Informative actions and a big cleanup in Es Cavallet

During these days, the municipality has installed information stands in Cala de Bou, San José and San Jorge, bringing citizens practical advice to reduce waste generation and promote a more responsible consumption.

In addition, last Saturday, November 22, Sant Josep collaborated in a cleaning day on the beach of Es Cavallet, organized by Goldservice, with the participation of UTE Es Vedrà, Ibifor and the Association of Volunteers of Eivissa. The action allowed to remove waste and raise awareness about the importance of keeping the coastline free of pollution.

Environmental Education in Cala Tarida with CEIP Urgell

The involvement of the youngest has also been protagonist. On Wednesday, November 26, students from CEIP Urgell participated in an educational activity in Cala Tarida, where they made drawings about posidonia -key to the health of the marine ecosystem- and carried out a beach cleaning.

Felicia Bocú, councilor for the environment, stressed the need to raise awareness of what is not seen but pollutes: «The best waste is that which is not generated. If we reduce at source, the whole municipality wins,» she stressed.

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• Sant Antoni revalidates Ecovidrio’s Green Flag and celebrates with a beach cleanup

La entrada San José reinforces its commitment to sustainability during European Waste Reduction Week se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

Ibiza, with its characteristic Mediterranean climate and privileged geographical position, presents particular environmental conditions that directly affect air quality in villas, apartments and rental houses. The combination of high relative humidity, especially during the summer months, with constant exposure to marine salinity and occasional episodes of calima, creates an environment that poses significant challenges for the maintenance of a healthy indoor environment in tourist properties. On an island where the vacation rental sector represents a fundamental pillar of the economy, the ability to offer indoor spaces that combine comfort, healthiness and sustainability has become a determining factor for competitiveness in an increasingly demanding market. Adequate ventilation thus emerges not only as a matter of well-being for occupants, but also as a strategic element for the preservation of the value of properties and the satisfaction of a tourist clientele that is increasingly aware of environmental quality parameters.

Consequences of inadequate ventilation in rental properties

The lack of adequate ventilation in Ibiza rental properties can have significant repercussions for both the tourist experience and the integrity of the buildings themselves. From a customer satisfaction perspective, poorly ventilated spaces can generate stuffy environments, with lingering odors and a feeling of heaviness that negatively affect the vacation experience. Accumulated humidity, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens, favors the appearance of molds and dust mites whose spores and allergens can trigger respiratory problems and allergic reactions among occupants. For property owners and managers, these environmental problems translate into costly repairs, depreciation of property values and, potentially, negative valuations by guests that can seriously affect the future profitability of the property in a market as competitive as the Ibizan one.

Natural Ventilation: Limitations in the Pitiusan Context

Traditional ventilation by opening windows, although apparently the most direct solution, presents important limitations in the specific context of Ibiza. During episodes of easterly or westerly winds, opening the windows can introduce sea salt particles into the interior that accelerate the corrosion of furniture and equipment. On days with calima, this practice introduces Saharan dust that not only affects air quality but also generates an additional cleaning load. In addition, in properties with swimming pools or located near nightlife areas, natural ventilation can introduce noise that affects guests’ rest. During peak tourist months, high occupant turnover limits opportunities for extended ventilation between rooms, creating a vicious cycle of indoor pollutant buildup that can be difficult to break using traditional methods.

Technical solutions adapted to the Pitiusian market

To address the specific challenges of ventilation in rental properties in Ibiza, there are technical solutions that combine effectiveness, energy efficiency and adaptation to the particular island context. Controlled mechanical ventilation systems allow maintaining a constant flow of renewed air without the need for manual intervention by guests, thus ensuring optimal air quality parameters regardless of the ventilation habits of each user. In critical spaces such as bathrooms, where humidity and odor peaks are generated, the installation of a professional bathroom exhaust fan allows these contaminants to be quickly evacuated before they are dispersed throughout the rest of the property. These devices, especially the models with automatic humidity sensors, are activated only when necessary, optimizing both the effectiveness and energy consumption of the system.

