Sivitanidios 2o EPAL's podcast

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMAN BEINGS AND THE NATURE

What makes human beings distinguish from the other beings on earth is the fact that they have always placed supreme objectives. The basic factor for Man’s constant evolution and progress has always been the Natural Environment and his relationship to it. This relationship, however, has gone through a lot of stages and fluctuations.

The “Stone-Age Man”, who is primitive and his only goal is to satisfy his survival instinct, is being “under the control of Nature”. His survival methods include hunting and collecting food. Human beings do not intervene in the evolution of natural elements; on the contrary, they feel an intense awe and a fear towards Nature.

During the second stage of the Man-to-Nature relationship, the “Bronze-Age Man” finds himself co-existing “with the nature”. Human beings have become equal to it. They do not exploit Nature, they simply use it in a “friendly'' way in order to improve their life. Therefore, the first forms of rural life started coming up and lasted up to the Industrial Revolution. In this phase, elements of nature are exalted to the skies and the first forms of religious worship are developed. In our country, Greece in particular, during Ancient times, people worshipped not only Nature itself but also the Gods who had the power to control the greatness of Nature. We mean, of course, the Twelve Gods of Ancient Greece, who were known to control the birth and death of every little thing on earth.

To conclude, we reach the present phase. The “Hydrocarbon-Age Man” finds himself “above Nature”. Human beings have tried to escape from all natural bonds which might have prevented, to their mind, their evolution.
Modernity wishes to kill the biological gods of Nature and destroy animist beliefs (the notion that each part of the global ecosystem has a soul and is therefore value in itself). Modernity considers progress to be the only god to which people, communities and ecosystems may be sacrificed. However, this attitude has resulted in their extended intervention in the ecological balance. People have overcome Nature (its restrictions and limits) with considerable and rather dangerous consequences. The improved quality of life, which was their objective, is currently being placed in horrible danger.

Now that an ecological destruction is imminent, we, the Earth’s habitants have to comprehend all our faults and realise the unison we have with Nature. From now on, we have to realize that we are not only the “consumers'' of Nature but we have to become the “Re-creators” of Nature.

Fotini Diakopoulou,
Teacher of the English Language and Literature,
2nd Professional Lyceum,
Kallithea, Athens

THE OFFERS OF NATURE TO HUMANITY

The relation of human beings with the nature has always been dialectic and friendly by origin. Nature has helped people upgrade their quality of life, providing not only material but also moral and intellectual benefits to them. First of all, the nature constitutes a source of life, since people are given birth and live within it. It ensures them material goods, food, raw materials and everything essential for their survival. Furthermore, energy coming from the sun, the wind and the waterfalls gave people the possibility to activate themselves and evolve into the self-sufficient beings of the 21st century. In conclusion, Nature ensures their mental and physical health.

However, apart from determining the biological evolution of human beings, Nature has constituted a source of inspiration, artistic creation and intellectual reflection. The harmony of nature, the composition of colours, the alternation of seasons caused awe to people mainly in the past. The classic arts, the lyrical element, the bucolic poetry of Ancient Greece highlight the respect people felt towards nature and their need to express it. Nature elevates human emotions, calms down mental disturbance and smoothes the person’s mental outlook. In addition, Nature influences people intellectually. It intrigues their intrusive spirit and arouses their wish to learn the attributes and the forces of Nature. Moreover, it offered as a basis for the growth of Natural Sciences and Technology. Besides, it led also to the growth of Philosophical Reflection. The perfect causality of the natural world, the order and the organisation of nature, the circle of birth and death, genesis and deterioration prompted the person in the search and the interpretation of truth. Existential problems, which were mainly expressed by Natural Philosophers, became the stimulus for seeking the way Nature operates. The greatness of creation amazed human beings. Whatever could not be approached via the logic inspired awe to people and they exalted it to the skies. The harmony of nature stimulated the religious sentiment.

Unfortunately, however, the human arrogance, which was caused by scientific developments, is owed to the human pervasion in nature, both its microcosm and macrocosm. In our time, people have utilized, exploited, sacrificed and even discarded anything that exists in the natural environment to their profit. Nature still has a lot to offer to us but it is probably about to take its revenge on us. The aim of our environmental project “Green Planet, Perfect Planet” is to make other people aware of the current condition of our planet and persuade them to make just a little effort to save it from destruction and make it a better place.

The Students of the 1st Class,
2nd Professional Lyceum, Sivitanidios, Kallithea
GREECE

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DESTRUCTION OF NATURE

Human evolution and progress has unequivocally caused immense problems to nature and what constitutes it. The consequences of the destruction of the natural environment have touched upon the human beings themselves, the balance and the quality of their life.

Unfortunately, the air we breathe threatens our respiratory system because it is polluted by the emissions of cars and factory fumes. The water (rivers, lakes and seawater) which is contaminated by industrial waste, sewage and waste coming from the ships, including oil slicks, has lost its generating quality and thousands of fish are decimalized. The cultivable land which has dramatically decreased has led to the production of artificial types of food in laboratories. As a result, new types of cerial and other seeds that can bear unfavourable conditions are currently being produced: However, all these are under the control of multinational companies, which means that they check up even the production of foods on the planet Earth.

Human evolution and progress has rendered our life inhuman and has downgraded its quality. To make matters worse, the emission of radioactive substances and nuclear waste, apart from the fact that they cause deadly infections, they also lead the entire ecosystem to dangerous changes. Phenomena, such as the hole in the ozone layer and the acid rain, involve environmental changes which undermine the future but also in the longer-term the survival of the human race.

Apart from the deterioration of the Man’s material substance, the cutting off from nature has also caused a crack in his inner self. Removed from the natural environment, people of our century have lost their sensitivities and their stimuli. The landscape around them has been aesthetically deformed. This is quite obvious in the big urban centres where pollution, fumes and unreasonable town planning have degraded the quality of life.

Besides, the natural environment in its declining course sweeps along the archaeological monuments, which, even if they have existed for many centuries, are in danger by modern culture.

Last but not least, the rich national cultural heritage is lost in the impersonal big cities where people lead an exhausting lifestyle. They have to work for a lot of hours in order to secure for themselves and their family what modern life dictates. Consequently, the need for the resolution of the environmental problems is imperative. Above all, a redefinition of the values of life and the priorities people place is required. Only then will an essential solution be found by the people themselves.

Stella Lionaki,
Kyriakos Kostopoulos,
Anna Neskourenko
(Class: A6 , 2nd EPAL, Sivitanidios)

Climate Changes in the 21st Century

Since the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1800s, global temperatures have risen about 1 degree Celsius. When compared to earth’s long history of incredibly slow climate change, this is frighteningly fast. Ice core samples from Greenland and Antarctica reveal that over the last 160,000 years, global temperature change has been linked to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. With CO2 levels rocketing as a result of modern technology, the effects on the planet are likely to be catastrophic.

Global warming is the theory that due to man’s activity on the planet, dangerous gases such as CO2, methane, water vapor and ozone are collecting in the earth’s atmosphere, making it hotter. This phenomenon is also called the Greenhouse Effect, because the gases trap in heat like a greenhouse. CO2 is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels (such as wood, coal, and petroleum) are burned. Use of fossil fuels is an essential part of our everyday lives, primarily through transport, heating and other energy consumption. IN this way, we are all responsible, on an individual and national level.

Predictions for the future
Rising seas, floods and disease

Flooding, higher levels of intense rain and snowfall, and the planet’s rising sea level have been connected to global warming. Scientists predict that if the Earth heats up between 1 degree Celsius and 3 degrees Celsius in the next 100 years, then the sea level will rise between 15 centimeters and 120 centimeters in that time or up to 20 centimeters by 2030. This means that major US cities such as New York, Boston and Miami could soon find themselves submerged in water. According to present day calculations, any area 2 meters above sea level will be at risk in only 30 years time. Favourite vacation spots which contain rich ecosystems and fairy beaches are likely to become devastated. Ocean City, Maryland and the islands in North Carolina and Chesapeake Bay could certainly be affected by rising sea levels. Apart from the USA numerous other spots will not remain untouched by global warming. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia would be at risk of bleaching along its entire length resulting in the destruction of many species. Sea levels around the British Isles would actually recede due to ocean and atmospheric circulation patterns. In Russia and Canada, forests which trap CO2 and help guard against global warming will be at risk of forest fires and pest attacks. Ten percent of mammals in China are already threatened with extinction, and climate change could affect the lovable giant panda. Wetlands in Spain and Brazil could lose their own endangered species. To make matters worse, dangers of serious disease are imminent. As tropical climates spread, mosquitoes will multiply and spread malaria and yellow fever to new areas. Heat waves and droughts will dry up land and harm existing ecosystems, drastically affecting the quality of life we experience today.

