I’m going to speak about some kinds of pollution, for example air pollution or acid rain, water pollution. Now different kinds of trees, many of the animals, birds, fish are in serious danger. What should government do to stop the polluting, nowadays?
First of all I would like to speak about water pollution There is no ocean or sea which is not used as a dump. Many rivers and lakes are poisoned, too. Fish and reptiles can’t live in them. There is not enough oxygen in the water. It happens so because factories and plants produce a lot of waste and pour it into rivers. In the 1970s, many of the elm trees in Europe were killed by Dutch elm disease. Now an even greater danger is threatening the woods and forests of Europe. This new danger attacks all trees – deciduous trees like oak, beech, birch as well as coniferous trees like fir and pine. First the branches turn yellow and brown. Then the tree’s needles or leaves fall. The roots and the trunk shrink. Finally the tree die. But what is killing the trees. Nobody knows exactly but it is probably air pollution or acid rain. Factories, power stations, cars emit tons of smoke into the air. This smoke contains sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. These substances mix with water vapour in the atmosphere and form sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Sunlight turns these acids into the poisonous oxidants which fall in rain or snow onto the trees. Unfortunately acid rain doesn’t always fall on the countries which produce the pollution. The wind carries the poisonous substances from one country to another. In some parts of the world trees are threatened by people. The great rain forests of Asia or South America are being destroyed for firewood and building material. Trees are important because they provide home for many other plants and animals. They provide food for insects, reptiles, birds and mammals. They protect the soil from the wind and rain. It may be that the medicines we need will be discovered in wild plants in savannas, deserts or rainforests. Most important of all Trees are the lungs of the planet. If the trees die, we will too. Animals and birds are in danger too. Many of the animals are now extinct. The reason is a Man that killed animals and destroys their habitats. We used a lot of electricity. Our house is full of electrical appliances. Using electricity doesn’t cause the pollution, but making it does. There are many way to make electricity. For example, Nuclear Power Stations, HydroElectric Power Stations, Fossil Fuel Power Stations and some alternative means of energy like windmills and solar mirrors. They all have there advantages and disadvantages. Nuclear Power Station doesn’t cause any pollution and it is very effective, but It has to be build and looked after very well, the used fuel needs to be stored very carefully and it still give out the radiation. Hydroelectric Power Station also doesn’t cause any pollution and there is no fuel to pay for. But dams can cause flooding, it is expensive to build because it should be build up to very high standards. Fossil Fuel Power Station is cheap and the world has large stocks of fuel. It causes acid rain and a global warming effect. Alternative means of energy don’t cause any pollution, they are cheap and there is no fuel to pay for. But now they are not effective enough and are very noisy. To produce much electricity you need to build a lot of them – it’s expensive. We need to choose cheap electricity and polluting the environment and expensive electricity but healthy life and clean environment. But what government can do with it? I think government can stop producing nuclear and chimic weapon, allocate more money to various environmental projects, use organic fertilizer, install purifying systems, plant and grow trees bushes and other greenery. Mass media should atrach people’s attention to environmental problems.
Everything I have already spoken about it is only a small part of nowadays polluting the environment. Everyone should remembers when he kills a plant or animal he kills a part of himself because everything in the world is interconnected. And people should to protect the nature but not to kill it.
ENVIRONMENT IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY
Sustainability has been the most emblematic term of recent years. Initially defined in environmental terms, it now embraces socio-economic visions. A sustainable approach cannot be conceived without environmental awareness, social and economic integration and citizens’ participation. In this sense, nowadays, civil society, government, business and industry have strengthened partnerships and concret actions to promote the sustainable development.
However, these segments should increase the efforts for the building of a global community, guided and oriented by the rules of ethics, peace and preservation of the integrity of the quality of people’s lives. This compliance can become reality by means of the transforming participation of everyone. The Latin Conference on Environment – Ecolatina aims to contribute for a constructive dialogue towards to the challenge of this new global community.
Knowledge, information, update, discussion, participation, interchange. “Ecolatina” can be characterised as an expressive initiative on environmental information allowing accumulation of the “knowledge” for the basis of sustainable public political and entrepreneurial actions. The Conference will constitute a chance for all citizen, from the productive sector to the civil society to promote a better world with enviromental responsibility for the present and future generations.
1. What is Green Action?
Green Action ( Zelena Akcija ) is a non-govermental, non profit organisation registered in Januar 1990. Based in Zagreb, GA is actively involved in enviromental issues of local, national and international significance. GA is not affiliated with any political party and is based on the efforts of volunteers, supported by a proffesional team of around 10 people. GA has 250 members.
The goal of GA is to promote enviromentally sound and sustainable development. Our key priority is to encourage and facilitate public participation in decision-making processes relevant to the enviroment and improvement of quality of life in Croatia.
