How can we make reuse part of everyday life from an early age?
This was our goal when, last month, we installed the PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE system at Tsaf Tsouf Summer Camp, bringing an integrated reuse system to a community of thousands of children.
For us at alchemia-nova Greece, this implementation is particularly significant, as it is the first time that the PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE system has been introduced to such a large community, and especially to a community of children.
From 8 July to 12 September, thousands of children use the REMEDIES bio-based reusable cups every day, learning through practice how a cup can be used many times before becoming waste.
A summer camp already investing in reuse
Tsaf Tsouf Summer Camp is located in Orfani, in a 53-acre coastal area near Kavala. It is a children’s summer camp with 30 years of experience and a strong commitment to social inclusion and accessibility.
During the summer season, it hosts approximately 4,000 children, including around 150 children with disabilities, as well as 300 adults with disabilities and approximately 200 staff members.
Our collaboration did not start from scratch. For years, the camp has been implementing practices aimed at reducing the consumption of single-use products. Children and staff are encouraged to use their own water containers, while reusable cups are already used in the dining area. At the café, the use of reusable containers is also encouraged through incentives, such as a free morning coffee and a 50% discount on the next purchase.
The implementation of the PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE system was the next step in this effort.
PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE in numbers: less waste, greater impact
For the implementation of PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE, approximately 2,000 REMEDIES bio-based reusable cups are being used, with the capacity to cover up to 200,000 servings.
Since their introduction into the camp’s daily operations on 8 July, the cups have been used every day to serve tap water, replacing thousands of potential uses of disposable products.
However, for a reuse system to work within a community of thousands of people, reusable products alone are not enough. An organised process for collection, washing and redistribution is also needed.
For this reason, we installed the dedicated portable infrastructure of the PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE system, including three washing machines and the vertECO® system, to ensure the daily availability of clean cups directly on the camp premises.
The infrastructure enabled the management of the cups and the provision of clean cups twice a day, supporting the smooth operation of the camp. Two members of the dining staff were responsible for operating the system, which was integrated into the daily routine without requiring any changes to the existing facilities.
Environmental and economic benefits
- In just 67 days, the implementation of the system contributed to the reduction of approximately 800 kg of plastic waste. Imagine the impact of such an implementation over an entire year!
- At the same time, the camp reduced its operational costs by approximately €5,000 by limiting the need for disposable products.
These figures show that reuse can generate both environmental and economic benefits. Instead of continuously buying, using and throwing away new products, we can create systems that keep resources in use for longer.
Children become part of the change
The most interesting aspect of this implementation is the users themselves. For the first time, PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE is reaching such a large community of children and young people.
Through a simple daily habit—taking a cup, using it, returning it and seeing it used again—children become familiar with the concept of reuse without having to learn about it through a lesson or a theoretical presentation. In this way, the circular economy becomes part of their everyday lives.
And this experience can continue beyond the end of the summer camp season.
When the younger generation becomes familiar with reuse through practice, the change does not stop with the child. Children can bring new habits to their families, schools and communities, acting as small multipliers of a culture of reuse.
Through the eyes of the children
The first impressions from the camp staff have been particularly positive. Group leaders and dining staff told us:
“The children drink more water.”
“They have stopped bringing their thermos bottles to the dining area.”
“Finally, dry plastic cups!”
These simple observations show how a new solution can influence the everyday experience of its users. Reuse does not need to be complicated. To become part of everyday life, it needs to be practical, easy to use and able to work under real-life conditions.
A new collaboration with real impact
Our collaboration with Tsaf Tsouf Summer Camp marks the first implementation of PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE in a real-world environment, responding to the needs of a large community.
The implementation at Tsaf Tsouf gives us the opportunity to see how a reuse system can operate at scale and generate measurable environmental and economic benefits.
But perhaps the most important outcome of this collaboration lies in the everyday habits that are being created, as thousands of children are becoming familiar with a different way of thinking:
We don’t use something once and throw it away.
We use it again.
And perhaps this simple experience can be the first step towards a new generation that sees reuse not as an alternative option, but as a common practice and part of the culture of its community.
As the implementation continues until 12 September, we will continue to follow the users’ experience and the impact of the system.
Stay with us for more updates!
Note: The PLUG & PLAY 2 ZERO WASTE system was developed within the framework of the REMEDIES project, with co-funding from the European Union. The development of this innovative solution has enabled its application in real-life settings, including the implementation at Tsaf Tsouf Summer Camp.
Sources:
Press Release: Νέοι κανόνες της ΕΕ για μείωση, επαναχρησιμοποίηση και ανακύκλωση συσκευασιών.
