A ton and half of waste pulled out of the Ljubljanica river this year
On Saturday, 21 April 2018, the 27th traditional cleaning of Ljubljanica was held, cleaning the river from Špica to Three Bridges (Tromostovje). This was the closing event of the spring cleaning campaign called For a More Beautiful Ljubljana, held on the weekend of the Earth Day. This year, the Slovenian Diving Association and members of the Vivera society, supported by SPAR Slovenia, pulled out about a ton and a half of waste from the Ljubljanica river.
In the 27th eco-cleaning campaign, organized by the Vivera Society for Underwater Activities in cooperation with the City Municipality of Ljubljana, members of the diving societies of the Slovenian Diving Federation, environmentalists, fishermen, firefighters, boatmen and rescuers participated, as well as the citizens of the Municipality of Ljubljana and its surroundings. The campaign turned out very successful as divers, with the help of many volunteers, pulled out about one-and-a-half tons of waste near Shoemakers Bridge (Čevljarski most).
During the cleaning campaign, a cultural program was held on the banks of Ljubljanica all the way from Shoemakers Bridge to Three Bridges, presenting the members of diving and other societies, joined by Urška and the Merman. The latter took Urška into Ljubljanica as a symbolic demonstration and a warning that our actions towards nature and our attitude towards the environment crossed the critical boundary.
The President of the Vivera diving society Miro Potočnik, who was the initiator of the first cleaning campaign of the Ljubljanica river 27 years ago, said:“As an archaeology lover and a diver, I have always been strongly connected with nature. The cleaning campaign is our way to thank the river for being our diving ground for many years now. Bicycles, other items and waste do not belong in Ljubljanica, so I’m glad that this year’s action, in cooperation with Spar Slovenia, was successful. I hope that we will continue in such an enthusiastic spirit.”
The President of the Slovenian Diving Federation, Doc. Dr. Mitja Slavinec pointed out: “The Vivera diving society is one of the oldest diving societies in Slovenia and as such, it boasts on one of the most traditional ecological campaigns in Slovenia. Their annual cleaning campaign of the Ljubljanica river on the Earth Day is an exceptional contribution to a cleaner river, reminding us from year to year that there are many opportunities to improve our awareness towards nature. I congratulate Spar Slovenia on their decision to support the ecological campaigns of cleaning Slovenian rivers, demonstrating the company’s social attitude towards the environment in which it operates, and I sincerely thank them for the support.”
This annual spring campaign, encouraging cleaning of public and other areas in the Municipality of Ljubljana, began on 22 March on the World Water Day, and ended on 21 April – a day before the World Earth Day. The closing event of cleaning Ljubljanica was supported by SPAR Slovenia this year, which, within the socially responsible campaign of “Thinking EKOlogical”, strives for ecological behaviour, reuse of shopping bags, lower consumption of light plastic bags and sustainable thinking. Last year, their campaign created a sustainable and recycled shopping bag, available to all SPAR customers in their stores. Part of the funds collected in the ecological campaign is intended for cleaning Slovenian rivers. After the cleaning of Ščavnica and Mura, the campaign of cleaning Ljubljanica was the third in a row, and divers, supported by SPAR Slovenia, will clean the river of Sava this May.
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