A group of members of the Polytechnic of Coimbra community – including students, teachers and non-teaching staff – carried out an environmental awareness campaign last September 28, which aimed to raise awareness of the need to take care of the environment and promote sustainable mobility. .
The group cycled between Coimbra and Montemor-o-Velho, through the Mondego Irrigation Fields to the municipality of Montemor-o-Velho, with strategic stops for the collection of waste that was sent to an appropriate final destination afterwards. According to the organization, around 360 liters of waste were collected, mainly plastic, cigarette ends, styrofoam, glass and other types of unsorted waste
According to Ana Ferreira, vice-president of the PUC responsible for sustainability, this activity aimed to combine sports with health and sustainability, similar to other actions that the institution has promoted in the community. For her, these themes are fundamental in building active citizenship and the PUC, as a higher education institution, assumes its responsibility by promoting initiatives that contribute to greater environmental awareness in its community, both internally and externally, encouraging a change in habits in favor of a better world.
Promoted by the Occupational and Environmental Health Service and the Sports Office of the Polytechnic of Coimbra, the Eco Pedalada took place as part of the celebration of the European Mobility Week (September 16 and 22) and the European Car-Free Day (September 22), and was also part of the #EUbeachcleanup initiative, promoted by the European Commission and the Oceano Azul Foundation, which aims to commemorate the International Coastal Clean-Up Day (celebrated on September 20) through joint actions aimed at preserving watercourses and coastal areas, promoting a positive effect on the health of ecosystems. The action also had the support of Ansell Portugal, which provided protective gloves for waste collection, and the City Council of Montemor-o-Velho, which provided a guided tour of the Montemor-o-Velho Castle at the end of the route, where participants had the opportunity to learn more about the history of the monument and the town.