Management strategies for owners and managers

Beyond the implementation of technical solutions, owners and managers of rental properties in Ibiza can adopt various strategies to optimize ventilation and indoor air quality. Deep ventilation between rooms, by fully opening the windows during the cleaning and preparation time of the property, allows the air accumulated during the previous occupancy to be completely renewed. The installation of discrete humidity and air quality sensors allows environmental conditions to be monitored and potential problems to be detected early before they affect the customer’s experience. The choice of moisture- and salt-resistant building and décor materials helps prevent structural damage and maintain stable environmental conditions. Finally, training cleaning and maintenance staff in the importance of ventilation and detecting signs of moisture or mold is essential to maintaining consistent standards of environmental quality.

Towards a standard of excellence in pitiuso rentals

The growing attention to indoor air quality in rental properties represents a natural evolution towards a more complete and sophisticated concept of tourism excellence in Ibiza. In a market where competition intensifies year after year, the ability to offer not only privileged locations and quality services, but also healthy and comfortable indoor spaces, can make the decisive difference. Investment in adequate ventilation systems, far from representing an expense, is an intelligent strategy for differentiation and added value that contributes to consolidating the island’s reputation as a first-class tourist destination. Thus, the search for excellence in the Pitiusan rental sector transcends the beaches and coves to go into the very heart of the spaces where tourists and temporary residents breathe, rest and create the memories that will define their experience on the white island.

La entrada Ventilation in villas and apartments in Ibiza: Key to wellness and prevention in the rental market se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

In this sixth edition of the summer campaign #MovimientoBanderasVerdes, Sant Antoni has obtained the best results in the Balearic Islands, consolidating itself as an environmental benchmark.

A clean-up day with an educational spirit

As a reward for its performance, the municipality was awarded with a beach cleaning day in Cala Gració, in which the City Council of Sant Antoni, Ecovidrio, Paisaje Limpio and a hundred students from CEIP Sant Antoni and CEIP Sant Rafel participated.

The activity, which managed to remove 2.2 tons of waste from the coast and seabed, was attended by Mayor Marcos Serra, the Councilor for the Environment Pepita Torres, the coordinator of Ecovidrio in the Balearic Islands Ivan Tolsà and the director of Paisaje Limpio Inés de la Paz.

Serra stressed that «for the fifth consecutive year we have revalidated the Green Flag, the result of the joint work of the Department of Environment, the UTE Portmany, establishments and residents of the municipality». He added that this day «serves to reinforce environmental awareness, especially among the youngest».

Leadership in recycling and hospitality commitment

Sant Antoni has positioned itself as the most involved municipality of the Balearic Islands in the campaign, according to the coordinator of Ecovidrio, Ivan Tolsà, who stressed that 734 tons of glass containers were collected during the summer, the highest figure among the 31 participating municipalities.

He also highlighted the involvement of the HORECA ( hotel, restaurant and catering) sector, with 99.5% active participation, which has contributed to the success of the initiative. «Glass is an infinitely recyclable material and its proper management contributes to the fight against climate change and the promotion of the circular economy,» explained Tolsà.

Results that reinforce local sustainability

During the months of June, July and August, Sant Antoni de Portmany collected 734,420 kilos of glass, avoiding the emission of 426 tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere.

Ecovidrio’s #MovimientoBanderasVerdes campaign rewards each year the involvement of municipalities and the hospitality industry in the correct management of waste. The awards are based on selective collection, the participation of the hotel sector and municipal communication and awareness-raising activities.

With this new recognition, Sant Antoni reaffirms its position as an environmental reference in the Pitiusas, consolidating a model of sustainable management that unites institutions, companies and citizens in caring for the environment.

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• The sea can’t wait: voices from Ibiza call for action before it’s too late

• Cleanup of Cala Salada with Ocean Keepers: Help the Environment

La entrada Sant Antoni revalidates Ecovidrio’s Green Flag and celebrates with a beach cleanup se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

• IbizaPreservation prepares a large fruit tree plantation to transform the Pitiusas Islands by 2026

The event, organized by the environmental foundation IbizaPreservation with the collaboration of the Balearic Government, the Sant Josep de Sa Talaia City Council and several local entities -among them La Sirena, Trasmapi, OD Group, Fundación Julián Vilás Ferrer, Eléctrica Marí, Soul Water and Cebo-, combined fun, environmental learning and social commitment.

