Six ‘0 Plastic Warriors’ explore the seabed of Menorca

Kilometres of Plastic for Iris: Six ‘0 Plastic Warriors’ explore the seabed of Menorca after winning the 5th edition of ‘Kilometres of Plastic for Iris’

Six students from IES Miquel Guardia—named the 0 Plastic Warriors—have been selected as the winners of the fifth edition of Kilómetros de Plástico por Iris, an environmental initiative across the Balearic Islands, promoted in Menorca by Menorca Preservation. Toni Pons, Guiem Torrent, Joana Mesquida, Elna Santisteban, Rea Stella and Paula Morillas, from IES Miquel Guardia, have been awarded a diving initiation to discover Menorca’s seabed, as a prize for their commitment to preserving the island’s natural environment.

In this 5th edition, 443 students from across the Balearics covered a total of 26,491 kilometres through natural settings in just two months. Beyond encouraging them to connect with their surroundings, the initiative also invited participants to propose creative solutions to the plastic problem, through videos, essays, poems, drawings or artistic creations.

Menorca’s 0 Plastic Warriors proposed several innovative ideas, including an app that, based on photos of plastic collected in the environment, suggests creative reuse projects through tutorials. They also suggested installing more bins on beaches and continuing to promote the reduction of plastic use through greater public awareness.

This initiative, coordinated by the association 0 Plastic and also involving the foundations IbizaPreservation and Mallorca Preservation, is held in memory of Iris, the daughter of Ben Goldsmith, co-founder of all three organisations. Her legacy has inspired a growing movement, aiming to involve new generations in the fight against plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sara D’Eustacchio, Communications Manager at Menorca Preservation, comments: “The winning ‘0 Plastic Warriors’ came out of the dive beaming with joy after fully enjoying the stunning seabed of Binibeca, thanks to the fantastic collaboration with Binibeca Diving. It’s always a pleasure to hear their concerns about climate change, and particularly about plastic pollution. Talking with them is truly inspiring and reaffirms our belief that there is a young generation that is creative, sensitive, and determined to raise its voice for the planet.”.

Meanwhile, Alba Carbonell, co-founder of 0 Plastic, highlighted that the Kilometres of Plastic for Iris project “creates a community of young people committed to protecting the island. At 0 Plastic, we identify young environmental leaders to inspire those around them and propose meaningful initiatives for Menorca that reduce plastic use and promote changes in consumer habits,” she concluded.

The activity was co-funded by British band Depeche Mode, who contribute through their charitable collaboration with luxury watch brand Hublot, as part of their Memento Mori world tour. The funds are channelled through Conservation Collective, a global network of environmental foundations that includes the three Balearic “Preservations.”