This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

End product created with the financial support of the European Commission trough Lifelong Learning Programme , Comenius Multilateral Partnerships subprogram. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Save the Butterflies, Save the planet! 2010 2012

Ecological guide

All information and images in this ecological guide are used for educational purposes only and with no commercial profit.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. End product created with the financial support of the European Commission trough Lifelong Learning Programme , Comenius Multilateral Partnerships subprogram. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Table of contents
Foreword I.Biodiversity II. Global Warming 2.1 General information 2.2 Causes of climate change 2.2.1 Natural causes of climate change 2.2.2 Human causes of climate change III. Pollution the main source of climate change IV. The major sources of pollution in my local area Bulgaria Germany Hungary Italy Lithuania Poland Romania Turkey V. Deforestation as a contributor to the causes for climate change VI. Effects of climate change VII. Climate hazards VIII. Extinction of plant and animal species IX. Climate change and human health X. Strategies for slowing global warming XI. Project virtual products XII. Photo documentation of the project meetings and activities XIII. Bibliography XIV. summary 5 7 13 13 15 16 20 25 30 30 31 33 38 41 42 45 47 51 53 58 64 67 70 76 77 101 102

FOREWORD
In a world where countries become more and more industrialized, materialism dominates motivation and instincts; though Global Warming is regarded as a globally significant threat, mankind has not managed to acquire environmentally-friendly consciousness. A world scavenged by storms social, technological and ecological, a world that wishes and demands change of the old destructive industrial paradigms. Living in a globalized, information-based world exactly the information is the ship that can help us stay above the flood. And here we are 8 different countries, 8 different schools and a lot of different people trying to build this ship for the future generations. For 2 years the Comenius project SAVE THE BUTTERFLIES, SAVE THE PLANET! was carried out by: SCHOOL WITH CLASSES I-VIII , Ivesti, Romania (general coordinator) SEHIT EVLIYA ILKOGRETM OKULU , Kahramanmara , Turkey SZKOA PODSTAWOWA STOWARZYSZENIA PRZYJACI SZK KATOLICKICH W WINOWNIE , Winowno, Poland ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO STATALE "MONS.V.AGLIALORO ", Caccamo, Italy SOU OTEC PAISII , Vratsa, Bulgaria SIAULIAI AUKSTABALIS SECONDARY SCHOOL , Siauliai, Lithuania GT LTALNOS ISKOLA, VODA S BLCSDE TISZAGYULAHZA LTALNOS ISKOLAI TAGINTZMNY NO3 , Tiszagyulahza , Hungary SECONDARY SCHOOL "HELENE LANGE", Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany Together we are gathering all the in formation that is needed, so that we can prepare ourselves for the events of tomorrow. The title underlines, on purpose, the value and the central role of the butterflies: Butterflies are sensitive to climate change and this makes them ideal indicators for environmental health. Every butterfly bears on its wings a crumb of the Earths b eauty: the green of the fields , a branch of a tree from the top of the forests, the flowers p etals, the freshness of the air, a droplet of pure water. Each one can be a butterfly to whom we should show that whats happening to t he Earth it is happening to us and it will affect those who are coming. This project wa s created to develop love for nature and desire to protect the environment in our students and, more generally, in our local communities. This is just a start in identifying the necessar y conditions to protect nature , to understand global and regional effects when we get involved in solving env ironmental problems. This also means getting students , but also teachers, parents, families etc., involved responsibly in protecting and preserving the environment.

A new consciousness is becoming aware of its existence. It is the consciousness that we are responsible not only for our behavior and habits, but also for the existing situation that requires our best efforts to repair the things that are broken and restore the harmony and symbiosis between the human and the planet. This ecological guide, the final product of our project, is intended to clarify, inform and make individuals and communities conscious of globally potential risks, threats, well proven causes, results and effects of Global Monster , shortly to say, the whole reality of the Climate Change and increase the level of individual and global aware ness and consciousness thereby succeeding in handing down to next generations a world which carries its natural colours and breathable properties. Because, just like a little butterfly has, we all have the right to live. We dont have a recipe or a set model, we only have carefully chosen materials to help you realize nature is a source of peace , health and beauty. This Ecological Guide just puts into action teachers and pupils experience throughout the unrolling of the project. We would like you to join us in the unfolding of this guide, page by page. Look! the tiny butterflies have already started to lay out of their cocoons, flown into blue sky and brought us the fragrance of colourful flowers. They fulfilled their ultimate task and now it is our turn!

Come on! Lets gather for our nature hand in hand and wing in wing.

I. Biodiversity
What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is one of the big buzzwords of our time. You can hear it on the radio and in conversation, on TV and in films. It's a w ord frequently found on the lips of politicians, broadcosters, ecowarriors, business people, students, your friends and acquaintances down at the cafe or bar, consercationists, and even schoolchildren. But it seems to mean different things to different peo ple. So we have a subject that many of us would agree is essential to know something about, even to come to grips with, but one for which few of us have a clear definition. Fortunately, if you know where to look you can find some definitions for the word the problem is, if you look quite hard you can find more than eighty different definitions. We will try to make the term biodiversity clear. The word biodiversity is a contracted version of biological diversity. This term was used for the first time by a scientist and conversationist Raymond F. Dasmann in a book A Different Kind of Country in 1968, but it came into usage in science and environmental policy after more than a decade. Since this period the term has achieved widespread use among biolo gists, environmentalists, political leaders, and concerned citizens. But what exactly does biodiversity mean? It is the variability among living organisms forms, all sources including [among other things] terrestial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part including diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. In short, biodiversity is the variety of all forms of life, from genes to species, through to the broad scale of ecosystems. It is considered to be composed by three types of varieties clearly related to each other: Genetic: genetic varieties or sub-specific genetic forms and varieties Taxonomic : species variety or other taxonomic categories Ecological: ecosystem variety at any geographic level

Each ecosystem has organisms that are part of everything, acting reciprocally among themselves, with the wind, water, and soil. The most remarkable characteristic of biodiversity is its constant evolution, not only at species level, b ut also over individual organisms. Besides, it is not uniformly distributed through the whole planet: abundant in tropical regions, less abundant as you approach to the Polar Regions. In other words, biodiversity refers to all species plants and animal s - living together into a space given, including that space. Biodiversity is important: Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example,

A larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms Healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters. o preserve the diversity in

And so, while we people dominate this planet, we still need t wildlife.

A healthy biodiversity provides a number of natural services for everyone : Ecosystem services, such as Protection of water resources Soils formation and protection Nutrient storage and recycling Pollution breakdown and absorption Contribution to climate stability Maintenance of ecosystems Recovery from unpredictable events

Biological resources, such as Food Medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs

Wooden products Ornamental plants Breeding stocks, population reservoirs Future resources Diversity in genes, species and ecosystems Social benefits, such as Research, education and monitoring Recreation and tourism Cultural values

To prevent the well -known and well -documented problems of genetic defects c aused by in-breeding, species need a variety of genes to ensure successful survival. Without this, the chances of extinction increases. Species depend on each other . While there might be survival of the fittest within a given species, each species depend s on the services provided by other species to ensure survival. It is a type of cooperation based on mutual survival and is often what a balanced ecosystem refers to. The relationship between soil, plants, bacteria and other life is also referred to as t he nitrogen cycle :

************************************************************************ Biodiversity makes this planet special and unique . Every species enriches the diversity of our life experience, just as the diversity of our cultures does. We sh ould care when species and ecosystems disappear because the loss of any species means the loss of invaluable information that could help us solve future problems. Also, the more species there are, the better ecosystems can provide us with valuable services. Finally, nature inspires us with its beauty and perfection.

Extinctions From Human Activity

Despite the knowledge about biodiversitys importance for a long time, human activity has been causing massive extinctions. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF ) added that Earth is unable to keep up in the struggle to regenerate from the demands we place on it.

Human activities greatly diminish biodiversity: genetic diversity is lost, species go extinct, ecosystems are degraded and polluted. The loss of any species means the loss of invaluable information that could help us solve future problems, even tricky problems such as how to design more effective medicines, wind turbines or buildings.

In the year of biodiversity (2010) Ogilvy Paris andWWF to launch a thought-provoking campaign aimed to escalate the conversation ofwhats at stake when biodiversity is not respected. The campaignshows wild animals in their natural environment tagged by graffiti paint .
Source: http://www.ogilvy.com

Moreover, ecos ystems provide us with a variety of extremely valuable and often irreplaceable services. They maintain processes essential to human well -being such as providing food and medicines, facilitating pollination and water security, and cycling oxygen, carbon and other important chemicals between the soil, air and water. The biodiversity crisis is a global environmental crisis with potentially devastating consequences for human well -being which are on par with the potential threats posed by the water crisis and the pollution crisis. The continuing decrease of plant and animal populations and the resulting extinction of species and unravelling of ecosystems are still too often considered just sad events happening somewhere far away, like the disappearance of chari smatic species like tigers and pandas, but not of a threatening nature to daily life. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) notes that many species are threatened with extinction . In addition, At threat of extinction are 1 out of 8 birds 1 out of 4 mammals 1 out of 4 conifers 1 out of 3 amphibians 6 out of 7 marine turtles 75% of genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost 75% of the worlds fisheries are fully or over exploited Up to 70% of the worlds known species risk extinction if the global temperatures rise by more than 3.5C 1/3rd of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction Over 350 million people suffer from severe water scarcity In different parts of the world, species face different levels and types of threats. But

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overall patterns show a downward trend in most cases. The rate of biodiversity loss has not been reduced because the 5 principle pressures on biodiversity are persistent, even intensifying: 1. Habitat loss and degradation 2. Climate change 3. Excessive nutrient load and other forms of pollution 4. Over-exploitation and unsustainable use 5. Invasive alien species Biodiversity crashes have increasing impact on human well -being directly. Especially the quality of life of the poor and th e rural people, but eventually of everybody will be more and more influenced when, for example: - fisheries collapse leaving entire communities unemployed, - pollinators like bees and butterflies disappear, leaving crops unfertilized and harvests diminished, - damaged ecosystems lose the capability of soaking up and cleaning water, leading to devastating floods and mudslides and poisoned and diminished ground water all around the world.

The value of species to ecosystems These so-called ecosystem services are not only freely provided by nature, but also essential to human well-being. And these vital services are more effective and productive when there are many species around: the more species there are, the better ecosystems work. While we cannot say for sure that every single species is of direct value to humans, the multitude of species ensures the good and stable functioning of ecosystems, which, in return, provide multiple benefits to human well-being

Protected areas are a vital part of mankind's attempts to preserve the diversity of life on earth. Flavio Takemoto

The value of ecosystems to poor and rural people

We should ta ke note that it is often the poor and rural people who are directly affected when biodiversity declines, such as when mining operations or water dams take their land to provide resources and energy for the better -off people living in urban areas. Often the economic gain from such developments, e.g., mining, is offset by the economic loss, e.g., the loss of fresh water, food and the other services provided by the ecosystem which was destroyed by the mining. Therefore, destruction of biodiversity is often uneconomical, but

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the gains from that destruction do benefit certain special interest groups, e.g., mining companies. Whether the living world should be protected because it has rights of its own or because of its economic and other benefits to human societies is a difficult moral question, but we certainly will make it very difficult for us to have a good life on a planet with severely diminished or collapsed ecosystems. The European Union has adopted a new 2020 biodiversity target in March 2010 which aims at halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020 and restoring them as much as possible. At the same time, the EU will step up its contribution to averting global biodiversity loss. The adoption of a new EU biodiversity strategy is envisaged in 2011 to translate the EU target into specific measures.

************************************************************************ . Protecting biodiversity is in our self-interest. Biological resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations. Natures products support such diverse industries as agriculture, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, horticulture, construction and waste treatment. The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and sources of wood, medicines and energy. It also interferes with essential ecological functions. - by Hungarian partner (GT ltalnos Iskola, voda s Blcsde Tiszagyulahza lt. Isk. Tagint.)

