The ceremonial conclusion of tree planting in Benkovac, one of the three winning cities of this year's edition of the From Source to Sea project, was marked by the planting of trees at Poljana Zrinskih and Frankopana in the Barice neighborhood. The project aims to raise awareness about the proper disposal of packaging waste and the importance of environmental protection.
The From Source to Sea project, organized by Coca-Cola, Konzum, the Association of Cities, and Jutarnji list, was supported by Tomislav Bulić, the Mayor of Benkovac, who stated:
“The city of Benkovac is rightfully proud of its victory in the From Source to Sea project, as it demonstrated exceptional commitment to environmental preservation and active participation by the local community in achieving environmental protection goals. As of today, 30 new Japanese cherry trees, a species highly resistant to urban pollution, will grow in the sports and recreational area of the Barice neighborhood. With this planting, we are raising citizens' awareness about the importance of caring for the environment, ensuring more green spaces and shade, providing shelter for various animal species, contributing to biodiversity conservation, and improving the quality of life for the citizens of Benkovac. Everyone can plant a tree and, in doing so, contribute to improving their living environment, while also making a contribution to the fight against climate change. Our goal is to encourage the citizens of Benkovac to plant as many trees as possible to contribute to the greening of their surroundings, emphasizing the importance and numerous benefits of trees and greenery, as well as recognizing the value and importance of forests, which enable a better and healthier life for us all," he added, saying that everyone should plant at least one tree in their lifetime. "Today you have a sapling, tomorrow you prune it, the day after you water it, and with constant care, you nurture your relationship with nature, to the pride of Benkovac and its citizens who will one day enjoy the shade," said Mayor Tomislav Bulić.
Aleksandra Todorović, Customer and Community Partnership Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Adria, stated: “The From Source to Sea project originated from our reflections on the challenges of packaging waste in the environment. We launched it in 2018 to highlight the importance of responsible waste management. Although packaging is an integral part of our lives, it doesn't belong in nature. To further improve the project and stay aligned with sustainability trends, last year we decided to expand it to include urban tree planting, aiming to reduce CO2 and lower air temperatures in cities. Congratulations to all the winning cities, especially Benkovac, where we marked the project's conclusion today by planting Japanese cherry trees in this sports complex."
Ana Šupe, Director of Region South 1 at Konzum, commented: “For the third consecutive year, we are part of the From Source to Sea project, through which we have the opportunity to spread awareness about environmental protection. Congratulations to the organizers on another successful campaign, as well as to the cities that will gain new spaces for their residents to enjoy the greenery. Supporting this project aligns with Konzum’s ongoing focus on sustainable business, and as a socially responsible company, it is important for us to be an active member of the community in which we operate. We want to ensure a better quality of life for our fellow citizens while positively impacting the environment."
This year's edition of the From Source to Sea project began with a competition that ran from February 15 to March 15, in which all interested cities could participate. By the end of March, all entries were reviewed, and 30 cities were selected to participate in one-day packaging waste cleanup campaigns. After 30 actions, in which 2,200 volunteers collected over 420 tons of packaging waste, the winning cities of this year's edition of the From Source to Sea project were announced. In the small cities category (with a population of less than 10,000), Benkovac took first place, while Vinkovci scored the most points among medium-sized cities, and Velika Gorica won in the large cities category (with a population of more than 35,000). One of this year's project goals was to support urban reforestation. Accordingly, the winning cities equally shared a prize of 45,000 euros, which they used to plant trees in locations they chose themselves.
Coca-Cola launched the From Source to Sea project in Croatia in 2018 in cooperation with government institutions and civil society organisations. Three years ago, Jutarnji list joined the project as a project partner, followed by Konzum in 2022, and the Association of Towns last year. 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 under which Coca-Cola has committed itself, among other things, to collecting and recycling a bottle or can for every one it sells, and to using 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 goal 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. At the end of May 2023, Coca-Cola made yet another step forward to achieving its vision of a World Without Waste by introducing unremovable plastic bottle caps to Croatian consumers.
