Once again, the municipality of Santanyí has thrown itself into the celebration of the Energy Ariya Challenge, which this time took place in the coastal town of Cala d’Or. A total of 101 students from the Santa Maria del Mar school took part in the activities organised by Energy, which aim to promote sustainability and energy saving through educational and leisure workshops. But the activity in Cala d’Or had a special significance, as it was World Environment Day, so the schoolchildren were already very aware of the importance of preserving our environment.
This was also highlighted by the mayor of Santanyí, Maria Pons, who did not want to miss the event. ‘This is a very important activity, not least because we were one of the pioneering municipalities to start with this sustainable energy proposal and, naturally, on World Environment Day we had to celebrate it in Cala d’Or with the schoolchildren,’ said Pons. The mayor also stressed the importance of activities for young people, as ‘children are very important in raising awareness among their families,’ she added.
The fourth and fifth year primary school pupils were the first to arrive at the square. Divided into groups, they took part in the workshops organised by the organisation, such as the relay race, where they had to correctly sort different types of waste into the appropriate bins. There was also a talk on sustainable mobility, where the young people discovered alternatives for more environmentally friendly transport, and a creative workshop where they designed the poster for the Santanyí 2026 Energy Challenge, which will be used to promote the next edition in the municipality.
One of the star workshops was also a hit: the energy-generating bicycles. With great excitement and in groups of three, the schoolchildren got on the bicycles to pedal while watching the screen to see the energy generated by their effort. But the schoolchildren weren’t the only ones to get on the bicycles. The mayor, Maria Pons, together with the councillor for the Environment, Bàrbara Xamena, and the headmistress of the CEIP Santa Maria del Mar, Margalida Rigo, also pedalled with great enthusiasm in this green challenge. They were followed by the sixth-year primary school pupils, who were particularly interested in the energy generated by each group.
‘We are very aware of environmental issues and educating schoolchildren in this regard is essential,’ said the representative of the Mayor’s Office in Cala d’Or, Rafel Batle, while reminding everyone that door-to-door collection will begin in the coastal town on 10 June. ‘This is also an important challenge for us, and activities such as today’s help not only to educate children but also their parents about the importance of selective collection’.
The Santa Maria del Mar school is also working on the importance of recycling, not only at school but also at home. ‘That’s why, starting next week, we are organising door-to-door collection in Cala d’Or, which the pupils will also implement at the school,’ added the headmistress of the CEIP, Margalida Rigo.
After all the effort of the relay races and cycling, it was time to recharge their batteries with a healthy snack of seasonal fruit provided by the company Agromart, where melon and watermelon took centre stage. The young people enjoyed their snack and also collected the fruit peelings in an organic bin to be used as compost for the school garden.
This is an excellent way to make use of any waste and also be aware of its importance. ‘This year we have enjoyed salads made with lettuce from our garden,’ said the school principal when she saw one of the teachers taking the organic waste bin. ‘The students are very aware of this,’ she added proudly.
And while one of the teachers returned to the school with the organic waste collected that morning, the pupils returned to their classrooms with a small green gift: a plant of tomato, cape gooseberry, pepper and beans. This was a small token of appreciation from the Energy Ariya Challenge for the commitment made by the schoolchildren, which will help them to continue with the green challenge at home. They proudly took their plants home, clearly convinced that small gestures also count when it comes to caring for the planet.
It should be noted that this activity was made possible thanks to the Santanyí Town Council; the Regional Ministry of Business, Employment and Energy and Nissan Nigorra Baleares; as well as the collaboration of the Saica Foundation, TBC, Víveros Can Juanico, Agromart and Cash&Carry Rotger.
With this initiative, the municipality of Santanyí has once again demonstrated its commitment to the environment and the challenges it must face in order to become more sustainable.
Proof of this has been the gradual introduction of door-to-door waste collection, which first began in the various inland towns and will also start in the coastal towns on 10 June. ‘It is a challenge that we must take on and we must show that Cala d’Or is an environmental benchmark,’ added the mayor. The Energy Ariya Challenge is committed to this sustainable development, where environmental care must also go hand in hand with electric mobility and green energy.