Pre 1st YE Activities

Activities Report from Cyprus – Cultural Association NOSTOS Pissouriou

Cyprus team maybe the bigger one in SOESOS due to the fact that first Youth Exchange will be done in Cyprus and also our association is the organise association. In this report we will referred in all activities that are been done from our team before the first YE that will be on Platres Cyprus from 26 of August 2018 till 2^nd of September 2018. In these activities we tried to discuss a lot of our environmental problems in our area and our country and due to our work, we tried to be informed and to give some solutions about our environmental problems. We will divide this report in 7 parts as the activities that we have done in our association, we will start with the logo competition, how we made our logos and how we decide which logos we will send in the competition. Our voting and how all these has been done, then our daily trip to Troodos so to learn the nature path Caledonia and to see the place that we will go to stay for a week in our first YE and also our last meeting in working place where we started to completing all the work that we had to do as a team.

Facebook Group Chat

First of all, we had to find a way of discussing all things that we wanted to discuss about the program so we created a facebook group chat as you can see in the photo with all the participants so to arrange anything that we wanted for our meetings and what we have to do about the program.

Also we are members of Facebook page of the program that was created from our leader mr. Nikolas Nikolaou on the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1999954096957188/. In the photo you can see our facebook group chat that was created from early June of 2018.

Creation of Facebook Group Page

Our Leader Mr. Nikolas Nikolaou created webpage of the program SOESOS on May in Facebook where members are all participants of SOESOS in all stages and some directors of the organisations. The link of our closed Facebook Group that created just for participants and leaders of the organisation is https://www.facebook.com/groups/1999954096957188/?ref=bookmarks

Participation in Logo Contest

We took part in the logo contest and each member of us created a logo as you can see in the photos that are followed. Participants created 5 logos and we gathered in our working space in Pissouri on Saturday 16 of June 2018 so to decide which logo we will send to the competition.

Then when logo competition begun we vote through our Facebook group chat about the logos that we liked. Congratulations to Romanian team winner in logo competition. All logos from all countries were wonderful.

Visit to Caledonia Trail in Troodos mountains.

On Thursday 9^th of August 2018 all the participants with Mr. Nikolas Nikolaou and Mr. Kyriakos Psomatis (member of our Association) we went to Troodos to the initial point of Caledonia Nature Path and we walked all the trail of 3000 meters into the mountain and we passed from the famous Water falls of Caledonia, in a place where is different from any other place in Cyprus, a lot of trees, green, rocks and water make the place a magic place and not to believe that that was in Cyprus. In our way we found a lot of people walking this trail something that all participants of SOESOS will do it due to the photo contest that we will have on our third day of our program. We wanted as participants to know the trail so to host you as good as possible and be our guests in this trail. You will love that nature trail in Troodos Mountain. We walked all the trail down to Platres and then our drivers bring the car at the end of the trail where we went to our next visit where it was the camp of Platres that we will stay on our SOESOS YE. The photos that followed are from our trip to Caledonia Nature trail.

Visit to Camp Place in Platres

On Thursday 9^th of August after our visit in Caledonia Nature trail in Troodos we visit the camp so to know the places and to be familiar with the whole Camp. The whole place is like an Oasis in the desert with the only exception that is a living place in the wood. The place is among the forest of Troodos and really this day when we went the temperature in Limassol was 40 degrees but in the camp the temperature was only 25 degrees on day time. We walked to the camp and we were quidded by the leaders of the Camp (the Camp is working all the summer with kids from primary and secondary education in Cyprus, leaders of the Camp always are teachers or students so all the kids to be safe) by the leaders of the Camp in all places of the Camp. We see the places that we will sleep the restaurant were we had our lunch and the food was wonderful and also the meeting place for all activities and parties, as well as we know that there is electricity option, wifi in all over the camp (we asked if it will be possible to have all wifi but this will not be possible because they had wifi but not for 50 people to be same time in internet, so maybe small problems if we want all to get to the internet but at activities time it will be ok if we want to show anything or to find anything from internet). Also, in the activity place there are lights like disco where we can have our international night because there is there projector and also system for internal music like club 😊. There is also place for games like ping pong, football game, airfootball, playground for basket, volley ball, tennis and mini football. The photos are from the place that we will be hosted for a week and we visited on Thursday 9^th of August.

