća Radić” in Kaštel Štafilić and students from the Faculty of Economics as part of the Career for Green, Digital, and Sustainable Tourism project (a project funded by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports). Additionally, influencers Ivana Paradžiković, Ivan Milić, and Barbara Vesanović Gašić came to support the action.
Education from an early age is the most important
– I am surprised that we managed to collect so much waste because, at first glance, it didn’t seem like there was much, but our group collected 100 kilograms of waste in just one hour. When I saw things that ended up in nature, I realized that most people probably aren’t aware of where exactly their waste ends up, especially when it comes to such beautiful parts of Croatia. This realization deeply saddens me, and it only emphasizes the importance of waste education from an early age. – said Ivana Paradžiković.
– Education is extremely important to Sunce. We continuously educate and encourage the development of environmentally conscious children and youth, as well as the public and business sectors. We are trying to prepare them to be ready to participate actively and responsibly in the community and solve problems in collaboration with others. – said Tihana Arapović, the organizer of this action at Sunce.
In addition to the clean-up action, Garnier co-financed the Sunce Youth Seminar event this year. It is an activity through which Sunce is trying to encourage young people to actively participate in environmental protection to achieve sustainable development in the local community. Students also participated in this action in Omiš.
– It’s astonishing how unfair we are to our environment. I have participated in beach clean-up actions before, and it surprised me that we hardly found any items like those we often see on beaches, except for the typical plastic bottles. This indicates that the waste disposal problem varies depending on the location, but it also emphasizes the need for constant monitoring and care for all ecosystems, – said Filipa, a student of the Youth Seminar.
Rangers – daily care for Cetina
Cetina Canyon has been protected since 1963, and that protected area, spreading from the mouth of the Cetina near Omiš to Tisne stine, is about 8 km long. Canyon is managed by the Public Institution for Protected Areas of Split-Dalmatia County, More i krš.
– During our regular patrolling, when we notice unauthorized waste disposal, we make sure to clean it. Unfortunately, most of it is paper and wet wipes. – explained Boris, a ranger from the Public Institution More i krš.
– There were mostly cigarette butts on our route, and I don’t really understand why people pollute this beautiful nature instead of simply taking their garbage with them – added Antea, a student of the High School “Braća Radić”.
– I joined the action at Garnier’s invitation because I want to raise awareness about environmental protection. We are part of this environment, and by taking care of the environment, we are actually taking care of ourselves. – said Barbara, an influencer known as “Debela Barbara.”
As a leading global brand, Garnier has been operating with a sustainable business model for years, which includes making and implementing decisions in line with sustainability principles. One of these decisions is the introduction of more packaging made from recycled materials and packaging suitable for recycling.
– Our goal is not only to collect waste but also to raise awareness among people throughout Croatia about the need for responsible waste management. Garnier uses packaging made from recycled materials that can be recycled again. Nowadays, it is important to know what kind of plastic you choose. – emphasizes Nataša Hipš from Garnier.
Sunce’s mission – waste reduction
The collected waste was listed according to the Protocol for Organizing Clean-up Actions in the Marine Environment and Coastal Area on the Territory of the Republic of Croatia, the Collection and Processing of Data of Marine Litter, and it was disposed of by the municipal company Peovica. Wet wipes, condoms, shoes, glass, a few toilet bowls, and beach loungers, as well as various plastic items, were removed as part of this clean-up action by Sunce and Garnier.
– The Cetina Canyon is particularly important to us. Sunce even helped create the decision and measures on limiting the use of single-use plastics in the area of the Cetina River Canyon in 2022. By monitoring the types and origins of waste, as well as the places where it accumulates, we can reduce its generation. – reminds us Arapović, the organizer of the action from Sunce.
– Every one of us can contribute to environmental protection, and one of the first steps towards creating a waste management hierarchy is waste reduction. The idea is not to constantly organize clean-up actions. Less waste in our everyday lives will result in less waste in the environment. – concluded Matea Taraš, Master of Ecology and Marine Protection at Sunce.