Małopolska joined the celebration of the European Green Week – Green Week
Once again the Małopolska Region joined in the celebrations of the European Green Week. This year’s main themes were nature and biodiversity, as well as their impact on society and the economy. This edition was an opportunity to assess the impact of our daily choices on the environment. It was also an opportunity to highlight the importance of biodiversity for society and the economy. What role it can play in supporting and stimulating economic recovery after a pandemic.
The EU Green Week events took place from 21 to 27 September this year. However, some events have been moved to October.
We present below reports from the celebrations in individual municipalities of the Małopolska Region.
Municipality of Chełmiec
The event was attended by students from six primary schools in the Chełmiec commune. The trees were planted from September 25, 2020 to October 8, 2020. Thanks to the involvement of children, youth and teachers, 164 trees and shrubs will decorate the space around schools in Chełmiec, Trzetrzewin, Marcinkowice, Chomranice, Wielogłów and Krasne Potock. About 400 people took part in the event.
In the first stage of the campaign, pupils and their tutors analysed and selected species of trees and shrubs that would be suitable for the space around their school. Once the trees had been ordered, the students set to work. Shovels, rakes and watering cans were used. Bernard Stawiarski, the mayor of Chełmiec, also helped the students. After planting all the trees, each class labeled their seedling, which they will take care of for the next few years. The participants also received leaflets and brochures encouraging them to take care of the natural environment. Ecological bags made of transported PET bottles and notebooks with covers encouraging young people to make ecological choices in their everyday lives.
Municipality of Czernichów
On 01.10. this year. A meeting of an eco-manager with children from the Primary School in Przeginia Duchowna took place in the framework of the integrated LIFE project entitled “Implementation of the Air Quality Plan for the Małopolska Region – Malopolska in a healthy atmosphere”. As part of the meeting at the school, Eco-manager from the “LIFE” project and Eco-manager from the “EKOTEAM” program raised the issues of air protection as part of the European Green Week celebrations, stressed the importance of good waste management habits in everyday life and how to protect the natural environment. A dialogue with children was established in the question-answer system, topics were developed by playing segregation with the use of colored garbage bags. As part of the celebrations of the European Sustainable Transport Week, children were shown the possibilities of alternative ecological forms of transport and presented how the daily ecological attitudes have a huge impact on shaping the natural environment and protecting the air. At the end of the meeting, students were given worksheets on smog and air protection.
Municipality of Gromnik
The Gromnik commune actively participated in the celebration of this year’s Green Week. The eco-manager organized several meetings in schools with students of the 2nd and 5th grade of Primary School. Younger students made posters entitled Code of the Little Ecologist and Recipe for a beautiful world, while older students developed a poster entitled Eco-student. During the activities, the eco-manager discussed basic issues related to air pollution. In addition, pupils solved rebus puzzles and tasks related to environmental protection. Moreover, a meeting was organized with pupils of grades I-III as part of thematic classes in the school common room.
On September 23, 2020, a meeting with the Senior Club in Siemiechów entitled “My Eco-Manager”. During the meeting, the topic of air pollution and its limitation was discussed. Moreover, information was provided on aid programs for the replacement of ineffective heating sources and thermal modernization of buildings.
The participants were informed about PP “Clean Air”, thermomodernization relief, and about PP “My Water”. The position and role of the eco-manager was also presented, as well as the activities carried out so far in the Gromnik commune. Additionally, in connection with the celebrated Green Week and the European Week of Sustainable Transport, Seniors from Siemiechów signed the ECO SENIOR DECLARATION.
At the end of the Green Week, an environmental competition was announced for classes IV-VIII. Pupils made leaflets and spots promoting environmental protection and a healthy lifestyle. The winners of the competition will be announced soon.
Municipality of Lubień
On 6 September 2020, classes Va, Vb, VI, VIIa, VIIb and VIIc of the Primary School in Tenczyn, together with their teachers and tutors, took part in the Clean Up the World action as part of the celebrations of the European Green Week.
The weather that day was favorable. The students enthusiastically took action. Almost everyone noticed that this year there was much less garbage than in previous years. Admittedly, there was less rubbish, but still it is present in our common public space. There were also interesting finds this time, such as an old vacuum cleaner, a huge fuel canister, construction waste, and countless cans and bottles. This is more and more surprising, as residents are obliged to segregate waste and pay for its disposal.
Probably a lot of water will flow through our (now beautifully cleaned) Tenczynka, before some people start to think more ecologically.
Municipality of Łapsze Niżne
This year’s Green Week celebrations in the Łapsze Niżne commune were an opportunity to learn about the rich world of nature that surrounds us. The main theme of the campaign, focusing on biodiversity, created an opportunity to show the youngest inhabitants of the commune how important it is for humans to preserve the diversity of plant and animal species and to care for the natural environment. This year, due to the ongoing epidemiological situation, the activities were mostly transferred to the virtual world. As part of the campaign under the slogan “In harmony with nature”, from 12 to 16 October 2020, in agreement with the headmasters, lessons on biodiversity – mainly local – were organized in primary schools in the municipality; educational materials and infographics containing the most important information were developed and distributed by an Eco-manager. In addition, an information campaign was carried out in the area of the Commune Office at the indicated date. All applicants visiting the Eco-manager’s stand were handed out educational gadgets received as part of this year’s campaign, and information on biodiversity and broadly understood environmental protection was provided.
