Učenke naše šole Lana Sirc, Auri Čučnik, Rosa Ivačič in Ema Burgar so skupaj z učenci iz italijanske šole, s katero smo letos sodelovali pri projektu Erasmus+, Instituto Comprensivo Statale Pian del Brusculo in njihovimi učenci Adalbertom Gregorijem, Anno Merli, Mattiem Huqijem in Anno Olivieri opozorili na okoljski problem – divja odlagališča odpadkov – in napisali komentar za natečaj Mladi poročevalci za okolje (Young Reporters for the Enviroment).
Članek je napisan v angleščini, da je v skladu z zahtevami natečaja. Naslov članka v slovenščini: ČLOVEŠKA MALOMARNOST JE ŠE VEDNO VEČJA OD TRUDA V PRID OKOLJU
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HUMAN CARELESSNESS CONTINUES TO OVERSHADOW EFFORTS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Last summer, Slovenia faced its worst floods ever. We watched helplessly as dirty, trash-filled water flowed down the streets, leaving behind lots of mud that presented risks both to the environment and human health. The land is now contaminated, and it will take many years and a lot of money to restore it.
At the same time, we should not forget about the many secret dumps in nature caused by human carelessness. These illegal waste sites, not just in Slovenia but worldwide, add to the growing pollution problem. The floods made it worse, revealing buried hazardous waste and toxic substances washed away by the water. [1]
Human Impact: Ignoring Nature’s Warning
The relationship between people and nature is complicated. We are part of nature, but we are making it more polluted due to our carelessness. Even though we see these problems every day, we do not always try to fix them properly. Sometimes we do not respect nature and exploit it without considering the consequences.
Some people only care about their own problems, like throwing away their trash, and ignore bigger environmental issues. Even though we hear a lot about protecting the environment, some still do not understand how serious the problems are.
There are more and more places where people are dumping waste illegally, although we know it is wrong. In Slovenia alone, there are around 15,000 of these sites, some of them in areas that protect water sources. These sites can be dangerous, especially during natural disasters, and despite some clean-up efforts, they continue to be a big problem. Ecologists estimate that they have cleaned up about one-third of these dumps. [2]
Sadly, people are still not doing enough to protect the environment, even with all the efforts being made.
The problem of illegal garbage disposal and wild waste dumps is also big in Italy. Illegal waste disposals are also often the scene of dangerous fires. There has been known that Italy has a huge problem with illegal waste and has to pay sanctions to EU. In year 2000 came out that one of the most dangerous areas of illegal waste disposal was, and still is, the area called ‘terra dei fuochi’ (the land of fires), which is a vast area between Naples and Caserta where tons of dangerous waste are abandoned. The most serious thing is that this land is under the control of criminal organizations, called the “eco mafie’’, and when this waste becomes too much, criminals burn it, causing the propagation of harmful substances into the air. Since early 2000, EU sent heavy sanctions to Italy because of the land of fires and others illegal dumps but, over the time, authorities worked in order to decrease the number of these illegal sites. Nowadays the situation is getting better, so EU decreased sanctions. [3]
Let’s Take Action: Starting with Ourselves
Solving the problem of illegal dumping requires cooperation among various interest groups, local authorities and non-governmental organizations. But what if we start with ourselves? We can make a change by starting in our local area and spreading awareness to encourage others to care.
Some blame humans for pollution, believing there is no solution. Yet, others believe we can save the Earth. Despite many organizations working on these issues, we can also help. For example, if each of us avoids littering and recycles our trash properly, we can reduce the number of dumps. Also, using the right dumpsters can make a difference.
Everyone can play a part in preserving the environment and ensuring a sustainable future for our planet.
References:
[2] 10.000 razlogov, zakaj so divja odlagališča še vedno problem, https://www.ocistimo.si/clanek/10000-razlogov-zakaj-so-divja-odlagalisca-se-vedno-problem.html. Accesed 15. 4. 2024.
[3] Italy’s war on illegal waste – POLITICO, 2. 11. 2020. https: //www.politico.eu/article/italys-war-on-illegal-waste. Accesed 15. 4. 2024.
