In the past few years the need for sustainability in a rapidly changing world has become more and more critical in everything from businesses, building structures, the way items are produced and more. It is now widely accepted that the planet needs its inhabitants to step up and help save what we have and make it better.
A variety of sustainable initiatives in Barcelona have caught our attention recently. From events to products and services, these aim to help the community in impactful ways. In this post you can read about those that we find the most interesting:
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Platinum@BCN
Sustainable structures have been on the rise for a while now. The emissions that buildings add to the planet are relatively high, so it is better for the environment to have more efficient buildings around.
This up and coming office building has won the world’s highest rating in the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Program with a score of 101 points.
Its list of sustainability processes is impressive: It saves and filters 46% of water and reuses rain water. It saves 44% of energy using all LED lighting throughout the building. It has a system for renewal of energy through Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) energy conversion which is a direct conversion process from heat to electricity via photons. Last but not least it continually recycles trash and reuses about 80% of residues.
Akepa
There are many sustainable brands rising in Barcelona at the moment but it can often be the case that they don’t have the digital expertise to get things going online.
A new digital agency Akepa has launched in Barcelona that aims to do help these brands to grow and succeed. The company is also climate neutral itself and involved in clean oceans projects. Sounds like a good combination to us!
For more information visit: https://thesustainableagency.com
Posidonia Green Festival
Mixing art with music is always a great idea, but mixing with a sustainable cause that includes workshops, activities and more, is even better.
This event is an International Eco-Festival of Art, Environment and Sustainability that has taken place in Barcelona since 2017. The festival itself covers various themes and events – running the range from art, music, eco-fairs, talks, workshops, film, exhibitions and lots more pertaining to sustainability. All the activities are free during the event’s 2-day run.
Posidonia Green Festival unites a wide array of sustainability oriented activities for the public to enjoy in one place. It’s a project to enjoy and admire. For more information visit: https://www.posidoniagreenfestival.com/en/
Two Thirds
When it comes to sustainability, sustainable fashion is one of the areas where people are increasingly demanding products that are more environmentally friendly and fairly produced.
Globally, new fashion brands are popping up all the time to meet demand and there are quite a few based in Barcelona now too. Two Thirds is based in the city and is one of our favourites. The items are elegant, and classy – inspired by clean nordic design. As well as being made from environmentally-friendly fabrics, in a less polluting way. We like the brand’s characteristic whale logo.
Two Thirds is a D2C (direct to consumer) brand so don’t expect to visit any actual branches. Instead, you can buy online although returns can be made to their warehouse in Barcelona.
For more information visit: https://twothirds.com/
Reusabol
Plastic has always been a major cause of pollution and endangers our oceans and animals. That’s why recycling has been around for so long and is now thankfully getting even better.
Reusabol is a concept that was born from the idea of using reusable packaging for takeaway or delivery. The project was created with the aim of replacing approximately 1,000,000 disposable packaging containers per year, this amounts to about 600kg of waste that will be prevented. The bowls they use are made of polypropylene #5 which is known for its durability, for being lightweight, microwave and freezer friendly and most importantly recyclable.
The system functions in the following way: you go to your favorite affiliated restaurant in the Reusabol network, pay a small deposit and take you food, then return the bowl to any other affiliate restaurant and get your deposit back. By using this system of reusable bowls you also avoid taking home unwanted trash when ordering takeout or delivery. It’s definitely a win-win situation.
Reusabol is a safe, cheap and reusable alternative in our fight against plastic pollution.
For more information visit: www.reusabol.com or on Instagram @reusabol #yourForeverBowl.
Alone Peluquería
The beauty industry causes quite a lot of pollution and to have business try and reduce this is a very important goal.
Alone Peluquería is the first ecological hair salon in Barcelona with products that contain only organic ingredients, and you can also purchase products while using your own reusable bottles to reduce waste. They have a “slow-hair” concept – the same concept as with slow fashion – keeping their products and services sustainable.
The salon uses recycled materials and LED lighting for less energy consumption, they have water filters that save up to 60% of the water used in the salon, as well as sound reduced hair dryers to avoid noise pollution.
Alone is an immersive and satisfying experience from start to finish. It is impossible not to feel satisfied after being a part of such a sustainable initiative.
For more information visit: Instagram @alonepeluqueria.
Sustainable and Ecological clothing stores
Sustainable Fashion has been on the rise over the past few years.
Or you may know the term ‘slow-fashion’ which is the movement of designing, creating and selling items that are of high quality and are long lasting. It is based on slower production times, guaranteed fair salaries, minimum (or even neutralized) carbon dioxide emissions, as well as reduced waste or closed-loop systems during production.
Brands and stores that are a part of this initiative are often advocates of 100% organic cotton garments with colors free of chemical processes; always respecting the environment.
There are many sustainable fashion stores in Barcelona to enjoy, such as:
And we are also a company that is aiming towards improved sustainability in 2021. You can read all about our sustainability and Biosphere membership here.