AND POLISH TEAM Szkoa Podstawowa Stowarzyszenia Przyjaci Szk Katolickich w Winownie, Poland

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II. Global warming

2.1 General information
The global warming is actually a global warning, a warning for misbalance in the scales between human civilization and nature. It is a warning that if we dont chang e our ways, thinking in a global scale, a massive ecological disaster may happen. Maybe even during the time that someone reads this article it may already be too late to prevent it. Global warming is the process of heating up and refers to the rising aver age temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans, which started to increase in the late XIXth century with the discovery of fossil fuels and is projected to keep going up. Since the early XXth century, Earth's average surface temperature has increased by a bout 0.8 C (1.4 F), with about two thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90% certain that most of it is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels. These findings are recognized by the national science academies of all the major industrialized nations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change claims that during the 21 st century, the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1 to 2.9 C in the best case and 2.4 to 6.4 for the worse expectations. This increase in global temperature will cause serious rises in sea levels and will change the amount and pattern of precipi tation, and a probable expansion of subtropical deserts. For the Arctic it would be devastating to cause retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other probable effects of the warming include drastic decline of biodiversity. Evidence for warming of t he climate system includes observed increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level. One of the biggest reasons for the warming is the greenhouse effect which is the process by which absorption and emission of infrared radiation by gases in the atmosphere which heats the planet's lower atmosphere and surface. It was proposed by Joseph Fourier in 1824 and was first investigated quantitatively by Svante Arrhenius in 1896.

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The illustration above showed the basic principles of the greenhouse effect which is naturally phenomenon which even has a positive effect to some extent. However, in nature it has some regular levels. For the past XX century, the conditions for the existence of the greenhouse effect improved because of the human activities and the release of huge quantities of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. In terrestrial ecosystems, the earlier timing of spring events, and poleward and upward shifts in plant and ani mal ranges, have been linked with high confidence to recent warming. Future climate change is expected to particularly affect certain ecosystems, including tundra, mangroves, and coral reefs. It is expected that most ecosystems will be affected by higher a tmospheric CO2 levels, combined with higher global temperatures. Overall, it is expected that climate change will result in the extinction of many species and reduced diversity of ecosystems. It may even change the ocean currents because of the drastic mel ting of the polar ice caps which are the refrigera ting system of our planet. Thus , research shows that if the global warming continues with this drastic, rapid progress, a major shift in climate zones is inevitable. For example areas that have been int o the temperate climate zone shift to subtropical climate. Areas in the sub -polar regions shift into temperate. The fragile balance and symbiosis between habitat and the species that populate them is violated leading to the extinction of species or unexpec ted migrations. One of the most obvious examples that can be made is with polar bears which are excellent swimmers. Because of the glaziers meltdown, they have to travel to bigger unexpected distances. The amount of ice which they use as intermediate res ting zones is reduced. Several cases of drowned polar bears are observed for the past two decades because of the reduced quantities of ice and the bigger distances between the land areas and the polar ice. Every subject in school is important, but probably the most important in the time after the industrial and modern revolutions is to return the balance between human civilization and the environment. According to the evolution theory, we as a species are one of the newest newcomers in this environment, but our existence is becoming more and more destructive, not symbiotic. If all people on earth disappear, all our lives will flourish back only for 50 years. If we continue with the current way of life, after 50 years, we will live in a scavenged world. Solutions are available perm culture, sustainable housing, sustainable way of lives, independence from fossil fuels by using more and more renewable sources of energy. Reducing the levels of the greenhouse gasses by making every possible place like rooftops for example - greener and greener. With a dream of a greener future, we are looking forward to the realization of this dream. Dream big and everything is possible. Vasil Angelov and the students from the Small Ecologist Club, Vratsa, Bulgaria

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2.2 Causes of climate change

The earth's climate is dynamic and always changing th rough a natural cycle. What the world is more worried about is that the changes that are occurring today have been speeded up because of man's activities. These changes are being studied by scientists all over the world who are finding evidence from tree r ings, pollen samples, ice cores, and sea sediments. The causes of climate change can be divided into two categories - human causes and - natural causes. The natural variability and the climate fluctuations of the climate system have always been part of the Ea rths history , however there have been changes in concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere growing at an unprecedented rate and magnitude.

Image source: http://dorsi.hubpages.com

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2.2.1 Natural causes of the climate change

1.The Effect of the Sun: PaalBrekke, one of the knowledgeable scientists of ESA, has stated that climatologists have studied the 11-year-old orbital cycles of sun spots and that the sun has had a variation in its radiance during the centuries. As a result, it is highly e stimated that the suns magnetic field, protons and solar winds occurring in the shape of electrons are responsible for being a shelter against the cosmic rays in the solar system. This shield vulnerable to variable activity by the sun can transmit cosmic rays. The excessive amount of cosmic rays increase clouds, changes the radiation rate of sun, thereby leading to global temperature rise.

That the increasing quantity of the cosmic beams from sun causes the earth to possess and absorb too much heat.This case leads to muchmore heat in the earth than it should be. The solar ultraviolet rays also bring about a change on the ozone layer forming chemical reactions (which, as a result, the whole atmosphere.

2.Precision Motion on Earth: A serbian scientist , MilutinMilankovi emphasized that the earths orbit around the sun gets more and more compressed once each 95000 years .In addition, there exists linear shift in the axis of the world once every 41000 years as well as circular deviation every 23000 year s. Most of contemporary scientists specify that the world experienced periodical cold times due to these movements of the earth and during these cool periods (in periods of 100000 years) , the earth also had hot temperatures every 10000 years. So this forms the reason of the natural warming of the world.

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The following figures indicate how the precision movement affects the global warming.

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

3.The Effect of El-Nino: The El-Nino movement called The event of South Oscillation warmth led to a rise up to 2.5 C in the heat of sea -surface of eastern Tr opical Pacific Ocean during 1990 -1998. It is widely accepted that 1997 -1998 strong El -Nino winds had a significant impact on the formation of considerably high surface temperatures especially in 1997-1998s. The strong

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El-Nino in 1998 is considered to b warming of that year.

e the main factor contributing to the high global

************************************************************************ Apart from the 3 main factors mentioned above, there are 2 scientific studies and researches as follows: a) The plates forming the continents shift from each other approximately 1 -15 cm once 250 Million years. Certain scientists are firmly convince d that the change of the winds direction and current systems on oceans caused by continental shift is one of the main causes of climate change. The figure below indicates the ancient case of the continents and todays alongside. CONTINENTS MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO TODAY

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b) Some large volcanic eruptions throw tiny particles called aerosols high up into the atmosphere, where they block out some sunlight, cooling the planet down. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 caused a 0.5 C drop in global temperature.

TURKISH TEAM ehitEvliya Primary School, Kahramanmara,Turkey.

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2.2.2 Human causes of climate change

One of the most significant problem of contemporary world is assurance people of ecological safety. Man and his activities have a huge impact on the environment, on a local scale in his closest surroundings, and on a global one where Man's impact on the environment is world -wide, international. Man because of the pr rising heavy industry and other branches of economy has m impact on the world. Air pollution, chemicals emission, the greenhouse effect, soil, forests and natural ecosystem degradation, climate modification a crippling landscapes and climate. All changes in our surroundings that come into being because of Man's activities are called anthropogenic changes, and factors that cause them are antrhopogenic factors. They are conne cted with each direct or indirect Man's impact on the einvronment and plants living there. Farming areas are the great example of this impact. Farm business which is conformed to a superior purpose i.e. magnification of production, often leads to re some examples of Man's activities ogress of civilization,

ore and more destructive

environmental degradation. As a result of other non farm business there are also many unfavourable changes, such as reduction of farmlands to public utilities and industrial development advantage, air, soil and water polluted with industry or river deepening. As a result of Man's activities, many ecological dangers which are global came into being. Experts distinguish four groups: 1. spreading of toxic agents chemical or radioactive, that are not biologically decomposed, 2. destruction of forests deforestation, and water area acidification, 3. atmospheric pollution hydrochlorofluorocarbons pollute th e air and cause the ozone layer depletion (the ozone hole) and ultraviolet radiation as a result, 4. the greenhouse effect. Besides, there is constant air pollution which is caused by other elements and chemical agents, dust, and disastrous growth of an amount of rubbish. The destruction of tropical forests is a huge problem because it leads to mass and accelerated dying out of many species.An anthropogenic change is very c onscious or unconscious, intentional or accidental activity which causes environmental reaction. Some of them can entail very significant landscape changes at small areas (industry or buildins), and others change bigger regions but insignificantly (farming ).But landscapes enrichment is not usually ecological enrichment. Three kinds of space use are distuinguished:

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- biogenic use forestry, hunting, farming flora and fauna are changed in the first instance - geogenic use underground and opencast mini ng the surface area of the Earth is changed - technogenic use colonization, industry and transport affect landscapes the most Anthropogenic disturbances are caused by different kinds of activities. They affect ecosystems in three ways: mechanically, organizacionally and chemically. Mechanical influences are noticeable in fields the surface area of soil changes by using agrotechnical procedures. Using fertilizers and pesticides, and storing industrial waste people contribute to chemicalization of environment. In the last 60 years or so man's activities has contributed to the deterioration of the ozone layer.

Only 10 or less of every million molecules of air are ozone. The majority of these ozone molecules resides in a layer between 10 and 40 kilomet ers (6 and 25 miles) above the Earth's surface in the stratosphere. Each spring in the stratosphere over Antarctica (Spring in the southern hemisphere is from September through November.), atmospheric ozone is rapidly destroyed by chemical processes and the ozone hole appears. The ozone "hole" is really a reduction in concentrations of ozone high above the earth in the stratosphere. The ozone hole is defined geographically as the area wherein the total ozone amount is less than 220 Dobson Units. The ozo ne hole has steadily grown in size (up to 27 million sq. km.) and length of existence (from August through early December) over the past two decades. There are four compounds responsible for appearing the ozone hole: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform. While talking about human causes of climate change, radioactive emissions could not be omitted.

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It is the release of radioactive substances into the environment deriving from nuclear installations and from min ing, purification and enrichment operations of radioactive elements. The next problem is a huge danger nowadays. It is the greenhouse effect - a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases, and is re -radiated in all directions. The greenhouse effect is caused by a range of different gases in the earths atmosphere: water vapour, carbon dioxide and other gases like methane and nitrous oxide. Carbon dioxide (also known as CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas after water vapour and contributes strongly to the greenhouse effect. Since the Industrial Revolution, which began in the 18th century, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increas ed by about 40 per cent. The concentration of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere is now higher than at any time in at least the last 800,000 years.

The consequence is that the greenhouse effect is becoming stronger, and therefore the earth is becoming warmer. How much warmer has, however, been a matter of dispute. The most recent assessment report from the IPCC is from 2007. It concludes that the earths average temperature has risen by 0.74 degrees in the period from 1906 to 2005.

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Human activity is ch anging the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in two important ways: Deforestation: Cutting down forests faster than they are replaced (deforestation) is a major contributor to climate change. Burning fossils fuels: When fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas are burned, they release greenhouse gases. In 2005, burning fossil fuels sent about 27 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. People burn fossil fuels to create energy, which is used for many things including: heating homes and buildings

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growing, transporting and cooking food travelling (for example, by car, plane, bus and train) treating water to make it drinkable, heating it and piping it into homes manufacturing, using and transporting products, from clothes to fridges, from plastic bags to batteries The biggest sources of emissions for most people are likely to be: using energy in the home (mainly for heating) driving air travel The amount of emissions youre personally responsible for is known as your carbon footprint. To help tackle climate change, everyone needs to try and reduce their carbon footprint. There are many simple ways you can do this for example, switching appliances off standby or walking short journeys instead of using the car.

