AlterEco

The AlterEco project was born from the experience that the European Research Institute acquired during the implementation of other projects aimed at protecting high mountain habitats from plastic pollution. As part of the experiments carried out with four Alpine refuges to reduce the use of plastic, the possibility emerged, for example, of replacing the sponges used for washing dishes with sponges made of organic material with a low environmental impact.

AlterEco was conceived as a pilot initiative to verify the feasibility of creating a micro-enterprise for the production of loofah sponges, bringing together this environmental purpose with the aim of encouraging the employment of unemployed-unemployed people and weak present in the territory of Alessandria.

The production of loofah began in the year 2022, in the land that the ERI Foundation has available in the municipality of Solero (AL), with the planting of the first 50 luffa pumpkins, and continued in the year 2023 with the placement of 200 plant. So far the project has given the opportunity to 3 subjects belonging to vulnerable categories, identified in collaboration with the local Social Services, to carry out a 6-month internship, participating in the different phases included in the production of the loofah sponge: preparation of the soil, sowing , planting, harvesting, drying and processing of sponges.

As already mentioned above, the final phase of the project involves a feasibility study with respect to the creation of a micro-enterprise that can continue with the production of loofah sponges in the coming years, promoting its sale and use by a number increasing number of consumers, while raising awareness of the importance of reducing the production of plastic waste.

For more info: Mauro Valdinoci – v.mauro@eri.net.in