During the day, the teams – formed by groups of two or three people with at least one adult – toured the area solving twelve orienteering clues adapted to all ages and focused on environmental issues. The focus of this edition was the importance of pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, in Ibiza’s ecosystems.

«We want the gymkhana, besides being an educational and fun experience, to help discover the value of Ibiza’s nature and the essential role of pollinators, which unfortunately are not in a good situation,» explained Inma Saranova, director of IbizaPreservation.

A day of solidarity and participation

In addition to the educational component, the gymkhana had a solidarity purpose: for each team that completed the course, IbizaPreservation will make a donation to a local NGO that supports people affected by the recent floods on the island.

The fastest teams received prizes with local products related to the bees of Ibiza, and all participants who finished the race participated in a raffle of surprise gifts offered by the collaborating companies. Among them were a family voucher with car included for the ferry to Formentera (Trasmapi), a meal for two people at the OD Group’s 666 restaurant and a voucher for four people to enjoy fish & chips at Taberna Cebo.

«This family gymkhana has already established itself as an annual event that unites environmental education, leisure and solidarity action, bringing sustainability to families in a participatory and fun way,» said Juanjo Serra, from Ibiza Blue Challenge.

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• The sea can’t wait: voices from Ibiza call for action before it’s too late

• The fourth desalination plant that sets off environmental alarms in Ibiza

• Salvem sa Badia de Portmany joins the board of directors of the Alliance for Water

La entrada Families, nature and solidarity: Ibiza’s gymkhana combines fun and environmental awareness se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

-What untapped opportunities do you see in Ibiza in relation to the circular economy?
-Reducing food waste in the hospitality industry is an area with great potential. In addition, it is necessary to deepen in the field of clean energies since according to the latest data of the Observatory Report, only 35% of the energy demanded was generated here and only 1% came from renewable sources. The rest, or 65%, was supplied through the submarine link with Majorca. What has been the impact of Ibiza Produce?
-Thisprogram has strengthened the connection between local producers and consumers, and has helped to improve the island’s food resilience. Among other things, our work has served to boost the creation of the regenerative agriculture group, which now has more than 250 people. In addition, over the years, hundreds of people have attended the workshops we have promoted on regenerative agriculture and the use of local produce. During these years we have also supported cooperatives such as EcoFeixes to increase their distribution capacity, and we have acted as a link between restaurants and farmers to increase the use of local produce. I believe that the work done so far has had a very positive impact on the overall context of increasing organic production on the island of Ibiza. Based on the success in the largest of the Pitiusas, IbizaPreservation now plans to replicate the model, with adjustments, in Formentera. In turn, within the framework of Formentera produces will be carried out this year the project ‘Eivissa & Formentera Sembren Futur’, which will facilitate the planting of 1,000 native trees on farms to regenerate soils and landscapes.

-What lessons have you learned from the circular economy program in Ibiza to take it now to Formentera?
-In Formentera we need to adapt the strategy to the smaller scale of production and its geographical particularities, but we hope that with the work done so far in Ibiza and the accumulated experience we can generate measurable impact activities in the South Pitiusa, such as planting fruit trees of native varieties resistant to climate change.

-Food waste is a problem in many parts of the world. What impact are you making in Ibiza? How do you plan to go further in that area?
–We arepromoting the integral use of food in the restaurant industry and training both individuals and chefs in techniques for making the best use of food, through the workshops we carry out as part of our Gastronomic Activists project. We want to expand these awareness campaigns this year. At the same time, we seek to continue training new generations of chefs in the context of the Zero Waste Chefs EU project, carried out with funds from the European Erasmus Plus program.

