In Spain, weavers reuse shopping bags to shield from sun

A group of women use recycled materials to weave canopies during a workshop in Valverde de la Vera, as part of the "Weaving the Streets" project, to protect people from the intense summer heat, in the province of Caceres, Spain, August 26, 2022. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
A group of women use recycled materials to weave canopies during a workshop in Valverde de la Vera, as part of the "Weaving the Streets" project, to protect people from the intense summer heat, in the province of Caceres, Spain, August 26, 2022. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
The sun beats down on the narrow streets of the Spanish village of Valverde de la Vera, filtered through multi-coloured shades made out of plastic shopping bags and the remains of old advertising billboards.

A group of mostly elderly residents have got together to weave the panels out of recycled materials to decorate their home, protect their neighbours from the scorching heat and do their bit for the environment.

People walk under canopies created with recycled material on display over the streets of Valverde de la Vera as part of the “Weaving the Streets” project

“We value the shade, especially because of the high temperatures that we have had this year, but also because … they were made by people from the village,” resident Marina Fernandez, a 41-year-old architect and designer, told Reuters.

Spain has suffered three unusually long heatwaves this summer that have stoked devastating wildfires and exacerbated one of the worst droughts in decades.

Rosita Alonso uses recycled material to weave canopies during a workshop

Weavers use knitting needles to wind the plastic into thin strips which are then made into shades and hung over the streets to shield people from the sun.

Some of the shades show images of a woman meeting a man while others are simply a blaze of bright colours.

Founder of “Weaving the Streets” project, Marina Fernandez Ramos and her father Manuel, put on display one of the canopies made of recycled material

Manuel Fernandez Sanchez, a 69-year-old retired teacher, said weaving was not just for women in this village of 483 people about 150 km (90 miles) west of Madrid.

“We are a small community … A public arts project is very interesting for the village from many points of view: social, environmental, from a human point of view, and for tourism,” he said as he worked away at another strand of recycled plastic.

Canopies created with recycled material are displayed over the main square of Valverde de la Vera 

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