The company that owns El Hierro’s Wind-Pumped Hydro Power Station, Gorona del Viento, commemorated World Environment Day on 5 June with an awareness-raising campaign entitled “Eco-Challenges”, among the local community and aimed particularly those of school age.
Through the Sustainability and Environmental Innovation Bureau (and within the framework of its Corporate Social Responsibility Plan), Gorona del Viento has once again targeted pupils from around the Meridian Island with a campaign to promote good habits in energy consumption, the responsible use of water, mobility, etc.
The campaign distributed posters containing Eco-Challenges, with the idea that the young people, their teachers and their families will put them into practice. Along with the continuous awareness-raising campaigns undertaken on various issues by El Hierro Island Council, partnerships and other bodies, “We at Gorona del Viento want to encourage good habits in using the resources that nature has provided. The existence of dates such as World Environment Day gives us an opportunity to boost our relationship with the local population and to highlight the need to take care of the planet,” explained the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Santiago González, during one of the school visits.
“The pandemic and its consequences for social relations has changed the way in which we interact with the public, but we want to adapt quickly to the new reality, and that’s why we’re using technology to enhance the campaign,” added Mr González. The Echo-Challenge poster will be distributed, thanks to the support of the school community, via the customary communications channels with families, and will be available on the Gorona del Viento website, www.goronadelviento.es.
“The Wind-Pumped Hydro Power Station succeeded in meeting 77% of El Hierro’s demand for electricity with renewables during May 2021. This is a milestone from the point of view of electricity generation, but it also marks an important step in the achievement of our community’s environmental objectives”, continued Mr González, “and that’s why we have an open dissemination policy so that on one hand, we can inform people of the efforts that are being made and, on the other, take those efforts forward”.
The Eco-Challenges were designed in partnership with the El Hierro Biosphere Reserve and a student on the Senior Cycle of the Illustration course at Fernando Estévez Higher Education College of Art and Design. The interaction between Gorona del Viento El Hierro and the educational institutions is continuing this year through the development of placements that will support specialisation by young people who will soon form part of the labour market.
