Schoinoussa’s Traditional Plastic Free Festival

“Panygheria” or traditional music festivals are an indispensable element of Greek culture. They connect the past with the present, a religious tradition with the pleasure of dance and of getting together. Over the centuries, they have served as an occasion to get together, forge local traditions and enjoy a good time. Every village, be it on the islands or the mainland, has its own summer music festival. – and the small island of Schoinoussa in the Cyclades is one of them.

A typical Greek panygheri is a source of joy, with traditional food, local wine, music and a lot of dance. Yet, it can also generate tons of waste, mostly single- us plastics – cups, plates and cutlery.

Finding a way to retain the fun while protecting the environment is no easy task. Yet, it can be done! On Schoinoussa, the local cultural and environmental associations were eager to find an environmentally sound solution for their annual Fava Festival. And they did so, with the help of “SeaChange”, a program of the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation.

In the course of the winter, a donation by the program supported pottery lessons to island inhabitants. When summer came, the clay cups created were given out to festival attendees for their drinks. Single-use plastics were replaced by beautiful handmade reusable creations that kept the wine cool and the premises clean. The addition of bins for the collection of compostable material turned this landmark event into an opportunity to revisit sustainability, the way it implemented in past centuries. The outcome was a memorable event, with amazing music, superb delicacies, all-night dancing and waste-free surroundings.

Visit Website: https://www.aclcf.org/thalassa/seachange-greek-islands/