Meeting and Discussion about environmental problems in Cyprus possible solutions

Our last meeting was made on Saturday 11 of August were we had to arrange anything about our last work for the program. We decided what posters to do and each one participant will make one poster so to have 4 posters that will show environmental problems in our Community, area country and to make a report about these environmental problems with possible solution. All our reports will be posted in facebook group page and also in our webpage. In this meeting we discussed also, how we will do our Cyprus night and we divide things that each one of us will bring. Photo from our meeting also on Saturday. Posters and reports will be posted as soon as possible in our facebook group page and webpage of SOESOS

Creation of our webpage of SOESOS

Stella Komodromou our second leader and organiser of the project member of our association started creating the webpage of the program in the link https://sites.google.com/view/soesos/home from the beginning of August. Webpage is creating all the time and new things are posted all the time. We believe till the end of the project our webpage will have too much information’s not only for the program but also for all environmental problems in all countries and also for all green companies or green projects that will be created for SOESOS. If you have any suggestions for being the webpage better please tell us we want to hear your opinion about the webpage.

Environmental Problems in Cyprus

Our team from Cyprus decided to find some things bout environmental problems that we have in Cyprus and to give some possible solutions so to be informed also about the problems and solutions that we have in our area. In our report we found 4 significant environmental problems where we decided to knew more about them.

Rubbish everywhere

t is a worldwide phenomenon, especially here in Cyprus that rubbish control our environment. Whenever you walk, whenever you look some plastic bottles, some remaining food and some papers remain on the road. The bad habits of the people of today's generation getting worst. If you compare the neatness of Cyprus with that of other countries, Cyprus is an area full of garbage. What is the reason behind this phenomenon? It is simple, people get used to live in this way. They just walk, and, in the way, they throw their junk on the floor. The few that wanted to take response of such situations cannot affect the whole island.

Recycling is something efficient that unfortunately is not in the routine of the most Cypriots. Nobody can't refuse that is just a habit that doesn't take a lot of time at all, but people must adopt this habit first.

On the other side, people as they drive a lot and they are all the time in the way from one place to another, sometimes they are so tired and their consciousness sleep. They may throw some trash, rubbish or cigarettes out the window of their car without even notice the damage they achieve one person after the other.

Solutions

Community, we have to adopt some good habits and it is the only solution. But how we will be stuck on the people of unconscious people how important the recycling and to take care of the rubbish and be part of a better area with more neatness and discipline is?

First, we must transmit to the people how important is to let the environment clean and that we are responsible of today's awful circumstances. The conscious people must begin the intense recycling and unfortunately is not enough only that. We have to influence , to motivate and to give the power of will , the power of how significant is to be initiative and to take some responsibilities. Unconscious people, who either because of their workaholism us or their ignorance they are not awake of the problem have to wake up and begin with the process of building habits , of cleaning the environment of taking care of our second home , of taking care of our future generations that they will stay in this area , called Cyprus the next centuries.

Air pollution, public transport

Air pollution is a very serious problem in Cyprus, especially in today's community. The result is the continuing growth in motor vehicle use and the industrial activity. A common form of air pollution is the smog and carbon dioxide. As we don't have many forests and the public transport especially the use of cars is major, the amount of carbon dioxide is increasing all the time, especially because of the exhaust fumes of the cars. In this way the green effect gets worst and this affect the global warming. The temperatures getting higher and it is a non-ending cycle, which begins from humans.

Furthermore, it is a phenomenon that the public transport in Cyprus is not that useful for everyone. Initially, we don't have appropriate busses, any trains or transport means. People have no choice and they use cars, increasing in this way the traffic connection. The traffic connection is not only a massive, exhausting problem for the people. Except from wasting time and noise pollution, the impacts of the big amount of exhaust fumes are major. Even though, people thinking how it is possible a small island like Cyprus to endure under such air pollution- and public -transport- problems? Unfortunately, maybe because of the lack of money or awareness, Cyprus-government, as all the people have to do a lot until we can say that we are closer to solve this huge problem

Solutions

One solution, even if will take a lot of time, is to plant more trees and to recreate the lost forests, and the lost past-green-happiness. Trees provide oxygen and the absence of trees aggravate the problem and make the air we breathe less healthy. Depression, headaches and fatigue can all be caused when we breathe polluted air. Atmospheric pollution can be solved, or be better by increasing the number of trees, of green and of nature in our tiny island.

