An acclaimed initiative in Cyprus is teaching young learners about investing in their futures, and the country is repurposing otherwise hazardous waste as part of the process.
As detailed by Reuters, scientists have brought the Tiganokinisi, which loosely means frying pan movement in Greek, to schools across the island nation. To participate, children donate used cooking oil from their homes that would otherwise be discarded, and it is collected and turned into biodiesel.
According to the report, Cyprus tosses millions of liters of cooking oil every year, and the waste is known to clog drains, contaminate groundwater, and spark fires in landfills.
While cooking oil isn't the only cause of fires, the blazes are still of particular concern, as the Mediterranean country has hot, dry summers. Rising global temperatures have also supercharged extreme weather conditions such as heat waves and droughts, exacerbating the risk of severe and frequent wildfires, per the International Association of Wildland Fire.
The more oil a participating school contributes toward biodiesel, which is then sold as biofuel, the greater the percentage of proceeds it receives. Students then help determine how their educational facilities should spend the funds.
As of Feb. 6, the frying pan initiative had funneled more than €550,000 (around $596,000) to schools for projects such as the installation of photovoltaic panels (which transform sunlight into clean energy), water fountains, and aromatic gardens, per Reuters.
The Cypriot education ministry has thrown its weight behind the program, which has been an official part of the school curriculum since 2018. More than 80,000 children participate each year, preventing approximately 10% of all domestic cooking oil from going to waste.
"The logistics are huge," said Xenia Loizidou, chair of the AKTI Project and Research Centre, which coordinates the program's oil collection. In 2021, the program even caught the eye of Chevron, which fully funds the scientific caravan as it travels to more than 500 schools.
The oil and gas giant has come under intense scrutiny for some of its business practices. For instance, critics have argued the company's investment in biodiesel — a less polluting form of energy than traditional diesel — is a form of greenwashing. According to ClientEarth, Chevron "has no targets in place to facilitate" a transition away from dirty fuels."
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Giving me money back 💰 Nonetheless, the European Commission and Global Education Network Europe have recognized Tiganokinisi as a gold-standard initiative moving the needle in a positive direction.
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"We want the children to know waste is not waste. Waste has value, and this is the whole concept of a circular economy," Loizidou told Reuters.
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