Who is to blame?

Although home to less than 10% of the world’s population, the USA leads the world in CO2 emissions, by contributing nearly one quarter of the planet’s man-made greenhouse gases China is a close second, with other Third World countries accounting for half, and Europe producing 12% (relatively low, due to increasing use of nuclear and wind power.

What is the action of the European Union against greenhouse gases emissions?

The Protocol of Kyoto resulted from the Convention-frame on the climatic changes which was signed in the Conference of Rio, in June 1992, by almost all the participating states. The objective of the Convention was "the stabilization of the accumulated greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, to such an extent that the anticipated dangerous-for-the creatures-of–the-planet consequences could be avoided".

In 1997, the Protocol of Kyoto was signed with a view to control the emissions. The Kyoto Protocol constitutes a legal guaranteed engagement of the industrially developed states that they will decrease the level of the emissions of six gases of greenhouse during the period 2008-2012, in a 5.2 percentage in comparison with the 1990 percentage. The Protocol became an international binding law when ratified by a certain number of countries. Greece with the rest member states of the European Union ratified it in May 2002.

Flexible mechanisms of the Protocol

A country can achieve the objectives set by the Kyoto Protocol either by decreasing its emissions, or, alternatively, using the so-called "flexible mechanisms" allocated by the Protocol. These mechanisms are the following three:
1) Negotiation of the rights of emissions by an industrially developed country with another which is hard to achieve the objective.
2) Creation of "Mechanism of Clean Growth" by the developing industrially countries with the economic help of developed countries.
3) Application of programs by the countries which have been committed to reduce the emissions via the Protocol of Kyoto.

Shared Responsibility: The Roles We All Play

Power plants have been proved to contribute a 33% of total emissions. If individuals could put pressure on governments to get companies to use renewable energy sources, this frightening figure could decrease. There are many non-governmental international organizations who are sensitive to global warming issues, such as the World Wildlife Fund, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace. A visit to their websites may get you more involved.

Everyday actions

Since transportation – the cars, trains and airplanes we all use – gives off 34% of emissions, and factories and home heating systems produce a further 33%, we can all play a huge role. We can opt to take public transport or share cars with others, or use a bicycle. Also, if you intend to buy a new car, be on the lookout for new exhaust-free ones, already being produced by General Motors, Toyota and Mercedes Benz. Choose energy-efficient domestic appliances, and use energy-conserving fluorescent light bulbs. Inevitably the role of the state leaders is crucial. However, if all these billions of people on the Earth lead their lives with the appropriate respect to the environment and follow simple and practical tips, not only will we save the planet, but we will also make it a better place to live!

You may read the following Green leaflet compiled by the students of 2nd Professional Lyceum, Sivitanidios, Kallithea, to see how simple and pleasant is to improve the current environmental state.

(The above article was compiled by Vassilis Vlasseros
Anna Neskourenko
Dimitris Spyropoulos
Helena Moutafidou
Yiakou Emirian
The whole processing and mixing of sound, picture and text was made by Emirian Giakou, Class A5, Sivitanidios).

References:

Current, October 2005, Mary Glasgow Magazines
Go Natural, 1st Issue, February 2007
Guardian newspaper, June 5, 2006

2nd Professional Lyceum, Sivitanidios
The Green Team advises: A Few Tips to Help Save the Earth

The e-twinning project Green planet Perfect planet made us become aware of the current precarious situation of our planet. We have considered which actions each of us must take and addressed ourselves to our common tasks of preserving all life on earth. Our message is that small changes can save the planet. So how do we start making a difference?

1. Turn off the lights and the TV. Don’t also
leave appliances (e.g. mobile phone charger)
on standby and remember not to leave any of
them on charge unnecessarily.

2. We can both save energy and reduce our
electricity bills if we replace regular bulbs
by fluorescent which consume 4-5 times
less energy and last 8-15 times more than
regular bulbs. If all Greek households
swapped three regular bulbs for greener
versions, it would save enough energy
to supply all the countries street lights
DID YOU KNOW that each kw/hour
saved in our country results in the decrease
of one kilo of CO2 for the atmosphere?

3. Buy energy efficient products looking
out for a logo denoting products it
recommends. By law, white goods must
now be labeled to show how energy
efficient they are. The most energy efficient
products get an A grade (AA for fridges and
freezer).

4. Turning your thermostat down by 1°C
could cut your heating bills by up to 10%.
Cleaning and maintaining the heater/boiler
once a year ensures the effective operation
(over 80% of the heating system).

5. Double glazing and cavity wall insulation
keep the warmth in the cold out. Such a
measure might be expensive, but you can save
money in the long run. Insulating 50 square
metres of the ceiling saves up 350lt of oil
per year.

6. Fix leaking taps and make sure they’re
fully turned off. DID YOU KNOW that
a dripping hot water tap wastes as much hot
water as to fill half a bath? According to the Mediterranean S.O.S network a leaking toilet flusher can consume in one day as much water as we could drink in 50 days. If we wash our teeth leaving the tap on for one minute we consume approximately 15 litres of water.

7. We can avoid using plastic bags for our shopping goods. There are non-disposable carrier bags which can be bought from supermarkets. DID YOU KNOW that every year about 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide?

8. We should throw all newspapers magazines and paper waste into the recycling bins. DID YOU KNOW that round 10% of all household rubbish is still made up of newspapers and magazines

9. If you have a garden, you could recycle some of your waste as compost.

10. Rather than chucking out items that are still in reasonable condition, you could recycle them by giving them away to friends or to a charity shop. You may also find takers for your unwanted furniture and white goods by putting a classified add in a newspaper. Giving things away reduces not only the amount of waste in landfills sites but also the energy needed to produce new goods.

The Energy Issue in the 21st Century

At present, 80% of total world energy consumption is based on fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas), while only 2% comes from renewable energy sources such as the wind or the sun. Our continued dependence on these energy sources entails a serious problem of sustainability, associated with two factors: the limited stocks of fossil fuels and the pollution that results from their conversion into electrical energy.

During the last 50 years, global consumption of energy has risen more than fourfold. The current rate of consumption in the rich countries is a direct threat to future consumption, as just 34% of the world population consumes 72% of the energy produced. The amount of fossil fuels we use is set to rise though oil and gas are expected to reach their culminating point between 2010 and 2030. This fact troubled us and we started collecting information about the possible renewable sources of energy as well as their advantages and disadvantages. We also realized that the policy of clean technologies should be followed by the world’s governments otherwise the production will not be able to meet the growing demand. We thought to collect as much data as possible and produce short presentations of SOLAR, WIND and WATER POWER, BIOFUEL (coming from biomass), GEOTHERMAL and HYDROGEN POWER. However, we placed special emphasis on solar and wind power as the Greek climate favours the development and utilization of these natural resources.
The answer to the question “What can be done about the energy problem?” could be the following:
1) Limit energy consumption (individual level)
2) Develop and use renewable sources of energy (national and international level)

Energy Issue: The current situation in Greece

The energy sector in Greece has developed rapidly since World War II. Electrical production increased by almost 50% during the 1980s, due largely to the expansion of coal-burning thermoelectric stations. Two-thirds of the country’s energy is produced in power stations burning domestically produced coal. Hydroelectric power stations produce 8% of the country’s electricity. The rest comes from oil-fired generators. Almost all of Greece’s oil is imported.

