CREaTE LENTAS GREEN

CREaTE GREEN, Lentas is a new volunteer initiative in the beautiful and beloved region located from Tsigounas in the west, through Ditikos and Lentas over to Loutra in the east, and northwards, up through Miamou. The goals:  Work together to take better care of this amazing place and its unique environment – while at the same time, promote sustainable “greener” tourism.

At present, the volunteers are working to raise awareness, interest, and the willingness to get involved in the measures that not only are a part of greener tourism, but are more friendly to the amazing environment here AND healthier for all its inhabitants. Some of these are:

  • clean rubbish collection sites / separation of rubbish (recycling, composting)
  • clean beeches and surrounding landscapes
  • avoiding plastic and other harmful rubbish
  • in gastronomy, whenever possible use regional, seasonal foods and beverages that are grown/produced organically.
  • relocating parking places outside of village centres/squares
  • in general, looking to the overall design and beautification of village squares in Lentas (green areas / more plants)
  • promoting/supporting water conservation measures
  • promoting/supporting energy from solar and wind
  • to implement these goals, locals and tourists can actively and / or passively help and participate (information exchange, project actions, donations, etc.)

So far, the small group of volunteers have organized and implemented clean-up sessions targeting roadways, rubbish collection sites, and area beaches and riverbeds. (The group meets each Thursday afternoon – in July and August, the first Thursday of the month only.) Already, the volunteers have collected bags and bags of rubbish and disposed of it properly. Please join us (and please properly sort and dispose of the rubbish you collect!)

CREaTE GREEN also has developed a design in cooperation with the donated time and talent of Christos Tousis. Look for stickers with the CREaTE GREEN, Lentas logo in some area businesses. Your donation (min 1 Euro) will go 100 percent to funding the initiatives. (We will be sharing here exactly where that money goes.)

Coming soon: CREaTE GREEN, Lentas will soon be distributing a flyer that shows what to do with various types of rubbish (and what not to do.) The print version is in Greek. You will find it translated soon into English and German here. Another initative in the works: Trying to make it possible to purchase cooled water for refilling own drinking bottles. We are also working to help expand our web presence. Stay tuned here (or keep reading) for more.

The idea of sustainable travel

Since the start of the novel Coronavirus crisis, we have seen vast, world-wide changes. In the same way, our microcosm here in the Lentas / Ditikos area is also going through great change, with more to come.

In addition to “Corona,”many other factors are increasingly important to people when they are deciding where they will travel to. These include major issues of our time like: climate change; pollution in the seas, earth, and air; littering; and the mountains of rubbish people create (especially plastic waste.) This means that many people are becoming more aware and critical in their considerations about where and how they wish to spend their holidays. Another significant factor here: Increasingly, people are also giving greater thought to how they can use the money available to them in ways that are mindful of the environment and support sustainable, green initiatives. In future, travelers will likely be taking such factors even more into account – especially when choosing a foreign destination.

Those of us in the region, (both native Greeks and foreign residents) who earn some or all of their livings from tourist-related occupations, need to keep these things in mind for our future orientation and planning for how tourism in the Lentas area should/can proceed. If there is enough grass roots interest, we could pursue this idea of how to move forwards to become a green travel destination

Lentas and the surrounding region as a green travel destination would be very attractive for many already confirmed “Lentas Lovers” and those who might become so!

Achieving a “green travel area” designation for the Lentas area would automatically be a huge marketing plus!

Your feedback, opinions, and own ideas to this proposal are very welcome. Please let us know what you think. Also, you could share what part you would be willing to play.

If you are interested in engaging with this initiative either actively or passively, please contact one of the following people listed below.

Contact addresses