History and Facts
Alonissos is a small island of Northern Sporades, Greece. It hosts a marine park of 2.260km2, the largest marine protected area in Europe, which shelters a significant number of monk seals, a critically endangered species according to the IUCN red list. Dolphins and other cetaceans are also observed around the island.
Piperi island (belongs to the Alonissos island municipality) is the heart of the Marine Park and therefore, a strictly protected area. It is the most important nature reserve of the Mediterranean monk seal and many raptors that live and reproduce on its steep cliffs. At some 400–500 remaining monk seals, almost 1/4 of their total population is found in the area. The island also hosts up to 33 bird species and approximately 350 to 400 pairs of Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae).
Due to its well preserved ecosystem, the island of Alonissos is an ideal place for the realization of alternative tourism activities. Visitors have the opportunity to try scuba diving, photography, trekking and swimming expeditions. The National Marine Park of Alonissos plays a significant role in the sustainable development of the island, providing new job opportunities and supporting local traditional professions.
Considering the high environmental importance of Alonissos, Thalassa Foundation is undertaking a number of projects under the “Blue Alonissos” umbrella in order to safeguard the area’s ecosystem and to maintain its unique natural reserves under a socio-economic perspective that benefits and involves local communities to the achievement of more sustainable ways of development.
The “Plastic-Bag-Free Alonissos” Project:
Europeans use about 100 billion plastic carrier bags every year. Around 90% of these are lightweight bags, often used only once. Lightweight plastic bags are particularly prone to becoming marine litter since they are seen by consumers as single-use. However, using a highly persistent material for a single-use disposable item, not only has environmental or economic impacts, but it affects human health as well. Lightweight plastic bags are easily blown by the wind into drains, and through water courses, end up to the sea. Discarded bags can be especially harmful in the marine environment, where animals may die after becoming entangled or mistaking them for food. In time, each bag dissolves into thousands of plastic particles can also become toxic pollutants, which may harm organisms that ingest them, and ultimately enter the food chain.
A recent study that assessed marine litter on the seafloor of three gulfs in Greece, reflects the severity of the issue. The majority of items found were made of plastic and half of them (49,6%) were bags (Ioakeimides, 2014). European Legislation is in line with plastic bag use control. More specifically, according to a new European Directive, 2015/720, Member States are required to reduce the use of plastic carrier lightweight bags significantly the next few years.
THALASSA Foundation aims at reducing the consumption and disposal of plastic bags and mitigating the environmental impact that they cause to Alonissos, the home of the Mediterranean monk seal.
More specifically, the project entails:
- Distribution of 2,000 shopping bags made of 100% cotton to local households (with volunteers’ participation).
- Extensive use of a broad range of information/sensitization tools.
- Undertaking of actions in pupil training, teacher workshops, voluntary beach cleaning, as well as participatory workshops with local organisations.
