Reports:
The First Day
First, we had the presentations about our schools participating in the eco schools, it was very interesting and inspiring. It definitely inspired us to be better people! After that we had ice breaking games we played, that was fun! We played ‘koekenhappen’ and ‘eierlopen’ but with tangerine. We had a break and we gave the Italians a tour of the school.
We then started the lecture by Miranda Oedzes, she is a specialized coach in communication.
She presented us the program:
1. Intro: One World
2. Mentimeter
3. Waste-Nature-Energy
4. Action: Eco-Scan
5. Influence
The first topic was about the earth, we saw a video called His epic massage will make you want save the world, it was very inspiring and it made us think. We tackled different topic, such as the global warming, the extinction of animals, and the problem with storms. Then we saw the global goals of the Agenda 2030, and we reflected on some points.
The second topic was the Mentimeter, we had to scan a QR code with our phone to do a brainstorming and a poll on what we already know about climate. The questions were, for example, “Do you talk about sustainability?, What are you already doing? ( separating waste, limit water use, think about electricity consumption, biological food, think about sustainability when you buy clothes, something else), What can be still done at school?”
The third topic was talking about the main topics, that were waste-nature-energy.
We have discussed each point:
WASTE:
The negative effect on milieu, the problem with water+land+animals, the waste processing, the problem with packaging (pastic vs paper). We have reached a solution , finding it in the circular economy.
NATURE
We talked about polluted nature, the issue of less nature and how the biodiversity is disturbed.
ENERGY
The last point was the energy, this ih the topic on which we have done the Eco-Scan. We tackled these points: why the fossil fuel is bad, the problem of fossil that has run out and the use of too much energy.
We saw some solution that some schools have already adopted, for example the solar-panels charger.
At this point we talked about Eco schools and how we have to act in the next year.
The plan is:
1. Eco-team
2. Eco-scan
3. Action plan
4. Monitoring
5. Curriculum
6. Community
7. Eco-code
Since we have already done the Eco Team, we went on with the Eco scan. We divided into 3 groups and each of us tackled one of the main topics, waste-nature-energy.
We had to do the scan for the energy, we had to rate 29 questions about how the energy in managed within the school. Then, all together, we made an esteem of the datas, and we reflected on them.
HVC
We had the opportunity to visit the HVC (Huisvuilcentrale, which means household waste facility) in Alkmaar, Netherlands, on the third of October. The HVC is a leading waste management and recycling company in the region, known for its commitment to sustainable waste management practices and environmental responsibility. This report aims to provide an overview of our visit and the insights gained during my time at the HVC facility. HVC is a renewable energy and waste company of 51 municipalities and 8 water boards, it was established in 1991 by Nort Holland municipalities due to acute environmental problems. They support their shareholders in the ‘Van gas los’ (stepping away from gas) transition and in making waste management sustainable. In total they are providing 550.000 households of green energy.
They are known for generating renewable energy from the sun, wind, geothermal energy, biodegradable waste and non-reusable waste wood. HVC collects household waste separately, and then sorts and processes the waste. They process sludge and extract energy and valuable materials from the sludge.
This way, we are taking steps together towards a circular economy and renewable energy supply.
The HVC facility in Alkmaar plays a crucial role in waste management and recycling in the region. It is a modern and technologically advanced complex designed to handle various types of waste, including household waste, commercial waste, and recyclable materials. During our visit to the HVC facility in Alkmaar, we had the opportunity to tour the entire complex and witness the waste management processes firsthand.
We put on our helmets, our safety jackets and joined the installation of HVC in Alkmaar. We wandered through long corridors, stairwells and small passages from one world to another with a tour. From the world of stuff to the freshness of green energy sources to the underwater world of the ocean. Gazing into the depths of the bunker or feeling the warmth of the pipes above us. During this journey we found answers to how we can take steps towards a clean world.
When we first arrived, we saw a lot of trucks filled with trash on their way to the HVC facility in Alkmaar later that afternoon we witnessed the automated sorting process, where conveyor belts and machinery efficiently separated different types of waste. This system significantly reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills. The most fascinating thing we found was the energy recovery plant.
HVC has invested in advanced technology to convert waste into energy. This sustainable energy source benefits both the facility and the local community.