POLISH TEAM Szkoa Podstawowa Stowarzyszenia Przyjaci Szk Katolickich w Winownie, Poland

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III Pollution - the main source of climate change

Pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems but still many people do not take pollution problem seriously as they should be. Many people still think that we can dump our garbage all over the planet without any conseque nces which is not true. Since the start of industrial revolution we have been continuously heavily polluting our planet, caring only for economic development, and not caring at all for the health of environment we live in. Such lack of ecological conscience has caused severe pollution across the whole planet. Levels of air, sea, and water pollution are extremely high, and are constantly growing because industry isnt letting go. The main sources of pollution are definitely industry and vehicles. Heavy indu stries based on fossil fuels are especially dangerous for our environment, and if we take a look at China and India for instance we can see that rapid economic development actually has rather high environmental price. Heavy pollution not only makes our env ironment ugly but is also the source of many respiratory and waterborne diseases across the south -east Asia that are taking many human lives year after year. The world biggest polluter is China but United States are not far behind. These two countries release majority of worlds total CO2 emissions into the atmosphere that not only causes pollution but also gives more impact to climate change problem. The main sources of pollution are dirty fuels such as coal that are releasing harmful gases and particles into our air and our atmosphere. Sadly air pollution is only one form of global pollution and there are many other forms of pollution happening on our planet. People not only care little about the air they breathe but also about water they drink. Water is so precious to our survival and people are still doing so little to protect water resources around the globe. In many parts of the world, especially India and China, water is in some places well below the levels required for safe drinking, with many people dying from different waterborne diseases and lack of basic sanitation. Our sea is also heavily polluted. Each day we are dumping new garbage into our oceans ; luckily oceans are so huge that we are not able to see the actual damage that we are doing to them which is very likely much bigger than we think it is. Pollution is basically a form of environmental destruction. Harmful gases and particles, different t ypes of garbage and waste that is dumped each day into our environment is destroying inheritance that Mother Nature left us. The only question that remains is how much more of this abuse can our planet take? Pollution became a popular issue after World Wa r II, due to radioactive fallout from atomic warfare and testing. Then a non -nuclear event, The Great Smog of 1952 in London, killed at least 4000 people. This prompted some of the first major modern environmental legislation, The Clean Air Act of 1956.

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Pollution began to draw major public attention in the United States between the mid-1950s and early 1970s, when Congress passed the Noise Control Act , the Clean Air Act , the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Smog Pollution in Taiwan

Bad bouts of local pollution helped increase consciousness. PCB dumping in the Hudson River resulted in a ban by the EPA on consumption of its fish in 1974. Long term dioxin contamination at Love Canal starting in 1947 became a national news story in 1978 and led to the Superfund legislation of 1980. Legal proceedings in the 1990s helped bring to light Chromium-6 releases in California--the champions of whose victims became famous. The pollution of industrial land gave rise to the name brownfield, a term now common in city planning. The development of nuclear science introduced radioactive contamination , which can remain lethally radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years. Lake Karachay, named by the Worldwatch Institute as the "most polluted spot" on earth, served as a disposal site for the Soviet Union throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Second place may go to the area of Chelyabinsk U.S.S.R. (see reference below) as the "Most polluted place on the planet". Nuclear weapons continued to be tested in the Cold War , sometimes near inhabited areas, especially in the earlier stages of their development. The toll on the worst -affected populations and the growth since then in understanding about the critical threat to human health posed by radioactivity has also been a prohibitive complication associated with nuclear power . Though extreme care is practiced in that indust ry, the potential for disaster suggested by incidents such as those at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl pose a lingering specter of public mist rust. One legacy of nuclear testingbefore most forms were banned has been significantly raised levels of background radiation. International catastrophes such as the wreck of the Amoco Cadiz oil tanker off the coast of Brittany in 1978 and the Bhopal disaster in 1984 have demonstrated the universality of such events and the scale on which efforts to address them needed to engage. The borderless nature of atmos phere and oceans inevitably resulted in the implication of pollution on aplanetary level with the issue of global warming. Most recently the term

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persistent organic pollutant (POP) has come to describe a group of chemicals such as PBDEs and PFCs among others. Though their effects remain somewhat less well understood owing to a lack of experimental data, they have been detected in various ecological habitats far removed from industrial activity such as the Arctic, demonstrating diffusion and bioaccumulation after only a relatively brief period of widespread use. Growing evidence of l ocal and global pollution and an increasingly informed public over time have given rise to environmentalism and the environmental m ovement, which generally seek to limit human impact on the environment.

Forms of pollution

The Lachine Canal, in Montreal Canada, is polluted

The major forms of pollution are listed below along with the particular pollutants relevant to each of them: Air pollution :- the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common gaseous pollutants include carbon monoxide , sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to s unlight. Particulate matter, or fine dust is characterized by their micrometre size PM10 to PM2.5. Light pollution:includes light trespass, overillumination and astronomical interference. Littering:- the criminal throwing of inappropriate man -made objects, unremoved, onto public and private properties. Noise pollution :- which encompasses roadway noise , aircraft noise , industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar.

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 Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground leakage. Among the most signific ant soil contaminants arehydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Radioactive contamination , resulting from 20th century activities in atomic physics, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear weap ons research, manufacture and deployment. (See alpha emitters and actinides in the environment.) Thermal pollution , is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant. Visual pollution , which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines , motorway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining ), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste. Water pollution , by the discharge of wastewater from commercial and industrial waste (intentionally or through spills) into surface waters; discharges of untreated domestic sewage, and chemical contaminants, such as chlorine, from treated sewage; release of waste and contaminants into surface runoff flowing to surface waters (including urban runoff and agricultural runoff, which may contain chemical fertilizers and pesticides); waste disposal and leaching into groundwater; eutrophication and littering. Air pollution comes from both natural and man made sources. Though globally man made pollutants from combustion, construction, mining, agriculture and warfare are increasingly significant in the air pollution equation. Motor vehicle emissions are one of the leading causes of air pollution. China, United States, Russia, Mexico, and Japan are the world leaders in air pollution emissions. Principal stationary pollution sources include chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, petrochemical plants, nuclear waste disposal activity, incinerators, large livestock farms (dairy cows, pigs, poultry, etc.), PVC factories, metals production factories, plastics factories, and other heavy industry. Agricultural air pollution comes from contemporary practices which include clear felling and burning of natural vegetation as well as spraying of pesticides and herbicides. About 400 million metric tons of hazardous wastes are generated each year. The United States alone produces about 250 million metric tons. Americans constitute less than 5% of the world's population , but produce rou ghly 25% of the worlds CO2, and generate approximately 30% of worlds waste . In 2007, China has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest producer of CO2, while still far behind based on per capita pollution ranked 78th among the world's nations. In February 2007, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), representing the work of 2,500 scientists, economists, and policymakers from more than 120 countries, said that humans have been the primary cause of global warming since 1950. Humans have ways to cutgreenhouse gas emissions and avoid the consequences of

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global warming, a major climate report concluded. But to change the climate, the transition from fossil fuels like coal and oil needs to occur within decades, according to the final report this year from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Some of the more common soil contaminants are chlorinated hydrocarbons (CFH), heavy metals (such as chromium, cadmiumfound in rechargeable batteries, and leadfound in leadpaint, aviation fuel and still in some countries, gasoline), MTBE, zinc, arsenic and benzene. In 2001 a series of press reports culminating in a book called FatefulHarvest unveiled a widespread practice of recycling industrial byproducts into fertilizer, resulting in the contaminati on of the soil with various metals. Ordinary municipal landfills are the source of many chemical substances entering the soil environment (and often groundwater), emanating from the wide variety of refuse accepted, especially substances illegally discarded there, or from pre -1970 landfills that may have been subject to little control in the U.S. or EU. There have also been some unusual releases of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins , commonly called dioxinsfor simplicity, such as TCDD. Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster. For example, hurricanes often involve water contamination from sewage, and petrochemical spills from ruptured boats orautomobiles. Larger scale and environmental damage is not uncommon when coastal oil rigs or refineries are involved. Some sources of pollution, such as nuclear power plants or oil tankers , can produce widespread and potentially hazardous rele ases when accidents occur. In the case of noise pollution the dominant source class is the motor vehicle , producing about ninety percent of all unwanted noise worldwide.

Team from Lithuania

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IV. The major sources of pollution in my local area

bulgaria
City of Vratsa is located in northwestern Bulgaria in Vratsa district. Population according to the latest count in 2011 is estimated to be around 60000 inhabita nts. Before the fall of socialism in 1989 the city was estimated to have around 100000 inhabitants. It was a major chemical industry centre holding one of the biggest factories for ammonia fertilizers HIMKO. However the resources for the factory were delivered according to the agreement between Bulgaria and USSR. After the democratic changes the factory fall down under the harsh economic condition and it-is not operational since at least 10 years. Because of that present day Vratsa is one of the zones rediscovering ecological tourism and green culture. An ancient history habitat it is one of the centers of the Thracian

culture. Most of the industrial factories are now closed. The only operational are the ones connected with fashion industry. Some sources of pollution still remain usually

construction wastes that are sometimes thrown away at illegal dump places. The pollution in Vratsa is connected more with human activities than heavy industry. Utility garbage is found everywhere in the city and the nearby nature zones. Ecological education seems to be somewhat rediscovered in the recent years with the founding of the ecological centre Natura 2000. Since Vratsa is near to one of the biggest national parks with hundreds of protected species, some steps are made to minimize pollution, but as our project found out we still need constant ecological care and behavior. Since Vratsa is one of the poorest cities in Bulgaria, it is very difficult to have high level of ecological culture among the population of the city. However the project helped our students to understand these facts better and to define the biggest sources of pollution in the moment. The first major source of pollution are motor vehicles and exhaust fumes. Construction waste is the second major source of pollution which is not recoverable for most of the time. The third major source of pollution is utility garbage and low ecological culture of the population. These three reasons require more efforts and high information accessibility of the population and strong position from the authorities and institutions located in the area.

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Germany
Our local area is the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. Bitterfeld-Wolfen is situated in the middle of the Eastern Germany, in the land Saxony-Anhalt. Its on the border with Saxony. More than 170 years ago, somebody found lignite in Bitterfeld on the Pomselberg near Holzweiig in the north of Bitterfeld. Holzweiig is a part of the todays town of Bitterfeld-Wolfen. In 1839, the first open -cast mine was built. In the next year one more mine was opened. So this was the beginning of the industrial area which developed flying. The mines were followed by the railroads Leipzig -Dessau and Halle-Wittenberg in 1857, the first briquette factory in 1872, the first big Bucket chain of excavators in 1890 and the beginning of the chemical industries by Walther Rathenau in 1893. As regards the development of the industries, technology and science, it was a great progress. But from the point of view of nature, an area of mor e than 100 years disasters began. Nature and villages were destroyed. The air pollution was incredible, the ground and sometimes the water were contaminated by the chemical industries. A lake, called Silbersee (lake of silver), is the result of the film Factory Agfa/ORWO, producing synthetic fibers etc, between the towns Bitterfeld and Wolfen. It was an old residual hole of an open -cast mine. But you cannot find silver there, only other chemical substances. But this is only one example. Other results we re red pollution in the air, yellow smoke, dead plants and sick people. The region of Bitterfeld Wolfen and Dessau was a real industrial area. They did not worry for nature, because it did not have an industrial value and brought no money. As for the old o pen-cast mines, the leadership of the RDA tried to find some solutions and to make them recreation centers for the people living there and for tourists. This often was not possible. One part of the Goitzsche was still an open -cast mine of lignite and amber . The other part of the Goitzsche and other former mining areas became Army ownership. It used that territory for military exercises. In this period Bitterfeld was a synonym with the term dirtiest town of Europe ( notwithstanding that there were regions equally dirty and more dangerous because of uranium and other minerals mining). In 1989, the political change, the Wende, was in Europe and also in Germany. So many factories didnt have any chance anymore. Most of people in the region lost their jobs. And so the factories ended or had a new start. This was a chance for a new start of the nature, too. The Goitzsche and other former open -cast mining, now fruitless, areas were reforested. They became forests and lakes and a new nature developed. Rare and threatened animals and plants colonized this region, e.g. osprey and sea eagle. New chemistry factories, lots of them exist now in our region, were built according to the new European standards. The production of solar cells and elements replaced the briquet te factories. They are always chemical industries, but at a new level. It is not beneficial for nature, but not so dangerous. It was a progress. People are the greatest danger and fiend for nature. Most of them ignore that our nature needs our help to sta y alive. They often go by car, throw the garbage in the forests, in the streets, in the parks and disturb the plants and the animals. Often they are noisy, pollute

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nature with their waste and kill animals. But there are also some people and communities who want to save our nature and so they help it to resist and to regenerate.

