THE CLEANUP OF THE OSIJEK PROMENADE MARKS THE START OF THIS YEAR'S EDITION OF THE FROM SOURCE TO SEA PROJECT

SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN SMALL-SCALE CLEANUP CAMPAIGNS ORGANISED ACROSS CROATIA AND COLLECTED ALMOST FIVE TONNES OF WASTE

The cleanup of the Osijek Promenade, organised on the occasion of the World Environment Day, marked the start of this year’s edition of the From Source to Sea (“Od izvora do mora”) environmental project implemented by Coca-Cola, Konzum and Jutarnji list, which promotes preservation of Croatian water resources and encourages proper waste disposal.

The initiative to clean up the Osijek Promenade, one of the dearest boardwalks of the citizens and visitors of Osijek, gathered more than a hundred volunteers thanks to the organisational efforts of the Javor Scout Club. During the cleanup, the volunteers collected more than 110 kg of waste, which was properly disposed of after the event. That same day, as part of the From Source to Sea project and thanks to the organisational efforts of local and scout organisations, six small-scale environmental cleanup campaigns took place as well – in Valpovo, Bjelovar, on the island of Čiovo, in Karlovac, Varaždin and Zagreb – and resulted in almost five tonnes of collected waste.

The project has been endorsed by the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds. Minister Nataša Tramišak, who attended the cleanup, said: “Environmental campaigns of this kind and the necessity to raise awareness of the importance of environmental and natural protection must be endorsed at all levels, and we must, by our own example, send clear messages to our fellow citizens about the importance of our attitude towards nature and the environment. I sincerely and heartily congratulate Coca-Cola, Konzum and Jutarnji list, the large companies that demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility and, by their own example, show others that initiatives such as this one can make a difference. We are aware of the great impacts of climate change, of the impact of humans on nature and the environment, of the need to make changes in our behaviour. Green policies are therefore a trend that we follow both at the level of the European Union, and at the level of the Republic of Croatia.”

Mato Lukić, Deputy Prefect of the Osijek-Baranja County stressed that: “Croatia, and particularly its eastern region, abounds in natural resources. We rank 4th in Europe by drinking water supply, and 1st by the quality of water. It is precisely for this reason that we must carefully manage our water resources, as well as any other natural resources for that matter. The Osijek-Baranja County recognises and welcomes initiatives such as this one because, by carrying it out, we will not only clean up part of the Drava River shore in the centre of the city, but we will also send a message, which is even more important. Caring for the environment means caring for the future. Thanks to this awareness and 54 public building energy restoration projects, our County has received the Annual Award for Green Building and Sustainable Development in the Institution of the Year category. We have introduced additional incentives for ecological farmers, and we carry out a series of other activities in order to ensure that our natural wealth and resources remain preserved for as long as possible.”

Ivan Radić, Mayor of Osijek, thanked the initiators and volunteers and said: “I’m extremely happy that the large-scale From Source to Sea cleanup project kick off is organised in none other than the city that won the title of the Croatian Eco City last year – Osijek. We didn’t come by this prestigious title by chance, but thanks to our fellow citizens who diligently collect and separate waste. The city of Osijek is the first among large cities to pass the threshold of 50 % in separate waste collection (we currently stand at 51.9 %). We have as many as 4 recycling yards, which makes us one of the first in Croatia to fulfil this statutory obligation as well. Osijek also has its own composting facility; we are currently building a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility; and are restoring the pools at Copacabana to ensure that pool water is no longer discharged into the Drava River. Osijek truly is a green city. We boast more parks than squares. And our promenade, the place where we have gathered today, is a unique and longest riverfront boardwalk in Croatia. We are aware of the importance of citizen education, which is why we have gladly responded to this campaign.”

“Aware of the problem of packaging waste, in 2018 we launched the From Source to Sea project to draw attention to the importance of responsible waste management. Although packaging is an indispensable part of our lives, packaging waste does not belong in nature, and particularly not in the vicinity of water bodies, which are one of the greatest resources of Croatia. We are extremely happy that the From Source to Sea project has achieved such great response among both organisations and citizens, which is why I’m using this opportunity to thank everyone once again on behalf of our company. We are happy that in June we will join efforts again to contribute to the preservation of water resources of Croatia, Our Beautiful,” said Bruno Jelić, Director of the Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Department at Coca-Cola HBC Adria.

This year, Konzum partnered with the project as well. Its representative, Vedrana Tomašević, Vice Director of Konzum’s Region East, said: “Our endorsement of this project is in line with Konzum’s continuous strategic orientation towards sustainability in business. A systematic approach to environmental protection is embedded in all our business processes, and we regularly carry out various activities and campaigns dedicated to nature protection. Considering that we make continuous efforts to be an active member of the community where we operate, we will continue to support the projects that ensure better quality of life and bring positive impacts on the environment for the benefit of our fellow citizens in the future as well.”

Goran Ogurlić, Editor-in-Chief of Jutarnji list, the media partner and co-organiser of this year’s edition of the From Source to Sea project stressed that: “Ecology is a topic that Jutarnji list, as a newspaper, covers passionately, and participation in the From Source to Sea project is a chance for us to contribute to change, not only by providing high-quality content – articles, photos, videos – but by making a difference on site as well. After the exceptional success we achieved last year, we are even more enthusiastic about this year’s edition of the project. We kick off in Osijek today, but our events will continue throughout June in towns across Croatia. Jutarnji list will, of course, continue to relentlessly promote the environmental topics and awareness of the importance of caring for the environment by providing high-quality content in all its issues.”

From Source to Sea is a project implemented as part of the World Without Waste initiative, a comprehensive, multi-year program under which The Coca-Cola Company has committed itself, among other things, to collecting and recycling a bottle or can for every one it sells, to using at least 50 % recycled material in primary packaging by 2030, and to making all primary packaging 100 % recyclable by 2025. In the past 10 years, simply by using lighter bottles, Coca-Cola cut its total plastic consumption by a quarter.