Paper, a number of cigarette butts, plastic or glass bottles and even a television or a clothes line... We are not in a landfill, far from it, but that is all that appears on Roda de Barà beach in Tarragona , which helps to better understand the theory that we are experiencing the first phase of volunteering, that of surprise, and as explained by Nacho Martinez, technical manager of the Ecoalf Foundation in Spain, this happens when a person who is new to this type of cleaning, you realize that the problem is real and there is much more to do.
Nacho Martinez is in charge of coordinating a team of thirty people who have taken advantage of Oceans Day to collect waste on the Catalan beach as part of the Clean Rivers, Save Oceans project that Biotherm and the Ecoalf Foundation have been promoting since 2020 with the aim of repairing the damage to the marine environment.
“There is increasing awareness about the damage we are causing to the environment. In Madrid we have already managed to clean more than 20,000 kilos of waste in the Jarama River alone and now we are on a beach in Catalonia”, points out Martínez, whose main objective is to focus on the flow before it reaches the sea.
After an hour of cleaning in which 104 kilos of garbage and 206 kilos of invasive plants have been collected, "you reach the phase of anger, you start to get angry at how so much garbage could have gotten to that place," Martínez notes. . Despite the anger, the volunteers continue to sweep the remains of waste in the sandbank of this town in Tarragona. The 'Clean Rivers, Save Oceans' Project has collected hygienic waste in 60 previous cleaning days, mainly wet wipes (5,722 kilos) and plastics (3,951), as well as glass or tires, according to data provided by Biotherm
Almost three hours of work have already passed and it is time to stop and leave or what is the same, according to Nacho Martinez, "the third phase, that of awareness and the most beautiful, because when the activity ends there is always someone who asks How are we going to leave if there is still a lot to do?
This ambitious project boasts of having brought together 1,404 volunteers in three years, in addition to having involved educational entities, scientific corporations, environmental associations and private companies. The two promoters are very aware. Biotherm because it wants to return to water the essential value it brings to its cosmetic products. And the fashion company Ecoalf because it has always used recycled materials.
In recent years, the big brands have become aware of the need to clean marine ecosystems, since it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans if urgent measures are not taken. For example:
Dr. Tree of Phergal Laboratories. For yet another year, the firm has signed up for pioneering initiatives such as the Libera 1m2 por la Naturaleza project and the IX Great International Seabed Cleanup, thus underlining its commitment to direct action in favor of the seas and oceans hand in hand with the association environmental Oceanids. The dermopharmaceutical company has actively participated in massive cleanup operations for abandoned rubbish in more than 30 points on the Spanish coast, including natural parks protected by the nature network. With the help of more than 200 volunteers by land and sea they have collected more than 7.8 tons of marine litter.
oris. Since 2019, it has been implementing Change For The Better Days, days dedicated to cleaning the depths of the sea and the surface in different cities around the world, part of the intrinsic philosophy of the Swiss watch firm that has convened its next waste collection in Santander for this June 10. Attendees will be able to participate either by collecting waste from the beach walking together with the Oris and Joyería Muñiz team, or those with a diving certificate, will be able to descend to the depths of the bay to carry out the cleaning of the underwater bottom with the center of Pedrena diving.
Oris chooses professionals committed to the environment as brand ambassadors, such as the oceanologist specialized in sharks, Gadór Muntaner, who will offer a talk on the importance of caring for the oceans.
El Corte Inglés Travel Group. The travel company maintains a strong commitment to the conservation of the marine environment and for this reason it has joined the Ecomar Foundation, to carry out beach cleaning activities in different parts of the peninsular coast to achieve a healthier and more balanced planet. The first action was carried out last February with 36 volunteers who collected 121 kilos of waste on the Restinga beach, located in the municipality of Telde. The latest initiative has been the collection of waste on the beach of Es Carnatge, located on the island of Palma de Mallorca, in coordination with the Consell, where the volunteers have also participated in a Blue Workshop with the presence of Theresa Zabel, president of Ecomar Foundation and double Olympic sailing champion. All of this within the framework of the objectives of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility Master Plan.
Beyond cleaning the oceans, other brands have opted for other strategies to raise awareness about caring for the oceans, such as:
Blancpain and the oceans. With the almost 70-year legacy of the Fifty Fathoms – the first modern diving watch – the Swiss brand collaborates with different projects and initiatives dedicated to the oceans that are grouped under the name of Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC) and in which photography submarine occupies a special place. Showcasing the beauty of the ocean and the many dangers it faces, Oceanographic Magazine's Ocean Photographer of the Year Awards represents the continuation of the Fifty Fathoms art and photography project previously started by Blancpain. It is a platform for expression and communication dedicated to the most devoted and talented ocean advocates in the world.
The exhibition, private for clients and the press in Madrid, will be open to the public at the Hotel Bless in Ibiza, from June 28 to August 15.
Back Wash by EDP. The energy group has inaugurated a striking exhibition of "objects that nobody wanted" and rescued from the sea at Gran Vía 66 in Madrid. With the aim of raising awareness of the need to act and protect the planet and fight against climate change, in the exhibition you will be able to see a selection of 13 objects that were rescued by EDP after a Guinness record underwater cleaning, such as: a laptop , a washing machine drum, a figure of Darth Vader... that one day were thrown into the ocean to get rid of them.
Each exhibit has an associated value, like a price tag. However, it does not indicate the cost of the object for the customer, but its cost to the planet, that is, the number of years it takes for it to decompose on Earth: for example, both the laptop and the drum of the washing machine would take longer 500 years to disintegrate. The amount raised by the "virtual sale" of these objects will be donated to the NGO The Ocean Cleanup. The pop-up store can be visited for free until June 30.
A clean sea benefits everyone, everywhere. And, of course, tourism. For this reason, the main hotel chains and luxury establishments became aware some time ago that the oceans are a good that must be cared for every day, and that any action that involves improving marine ecosystems will end up having a positive impact on the tourism industry, especially in coastal destinations that live off the natural wealth of their beaches.
In the Balearic Islands, for example, the Ibiza Gran Hotel 5* Gran Lujo has been collaborating for years with the IbizaPreservation association, has applied a complete plastic elimination policy and has sponsored the Ibiza and Formentera Marine Forum. In another idyllic bay on the island, Cala Xarraca, the Six Senses Ibiza hotel is the first Breeam certified resort, one of the main sustainability assessment methods, in the Balearic Islands and actively participates in the conservation, restoration and awareness of seagrasses . For its part, on the Costa del Sol, the Marbella Club leads the Aula de Mar project, to promote the repopulation of the seagrass and seahorses.
Abroad, the luxury hotel chain Sunlife in Mauritius has long been involved in care and preservation programs for the Indian Ocean island, such as the restoration of the mangrove forest of high ecological value on Îlot Mangénie, in addition to having reached an agreement with local farmers to reduce the use of chemicals.
Similarly, the Relais chain
Such is the case of chef Elena Arzak (of the Arzak restaurant in Donostia, San Sebastián), who focuses attention on the anchovy, whose population has recovered in the Bay of Biscay thanks to a five-year fishing ban in 2005. and 2010.