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hungary
Tiszagyulahza is a village in Hajd -Bihar county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary. The county of Hajd -Bihar occupies the eastern part of Hungary. Most of its territory is completely flat and is a part of the Grand Plain. The wind and rivers have been forming and shaping the land for thousands of years. There are two great rivers in this area, the Tisza and the Krs. The Hortobgy area wa s formed by the first one. It used to be the flood area of the Tisza river and after the river was controlled, the Hortobgy became dry, resulting in special fauna. As everywhere in the world, the environmental pollution is a big problem for people in this area, too. What is it in general? The environmental pollution may be physical (noise pollution, heat pollution, light pollution), chemical or biological. Pollution causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem. His most general types: the emission of harmful pollutants, air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution. There arent sea or nuclear power plants in the area where we live, but there are rivers. And this region is an industrial area in Hungary. It means that forms of pol lution are in our area:

Water pollution

Water pollution can come from a number of different sources.

Surface water pollution Surface waters are the natural water resources. In our area they include two rivers (Tisza and Saj) and some bigger and smaller lakes.

Groundwater Pollution Groundwater pollution is often caused by pesticide contamination the soil, this can infect our drinking water and cause huge problems. from

Microbiological water pollution Many types of microorganisms bacteria and viruses - live in water and cause fish, land animals and humans to become ill. Serious diseases come from microorganisms that live in water.

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Chemical water pollution Industrial and agricultural work involves the use of many different chemicals that can run-off into water and pollute it. There is a big chemical company and a caoutchouc-burner plant in our area, so it is a big problem here.

Air pollution

Air pollution comes from both natural and man made sources. Principal pollution sources include in our area, too
o

Industrial air pollution: chemical plants, coal -fired power plants, petrochemical plants, large

livestock farms, PVC factories, plastics factories, and other heavy industry.
o

Agricultural air pollution

Light pollution Noise pollution In the case of noise pollution the dominant source class is the motor vehicle. It is the most dangerous here for employers od factaries.

Soil pollution As we mentioned our area is one of industrial areas of Hungary. There are more

factories here. Many people in this region work there.

Tiszai Vegyi Kombint Plc . It is the largest petrochemical complex in Hungary. It makes ethylene and propylene from

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naphtha and gas oil, that are processed using world -class

technology, to produce low, medium and high -density pol yethylene and polypropylene.

Agriculture is the main user of its various types of foil.

Image source: http://fn.hir24.hu/

The food industry is the primary user of its state-of-the-art packaging materials. The construction industry primarily uses its various types of pipe; The car industry is the number one buyer of its moulds.

AES Hungary and its bussiness units AES Tisza II Power Plant, the fourth largest power generation plant in the country, provides 5% of Hungarys total electricity generation.

Business units: a) Tisza 2 Power Plant Tisza 2 Power Plant was commissioned in 1977 -78. The condensing power plant is fuelled using hydrocarbons (natural gas, fuel oil, inert gas). The symbol of the plant is the 250 m high reinforced -

concrete stack, in which flue gas piping of the boilers can be found. The plant received an IPPC license. An online environmental monitoring system provides control and metering of pollutants. Waste water generated in the plant is neutrali zed at the companys own waste water treatment system.
Image source: http://ww2.legifotok.hu

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b) Borsod Power Plant

Until the establishment of the Borsod industrial region, the area of the power plant used to be agricultural land not built on, located in the Saj river valley. The first unit was commissioned in 1955, but and the official handover took place in 1962.
Image source: http://www.vd.hu

As of 2005, due to the air cleanliness protection regulations having become stricter, between 2002 -2003 the power plant converted two coal dust fired boilers to biomass

firing. The power plant disposes of an operating licence until 2014. c) Tiszapalkonya Power Plant
The power plant is a condenser-type facility based on brown coal firing, operating as a base load power plant according to a busbar system, with fresh water cooling. The commissioning of the power plant was performed in the period between 1957 and 1959.
Image source: http://kronika.tempobit.hu

The operating license pertaining to the main pieces of equipment allows the plant to further operate until 31 December 2014.

A caoutchouc-burner plant in Polgr There is a caoutchouc -burner / gum-burner plant in the outskirts of Polgr. In the vicinity of the city there is a hill of tyres which takes up a great area. The power plant is very dangerous, environmental protectionists protested against building it effectless. They reckon this plant as a big source of air polution, and tyres as hazardous waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. right. And they are

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Houshold hazardous waste Last but not least we have to mention the houshold hazardous waste, It includes household chemicals and other substances for which the owner no longer has a use, such as consumer products sold for automotive care, pest control home and

care, personal care, other purposes. It includes e.g.

Electronics (computers, televisions, etc.) Mercury-containing wastes (thermometers, switches, etc.)

Paints and solvents Automotive wastes (used motor oil, antifreeze, etc.) Some specialty Batteries (e.g. lithium, nickel cadmium, or button cell batteries), etc.

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Italy
Caccamo is a small town near Palermo , on the Madonie Mountains in the northern part of Sicily. Caccamo is full of historical monuments (one of the best preserved Medieval Castle in Sicily can be visited here) and background. At first glance, you could think it is a clean and pollution-free small town, nevertheless pollution can be easily found even here.

Air pollution

Near Caccamo, about 10 -12 kilometers away , on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast, there is a Thermoelettric Power Plant actively working: ENEL, the main society furnishing electricity in Italy.

The CO2 emissions accumulate in the atmosphere year after year and sometimes they create a pall of smog that makes the air unbreathable and the sky strangely and unnaturally cloudy.

In addition, t he coast, which could have become part of a beautiful sea scape, is now desolate and the beach has no attraction at all

Another factory present in our zone is SICILCALCE. It produces bricks. The pollutants seem to be various and significant: 1. 2. 3. 4. Carbon Monoxide Volatile Organic Compounds Nitrogens produced by fossil fuel Microscopic particle diameter ? 10 uM

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5. Microscopic particles (very thin dust) diam. ? 2.5 uM 6. Anhydrides from fossil fuels Water pollution

Rosamarina Lake is an artificial lake created to gather water and give it to many towns in the province of Paler mo. Unfortunately and shamefully along its shores non-biodegradable wastes can be found.

Soil pollution Various zones have been transformed into public landfills. In addition sometimes uncollected garbage can be seen scattered everywhere.

Asbestos

Asbestos belongs to a group of non-combustible minerals, composed of calcium silicate and magnesium . It was used to make partition walls, roofs, water pipes, inters paces, plasters, mastics, sealants, brakes pastilles, ropes, tissues. It seems that the risk of exposure to asbestos can be concrete and serious even in the Thermoelettric Power Plant near Caccamo.
In Italy, since 1992, the Law prohibited asbestos extraction, import and processing, because now its huge danger has been proved. Asbestos is formed of very small particles that, if they are inhaled, accumulate in the bronchial tubes, in the lungs alveoli, in the pleura, causing unrecoverable tissue damages which can lead to serious respiratory problems or diseases.

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Specifically, the exposure to asbestos can cause: Asbestosis: lung tissues form fibrous scars that slow breathing Pleural Mesothelioma: cancer of the lungs.

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lithuania
Lithuania's environmental problems include air pollution, water pollution, and the threat of nuclear contamination. The cement indust ry produces 299,000 metric tons of airborne pollutants per year. In 1996, industrial carbon dioxide emissions totaled 13.8 million metric tons per year. A UN report on Lithuania stated that air pollution had damaged about 68.4% of the nation's forests. Wa ter pollution results from uncontrolled dumping by industries and the lack of adequate sewage treatment facilities. In the 1990s, 42% of the nation's treatment facilities were inoperative. After the nuclear accident at Chernobyl that contaminated much of Lithuania with excessive radiation, Lithuanians are concerned about nuclear energy development, especially the use of nuclear power generated by plants of the same kind as the one at Chernobyl. Lithuania's pollution problems have also affected the nation' s wildlife. Although nearly 10% of Lithuania's total land area was protected as of 2001, many of the country's original animal and plant species are now extinct. Five mammal species and four species of birds are threatened. Threatened species include the E uropean bison, marsh snail, and Russian desman.

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poland
For many years, the condition of the environment has deteriorated. Air, water and soil pollution has constantly increased. It is more and more difficult to find a quiet place for recreation and body regeneration even in such a small and picturesque village like Winowno. This is due to the fact that Winowno is situated in the vicnity of the major Polish communication route, and industralized part of Silesia. Green resources which create the immediate sorrounding of the village, give the village dwellers a visual pleasure acting on their sense of beauty. These aesthetic themes of environmenal protection are often understimated because the influence of nature on the formation of aesteh etic attitude is not a tangible value. The development of industry in Silesia, which is about 40km away from our village, inappriopriate location on industrial facilities, in comparison to nearby natural resources often results in a decrease in forest and farmland. Valuable plants communities disappear. There is an urgent need to prevent these negative phenomena. This requires a deliberate rational action in all areas of our lives, even in our small community Winowno. Some practices in agriculture pollu te water. This topic, due to the agricultural nature of our village is the closest to us. Fertilizers and pesticides currently used by most farmers, as well as manure from the pig, bring the water nitrates. Just as phosphates from washing powders and nitra tes as well cause eutrophication, namely the rapis growth of algae and aquatic plants, clogging of water supply equipment and give it its bitter taste. Most air pollution gets into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels in power plants, industrial product ion and transport. However, in developed countries, the pollution of communication play a central role in the cities. In our area the pollution of air is also caused by gases and smoke released during production and combustion of artificial Christmas trees. Soil pollution. What is it? Contamination of soils and land are all chemical compounds and radioactive elements, and microorganisms that occur in soils in increasing quantities. The most widespread pollutants of soils and land use include: organic compo unds - pesticides, detergents, heavy metals - lead (Pb), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and other salts - nitrates, sulfates, chlorides. The largest amounts of pollutants leak into the soil and ground with the waste water, dust and solid and liquid waste generated by industry. Mining industry generates huge amounts of highly saline mine waters. Many industrial plants emit harmful gases into the atmosphere and dust, which then as a result of deposition from the air contaminate the soil. All the above mentioned sources as possible reflect the causes of soil degradation in our area due to the fact that in the near distance is Polish largest coal mining center, as well as some of the biggest smelters and industrial plants. In addition, due to improper agricultural activities on soils and land contamination leak

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from used in excess of mineral and organic fertilizers. Particularly hazardous compounds derived from this industry are pesticides and other agrochemicals. All fertilizers have very adverse effect on the environment pollution . The main source of soil contamination in our area is unfortunately human activities. People throw their rubbish everywhere, especially into forests. They leave cans, bottles, plastic bags, tyres and many other things that need hundreds of years to be decomposed. - Cotton fabric 1-5 months - tissue paper 3 months - the rind of the fruit 6 months - woolen material 1-5 years - cigarette 1-10 years - chewing gum 5 years - cloth covers 30-50 years - aluminum can 50-100 years - a small plastic bag 300 years - glass bottle 4000 years

In the case of our city, air pollution is a serious problem due to the fact that it is located near the main road linking the north and south of Poland. A very large impact on air pollution in Winowno also has a small distance from the cities of Silesia, quite heavily urbanized, industrialized, and populated by humans. This is due to smoke from factories, the farms, cars, whi ch directly pollute the air over cities, but these contaminants reach us and adversely affect our environment and health.

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To prevent the total destruction of the soil, we should start to counteract the deterioration of soils due to human activity. Soil devastated by human activity must reclaim - to restore their former biological function and value. Deterioration of soils may be limited as a result of appropriate agricultural practices. To restore soil to its original mineral content in natural pro portions, should complement the deficiency of vital elements. In order to prevent excessive acidification of soils, you need to adjust the pH of the soil, for example by liming.

