Aula Sostible do Freixo (Sustainability hub of Freixo)
The project involved a transformation of an old abandoned school into a sustainability hub and a recycling plastic workshop. The associations of people with disabilities in the project have received workshops about traditional net making and seafood trap making. On the other hand, they have been trained in small-scale plastic recycling methods to recycle plastic locally into new products that sea workers can use. Creating bonds between the different social agents of the area.
Local
Spain
Galicia. Province of A Coruña. Ría de Muros e Noia (Ria of Muros and Noia) with the municipalities of Concello de Serra de Outes (Municipality of Serra de Outes), Concello de Fisterra (Municipality of Fisterra), Concello de Cee (Municipality of Cee), Concello de Corcubión (Municipality of Corcubión), Concello de Dumbría (Municipality of Dumbría), Concello de Carnota (Municipality of Carnota), Concello de Muros (Municipality of Muros), Concello de Noia (Municipality of Noia), Concello de Porto do Son (Municipality of Porto do Son)
Mainly rural
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
EMFF : European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund - Operational Programme for Spain 2014 - 2022
Union priority 1: Promoting environmentally sustainable, resource–efficient, innovative, competitive and
knowledge–based fisheries
Specific priority 1.2. Sustainable fisheries. Action line 1.2.2.1. Initiative to improve the management of marine resources
No
Yes
2020-02-10
As individual(s) in partnership with organisation(s)
First name: Adrián Last name: Coira Iglesias Gender: Male Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: Asociación Misela - The Misela Association is a non-profit private entity whose mission is to promote the personal and social development of people with disabilities.
Asociación a Creba - A Creba is a non-profit private entity founded by professionals and relatives of people with mental health problems to advance the quality of life of people with mental health problems, their families, and relatives.
Adisbismur - Adisbismur was created as a non-profit entity to seek integration (social, labor, educational,...) and improve the quality of life of people with disabilities.
Asociación de mulleres do mar SEO Fisterra e Ria de Muros e Noia - This association is made up of professionals such as nethers, barnacles pickers, mussels farmers, boat makers , and shellfish workers, among others. Its purpose is to strengthen the role of women from the sea in the territory and to make their role visible Nationality: Spain Function: co-creator of this project, product designer, plastic recycling trainer Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Rúa Rosalía de Castro 7, 3 Town: A Coruña Postal code: 15004 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+346 26 67 31 59 E-mail:contact.fairenough@gmail.com
Misuse of plastic is a problem everywhere. With this project, we bring design, sustainability, and social inclusion together to a rural area in Galicia, the northwest of Spain. We want with "Aula sostible do Freixo" to reshape how plastic is viewed and connect and create links in the community surrounding the project through design.
Plastic pollution is a common problem in coastal areas everywhere in the world nowadays, and certain groups know better than regular citizens where plastic can go. Sea workers suffer from this problem at the same time that they are participating in it. Around 75% of the waste in the great pacific garbage patch comes from fishing activities. At the same time, sea workers suffer the consequences of finding this plastic waste in their captures. This problem sometimes is not because of carelessness but of the lack of knowledge about it, especially in rural areas.
There was a need and an opportunity to tackle environmental issues, promote social inclusion, create job opportunities, and support the local economy while bringing innovation to a rural area in this project by using the design and implementing new ways to tackle plastic pollution.
Aula Sostible do Freixo is a sustainability hub run by Asociación Misela with Asociación A Creba and Adisbismur. Promoted by Asociación de mulleres do mar SEO Fisterra e Ria de Muros e Noia, it raises awareness about plastic pollution within the coastal areas from Cee, Fisterra, Carnota, and Ria de Muros e Noia. By recycling local waste and converting it into products ready to be used by the local sea workers.
These associations count many diverse people, and all of them want to participate in the fight against plastic pollution. This fact made us, Fair Enough, take on the opportunity and shape a way everyone could be part of this fight. Our common goal is to tackle plastic pollution locally. Our common vision is to give plastic more value.
Social Inclusion
Protect marine environment
Developing of rural areas
Circular Economy
Sustainable design
Reduce plastic pollution. By recycling, less plastic ends up in landfills, the ocean, or burnt, which harms nature and pollutes the environment. Plastic has been misused for too long, and we try with this project to change the perspective of it. We aim to show people that we can use plastic differently to reduce the problems it causes and promote its virtues.
Reduce the use of non-renewable sources. Extraction of oil is the activity linked to the production of new plastic. By using recycled plastic to produce new products, we don't depend on the use of this non-renewable resource.
Reduce CO2 emissions from transportation systems.
The waste of these areas is usually moved to waste management plants located far from this area. The sea workers usually bought the products manufactured in this workspace from big industries that manufacture them far from where they are used. The fishing net needles, for example, are usually manufactured in China, and they have to travel thousands of kilometres to find their final destination on the Galician coast.
