"The change was gradual. Step by step we were introducing the good practices when the MEDSEA Foundation contacted us. We grabbed the chance. The result was amazing, both for the enthusiastic participation of our customers as for the volume of plastic we’ve been able to eliminate. Before we filled two large bins every day. During the summer they stayed empty" says Mauro Marongiu. Summer is a distant memory. On the large windows of the Twist kiosk the rain beats incessantly. Where the beach declines the storm has created a small lake that stops on the access walkway. The Poetto seafront is deserted except for the rare, slow passing of buses. "All the staff participated in the broadcast of the new philosophy", adds the owner of the historic Cagliari kiosk.
"#Barforthesea" was born in June thanks to an initiative of the MEDSEA foundation and "Parley for the Oceans", a US environmental organization active worldwide in the protection of the marine ecosystems. By signing a memorandum, some of the owners of the catering activities that mark the long arc of the southern Sardinian seaboard are committed to reducing, with the support of MEDSEA experts, the use of plastic from their venues, vanguards of human activities on the coast and potentially among the best allies of the marine environment. The kiosks thus become not only models of a productive process sensible to environmental needs, but places of diffusion for a new way of experiencing the relationship with the sea in one of the most beautiful scenarios in the whole Mediterranean basin. In June, MEDSEA and Parley inaugurated the project with "Puliamo la Sella", a day in which many associations and at least two hundred volunteers worked together to free from plastic the promontory with which the beach commences. At present, eight are the kiosks involved in #Bar for the sea. A panel standing at the entrance certifies the affiliation.
The data emerging from the July-August two-month period are extremely important. Explains Vanessa Melas, environmental economist of MEDSEA: “Savings is striking even when only one kiosk is considered. The Palmette, for example, can boast of having avoided the use of 700 kg of plastic. But it is the overall figure that really creates an image of the obtained results. Considered on average 1570 covers per day, the non-use of plastic can be quantified in more than 3,5 tons, or in 91.474.92 cubic meters. Considering that the large plastic island of the Pacific has reached a density close to 100 kg of plastic per km2, our 3,659.00 kg equals almost 36.59 km2. We could say that we have avoided the ‘formation’ of an area with the same extension of two Sardinian islands, La Maddalena and Caprera, or more than 3,500 football fields".
"The plastic issue now has a global dimension, and we had already begun to question ourselves on the most appropriate way to join the general feeling. But the clearest indications came from foreign tourists, who are very attentive to the problem. They grimaced, sometimes they complained", explains Alessandro Cogoni, owner of the Otium, the Aurora and the Sella del Diavolo. Here the plastic for takeaway products has been replaced by cardboard, wooden spoons for coffee and ice creams or, for cocktails, by biodegradable PLA. The tiny bags containing oil and vinegar remain, although customers are asked to dress their dishes over the counter. During the table service plastic has been completely eliminated. "Never had a problem with customers - states Cogoni. Now we want to offer dispensed water in canteens. We are thinking about the proper way to do it, but I think it will work".
"Initially, I noticed a bit of perplexity in the customers," says Michele Marci, owner of the Miraggio, "especially for the water sold in the tetrapack or in the can. But we had already started the practice of containing the use of plastic independently, and in a short time these were assimilated and appreciated. We are part of a global phenomenon, and we must do everything to reduce the use of plastic as much as we can. We must set an example”.
The Oasis Cafè can be considered a veteran in the fight against plastic: "We started two years ago - says the owner, Luciano Spiga - and before the spontaneous marriage with MEDSEA Foundation we had only water bottles and straws, now replaced with PLA, to get rid of. Only the sachets for sauces, sugar and breadsticks remain, for they’re compulsory by law. If we make the old consumption as 100, 70% has been replaced by the returnable empties, the remaining 30% by cans”. The customers' response was unexpected: youngsters attend the Oasis curious to drink canned water. Tourists are delighted to find so much attention to the environment, and once the new approach is explained to them, also locals happily adapt. "We have not recorded additional costs. The material has simply transformed. I think we should be rewarded by the municipal administration for this commitment, for example through a fairer calculation of waste taxes. But I'm sure it will come", concludes Spiga.
"If there are additional expenses, they are compensated by good marketing, with the feeling of doing something positive for our community", says Antonio Congera of the Capolinea, whom we meet in the first sunny morning following the long days of bad weather which caused so much damage in Italy and the throughout the Mediterranean. A school in Cagliari, engaged by a Bolognese environmental association, chose his kiosk as the basis for a clean-up. Fifty schoolchildren have collected two large bags of rubbish scattered over the beach, some of which has been used to create small art objects. "Between June and September we reduced the use of plastics by 70%, we gave water bottles and activated the sale of dispensed water”, explains Congera, who concludes: "What my colleagues and I started with #Barforthesea is very important. We must look beyond, commit ourselves, improve at all costs. We owe it to our children”.
