Dona and Licea have spent the night in Balearic waters and will soon embark on their journey to the Greek islands. They are the two loggerhead turtles that, after spending several months in the center of the Oceanogràfic Foundation healing their wounds, returned to their natural habitat, the Mediterranean.

His release was the peak and emotional moment of the day Yo Dona Mediterráneo, an initiative that arises with a vocation of continuity and that seeks the preservation of the sea and the living beings that inhabit it, and that was celebrated with the sponsorship of Kiabi, the collaboration of the Oceanogràfic Foundation and Germaine de Capuccini, and the services of the Autocas Mercedes-Benz dealership in Castellón.

Beach cleaning and turtle release

Everything happened on La Renegá beach, in Oropesa (Castellón), at the foot of the Masia Bellver, an idyllic place populated by pine trees and also committed to caring for the environment, and the fauna and flora of the environment.

The model and ecoactivist Almudena Fernández during her speech. MIGUEL ANGEL POLO

Two groups of children from the Liceo Benicassim arrived at the beach, who learned to clean the sand: ropes, plastics, soda cans, bricks and even batteries they found in a sandy area that at first glance seemed clean. Then, they classified the waste by type and learned the life cycle of turtles, often interrupted by the hand of man.

That happened to Dona and Licea, who became entangled in the fishermen's nets and were rescued by themselves. Eager to return to the sea as soon as they smelled it, they were dismissed with applause.

The round table

In the afternoon, Yo Dona brought together several environmental experts to raise in an interesting round table the problems we face in this field and expose possible solutions, which mostly go through a change of mentality and way of life.

From left to right: Ana Núñez-Milara, Content Director of Yo Dona; Irene Gómez, expert in sustainable development and CEO of IndicoSecret; Juan Antonio Romero, marine biologist, filmmaker and collaborator of the Azul Marino Foundation and the Oceanogràfic Foundation; Olivier Gómez, Human and Life leader of Kiabi, and Mafalda Soto, social entrepreneur and founder of Umoa and Beyond Suncare.

Indeed, it is an issue "that concerns us all", as Ana Núñez-Milara, Content Director of Yo Dona, said in the presentation. "There is an element that keeps us together, the link with nature, land and sea. We must take care of it out of our own selfishness, because ours depends on the health of the sea," he added, to conclude: "A great man demonstrates his greatness by the way he treats his environment."

Participants

In the same sense, Almudena Fernández, Oceana ambassador and ecoactivist model, insisted that "there is still much that can be done for our planet. A new, more ethical and sustainable way of living is possible to sustain the future of our oceans and our planet."

Begoña Carrasco, recently elected mayor of Castellón, with Ana Núñez-Milara and Eugenio Calabuig, owner of the Masia Bellver and the Oceanográfic Foundation.

The round table was attended by Irene Gómez Rivas, expert in sustainable development and CEO of IndicoSecret; Olivier Gómez, Human and Life leader of Kiabi; Juan Antonio Romero, marine biologist, filmmaker and collaborator of the Azul Marino Foundation and the Oceanogràfic Foundation, and Mafalda Soto, social entrepreneur and founder of Umoa and Beyond Suncare.

Education and values

One day, Juan Antonio Romero got on a boat with his wife and three children and spent four years sailing the seas of the world. And he continues to travel and fight for a better treatment of natural resources, but denounces that "we have a very short memory. When we talk about plastics, waste, everyone gets excited, but when they go out they buy a plastic water bottle. It's a matter of education that starts at home."

For Olivier Gómez, "you have to act from responsibility and commitment to your values". As a manager of a large textile company, one of the most polluting activities, he emphasized Kiabi's way of working: "We rethink processes to manufacture more sustainably, consume less energy and optimize the logistics chain. You have to invest and measure everything you do: your carbon footprint, the life cycle of the products, even the energy our customers spend to go to the store..."

Investment, fundamental

Investing in sustainability, a keyword with which all entrepreneurs do not agree because, as Mafalda Soto said, "in this area profitability does not come so quickly. It is a vicious circle: sustainable consumption is not offered if there is no supply, it is not offered if there are no investors who believe in it. But even so, two-thirds of Spaniards prefer environmentally responsible brands."

Kiabi's stand at Masia Bellver.MIGUEL ÁNGEL POLO

Does the same thing happen when we travel? Irene Gomez lives and works in the Maldives, where she offers tourists diving experiences. "More and more people are hiring us for how we take care of the environment and we do a cultural immersion to show them how the Maldives takes care of the ocean. Its population lives from the sea and defends it."

Regenerative capacity

According to Juan Antonio Romero, who is committed to reaching the protection of 20% or 30% of the oceans, there are other places where it is also done, such as areas of Cuba or Australia, which monitor the marine reserve, and diving is prioritized -after payment of a tax- and sustainable fishing.

An example is Los jardines de la reina, where Fidel Castro had his vacation home. "It was just him and his band for 60 years and that's why it became the only place in the Caribbean that wasn't touched. Today it remains the same, the ocean has an infinite regeneration potential, it is enough not to touch it in a year."

Change the way you consume

It is a way of mitigating the effects of man in nature. But there are many more, and they go through consumption: "Buy better, take care of more, reuse, recycle," recommended Olivier Gómez, who explained that Kiabi bets "80% on basic collections, which are not renewed every three months, to install second-hand corners in their stores, ateliers to recycle garments ...". " Fast fashion is dead", proclaims its general director.

Something similar happens in the beauty sector, said Mafalda Soto, who spoke of the growing use of reusable packaging and other sustainable practices: "Everything is done in a more artisanal way, fewer toxic substances are generated and the use of plastics is reduced."

Youth and sustainability

Soon the change of mentality of young people, more concerned with environmental issues in principle, came to light. But not everyone is like that, stressed Irene Gómez: "Young people always push, but a part of them prefers quick consumption, use and throw away. Some come to the Maldives to look for the Instagram photo and are able to spend hours looking for the whale shark just to take a selfie."

Germaine de Capuccini's stand at Masia Bellver.MIGUEL ÁNGEL POLO

That's where adults come in, and we must teach them to change the paradigm of consumption. "We must sensitize young people to how we are working, show them how we produce and explain the eco-conception we practice in Kiabi: the use of sustainable fibers and adjusted patterns to generate less waste ... In short, to show that there is another possible way," reflected Olivier Gómez.

Over-information

On this point Mafalda Soto agreed, who went a step further and asked that we not get carried away by trends, "that go against the critical spirit, we have to create authentic people, who think more".

Cocktail at Masia Bellver after the round table. MIGUEL ANGEL POLO

"And giving less information, plastics, climate change, the Amazon ..., there is so much that young people are blocked, social networks inform too much," said Juan Antonio Romero, a supporter of "simplifying things and communicating them in the simplest way possible."

An optimistic message

The end is approaching and it is time to approach the day to day to see how we can all take steps for the benefit of the planet, and all the speakers agree on the necessary change in the way of consuming: Irene López, saying that "you have to enjoy the natural"; Juan Antonio Romero, asking people to inform themselves, to read the labels; Olivier Gómez, sending an optimistic message, because in the textile industry "there is a real commitment to do things differently", and Mafalda Soto, because "more and more natural cosmetics are consumed".

But isn't it possible to live and consume differently and be happy? A general yes. The same happiness that Dona and Licea will be feeling right now in their beloved Mediterranean.

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