Create awareness. Plastic pollution in the sea often comes straight from the fishery industry and the sea workers. That's why the sea women involved in this project are a fundamental part of it. They create awareness about the plastic pollution of the seas and present solutions to their environment. The message is carried with them in the shape of new products they use during their work made from recycled plastic.
Co-manufacturing: The three products are designed to show the process of learning from each other and applying each capacity and skill to create them. For example, each part of the Nasa lamp is made by a different technique to make everyone in the workspace participate and encourage them to show their various capacities. We decided on this because being part of a team comes with participation in a shared activity. During the manufacturing process, the participants showed new ways of expressing their happiness.
Upcycling plastic waste: Instead of sending plastic that has become waste far away, a container with instructions on donating plastic is located at the entrance of the Sustainability Hub. We invited the direct neighbours to explain the project and the way for them to participate. The enthusiasm was there, and the following week's plastic was being donated in the way the instructions explained.
Unique products: The machines used have special properties to play with colour mixes. The different colours and flows create a unique pattern that makes each product exclusive. Unique pieces for unique women who deserve to bring exclusiveness to their job daily. Carrying them around and using them is a statement from each fisherwoman.
Cultural benefits: We chose to make the lamp in the shape of "the Nasa", a traditional trap that catches octopuses and several kinds of crabs in the area. Usually, Nasa's are made by conventional Nasa makers and Netters. We included their jobs in the design but replaced the non-sustainable and wood of trees grown in monoculture materials with unique colourful recycled materials.
The lamp's base is made of recycled polypropylene injected at the workspace, a piece that could also work by itself to provide them with a new and versatile design. Due to the transparency, the new lampshade cut out of a PET bottle lets the light go through.
Create job opportunities for groups at risk of social exclusion. Recycled plastic is a rising trend in our society nowadays. By training the people with disabilities who are part of the associations in the small-scale plastic recycling process, they can produce new objects out of a material that otherwise would have been wasted. Society still needs to become familiar with recycled plastic items and their intrinsic value, making them leaders in this change in the perception of plastic objects.
Promote social innovation. Once the teams were trained, they started bringing their knowledge to local schoolchildren. At this point, on top of creating awareness about plastic pollution, it developed a critical moment where the participants of their workshops didn´t focus anymore on the disabilities of the participants focusing on their skills and what they can create.
Bring innovation to rural areas. Rural areas often received innovative and creative projects after the urban environments. In this case, we want to bring design and sustainability innovation to a rural area, to a village with less than 200 inhabitants.
Participatory design. All the project participants have taken part in the design of the pieces. Experts such as the fishing net weavers had helped with the shape and the size of the fishing net needles. The sea workers had been part of the design of the shell hanger as promoters of the project and final users of the products when they were rarely involved in the design process of their tools. Finally, the recyclers and the social workers, as manufacturers of the products, contributed their grain of sand in the design process showing us their needs and different capacities to adapt the manufacturing process to them to create products that are easy to produce.
Promote social inclusion. Sometimes we see people with disabilities with the focus on what someone cannot make, but that is not our case. This project supports what people can make. Not everyone is born with the same body or the same skills. In this workspace, we try to find the potential that everyone has and what they can add according to their capacities finding their way in the mission of recycling plastic. By shaping a great team, the recycling plastic process is run smoothly.
Empowerment of fisherwomen. Sea workers are the base of society in the rural coastal areas. In this case, the sea women are the link of the project with the ocean, getting the opportunity to work towards a better future. They are a fundamental piece of this project. We also allow them to be part of the whole process and teach them how recycling works.
This project allows for groups usually excluded from innovation, such as sea workers, people with disabilities, and social workers.
With the installation of this workspace, an abandoned building became used again. Lack of population is a real problem in rural areas of the region, the school where the project is, closed its doors many years ago due to the lack of children in the village. The new use of this building has revitalised the village of 180 inhabitants. The neighbourhood is included in the project. They are also part of the recycling process by sorting and cleaning their plastic before bringing it to the workspace, which acts as a little recycling station for the plastic of the neighbourhood.
Promote the local economy. Some of the products created in this workspace were purchased from big companies in other countries. By producing locally with local plastic waste, these rural areas' economy benefits.
Support non-profits with the revenue. The non-profits involved in creating the products can sell them and use this money to fund their activities.
As the action of the projects is developed, mainly locally, most of the stakeholders are local entities.
The associations of people with disabilities ( Misela, A Creba and Adisbismur ) participate in the project as the ones that actually run the activities and keep manufacturing products in the workspace.
