From Naxos to Koufonisia, Schinoussa, Irakleia and back to Naxos, the All For Blue team, in collaboration with Garnier, carried out another multi-day environmental mission across the Small Cyclades, featuring underwater and coastal clean-ups, educational activities, and the active participation of local communities. At every stop along the journey, people with shared vision joined forces, proving that protecting the marine environment begins with collective action.
Every mission leaves its mark, not only on the coastlines and the seabeds, but also on the people who experience it. Two volunteers who took part in the mission share their thoughts and feelings about this unique experience.
Antigoni Vasilopoulou – All For Blue Volunteer:
Every All For Blue mission leaves me with something different. This one, in the Small Cyclades, reminded me once again how easy it is for humans to harm even the most beautiful places, but also how powerful we can be when we decide to protect them together.
Seeing waste in those crystal-clear blue waters filled me with sadness. But every time we lifted another piece of litter from the seabed, that sadness turned into hope. Hope because we were there, together with a team of people who chose not just to witness the problem, but to become part of the solution. I truly feel grateful to have been part of this mission, alongside the All For Blue family and with the support of the people at Garnier.
The sea cannot ask for help. But we can speak up and, most importantly, take action for it. As an athlete, I am fortunate enough to spend countless hours in the water, and every dive reminds me that the world beneath the surface deserves to be richer in life and poorer in human neglect. Because we are not only protecting the water. We are protecting every form of life it sustains, as well as a part of our own future.
Vasilis Kalogeropoulos – All For Blue Volunteer:
The sea is not simply the place where I work or train. It is my home. It is where I have experienced some of the most powerful moments of my life, and that is why I feel it is my responsibility to give back at least a small part of everything it has given me.
That is why every All For Blue mission holds a special meaning for me. It is not just a clean-up. It is an act of love and respect for the sea and for all the creatures that live within it.
Over the past few days, we travelled from Naxos to Koufonisia, Schinoussa, Irakleia and back to Naxos, carrying out underwater and coastal clean-ups together with an incredible group of people. With the support of Garnier.
Every net filled with waste that we collected was a small victory. Because behind every piece of plastic removed, there is a fish that will not become trapped, a turtle that will not mistake it for food, and a seabed that will continue to breathe.
A heartfelt thank you to the All For Blue team for everything they have been doing with dedication over all these years, and to Garnier for choosing to support this effort.
The sea gives us so much, so generously. The least we can do is take care of it.
With a shared vision and collective action, together with Garnier:
“We protect our seas. We protect our summers.”