Raising awareness in the Algarve about good water management is the objective of the #AÚltimaGota_Algarve campaign, promoted by Almargem – Association for the Defense of Cultural and Environmental Heritage of the Algarve, which was submitted to the Environmental Fund, under the program “ENEA 2020 – Production and consumption sustainable.
This campaign has been developed by Almargem since February and has «the objective of informing and sensitizing the general public to a change in attitudes and behavior in the management of water, a precious and exhaustible resource.»
Almargem, «concerned with the situation in which the Algarve region finds itself, being exposed to a set of climatic vulnerabilities that enhance the current hydrological crisis», formed, in January, «a working group composed of partners, volunteers from different areas, with interest and knowledge in the themes of water use, agriculture, waste water reuse and environmental and civic intervention».
Now, explains the association, «the approval of this candidacy will allow taking this campaign to a new dimension, based on a regional strategy of Environmental Education that will cover the 16 municipalities of the Algarve».
For the public, reveals Almargem, «several information actions will be promoted, such as the holding of two webinars, with guest speakers from specialized areas, one of them with the objective of demystifying the use of wastewater and increasing confidence in its use. resource, and another in which a debate is proposed on the past, present and future of water and the Mediterranean landscape in the Algarve».
A training action will also be developed, consisting of several modules, with the theme "Every drop counts", "with the aim of contributing to the implementation of Decree-Law No. 119/2019 of August 21, which regulates Water for Reuse ( ApR)».
According to Almargem, "it is intended that the participants will be able to proceed with the licensing of an ApR and learn about the various models of wastewater treatment".
To raise awareness of “a behavioral change, given the unbridled consumption of water we are currently seeing”, a short animation film will also be launched and a traveling exhibition will be promoted.
This exhibition, according to Almargem, «will provide the visitor with an interactive experience, leading him to know information about water consumption in the world, in Portugal and in the Algarve, funneling this approach to different areas such as the domestic sector, agriculture, golf courses and tourism».
There will also be an online quiz game that will be hosted on Almargem's existing website and will test the participants' knowledge.
This quiz will also be disseminated to the school public, «fostering its use as a tool for students and teachers of the 1st cycle of schooling, on the theme of water, seeking to inform and raise awareness in a “light”, playful and didactic way” .
The region's school audience “will be involved in a few more actions, but in formats adapted to the current reality of the pandemic situation by Covid-19, thus favoring online channels,” adds Almargem.
Furthermore, «with the objective of making information available and simplifying for the entire population», a “Digital Guide – Tips on water saving and environmental policy decoder” will be prepared, which aims to «encourage the adoption and change of behaviors that lead to efficient use and saving of water, awakening or increasing their environmental awareness».
To this end, «many of the tips already disclosed by Almargem throughout this year will be used, in the form of “Challenges”, on the association's Facebook page».
The actions foreseen in the “#AÚltimaGota_Algarve” application will be developed until November 30th.
Almargem «intends to continue the work on this theme, taking advantage of the resources that will be created in this area for the dissemination of information, reaching a greater number of people, and also continuing the efforts it has been developing to meet with the different entities. with decision-making power and water management in the region».
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