Agenda 21: On Tourism, plastics, drought floods, recycling...and cardboard tomatoes
Chris Jones
Xàbia to re-submit revised EDUSI project
Nov 14th
The Xàbia Town Council has unanimously agreed to submit a revised EDUSI project to obtain co-finance from the European Union to carry out projects on integrated urban development (for details of original project see: EDUSI Integrated sustainable Urban development) . The original project was put forward last year, and was very close to being successful in obtaining the funding. The Council has been in touch with the authorities to see how the proposal can be improved at the formal level. The Opposition voted in favour, but regretted that there had been such weak citizen participation. From:Las Provincias and Javeamigos
British tourism in the Valencian Comunidad this winter to increase double the National rate.
Nov 12th
The number of British tourists will grow 16% in the Comunitat Valenciana this winter, double that in the whole of the country, according to data from the Turespaña office in London, which President Ximo Puig noted during his visit to the World Travel Market fair . He commented that the Valencian Tourism Agency will direct its new strategy towards an open minded cosmopolitan traveller with a higher spending power. From: Las Provincias
Valencia Plastics technology centre, coordinator for EU "Life Recypack" project
Nov 12th
The Valencian Plastics Technology Centre AIMPLAS has launched the Life Recypack project, a pilot program program aiming to reincorporate the waste derived from polyethylene and expanded polystyrene into the productive cycle, eliminating them as solid urban waste and renewing the product as raw material. Plastics such as polyethylene and expanded polystyrene - popularly known as "white cork" - are usually not included in domestic collection containers which are not adapted to accommodate this type of waste. The project covers three European regions: in Pisa (Italy), in Tiszaújváros (Hungary) and Valencia. In Valencia the establishment of a specific waste collection system for local businesses; In addition, "green points" will be installed so that SMEs can deposit the waste and encourage the collection of plastics. The European Commission, within the framework of the LIFE program, has approved a total budget of 984,466 euros, being subsidised by the fund up to a maximum of 566,323 euros, during the 30 months of project execution. From: LaVanguardia Click Here for information on the Life Recypack project from the EU.
Low Carbon cement from olive stones created in Valencia.
Nov 12th
Spanish and Brazilian researchers have developed a new type of cement from olive stone ash and slag from blast furnaces , a more sustainable alternative to the cements currently used, being the first in the world manufactured only with waste. The new cement has been created by researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) of Brazil. this new cement stands out especially for its " low carbon footprint " and its impact, in terms of greenhouse effect , "is much lower if compared with the cements currently used "in construction. In addition this opens a new business path for the recovery of a biomass i.e. Olive stones. In the tests carried out so far, the cement contained approximately twenty percent of olive stone ash and eighty percent of slag residues. The cfement is easy to make and has very good mechanical properties. From: Las Provincias
Drought in the Valencian region could worsen in the next quarter
Nov 7th
According to the the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), this winter is likely to be warm and dry. Tt is estimated that temperatures could oscillate between 12.5 and 14 degrees, and there is only a 10% chance that the weather will be cold over the next quarter. There is also a 60% chance that the winter months will be dry, as compared to a 25% chance of being wet, with less than average amounts of rain. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Environment, the Segura basin has the most troubled water reserves in Spain , with its marshes at only 14.2% capacity, followed by the reservoirs of the Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar, which are at 25.6%. from: Valencia Extra
Almost 300 Valencian municipalities at flood risk
Nov 6th
The Territorial Plan on the Prevention of Flood Risk in the Valencian Region (Patricova) is still underfunded . In 2013, the former Popular Party executive presented a revision of this document with half of the works planned for 2003 still needing to be executed. About 300 of the 541 municipalities have areas at risk of serious floods. The economic situation, especially since 2008 with the beginning of the crisis, led to a drastic reduction in investment in public works by both the State and the Generalitat, which has contributed to halt the implementation of this program. From: Las Provincias
"Minister's House" on the Arenal point to remain private for at least another 75 years
Oct 30th
In 1959, Xàbia Town Hall sold several coastal plots to influential Francoist politicians. Among them was Navarro Rubio, Minister of Finance between 1957 and 1965 and governor of the Bank of Spain from that year until 1970. He built what is commonly known as "The Minister's House" on the tip of the point, next to the Parador. It had been hoped that it would come into public ownership in 2018, however, new provisions from the National Government mean that it has a further 75 year private concession. From: La Marina Plaza.
Xàbia Charter signed
Oct 30th
The Xàbia Mediterranean Forum concluded last week with the reading of a declaration - 'the Xàbia Charter' - in which the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia expressed its commitment to implementing policies that seek a more sustainable tourism model, balancing the protection of the local culture and landscape with economic success: "Tourism should be synonymous with prosperity without have to regret anything".
