Environmental projects

Platypus for the environment

Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better. (Albert Einstein) - The interest and cares for the cultural and natural heritage brought Platypus to create through the years tours that focuses on the environment and the need to protect and enjoy it in every way. Starting from the premise that a child will be the adult of the future, Platypus has created, thanks to the support of Lady Walton, the “Mortella prize”: a special competition for students with the task of releasing projects for the rehabilitation of polluted or degraded areas. In order to spread green areas every student joining Platypus’ tours receives a little sprout of Bahuinia tree to look after and plant it once big enough. In order to educate also adults to the respect of the natural heritage, was founded by the Platypus members a no profit association called A.P.E. - Association Platypus Education. A.P.E. has already taken so many actions to save the environment, creating amusing activities to clean up the environment and educate people to its respect. For example The Eco Treasure hunt a fun and addictive team game to clean the reef and sea-bed around the Aragon Castle, from garbage. Every item was corresponding to a specific score directly proportional to the time of biodegradation. This kind of initiatives made Platypus become member of PPC Plastic Pollution Coalition: a worldwide organization supported by Jeff Bridges. The commitment of Platypus in this project is to eliminate polystyrene packaging. It is estimated that every year only in the italian fishing sector are used more than 10 millions of polystyrene boxes with considerable costs and an horrific impact for the environment; especially for the sea life. Our next actions will be dedicated to the replenishment of the endangered species that are disappearing due to human’s impact on the environment. One of them is the Pancratium maritimum, known as the sea lilly which germinates in one of the most extreme environment for plant’s life: The coastal dunes. The existence of this plant is at the base of the coastal biodiversity, since it allows the development of a large number of organisms which in turns allows the develop of the species on the inland too. Other exemplars that we are wishing to release are also the Woodpeckers and the Chyropteras; both very useful as biological control against insects damaging local growths.