Issidora Karra,
Kamelia Kounga
(Class: A5, 2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS)

THE SUN AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY

The sun is the basic source of energy of our planet. For 5 billion years, the sun has been radiating energy that constitutes approximately 70% from hydrogen. Consequently, the Sun is not expected to reduce its radiation for the rest million or billion years to come. Every square metre of the Sun’s surface emits 63 MW of power. In eight minutes’ time, solar radiation of 1355 Watt/m2 finally reaches the boundaries of the earthly atmosphere. The solar radiation that enters the earthly atmosphere is the one that causes the evaporation of water, moves air and marine currents and generally creates the meteorological phenomena. Despite the fact that the solar radiation that reaches the boundaries of the earthly atmosphere is constant everywhere, this is not true with the one that reaches the ground, the power of which seldom exceeds 1000 Watt/m2 . It depends on the season of the year, the hour of the day, the presence of clouds, fog and dust, while the smaller the angle of its incidence on the ground of the Earth is, it faints more. This last factor is also of utmost importance for the configuration of medium intensity of solar energy that reaches the ground. From this point of view, Greece is one of the most prosperous regions of our planet. The combination of Greece’s geographic width and intense sunlight results in the incidence of 4.3 KWh of solar energy for every square metre of its horizontal surface. In most of the regions in Greece, the sunlight lasts more than 2700 hours per year.

SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS

Solar power systems capture solar radiation and, distribute it to the water, air or other fluid, in the form of heat. Their most widespread application is the production of hot water for both domestic and professional use. However, they are also used for the production of electricity.
A typical system of hot water production is constituted by the solar collectors which have a specially designed reservoir for the storage of the redundant heat and also by the necessary piping system and control systems. The solar radiation is absorbed by the collector and the collected heat is drawn in the storage reservoir.
The energetic solar systems are separated in 2 big categories, depending on the way that the heating medium is used in order to transfer the heat to the water for use. The first big category includes the open solar power systems, in which the water of the supply network is heated directly and, afterwards, it is channelled to final use. The second big category includes the closed systems, in which a special antifreeze solution circulates through the piping of the collector. Afterwards, an alternator transfers the heat from the antifreeze solution to the water of the network. Such systems are mainly used in regions where there is the possibility of frost.

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Solar PV (Photovoltaic cells)

Solar PV (photovoltaic) uses energy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances and lighting. PV requires only daylight – not direct sunlight – to generate electricity.

How It Works

Photovoltaic systems use cells to convert solar radiation into electricity. The PV cell consists of one or two layers of a semi conducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers, causing electricity to flow. The greater the intensity of the light, the greater the flow of electricity.

Benefits
The most important benefit of using PV systems is that they do not generate greenhouse gases, saving approximately 325 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year – adding up to about 8 tons over a system’s lifetime – for each kilowatt peak (kWp – PV cells are referred to in terms of the amount of energy they generate in full sun light).

PV arrays now come in a variety of shapes and colours. In particular, there are grey ‘solar tiles’ that look like roof tiles, panels and transparent cells that you can use on conservatories and glass which provides shading and generates electricity. Apart from the fact that they enable you to generate free electricity, they can provide an interesting alternative to conventional roof tiles!

Cost and maintenance

Prices for PV systems vary, depending on the size of the system to be installed, type of PV cell used and the nature of the actual building on which the PV is mounted. For the average domestic system, costs can be around 6500 – 14,000 Euros per kWp installed, with most domestic systems usually between 1.5 and 2 kWp. Solar tiles cost more than conventional panels, and panels that are integrated into a roof are more expensive than those that sit on top.

Planning considerations

Some local authorities require planning permission to allow you to fit a PV system, especially in conservation areas or on listed buildings. Always check with your local authority about planning issues before you have a system installed. Obtaining retrospective planning permission can be difficult and costly.

Helias Krikos ,
Pericles Mantzanas
Class: A2, 2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS

References:

• Centre of Renewable Energy Sources (CRES)
Solar Power (www.cres.gr)
• www.BBCnews.com

WHAT IS THE WIND ENERGY

Wind energy is a renewable source of energy that is created indirectly by the solar radiation. The invariable heating of the surface of the ground from the sun causes the locomotion of big masses of winds from the one region to the other, creating in this sense the winds.
The source of energy is contained in the force of the winds which blow across the earth’s surface. As soon as it was harnessed, wind energy was converted into mechanical energy for performing work such as pumping water or grinding grain (windmills). Nowadays, by connecting a spinning rotor to an electric generator, modern wind turbines convert wind energy, which turns the rotor, into electric energy.
As we have already mentioned, the source of this energy is practically inexhaustible and as it is continuously renewed, it is named “renewable”. Ιf there were a possibility to exploit the total wind potential of the Earth , using current technology, it is estimated that the electricity produced by the power of the wind in one year would be about double than the amount needed to cover the needs of humanity in electric energy in the same period of time.

HISTORICAL ELEMENTS

The power of the wind has been used by the people since the antiquity. If we look up in an encyclopaedia about Greek mythology, we will find out that the importance and the usefulness of winds as natural forces, made Zeus, the Father of the gods, to nominate Aeolus the “manager” of the winds. Aeolus directed the winds from his fabulous island, Aiolida. Moreover, the idea of capturing the winds inside a skin expresses precisely the need of common people to allocate the winds in the place and time it suited them. For many hundreds of years, the movement of ships was supported exclusively by the force of the winds, while the use of the windmill as a locomotive machine, in the rural sector, has mainly been abandoned in the mid of the 20th century.

Did you know that?

• Egyptians may have been the first to capture wind energy when they sailed boats along the river Nile around the 4th century B. C

• Persians developed the first windmill in the 7th century A.D.

• The first windmills to appear in Europe were built during the 12th century in northwest France and southern England.

In the mid of the 20th century, when the use of fossil fuels expanded rapidly and the electricity reached even the most remote points the use of simple machines was abandoned. The interest in the exploitation of the wind power, mainly in the production of electric current, was expressed intensely during the mid of the 70s and it was the result of the oil crisis which had meanwhile burst out. Since then, there has been a continuously increasing tendency for the production of electric current via the exploitation of wind power.

In the 20th Century:

• The oil crisis of the 1970s urged efforts into developing wind energy as an alternative source of electricity. Many countries with Denmark having the lead were successful in developing modern wind turbines.

• The modern wind turbine is the result of the technological advances of the 1980s and 1990s. Today, wind turbines which have the same size as the traditional European windmill, can generate 250 to 300 kilometers of power - a nearly tenfold increase in efficiency.

TECHNOLOGY OF WIND GENERATORS

Τhe modern systems of exploitation of wind power include machines which convert wind power into electricity and are called wind generators. There are many types of wind generators which are classified in two basic categories:
• Wind generators of horizontal axis.
• Wind generators of vertical axis
In the world market, the wind generators of horizontal axis have prevailed in a percentage above 90%. The output of a wind generator depends on the wind potential of the region where they are installed. Today the cost of manufacture of wind generators has decreased considerably and it can be inferred that the wind energy has covered the first period of its maturity as it has become competitive with the conventional forms of energy. Taking into consideration the fact that wind generators are being constantly improved in terms of their output and reliability and the development of the relative technology, it can be estimated that the cost of the exploitation of wind energy can decrease up to 30% in the next 10 years.

APPLICATIONS OF WIND GENERATORS

The most important financial investment of wind generators could be their connection to the electric network of a country so as to achieve the maximum output of electric power and cover the energy needs of this country. In this case, a wind farm, that is to say a cluster of wind generators are installed in a concrete place with high wind potential and they channel the total output of their production to the electric network.
This application aims at the mass exploitation of the wind power and it is particularly simple. It simply connects the wind farm to the existing electric network through a substation, in which the step- up transformers and the other necessary means of protection are installed. In this way, it is not necessary to construct a particular system for managing and controlling the produced energy as all the produced
energy is distributed to the electric network.

THE PROS AND CONS OF WIND POWER EXPLOITATION

Wind energy is a promising source of electrical power as it is a clean and renewable resource. However, because wind speeds vary by time of day, season, and even from one year to the next, wind energy is an intermittent source. At windy sites, it is common for wind turbines to operate 60 percent of the wind dynamics and as a result the wind may be insufficiently strong for the wind turbines to generate energy at full capacity. In comparison, coal-fired plants usually operate an average of 75 to 85 percent of full capacity. In the current energy market, where price is the primary benchmark, business and industry are not prone to invest in technologies that require long-term development. However, this could be achieved only with determined political commitment.

Panayiotis Trivizas
Class: A4, 2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Centre of Renewable Energy Sources (CRES)
WIND POWER (www.cres.gr)
• Microsoft Encarta (2002 Edition)

A) EXPLOITATION OF WATERPOWER

Power derived from the fall of water from a higher to a lower level, and extracted by means of waterwheels or hydraulic turbines. Waterpower is a natural resource, available wherever a sufficient volume of steady water flow exists. The development of waterpower has led to the extensive construction of storage lakes, dams, bypass canals, and the installation of large turbines and electric generating equipment. Because the development of hydroelectric power requires a large capital investment, it is often uneconomical for a region where coal or oil is cheap. However, the cost of fuel for a steam–powered generating plant is higher than the cost of running a hydroelectric plant. To conclude, increasing environmental concerns are focusing attention on renewable energy sources. The use of waterpower dates from Ancient Greece and Rome where waterwheels were used for the milling of corn.

