Beginning of February and our visits to Syros and Tinos and our Marine Litter Collection Stations made us happy as we came across some highly engaged communities and remarkable results, despite the current circumstances.
During our stop in Syros, we met with representatives from the University of the Aegean, where we got an update over the research conducted by the Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering for new eco-friendly materials, and mutually decided to join forces. Moreover, our friends at “Apano Meria” gave us a tour to the new experimental lab for upcycling plastic and producing new products that closed with a discussion over the environmental challenges of the island. We concluded our visit in Syros with meeting delegates of the Municipality and the Port Fund of Syros who informed us that the process of recycling throughout the island works seamlessly and that our Marine Litter Collection Station is a vital part of the environmental design of the Municipality, enjoying full engagement from the entire island; of course, we also coordinated our joint future activities in Syros and had the chance to meet with the island’s Professional Fishermen Association after visiting and renewing our Marine Litter Collection Station with its brand new signage!
On the same night we travelled to Tinos, where we had some fantastic news: tons of fishing nets and fishing gear has been already collected in the Marine Litter Collection Station. Our invaluable partners from KOIN.S.EP. Kalloni Kellia Tinos helped us renew the facade of the station and reassured us about their vital role in the station’s smooth operation. This is a tangible proof that our Marine Litter Collection Stations’ endeavour is basically a matter of the local communities. Our meeting with the Deputy Mayor of the cleaning department and the President of the Fishermen Association supported this conviction as they confirmed their great support and the engagement of the entire island to our project.
Two days filled with good news and optimism for a creative year ahead that got us back to our base fully motivated about all the good things to come with the valuable support of Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
