1
The plastic campaigner
Myrto Pispini from Plastic Free Ibiza
9.2 billion tons of plastic have been produced in the world since 1950. The message is simple: we have to start eliminating plastic from our lives and changing our habits right now – or soon there will be more plastic in the sea than fish. Plastic contaminates everywhere and everything. We have to take responsibility now.
Why the passion?
Quite simply because I cannot believe how people are treating this beautiful island. How can people treat our beaches like ashtrays? What gives me hope is that organizations like ourselves and Plastic Free Formentera are now reaching out to businesses who are sharing our vision for Plastic Free Ibiza by 2023 and starting to eliminate single use plastic in their operations. Where there is a will there is a way.
2
The beekeepers
Marta Balbin and Fabio Falzetti from Pura Vida
The bee is the world’s most important pollinator of food crops with one third of our food pollination dependent. But the bee population is in huge decline, caused by a combination of pesticide, climate change and the loss of their habitat and food. With the planet facing ecological crisis, it is vital that we protect the habitats and give them a safe haven where they can reproduce and thrive. We are proud to be increasing the bee population of Ibiza with over 60 hives around the island and urge others to follow suit. The honey is delicious!
Why the passion?
My husband Claudio started beekeeping because he loved the countryside. I get so much satisfaction knowing I am continuing his life work and also doing something vital for the planet.
3
The arborists
Thibault d’Herouville and Arthur Belorgey from Arborista Ibiza
As a specialist able to establish a diagnosis and choose the most appropriate intervention – for us it is like performing heart surgery. Too many house owners in Ibiza are too quick to ask a cowboy tree surgeon to cut down a tree because it blocks their view or because pine needles are falling in their precious pool. Trees are vital for humans as through photosynthesis they absorb carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, they are the lungs of our planet and need protecting. The view can wait.
Why the passion?
We are losing more than one football pitch of forest every second around the world to mankind. We are passionate about educating people to make the situation better. Our job is to make the tree and man live better together.
4
The marine biologist
Manu San Félix
We have been contaminating the waters of Ibiza and Formentera for decades. Whilst millions have been spent on improving the airport, roads and port, nothing has been done to improve the water treatment facilities. We are not correctly treating our sewage water and we are quite simply dumping it in the sea. Another problem is the impact of anchors on the posidonia. Without it, the water and the coasts of the Balearic Islands would not be what they are. It releases oxygen because it is a purifier, it builds up reefs that rise a few meters above the seabed and serves as dykes – walls that protect the coast from the surf. And if we were to lose the posidonia, huge quantities of greenhouse gases would be released into the atmosphere.
Why the passion?
I am sick of going into our waters and seeing, filming and photographing these problems. We need to change now and stop finding excuses.
5
The global environmentalist
Jorge Bruges from Proartso/The Nature Project
I truly believe we have to concentrate on the new generation. They are the future leaders, they are now the ones crying out to us, begging us to stop destroying our planet. This is why Proartso, amongst many other activities around the world, are starting inspiration centres where we teach children about our problems, the alternatives and beauty of biodiversity, the care they require and what we all can do to have a life in harmony with our planet.
Why the passion?
I love life and I will not allow myself to disappear from this wonderful planet without having made some attempt to leave it better than I found it. We must learn to care, to conserve, to connect and to protect life. Because if we don’t, who will? But let’s not be all pessimistic. Here in Ibiza we have a conscious population wanting change. I have seen many people already in action; reducing, planting, conserving, reproducing…and caring.
6
The restaurant owner
Mouji from La Paloma
There are too many people and too many hotels and businesses not being conscious enough in Ibiza. At La Paloma we are always looking for ways to reduce waste in the restaurant; we recycle, have no plastic straws or water bottles plus we are installing a Fat Trap and grey water filter to irrigate our vegetable garden. But it is also about educating and training all members of staff in the principles of being ecological. Hopefully they will use this belief system at home.
Why the passion?
I cannot ignore the enormity of the problems our planet is facing any longer. We have to go back to what really counts which is nature – not how much money we can make.
