Cala Blanca in Andratx, is one of 12 beaches in Spain selected to participate in the new edition of #MiPlayaSinPlásticos.
The initiative is being promoted by Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Carrefour in collaboration with the NGO Clean Landscape and has the support of Adventurer, Jesús Calleja who wants to raise public awareness about the impact of dumping waste on beaches and the need to find solutions to problems like climate change.
As a prelude to World Environment Day, all 12 beaches will compete to be chosen to host an intensive day of cleaning by Environmental Volunteers next autumn, but this time there's a twist. Instead of one beach winning the chance to be cleared of waste, three will be chosen and voting is open until August 31 at #MiPlayaSinPlásticos.
The start-up event was held online with various Local Authorities from Communities and Municipalities and a representative from each locality, including Andratx, will take part in the vote.
During his presentation, Jesús Calleja called on residents to work together to preserve the environment.
"Nature has resurfaced, and now we must keep this gift. We want to enjoy our beaches in their best condition and pay tribute to them by removing the waste that still exists. Nature is a source of life and well-being, we have missed it very much during confinement and, therefore, we have to take care of it and respect it as much as possible,” he said.
“With this new edition of #MiPlayaSinPlásticos we want to reaffirm our commitment to the environment, to our customers and collaborators with an action that involves us in a great challenge and is part of our policy of CSR actions and we invite you to be a part of it,” said Rami Baitiéh, General Manager of Carrefour Spain.
Javier Solans, CEO of P&G in Spain and Portugal says everyone should get onboard.
"Sustainability is everyone's responsibility and we must join forces and create powerful alliances that allow us to help solve this big challenge. The health emergency has made us more aware of the value that nature brings to our lives, so we must work to eliminate the traces of waste that still exist and avoid having beaches full of waste and objects such as gloves or masks.
Natural Beauty
Cala Blanca is a small bay near Andratx with a pebble beach that’s surrounded by pine trees and mountains.
It’s a place of unique value that needs to be preserved, but its steep access complicates the removal of waste that accumulates in the area which has to be collected manually.
Brands and businesses can help consumers to look after the planet by making them more conscious about shopping and consumption habits.
Sustainability and caring for the environment are challenges that can only be addressed by society as a whole and this year, the presentation event was also attended by representatives from Paisaje Limpio, FSC and the 12 Municipalities the selected beaches belong to.
All of them wanted to emphasise the importance of raising awareness and the need to keep the natural environment clean.
Effective Initiative
#MiPlayaSinPlásticos was launched three years ago and has established itself as a successful and effective environmental initiative.
In 2019, the initiative registered 300,000 votes and more than 600kg of waste was collected, classified and categorised through the MARNOBA tool, endorsed by the Ministry for Ecological Transition & Demographic Challenge, or MITECO, which shows that concern for sustainability is growing.
The three beaches selected to be cleared of waste by Carrefour, P&G, Paisaje Limpio and hundreds of environmental volunteers will be announced in early September.
The new edition of #MiPlayaSinPlásticos gets underway in unprecedented circumstances but it is crucial to continue raising awareness about the importance of keeping coastal environments free of plastic waste.
To take part in the competition go to #MiPlayaSinPlásticos, voting ends on August 31.