The recycling center, which handles materials like plastics, paper, and glass. The facility is equipped with modern equipment to process and prepare these materials for recycling. It was all-in all very impressive to experience. The pile of garbage looked like a landslide.
HVC’s commitment to sustainability was evident throughout the facility. I learned about their efforts to minimize environmental impact and promote recycling among the local population.
One of the most significant takeaways from our visit was the substantial positive impact HVC has on the environment and the local community. By diverting waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and contributing to the local energy supply, HVC is playing a crucial role in promoting a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Our visit to the HVC facility in Alkmaar was both informative and eye-opening. The facility’s commitment to sustainable waste management practices and environmental responsibility is commendable. HVC’s dedication to reducing waste, promoting recycling, and generating clean energy serves as a model for responsible waste management that other regions should emulate.
My visit to the HVC facility in Alkmaar was both informative and eye-opening. The facility’s commitment to sustainable waste management practices and environmental responsibility is commendable. HVC’s dedication to reducing waste, promoting recycling, and generating clean energy serves as a model for responsible waste management that other regions should emulate.
We would like to extend my gratitude to the HVC team for their hospitality and for providing valuable insights into their operations. The experience has reinforced the importance of sustainable waste management practices in preserving our environment and building a more sustainable future.
TU Delft
On the fifth of oktober 2023 we visited the Technical University of Delft. When we arrived, we started with a short presentation about the university, and the city of Delft. The campus of the university is very big, it has several places such as a library, a pool and a gym. There are a lot of different activities to be had on the campus. The lessons are also in a lot of different buildings and sometimes in different cities because the schools work together. They have also built a green village where they test different innovations for a better climate and living space. They continued talking about the school itself. They talked about the different majors that could be taken there like design, engineering and Science. To get into these classes you have to have taken some subjects in school like physics and mathematics. Some of the majors are also held at multiple universities. With all the majors it takes three years to get a bachelor’s, after that you have to study for two more years to get a master’s degree. They continued by explaining to us about the city of Delft and student life. Delft is not a very big city, so everyone feels connected to each other and it feels like a community.
After the presentation we walked to the Green Village. In the Green Village you can find a lot of different projects. These projects are being tested to be eco-friendly, in the hope that one day they can be applied to our everyday life. All of these projects are made with the collaboration of the students at the university. The projects vary a lot. Some are made to be energy-friendly; others are made to save water and there are a bunch of other purposes. One of these projects is a machine that uses hydrogen to produce energy, another was a special tile which can be used to charge an e-bike without cables and the most peculiar project was a wall made of bricks that consisted of cow-dung. The most impressive project in the village is the Dreamhûs. It’s a street of three houses that are completely sustainable. All the energy comes from solar panels and the rainwater is re-used in the house itself.
After a small tour we had to do an exercise in couples. We had to select a few projects and we had to find a way to implement these in our school. We also had to add all these ideas to the ground plan of the school to see where they would fit. We also had lunch during the exercise. After we had done all this, we had to give an elevator-pitch where we would explain one of our ideas in a few sentences. We also had to use the ground plan we made to show our ideas.
Some of those ideas were windows that would get darker if there is more sun to keep the warmth, a new ventilation system that keeps the warmth inside the building and pot for plants that stores rainwater so that the plants still get water on a dry day. After all of this we went back to the building.
After we visited the green village, we walked back to the classroom in the building where we started. We walked through the campus a bit and there were people everywhere building and inventing stuff. We sat down and the students that guided us gave a presentation about sustainable building. They talked about Trias Energetica. It has three points: limit the energy usage, use sustainable resources and limit the use of fossil fuels. If you do all three you will have a sustainable house and it doesn’t have to be expensive. They had a little quiz about which house is more sustainable and we learned that the environment a building is in has a big influence on which is sustainable. For example, a building made of wood is good in a warmer climate because it keeps inside the cold air because it is a good isolating material instead in a cold environment is better a house build with concreate because it is a better isolating material so it keep the warm air inside and there is no need of heat system. Then they told us to make our own sustainable houses and try to get the highest energy label which shows how high the savings are compared to the price of them. We had many options to choose from: heat pump, solar panels, solar collector, green garden on the roof, cellulose isolating, double or triple isolating glass on the windows and some others. We split in duos with our Italian or Dutch partner and built our own houses with the materials we had chosen between all the choices. Then we decorated the houses with some playcorn, colorful paper, glue, glitter, tinfoil.