On the other hand, what can we do about the public transport-problems? A lot of money is needed to create appropriate lines, trains and useful transport means for everyone. Something like this would cost a lot of money and time. Another solution would be to use more bicycles and to adopt the habit of sport- transportation like more walking and bicycling in the city. In this way is a double -earn. People live healthier in two ways, in their physical health and they are part of a whole better place.

Fire destroyed areas

It is a worldwide phenomenon that islands with high temperatures have a lot of fires very often. Here in Cyprus also. The forest fires are out of control and governments and communities have failed to agree on how fires should be managed. Fire problems are increasing, some of them for practical and beneficial reasons, some are accidental, and others are deliberately lit to cause damage. All these forest fires have a huge impact on our island and it will be worst in the future If people don’t understand the significance of this phenomenon.

We are destroying nature indebtedly. The causes of the even higher today’s temperatures are coming from the higher amount of carbon dioxide. The lack of trees and the increasing use of technology, transport means, and factories rocketed the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this way, the greenhouse effect gets worst and it causes global warming, which is the cause of the high temperature. Through all these high temperatures, especially in Cyprus, fires are getting worst and expanding, destroying thousands of hectares. Whenever you look, you assume that a fire took place there before some years. It is terrible, and it became usual.

Solutions

Individuals and government alike must act. If we don’t do something, our children’s future is doomed, so we must set our priorities right and our health must come first. Also, here, the solution is to plant more trees, to increase our forest hectares and to recreate our lost green-areas. We must understand the significance of oxygen and how nature benefits our own health and our mood also.

problem, they still throw their cigarettes whenever it is, and they are ignorant of the problem. We, humans as individuals must act and let some information’s be expand, put some priorities and wake up. The global -warming plays a major role, and it gets worst that the next centuries a lot of fires and damage will take place if we don’t be aware of the problem. Let’s calm down the fires by putting fire on our mind and our actions.

Drought – Lake of Water

Cyprus, which is an island has a serious problem of drought. We must use water wisely. Most people are just ignorant of the problem. Each year millions of tourists’ flock to Cyprus, leaving behind the cloudy weather of northern Europe. The problem has reached some serious proportions that the government has been forced to ship 8 million cubic meters of as an estimated cost of 40 million euros from Greece and has also ordered the construction of numerous desalination plants. The rains repeatedly fail, and the falling yields are a phenomenon. But not only farmers are suffering from the drought.

Famagusta has also long suffered from water shortages as its population grows and groundwater reserves dry out, reaching crisis point. The town is receiving only five thousand cubic meters of water per day from groundwater supplies for a population of 40,000.

The government is failing to understand the severity of the situation. This global issue caused by climate change and more specifically the eastern Mediterranean region is particularly at risk of desertification.

Solutions

The government thinks of some desalination plants, and to transport some cubic meters -water from Greece, but they don’t even know if something like this would be enough to fix the problem.

Searching for new water sources should become a priority. Desalination plants are too expensive and not appropriate for the community but as an individual, people could handle more careful the water they have and don’t waste it. We must find ways and expand the existed one’s of recycling water and how we could use sea’s water. Everything takes time and money, but we must begin, we must start to take care of the nature.

The law of giving-receiving is on the peak and the nature gives us what it receives, just a mess. All together we can bring water back and to fight, at least how much it’s possible the major problem of climate changes, included the drought , global warming , greenhouse effect, acid rain and so many others.

We hope due to this short report all to understand what our significant environment problems in Cyprus are and we will try to inform you more in our presentation of all these.

Leader of the team: Evangelia Nikolaou

Participants of Cyprus team:

Kyriaki Psomati

Angelos Pechlivanis

Anthi Psomati

Savvina Nikolaou

Chara Damianou

Organizers of SOESOS:

Nikolas Nikolaou

Stella Komodromou