circular economy workshop in the Aegean film festival: “Cradle to Cradle – Why Circular Economy is the Natural Solution” | 2019
Organiser: Aegean Film Festival
Partner: alchemia-nova
About: Film artists, researchers and local initiatives gathered and joined forces for a sustainable tourism on Paros island in the Aegean Sea in Greece in the 2019 summer during the Echoes – Voices of Today Environmental Summit.
Role&Tasks: As science communicator in collaboration with alchemia-nova, I presented in the Circular Economy section HYDROUSA’s vision in Mediterranean region. HYDROUSA tackles water management and technological issues in Mediterranean region in the context of circular economy. With more than 10 innovations, ancient and modern technologies are combined to test alternative nature-based solutions to three Greek islands. HYDROUSA co-creates a vision to boost the local energy and agricultural profile of these areas, on Lesvos, Tinos and Mykonos islands with the local community. From 9th to 14th July, over five days, documentary screenings, presentations and workshops took place. The aim of Echoes was to gather different resources and knowledge to “fast-track” projects and amplify awareness towards a positive environmental impact in Aegean islands.
In the Circular Economy section, I started with the ICEBERG game, an interactive game to encourage why action to mitigate climate change is necessary now. The guests were requested to take some time to walk around and think where the water which drink on their daily life comes from, if it is served in a package, where its trip starts from until to reach their mouth and reflect on this in groups. Then, white paper sheets were hand out and the guests put one under each foot. They were moved on Arctic and they were standing on ice pole. Facts on how much water is available, in what form and the threats were shared with them. Suddenly the ice started to melt and more vulnerable groups i.e. in the framework of game this was based on birthday date, started to sink. Some, they had to remove one sheet of paper and some both of them. However, the paper sheets were removed, they should not touch the water i.e. the ground, because this would mean that they would fall in water, die and move out of the game. The game was over with “winners” those who had enough resources i.e paper sheets under one or both feet to keep calm. A discussion followed on how much effort is required to survive with less resources, how to adapt on this situation, if support was offered by those who had more resources and what emotions were regenerated. Last but not least, this situation was compared to our daily life, how we perceive climate change. HYDROUSA’s activities, then they were presented as one of the solutions on how to exploit with nature-based technologies non-conventional water resources and its methodology to amplify awareness followed by a discussion.
HYDROUSA: www.hydrousa.org
Echoes program: https://www.aegeanff.com/echoes-program/ or ECHOES Voices of Today (PDF)
