ekologia

E-Kolumna 2010 - networking and information exchange for environmental NGOs.

The project aims to integrate and strengthen non-governmental organizations in Poland and to improve the quality of their long term actions on the environment. It also enables the exchange of information and experiences and develop positions between the organizations of the group. It?s most focusing on environmental problems and the strengthening and professionalization of youth environmental organizations.

Actions in the project include meetings of a nationwide organization of environmental organizations, preceded by working group meetings, creating documents held positions on the major ecological problems and submitting them to the authorities, and action to support youth organizations, ekofestyn, publication.

The project is implemented in partnership with the organization of Bulgaria (Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation), and the Polish partner of the Foundation "Institute of Civil Affairs.

In 1993-1997 Intercollegiate Environmental Lobby organized the village column national meetings of environmental organizations. From 1960 to 1980 they were attended by representatives of environmental organizations, also invited guests: scientists, representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the President's office. As a result of these meetings arose including networks and partnerships: A list of 21, Environmental Lobbying Support Office. The most important result was the direct knowledge of the environmental activists, the exchange of information, establishment of partnerships. Many of the contacts established in Kolumna continues today and results in joint actions.

Unfortunately, for 12 years there are not organized meetings for the national environmental organizations. There are only local and thematic group meetings, for example, the Green Federation Congress, meetings of the Polish Green Network, meeting in the Ministry of the Environment (eg on the issue of GMOs). Also holiday festivals, trainings, thematic conferences. However, none of them fits the role of Kolumna. Many groups have been disappeared. Currently, traffic is disintegrated, the activists did not know each other, so cooperation is much more difficult. And this is crucial when it comes to environmental issues. Only joint efforts of many people will ensure the effectiveness of the activities for the environment. Today, the Internet provides a degree of exchange of information. However, a direct meeting and discussion live, getting to know the activists, is incomparably more effective.

Another problem is the lack of space in which that could be discussed and developed strategies and common positions in a larger number of environmental groups. These documents are expected from the authorities and society. They have a stronger impact than scattered and often divergent positions dozens of groups.

There is also a problem that for the new organizations is extremely difficult to start. At first with a small step: informal group of enthusiasts which turns to the role of an effective organization with the knowledge and resources. On one hand, Poland has at least a dozen highly experienced organizations willing to share knowledge with other groups, while a large number of young people struggling with basic problems.

FERSO employees with 16 years working experience in the environmental movement know what is needed. The organisation helped in the previous meetings in the Kolumna and still engaged in environmental issues. However, the need for having to take the actions outlined in this project have also been investigated using questionnaires sent in the autumn of 2008 to several Polish environmentalists. All the surveyed organizations expressed the need for the organization of national meetings. Most organizations indicated that it would meet with other groups irregularly and intermittently, and evaluate the work of medium and low. There is therefore a real need to examine efforts to integrate the environmental movement.

Polskie Centrum Ekotechnologii Budowlanych

Biobudownictwo

Polish Center Building environmental technologies.
The presentation of various energy systems is the main goal of the foundation of the Polish Center for Construction Materials in environmental technologies Mniszkowie (woj.łódzkie).
The resort is to perform the functions of education and research.

In addition, the final stage of the creation of the World Museum of Construction Technology, presenting a cross section through the old, forgotten technologies, innovative and erecting buildings.
One aspect of the project is the development of the Polish conditions are very cheap construction technologies, which may be available to the average, "Smith", which houses cheap, durable and extremely economical to run, ideal technology for use - social housing.
Initiator of the project - the Foundation for Education and Development of Civil Society (FERSO) proposes the following types of buildings:

1. Earthship - zero energy house
2. Strawbale - straw bales
3. Earthbag - sacks of earth
4. Earth sheltered houses - Insulated Ground
1. Cordwood - wood & clay
2. Papercrete houses - from paper pulp
3. Adobe - clay bricks dried in the sun
4. Rammed earth - earth houses whisked
Other experimental materials
Earthship - a house with a tire and the ground
For their construction does not need any special knowledge or skills - one of the basic assumptions of this concept is the ability to independently bring this type of home by its future residents.

Earthshipy is passively heated, autonomous buildings constructed at low cost with locally available materials - including land - and waste. An important element of design are discarded automobile tires, each of which is filled with compacted soil. In addition, the walls of the old place aluminum cans, glass bottles or similar rubbish. Using them for construction use them directly without having to recycling, saving the one hand, the energy, on the other - on the building materials. The aesthetics of the building that does not suffer, because the waste is hidden under a thick layer of clay plaster. This design provides great thermal mass, which allows heating of the building only by solar energy, in virtually any climate. The rays of the sun, shining through the glass wall of the south wall and fall to the floor, warming it. The energy stored in the walls is given back during the night, which keeps the temperature inside the house a few degrees Celsius, even in winter.

The basic and fundamental of the benefits of living in earthshipie is not, in principle, any bills for water, sanitation, electricity - all the needs of such a home and its residents are satisfied by the surrounding nature, using only natural rainfall, wind and solar energy.
Water from rain and melting snow is collected from the surface of the entire roof to a special reservoir tank. Through a structured process of filtration is purified to a state of fitness for consumption. The house uses a triple loop the same water.

Wastewater from the washing machine, shower or sink is called gray water and sewage goes to the filter system, and then watered patch of plants growing in the south, the glass wall. Unused gray water is pumped into the reservoir as needed and used in toilets spłuczce. Thus producing the so-called. black water that goes into the tank from which it is filtered to the bedding placed outside the home. Beds of these are isolated from groundwater, so as to avoid contamination.

