Velika Gorica, 26 November 2024 - A symbolic tree-planting event at the Tourist and Educational Centre Novo Čiče in Velika Gorica marked the conclusion of this year’s edition of the From Source to Sea project. The project aims to raise awareness about responsible disposal of packaging waste and the importance of environmental protection.
This year’s edition of the From Source to Sea project saw the participation of 30 Croatian cities, where cleanup campaigns were organized to collect packaging waste. Over 2,200 volunteers collected more than 420 tons of waste, which was appropriately disposed. In the category of cities with a population under 10,000, Benkovac took the first place, while Vinkovci scored the most points among medium-sized cities, and Velika Gorica won in the category of cities with a population of more than 35,000. One of the project goals this year was to support urban reforestation. Accordingly, the winning cities shared a prize of 45,000 euros equally, which they used to plant trees in locations they chose themselves.
From Source to Sea is organized by Coca-Cola, Konzum, the Association of Cities, and Jutarnji list. The event was supported by Marija Vučković, Minister of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, who commented: “I commend all efforts to spread the message about minimizing waste, managing it responsibly, and protecting our most valuable resources - water, air, soil, and forests - to the broadest audience. The special value of this project lies in its collaboration with cities, and I extend my gratitude to everyone who took part in cleaning up the environment in 30 cities this year. This initiative’s strength lies in its inclusion of representatives from the private sector, civil society, and local communities. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition is ready to contribute more actively to such projects. The role of private companies is particularly significant and highly valued. I urge us all to work together to replace materials that are less recyclable with those that are more sustainable and suitable for recycling, which the Ministry and the Government of Croatia will fully support.”
The ceremonial conclusion of the From Source to Sea project was also attended by Krešimir Ačkar, Mayor of Velika Gorica. He emphasized that keeping Velika Gorica clean and green is one of the city’s main priorities. He outlined specific measures Velika Gorica has implemented to prevent packaging waste from ending up in nature. As part of the project, 88 trees of various species—including primarily hornbeam, black ash, golden rain tree, and Judas tree—will be planted on Andrije Kačića Miošića Street in Velika Gorica.
Jakša Maganić, Sales Director at Coca-Cola HBC Adria, stated: “We launched the From Source to Sea project to address the challenges of packaging waste in the environment and highlight the importance of responsible waste management. Over time, we expanded the initiative to include urban tree planting, contributing to reduced CO2 emissions and mitigating urban heat effects. The impressive results we’ve achieved would not have been possible without the effort and dedication of volunteers and the cities involved. Their commitment demonstrates that we can achieve real change in environmental protection and sustainability through collective action.”
Speeches were also delivered by representatives of the project’s partners, including Uroš Kalinić, a Board Member at Konzum, Loris Peršurić, Vice President of the Association of Cities in the Republic of Croatia and Mayor of Poreč, and Goran Ogurlić, Editor-in-Chief of Jutarnji list.
Coca-Cola launched the From Source to Sea project in Croatia in 2018 in cooperation with government institutions and civil society organizations. Three years ago, Jutarnji list joined as a project partner, followed by Konzum in 2022, and the Association of Cities in 2023. The project has also been endorsed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition and the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology of the University of Zagreb.
From Source to Sea is a project implemented as part of the World Without Waste initiative, a comprehensive, multi-year program within which Coca-Cola has committed, among other things, to collect and recycle a bottle or a can for each bottle or can sold, and to use at least 50 % recycled material in primary packaging by 2030. The company has also committed to making all primary packaging 100 % recyclable by 2025, which has already been achieved in Croatia. In the past 10 years, simply by using lighter bottles, the total plastic consumption has been reduced by a quarter. Last year Coca-Cola made yet another step forward to achieving its vision of a World Without Waste by presenting attached plastic bottle caps to Croatian consumers.
More information is available on the Coca-Cola website and in the digital edition of Jutarnji list.