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romania
Iveti Village, Vaslui County, Romania
According to a research carried out by Reuters Group, Romania ranks among the forty most polluted states worldwide. Theoretically, the biggest producers of pollutants are urban agglomerations. People from big cities consider that a village is a place where man and nature live in harmony. It is said that villages are places where air is clean, water is clear like a crystal, grass is greener and softer than in cities and summer is cooler. Increasingly, in the most Romanian villages the things began to change, and unfortunately villages began to resemble cities. Iveti is not an exceptional village and has lately become almost the rule. Here are some reasons: In the race for comfort, the villagers have abandoned traditional household goods that were biodegradable, and they surrounded themselves with all kinds of plastic items ( kitchenware, PETS, bags, etc. ) .We find them throwing litter about, although there is a waste collection system. Septic tank used by citizens is constructed without respect to the European law . It pollutes groundwater surface, contaminating water with many various agents harmful to health, and making it non- potable. Villagers use irrational artificial fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides and fungicides without consultation with a specialist. These chemicals remain in soil or drain, polluting the environment.

Vegetable crops are stimulated frequently with all kinds of chemicals that are found in products sold in supermar kets. No one measures the pollution level of these substances in fruit and vegetables. Forests around the village no longer exist. The village dwellers had reached to conclusion that investment in planting trees is unprofitable. Being a very good area for agriculture, they prefered to cultivate land in order to obtain immediate income.
The sheet cots are built randomly and garbage from them is sometimes deposited on banks of rivers or near fountains and springs. Tutova River, which crosses the village b ecame a real dump, where trash such as sewage, waste textiles, vegetable and animal waste, and household waste gathers. Villagers usually use wood and coal to heat up their houses, but sometimes they also burn plastic, rubber or other combustibles that em it toxic gases by burning them. To clean up their land, the villagers burn dry vegetation and it disturbs the balance of nature seriously.

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Looking for guiltiest of all of these is useless and meaningless. Our mission is to rise our students' awareness of a real danger that hides behind these irresponsible beha viors and to teach them protecting and respecting nature.

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turkey
THEME: MAJOR POLLUTION SOURCES IN LOCAL AREA THE FACTOR: THERMAL POWER PLANT,ELBSTAN, KAHRAMANMARA AFFECT: SOIL, AIR, WATER

THERMAL POWER PLANT IN KAHRAMANMARAS EMTS INTO AIR RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES TWO TIMES MORE THAN THE AMOUNT OBSERVED IN CHERNOBYL CATASTROPHE

Thermal Power Plant causes deaths in Elbistan, province of Kahramanmaras.

The Thermal Power Plant was founded about 25 years ago in the region covering Afsin -Elbistan, towns of Kahramanmaras. No filter has ever been installed in Unit A, the factory which was founded to harness coal basin. Since then, this factory has continued to spread poison around. A Thermal Power Plant which has been authorized to function without flue gas purification filter has spread poisonous chemical and radioactive gases which have caused agricultural and livestock activities to com e to an end in the neighboorhood. Since the Unit B was activated, the disaster has doubled up ,which the authorities claimed as Environmentally friendly realized to be totally wrong. Because, the people and other life forms are being exposed to tons of ashes emitted from the unit B.

The reason for Cancer Although the Unit B was legally authorized to function only if the filter must be located in Unit A, the Unit A maintains its activities without filter. The striking proof is the explosion of numerous cancer incidents observed in the region ,which the government ignores unbelievably. Within the last 25 years, the number of cancer -oriented and respiratory diseases has considerably increased. Ankara Oncology Hospital declares

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bitterly that %60 of the patients come from Afsin-Elbistan.

The Thermal Power Plant which has been in effect for about 25 years despite the lack of flu gas purification system causes mas sive environmental disaster. The ash -keeper filters have been out of order for about 15 years and this factory continues to discharge 15 millions tons of solid, liquid, gas and poisonous radioactive wastes over the people living in the region. Most Turkish scientists and doctors state that this factory gives twice as much radi oactive gas as the one emitted in well -known chernobyl disaster every year. Statistics are horribly striking in that 4632 peo ple are reported to have died of a variety of diseases, mainly cancer and lung as a result of being exposed to gas from this factory. One of the mayor of the village says that the rate of the air pollution reaches up to 10 times as high as Standardized ai r pollution rate and adds that this environmental disaster which even changes the color of snow from white to gray leads to frightening number of cancer incidents. One of the workers who has already developed cancer states bitterly that he must continue to work there to support his family. Another worker who also lost his father due to cancer event shares the same idea. The scientists emphasise that as a result of coal burning, the gas and powders are r eleased and these gases lead to chronical lung complications and asthma. They have observed within the workers such illnesses as urinary incontinence, hearing loss, stress, ulcer and some metabolic problems. Prof.Doctor Mr. Tuncer utters that the concrete results of this factory will be observed in 10 years time. He also clarifies the fact that people frequently tend to develop lung cancer which has little chance of survival and adds, the Unit A in the factory emits 15 millions of tons of solid,liquid and gas disposals every year. The Prof.Doctor Mr. Sahin, the instructor of Mechanical Engineering Department at Gazi Univesity also says that provided that the obligatory measurements are not carried out and precautions not taken, the results will be much more worse. He implies that he disagrees on shutting down the factory but expects the authorities to install filter and follow the necessary steps to do the radioactive measurements.

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A representative of non-governmental environmental organisation called Warriors of Naturesays, the Standard global air pollution values must be 150 micrograms,however, this value is 1500 micrograms in this factory.Doctor Mr. Agat, the official representative of TEMA( National Environment Association) declares that sulfur value in one cubic meter in air must be 1000 nenogram;however, this rate has increased up to higher values and thus harms to plants considerably.He also stresses out that gases emitted from factory have caused the herbaceous plants,trees and lands to be infertile.The mayor of a local province claims that while the number of the patients is expected to be 48200 on average ,this number reaches up to 300000 per year.Most of the people interviewed in AfsinElbistan have contracted Cancer.To illustrate this, a three -year-old boy named Sedat and 6 year-old boy ,Osman have developed skin cancer following being exposed to smoke and gas from the factory.The oncology doctors who treated them have declared t o them if you want your children to live,you must move to another city,otherwise, they will lose their lives in 5 years time.

WARRIORS OF THE WORLD 11 members of an environmental organisation Warriors of the world(WOFTHEW) ,protested the activit ies of the campaign led by governor enlightened human,clean environment and livable village project.

The leader of the group,Mr. Igci,bitterly utters that although there exists devastating environmental disaster with tons of ashes in Afsin -Elbistan Thermal Power Plant,it seems very absurd and ununderstandable to collect waste papers in the city centre of Kahramanmaras. The group which gathered in front of the Private Management Building

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demonstrated and showed banners Environmentally-friendly governor is closing down the factory The villages are full of ashes not rubbish to point out the situation. The group coordinator Mr. Coskun states that there is an ongoing environmental catastrophe in the factory in Afsin-Elbistan. Moreoever, this factory has discharged a great deal of ashes and wastes into nature and though this place has had no flu gas purification system, it maintains to cause environmental disaster.A great number of villages have been destroyed and many people have suffered from diseases and many others have had to immigrate.

TURKISH TEAM ehit Evliya Primary School, Kahramanmara,Turkey

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V. Deforestation as a contributor to the causes for climate change

Deforestation is the elimination of forest and woodland areas on a large scale. It is a major problem not only in industrialized countries. It is becoming a global problem. Trees and forests are one of the major filters of the environment that contain CO2 in a balanced level. Disappearing of major areas of trees and woodlands means that the level of carbon dioxide raises with no filtering and capturing from the environment, but it is released in the atmosphere. The major reasons for deforestation are commercial logging, space for agriculture, building of roads and railways, forest fires, mining and drilling, fuelwood collection, taking over woodlands from residential living space, Deforestation causes problems on both the evolutionary, social, and ecological scales. Ecological: Deforestation eliminates key habitats that support highly specialized and sensitive species, and eliminates the forests ability to act as natural water and air filters. Evolutionary: With habitat loss, the loss of highly specialized species, eliminating continued speciation, and often causing widespread extinctions comes. Social: In many developing countries deforestation is committed in an attempt to sustain local human population on the local and global economic scale. It is often done by cutting out and burning, urbanization, boundary waters and old growth. The two most commonly cited causes are shifting cultivation and commercial logging. Commercial logging is the process of deforestation for the purpose of Business & Trade. It often exceeds carrying capacity, because of intensive mechanized logging. Shifting cultivation is indigenous farming of rainforest grazing space. Sustainability is lost because of insufficient recovery time and intensive/commercial farming. The major effects of deforestation are the vanishing rainf orests, topsoil accumulates slowly and erosion of the soil. This turns a lot of the land into unusable and causes disastrous flooding. Clearance limited food and shelter. Desertification of major areas has very negative impact on the climate and helps gl obal warming by not reducing the green house effect. In the opposite it helps to free more CO2 in the atmosphere accelerating the global warming. It also has very negative effect on local habitats with disappearance the way of life, becomes more and more fragmentized. These are the facts about deforestation. Additional research should be between atmospheric green house gases concentration and amount of global forested regions. There is a strong connection between deforestation and desertification. These big problems cannot be solved using short term solutions. Ecological

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Education turned into practice is one of the major points to reach greener future.

This tree probably needed centuries to grow, but it was cut for only a day. This is one of the most terrible photos that someone can make. To be proud of this achievement shows one of the worse things in our civilization.

Team from Otets PaisiiHighshool Vratsa Bulgaria

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VI. Effects of climate change

Human health

Hu He m al an th
Overview of main health effects on humans from some common types of pollution. Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease ,cardiovascular disease , throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. Water pollution causes approximat ely 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries . An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrhoeal sickness every day. Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to safe drinking water. 656,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air pollution. In India, air pollution is believed to cause 527,700 fatalities a year. Studies have estimated that the number of people killed annually in the US could be over 50,000. Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. Noise pollution induces hearing loss , high blood pressure , stress, and sleep disturbance . Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in children and neurologic symptoms. Older people are majorly exposed to diseases induced by air pollution. Those with heart or lung disorders are under additional risk. Children an d infants are also at serious risk. Lead and other heavy metals have been shown to cause neurological problems. Chemical and radioactive substances can cause cancer and as well as birth defects. Environment Pollution has been found to be present widely in the environment. There are a number of effects of this: Biomagnification describes situations where toxins (such as heavy metals ) may pass through trophic levels , becoming exponentially more concentrated in the process. Carbon dioxide emissions cause ocean acidification , the ongoin g decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans as CO2 becomes dissolved.

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 The emission of greenhouse gases leads to global warming which affect s ecosystems in many ways. Invasive species can out compete native species and reduce biodiversity. Invasive plants can contribute debris an d biomolecules ( allelopathy) that can alter soil and chemical compositions of an environment, often reducing native species competitiveness. Nitrogen oxides are removed from the air by rain and fertilise land which can change the species composition of ecosystems. Smog and haze can reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out photosynthesis and leads to the production of tropospheric ozone which damages plants. Soil can become infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other organisms in the food web. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can cause acid rain which lowers the pH value of soil. Environmental health information The Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP) at the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) maintains a comprehensive toxicology and environmental health web site that includes access to resources produced by TEHIP and by other government agencies and organizations. This web site includes links t o databases, bibliographies, tutorials, and other scientific and consumer-oriented resources. TEHIP also is responsible for the Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET) an integrated system of toxicology and environmental health databases that are available free o f charge on the web. TOXMAP is a Geographic Information System (GIS) that is part of TOXNET. TOXMAP uses maps of the United States to help users visually explore data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency 's (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory and Superfund Basic Research Programs. The current and future consequences of global change
The potential future effects of global climate change include more frequent wildfires, longer periods of drought in some regions and a n increase in the number, duration and intensity of tropical storms.

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Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occuring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves. Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gasses produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other c ountries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century. According to the IPCC, the extent of climate change effects on individual regions will vary over time and with the ability of different societal and environmental systems to mitigate or adapt to change. The IPCC predicts that increases in global mean temperature of less than 1.8 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (1 to 3 degrees Celsius) above 1990 levels will produce beneficial impacts in some regions and harmful ones in o thers. Net annual costs will increase over time as global temperatures increase. "Taken as a whole," the IPCC states, "the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time." Below are some of the regional impacts of global change forecast by the IPCC: North America: Decreasing snowpack in the western mountains; 5 -20 percent

increase in yields of rain -fed agriculture in some regions; increased frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves in cities that currently experience them.

