Involving local stakeholders in ocean awareness is crucial. At the Network of European Blue Schools, we value partnerships with local businesses as they promote a wider grasp of marine environment protection in the community. This influence can bring about change within the local market and economy, steering them toward sustainability. Below are examples of Blue Projects accomplished through collaborations with local businesses.
Re-Play
PASCAL Private English School Lekfosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
1. Develop a project with interlinked activities - The project involves a series of interlinked activities:
- Developing reusable boxes for beach toys that can be stored, used, and returned by visitors.
- Addressing the issue of single-use plastic toys bought by tourists and abandoned on beaches, contributing to plastic waste and marine pollution.
- Engaging pupils in designing and constructing the boxes, including creating a name, logo, and slogan.
- Establishing criteria to select suitable Municipalities near the South East Coast of Cyprus for box installation.
- Collaborating with local businesses near installation points to share the project message and information using QR codes.
- Planning visits to evaluate the boxes' status during spring and summer, making necessary adjustments.
- Implementing continuous evaluation through online questionnaires shared with involved businesses, municipalities, and tourists.
- Developing a website to promote and track the project's progress.
2. Produce a clear output - The clear outputs of the project include:
- Reusable boxes for storing and sharing beach toys, reducing single-use plastic waste.
- Evaluation of the project's impact through visits, adjustments, and online questionnaires.
- Development of a website to showcase the project's progress and promote its objectives.
3. Involve all students - Students were actively involved at each stage of the project, through different activities designing and constructing the boxes, creating criteria, and participating in evaluation activities, etc.
4. Collaborate with local partners - The project collaborates with various local partners, including:
- Local Municipalities on the seaside for permissions and installation of boxes.
- NGOs running other projects on different beaches in Cyprus.
- Hotels on the seaside to promote the boxes to their tourists.
- Local businesses near installation points to share the project message.
5. Communicate project results - The project results are communicated through various means:
- Reusable boxes placed on beaches, visible to tourists and locals.
- Online questionnaires shared with businesses, municipalities, and tourists for continuous evaluation.
- A website that showcases the project's progress and impact.
Upcycling Microplastics
IES Alcudia, Alcudia, Spain
1. Develop a project with interlinked activities - The project involves a series of interlinked activities:
- Beach cleanup of microplastics
- Lecture by Clean Boating and Sostenible XXI on the impacts of plastics and microplastics.
- Classification and report of microplastics on the MARNOBA app from the Spanish government, where the information from beach cleans carried out all over the country is collected.
- Presentation by Garden Hotels on preventive measures on plastic consumption (methods to minimize usage of plastic) and other measures related to a circular economy
- Workshop on creativity led by Clean Boating, involving decorating merchandise with collected microplastics.
2. Produce a clear output - The clear outputs of the project include:
- Beach cleanup conducted to address microplastic pollution.
- A creative workshop involving decorating merchandise with collected microplastics.
3. Involve all students - Students were actively involved at each stage of the project by participating in the cleanup, attending the lectures and decorating merchandise with collected microplastics.
4. Collaborate with local partners - The project collaborates with various local partners, including Garden Hotels (hotel chain), the Hostel Association of the North Coast of Mallorca, Sostenible XXI (sustainability consulting company), and Clean Boating.
5. Communicate project results - The project results are communicated through various means:
- Information about the project was published on the Barden Hotels’ website.
- Information about the project was published in local internet media - Economía de Mallorca.
- Information about the project was featured in local TV news.