05
HAZEL MORGAN
President, Amics de la Terra
“WHAT WE NEED IS RESPECT, CARE AND PROPER MANAGEMENT”
Can the course of an island be changed? For decades, Hazel Morgan has been trying. Through advocacy, dialogue and action, she has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the need to care for our shared home. A British biologist who has lived in Ibiza for 50 years, she has served as president of Amics de la Terra since 1999, championing environmental protection and the active defense of the island’s natural heritage.
What are the biggest ecological challenges facing Ibiza, and what solutions do you propose?
There are two major challenges. The first is water. Our aquifers are being overexploited, and there’s a lack of regulation and effective management. It’s a hugely important issue, but local authorities have failed to do their part. The second is our natural spaces, especially the protected ones, which are also poorly managed. Take Ses Salines, for instance: it’s a natural park, yet there are beach clubs operating with permits for activities that are clearly unsustainable. Other protected zones within the Natura 2000 network, such as the area around Cala d’Hort, are also deteriorating due to unchecked tourism. What we need is respect, care and proper management.
Are you currently working on any groundbreaking sustainability projects?
We’re leading projects to restore biodiversity. In Ses Feixes, for example, we’ve planted native species to create a natural barrier protecting local birdlife from traffic. We’ve also installed bat boxes in the area, as bats feed on the local insects and are vital to the ecosystem. All of this has been done with community involvement. We’re also working to eliminate invasive plant species from the coastline and have launched another initiative to increase biodiversity in urban areas, encouraging neighbors to grow shared gardens in the city.
What personal choices have you made to live more sustainably?
My home is entirely powered by solar energy and supplies electricity for all eight residents. We also reuse greywater from the washing machine and use a septic tank to irrigate our plants. We compost at home, and since we don’t hand over this waste to the Santa Eulària council, we get a discount on our rubbish collection bill. Anyone who composts is eligible for this benefit.
06
JORGE PINEDA
ONG Creatives for Planet
“TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVITY CAN HELP US FIND ANSWERS”
Art as a tool to regenerate the world: that’s Jorge Pineda’s vision. From Creatives for the Planet, a nonprofit formed by a group of artists and passionate environmentalists working to restore the planet’s natural balance, he is driving projects that combine direct action, education and creativity to heal the natural world in Ibiza and beyond.
What are the biggest environmental challenges Ibiza is facing, and what solutions do you propose?
Ibiza’s landfill is at its limit and requires urgent solutions: incinerating waste or sending it to Mallorca aren’t sustainable answers. The key lies in education and fostering a circular economy. Every summer, water demand far exceeds the available resources. Salinized wells, dry springs and a fragile ecosystem can’t keep up with this rate of consumption. Instead of resigning ourselves, we need to seek innovative solutions. Reusing water, improving its efficiency and rethinking its management are all essential. Technology and creativity can help us find answers that reduce the impact without compromising the future. One of the biggest challenges in Ibiza is building a real connection between people and the natural environment.
Are you working on any groundbreaking sustainability projects?
Yes, one of our most impactful projects is the reuse of plastic waste in art installations. Art is a powerful tool for social transformation. Rather than waiting for political solutions, I believe in the strength of the community. If we can get people involved in creative processes, we awaken a sense of responsibility and belonging that can drive real change. I’m also working on various projects related to ecology, agriculture and protecting ancestral knowledge.
What personal decisions do you make to live more sustainably?
I create art by giving a second life to discarded materials in natural environments, using my work to promote solutions that directly and indirectly address environmental issues through creativity.
03
AGNÈS VIDAL
Environmental Educator at GEN-GOB
“AS CONSUMERS WE HAVE A LOT OF POWER”
From the classroom to the field, Agnès Vidal sows awareness. She’s a philosopher, author of numerous essays and, as Environmental Education Coordinator at GEN-GOB, is leading vital work to help new generations understand, respect and protect Ibiza’s natural environment.
What are the biggest environmental challenges facing Ibiza, and what solutions do you propose?
One of the solutions to the problems Ibiza is experiencing that include resource overexploitation, housing and mass tourism is reducing tourism. We’ll have to do it one way or another, because unlimited growth just isn’t possible on islands with finite resources. It’s increasingly clear that we’re exceeding environmental limits. Everything hinges on diversifying the economy and firmly committing to the primary sector, which has to provide our food.
Are you currently developing any groundbreaking sustainability projects?
Calling them groundbreaking may be a stretch. But in 2021, the Balearic Government signed an agreement with GEN-GOB and Soldecocos for a pilot marine stewardship project in the Pityusas. It promotes the involvement of all stakeholders in every phase of developing management plans for areas included in the Natura 2000 network. Also, since 2011, we’ve had an agreement to manage the Can Toni d’en Jaume Negre estate. Among other things, we host educational activities there. The standout is “Spend a Morning in 1940” – a day living as our grandparents did, making soap, natural remedies and more.
What personal choices do you make to live more sustainably?
You try to find plastic alternatives and buy local products. As consumers we have a lot of power, but it seems most people aren’t aware of it. If we buy in bulk and support local food, not only do we strengthen the primary sector, but we also force big supermarkets to rethink how they operate. Because it’s outrageous to walk into a megastore and see that absolutely everything is wrapped in plastic.
08
EDUARDO MAYOL
Director of the Ibiza Biotechnological Botanic Garden BIBO Park
“IN THE FUTURE, WE WANT PUBLIC GARDENS WITH BIOLUMINESCENT PLANTS”
Technology is the way to find solutions to the challenges ahead. That’s why it can’t be separated from nature. They’re part of the same thing, of this wonderful gift we call life. This is something entrepreneur Eduardo Mayol understood years ago. Thanks to his drive, Ibiza is now on the international map of biotechnological development through BIBO Park, a space that develops knowledge and showcases the wonders that arise from combining science and nature in a respectful and sustainable way.
What excites you about the latest biotechnological discoveries, and what are their challenges?
One of my passions lies in the interaction between nature and biotechnology, exploring scientific innovations that can contribute to the conservation of our environment. We have several projects underway, but we’re making progress on something very novel: bioluminescent plants. We’re developing this with the company Bioo. We’ll install a kind of dark dome where people can walk inside to see the plants. In the future, we want public gardens to be made with bioluminescent plants. These breakthroughs bring major challenges, like adapting emerging technologies to natural environments without disturbing any ecosystems. To do that, we always need steady investment in research.
Are you working on any groundbreaking sustainability projects?
We have an agreement with the Blue Life Foundation to help protect the health of our marine ecosystems. We’ve set up nurseries where we grow Posidonia seedlings that are later planted. We also have a small surface submarine called Aquascope that we want to place in the port of Sant Antoni. It has 10 seats and two viewing panels so people can see the Posidonia. It’s the largest living organism in the world and a key player in the preservation of the Mediterranean.
What personal decisions do you make to live more sustainably?
Like most people, in my personal life I adopt sustainable practices like reducing plastic use, choosing eco-friendly transportation whenever I can and, above all, consuming local products. At the park we also take an active part in community initiatives focused on conservation and the environment.