Latin America: Gradual replacement of tropical forest by savannah in eastern Amazonia; risk of significant biodiversity loss through species extinction in many tropical areas; significant changes in water availability for human consumption, agriculture and energy generation.

Europe: Increased risk of inland flash floods; more frequent coastal flooding and increased erosion from storms and sea level rise; glacial retreat in mountainous areas; reduced snow cover and winter tourism; extensive species losses; reductions of crop productivity in southern Europe.

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 Africa: By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress; yields from rain -fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50 percent in some regions by 2020; agricultural production, including access to food, may be severely compromised.

Asia: Freshwater availability projected to decrease in Central, South, East and Southeast Asia by the 2050s; coastal areas will be at risk due to increased flooding; death rate from disease associated with floods and droughts expected to rise in some regions. Global Climate Change: Recent Impacts Likelihood that trend occurred in

Phenomena

late 20th century Very likely

Cold days, cold nights and frost less frequent over land areas More frequent hot days and nights Heat waves more frequent over most land areas Increased incidence of extreme high sea level * Global area affecte d by drought has increased (since 1970s) Increase in intense tropical cyclone activity in North Atlantic (since 1970)

Very likely Likely Likely Likely in some regions

Likely in some regions

* Excluding tsunamis, which are not due to climate change.

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Global Climate Change: Future Trends Phenomena Contraction of snow cover areas, increased thaw in permafrost regions, decrease in sea ice extent Increased frequency of hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation Increase in tropical cyclone intensity Precipitation increases in high latitudes Precipitation decreases in subtropical land regions Decreased water resources in many semi -arid areas, Likely to occur Very likely to occur Very likely to occur High confidence Very likely to occur Likelihood of trend Virtually certain

including western U.S. and Mediterranean basin

Definitions of likelihood ranges used to express the assessed probability of occurrence: virtually certain >99%, very likely >90%, likely >66% .

Team from Lithuania

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VII. Climate hazards

Natural hazards are natural events causing great loss of life or property damage. According to genesis natural hazards are classified into:

Endogenous hazards

Earthquake

Volcanic eruptions

Biophysical hazards

Astrophysical hazards
Landslides

Biological hazards

Exogenous hazards

Geomorphic hazards

Oceanographic hazards
Tropical cyclones

Soil erosion

Mud flows

Climatic hazards Tornadoes

Hydrological hazards

Drought and desertification

Rainfall or Extratropical storms

Freezing rain

Floods

Over time natural hazards have resulted in numerous losses of lives and huge property damage which led to economic and social imbalances in affected areas. But in recent decades the magnitude and frequency of natural hazards, especially climatic, hydrological and geomorphological hazards, show a growing trend due to the rapid growth of world population that extends more in unfavorable regions exposed to the occurrence of extreme events and imbalances in the incre asingly emphasized environment . At the same time people, by their acti ons, lead to new hazards which, by their magnitude, became global phenomena. Global warming, Earth ocean rising, ozone depletion are in this category.

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Climatic hazards Tropical cyclones are strong storms formed in oceans, in inter- tropical areas, with wind speeds above 118km/h. They are known under different names:
- Hurricanes - North Atlantic - Hurricane - west coast of the United States

and Mexico - Tropical cyclones - Indian Ocean - Typhoon - area of Japan (Pacific Ocean) - Baguias - Islands in the Philippines - Willie-Willie - northeastern Australia Cyclones destructive power is determined by wind speed, which can exceed 250km/h, heavy rains and huge waves.
Tropical cyclones are considered among the most destructive natural hazards, affecting especially the densely populated coastal areas.

The average is about 80 -100 tropical cyclones per year worldw ide of which 40 -60 are powerful hurricanes, most of them occurring in the Bay of Bengal ( 10 %). But in recent years several hurricanes and tropical cyclones hit the areas that usually are not exposed to these climate phenomena. For example in March 2004 H urricane Catarina struck the coast of Brazil and in October 2005 Vince was the first tropical storm that devastated Spain.
Tropical cyclones are classifie d into 5 categories, from 1 to 5, in Saffir Hurricane Intensity scale, the category 5 being extremely dangerous with destruction. - Simpson widespread

Although modern techniques determine the tropical cyclones trajectories and alert population, losses are still high especially in poor countries which lack the means to prevent and alert the population.

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Tornadoes are very dangerous hazards because they are characterized by violently rotating winds. Tornadoes occur on continents be tween 20 and 60 latitude north and south and look like a funnel turned up with several km in diameter and wind speed of 60-400 km/h. The Air movement raises a large
quantity of powder that gives the tornado its specific gray color. Phenomena similar to tornadoes occurring over oceans are called thrombus, but here the rotating air masses are filled with water droplets.

Most tornadoes occur in the c entral part of U.S. and Australia, but tornadoes can occur in Japan, South Africa and Europe. The most favorable period for tornadoes in US is spring, with high frequency in the afternoon when the earths surface temperature has its maximum value and atmo spheric conditions are unstable.
The Fujita scale classifies tornadoes from F0 to F5 according to the damage they cause. Almost half of all tornadoes are included in the F1 or "moderate damage" category.
These tornadoes reach speeds of 73 -112 m.p.h. and can overturn automobiles and mobile homes, rip off roofs of houses, and uproot trees. Only about 1 percent of tornadoes are classified as F5, causing "incredible damage". With wind speeds over 261 m.p.h., these tornadoes are capable of lifting houses off from their foundations and hurling them at considerable distances.

To prevent damage caused by tornadoes is necessary to delimit the areas with unstable atmospheric conditions, favorable to their occurrence, and to prepare people in advance by carrying out education campaigns and practical exercises. Rainfall or Extra-tropical storms are main hazards causing damages affecting large areas with high densities of population and representing many economic objectives of countries from temperate zone.

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The strongest storms are formed by the contact between polar and tropical air masses and are characterized by strong thermal contrasts.
Sometimes the strong storms are triggered in summer time when overheated air rises and meet high and cold layers of the atmosphere where the water vapors condense.

and form rainfall with strong wind and sometimes hail. In winter extra-tropical storms are associated with heavy snowfalls and strong wind. These storms cause material losses and sometimes even human losses and they are very dangerous in coastal areas where waves break strong protective dikes. Freezing rain is the name given to rain that falls when surface temperatures are below freezing. The raindrops become supercooled while passing through a sub-freezing layer of

air, many hundred meters, just above the surface, and then upon impact with any object they encounter. The resulting ice, called glaze, can accumulate to a thickness of several centimeters. Freezing rain is notorious for causing travel problems on roadways, breaking tree limbs, and downing power lines. It is also known for being extremely dangerous to aircraft since the ice can effectively remould the shape of the airfoil and flight control surfaces.

*Drought and desertification are 2 hazards which cause severe long-term damages, famine and diseases in large areas. *Drought is a natural phenomenon resulted by rainfall decreasing below the average, by decreasing the flow of rivers and underground reserves of water that cause a shortage of water in the air and soil.

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Droughts can occur in any climatic zone, but the strongest effects are recorded in arid, semiarid and sub-humid ones, characterized by fragile ecosystems. So the areas being most affected by drought are Africa, India, China, North and Central America, Ukrainian steppes, northeast Brazil; but in recent years drought has spread to many parts of Europe. Although droughts can be registered throughout the year, the largest ones occur in late summer and early autumn. To mitigate drought people irrigate the lands, cultivate plant . species resistant to drought and use different agro-technical systems to reduce water loss in soil. Desertification is a complex hazard of land degradation in arid, semiarid, sub-humid and dry zones due to climate change and human activities. Climate causes: - Climate warming; - Intensifying winds; - Reduction in rainfall; Anthropogenic causes: - Overcrowding; - Misuse of land;

To reduce the phenomenon of desertification, balanced land use, reduction of overgrazing, introduction of biological methods for soil fertility and balanced use of water sources are required.

Floods are the most common hydrological hazards on Earth with many human losses and material damages. In most cases floods are indirect results of climatic hazards. Floods occur because of: rainfall ( from Monsoon weather, cyclones or hurricanes, torrential rains ) - rivers rising - ice melting - tides due to the moon - Tsunamis

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Some areas may be more susceptible to floods because the ground is fully saturated and unable to allow water to flow out faster than it comes. Floods are likely to be a major concern in the future, especially in areas with large population living near water such as coasts or rivers areas. The ideas of a rise in sea levels (due to the ice melting in Antarctica) and of a possible flooding of entire pacific island nations or of flooding along major coastal cities are concrete concerns. Global warming is also likely to increase the amount of water vapour in the air. This extra water ends up falling and causing more areas at risk of flooding. To reduce the risk of floods, authorities in the field do riverbeds, work of embankment, planning, build dams lakes and so on. It is very important that the population is alerted and prepared for possible floods. In summary, climatic hazards have caused loses of human lives and material damage in time, but in recent decades, climate change affects the frequency and severity of extreme events. In these conditions the efforts of hazards' prevention and mitigating the impact on society is necessary to become integrated part of sustainable development policies. In future, it is required, a international cooperation in two main activities: - Increased efforts towards improving disaster warning; - Increased actions to limit greenhouse gas emissions. At the local level: - Land use restrictions, especially for floodplains, coastal shorelines, and other areas considered to be at risk; -The adoption of a system for emergency management, including education and training, and public outreach; -Infrastructure adjustments- flood resistant buildings, dams and weirs, flood channels, dykes, etc. -Establishing effective programs for post-disaster recovery and support to people. -Providing public health, agricultural and environmental programs that ensure the survival and effective functioning public services.
The main problem is that people are not generally interested in emergencies in normal times and tend to deny that there could be problems. In a crisis they see the governments role as rescuer or helper. THAT IS WRONG!!! Each person must change their mindset and action in increasing and improving disaster preparedness and mitigation of their effects.
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School with classes from I to VIII Ivesti, Romania

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VIII. Extinction of plant and animal species

Extinction of species - a definition In biology, extinction is the disappearance of a taxon, normally a species of creatures, that can't adapt to environmental conditions anymore. In the habitats, where they can exist and where they lived, they are not found anymore. Extinction is the wiping out of a species forever. It's an irreversible process and it's a global problem, because these species can't reproduce their inheritance, they can't propagate and multiply. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last one of the species. The paleontology knows an interesting exception, the Lazarus taxon. It disappears for one or more periods and appears again later, worldwide known as living fossils: coelacanth (Coelacanthiformes, Coelacanthimorpha, Actinistia), Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)and Laotian rock rat (Laonastes aenigmamus) In all ages of the Earth more than 500 millions of species died out, that's 99,9% of all the species that lived on Earth (Wikipedia). Reasons of the extinction of species: 1. Extinction of species by natural causes 2. Natural disasters - massive extinction of species during a natural disaster 3. Extinction of species through extinction 4. Persistent and growing extinction of species caused by human action

1. Extinction of species by a natural way

Animals extinct. It occurs in nature. Some animals became extinct long time ago. We know about their existence because we have found some fossil remains of them. The dinosaurs are an example of this. If a species can't adapt to the environmental conditions around it anymore, it disappears. If a species can adapt, it changes, it evolves. Saber-tooth tiger (smilodon fatalis) and Propalaeotherium (Eurohippus parvulus messelensis) are examples of this. The saber-tooth was a big animal with a thick coat. It was one of the biggest predators of the Ice Age. After the Ice Age, the climate was warmer. Smaller and more agile cats had better chances to live and survive. So the saber-tooth disappeared. The puma (Puma concolor ) and jaguar (Panthera onca) developed. 50 55 million years ago the Propalaeotherium lived in the area of today's Europe. In that time (the geological epoch Eocene), a primeval forest was there. The little Propalaeotherium was 35 centimeters tall. It had no hoof. It had 4 toes on the front legs and 3 toes on the back legs. So it could hide well in the forest and run well on the forest floor and eat the leafs of the trees. 25 million years ago, the evolved animal lived in the steppe, it was bigger, the form of the toes and the teeth adapted to the life in the steppe, to run and to eat in the new environment. 13 million years ago, it had one toe with a hoof. 2 million years ago it was as tall as a horse and it had teeth and legs like the horses today. The Propalaeotherium disappeared, but it changed into the horse.

