Project duration: 08/2023 – 06/2024 

Status: ON-GOING 

The challenge 

Dugi otok is a biodiverse area with protected zones like Telaščica Nature Park and the Special Reserve Olive Grove Saljsko Polje. However, it faces environmental challenges from tourism, with plastic pollution threatening its coasts. In 2021, the Municipality of Sali, which includes Dugi otok, had 1,746 residents and hosted around 30,000 tourists, resulting in increased waste. By 2022, municipal waste per inhabitant in Sali was 595 kg, surpassing the national average of 474 kg. The project targets waste reduction, particularly in plastic use, and aims to protect marine and coastal habitats.

The solution

This project aims to raise awareness among Dugi otok’s community about caring for the sea, focusing on waste reduction, especially plastic use and pollution. Targeting elementary school children, the initiative seeks to change everyday habits to promote nature and environmental preservation. Given the tourism-driven economy of the island, the project also aims to educate the younger generation about the sea’s vulnerability to pollution. The Municipality of Sali has recognized the pollution issue and outlined measures in its “Action Plan” to reduce plastic pollution, including promoting packaging-free shops, cleaning up environments, limiting single-use plastics, and educating citizens.

Project’s deliverables

• Exhibition of the waste-art projects: Pupils participating at the cleaning actions will be encouraged to collect apart pieces of waste and to create art-waste project form it during the workshop that will be held in school as a project activity and thus send some eco-friendly and anti-pollution messages.
• Puzzles of Dugi otok representing protected areas and the threats they face: In order to make a significant cognitive connection between the global and local situation, the puzzle will consist of a map of Dugi otok with the indications of the most important protected areas and the threats they face. The puzzles will be given to the school so that they can be used in the following years.
• Waste cleaning action with the pupils of the elementary school “Petar Lorini”
• Education on waste reduction with the emphasis on plastic waste reduction and the importance of changing personal habits for the pupils of the elementary school “Petar Lorini”

Project updates

Insight into the organizations

Founded in 1999, NGO “Eko-Zadar” has focused on waste management and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Since 2003, it has offered the “Zeleni telefon” (Green telephone) service for citizens to report environmental issues. The NGO has implemented projects like “METAR to a better climate” (2020-2023) and “JEKA! – Strengthening of eco-activism for urgent climate action” (2020-2022), advocating for low-carbon societies and urban green spaces. They conduct educational activities, round tables, debates, and workshops on waste reduction in collaboration with municipalities across Zadar, Lika-Senj, and Dubrovnik-Neretva counties. They have produced guides and brochures on waste management, organized workshops for school children on waste prevention, and published the “Organic farming handbook.” Currently, they are working on the “Urban Farming Education for Sustainable Future” project, promoting urban agriculture for climate change mitigation, and have released a study and advice for urban farmers.