La entrada Reducing food waste and boosting clean energy, two areas with great potential in Ibiza se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

How long has this process lasted? What does the plan seek to achieve overall? Why have certain programs been prioritized over others?
– – What is the overall objective of the plan? – Why have certain programs been prioritized over others? – What is the overall objective of the plan? The development of the 2025 Action Plan has taken almost a year of work. We started with a phase of needs assessment and data collection through the Sustainability Observatory, followed by consultations with experts and key organizations. Our overall objective is to consolidate a more sustainable socio-environmental model for Ibiza and Formentera, with concrete and measurable initiatives. The priorities of the plan have been determined by the urgency of certain issues, such as biodiversity loss, climate change and the need to improve the circular economy. We have also taken into account those areas where we can generate a greater impact with the available resources.

Observatory

In 2018, IbizaPreservation launched the Ibiza Sustainability Observatory, with the aim of tracking the evolution of socio-environmental issues from a scientific, data-driven perspective.

-The Observatory has been in operation for more than six years. What are the most relevant and striking data you have collected during this time?
–Thelast annual report showed that the island of Ibiza reached record highs in population, tourism and transport in 2023. Regarding the population increase, this has continued over the last decade to reach 13.4% last year, with an average annual Human Pressure Index of 218,384 people, to which is added the record number of tourists in 2023, with 3,379,359 visitors, which is 10.2% more than 2022. In addition, the report incorporated a new indicator that reveals that during 2023, a total of 548,969 cruise passengers disembarked on the island, a significant increase over 2019, when Ibiza received 395,235. On the other hand, in relation to transport indicators, last year saw the «highest air flow» of passengers in the entire series studied (1990-2023), with 8.9 million people and an increase of 9.6% over 2022. There was also a 5.1% increase in maritime transport movement, with three million travelers. How has the Observatory been useful for the development of programs?
-TheObservatory allows us to make decisions based on concrete data. For example, thanks to its analysis on waste, we have strengthened our actions in circular economy. In addition, its monitoring work allows us to measure the impact of our actions and correct strategies when necessary. What kind of decisions have you made based on data obtained thanks to the Observatory?
-Forexample, the data showing us the need to improve in terms of reducing food waste and improving the selective separation of organic waste has made us move from our Plastic Free program in Ibiza and Formentera to a Circular Economy program that helps us reduce waste without focusing solely on the fight against plastic pollution.

Initiatives of all kinds

Among the novelties of the Action Plan 2025, IbizaPreservation has highlighted the launch of ‘Formentera Produce’, which follows the path of the already consolidated ‘Ibiza Produce’ program. On the other hand, the organization will launch the Sembra Futur Forum, an initiative aimed at young people that seeks to promote interest in professional careers linked to the rural sector. In addition, in the field of local biodiversity protection, IbizaPreservation will carry out the expansion of the Protegim Ses Sargantanes project, which seeks to prevent the extinction of the Pitiusa lizard by installing snake traps both in protected areas and on farms. At the same time, IbizaPreservation will develop a joint project with its sister entities, MallorcaPreservation and MenorcaPreservation, called ‘Weaving the Future: Alliance for the Preservation of the Balearic Islands’, a new initiative that will address the problem of marine debris through a pioneering study on the state of the seabed in the Balearic Islands. This project also contemplates the creation of a circular crafts network that will seek to transform recycled materials into unique products, promoting a more sustainable economic model. Of the different programs in the plan, have any of them been inspired by successful initiatives elsewhere?
-Yes, several of our projects have been inspired by successful models elsewhere. For example, the biosecurity protocol to prevent the entry of snakes in the port of La Savina follows the path of previous experiences in places like the Canary Islands and New Zealand, where effective strategies have been implemented to prevent the entry of invasive species. Our project to create habitats for pollinators is also part of the global project «Regenerating Butterflies» promoted by Astrid Vargas, which has been very successful in places like Murcia. Likewise, the circular economy project «Tejiendo futuro, Alianza para la Preservación de Baleares» is based on previous experiences carried out in Menorca with the PescArt project, among others.

-Could you give me details about the biosecurity protocol in the port of La Savina?
-The protocol seeks to prevent the translocation of snakes from Ibiza to Formentera. Last year we laid the groundwork so that now, in 2025, the agents involved in the process can implement concrete measures such as installing traps at key points or working with transport companies to inspect goods and luggage. This year we will also launch awareness campaigns to inform residents and visitors on how to prevent the spread of invasive species.