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A natural extinction of 0,001-0,01% of the species (= 100-1000 species in 100 years) is normal. (Now we have an extinction of 1% only of the known mammals and birdsthis is not normal!)
2.1 Natural disasters

The reasons can be independent or caused by the humans. Natural disasters are: - earthquakes - tsunamis - volcanic eruptions (lava flows, ash fall, explosions, volcanic winter, ice, acid gas ) - mass movements: falling rocks, mudslides, landslides, mudflows - avalanches - extreme weather events tidal anomalies - smog - meteorite impacts - pest infestations Natural disasters kill animals and plants in a certain region but generally they do not worldwide. But they are present. We can listen about it in the daily News everywhere. And so they are a dangerous aspects that can cause the elimination of some species.
2.2 Massive extinction of species during a natural disaster Mass extinctions are relatively rare events. The Ordovician-Silurian extinction

occurred about 440 million years ago. It was caused by a massive glaciation. Much of the world's water became ice and a lot of marine organisms died out. About 100 million years later (360 million years ago) a drought event eliminated lots of marine organisms and it lasted about 20 million years. But in that time insects, plants and proto-amphibians went on the mainland and stayed to live there. After another 110 million years (250 million years ago) there was the PermianTriassic extinction event and most of the species died. Scientists believe that it happened because of an asteroid impact, but they never found a crater. But Dinosaurs appeared after this big mass extinction event on Earth. The most known mass extinction is that one between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods about 65 million years ago. This last mass extinction killed the Dinosaurs and made way for mammals. All those events killed from 50% to 90% of the species and gave a chance of existence and an opportunity of evolution to other species. The reasons are

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sometimes unsolved mysteries. 3. Extinction of species through extinction A species needs another species. They live in symbiosis. Symbiosis is a term of Greek origin (sn- together, bios- live). Two or more species have to live together because one needs the other to get protection, to eat... This relationship is often mutually. If one of them dies out, the other can't survive. Often it's man who destroys this symbiosis. For example: The humans don't need mosquitoes, because the mosquitoes bite him and they bring diseases. So he tries to kill them. But fishes, insects, birds and spiders need them as food. Especially in the tundra, the mosquitoes have an important role in the annual migrations of caribou and reindeer, because they climb higher and, if there are mosquitoes, they find another region full of food and don't eat the grass of that place completely. If the humans kills the mosquitoes and they die out, they reduce the food of other animals and, consequently though indirectly, destroy the vegetation system of a region. If the animals can't adapt, they die out, too. The butterflies, the bees and the flowers are another example. Even little children learn, by songs, that bees pollinate flowers on the meadows, on trees and on fields while they collect nectar. They use it for food. The same applies for the butterflies. They pollinate flowers which can't be pollinated by bees and other insects, but only by butterflies with a long butterfly proboscis. If this kind of butterfly dies out, the plant will die out too, because it can't be pollinated any longer. Every type of butterfly needs a specific plant for the metamorphosis. Often it's a very special plant, e.g. the nettle. For man, the nettle is an unwanted weed. Therefore he seeks to eliminate it from his garden and the fields. So he eliminates the food and the winter houses of the butterflies in the phases of its metamorphosis, especially the food of the caterpillars. And at last, if the humans eliminate plants and unwanted insects by poison, they contaminate the butterflies and the bees too and reduce the chances of the flowers to be pollinated and to reproduce the species. If a species can't reproduce anymore, it disappears from its habitat and it dies out. 4. Persistent and growing extinction of species caused by human action In the 17 century man spread out all over the world, colonized it: he despoiled gold deposits and other resources, created plantations, hunted animals in new discovered areas and carried out many wars. In this century, 22 wars were fought in Europe. The 30 Years War was a long-lasting disaster for both people and nature. Since that time people influenced nature and its permanence on a large scale by his actions. The results are on one side big cities, many cars, big industries, more people, good development of the science and on the other side less forests, less natural habitats, global warming, worse conditions for animals and plantse
th

Team from Helene LangeSchool, Bitterfeld-Wolfen GERMANY

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IX. Climate change and human health

Climate change impacts on human health

Did you know..

The heat waves are a dangerous phenomenon especially for children, aged people and people with health problems. Duration and frequency of these heat waves will increase due to global warming. Based on the data availability , The International Red Cross shows that 1998 was the first year when the number of displaced people, because of natural disasters, was higher than the number of refugees because of wars. In that year, 25 million people took refuge in makeshift and crowded settlements, because of droughts, floods, deforestation and reduced agricultural productivity.

When we talk about climate change, we refer on the one hand to the average global temperature increase, global warming, and on the other hand to the changes of various aspects of weather such as wind types, quantity and types of precipitation and to the type and frequency of extreme weather events. Man is the one who contributes both directly and indirectly to the extension of the phenomenon but he also has environmental degradation and climate change as a reward. World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete wellbeing, physically, mentally and socially speaking . The health status is determined, at all stages of life, by the human body interaction with environmental, social, economic factors, taking into account the particularities of each individual. Climate change may have both a direct and an indirect impact on human health. The direct impact is determined by heat and cold physiological effects.

With increasing temperature, the risks of diseases related to high temperature and the risk of death of most vulnerable population increase too. In 2003, for example, heat waves caused the death of 20000 people in Europe and 1500 in India. In UE countries it is estimated that mortality related to heat could increase up to 30000 deaths per year by 2030 and from 50000 to 110000 deaths per year by 2080. Old people, with a reduced capacity to control and regulate body temperature, present the greatest risk of death due to heat shock and, consequently, to cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and metabolic disorders. Climate change can still bring positive effects to human health, winter becomes warmer so the number of deaths due to cold (hypothermia) decreases.

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. On the other hand, increasing temperature affects indirectly human health by stimulating the spread of infectious diseases transmitted by food and beverages contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites. Due to high temperature the insects transmitting serious d iseases, like malaria, encephalitis etc, multiply very quickly and move into areas where, naturally, their presence was not recorded.

For example mosquitoes transmitting malaria and dengue disease, originating in tropical areas, their geographical area is spreading and they have already found suitable conditions for living in many regions of America and although in Europe the risk of their spreading at global level due to climate change is
unlikely, there is the possibility it occurs at local level because of the increasing people mobility.

Whereas mosquitoes coming from tropical areas are not an imminent danger for Europe, in flood areas they can carry many infectious diseases and spread them. And this is a real threat. Changes were also observed in spreading areas of ticks, disseminating Lyme disease and encephalitis. Floods bring death through drowning and diseases like diarrhea, hepatitis, yellow fever or cholera transmitted through infected water. On the other hand, a long period of drought leads to insufficient water necessary for daily hygiene practices, essential for health, that leads to the multiplication of infectious diseases outbreaks. Both during the floods and drought periods the quality of drinking water decreases an d that is a risk of infections spreading. The air quality is a crucial factor in human health. Exposure to air pollutants for a long time can cause a large number of diseases: - Cardiovascular diseases atherosclerosis; - Lung diseases such as asthma or chronic bronchitis; - Cancer - especially lung cancer and bladder cancer; - Inadequate development of children lungs ; - High risks of allergies developing. Experts believe that air pollut ion may be one of the factors explaining the increase of allergic patients in recent years. - Increasing number of people with fertility problems; - Risk of birth defects and infant mortality; - Weakened immune system and waterproof membranes ( gastrointestinal, buccal, respiratory ) Because of the pollution at ground -level in the large cities, smog pollution changes in ozone, which is dangerous for lungs. Once inhaled, ozone causes respiratory problems, from simple irritation of the upper airway to serious lung diseases. Ozone, also, causes worsening of symptoms in asthmatic cases. On hot days, in big cities, at noon, ozone concentrations reach maximum values.

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Because of climate change, the geography of Earth is changed ,water and food resources are affected, the population need to migrate from coastal areas, all these factors can lead to children malnutrition and vitamin deficiency. Some studies have shown that extreme events from nature , caused by climate change, could increase the number of depress ions, panic attacks, posttraumatic stress and dependence on psychoactive substances. At least one in five interviewed people, during a study realized by Climate Institute from Sydney, has recognized that after natural disasters he feels emotional trauma, stress and despair . According to Ian Hick, the director of The Institute to study the brain and psyche of the University of Sydney, climate change, especially the extreme events of nature, could become the most important factor of influence on human health in the future. Human body has the ability to adapt to these changes in climate though they may be severe and sudden, but in a weakened body, the repercussions can be serious, so we need to understand clearly how human activities cause climate cha nge and how global environment affected and will affect our lives. Implementation of adaptation measures to climate change will enhance the chances of having people living in decent healthy conditions . Measures such as better healthcare, insulation of b uildings, installing early warning systems, preparation for emergency situations, preparation for rescue operations in natural disasters, and other prevention strategies can reduce the risks and impacts of climate change, especially those associated with extreme weather events.

School with classes from I to VIII Ivesti, Romania

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X. Strategies for slowing global warming

Global warming, now its taken for granted, is such a serious and dangerous problem facing all mankind! If we do not take action against climate change , we will lose our planet!

So, if we love it and want to save it for the future generations, it is important to learn how to stop global warming. Yes, it is possible to stop global warming, if every person on the planet does their bit to save the world. It is in our power, but this requires each individual as well as industry and governments all over the world to play their part in helping to fi ght climate change. So, if we love it and want to save it for the future generations, it is important to learn how to stop global warming. Yes, it is possible to stop global warming, if every person on the planet does their bit to save the world. It is in our power, but this requires each individual as well as industry and governments all over the world to play their part in helping to fight climate change.
Since the climate is changing mainly due to the way we produce and use energy to provide us wi th electricity, heat our homes, power our factories, run our cars and fuel the planes that fly us to our holiday destinations.
By changing these patterns and using energy more responsibly, we can reduce the emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases that drive climate change. To prevent global warming from reaching dangerous pr oportions, worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases will have to be cut to around half of their 199 0 levels by 2050, and emissions from developed countries by 60-80%. Some companies are doing their bit by trying to produce their products in an environmentally-friendly way. Car makers are striv ing to improve the fuel efficiency of cars sold in the EU as better fuel efficiency means fewer CO2 emissions.

The European Union (EU) is trying to combat climate change setting targets for the greenhouse emissions of developed countries. The European Comm ission has developed many different measures to help EU Member States reach their targets. Governments set limits to emissions from the industrial and energy sectors. Other measures taken by the EU

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seek to improve the energy effi ciency of industrial plants, buildings and household appliances. Most of the strategies and technologies required to achieve deep reductions in emissions exist already or are well on the way to becoming operational: Reduction in energy consumption through improved energy efficiency. Increase in renewable energys share of the market. Sustainably production of bio-fuels and other renewable fuels in transport. Promoting carbon capture and storage that enables the carbon dioxide emitted by industrial processes to be captured and stored underground where it cannot contribute to global warming. Low-carbon development strategies. Research: the EU has substantially increased its research and development budget for environment, energy and transport; this is helping to support the deployment of clean technologies as well a s further strengthening knowledge of climate change and its impacts.

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WHAT ABOUT US? People tend to believe that their personal choices do not make a difference for the greater good. In fact, they do. As much as we have been the source of clim ate change, we can help combat it. Each and every one of us can contribute by making those choices that express respect for the environment. Everyone has a role to play in combating climate change . Little simple actions and choices, made every day and by e veryone, can affect concretely and positively the Earth climate and nature. Some Golden Rules we can . or should follow:

When shopping, use a reusable bag instead of a disposable plastic one.

Bring used glass to the bottle bank and sort paper, cardboard and cans from the rest of your waste. Recycling a luminium cans consumes 10 times less energy than producing new ones. Facto ries use far less energy making paper from

old newspapers than from wood pulp.

