In mid-July Nina Schnabel, a frequent visitor and lover of Greece, approached our organization to present another challenge- that of confronting the critical problem of the use of bottled water. An issue impacting all of Greece’s islands, especially during the summer when their consumption needs multiply due to the increasing numbers of visitors.
Aegean Rebreath first mobilized the members of the Blue Municipalities Network and assessed the appropriate conditions for the project’s success. Then, in cooperation with the Municipality of Alonissos and utilizing a funding grant from Nina Schnabel, procured twenty-two reverse osmosis filters for hospitality businesses, public offices and private households.
The results speak for themselves. Over a 580-day trial period following the filters’ installation the testing points saved the equivalent of 90,365 plastic bottles not being used. Testers also noted that the switch to the filters was simple and did not affect their water consumption or water utility bill. In total, the residents’ savings amounted to 27,190 Euro.
Once again, this program highlights the advantages of community mobilization when tackling multi-faceted challenges. Our intervention’s results are a milestone that drives home the need for urgent introduction and adoption of measures to increase tap water consumption. Time is short and there is no longer room for relying on old practices.