STATISTICS BANK

Worldwide, hydropower represented 19 percent of the total energy generated in 1998, the most recent year for which data is available. More precisely:

• Norway derived 99% of its power from hydroelectric plants.
• In the Democratic Republic of Congo hydroelectric power provided 99% of the electricity used.
• The hydroelectric plant on the Panama River between Brazil and Paraguay has the greatest capacity in the world (12,600 megawatts in full operation).
• Canada, the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world generated 340.3 billion kilowatt-hours in 1999- which amounts to 60 percent of the country’s electric power.
• In Greece, hydroelectric power stations produce just 8 percent of the country’s electricity.
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Demetris Tassios
Class: A4 , 2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS

REFERENCES
• www.inventors.about.com
• www.iclei.org/efacts/tidal.htm
• www.BBCnews.com
• www.physics4u.gr/news

B) EXPLOITATION OF OCEAN ENERGY

A) Tidal Energy

Tide is defined as the oscillation of sea level because of the magnetism exerted on the hydrosphere by the Moon and the Sun. The elevation of the sea level is called rising tide, while the drop of the sea level is called low tide or ebb.

The energy of tide

As it happens with all kinds of waves, the tidal wave has energy potential which is essential to alter the sea level and mobilize the particles of hydrosphere during their rotational movement. The total tidal power output is enormous but it is lost because of the frictions in the bottom of the sea while the wave is spread over the coast. It is believed that this friction causes a slight deceleration of the rotation of the Earth resulting in a very small increase of duration of the day.
Tidal power is not new. Tidal mills were built in the eighteenth century when their major competition was windmills and water wheels. The tidal mills largely vanished once we had cheap steam engines. Today, people can claim the tide in many ways. The most obvious is to capture sea water at high tide, then run it out through a turbine during low tide. As a result, when tides come into the shore, they can be trapped in reservoirs behind dams. Then when the tide drops, the water behind the dam can be let out just like in a regular hydroelectric power plant. An increase of at least 16 feet between low tide and high tide is needed. Consequently, there are only a few places where this tide change occurs around the earth. Some power plants are already operating using this idea.

Operation of the first submarine station to produce electricity

In 1967, the first industrial plant to make use of the tidal power was constructed in Rance (France). It can power 240,000 homes.

In 2003, the first commercial submarine station to produce electricity by exploiting the tidal currents of the sea was constructed in Norway. The tide produces 300 kilowatts of electric force, which is enough to supply electric power to 30 Norwegian houses or 60-80 British houses.

THE TIDAL GENERATOR: This tidal generator exploits the tidal energy in the same way that the windmills exploit the force of air streams. This generator constitutes of a fin which has a ten-meter-diameter and rotates as the water passes above it. It is then connected with a generator in order to produce electricity. The whole mechanism is mounted highly above a 20-meter-column of steel fixed in the bottom. In addition, tidal mills tend to give immense sums of energy. The European Committee calculates that the tidal currents round Britain, for example, could produce as much electric energy as 48 Terawatts/hour per year. The Committee has determined 106 possible regions around Europe, 42 of which are located in Britain.

Tidal Power Systems: Advantages and Disadvantages

The tidal energy has a basic advantage compared to the other renewable forms of energy – it has the possibility of giving a continuous source of force for almost 24 hours a day. The wind and the solar power output fluctuate during the day. On the contrary, the tide flows continuously towards a certain direction precisely for 12 hours, it stops for a while, and then it is reversed. Despite all these, tidal energy has a basic disadvantage and this concerns the cost of its production compared to this of producing wind power. To sum up, although tidal energy has the potential for picking up about a fiftieth of our energy consumption, tidal power systems are potentially big and expensive, and they pose threats to ocean ecosystems.

B) OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY

The final ocean energy idea uses temperature differences in the ocean. If you ever went swimming in the ocean and dove deep below the surface, you would have noticed that the water gets colder the deeper you go. It’s warmer on the surface because sunlight warms the water. But below the surface, the ocean gets very cold. That’s why scuba divers wear wet suits when they dive down deep. Their wet suits trap their body heat to keep them warm.
Power plants which use this difference in temperature to produce energy, can be built. A difference of about 38 degrees Fahrenheit is needed between the warmer surface water and the colder deep ocean water.
Using this type of energy source is called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion or OTEC. Currently, it is being used in some demonstration projects, in both Japan and Hawaii.

C) WAVE ENERGY

Kinetic energy (movement) exists in the moving waves of the ocean. That energy can be used to power a turbine. In such a construction, the wave rises into a chamber. The rising water forces the air out of the chamber. The moving air spins a turbine which can turn a generator. When the wave goes down, air flows through the turbine and back into the chamber through doors that are normally closed.
This is only one type of wave-energy system. Others actually use the up-and-down motion of the wave to power a piston that moves up and down inside a cylinder. That piston can also turn a generator.
Most wave-energy systems are very small. However, they can be used to power a warning buoy or a small light house.

Demetris Tassios
Class: A4 , 2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS

REFERENCES
• www.inventors.about.com
• www.iclei.org/efacts/tidal.htm
• www.BBCnews.com
• www.physics4u.gr/news

Geothermal Energy

INTRODUCTION

Geothermal Energy is contained in intense heat that continually flows outward from deep within Earth. This heat originates primarily in the core of the planet. Some heat is generated in the crust, the planet’s outer layer, by the decay of radioactive elements which exist in all rocks. The crust, which is about 5 to 75 km thick, insulates the surface from the hot interior, which at the core may reach temperatures from 4000˚ to 7000˚C (7200˚ to 12,600˚F). Where the heat is concentrated near the surface, it can be used as a source of energy.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PLANTS

Geothermal energy plants generate electricity and heat by harnessing the heat energy contained within the earth. The earth transfers its energy to deep-lying circulating water, which the plants access with wells and pumps. Geothermal energy is an attractive resource because it creates almost none environmental problems. However, the number of sites where geothermal energy can be economically extracted is limited.

HOW GEOTHERMAL PLANTS WORK

Geothermal reservoirs within about 5 km of the Earth’s surface can be reached by drilling a well. The hot water or steam from wells can be used to turn turbine generators to produce electricity. A power plant that uses this natural source of hot water or steam is called a geothermal power plant.

Did you know that?

• In 1999, there were about 250 geothermal power plants in 22 countries around the world. These plants have provided about 0.2 percent of the world’s total electricity, serving the electricity needs of about 60 million people, mostly in developing countries.
• The electricity produced from geothermal power plants in the United States represented about 36 percent of the world’s output of electricity from geothermal power. About 23 percent of the world’s electricity from geothermal power is produced in Philippines, and about 10 percent each is produced in Mexico and Italy.

DIRECT USE OF GEOTHERMAL WATER

In addition to generate electricity, geothermal water is used directly in spas, to heat greenhouses (agriculture), and to speed the growth of fish and prawns (aquaculture). The heat from geothermal water is used for industrial processes and for heating homes and other buildings. All in all, people in over 35 countries have developed geothermal water for such purposes.

Industrial uses of geothermal power
Industrial uses of the heat from geothermal water include manufacturing paper, pasteurizing milk, and drying timber and other agricultural products. Geothermal waters are used in mining to speed the extraction of gold and silver from ore and they are also made to circulate in pipes under sidewalks and roads to protect them from icing over in freezing weather.

Geothermal power for heating
One of the most common uses of geothermal water is for heating individual buildings or groups of buildings (district heating). A typical geothermal heating system supplies heat to buildings by pumping water (usually 60˚/140˚ F or hotter) from a geothermal reservoir. Heat from the geothermal water is transferred through a heat exchanger to city water which is contained in a nearby separate piping system. This heated city water is pumped into the buildings, while the geothermal water is injected back into the reservoir to be reheated so it can be used again.

