As Morski/Sabina Damiani writes on the 26th of October, 2019, back in July this year, the Association for the Improvement of the Quality of Life began the implementation of the Pula ECO LAB project in partnership with three high schools in Pula.
To mark the beginning of the activities, a KICK OFF event and press conference were held on Thursday, October the 24th, in which the project and the activities being implemented until September 2020 within the scope of it were presented.
''EKO LAB, which will get its space at Pula High School, wants to become a place of exchange of knowledge, experience, experimentation in order to develop critical thinking, creativity and innovation among high school students. Protecting the environment, or protecting our planet, should become a priority at all levels. In order to create the conditions for the joint creation of a more sustainable and responsible future, we cannot and should not think about that future without you young people,'' said students Sabina Damiani and Sunčica Damjanović.
The activities will be implemented by September 2020, and the problem of plastic waste is the first topic to be considered within the EKO LAB. Plastic waste is becoming a growing problem, both for nature, for the economy and for human health. An EU directive, which enters into force in 2021, which will ban certain disposable plastic products, is an important initiative but will solve only part of the problem. We need to continue thinking very actively and systematically about solving the problem of plastic waste.
Young people, with the guidance of their professors and mentors, and visiting experts, innovators, artists, designers who, through their work, contribute to creating a better future, will think of plastic waste as a resource. With plastic recycling machines, they will produce filament for 3D printers and create their products from locally collected waste.
''We will get acquainted with the problem, work as a team and in an interdisciplinary way, design new products, create and test prototypes and present the whole process as part of EKO WEEK in September 2020. This is one big experiment for everyone, we will make a lot of mistakes, but we'll also be able to learn a lot,'' said Petra Počanić.
Finally, the film "Take a break from plastic" was shown, which was realised by the "For Zlarin without plastic" initiative, as an example of the strength of a small group of very motivated people who care about making the world better, more beautiful and greener.
The EKO LAB project is co-financed by the Office for Associations of the Government of the Republic of Croatia as part of the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Program.
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