The association of fisherwomen ( Asociación de mulleres do mar SEO Fisterra e Ria de Muros e Noia) was the project's promoter. They participate as technical advice for the design of the pieces and use the products manufactured in the workspace. They spread the word to the sea workers of the area and create awareness about the plastic pollution problem of our seas.
The local fishing net weavers gave several workshops to the participants of the project, teaching the traditional techniques to the assistants. They have also participated in the design of the different pieces.
The cooperative Cidadanía acted as the glue and initiators of the project, organizing meetings and events to promote cohesion between all the stakeholders of the project.
The GALP (Grupo de Acción Local Pesquera) worked closely with the fisherwomen association to make the project happen to find the initial funding to set up this sustainability hub.
The municipality of Serra de Outes gave the space and partially refurbished it to carry out the project.
The neighbourhood association where the hub is located participates actively in the project's development.
The money to make the project happen came from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
Social work, Product design and Community building have worked together in this project to achieve the goals.
The community building part works towards reaching the project's target groups, making them participate in the project in different aspects such as product design, awareness creation and social inclusion.
Product design has been used to create the products to serve all the project stakeholders.
Social workers have made real the production of the pieces by the users of the associations keeping them alive and ensuring the continuation of the project.
The fisherwomen association counts more than 500 affiliates. From that 10 of them have participated in workshops about plastic recycling spreading afterwards the word to their colleagues.
The participants have already visited several schools bringing their knowledge about plastic recycling to the new generations.
Several associations from the area have already passed by the workshop showing their interest in participating and collaborating with the project such as fishermen, neighbourhood, etc.
Several companies are interested in collaborating with the project by purchasing new products.
The association Misela already has collaborated with 2 different projects.
They have already manufactured 500 keychains for a documentary cinema festival about oceans, this gave the opportunity to work to many users of the association for 2 months. They have collaborated with the fishermen´s guild for the production of 200 needles generating work for the users for another 3 months. This collaborations already generate direct revenue for their non-profit association to fund more of their activities.
Bring design to the social work environment. The lack of design values in social centers for people with mental issues and disabilities leads to the production of useless or meaningless objects, wasting the potential of the users of these therapeutic centers. The products they are making now have a higher value than the ones they were producing before due to the design and the good use of recycled plastic.
Include fisheries into the fight against plastic pollution. Sea workers used to see with their own eyes while working on the consequences of how we treat plastic. They are often affected by it when they find trash between the shells that contaminate the fruit of their labor. We consider that to include them in this fight is a strategy to try to tackle the problem from the source. Spreading the word with their colleagues in the shape of new products is a new way of tackling plastic pollution.
Generate links and dynamics that facilitate learning between the different social agents who develop their activity around the marine environment, establishing new collaborative synergies, exchanges of information and knowledge for better management of marine resources and environments
We work out a new methodology with the social workers to train the daycare centres' users in small-scale plastic recycling methods.
The methodology we used during this project was focused on solving a problem locally, in this case, plastic pollution. Then we found associations willing to tackle the problem and are closely connected to the local community. We listen to what they think could help them achieve their goal of tackling plastic pollution. In this case, the fisherwomen association had products they could use during their work to open the topic of plastic pollution within the marine community.
After that, we get in touch with associations that work with people at risk of social exclusion in their teams. Around the skills, personalities and wishes, we create a plastic recycling workspace with products that all the people of the association can work with.
The products produced will serve to reach the goal (in this case, creating awareness of how marine life gets polluted by plastic).
The small-scale plastic recycling and the network created in between, all the stakeholders can be replicated and adapted to other environments.
In a technical way, the products produced in this workspace could be open-sourced in order to be replicated in the future by other social centres.
We aim to replicate this methodology and keep on improving to bring innovation and sustainability to people at risk of social exclusion. Everyone should be part of the change and work towards a better world. No matter how you are or how your brain or body conditions are. We want this workspace to be an example of how things can be done.
Bring environmental innovation and design to people at risk of social exclusion
Gender equality and women’s empowerment.
By working closely together with the fisherwomen association and making the fisherwomen participate in the design process and allowing them to lead the fight against plastic pollution in their region.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Products made locally with unclaimed plastic avoid unnecessary transportation and promote the local economy.
By creating needles out of recycled plastic, the product's material adapts better to its life cycle since they break at least twice a month. These same needles can be recycled in Aula Sostible do Freixo creating a circular product for the fisheries industry.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Preventing the travelling of unclaimed plastic to landfills or burning facilities, we also reduce CO2 emissions.
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Creating awareness about plastic pollution within the fisheries and its stakeholders. One of the primary sources of marine litter nowadays.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Promoting social inclusion and creating job opportunities for people at risk of social inclusion
Developing and bringing innovation to rural areas
