Summer is here and our beaches have their due! The "Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free" Project is once again at the forefront of the fight against plastic pollution this year, organizing a series of events aimed at raising public awareness and reducing marine litter.
In three events held recently on various beaches of the island, bathers and volunteers joined forces and managed to collect over 110 kilos of trash! These actions are not just symbolic, but prove that even the smallest contribution can make a difference in protecting our seas.
The events kicked off with summer parties at the Plastic Free Beaches in Agia Thekla (July 28, 2024) and SODAP Beach in Paphos (August 11, 2024), where bathers had the opportunity to participate in competitions about plastic pollution, pick up litter and to win reusable mugs. The events ended at the Beach Without Plastic Scooters in Paralimni, where volunteers from the province of Famagusta contributed to the cleanliness of the beach.
Essential was the cooperation with the local authorities for the organization of the above events, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism as well as the tourism industry of the island which offered rich gifts to the participants.
The action continues with a big summer competition inviting the public to pick up as much litter as they can from the beaches and claim a dream relaxation package for two at Casale Panayiotis Hotel & Spa!
Those interested can find more information about the competition on the @sandseaplasticfree Instagram account.
In his statement, the President of the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Association (CSTI), Filippos Drousiotis, highlighted the importance of the cooperation of all those involved in the tourism industry, including beach users, in order to achieve our goal which is to have beaches and seas, without plastics."
The Director of the "Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free" Project, Panagiota Koutsofta, added: "The average person involuntarily consumes 5 grams of plastic per week, which is the size of a credit card. This plastic enters the food chain, affecting both marine life and our health. So this summer, let's be the change we want to see. For starters, we can all visit our beaches with our own pagouri. And if this beach is also a "Plastic Free Beach", then we will also have access to free, chilled and filtered water."
The "Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free" Project aims to involve tourists, tourism businesses and locals in reducing single-use plastics on the beach front. The aim of the Project is to end up with less plastic in the seas, reducing plastic pollution.
The Project is part of the Destination Zero Waste program of the TUI Care Foundation and is implemented in collaboration with the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Association (CSTI). The Project seeks new ways of reducing and reusing waste, resulting in the creation of new jobs and the promotion of the circular economy in Cyprus.
More information on the website: https://sandseaplasticfree.org/