My story with Kykloforia — Eloïse
Firstly, I have met Torge, Franziska and Annabella at the “Social Issues, Social Innovation and Corporate Responsibility” course taught by Mrs. B. Tsakarestou.
Then we have met in group for the fisrt time few days after the class and started by introduce ourselves. We noticed that we had, each of us, skills in one field. Annabella knew how to make a web site, Torge had skills in community managment and Franziska was the organisator and the leader of our team. About me, I currently worked with the NGO Surfrider Foundation Europe (which is involve in ocean protection) hence I am actively involve in the cause. I grew up in a island Sri Lanka, I was used to swim and snork all the afternoons. But when I came back twelve years later I was profoundly touched by the plastic rivers, the destroyed reefs and the lack of awarness about sustainable development. This is when and how I realized how much nature, ecosystem and biodiversity is important for use. And by consequences rising awarness about that.
Thanks to ours conversations and many meetings I have learned that frenchs and germans have a lot of things in common in regard of plastic use and points of views about environment and ecology. In both France and Germany the awarness about climate change has already took a considerable place in public policy such as the people’s conscience.
Our first objective was to find a common interest or in otherwords our common issu. We noticed that we were very shoked about the use of plastic here in Athens and the ineffective waste managment. Then, we decided to create something in regard to reduce waste and plastic.
__________ In 2019, 15 Thousand tonnes of plastic waste from Europe have been exported towards Asia countries (Malaysia, Sri Lanka etc..). That highliht the inadequency and ineffectiveness of the waste managment in Europe. Despite handle the problem in our land, we just move the problem in an other place._____________________________________________________
It took quite a long time to find exatcly what we wanted, but one day Annabella came and told us about created a plateform where people could exchange, give and take for free. That was a simple and clear idea.
Simple: because we are erasmus students, we will not spend more that a year here in Greece, therefore, we needed a fast, simple and something that can have a real impact.
Clear: because it is needed. As erasmus students, we are leaving soon and we can not keep every furnitures or food that we bought, here in Athens, back home. Thus, the facebook page seems more than appropriate to create the base of our plateform. It uses by most of students (local and foreigners), hence easy to access.
Then was created “ Κυκλοφορία” related to the circle of life of a product. We need to extend the life of products (clothes, furnitures, fruites, shoes, milk etc…) in regard to reduce useless waste.
Our strapline: “sharing is caring” as clear as is our project. “Sharing” in the way to give, take and exchange, in regard to care about planet, health and people who really need a particular product.
