29.01-08.02.2024
Llinars del Vallès, Barcelona
Training course
Day 1: We played various getting-to-know-you games with the other participants to break the ice. During the day we had gone for a nature hike and honestly the peace that nature transmitted to us was inexplicable. When we got back they introduced the program’s premise and everyone seemed so excited. The evening ended with the tasting of different traditional dishes from each country.
Day 2: We started the day with energetic exercises and then we focused on the introduction to the program “Food waste” and “Eat your waste”. For lunch we tried pasta with pesto but the difference in the recipe was that it had carrot peels in the sauce, basically showing us that nothing is wasted if you activate your imagination and creativity. Honestly, it was one of the most delicious sauces I’ve ever tasted. Also, we played a role play game called “Waste Management” in order to understand the process.
Day 3: They showed us how recycling works in Europe, the research on food preservation in each country and we did a workshop to get a practical understanding of how preservation works. We were asked to name a Cypriot organization related to food recycling. We talked about the “Tiganokinisi” which is an educational, environmental project for the collection of used cooking oils through which we provide resources for environmental education activities.
Day 4: We visited the treatment plant “Ecoparc 3 Sant Adrià de Besòs”, which made us realize the importance of the situation that separating our garbage at home simplifies the process. We learned that they receive an average of 47W Tonnes per day and that by throwing rubbish into the wrong recycling bin, there is no sensor to separate it properly, so much of it ends up not being recycled, so the process cannot be completed properly.
I realized the importance of nature and that human inner peace depends on it. I had an amazing time with this experience. I met new people from different nationalities and learned new things about our cultures. I also learned about compost and how the garbage process works. In addition, my knowledge was expanded and I understood the negative impact that trash has had on our planet. They informed us about the new European Union law on composting and I advocated its importance.
