Organic Sicily: grows from nature

It is known that Sicily is a land characterized by many economic, productive and sociocultural problems, but it is also one of the richest regions in terms of natural resources being, by extension, the most biological region of Europe. In this sense, Sicily can be considered as a land of abundance due to the enormous quantity of renewable resources available on the island. In this context, current European policies focused on the promotion and dissemination of the circular and bio economy, are particularly suited to the development of a Sicilian economy capable of integrating economic, environmental and social growth. Among the numerous organic surpluses available to Sicily, the beached residues of posidonia oceanica, with its 22,500 tons deposited on the Sicilian coast each year, represent a problem of difficult management for the municipal administrations. Based on this scenario, a design-oriented territorial development model was designed in order to enhance the beached residues in a new sustainable bioplastics. This operation has allowed the recovery of a material that has always been considered a waste and its consequent transformation into a resource, allowing a high ethical, ecological and social value for the entire territory. This new strategy triggers win-win relationships between individuals, local administrations and businesses for the actors involved, guaranteeing economic and environmental benefits. Participation and collaboration thus become the two distinctive elements of this paradigm shift, where the territory and its physical, human and natural resources are the true creators of this innovative and environmental development. An innovation that drives us to rethink the way we do business as it is now considered.