Did you know that?
The world’s largest geothermal system for district heating is in Reykjavik, Iceland. Almost all the buildings in that city use geothermal heat. Eighteen geothermal heating districts exist in the United States - the most extensive are located in Boise, Idaho, and San Bernardino, California. Modern district heating systems also warm homes in France, Turkey, Poland, and Hungary. Experts believe that in the western United States more than more than 270 communities are close enough to geothermal reservoirs for potential development of geothermal district heating.

Advantages and Possible Disadvantages of the Exploitation of Geothermal Power

Geothermal energy is a renewable resource: Earth’s heat is continuously radiated from within, and each year rainfall supplies new water to geothermal reservoirs. Production from individual geothermal reservoirs can be sustained for decades and perhaps even centuries.

Compared to other types of power plants, geothermal plants have relatively little effect on the environment. Geothermal power plants have been successfully operated in farm fields, in sensitive desert environments, and in forested recreation areas.

On the other hand, hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S), which can be toxic at very high concentration, is sometimes present in geothermal reservoirs. However, this gas is removed from geothermal water with the special antipollution “scrubbing” equipment.

OUTLOOK FOR GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Private and governments research projects which are underway in the United States, in Japan, and in Europe, are focused on finding ways to increase the permeability and amount of water in certain types of hot rock (so that it can circulate more freely throughout the rock and become better heated).

The Geological Conditions in Greece

Generally speaking, the geological conditions in Greece encouraged the creation of very important geothermal potential of low enthalpy, which began from the INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL AND MINERAL RESEARCH in 1980 and has been intensified more and more in the past few years. From this research it results that the geothermal potential of low enthalpy in Greece is certainly very important. Most of the geothermal fields that were searched through are located in regions with favourable developmental conditions while the prospects of direct exploitation of geothermal fluid are favourable, as well. Geothermal fluid appears to contain a negligible quantity in erosive salts and gases, which are expected to create neither serious technical problems of exploitation and, of course, nor environmental problems.
In certain regions, the research has advanced enough and as a result several applications have been developed. In Sidirokastro, a corporation of 5 acres that uses water of drilling has been developed by the INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL AND MINERAL RESEARCH. In the region of Nea Kessani, an important program funded by the European Union, called YALOREN, is being developed. In the region of Lagadas (Thessalonica), in Nymph Petra and in Nea Apollonia, already tens of acres of “plastic geothermal” greenhouses are already in operation. In Elaiochoria, Chalkidiki, 6 small experimental greenhouses are in operation, as well. The results of these applications are optimistic and they give impulse to further research in geothermal fields that have been detected but need to be studied at greater length. Geothermal energy has rural applications, as well. Such applications exploit energy of low enthalpy e.g. 20-25˚C which is required for fish farming, 40-60˚C for the heating of the ground and roughly 80˚C for the heating of greenhouses. Such already low enthalpy applications are developed in central Thessaly, Thrace and Lesvos.

Antonios Spatharis,
Class: A4
2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS

REFERENCES:

• Microsoft Encarta (Edition 2002)
• www.inventors.about.com
• www.BBCnews.com
• www.physics4u.gr/news

HYDROGEN

The British physicist and chemist Henry Cavendish discovered hydrogen gas and its properties in the mid-1700s. Many scientists before Cavendish had made the flammable gas by mixing metals with acids. Cavendish called the gas “flammable air” and burned it in regular air to produce water.

Hydrogen’s reaction with Oxygen:
2H2O + O2  2H2O + ENERGY
The reverse reaction to hydrolysis can be used to create energy.

Hydrogen may be used as fuel for automobiles, refrigerators, and airplanes, if it becomes easier to distribute, store and use. Automobile manufacturers are developing vehicles that are powered by hydrogen fuel cells, devices that use hydrogen to produce electricity. The aerospace industry, which designs and builds airplanes and spacecraft, already, uses liquid hydrogen as a fuel for rockets. Hydrogen fuel could also cut pollution, since it mostly produces water when it burns in contrast to the burning of fossil fuels, which emits greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

On the other hand, getting at the hydrogen is a rather troublesome process. This can be achieved either by electrolysis or by reforming fossil fuels. Electrolysis creates no harmful by-products but as electricity is required to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, it is as clean as the process used to generate electricity. In addition, it is rather expensive as it costs about $2.40 for a kilogram of hydrogen. The most widely used method is to split the hydrocarbons in fossil fuels into hydrogen and carbon which is cheaper – about $ 0.65 a kilogram. However, it still uses fossil fuels and creates carbon dioxide as a by-product.

To conclude, hydrogen is a flammable gas, so there are safety concerns and it is also bulky to transport. Nevertheless, its use would still reduce air pollution.

Demetris Kodga,
Geri Mahjia,
Class: A2
2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS

REFERENCES:

• Microsoft Encarta (edition 2002)
• www.BBCnews.com

BIOMASS

Biomass consists of organic materials, either from plant material (straw, timber, rice husks, sugar cane, corn, soybeans) coming directly from natural ecosystems or indirectly from industrial, commercial, and domestic or agricultural products (animal waste, biodegradable waste and food leftovers). What results from the treatment of these materials but also part of urban sewages and waste that has biological origin is included in the biomass. Like coal and petroleum, biomass is a form of stored solar energy. The energy of the sun is “captured” through the process of photosynthesis in growing plants. The energy of biomass is produced by photosynthesis and can be depicted schematically as follows.

The quantity of carbon dioxide, which is released when energy from biomass is produced, is balanced by the quantity which is absorbed during the production of biofuel. It is called, therefore, a carbon neutral process. Another advantage of biofuel in comparison to most other fuel types is that it is biodegradable, and thus relatively harmless to the environment if spilled.

People have been using biomass as a source of energy for years. The firewood as well as charcoals, which covered the 97% of energy needs of our country up to the end of the previous century, is included in the biofuel category. During recent years, however, the production of energy from the biomass in our country has decreased by 3% and it is mainly used for the production of heat. Fossil fuels have been in exclusive demand both in urban and rural areas. On a global level, the biomass that is produced each year contains energy of roughly ten times the one the humanity needs. In Greece, the climate gives the possibility for biomass energy coming from agriculture.

Βiomass is mainly used to cover energy needs of heating, refrigeration, electricity etc usually via co-production methods. In Greece, a typical example of industry where the installation of a co-production unit has substituted the conventional fuels for biomass constitutes the grating shed in Voiotia. Biomass can also produce another kind of energy, which is called tele-heating. In Greece, there has already been installed such a unit in the community of Nymphaia, in the province of Arcadia. The varieties in combination with the advantages that result from biomass exploitation foreshadow an auspicious future for a wider distribution of its applications. Finally, the use of biomass as an alternative source of energy brings an economic profit, which is further reinforced if the corresponding environmental profit is also included.

BIOFUEL

The production of biofuel aiming at the replacement of oil and natural gas has already started. It focuses on the use of cheap organic matter (usually cellulose, agricultural and sewage waste) for the efficient production of fuel-liquids and fuel-gases.

1) Methanol which is produced in our days by natural gas can be also produced by biomass.
2) Biomass produces synthetic fuels with the process of gasification.
3) The ethanol that is produced by sugar canes is already used as fuel for vehicles in Brazil.
4) Biogas is produced by the process of anaerobic digestion of biodegradable waste.
5) Biobutanol, a direct biofuel that replaces gasoline.

BIOLOGICAL KINDS OF OIL

They can be used in diesel engines.
• Vegetable oil (svo)
• Vegetable oil drippings coming from most cookers of commercial appliances.
• Bio-diesel by animal fats and vegetable plant which can be used as it is in diesel engines.
• Crude oil which is produced along with biogas and solid residues of coal via the thermo de-polymerization of complex organic materials as old tyres, timber and plastic.
SOLID BIOFUEL

Timber, charcoal and drained manure of animals.

ECOLOGICAL IMPACT
Biofuels offer one of the few options to mitigate climate change in a substantial way. Harmful emissions will be restricted thanks to the use of biofuels and urban settings might become healthier. In addition, if farmers in the developing world became energy farmers who would sell biofuels in the international market, their incomes would increase substantially, and pressures on the environment would decrease. In this sense, the biofuels opportunity offers a way to lower the indirect impacts of poverty on the environment.

