M.A.R.E. No, this is not a typo or a typo. On the contrary, it is an ambitious project. The name is a dead giveaway, but in this case it stands for Marine Adventure for Research & Education. Promoted by the Centro Velico Caprera with the collaboration of the One Ocean Foundation and the patronage of the Navy, the initiative has the backing and support of a pool of companies of the calibre of Yamamay, Sorgenia, Polaroid and Synergie who have made environmental issues and sustainability central to their priorities. In what way? Through concrete actions. And the M.A.R.E. project is one of them. (Here all our posts about sustainability)
M.A.R.E. to assess the health of the Mediterranean
The aim is to assess the health of the Mediterranean through the mapping and monitoring of its waters. The first of a series of campaigns started at the end of April from La Maddalena, Sardinia, and will end on 23 July in Portofino, Liguria, after visiting 12 Italian locations.
The catamaran One is the star of M.A.R.E.
The absolute protagonist of this project is One, a 45-foot catamaran equipped for the occasion as a veritable laboratory, which has been given the task of combing the length and breadth of the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, including those of 23 protected marine areas, to analyse marine biodiversity and at the same time to detect the presence of pollutants.
A long and complex task entrusted to marine biologists and scientific researchers who took turns on board the vessel for the entire campaign, but of crucial importance in light, above all, of the limited availability of up-to-date data. Not least because the stakes are very high.
Although the Mediterranean Sea covers less than 1% of the planet’s total ocean surface, it is home to up to 18% of known marine species. A treasure trove, in terms of unique biodiversity, and today increasingly threatened by global warming and water acidification, the latter a phenomenon that is growing dramatically. Hence the urgency to act now. Yamamay, partner of One Ocean Foundation, which has always been attentive to the dynamics of environmental impact, knows something about this.
Yamamay and M.A.R.E.: an unbreakable bond
“Just over a year ago we hosted Yamamay at the club’s base for a photo shoot,” says Enrico Bertacchi, secretary general of Circolo Velico Caprera. It was an opportunity not only to get to know Barbara Cimmino and experience this wonderful company first hand, but it was also the springboard for a partnership that led to the conception of this project in which Yamamay plays a central role,’ adds Bertacchi.
“Sustainability must become the value and above all the driver of change,” comments Barbara Cimmino, head of Yamamay’s social responsibility and innovation division. “The theme of shared experience has brought together different professional cultures.
A unique opportunity
This is the most exciting aspect of the M.A.R.E. project. It was a unique opportunity that allowed biologists, chemists, sailors and sportsmen and women to share, during the scientific expedition, not only their knowledge, but also to understand and understand different points of view. Information that, in our case, is extraordinarily important for then elaborating medium- to long-term development strategies for our company,’ Barbara Cimmino continues.
Therein lies the real challenge. Giving full meaning to the theme of sustainability, which, besides being misused, in many cases turns out to be an empty word, devoid of concrete content.
M.A.R.E., sustainability according to Yamamay
But this is not the case for Yamamay. “The game today is played on the ability to inform consumers correctly and clearly about the change of pace and the actions taken by the company on this issue so that they are put in a position to make more conscious choices when it comes to purchases.
Which, mind you, does not only mean pushing in the direction of highlighting, for example, the use of recycled fibres to make garments. The reasoning has to go even further and concerns the company philosophy itself and, consequently, the type of approach to have at all levels, especially internally,’ adds Barbara Cimmino.
A collection using recycled fibres
From theory to practice. This year, 53 per cent of the swimwear in the swimwear collection launched by Yamamay is made from recycled fibres with the aim of increasing to 60 per cent in 2024. Not enough. For the second year running, the company has proposed EDIT, Eco Designed Innovative Textile.
This is a capsule collection of swimwear designed according to the principle of textile circularity. The collection was made using a 100% mono-polymer (polyester) fabric, 51% of which came from GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled sources. In the production process, the number of components for making the costume was also reduced and all accessories were eliminated. This is only for the product.
A virtuous company
At the company level, virtuous behaviour can be seen through a whole series of actions such as, for example, training and refresher courses for managers and employees; in the decision to use only LED lighting for offices and points of sale, resulting in a saving, in terms of consumption, of 70 per cent. But this is only the beginning. “I am convinced,” adds Barbara Cimmini, “that we will emerge from the complexity of the historical moment because we will have learnt to do more than just ethical shopping.
For example, set up thought movements that change the rules of the game, directing our lives towards a better balance between what we take from our planet and what we give back. We feel like active citizens, so we want to learn to take pleasure from experiences that cannot be bought, such as being in the sea with the people we love and those with whom we share creative projects’.
Matteo Zaccagnino