-One of the focuses will be to raise awareness about biodiversity care. What activities are planned?
-We will have educational workshops, activities for families and the distribution of a toolkit for friends of lizards with key information on how to protect local biodiversity.

-The fifth edition of Kilometers of Plastic for Iris is coming up, a program that encourages young people to get involved in caring for the environment. What impact has this program had in previous years?
-We have seen young people who have changed their habits and have become environmental activists. In addition, the solutions they propose in the videos they have made in previous editions have been very interesting and many of them are innovative and easy to do and replicate.

La entrada IbizaPreservation’s commitment in 2025: «We want to consolidate a more sustainable socio-environmental model for the Pitiusas». se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

Requirements

On issues related to the qualification and requirements for the exercise of the activity, Salvem sa Badia considers that, in case of granting a limited number of activity permits, should be integrated a priority clause that favors companies with boats that do not emit CO2. In addition, according to the association, each boat should have a mooring in a Balearic port for the period of activity requested, where the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers, emptying of gray water, waste management, provisioning, cleaning, and so on. Otherwise, it would have to have authorization to access the sea by an authorized ramp and accreditation of legal mooring, to avoid excessive traffic on the jetties of the swallows engaged in regular passenger traffic. Finally, in relation to the digitization and streamlining of procedures, Salvem sa Badia asks that the file «Responsible declarations», which is public and accessible from the website of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands, is reorganized by ‘Name of the owner’, in order to facilitate the controls of registered charter boats. As of January 27, 2025, there were 3,439 responsible declarations in 150 pages, in order of renewal date, complicating any query by name.

La entrada Environmental measures to protect the bay of Sant Antoni are demanded from the Govern se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

A tourism model under pressure

During the conference on the socioeconomic and employment impact of climate change, organized by the Economic and Social Council of the Balearic Islands, Professor of Applied Economics Verónica Leoni stressed that the islands, whose economic model depends largely on their natural environment, are particularly exposed to the effects of climate change. Leoni warned that phenomena such as extreme temperatures could modify the habits of tourists, who could choose to visit the Balearic Islands at other times of the year or even decide not to travel, finding similar climatic conditions in their own countries. According to studies by the Joint Research Centre of the European Union, tourism in high season in the Balearic Islands could decrease by up to 30%.

• Ibiza and Formentera will lose 13 beaches due to climate change

Economic and environmental impacts

The researcher of the Climate Change Laboratory of the UIB, Pau de Vilchez, focused on the contribution of the tourism sector to climate change. Transport, which accounts for more than 69% of emissions in the Balearic Islands, is emerging as the main generator of greenhouse gases. In addition, tourism-related activities directly affect natural «carbon sinks» such as posidonia, aggravating the problem. De Vilchez warned of possible scenarios that could seriously impact the tourist attractiveness of the islands, such as the reduction of beaches, the increase in forest fires and the proliferation of jellyfish due to the warming of the water. Climate change not only puts the tourism model at risk, but could also have a direct impact on the GDP of the Balearic Islands. According to the studies mentioned during the conference, a one-degree increase in temperature could translate into a 12% drop in the archipelago’ s GDP.

A call for joint action

The experts agreed that confronting climate change requires joint action between governments and the private sector, with cross-cutting measures that include education and mitigation strategies. «The difference between what it would cost to act now and the consequences we are already facing is enormous,» concluded De Vilchez.

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• The Parliament addresses preventive measures against climate change and emergency protocols

La entrada A tourism model in danger: how climate change affects the Balearic Islands se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

The proposal involves supporting schools to design work plans related to the conservation and protection of nature and sustainability and to integrate them into their own curricula and study plans.

The main thematic axes established for this course have been biodiversity, energy, climate change, waste and water. The centers have also developed other secondary themes such as responsible consumption and those related to mobility. On November 11 the awards were presented to the schools in Mallorca and on November 14 they were presented to the schools in Menorca. In total, 147 schools from all the Balearic Islands participated in this year’s edition: 94 from Mallorca, 34 from Ibiza, three from Formentera and 16 from Menorca.

La entrada 37 centers awarded for their participation in the Eco-Environmental Centers Program 2023-2024 se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.