For almost a decade, the Tibu-Ron beach bar on Castelldefels beach has been leading a pioneering environmental awareness initiative that transforms a gesture as simple as picking up cigarette butts into an action with real impact. The project "Limpiamos la playa, cuidamos el planeta" (Clean the beach, take care of the planet) was born in 2016, and summer after summer it manages to encourage neighbours, tourists and, above all, families with children who want to contribute to a cleaner coastline.
A free drink in exchange for a glass full of cigarette butts
The proposal is as simple as it is effective: whoever fills a glass with cigarette butts collected from the sand and returns it to the beach bar will receive a free beer or soft drink. This is a direct way to encourage citizen collaboration and, at the same time, to remind people of the devastating effects of tobacco on the marine environment. Just know that a single cigarette filter can contaminate up to three litres of seawater. In addition, cigarette butts release toxic substances that can take between five and twenty years to decompose, and many marine species mistake them for food. With this initiative, Tibu-Ron not only cleans the beach, but also busts the myth that "a single cigarette butt is harmless".
Over the years, the campaign has been very well received, especially by foreign visitors and children, who make collecting discarded cigarettes and exchanging them for a drink a fun activity with a positive impact on the environment.
To further facilitate the involvement of beachgoers, the beach bar offers free beach ashtrays. The idea is to prevent cigarette butts from ending up in the sand and to raise awareness that this is everyone's responsibility. But this is not the only sustainable action of Tibu-Ron Group, a gastronomic group that has six establishments in Castelldefels and wears sustainability as a badge of honour.
Commitment to the environment and people
In addition to adhering to the Commitment to Sustainable Tourism Destination Barcelona, Tibu-Ron is part of the Chiringuitos Responsables (Responsible Beach Bars) programme and follows the Decalogue of Good Environmental Practices by the Biodiversity Foundation. This involves measures such as keeping the space occupied on the beach clean, reducing water consumption and prioritising the use of recyclable materials. In fact, traditional plastic cups have been replaced by PLA ones, a material derived from corn and which is 100% biodegradable, and plastic straws, cutlery and containers have also been eliminated and replaced by wooden or paper alternatives.
However, sustainability does not stop at the beach. The group promotes Siguem Solidaris (Let's show solidarity), a project that includes actions such as the collection of plastic bottle tops for the fight against childhood cancer and collaborates with NGOs dedicated to various causes.
More than leisure at the beach
What started as a small ice cream stand with four chairs in 2003 more than twenty years ago, is now a gastronomic space with live music, sporting events, themed parties and a bohemian atmosphere on the beachfront. However, its essence has not changed: a place to have fun while respecting the environment.
"Our responsibility goes beyond offering products and services to customers. It is essential that we develop our activities taking into account the needs of society, the environment and people," the group explains. With every cup of cigarette butts collected and every piece of plastic saved, Tibu-Ron proves that tourism and leisure can be great allies of the environment.