The most common combination used to obtain the current solar panels, a windmill and a battery pack. In most places in the world every day, or blows, or the sun shines. The energy extracted at these moments is stored in batteries and used during the day as needed. In places where there is access to a stream or river, you might want to consider connecting the turbine, because the flowing water can be very efficient and completely renewable source of electricity.

Earthship has many a lot of advantages: the relatively low construction costs, virtually no effect on the nature.

In Poland, after building the first Earthship, examining the construction of the Technical University of Lodz and the National Energy Conservation Agency, a representative of Earthship Biotecture in Poland to the Foundation for Education and Development of Civil Society.

If you want to know more about this technology, check this Polish site: www.earthship.pl
or in English: www.earthship.net

Działania w ramach projektu

Project activities

WORKING GROUP MEETING
The Working Group currently has 13 people: the project partners, and several experienced environmental organizations and experts on ecological movement.
Meetings are to discuss the current situation in the environmental movement, the needs and opportunities, the challenges the movement faces with and the most important environmental problems. The proposed publication and further actions to support the Polish environmental movement and civic activity will also be discussed in the meeting program of Spala.
There will be two two-day working group meeting in Spala: in December 2009 and February 2010.
(Meetings held on 4-5 December 2009 and on 12-13 February 2010 in Spala)

MEETING SPAL
The culmination of the project will be a 3-day meeting in Spala (southern Ontario).
At this stage we propose the outline of the program. Details will be worked out by the working group. The final program will be a response to current environmental problems in 2010 and the traffic problems of POE. At the moment, we anticipate that a meeting is May 13-15, 2010.
The proposed outline of the subject - before the first working group meeting:
• Alternative models of social economy at the macro level,
• Partnership with the authorities of environmental organizations,
• Strengthening community involvement,
• Transport policy and energy
• Protection of the Polish countryside and agriculture,

• Protection of valuable natural areas,
• Ecotourism
• Animal Rights,
• The risks of climate change
• Creating a new model of community called EcoTown.

The meeting will be divided into parts: lecture, discussion and work in thematic subgroups. Common positions concerning inter alia, the meeting participants energy, transport, protection of valuable natural areas will be developed. A common strategy consistent absorption of EU funds for environmental and development grounds for the media campaign aimed at creating a consistent image as a professional environmental activist.
It is planned to develop letters / POE positions to the President and the Ministry of Environment in key Polish issues as transportation, energy policy, GMOs.
Field Workshop: the meeting will be held 5-hour classes in Spalskim Natural Landscape Park. Park staff will lead them.
The meeting will be attended by members of approx. 60 environmental organizations, partners, speakers. The meeting will last three days, 8 hours working a day, plus extra classes. Information about the meeting will appear in the media. There will also be prepared posters and leaflets informing about the meeting, which will go to the POE, cultural centers, libraries, university. On recruitment, the survey will be used for investigating the motivation and expectations of participants. Each organization will be able to send an ecological meeting max. 2 representatives.

INCUBATOR
The idea is based on the idea of sharing the practical knowledge of experienced activists with young beginners.
During the meeting in Spala block training is planned for young environmental organizations. 5-hour classes to choose topics will include: finance in the organization, public relations, working with the media, people management, time and work organization, cooperation with authorities, etc. Activities will be conducted by experienced activists and experts in the field.
Experienced organizations will help the young ones. They will share knowledge with them and support them in the work of administrative, legal, organizational. Groups will set the scope and mode of assistance. Groups (elderly plus young 2-3) will be established at a meeting in Spala, and co-operation will begin after the meeting. It is planned to rise at least 5 regional groups.

EKOFESTYN
The one-day environmental festival in Spala during the meeting. It will present manufacturers of healthy, environmentally friendly products, eco-farmers, eco-technologies: home sewage treatment plants, solar panels, mini wind turbines and water. Environmental preservation will be promoted. Moreover, during the festival activities of environmental organizations will be promoted: public campaigns, workshops for schools, green schools, etc. The festival will present an ecological performance of children from kindergarten cooperating with the Foundation in Lodz.

The festival will take place outdoors, in the center Spala. The stands will be located in rented tents.
At the festival will be invited residents, schools and kindergartens to Spala, Tomaszów, Piotrków, and Lodz.

PUBLICATION
After the meeting of environmental organizations a summary of the meeting will be published. It includes texts of speeches, a description of participating organizations, working positions, proposals, a brief description of motion of POE with a vision for the future. Capacity: max. 100 pages, circulation 1000 copies The book will be sent to the participants, to other environmental organizations that have expressed an interest in, the key institutions working in Poland with POE.

Supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanism, as well as from the budget of the Polish Republic’s NGO Fund.

Eko Lekcje

IMAX - workshops for children
Eco Lessons

The team of educators from foundations FERSO leads a series of workshops in the cinema Cinema City. The workshops are inspired by films from the current nature films. Their aim is to make children from primary schools and kindergartens understand the natural world around us.

'Eco Lessons' were offered by the cinema "Cinema City " at the beginning of September 2009. The film which was shown was"Under a sheet of the ocean”. The event opened the organized meeting for teachers from schools.

The meeting began with a brief introduction to the kids about the water world. Children got information about the flora and fauna of the underwater world.

Watching a film in 3D was an additional attraction for the kids! After the film we invited students to the workshops, which was interactive, let them to understand better what they've learned by the film.

Kids were really enthusiastic and surely came with the new knowledge with the Eco Lessons!

In addition to educational benefits, the children were given diplomas and awards as memories.

Klub Przyjaciół Ziemi

Klub Przyjaciół Ziemi- environmental education

Klub Przyjaciół Ziemi

From June 2008 FERSO Foundation with partners implements the project "Club of Friends of the Earth. " The Club invites teachers who want to improve their competence in environmental education and offers interesting workshops for children

The project is funded by the Norweski Mechanizm Finansowy.