After half an hour we presented our houses to the others explaining all the materials we decided to use and also our calculations for the prices and saving of electricity. Using those calculations, we got the energy label. If your savings were around 10% of the price you got the highest energy label which is an A. There were two groups who didn’t even make the scale by getting only around 7%. After that we were allowed to take our houses home by train and bus.
It was a very informative day at the Technical University. The Green Village was very useful with ideas we can apply to our own school. We have learned to dream big and think outside of the box. The workshop helped us with taking practical stuff like the cost into account with the possible solutions. All in all, the day helped us a lot.
Presentation by dr. Laura Valentini
The first activity of the week was the meeting and presentation of Dr. Laura Valentini.She is an environmental economist and deals with the Veritas Quality and Environmental Management System as well as the preparation of the data that constitute the company’s environmental balance sheet. At first she presented to us the VERITAS group in its general features: It covers and provides services to 51 cities in the region with the most tourists Italy and one of the most in Europe, moreover it also has peculiar environmental characteristics.
It provides 4 main services:
- Integrated waste cycle:
Collection, transportation, treatment and valorization of urban waste. Collection of hazardous waste. Cleaning and washing streets. Shoreline cleaning.
- Integrated water cycle:
Adduction, pumping, treatment and distribution of drinking water and industrial water.
Collection, pumping, conveyance and treatment of urban and industrial wastewater
- Urban common services:
Cemeterial services. Fire hydrant system. Gangways for high water. Wholesale fish market.
Public toilets. Environmental remediation.
- Energy from renewable sources and biomass:
Photovoltaic plants. Public lighting. Production of steam and hot water for district heating networks.
It serves of 927.556 inhabitants in an area of 2.625 km2 and
36 millions of tourists who stay per year, not accounting for all the daily ones. The group is made of Veritas , the holding company, and 6 other companies. It is amongst the first 10 Italian utilities for revenue.
3.469 people work for the group and 215 of which work in ASVO, the other company that collects the waste together with VERITAS. She then showed us the “Ecodistrict” of Porto Marghera. The district where all of the centrals where waste gets processed are put. She explained that they are all close to one another because this way we can minimize the transportation costs. Then she showed us the Veritas Group certifications:
THE INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE
The veritas group catches water from specific places where they trace and analyze the water flows.
The water intakes are divided into 70 wells from groundwater and 4 taken from surface water courses. The 112 million cubic meters of water gets taken to 14 purification systems. After going into the purification system, the water gets pulled up by 41 lifting systems to 85 tanks, which serve as water supply for the cities.
When the water has been used, the water will be taken by 851 lifting systems to 31 purification purification plants. the 90 million cubic meters of water then return into the environment. In the winter they use less implants than in summer. This is because of the amount of inhabitants in each season. In summer there are more tourists, so they need to have extra implants to serve. This whole process gives the opportunity to trace the water.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Then Dr. Valentini gave the chain traceability of organic fraction as an example for renewable energy.
There are two components:
- Organic waste food → urban waste organic fraction
- Green and branches → green fraction from pruning
The process of producing renewable energy is divided in 4 phases:
Phase 1 – Waste disposal by citizens
The organic fraction is characterized by high biodegradable material so, it has to be correctly separated from other fractions as plastics and paper and the responsibles for this are the citizens.
Phase 2 – Waste collection and transportation by Veritas Group
The waste gets transported to 2 plants:
One of them is Bioman → ¼ of the waste is green fraction, the other ¾ is organic fraction.
The other one is Sesa; a company that transforms non-dangerous urban waste into new resources.
Phase 3 – Treatment by Bioman
Bioman is a company that treats the 2 components of organics.
They turn the solid fraction into compost, and the Liquid fraction into biogas.
These are the products we need for renewable energy.
Phase 4 – energy recovery
The biogas that has been produced with waste (phase 3) is used to produce electricity, heat and biomethan to use in households.