The policy document outlines a necessity to take a responsible attitude to protect the wealth and heritage of the Mediterranean without damaging the tourist industry so that the area remains a privileged place. A second document was signed during this special seminar when Xàbia became the epicentre of responsible tourism planning and this was a further commitment by the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia to work to obtain Biosphere Responsible Tourism certification from the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI). See the English language dossier on: http://agenda21-xabia.wikidot.com/mediterranean-forum-2017 Visit the Official website: Mediterranea Xabia Forum (Ed's note: a report on some of this to follow)
Record amount of glass collected for recycling this summer
Oct 26th
Almost 680 metric tons of glass was recycled by bars, restaurants and residents during the summer, a rise of 3% on the same period in 2016. Ecovidrio, the non-profit organisation responsible for the management of recycled glass in Xàbia, has recognised the commitment of the town's businesses and residents towards recycling by awarding the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia its prestigious 'Iglú Verde' award which was collected by councillor Doris Courcelles (Environment). According to data provided by Ecovidrio, 678 metric tons were collected during the summer, a period when some 30% of the annual total is deposited for recycling. 65 restaurants were participating in the recycling campaign, an important fact given that the hospitality sector generates some 50% of the single-use container waste. Some 36 containers have been delivered adapted to the needs of these businesses and the frequency of collection have been increased to adequately manage the increase of activity in this sector. With regards to 2016, businesses and residents of Xàbia recycled a total of 1,698,130 kilograms of glass, an average of 62.4 kilograms per person. Ecovidrio reported that Xàbia has one container per 113 residents, a total of 242 green igloos for the collection of glass. Full story from Javeamigos
Work on news auditorium to start soon
Oct 24th
The Xàbia town hall has this week selected the company that will be tasked with building one of the most important and iconic projects of the current legislature: the construction of a new municipal auditorium. Fifteen construction companies bid for the project with Joca, Ingeniería y Construcciones, a company with 35 years of experience in construction both in Europe and South America, offering the best option with a budget proposal of 2,395,000 euros, a 900,000 euro reduction on the original estimated budget of 3.3 million euros. Aside the proposing a lower budget to complete the project, the company also met two further requirements: a reduction of the planned completion period to 16 months, and the installation of a magnetic or inductive loop, an audio system that allows sound to be picked up by hearing aids and cochlear implants, therefore making the auditorium accessible to the hard of hearing. The Council has requested from the Universidad Politéncica de València to oversee that the building guarantees good acoustics. It will have a seating capacity for 524 people on a single floor with six of those seats adapted for people with reduced mobility and their companions. The 17m x 11m stage area has been approved to form part of the CulturArts theatrical circuit. The building will also have administration office, ticket office and toilets along with a basement with a multipurpose use room, a rehearsal room and dressing rooms as well as service lifts. The main access will be from the square in front of the Conservatorio de Música. for full story see: Javeamigos
Drought officially ends: Marina Alta second wettest Valencian region last year
Oct 10th
In this hydrological year it rained 45% more in the Marina Alta than its annual average since 1980. at 715 l / m2, certainly the highest in the entire Region. This is good, but not extraordinary. One should not get carried away with optimism, beacuse, although there have been local works to manage water supply such as the Teulada-Benitatxell consortium, the Vall del Pop and Xàbia and its agreement with the irrigators of Pedreguer. But regional infrastructure of reservoirs and interconnected water piping remain lacking , as does a method of selling Xàbia's desalination plant surplus water to neighbouring municipalities. From: La Marina Plaza
Festival Save Posidonia to raise our consciousness
Oct 10th
The island of Formentera launches a brand new four-day event called Festival Save Posidonia which kicks off from Thursday 12 October. The festival aims to raise awareness of the importance of the sea grass that gives the island its crystal-clear waters with a raft of activities and cultural events. A raft of aquatic adventures on the sea can be had with kayak, windsurfing, kite surfing and Stand up Paddle (SUP) boarding as part of the Formentera Blue experience. A total of 25 works of art will be on display featuring local and national artists and world-famous ones For those wishing to learn more, a series of workshops in the island's capital of San Francisco (Sant Francesc), including a musical one, is designed to help people understand the value of Posidonia as well as understand what can be done to protect it. From:Ibiza spotlight
Experts warn of growing environmental aggression in the Cova Tallada and the "Penyasegats"
Oct 1st
2017 has been another very difficult summer for the Cova Tallada, the unique place shared by the coastlines of Dénia and Xàbia. The cave has once again suffered the "same overcrowding" as last year, which is not good news for this cathedral of rock located on the edge the marine reserve of the cape of Sant Antoni and whose environmental balance has long been suffering due to the tourist pressure. There were some positives, such as a decreased number of organised Kayak excursions, but there was an increase in individual kayaks and hikers, including three bus-loads on September 23rd (maximum number of people in a group without permission is 30). There have also been some unusual activities, such as feeding the fish, climbing the walls on tapes like in a circus and rapelling. There's also the craze of "coastering" walking along the base of the cliffs at sea-level - an activity which can damage sea life such as the "vermiculat" from : La Marina Plaza.
Finding a solution for supermarket tomatoes that don’t taste like tomatoes
Sept 29th
Scientists in Valencia are using a technique to cut and paste DNA in a bid to reclaim fruit’s flavour. An old saying in Spanish went: “Tomate con sal, jamón de pobres.,” which roughly translates as “Tomatoes with salt: ham for the poor,” and refers to the superb flavor offered by a simple dish for a rock-bottom cost. But perhaps it’s no surprise that the refrain has fallen out of use, given that supermarket tomatoes no longer taste like tomatoes. In 2014, 170 billion kilograms of tomatoes were produced around the world, according to the United Nations. And the truth is, most of them taste like cardboard. Scientists identified the genetic code responsible for the 13 chemical compounds that give them their taste. These compounds are abundant in traditional varieties, but have nearly disappeared in their commercialized counterparts. The finding is so hopeful that it recently made the cover of Science magazine. They are able to change short sections of the tomato's genome to make desirable mutations. For full story see: El Pais in English
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Cullen Hightower