Changemakers
The Changemakers Project offers students from various schools in Mallorca the chance to develop innovative proposals to reduce single-use plastic consumption. Through scientific expeditions and workshops, students gain a deeper understanding of the complex challenges and impacts of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems.
Changemakers is more than a school project—it's a movement aimed at raising awareness, fostering critical thinking among younger generations, and empowering them to actively contribute to solutions for a future free of plastic.
Changemakers Project: Empowering Youth
Launched in 2018, the Changemakers Project engages young people in tackling the island's environmental challenges by encouraging their active involvement in environmental and social issues. Each year, Save the Med invites students from various schools in Mallorca, aged 14 to 18, to team up and submit proposals to reduce single-use plastic consumption.
Students are urged to go beyond simple solutions like cleanup projects or recycling ideas, and to innovate by rethinking consumption habits. Over the years, young participants have created a movement within their schools and communities, evolving from passive observers to active thinkers. The project has received enthusiastic responses from schools, with students presenting creative and practical initiatives to reduce single-use plastic. Their proposals aim to change daily consumption habits and influence the practices of large companies.
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One example of an innovative proposal is a mobile app that rewards users with lower plastic and carbon footprints, provides information on water refill points, and tracks plastic pollution. To explore the brilliant ideas submitted this year, consult the list of 2024 projects here.
The teams with the most compelling ideas are invited to join Save the Med in activities designed to showcase Mallorca's rich biodiversity and marine life. Students learn scientific observation methods and conduct surveys on plastic pollution through activities like marine science expeditions and underwater photography workshops. These experiences help students explore marine-related career options and shape their future academic and professional paths.
Changemakers is more than just a school project—it's a movement designed to raise awareness and foster critical thinking, empowering students to transform their consumption habits and outlook on the world.
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Gamechangers
In 2024, the Changemakers program expanded to the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) in partnership with Fundación Occident. This new initiative, called Game Changers, is currently in the project review phase. In this pilot edition, six university teams are addressing a key challenge: changing our habits of overconsumption and overproduction of single-use products.
The winning teams from the university project will have the opportunity to join a week-long sea expedition with Save the Med professionals.
What is the Xarxa?
The Xarxa Dragonera Blava (XDB) is a social network for the Sa Dragonera community. It brings together local citizens, government representatives, experts, activists, and anyone who wants to help regenerate the region. Its purpose is to create participatory governance for the marine area around Sa Dragonera, ensuring that the community is actively involved in making decisions about its management.
How Does It Work?
The process starts by building strong community relationships and learning about the area's values and threats. Once this understanding is shared, the community sets goals collaboratively. These goals are tackled through participatory forums, where community input shapes how the marine area is managed. This includes working with different local sectors to implement best practices . Additionally, three working groups have been formed to focus on specific local issues in the municipality of Andratx: Education & Best Practices, Mooring & Anchoring, and Water Quality.
Successful outcomes from the Xarxa and its bottom-up approach include launching an environmental good-practice campaign for visitors and establishing a community-led protocol for mooring and anchoring among local boat owners to help reduce overcrowding in Sa Dragonera's waters. These achievements are a direct result of the participatory governance of the Xarxa’s working groups, allowing local community inputs to tackle issues and contribute solutions.
Join us
Save the Med envisions restoring biodiversity through active community and stakeholder engagement. By increasing knowledge about the sea, involving people in caring for the area, improving practices at sea, and setting up a stewardship program with participative management, our goal is to bring back the rich biodiversity of Sa Dragonera.
To learn more about the Xarxa Dragonera Blava and its upcoming activities, visit the project's website. Get involved and help us restore Sa Dragonera’s marine biodiversity!
220
proposals assessed
1095
Students participating
Outreach to 37
Number of schools
"We ask people to have patience with the sea, to not throw plastic and to consider that 50% of the oxygen we breathe comes from the sea. She needs help, we must help her."
TESTIMONIAL
Sergi
Changemaker Junior 2023