Cala Comte, one of the beaches most affected by microplastics in Ibiza
“Hello, I am José Ribas Folguera, from Ribas&Ribas Arquitectos, and I am in Cala Comte, an area that is very dear to me, but at the same time, in a very difficult situation, since, at the moment, it has a contamination of plastics and microplastics 30 times higher than the average from all over the Mediterranean, which is very worrying”.
“The purity of the seabed is in danger. With cleanup actions, we are trying preserve this wonderful marine ecosystem that microplastics are contaminating . We are not aware, because we cannot see it. I am committed to acquiring habits that do not pollute, and to encourage other people to do the same”, says Manu San Félix, biologist and oceanographer of National Geographic.
The harsh testimonies are heard in Ibiza Stop Plastic, the promotional video of the campaign with which the island wants to put an end to the use of single-use plastics. Relevant characters such as Ferrán Adriá, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, or the Ibizan karateka Cristina Ferrer.
“It is estimated that In the year 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea ”, adds, for her part, the biologist Evelyn Segura. “Recycle, we recycle little. It is estimated that, in our country, only 30% of plastic waste is recycled”, she adds. The impulse of the island, therefore, is not focused on throwing our garbage into the yellow container, but rather, directly, not choosing it.
Thus, the Consell d'Eivissa has organized several actions consisting of changing single-use plastic bags for cloth or mesh bags with infinite uses, while explaining to people the reasons for the change. In addition, it has launched a responsible purchasing campaign that invites recover the tradition of the pointed, the traditional carrycot , a basket of palm or esparto in which to carry all the purchase so as not to have to depend on the plastic bags supplied in stores.
“The preservation of the beauty of the island and of the natural wealth and of the seabed, including Posidonia, is a fundamental issue for Ibiza Tourism, which warns of the threat posed by the overproduction of plastics and warns of the possible disappearance of this natural paradise if measures are not taken ”, they explain from the organism.
Of course, its initiatives, which are also aimed at businessmen and tourists, are still far from those of similar destinations. We are talking, for example, about Capri, which a year ago already banned single-use plastics in its territory.