2. The bodies of Green Action
Annual assembly (members)
Advisory Council (an advisory body of about 15 specialists and scientists)
Supervisory Committee ( 3 NGO-experts from Croatia)
Executive Committee (consists 7 professionals and leaders of GA programs)
3. Programs of Green Action
3.1. Green Phone
Green Phone was established in early 1992 to facilitate public participation in the solving of local enviromental problems. Over 8000 calls have been taken in that time. As a direct result of GP activities, ZA is consistently the most visible environmental NGO in the Croatian media.
Seven Croatian environmental NGOs joined the forces and founded the Green Phone Network. A unique and memorable phone number has been set for the whole country. The network is coordinated by GA.
3.2. GMOs campaign
The successful national GMOs campaign of GMO food (1999) have been transformed into a long-term GMOs program. During 1999 we managed to put the issue on the political agenda and to make it apopular topic for the media. In 2000, a report on the state of Gmo food in Croatia was published in cooperation with ANPED.
This year we have a campaign for bringing the law that will stop the production of GMO food in the state and the import of GMO food in Croatia. Currently we are publishing weekly in media black / white list of food companies in the state.
3.3. Energy program
This is one of the most active and long-term programs in GA, with the aim to limit human-induced climate change and to promote renewable energy use and efficiency. Recent accomplishments are SOS FOR MT VELEBIT (1997) and SOS FOR ADRIATIC (1998) campaigns. Both aimed to prevent construction of a coal power plant in the Velebit Nature Park and on the Adriatic coast respectably. The former included a petition signed by more than 72000 people, the later involved a Solar exhibition tour through the 20 largest towns along the coast. The result of such successful campaign was creation of Solar Info Center.
SOLAR INFO CENTER is an informative and educative project that contains a solar exhibition, a touring solar exhibition, a library and education program. The Touring Solar exhibition has, in 2000, been shown in almost all Croatian towns. GA is also active within the Climate Action Network for Central and Eastern Europe (CANCEE).
3.4. Nature protection
Although GA has had nature protection campaigns and projects since its early days only recently this had developed into a program (1999-2000). The priority issue is monitoring and implementation in areas (round tables, small actions to stop illegal construction work and missmanagment were organised in such areas). Two major campaigns are underway: Stop forest fires (protection of Mediterranean forests) and protection of the Mt. Velebit MAB Reserve.
3.5. Local Agenda 21
The program started in 1996, as aresult of Green Phone calls regarding environmental issues in Zagreb and its surroundings. Its aim is to cooperate and assist to 34 local administrative units and communities in Zagreb region. From 1997 GA yearly publishes environment studies of Zagreb County.
3.6. Activist group
AG is group of 30-40 young volunteers coordinated by 8 more experienced activists. The purposes of AG are to support campaigns and advocacy efforts of GA programs, to react fast on enviromental problems with ad hoc direct actions and to educate environmental activists, primarily students.
Activities of AG during a year are: 1 eco seminar and several lectures for new members, 5-6 clean-up actions, 7-8 advocacy actions, mostly within the program activities of GA, providing help in distribution of materials or collection of petitions and holding weekly planing and actions preparatory meetings.
AG is also working own projects and campaigns. Current ones are Bike campaign and project of eco volunteerism supported with publication of eco newsletter “Deadline”.
4. Other projects
4.1. Friends of the Earth
In the summer 2000 Green Action became a member of this big environmental network. With this membership came also the projects and campaigns in which will GA participate together with the strongest environmental NGOs. Within this network GA is especially active in FoE MedNet which si Mediterranean sub-network.
4.2. Secretariat of SEEEN (Southeastern Europe Environmental Network)
Environmental NGOs from the region formed the regional SEE network at the 1st Conference of Sustainable Development in the Balkans to organize and join their efforts in environmental protection. GA and DEM/FoE Macedonia were elected to serve as secretariat for the network.
4.3. Activities in SEEYN (South East Europe Youth Network)
GA is member of this network from the beginning. It has contributed to creatings of policies and statute of this network, organised one work camp and one environmental seminar. It’s also taking part in voluntary exchange.
All Along a River
In the growing age of information technology, lessons are no longer restricted to textbooks. This is especially so for the subject of Geography which focus on the process of landform building and the application of facts in the modern world. Hence, this webpage aims to provide an interactive learning resource that both students and teachers can use as a virtual learning tool, creating a win-win situation for both parties. For the teachers, they would be able to make use of multimedia to conduct lessons that are livelier. And for the students, they would no longer have to go through the tedious memory work of studying again, but yet at the same time, be able to fully understand this earth s wonder. This project sought to bring about the various landforms and distinctions along a river through a trail. Many renowned rivers throughout the world also broaden the knowledge of students and increase their interest towards what many people call The flow of life . This is because we understand that what students remember as they step into the society in the future is not How a river is formed but How people relate to rivers . Hence, our project maximises the use of IT to provide a different learning experience for students, making monotonous textbook an object of yesteryear. Visit Site