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A full morning dedicated to cleaning and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems: Puliamo La Sella! reaches its seventh edition, with a sea and land clean-up organized by the MEDSEA Foundation at Marina Piccola, in Cagliari. 

The event, supported by the Municipality of Cagliari, involved about ten sports associations and around seventy volunteers—including many families and groups of young people—who carried out clean-up activities both at sea and on land. A total of 30 bags of waste were collected, mostly plastics, nets, wood, glass, and cans, handed over to the city's urban waste service with the support of Devizia. 

“Once again this year, there was no shortage of waste,” says Piera Pala, president of the MEDSEA Foundation. “We found most of it along the breakwaters and the paths around Marina Piccola.” Among the items collected were also marine debris like anchors and chains, as well as car batteries and clothing. 

“Marine litter poses a direct threat to marine wildlife,” explains Francesca Frau, marine biologist and MEDSEA’s marine project lead. “It is ingested or causes entanglement, often with lethal consequences. Every year, about 11 million tons end up in the oceans: plastic alone accounts for 80% of marine pollution and, without action, production is projected to triple by 2060.” 

Puliamo La Sella! is part of MEDSEA’s PlasticFreeMed campaign, which aims to reduce plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. The issue was also a central topic at the recent UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice. 

“UNOC renewed the urgency of a global treaty against marine pollution,” says Piera Pala. “With clear goals: reduce production, eliminate the most harmful products, innovate in design, and finance effective solutions. At MEDSEA, we’ve been working for years in the field—restoring ecosystems, supporting coastal circular economy initiatives, and organizing participatory events like Puliamo La Sella! to help build a new culture of ocean stewardship.” 

The City of Cagliari’s Environment Councillor, Luisa Giua Marassi, who took part in the waste collection, emphasized that environmental protection cannot be delegated or tackled in silos. 

“We need continuous cooperation between citizens, volunteers, institutions, and businesses,” said Giua Marassi. “Coordinating activities in a shared calendar, with incentives and recognition, is key to promoting participation, responsibility, and civic spirit. Education, clean-up, and awareness must become systemic actions, not one-off efforts. Only then can we create a virtuous example that inspires admiration and imitation.” 

During the clean-up, a kids’ eco-design workshop was held by GluDaMare with artist Alessandro Torrisi. Small plastic fish and other creations were crafted from collected waste—proof that new life can be born even from discarded materials. 

Sponsored by the Municipality of Cagliari and supported by Motomar Sarda, the 2025 edition of Puliamo La Sella! brought together a network of local sports clubs and associations, including: SeaScape Sardinia, SeaWorld Cagliari, Golfo degli Angeli, TuttinSUP, Savanzada Climbing Cagliari, Windsurfing Club Cagliari, Sardinia Tourist Guide, Olé Kayak, and Apnea Tribune.