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Aeneas Tsani,
Class: A4
2nd Professional Lyceum, Sivitanidios

REFERENCES
• www.Wikipedia.com
• www.inventors.about.com
• www.BBCnews.com
• www.physics4u.gr/news
• Microsoft Encarta (Edition 2002)

D I S P O S A L M E T H O D S

The most common disposal methods applied currently are the following:
Landfills, Incineration and Recycling

Landfills

Landfills are giant rubbish tips, ranging worldwide from open mountains of unmanaged waste, to enclosed, highly-monitored “sanitary landfills” designed to entomb refuse for years.
If landfills have not been well-designed and maintained, they involve significant health and environmental risks.
These huge heaps of waste generate methane, a greenhouse gas. However, if the appropriate technology and funding is available, the production of methane can be put under control. As a result, its emission might be restricted and hopefully, in some cases, it may be harnessed as an energy source.
Possible Health and Environmental Risks
Nevertheless, the risk of explosions and fires threatens not only developing countries but also countries such as the US, where landfill fires are thought to be among the largest sources of emissions of toxic chemicals called dioxins.
The other main risk is that toxic substances may be washed from the site and contaminate both water supplies and the land. It is up to the national governments to minimize this threat. Providing the required sums and planning the removal of landfills away from areas vulnerable to flooding or earthquakes and also lining the site and draining and treating contaminated water from it could relieve the environment from further possible damage.
A few studies in developed countries have shown a correlation between proximity to landfill sites and birth defects – although other factors, such as the income levels of people living near rubbish tips, may play a role.
Finding sites for landfills is also an issue, as space is a valuable commodity in the urban areas where most waste is generated and local opposition is often vehement.
While some decomposition goes on in a landfill, such sites keep the water, biological organisms and light needed to speed the process to a minimum. Decades-old colouring book pages and carrot tops were found intact when a site in Phoenix, US was excavated in one study.
Once landfill sites are filled to capacity and given time to “stabilise”, they are covered (waste is sufficiently built on) and often turned into parks or golf-courses. However, health fears have triggered local opposition to some such projects.

Incineration

Waste incineration reduces waste up to 75% in weight and 90% in volume, generating energy, which can be harnessed, and releasing greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming.
Health and environmental fears about incineration have focused on dioxins, a family of chemicals which accumulate in fatty tissue and weaken the human immune system, causing neurological and reproductive disorders and disrupting hormones.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 17 of them are highly toxic and one is considered to be the most toxic man-made compound.
According to US Environmental Protection Agency estimates, municipal waste incineration was the biggest source of dioxin-like compounds in the US in 1995.
Toxic ash
Incineration also produces emissions of heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium; acid gases such as sulphur dioxide and hydrogen chloride; particulate matter such as dust and grit; nitrogen oxides which react to form the harmful, smog-creating low-level ozone, and carbon monoxide.
Hi-tech systems can clean most of these out of gas emissions. But the residues still end up in incinerator ash – although some chemicals can be neutralised or recovered during the process.
The ash is then buried, either in ordinary landfill sites, or sites equipped to deal with hazardous waste, depending on its toxicity. There have also been cases in some countries where it has been used for road building, despite debate about the risks involved.
Nevertheless, due to the high costs of incinerating waste safely, this disposal option is more suited to developed countries.

Waste Management: The Situation in Greece
The major part of waste material (90%) in Greece ends up in landfills and only a 10% is directed to recycling procedures. Unfortunately, there are a lot of uncontrolled landfills.
The discussion around incineration has been going on since the 1970’s. The first incineration plant was set up on the island of Zakynthos in 1980. However, it soon got out of order as the waste material fed into it was moist and pollutant.
Currently, in the incineration plant in Ano Liossia (West Attica), hospital waste is burnt via the method of pyrolysis. This new kind of technology has solved the problem of polluting waste management.
Concerning Recycling there are currently two plants; Mechanical Recycling and Composting. The one is situated in Ano Liossia and it can process 400,000 tons annually. This was constructed in 2006 and the European Union has not certified the final produce yet. The other recycling plant is located in Crete and it has the capacity to process 75,000 tons annually.
In the region of Attica, the problem of Waste Management has been dramatically intensified. Every day, 6,500 tons of unprocessed waste ends up in the landfill of Phyli (west suburbs).
The fact is that there is no formal statistic data about the composition of waste material we produce in Greece and as a result, there is a kind of confusion as far as the ideal technology of waste processing. At the beginning of 1990, it had been estimated that 400 kilos of waste material was produced by every Greek habitant on an annual basis. At the same time, the average European citizen produced 550 kilos of waste. Organic waste reached the 44% of the total waste volume. Nowadays, this percentage has dropped to 30% while paper and plastic waste reach approximately the 50%.
By 2010, our country will have to follow the strict European directive which dictates that each European country will have to recycle the 25% of the waste material they produce. Otherwise, they will have to process the 50% of waste in order to be converted into useful material or energy (i.e. biofuel).
To conclude, apart from the crucial “battles’ which have to be fought with the spoilt and complacent Greek citizens for the sake of recycling, the state has to proceed and set up more Waste Sorting Industries. In the major municipalities of Athens and Piraeus, the two Mayors have expressed the need to resort to thermal processing of waste. Two of these thermal treatments are pyrolysis and gasification. The former consumes less oxygen and the latter contributes to the decrease of the volume of waste material.
Kyriakos Bardakos
Michalis Bardakos
Class : A3,
2nd EPAL SIVITANIDIOS

REFERENCES :
• Microsoft Encarta (Edition 2002)

• www.ingr

• www.BBCnews.com
• www.physics4u.gr/news

R E C Y C L I N G
Recycling is cleaner and greener than making and disposing of new products from virgin materials. It provides raw materials for industry, uses less energy and creates less pollution. However, the cost of collecting, sorting, processing and redistributing recycled materials is bigger than the profit of generating less waste. As a result, in the “three R’s” list – reduce, reuse and recycle, the stage of recycling is put last.
Recycling rates in developed countries have climbed steadily in recent decades – from about 5% in 1960 to about 30% in 2000 in the US. On the other hand, they are not keeping up with waste increases in most countries, and the world is still a long way from the “zero waste” society some environmental campaigners dream of.
There are two sides to the recycling equation – the recovery of materials and their use in the manufacture of marketable products. For the industry to grow, these need to increase in parallel. The key question is who pays for the recovery of the materials – governments, manufacturers, recyclers, consumers, or a mixture?
Several new European Union directives require member states to implement so-called “producer pays” policies, requiring manufacturers of electronic goods, packaging and cars to help pay the recycling bill.
Health Risks
Developing countries are increasingly providing markets for waste from developed countries. This could help provide cheap raw materials for industry in the world’s poorest countries. On the other hand, severe environmental and health risks have resulted from cases where recycling programs have not been properly regulated. Developing countries, for instance, tend to have high levels of informal recycling simply because materials are too precious to waste – tyres are turned into sandals (which may cause severe skin allergies) and aluminium cans into roofing for shanty towns. Consequently, for many poor countries, where scavengers risk their health to trawl through rubbish dumps, the key challenge is formalising this industry to make it safer but still cost-effective.

RECYCLING: THE SITUATION IN GREECE
RECYCLING ALUMINUM: THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC PROFITS

A) The protection of the environment
B) Energy saving
C) The restriction of wastefulness of raw material

PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Collecting and recycling aluminum cans protects the environment reinforcing thus a lot of integrated programs of pollution control all over the country. In addition, recycled materials are not accumulated in the over-fraught landfills.

ENERGY SAVING

The recycling of aluminum cans economizes roughly the 95% of energy that is required to produce aluminum from mineral. Therefore, with good reason the recycling of aluminum was given the characterization BANK of ENERGY.

RAW MATERIAL SAVING

By recycling aluminum, the saving of raw material is accelerated in the main stages of aluminum production.

Recycling one ton of aluminum may lead to saving:

4 tons of bauxite
500 kilos of soda
100 kilos of limestone
700 kilos of oil
25 kilos of kryolitis
35 kilos of fluoride aluminum

It is calculated that during 1991, 700 millions of aluminum cans were consumed in Greece only. Αccording to the data given by the Greek Union of Aluminum,
25% of these were recycled.