The waste supply chain of biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste
THE INTEGRATED WASTE CYCLE
Dr. Laura Valentini explained to us how the integrated waste cycle in Veritas works.
She said that the group manages and provides the full waste cycle, waste collection, transportation, selection, treatment, streets and coasts cleaning.
The Group serves 45 municipalities that results in more or less 868,645 inhabitants (data of 31/12/2022).
There are 39 collection centers around the area and also a mobile collection service.
The amount of waste products is 509 560 t, with an average of 71,8% of differentiated waste. Dr. Laura Valentini pointed out the effect that Covid-19 (in 2020) had on the production of waste, she showed us that during that period of time the waste production has significantly decreased.
Then, she showed us the graph that shows the urban waste production and %RD managed by ASVO.
The company manages 11 towns, with an output of 69,009t of urban waste and a ratio of 72.3% of differentiated waste.
Dr. Valentini then focused on how tourism affects waste sorting, saying that they had to use different disposal methods between winter and summer.
In the summertime the waste production increases exponentially, especially in the seaside areas. The ratio between minimum waste production (winter months) and maximum waste production (august in general) is more than double, almost 400% in Caorle and San Michele al Tagliamento (Bibione) (datas from FEE Blue flag: voluntary eco-label of env. quality coastal towns).
Later on, she explained to us how the waste sorting is managed in the city of Venice. The Venice historical city center has little fluctuations between winter and summer, the only time that a big fluctuation was shown, was between the two peaks:
- the highest peak in November 2019, due to high water in the city (+108% comped to 2020, +30% compared to 2022);
- the lowest peak in 2020 due to the effect to Covid-19 pandemic: 2019 waste production in April and May was more than double of 2020 waste production in the same months (126% and 108%).
She explained to us how the Group analyzes the waste.
Every year almost 1000 product type analyses on main waste fractions are carried out in order to check differentiated waste quality and verify the most common errors made by citizens. The analysis led to the conclusion that almost ⅓ of the waste is unsorted (26.75%).
The purpose is to monitor waste collected quality, define campaign actions to better sensitize citizens and optimize treatment processes, reducing scraps which need to be transported and treated again.
The waste collection control is composed by
The environmental officers tasks are:
- remarks/inspections on requests by citizens, local police, city council and Veritas operators;
- remarks (littering, differentiation private areas decorum, etc.);
- reports;
- checks/recommendation on waste rate correct payments;
- information and communication actions (instead of reports).
Dr. Valentini showed us the new EU targets that were set in September 2020, that are challenging in terms of urban waste and packaging recycling and òandfilling reaction.
In this direction Veritas Group, thanks to waste selection carried out in the Group’s plants, has reached real results on actual material recovery from collected waste. She proceeded with showing how the waste chain’s traceability works.
The waste chain traceability allows all collected waste fractions along the territory served by the group and how they are treated, recovered, recycled and landfilled. At the moment, 91% of urban waste has been traced and certified by a third party in 2022.
The results from matter a/o energy recovery are excellent:
Thanks to the matter and energy recovery for each waste chain, there is a huge amount of CO2 that is not emitted.
At the end, she showed us how well the Group works, by comparing their results with EU targets: all the Group percentages are above the EU targets.
SDGs and CSRD ACCOUNTABILITY
At last she proceeded to show us how well the group is doing in terms of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive).
The group with its activities contributes to these Goals, both in its workplace and in what it does.
They also have to respect the European Green Deal; a series of initiatives aimed at reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
Then she explained the concept of Green finance; which now is starting to become normalized.
Basically, before making a loan or investment, banks ask society how sensitive they are to environmental issues, how much money they spend every year to improve from that point of view. Based on the data the bank gives them a ranking which they consult in order to give precedence to the companies with the highest one.
After Dr. Valentini finished her presentation, Gabriel Battel introduced himself and talked about his professional career.
Currently, he is attending the Technical University of Munich, where he studies business and administration. He is doing an internship in the VERITAS group and he has been given the job to follow and manage the data of the group.
Bioman and Sant’Anna
BIOMAN
On Monday we went with a private bus from the school to Bioman recycling site in Maniago. When we arrived we took a group picture and the rules of Bioman were explained to us. Taking pictures was forbidden and we had to walk in a line because otherwise it would be dangerous with all the big trucks and cars. We were then allowed into a small building to enjoy our lunch. We were then greeted by a worker of the factory who was going to give us a walking tour.