RECYCLE

If you have a garden, co mpost your biodegradable waste.

Choose products that come with little packaging, and buy refills when you can. Take your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of aluminium foil or paper bags.

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 Dont overheat your home. Reducing the temperature by just 1C can cut up to 7% off your familys energy bill. 70% of the energy used by households is for heating. Ask for your parents help to programme your homes thermostat so that at night or while you are out of the house, the temperature is set at 17C and by the time you wake up or return home, the temperature is at a comfortable 20C again.

Dont put hot or warm food in the fridge. Let it cool down fi rst and place it in the fridge afterwards.

TURN DOWN

Save hot water by taking a shower rather than a bath it requires four times less energy. When you make a hot drink, just boil the amount of water you need. When you air your room, leave the window wide open for a few minutes and then close it again, rather than letting the heat escape over a long period.

Defrost your fridge regularly. You can save up to 30% of the energy used. Dont set your fridge at the highest cooling settin g. When the temperature of your fridge is lower than 5C, you will only consume more energy; your food will not keep fresh longer.

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 Dont forget to switch off the lights when you dont need them. Dont leave your TV, stereo or computer on standby. On av erage, a TV set uses 45% of its energy in standby mode. If all Europeans avoided the standby mode, they would save enough electricity to power a country the size of Belgium.

Also, dont leave your mobile phone charging when the battery is full. If you do, 95% of the electricity is wasted only 5% is used to actually charge your phone. Talk to your p arents about energy-saving light bulbs they last longer and use five times less electricity than conventional bulbs.

SWITCH OFF

When your parents choose new household appliances (fridges, washing machines, etc.), ask them to consider the European Grade A+ label that shows that they are energy efficient.

If you turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, you save several litres of water.

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 For short distances, for example a few kilometres, avoid taking the c ar. Walk or cycle instead! Also avoid air travel if you can aeroplanes emit a huge amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. Flying is the worlds fastest growing source of CO2 emissions.

WALK

When you travel further, consider taking a bus or a train.

Plant a tree at school, in your garden or neighbourhood! Five trees soak up around one tonne of CO2 throughout their life time. Look for goods with the European Eco-label (symbolised by a little fl ower) in shops and supermarkets.

If your parents are about to buy a car, ask them to buy a small and fueleffi cient model they will also save money on their fuel bill! Under European legislation, car manufacturers must display information about CO2 emissions and fuel consumption.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

:STUDENTS FROM III A AND III C, TEACHERS ROSINA GALBO AND MARIA GIUSEPPA FEBBRARO, I.C.S. "MONS.V.AGLIALORO", CACCAMO, ITALY

Use as little paper as possible: photocopy on both sides. Use email. Consume locally produced, seasonal food. Not only is it healthier, it is also better for the environment! Eat less meat. Producing meat is CO2-intensive.

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XI. Project virtual products

Our website can be found on the following address:

http://savebutterfliessaveplanet.eu

The blog of the project is located here:

http://savethebutterflieshungary. blogspot.com/

The digital version of the Small Ecology Magazine:

http://icaglialorocaccamo.argowebserver.com/images/stories/giornalino-on-line2.pdf

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XII. photo documentation of the project

Romania

For a clean and beautiful environment our students participated in a lot of ecologically friendly activities.

Part of our ecological activities with the students. Fashion show with recycled materials.

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Planting forest and garden. Cleaning the environment!

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Andrei and Mariana are taking care everything to be in order. What a beautiful garden this becomes!

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italy

These are part of our exhibition with objects made by recycled materials. And a very special contract to protect the nature!

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Beatiful decorated bottles and a photo from Adopt a little plant!

Pictures about our Small forest!

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Caccamo, Italy very special place!

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Bulgaria

A small city under the mountains - this is Vratsa in the early spring when the partner in 2011 happened.

Making of a Butterfly garden is always an adventure!

Hey! Come on we have some seeds to plant!

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Making of the Small Forest in April of 2012. And a little butterfly made from candles!

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The visit to the old Bulgarian capital - Veliko Tarnovo and the Cave Ledenika near Vratsa

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poland

A beautiful monastery we had the chance to see during the visit in Poland!

Butterfly garden in Poland!

Workshop during the Polish meeting!

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Fashion show with the students from Winowno school!

Teachers are proud from the results from their workshop!

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Izabela and her students!

A group photo in Poland!

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turkey

Cleaning action!

Design workshop in Turkey!

A cooperative lesson!

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A beatiful garden and a beautiful welcoming from our Turkish partners!

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Amazing and beatiful Turkey!!!

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hungary

Group photo in Hungary.

Hungarian team gives a new deffinition of the word hospitability!

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project activities hungarian school!

in

the

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budapest

planting of small forest in hungary.

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Lithuania

Group photo at the hill of crosses in lithuania

never mind the age

workshops are fun!

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A photo from the Lithuania meeting!

lithuania recycled fashion show is the best!

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incredible and eco friendly!

boys and girls at the workshops!

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germany

The last partner visit was in Bitterfeld - Wolfen, Germany! Incredible place!

E v e r y t h i n g started with a sunrise and a balloon! It ended with a sunset over germany and a balloon. For everyone participated in this project there are a lot of unforgettable m e m o r i e s . remember them!

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We were in Butterflies-Housesin Wittenberg and Magdeburg and learned a lot of interesting things about butterflies and other animals, e.g. Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa). It's a threatened species.

The garden club Goldene Aue gave us a little garden. We are proud of it an designed plates to show it.

The Society for Nature Conservation (NABU) took part in our project and involved us into the secrets of the nature of the forest-part of the Goitzsche.

The students worked in the butterflies garden to make them a paradise of flowers and butterflies. For someone it was not easy to know which little green will be a flower, a wished weed or a not wished weed.

Often we had a good weather in our garden time on Friday afternoon and so the students liked the work and the good results. Someone worked in the garden in the holidays, too. It's a fine result of our butterflies-project, isn't it?

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Our teacher found a big hornets nest in the garden. Hornet is a protected animal. We watched the hornets net and learned it is not from wax, its made from wood. This wood is very fine like paper. We conserved the nest.

The students collected old Newspapers on a trip in the train and created the new label Newspaper fashion. Students collected old Newspapers at home, ripped it into small pieces and made new paper. After that they drew on this recycled paper pictures with the subject spring.

Students often worked on the computers to investigate and to write profiles and presentations about different project subjects.

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XIII. Bibliography
Biodiversity in Danger (Hungary) http://ecoglitz.com/biodiversity-and-ecosystem/ http://www.crisisoflife.net http://www.globalissues.org http://our-animals-in-danger.blogspot.com http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com http://ecoglitz.com/biodiversity-and-ecosystem http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/biodiversity http://www.globalissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversityimportant-who-cares http://www.ogilvy.com/News/Press-Releases/May-2010Ogilvy-Paris-and-WWF-Call-Out-to-the-Public.aspx Image source: http://ecoglitz.com/biodiversity-andecosystem/ Image source: http://our-animals-in-danger.blogspot.com Image source: http://www.globalissues.org Image source: http://www.ogilvy.com I m a g e s o u r c e : http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com Climate change (Hungary) http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/climate/causes.htm http://www.climatechangechallenge.org/Resource%20Cent re/Climate-Change/3-what_causes_climate_change.htm http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com/2011/01/russiaviews-climate-change-as-threat.html http://dorsi.hubpages.com/hub/The-Tipping-Point--OurClimates-Point-of-No-Return http://14not7.blogspot.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_current http://www.dadisp.com/sunapp.htm http://www.seai.ie/Schools/Secondary_Schools/Subjects/G eography_LC/Greenhouse_Effect Image source: http://dorsi.hubpages.com Image source: http://14not7.blogspot.com Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_current Image source: http://www.dadisp.com/sunapp.htm Image source: http://www.seai.ie Image source: http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com Major sources of pollution in my local area (Hungary) http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2008052809 3215AA1dkVJ http://www.manfredkaiser.com/chemical_pollution.html http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/ http://aes.hu/menu.html http://aes.hu/menuen.html http://www.tvk.hu/en/ http://www.tvk.hu/ http://en.wikipedia.org Image source: http://fn.hir24.hu/ Image source: http://ww2.legifotok.hu Image source: http://www.vd.hu Image source: http://kronika.tempobit.hu Image source: http://www.manfredkaiser.com
Poland bibliography: http://www.theozonehole.com/ http://www.sciaga.pl/ http://www.eionet.europa.eu/ http://en.wikipedia.org/ http://www.climatechangechallenge.org/ http://www.direct.gov.uk/ http://www.seai.ie/ John I. Spicer Biodiversity http://en.wikipedia.org http://plato.stanford.edu http://www.eoearth.org Bulgaria http://wikipedia.org Deforestation & loss of Biodiversity by Cristina Coc and Amanda NavickisFrancois Images and pictures from internet are used for educational purposes only with no commercial profit. Articles written by Vasil Angelov and students from Small Ecologist Club, Vratsa, bulgaria Italy http://environment.about.com http://www.stopglobalwarming-newstrategies.net/ http://globalwarming-facts.info http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-to-stop-global-warming.html http://ec.europa.eu/clima http://ec.europa.eu/clima/sites/campaign/pdf/toolkit_en.pdf Romania I.Climate change impacts on human health 1.Blteanu D.,erban M. (2004), Modificarile Globale ale Mediului, Editura Credis, Bucuresti. 2.http://healthg20.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/121-136-Anthony-JMcMichael_2010.pdf 3.Raportul National de Dezvoltare Umana in Moldova, ( 2009-2010 ), Schimbarile Climatice si Sanatatea Umana. II. Climate hazards Bibliography: 1.Blteanu D.,erban M. (2004), Modificarile Globale ale Mediului, Editura Credis, Bucuresti. 2.Serageldin, I.(2000, ed), Geomorphology, human activity and global environmental change, John Wiley and Sons. 3.Munich Re (2001), Topics: Natural catastrophes- the current position. Special millenium issue, Munich Re Groups. 4. Roberts, N. (2002), Schimbarile majore ale mediului, Editura All Educational Turkey Pl Brekke, Our Explosive Sun: A Visual Feast of Our Source of Light and Life, Springer 2012. [Hardcover] http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/ClimateChanging/ClimateScienceInfoZone /Exploringwhatmighthappen/2point2/2point2point2.aspx http://www.theresilientearth.com/?q=content/confirmed-orbital-cycles-controlice-ages IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Report: Climate Change 2001 M. Milankovitch (1941), R. Serb. Acad., Spec. Publ. Note: The visual charts were taken from internet to visualize the meaning of the scientific data.

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XIV. Summary
Bulgarian team:
Krasimir Danov Verka Petkova Valia Atanasova Reni Atanasova Evelina Stoichkova Vasil Angelov

Lithuanian team:
Ramune Gedminiene ,Algirdas Kontrimas Jurgita Lymantiene Asta Buskuviene Diana Tamutiene Ilona Kievisiene Kristina Umbrazuniene Ligita Rakstiene Indre Chotiasoviene Ligita Mickiene Rasa Mockiene Loreta Narusiene.

Hungarian team:
Barthn Csuhai Ilona Balogh Jnosn Bolgr Kroly Budain Pzmndi Judit Juhsz Margit Kapus Istvnn Kondorn Poros va Kristly Endre Mizsk Fatime Sndorn Mzes Viktria

Polish team:
Izabela Dobrzaska-Taranek Violetta Krlicka Magdalena Gwodziewicz Ewelina Wawrzak-Sala Iwona Filipczyk Renata Chmielowska Monika Borek Bogusawa Frczek

German team:
Susanne Eulitz Gudrun Fleisher Ingrid Appenrodt

Romanian team:
Mariana Munteanu-Dulgheru Mirela Vian Daniela Crciun Andrei Pascu

Italian team:
Maria Giuseppa Febbraro Rosina Galbo Aldo Stellino Angela Longo Elisabetta Calderaro Benita Brancato Isabella Lisanti Filippina Graziano

Turkish team:
Ahmet Oktan Tarkan Hoca Ensar Tac idemal ahin per Kozan kse

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