Recycling tree to celebrate Christmas at the Bioparco in Rome

Environmentally friendly Christmas at Rome’s Bioparco, where from today it is possible to admire a special Christmas tree, an installation made exclusively with waste materials, mostly plastic. The recycling tree was inaugurated today by the Councilor for the Environment of Rome Capital Sabrina Alfonsi, together with the President of the Bioparco Paola Palanza, it is located on Largo Vittorio Gassman, the square in front of the Bioparco ticket offices, which can be accessed without a ticket input. It is 7 meters high and is made up of 2,500 plastic bottles, recovered from businesses, private homes and from visitors to the Biopark. The bottles are worked one by one and tied to an iron structure recovered from manufacturing scraps. The decorations reproduce some animals guests of the park, in particular the species most affected by the impact of plastic in the environment, such as penguins, sea lions, tortoises. Even the decorations are made by recycling waste with plastics, together with waste from industrial, construction and artisanal processes such as insulating panels, polystyrene from thermal coats, corrugated pipes, electric cables, and other materials, including many fishing lines found on the beaches. The lights are energy-saving LEDs. The work was created by the artist and naturalist biologist Alessandra Carratù.

The presence of the tree is symbolic – explains President Palanza – it aims to raise awareness among the general public on the issue of the impact of man-made waste on biodiversity and on the importance of individual actions to contribute to the well-being of the environment. Panels have also been installed inside the park that describes in a simple and effective way the damage of plastics on the environment and issues such as the recycling and reuse of waste materials“.

Councilor Alfonsi underlined that “this beautiful tree in the Bioparco, a place much visited by Romans and tourists, launches a powerful message on the fundamental importance of raising awareness among the community on the issues of environmental sustainability, ecological transition and the impact that behaviors of each of us have to reduce waste production and, in particular, limit the use of plastic. A message that talks about good practices such as the correct differentiation of waste, reuse and recycling to reduce the consumption of raw materials, a necessary change in our behaviors and lifestyles to improve the environmental quality of the city – concludes the Councilor – for the protection of future generations and our ecosystems

President Palanza and Councilor Alfonsi