Municipality of Miechów
As part of this event, on 25 September 2020, classes with an Eco-manager were held in a pre-school group from Primary School No. 2 in Miechów. The meeting started with a discussion on smog and combustion. The children actively participated in the classes, answering questions which concerned mainly air protection. A topic related to nature was also raised. The discussion focused on the benefits of taking care of the environment and the surrounding nature. As part of the workshop, the children made their own gardens in jars. They showed great creativity and commitment.
Municipality of Nawojowa
As part of the Green Week celebrations, an Eco-manager held environmental education activities in Primary Schools in the municipality. The lectures concerned air protection, waste segregation and emphasising the importance of nature and biodiversity for the society and economy.
The lessons were conducted in younger classes. Young inhabitants of the Nawojowa Commune willingly participated in the lessons and showed great knowledge in the field of ecology. The pupils willingly took part in the discussion and answered questions on air protection prepared by the Eco-manager.
The Eco-manager gave the children important information on how to develop good ecological habits, as it is well known that taking care of the environment is important from an early age.
As part of the Green Week celebrations, the children received air protection leaflets and backpacks with the LIFE project logo.
Municipality of Stryszów
As part of this year’s EU Green Week on 21.09.2020 during a panel discussion with an Eco-manager in schools in the Stryszów commune, the panel participants (mainly children from classes VIII) learned what the European Green Week is and what it promotes.
The most active of them were awarded small gifts related to the event.
Municipality of Świątniki Górne
“In the commune of Świątniki Górne, during the Green Week 2020, the residents who came to the Office received the advice of the Eco-Manager, incl. in terms of subsidies for green investments for the home. During the conversation, the residents received ecological gadgets, incl. reusable bags, water bottles, bicycle covers to emphasize that every choice, even the most simple and every day one, is important for nature. Thus, recipients were taught ecological habits and were encouraged to be eco every day. The eco-manager pointed out important issues that happen every day, such as waste segregation or air protection, suggesting that when traveling, it is worth choosing a bicycle or a walk, and when going shopping, a reusable bag instead of a disposable one.
Municipality of Mszana Dolna
As part of the European Green Week we organized a screening of the documentary “You can panic” in our town. The Marshal’s Office, which joined the action and supervised all the activities in the province, encouraged the GREEN WEEK to take place in accordance with the sanitary requirements in force during an epidemic. With the implementation of the car cinema, such an activity was an alternative to all the workshops or mass events organized so far. Many ideas were not implemented because of the situation we were in. However, this does not mean that this is the end of green education. We received ecological bags and they were given to people who came to the Saturday screening of the film. Those who did not make it to the market square can catch up – the film is available online and you can watch it to deepen your knowledge about the climate changes taking place in Poland. It is narrated by atmospheric physicist Professor Szymon Malinowski. It is really worth watching this film! We highly recommend it!
The film may be an incentive for further changes in our lives – maybe it will help us change our habits, we will start to shop consciously using the least processed products, we will limit the purchase of goods in plastic packaging, we will take canvas bags when we go out shopping, we will start to save water…
Municipality of Piwniczna – Zdrój
On 11 October 2020, as part of the celebrations of the European Green Week, two meetings were held with residents on available forms of support for investments related to replacement of heat sources, thermo-modernisation of buildings, RES installations. The inhabitants received information materials on thermo-modernisation relief, the Clean Air and My Current projects. The Eco-manager discussed in detail the access criteria to the above mentioned programs, guidelines for conducting the modernisation works, documents necessary to settle the investment. At the meeting the information concerning the new obligations imposed on the owners of individual households under the adopted Air Quality Plan for the Małopolska Region was provided.
The meeting was attended by residents of the Majerz estate and residents of the Kokuszka village.
Municipality of Gdów
On 21 and 24.09.2020 in the schools of Gdów Commune an ecological performance “Sky mission” took place for classes 0-III. They were taken on a journey to the land of Queen Spalina by members of the Krakow Cultural Promotion Office. The actors raised the issues of waste segregation, toxic smog and environmental protection in an extremely interesting way for children. The children listened to a lecture by an environmental advisor on the celebration of the European Green Week.
The show, prepared by the Krakow Cultural Promotion Office, focused on smog, low emissions, waste segregation and environmental degradation. Fast and humorous action, excellent acting, music and special effects made the little ones actively participate in the performance. The children answered the prepared questions, puzzles and helped the heroes. They simply combined great fun with a large dose of information in the field of ecology and environmental protection.
The ecological performance “Sky Mission” was one of the elements of activities related to raising environmental awareness of residents carried out under the projects entitled “Replacement of old boilers, cookers in households from the Gdów Municipality for new heating devices using gas or biomass” and “Replacement of old boilers, cookers in households from the Gdów Municipality for new heating devices using solid fuels” co-financed by the European Union from the Regional Operational Program for the Małopolska Region for 2014-2020.
This summary of #EUGreen Week is only an overview of selected events arranged in Małopolska.
Thank you to everyone who joined in this year’s European Green Week celebrations!
