This summer, on the beaches of the city of Poreč, visitors and residents can participate in the SeaStar Hero, a globally unique project, since it is designed to turn care for the environment and our sea into an attractive tourist product and an outdoor activity that ultimately brings numerous benefits to its users. This tourist product encourages visitors to participate in the removal of waste from the sea in a fun way and to care for the marine environment as if it were their own.
The challenges of sea and nature pollution that we face every day are to be noticed especially in smaller areas in the summer months when the number of inhabitants increases fivefold, as is the case with the city of Poreč. This well-known and popular Istrian tourist destination has only twenty thousand inhabitants in winter, while during summer that figure rises to over 100,000. Although there are numerous cleaning campaigns, education and awareness raising about nature conservation, it is inevitable that, due to such a large number of visitors, waste ends up daily in an unwanted place. We therefore thought that it is necessary to launch a longer-term project that will point out the problem of sea and nature pollution on a daily basis, offer a solution and encourage correct behavior.
How does the project work? Anyone interested can get involved at one of the five Blue Flag beaches in Poreč (Špadići – Materada, Donji Špadići, Gradsko kupalište 1, Gradsko kupalište 2 and Plaža Brulo), where they have the opportunity to find special stations for picking up waste equipment. Participation is simple, the users need to contact the person in charge of safety on the beaches, i.e. the lifeguard and announce their participation, take the net and gloves for cleaning and start diving and removing waste from the sea. The reward system is designed in such a way that to every diver who returns the equipment and surfaced waste to the station, the lifeguard presents a symbolic reward in the form of a badge, and to the participants who bring a larger amount of waste, a t-shirt. Participants who receive a t-shirt achieve the “SeaStar” status, which for one day brings them benefits in catering facilities throughout the city, thanks to the fact that many caterers were happy to respond to this initiative. Participants can brag about the waste they collected on social networks using the hashtag #seastarhero and thus encourage others to participate. By introducing this type of activity into its tourist offer, Poreč encourages all those interested to do a good deed for our planet, while providing the opportunity for everyone to show how caring for nature can be fun, stimulating, accessible to everyone and bring many benefits.
The initiative is supported by the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency, the City of Poreč, Usluga Poreč, Valamar and WWF Adria, as well as numerous catering failities throughout Poreč. Many thank you: Fora Le Porte, Ox Food & Fire, La Riva, Tunaholic Fish Bar, Papabirra Beer & Burgers & Stakespizza, Saint & Sinner Beach, Saint & Sinner Club, Koi Asian Fusion Restaurant, Parentino Wine & Tapas Bar, Grano Duro Pasta & Pizz Streetfood, Il Gelato di Salvatore, Burgeria, Cheese Bar Barolin, Two Ferals, Epoca, Garage Bar, Habitat Cafe, Wine Cadum, Skipper Grill & Fish!
more information by clicking on www.seastarhero.com
