MEdIES celebrated the World Cleanup Day (20 Sept 2024) with joined cleanups in Athens and Alexandria, engaging youth, pupils and families with a strong citizen-science approach!
In Athens, thirty 4th-graders from Athens’ 70th Primary School participated in the cleanup effort in Athens (SEF Stadim beach, Pireaus). Students collected about 20 kg of waste, mostly plastic, using buckets to separate the waste; the top ten items discovered are displayed below. Interestingly, straws—which are prohibited by law—topped the list. Interestingly, straws—which are banned by EU law—topped the list. This could be related to the significant downpour that occurred two days prior to the cleanup, which resulted in litter from all over the capital ending up to the beacj through the the Kiffissos River estuaries.
In Alexandria, through the synergy of Be2aty with other initiatives, 54 youths, aged 15 to 25 years, gathered 57 kg of waste, primarily plastic. Compared to Athens, there are differences in the most common type of litter; with cigarette buts, plastic bags, lids, and bottles being the most dominant types recorded. During the activity, the young people had the opportunity to talk to locals and beach visitors, some of whom joined the cleanup effort. Those who participated found the activity to be fun and captivating.
Finally, the organizers of the cleanups on the two shores of the Mediterranean hosted an hour-long webinar titled “What did we find,” during which participants gathered virtually to talk about the methods they applied, to share their discoveries, and to reflect on possible solutions! Colleagues from EU4Ocean, who oversee related initiatives, like a recent cleanup in Brussels, also participated and made contributions. Thirty people attended online and for those that missed it the recording is available!
More about Be2aty project: