The Eco of LOS40, against pollution: “Many small changes produce big changes”

Sustainability and music shook hands again in the first Eco Talk of 2023 by El Eco of LOS40. A discourse that gives continuity to a clear commitment: to achieve 40 initiatives focused on promoting environmental protection from different territories. Everything, with a single objective: to save the house which is also the house of music: our planet.

The conference revolved around a key topic: the fight against pollution. Presented by LOS40 announcers and El ECO of LOS40 ambassadors Cristina Boscá and Bruno Sokolowicz, it included the participation of Noelia Ramírez, from @mundohinóspit; Javier Clemente, from @todos_somos_reciclaje; influencer and writer Laura Opazo; activists Sofia Fernández, Noelia Cantador and Elisa Iglesias; CSIC researcher and scientist Fernando Valladares; Lucía Dalmau, environmental journalist at ECODES; Tatiana Alarcón and Eduardo Sánchez, from Aprocor; Samuel Soria, co-founder of “Parafina” Ecological glasses; Jorge Portillo of Greemko and singer Vicco, one of the finalists of Benidorm Fest 2023. The event took place in a very special setting: Begonia’s Garden, the nursery of the Aprocor Foundation, which since 1989 has been working to improve quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities.

Contamination is a problem of the first order: recent studies assure that in our blood there is the presence of 300 polluting substances which did not exist with our grandparents. A reality that Fernando Valladares, of the CSIC, was responsible for explaining. “Air pollution kills 9 million people every year, hundreds of times more than all armed conflicts,” Valladares recalled. “But it doesn’t just harm us: it also harms ecosystems and animals. The solution is to produce less. To cool the economy.

In this sense, companies have an essential role. Jorge Portillo from Greemko explained how they can measure the carbon footprint. “We have developed software so that any company, of any size and in any sector, can take the first steps towards decarbonization and environmental sustainability.”

Towards a circular economy

“Pollution is transversal: it affects air, soil, human health and ecosystems,” said Javier Clemente of Todos Somos Reciclaje. “The linear economy must give way to a circular economy that reduces carbon emissions. greenhouse effect and waste generation. It is a shared responsibility: we are all in the same boat”.

Laura Opazo spoke about fashion and its role in this revolution. “More than sustainable fashion, I like to talk about regenerative fashion or slow fashion. It’s one that cares about being 360: holistic fashion that focuses on all aspects of making a garment. The responsibility belongs to the brands, but also to the consumer: the key is to reuse and use the imagination. We often have closets full of clothes that can provide us with many solutions”.

From Ecodes, Lucía Dalmau spoke about the importance of “Changing the system and the productive model. At Ecodes, we are taking steps to make this change just.” Regarding air pollution, Lucía put information on the table: “in 2021 there were more than 30,000 premature deaths from this cause”.

the same storm

Sofia, from Fridays for Future, spoke about the awareness of her generation. “Young people are very concerned about the climate crisis. Not only are we aware, but we also take concrete actions individually and collectively,” he said. “Our protest focuses on politicians and businesses adopting the necessary measures to address the climate crisis, taking into account young people and other vulnerable sectors of the population. We are not all in the same boat: some go on a yacht and others on small paper boats. But we are all facing the same storm.

Vicco, during her performance in LOS40’s El Eco Eco Talk. / Los40.

Samuel Soria, CEO of Parafina, recalled the power of the consumer. “Many small gestures produce big changes. All businesses, big and small, are changing. There is a long way to go, but it is possible to walk towards responsible production”. At the corporate level, Samuel insisted on “getting away from greenwashing and really engaging”. In the case of Parafina, he explained that “our glasses consume 23% less water and 39% less carbon footprint”.

Vicco, the artist of the moment, reflected on responsibility of artists in that case. “We are privileged to have an exhibition and an audience that follows us. We must take advantage of this to, in addition to sharing our content, convey messages like the one that brought us here”. Before performing, Vicco revealed a secret: “My parties are pretty long lasting.”