GREEN EUROPE BEGINS WITH US
We are all proud that Latvia is a clean, green country, where innovative and green decisions are made. However, there are still dangerous patches on our green map. If the main roads are clean and the streets in the city are often really tidy, when we leave the centre we can stumble upon unauthorised (disastrous) dumping sites. There are large and small dumps everywhere. The cleanliness and tidiness of streets, parks, roads and yards are dealt with by the municipal authorities, but unauthorised dumps are still a threat to the environment. They usually occur in sparsely populated areas or on the outskirts of big cities, so they are invisible to most people, but they pose a danger to the local ecosystem. We therefore want to help society to reduce the number of such dumps and get rid of them altogether in the future, as well as to get rid of harmful non-ecological thinking.
A static dump is growing on its own, where yesterday there were 10 bags of rubbish, tomorrow there may be 50, and a week later there may be even more. The dump is piling up, settling into dense layers and heating up. A slow combustion process begins, releasing highly toxic substances. These persist in the environment, concentrate in the biomass and enter the food chains. These substances are super-toxic, dangerous and universal cellular poisons that affect all living things.
The concentration of waste in areas where landfill sites are formed is a threat to nature – flora and fauna – and is also unsafe for humans.
For example, the fauna of a landfill site changes: various pests and rodents can appear, transmitting diseases that are also dangerous to humans.
Disposal sites occur close to where people live, not in designated and protected areas. They are often filled with debris, chemicals that can be lethal to surrounding animals and plants, contaminate and destroy the natural soil and ground. Plastic waste poses no less of a threat to animals and plants.
It has been scientifically proven that people living near landfills can cause health risks, chronic diseases and long-term health problems.
Such dumps often become sources of fires and can lead to the destruction of many hectares of forest.
In addition, each disastrous dump is a further contribution to the greenhouse effect, which creates new ecological problems.
According to the State Environment Service, there are 3 251 legal landfills in Latvia that comply with safety standards for waste storage and recycling. This is more than enough. However, human laziness and non-ecological thinking are causing many people to pollute the surrounding environment. We want to reduce this threat with the help of volunteers.
Our and our project’s most important OBJECTIVES:
Involve young people in environmental protection.
To enable young people to understand their potential in society through non-formal education, discussion, practical
volunteering and dialogue with experts and institutions. To learn how every young person can contribute to a green Europe
To contribute to the implementation of the Green Agenda.
To organise an inclusive volunteering group, involving young people with different abilities and backgrounds
young people with different social backgrounds, and to enable young people with fewer opportunities to realise themselves in the project.
To make young people aware of their rights and responsibilities in society through the practice of tackling fly-tipping. To enable
young people to understand how they can influence and shape the social environment around them, within the framework of existing legislation, if they take
active citizenship. What each of them can do to change the world around them and make it greener.
In the process of volunteering, young people must not only learn about environmental protection, but also understand age discrimination,
racism, gender bias. Appreciate the winning position of solidarity and constructive dialogue
in problem solving. Demonstrate in practice the fundamental principle of the European Union: our diversity is our strength
If you too care about a green Lavia and a green Europe, if you are in favour of cleaning up the environment and people’s responsibility towards their planet – join the project team or visit our events!
Follow our FB page for updates on planned events and sign up!
https://www.facebook.com/AltRealityLV
Co-funded by the European Union. This publication reflects the views and opinions only of the author, and not necessarily those of the European Union, the European Commission or the National Agency (Agency for International Youth Programmes), which are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
