Sustainability practices and social responsibility
NakonFollowing the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Paris Agreement on 12 December 2015, which requires all EU Member States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 in order to mitigate the effects of global warming and stop global warming, our Association committed to reducing CO2 through its activities and programs for its volunteers.
In our case, the best way we can do this is to reduce waste, clean up the environment and plant plants.
- Waste reduction starts from the procurement of food and hygiene supplies in large doses and in bulk. We make our resident volunteers aware of the specifics of the environment in which they come and we agree with them on procurement. We make sure that no one leaves waste behind. In such a small isolated community (the islands of Vis and Biševo) there is no separate waste collection, so we have taken on this responsibility for our waste as much as we can. We separate and burn paper, we compost bio-waste, leftover food is a tasty snack for local cats, we return private packaging, we use cans and adequate plastic packaging for several purposes (seedlings, storage, etc.). All the devices we have installed have an eco certificate. We try to use cleaners that are biodegradable.
- We practice cleaning the environment by taking an empty bag every walk, which we fill with the waste we find (we have already found everything). We also organize larger, targeted cleaning actions.
- The garden and the land around the residence are fields for seedlings of various plants and trees for which we collect special water. Plants grow slowly and give the earth a wealth of shade, the air an abundance of oxygen, and us wonderful fruits.
CARING FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Education
Emphasis was placed on the Global Sustainable Development Goals and ways to promote their importance among young people in the local community. By educating about the principles of sustainable development, we want to encourage participants and volunteers to think critically and take personal responsibility in order to contribute to the sustainability of their own local community and, consequently, the European community as a whole.
Conservation of biological diversity
Mass tourism has a profound impact on nature and biodiversity. Forests had to give way to large hotels, marine life was threatened by large cruise ships and overfishing. Protected areas are being lost from mass tourism, although the beauty of nature is what attracts so many visitors. By conscientiously defining the goals of the Association, by carefully implementing our projects and respecting the environment in which we find ourselves, we support the preservation of biological diversity.
Cooperation with related associations
We actively participate in the work of local associations, family farms and various cultural institutions, which allows us to present all the cultural treasures of the island as authentically as possible through our programs and activities.
Sustainable management of the work of the Association
In the office, we do our best to take care of the planet. We do not use paper because all of our reports are in digital form only.
CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Since 2018, the Association has been dealing with the separation and appropriate disposal of waste, and participates in the continuous education of the local population on the importance of waste management.
Zero waste strategies
To keep household waste to a minimum, please dispose of all unnecessary packaging, plastic bags and disposable (non-returnable) plastic before arriving on the island. Any used items and packaging should be taken from the island to a place where they can be disposed of.
There is no separate waste collection on the island of Vis. It is up to us to responsibly dispose of discarded items from our household.
The Zero waste concept is geared towards living with less garbage. The basic principles are based on five Rs:
Refuse,
Reduce,
Reuse,
Recycle,
Rot,
- in translation: REJECT (buy unnecessary things), REDUCE (what you normally use), REUSE (things you already have), RECYCLE (change the purpose of things that have lost their purpose, not just as literal recycling) and TRULY (compost).
Biowaste
Kitchen waste (food preparation residues) accounts for almost a third of household waste. Composting biowaste is an excellent fertilizer for garden plants that helps them grow, reduces the need for water, improves the structure and nutrient content of the soil and protects fertile soil from pests and diseases.
Composting
Near the house there is a composter. All the waste we get when preparing a dish, leftovers from peeling fruits and vegetables, but without meat and processed products, are suitable. Heat-treated food is not thrown into the composter.
We keep a small compost bin in the kitchen. After cutting vegetables or fruits, throw the trash in the bin. When the bin is full, throw the waste in the composter.
Composting:
- leftovers of fruits and vegetables,
- leftovers of bread, lettuce, chard, kale, etc. raw fruits and vegetables,
- egg shells,
- animal hair, feathers,
- charcoal or wood ash,
- tea bags and tissues,
- coffee grounds,
- newspaper, matte cardboard (uncoated, glossy), paper towels,
- leaves (brown for carbon and green for nitrogen-rich soil),
- cut grass,
- plant and flower waste, tree bark, sawdust and pine needles,
- various yard (green) waste
Not composted:
- leftovers of meat and fish, bones and skins,
- dairy products, oils and fats,
- animal excrement,
- tobacco,
- processed and heat-treated food,
- stained and varnished wood waste,
- plastic,
- man-made substances,
- metals
Separation of returnable packaging
Glass and plastic bottles that fall into the returnable packaging category are separated into separate containers.
Separation of other waste
Paper and paperboard: newspapers, magazines, brochures, stationery and computer paper, letters, paper bags, cardboard boxes (except: carbon paper, photographs and photo paper, oiled and dirty paper) in a separate container and burn it.
Plastics and multilayer packaging such as tetra-packs : used Tetra Pak packaging for milk, juices, etc., bottles for dairy products and other beverages, oil and vinegar, detergents (no hazardous waste label) , plastic stoppers and lids, cutlery, straws, bags for sweets and snacks, frozen products, toilet paper or paper towels, plastic bags from shops, plastic boxes for spreads, ice cream, household bowls, protective plastic packaging, plastic or foil , packaging for cosmetics and personal care products (for creams, shampoos…) but not colored plastic packaging and packaging of motor and edible oils and lubricants.
Plastic waste is pressed (compacted) to reduce its volume.
Glass: glass packaging without plugs or other plastic or metal parts, broken glasses but not light bulbs and window glass.
Metal: cans, aluminum foil, cans, metal stoppers, packaging and lids, but not metal packaging from deodorants and other pressurized sprays.
Textiles: home textiles, clothing, footwear.
Mixed municipal waste: light bulbs (ordinary), porcelain, ceramics, cigarette butts, lighters, razors, sponges, diapers, sanitary pads and cotton wool, metallized paper (eg confectionery), shop bills (thermal paper), toilet paper, wet wipes.
Hazardous waste: fluorescent lamps, energy saving lamps, varnishes, solvents, batteries and accumulators, mercury thermometers, antifreeze, pressure cylinders, adhesives, waste motor oils, asbestos and construction waste containing asbestos.
More information on waste reduction and composting can be found at Green action website.
Those carbon emissions that cannot be avoided will be eliminated by compensation through tree and greenery planting activities.