Latest news
Revitalizing the Mediterranean: ARTEMIS Project Unites Environment and Innovation
March marked the launch of "Artemis", a project of the Interreg Euro-MED Programme that seeks to combine the ecological benefits of seagrass with innovative financial strategies, such as Payment for Ecosystem…
Petit Noirs: From Senegal to Arborea to Combat Illegal Immigration with Mussel Farming
Sustainable mussel farming in Arborea becomes an international example with a project linking Dakar, Senegal, with Sardinia, aiming to combat illegal immigration and generate economic opportunities.
The Charm of Wetlands in Sardinia: Over a Thousand Visitors in the World Wetlands Day Event Calendar in Sardinia"
With over 30 events, from January 27 to March 10, 2024, the MEDSEA World Wetlands Day in Sardinia comes to a close. The initiative, which falls in the month when wetlands are…
First Meeting of the DesirMED Project in Venice: A Step Forward in Climate Adaptation in the Mediterranean
Last month, the historic city of Venice hosted the first meeting of DesirMED, a project funded by the HORIZON Europe program aimed at addressing one of the most pressing challenges of…
Sails Towards the Future: The UniCa Sailing Team and the Challenge of Eco-Sustainable Boats in Sardinia
In Sardinia, circular and low-impact solutions for water sports and sailing are being studied. The University of Cagliari, together with the UniCa Sailing Team, is working on the construction of an…
The first General Assembly kicked off in Lecce: for a more resilient MPAs network
The first General Assembly of the "Blue 4 All" project took place in Lecce from January 23 to 26, 2024. The event, hosted by the CMCC Climate - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate…
It's Time to Celebrate Wetlands: join World Wetlands Day Sardegna 2024
In Sardinia, February is the month of wetlands! We celebrate World Wetlands Day on the occasion of February 2nd, which marks the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of the RAMSAR Convention for…
TransformAR Reaches Halfway: The Progress in the San Giovanni Lagoon
TransformAR, at the pilot site of Marceddì-San Giovanni (Terralba) in Sardinia, one of the six demonstration sites of the project, is gaining momentum. The project, which develops transformative adaptation solutions to climate change…
MEDSEA reforestation phase in Sennariolo for the "Hope for Sennariolo" campaign has officially begun
As announced last summer, the MEDSEA reforestation phase in Sennariolo, Sardinia, for the "Hope for Sennariolo" campaign has officially begun. The small village of Montiferru in Sardinia, in July 2021, following a major fire…
We're gearing up for the month of ponds in Sardinia with #WWDSardegna: registrations open until January 21th!
At MEDSEA, we're gearing up as we do every year for the month dedicated to ponds and lagoons: February. World Wetlands Day, or the Global Day of Wetlands, is celebrated annually…
Proactive Fire Prevention: A Year-Round Priority in Sardinia Highlighted at the Forestas Workshop
The wildfire alarm season in Sardinia has passed, but the time for prevention is year round. At the beginning of December, the MEDSEA Foundation participated in the workshop "Combating Fires and…
TransformAr reaches halfway point: partnership meeting in Egaleo, updates on the demo site in Sardinia
Fifth Partnership Meeting in Egaleo (Greece) at the beginning of November for TransformAR. Aiming to develop and demonstrate transformative adaptation solutions to climate change, rapidly and effectively across the EU, the project has reached the halfway point of its cycle, entering a crucial phase of implementation and evaluation.
Revitalizing Montiferru: Art Meets Environment with Trasformazioni Possibili
The environmental and landscape requalification campaign in Sennariolo, Montiferru, continues to receive significant momentum from the world of Fine Arts. Architects, artists, and professors, Sabrina Morreale and Lorenzo Perri (Lemonot), along with Roberto…
The agricultural producers of Oristanese Copagri support the socio-economic recovery of Montiferru
Copagri, the Confederation representing 800 agricultural producers from the Sardinian Western Coast (Oristanese) decided to support the "Hope for Sennariolo" campaign for an environmental and socio-economic rebirth of Montiferru that…
What you need to know about Posidonia oceanica: Q&A with MEDSEA
This summer, there was a lot of talk about Posidonia oceanica in Sardinia and how it could be endangered by human activities such as illegal fishing and boating. For some…
REST-COAST and the Evaluation of Governance of Pilot Sites: A Comparison with the Maristanis Case Study
The Horizon 2020 program, named REST-COAST, is dedicated to the large-scale restoration of coastal ecosystems through the connectivity of rivers to the sea. With over 40 international partners, including MEDSEA, the project…
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4