| Brief | With the “Mare Mostro” Operation, The Italian NGO Marevivo has chosen to operate effectively against the microplastics phenomenon through a series of meetings and engagement moments, involving a wide audience spectrum including also maritime institutions, politicians and children.The insight is already in the naming: we are very close from turning our “Mare Nostro” (from “Mare Nostrum”, the name with which the Roman Empire called the Mediterranean Sea) into “Mare Mostro”, the monstrous sea. Less than 30 years. Just like from Mare Nostro to Mare Mostro, it’s only about changing a consonant. The plastic monster has become the leitmotif of the entire operation and, thanks to the support from the public and the endorsement of the Italian government, on the 27th of December 2017, the “Mare Mostro”, has officially become illegal in Italy with a law that bans the trade of cosmetics containing microplastics.The “Mare Mostro”, represented in a 3D impact image, was the symbol of an intense calendar of activities, started with a phase dedicated on generating awareness, and culminating in a petition on change.com for the launch of the law proposal.Started in 2016 with a travelling event on board of the historical vessel Amerigo Vespucci, the following year the campaign continued to promote the public’s awareness of the problem, through volunteering activities, school projects, TV presences and over 100 new meetings across the Italian territory with maritime institutions, such as: Coast Guards, Port Captaincies and sea stakeholders.An effective PR activity that brought the government to bend the business logics with the approval of a law that banned the trade of cosmetics containing microplastics on the 27th of December 2017 and celebrated on a national scale. The campaign is still ongoing, continuing to fight for change. |