RECYCLING PAPER
In Greece, people started collecting useless paper and cardboard at the beginning of the 20th century. Newspapers leaves were used to wrap various products such as eggs, fish, fruit and vegetables. In 1922, Demos Voutselas set up a small store buying waste paper near the Acropolis, in Athens. Ten per cent of the waste paper was mixed with the paper pulp which was imported. In 1960, recycling started formally in Greece. In 1976, paper consumption in Greece was approximately 400,000 tons per year. Nowadays, it exceeds 800,000 tons per year.
RECYCLING GLASS
It involves collecting bottles, jars, plates, heatproof and crystal utensils. The final products coming from recycled glass may be used as fibreglass and road signs. However, in this case, the profit lies in the energy saving aspect and not in the raw material saving aspect.
RECYCLING PLASTIC
Plastic is a high quality, low-priced material used mainly in packaging but with a severe environmental cost. Every year, about 30,000 tons of plastic coming from supermarket bags ends up in the Greek landfills. In addition, mineral water and soft drinks are bottled in plastic.

Our message is a simple one: Recycling is a way of living

Reduce
Waste reduction is the process and the policy of reducing the amount of waste produced and ultimately disposed. Waste reduction or waste minimization, also known as source reduction, is simply reducing waste at its source. Waste minimization is also strongly related to efforts to minimize resource and energy use. The fewer materials used for the same production output means that less waste is produced. Waste minimization may require knowledge of the production process, product life cycle analysis (the tracking of products and their environmental impact from material extraction to their return to earth) and detailed knowledge of the composition of the waste stream. In waste management, product life cycle analysis is often referred to as a cradle-to-grave analysis.
The main sources of waste vary from country to country. Although household waste constitutes a relatively small proportion of all waste in any country, everyone’s effort to reduce waste is another step to improve the quality of our living standard.

Reuse
When you use an item more than once, it is called reuse. Conventional reuse is where an item is used again for the same function, like when you refill a coffee cup instead of throwing it in the trash. It is also reuse when an item is reused for a different purpose, like when you use a 2-liter soda bottle as a seed-starter greenhouse.
Reuse helps the planet, but it also saves money. In many countries, this savings was not considered beneficial enough to forego the convenience of disposable products. Today’s consumer is becoming more aware of environmental concerns and this awareness is gradually changing business and government policies, and consumer attitudes about what the convenience of a disposable society is really costing us.

Recycle
Recycling is the processing of making used items into new raw material. Recycling conserves our natural raw material resources, and typically uses much less energy. Saving energy means that smokestack emissions of greenhouse gas and other pollutants like mercury are reduced at the power plant, and our energy sources are not depleted as quickly. Recycling is critical to today’s waste management programs.
Recyclable materials can be generated anywhere, and nearly anything is recyclable. They include paper, aluminum, glass, road surfaces, scrap metals, and all forms of plastics. Even food and lawn waste can be recycled. Fryer oil can be made into bio-diesel fuel, some plant products can be fermented into ethanol fuels, and some can be composted into fertilizer, or reduced in size to be used as mulch.
Recyclables need to be sorted and separated into material types before processing into new raw materials. Contamination with other materials affects the value and usefulness of the material to be recycled. This sorting can be performed either by the waste generator or the recycling facility.
The same is true of household recycling programs, and these can be broken down into two basic groups. 1) Curbside collection: where consumers leave recycling containers they place outside their property to be collected by a recycling vehicle. The materials can be either “source-separated” by the consumer into separate containers or commingled in one container to be separated at a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and 2) A “drop-off” program, where the consumer takes the recyclable materials to facilities where they are separated based on material type for further processing.

React
The “Three R’s” list mentioned above outlines what we can do to help preserve natural resources and protect the environment. With climate change and going green in the news daily, the list of steps everyone of us can take to help our planet is continually growing. The next step we can do is React. We, as conscientious Earth citizens tried to find out about the right things to do. Now that we have learnt, we can’t still be inert. We have to get out of our chairs and actually do something about it. And we mean: React! Let’s make today the day WE start to do something about it.

Ioannis Balassis,
Gerti Natsi,
Ioannis Papadopoulos
Class : A4
2nd EPAL, SIVITANIDIOS
********************************************************************

Bibliography:
www.wikipedia.com
Microsoft Encarta (2002 edition)
www.Earth911
www.prassino.gr
www.BBCnews.com

YOUR PLANET, WHAT FUTURE ?
Today, our planet is in danger. Indeed, climate changes can be noticed. Traditional seasons don’t seem to exist anymore ; some animal and plant species disappear every day. What will the planet be like in many years ? Are we allowed to let our planet get destroyed ? It’s about time to react and to behave as responsible citizens towards these issues and to change our way of life. Take your turn by filling in this questionnaire...and you will realize the impact of our daily life on the environnement. Thank you !

RECYCLING

1. Why does recycling become increasingly important ? Classify in the order of priority:

 To protect nature
 To recover the raw material
 To produce less waste

2. Classify the various methods of management of waste

 Selective sorting
 Dumping on a landfill site
 Incinerating
 Other : .....................................................

3. Does your town distribute containers for selective sorting?

 Individual bins or containers
 Sorting bags
 Nothing

Specify your town :.....................................

4. Do you make an effort to deposit your waste at the sorting plant or at glass point?

 Often
 Sometimes
 Seldom

5. Dou you recycle ?

 Yes  No

If yes, what do you recycle ?

 glass  drugs (medicines)  metal  garden wastes
 packaging  batteries  newspapers  other : ..................

6. How often do you sort your household waste out?

 Regularly
 Often
 Sometimes
 Never

7. For you, an incinerator is :

 A means of destroying and decreasing waste quickly
 An other type of pollution for nature
 Practical
 Visual pollution for the inhabitants
 Other :.........................................................

8. Do you think incinerators are good solutions to deal whith waste?

 yes  no  no opinion

IMPACT OF THE HOUSING ON THE ENVIRONNEMENT

9. You live in :

 an attached house  a detached house?  a flat ?

10. How many electrical appliances to you have on standy (sleep mode) at home ?

 0 to 2  3 to 6  more

11. Do you let electrical appliances on , without using them ? (for example : television...)

 sometimes  often  never

12. On average, what is the power of the light bulbs you use at home ?
 5 to 14 watts  15 to 19 watts  14 to 60 watts
 more  I don’t know

13. Do you use energy -efficient bulbs ?
 sometimes  often  never

14. Do you leave the light on in some rooms when you leave it ?
 Yes  No

15. What is your heating system ?

 gas  wood  solar energy
 fuel  electricity

16. Do you turn the heating down during an absence ?
 Yes  No

17. Is your home equipped with a heating regulator ?
 Yes  No

18. Is your house equipped with double-glazing ?
 Yes  No

19. Do you usually take :
 Baths ? frequency : .....................a day...........................a week
 Showers ? frequency : .....................a day...........................a week

20. Do you usually let the tap on when you do the washing up, when you brush your teeth, when you soap yourself ?

 sometimes  often  all the time
 never

21. How long does it take to wash yourself?
 5 minutes 10 minutes
 15 minutes  more

22. How many litres of water does a leaking tap consume in one day?
 100 litres  140 litres  200 litres

23. Do you use an economic toilet flush ?
yes  no

TRANSPORTS

24. Which is the distance between your college and your residence (return) ?

25. Is there a public transport to go to your college ?

 yes  no

26. How do you go to college ?

 by car  by bike
 on foot  with public transport

27. To buy bread or little grocery :

 I take my car  I take my bike  I go on foot

28. Which fuel does your car consume ?

 GPL  gazole  containing hydrocarbon bio
 electricity  unleaded gas

29. How many motorized vehicles do you have in your household ?

30. Do you practise car pooling (or car sharing)?

 to come to college
 to go to with friends
 never

31. Does your vehicle have a green sticker ?

 yes  no

32. Does your vehicle have a catalytic converter ?

 yes  no

WASTE MANAGEMENT

33. Which exact definition would you give to waste?

 Waste is garbage stored in discharge with other waste.
 Waste is garbage, unfit residue for consumption, unusable, generally dirty, and cumbersome.
 Waste is an object which you cannot use any more, and which pollutes the environment.

34. When can you say a product is biodegradable?

 When this product which (in conditions of temperature or humidity,…) can be degraded by microbodies
 When this product destroys itself, along the time, in the nature, and polluting little.
 When the product is reusable if you process it.

35. What is an “inert waste”?

 A waste which undergoes no modification and does not decompose.
 A green waste, which doesn’t deteriorate.
 A waste which harms human health and which also pollutes the environment.

36. On average, how much waste does a person produce per day?

 0,250 kg  0,500 kg  1 kg

37. Do French people belong to the large-scale consumers of packaging in the world?

 Yes  No

38. What is an industrial waste?

 It’s toxic waste generated by an industry
 A green waste which doesn’t deteriorate ( ex : Aluminium)
 A waste which is generated by an industry and households.

