Sustainable Samothraki

The Sustainable Samothraki initiative is a multifaceted transdisciplinary project, aiming to outline a sustainable future for the Greek island of Samothraki as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, through participatory research, citizen science, education and outreach activities.

Composting – Nature’s Way of Recycling

As part of this long lasting initiative, DISSCO, in strong collaboration with local association “Sustainable Samothraki” co-designed a composting activity to better understand the waste system on the island, in order to assist the local Municipality in implementing a new waste management plan and steer the local economy towards resource circularity.

This composting initiative came about as a result of previous studies performed by researchers and students of the Institute of Social Ecology, BOKU University, Vienna, during the yearly International Summer Schools held on site.

In collaboration with the RE:THINK team from Kalamata, three large wooden composters have been installed at primary schools on the island to engage the local community in the composting process.

Educators, students, and parents were informed about composting and the correct use of the composting bins.

The project included educational games and activities to inform the community about composting and its importance. By engaging multiple stakeholders in the decision-making, the project also aimed to contribute to decentralizing the waste management process.