39. Which simple and daily action would you be ready to take? (an in what order of priority – 1 to 4)

 Sorting out  Less consuming
 Buying products with no packaging  Not throwing your litter in the nature


40. Are you informed enough about collect days of cumbersome waste and garbage collection?

 Yes  No

You are :

 A woman  A man

 between 15 and 18  Between 18 and 20  between 20 et 25

You live in :

 A detached house without a garden  In a flat  A detached house with a garden.

How many members are there in your household?
..........................................

THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONNAIRE !
tpcom – ppcp 2006/2007 – green planet project
Lycée professionnel Henri-Sainte-Claire-Deville- ISSOIRE- FRANCE

The Image of Modern Athens

Over the past 40 years, Greece has been transformed from a poor agricultural country ravaged by war and foreign occupation to a prosperous consumer society with a generally high standard of living.
One consequence of growing prosperity has been the destruction of much the country’s traditional architecture, both in the villages, and the towns. In place of till-roofed, single-story stone village houses and the imposing neoclassical buildings of the capital, functional but unattractive concrete blocks of flats have sprung up almost everywhere. Town planning regulations are loosely enforced, and unrestricted construction has marred many attractive coastal and rural areas. What’s more, Greek cities have become noisy as a result of the prevalence of motorcycles and motor scooters without mufflers.

Car Fumes Suffocating Athens

Athens is the most highly industrialized and densely populated city in Greece. Owing to the country’s rapid industrialization and its automobile emissions, air pollution is a severe problem in the city. Each year, hundreds of Athens residents are hospitalized because of respiratory problems caused by pollution. Moreover, air pollution has damaged many classical Greek antiquities, especially in Athens.
Another serious problem faced by the Athenians is the traffic congestion caused by the influx of private cars in the city center. This problem is getting worse because of the circulation of companies’ cars and numerous taxis. Furthermore, it is calculated that the 24% of the time we spend in the car is useless, because we are struggling to find a parking place, or we get stuck in the traffic jam.

ADDICTED TO THE CAR

According to a survey which was done by the MARK company for the Ministry of Transfer, most of the residents of Athens use their cars on a daily basis to commute to work. Despite upgrading the public transport system thanks to the 2004 Olympic games, the new users of public transport means unfortunately constitute the 2,5% (only)!
In a survey carried out by Greek transport experts, it was presented that the Greeks use their cars to get around distances less than a kilometer, more often than the Italians, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the Belgians.
Apart from the congestion, the lack of parking facilities makes the journey to the center a real nightmare.

SURVEY RESULTS
Everyday 100,000 cars park in the streets of Athens of which 35,000 cars are illegally parked. According to the same survey, the further cost of the cars getting around to look for a parking place reaches 60,000,000 euros per year (fuels consumed per 200,000 cars) while the damage caused to the car engine due to the traffic jam reaches 100,000,000 euros per year.

In the following table we can see the percentage of air pollution caused by traffic, industry and heating in Athens.

Pollutance Traffic Industry Heating
Smoke 68 18 14
Nitrogen oxides 15 40 45
Hydrocarbons 77 6 17
Carbon monoxide 100 0 0
Sulphur dioxide 75 - 25

According to the transport experts, one way to cut emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides is by switching to cleaner-burning fuels. Natural gas, for instance, contains almost no sulphur and produces very low nitrogen oxides. Public buses in Athens run on natural gas. Trolleys and trams, the underground and the Athenian Metro are environmentally-friendly transport means which run on electricity. On individual basis, we can make the difference if we leave our cars and use the public transport. In this way, we might get up one morning and look at a blue sky over our heads.

Helen Moutafidou
Class: A6
2nd Professional Lyceum
Sivitanidios

References: Go Natural,
1st Issue, February 2007

Hello,

my first name is Pauline, my name is Colonna D’Istria, I am 18 years old.
I live in France, In Sauxillanges a small village in Auvergne with my boyfriend.
I was born in Domont , on the eleventh of July in 1988 in summer.
I don’t have a driving licence.
I don’t speak foreign language.

I have already been to Spain, I went to Spain 2 years ago for 2 weeks in 2005.
I would like to visit Greece, because I don’t know this country and I imagine it is beautifull.

Thank you for this exchange it’s funny.

Good Bye.

Bonjour la Grèce !
The Lycée Professionnel Henri Sainte- Claire Deville is pleased to share this blog with Sivitanidios. The book-keeping students, the TPCOM, (18 girls and 10 boys) have been investigating environmental issues too..
Tuesday 27th March was a landmark in the project. Thanks to an efficient collaboration between both Greek and French teams, (English and information technology teachers), Greek students and French students could get a first face to face contact. It took quite a while to struggle with technics but in the end both webcams surrendered and picture and sound got perfect for most part of the 2 hour exchange. First Sivitanidios challenged Ste-Claire Deville with cultural questions. Then the French students took their turns with more geographical questions about France. Despite some audio distortions at times and quite a few disconnections, the conference was a real success among the students.
We hope to be able to exchange more before our final exams.
Watch out for comments and questions !
Amitiés de la région Auvergne, au centre de la France !
A bientôt !

Have you ever been on a school trip abroad? Would you like to visit Greece?

Have you heard the Greek participation in the Eurovision music contest 2007 (Yiassou Maria)?

Where do you usuakky go on your daily school trips?

What kind of music do you like listening in your free time?

Do you know anything about Greek islands?

What is your general impression about Greece?

What do yoy usually eat for breakfast?

Do you happen to know any Greek words?

Is there any traditional (folk) music in France?

“YOU AND ME CAN MAKE OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE”

We were born in Athens. Athens, which is the capital of Greece, has a glorious history of three thousand years. The cradle of civilization, sciences, philosophy and literature has now become a big, grey city. Grey is the colour of the tall buildings which surround us. Grey is the colour of the streets congested with cars. Grey is the colour of the sky covered by the smog. Cars and factories burn fossil fuels to be in operation and the dangerous gases emitted pollute the air we breathe. Nevertheless, people are constantly using their cars to get around anywhere, even if public transport means may suit their journey. What’s more, they waste electricity thoughtlessly and, as a result, they contribute to the exhaustion of finite fuels. To make matters worse, we produce huge amounts of rubbish which landfills cannot absorb any more.

What we dream is to live in a green city. We can’t stand passing through cars to cross the streets; we can’t stand breathing fumes; we want to walk along green parks rather than busy streets. We want to go for a picnic like our parents did years ago. We spend our free time indoors stuck in front of computers because the image of our city doesn’t appeal to us. Mother Nature is unknown to us. “She” takes “her” revenge on US. WE have to pay for our parents’ disrespect to nature. THEY are indifferent and they made us behave in the very same disrespectful way.

We believe we can make our world a better place. However, we need the world’s governments and the authorities to support our efforts. We can make the most of renewable sources of energy such as wind power, solar power, hydropower, hydrogen and biomass as scientists have proposed. Wind turbines and photovoltaic cells as well as solar panels are gadgets we all can fit into our homes and make them energy-efficient.
We should also avoid taking our cars into the city centre and use environmentally-friendly transport means instead. Last but not least, we can recycle glass, aluminum, paper even plastic to help reduce the huge amount of rubbish. If all of us make a little effort, then our planet will become a green, perfect planet and our life will be really wonderful……….

Είμαστε μαθητές του 2ου ΕΠΑ.Λ της Σιβιτανιδείου, που μετέχουμε στη ομάδα του προγράμματος e-twinning, και συνεργαζόμαστε με το σχολείο της Γαλλίας Henry Sainte-Claire Deville Lycee Proffesionel.
Πρόθεσή μας είναι να χρησιμοποιήσουμε τα μέσα που μας παρέχουν οι νέες τεχνολογίες σε μια από κοινού εργασία για θέματα του περιβάλλοντος και της διαχείρησης των πόρων του πλανήτη.

Με αυτή μας την προσπάθεια θέλουμε να προετοιμάσουμε και την διαδικτυακή επικοινωνία που έχουμε προγραμματίσει για την Τρίρη 27 Μαρτίου.
Τα κείμενα και οι συζητήσεις με τους συμμαθητές μας του γαλλικού σχολείου θα είναι στην Αγγλική γλώσσα.