First we saw the tanks where the biowaste and greenwaste fermentates and the biogas is created. The worker told us about the process of the fermentation and how they have to keep the waste moving to prevent big lumps from forming. We then had to walk all the way to the back of the factory where the trucks with waste unload. It happened in a huge building which was being kept at a lower air pressure to keep the nasty smells inside.
On the way back we walked past the upgrading process where they split the biogas into biomethane and co2. The biomethane is used by the trucks and cars of Bioman so that makes them self sufficient. The co2 was pressurized in order to make it a liquid for easier transport and is used in soft drinks and different kinds of industries.
We then passed the huge water tanks which were used to cool the motors and keep the compost heaps moisturized. Then we walked to the motors that produced the electricity for the plant and the rest of it is sold to the grid. After that we went inside and the owner (who is Dutch) did a presentation about everything in the plant. He told us how the waste that comes in is about 80% water and only 20% organic material. But still 1 ton of biowaste can create 180m3 of biogas which is a lot. They also produce a lot of compost for agriculture which takes about 90 days to complete the whole process. They sell it to farmers in Italy.
In the presentation he talked about the fact that the company is self-sufficient and they also filter their own dirty water. To get clean water they filter the water multiple times. They use pressure to put it through very tiny filters to get all the bacterias out. They do this multiple times and after all the filters they have clean water with 0 bacterias in it. You can drink the water after that, but they don’t do that. They use it again for the factory. So that they don’t have to buy water from outside companies.
SANT’ANNA
On Tuesday we started at school where some students of the Italian Eco Team presented some topics we were going to discuss during the next days: overtourism, detourism and green itineraries.
After the presentation we took our bikes and left from the school heading to Azienda Agricola Sant’Anna in Cinto Caomaggiore. On our way, we stopped in Concordia Sagittaria, where the Italian Eco Team talked about the ancient roman city. After a short visit we kept cycling and arrived at Cinto Caomaggiore. We were welcomed by the owner of the factory who showed us the structure of the factory.
It is a small plant composed of four big silos, a storage area, a main building containing all the tools and equipment, an engine and a small lake. It is located in the countryside and it’s completely surrounded by fields, from which they get the grain they need. The owner explained to us that that kind of factory is still seen as a highly polluted activity, so they are usually located outside the city. Nevertheless, this leads to another relevant issue, since the transport of materials and of energy is much more difficult and causes pollution as well.
The final aim of the company is to produce and distribute Biomethane and electricity starting from grain and renewable sources.
The grain is first stocked and compressed in the storage areas and is then brought into the silos. Inside the silos a grinder keeps the substance liquid and makes the anaerobic fermentation possible. It requires a temperature of about 40^C, which is assured by a system which doesn’t require water waste.
The gas produced during the fermentation gathers in the highest part of the silos. It is then cooled down (from 40 to 5^C), purified and brought into an engine through some tubes. The engine uses the kinetic energy to produce electrical energy. Also the exhaust gasses are used to produce electricity.
Thanks to this system, the company produces 1000 kw/h of electricity and works for 8600 hours a year providing energy to 1500 families.
The plant is completely independent and sustainable, since it gets the water from its small lake and all the primary products are obtained by its fields (radius of 7km). Moreover, they also produce their own high quality fertilizer.
We were explained that the main problem related to the production of Biomethane is given by the fact that in our houses we use 92% pure methane, while biomethane is 52% pure,
which means it is much less efficient. Fortunately, biomethane is now starting to be introduced in many houses.
COMPARISON
The two factories both represent innovative, smart and sustainable ways to produce energy and to reduce the impact of waste. It is interesting how both companies use different starting materials but end up with the same product. The Bioman plant is useful because it gets rid of waste materials which would have ended up in a dump, but the Sant’Anna is useful because they are self-sustaining and produce green electricity for the grid. We think more of these factories should be built all over the world, but factories like Sant’Anna should be built close to the city in order to avoid the transportation problem of the electricity.
Of course, these factories don’t completely solve the problem, and we have to remember that they will be useless if we don’t change our behavior.
Marine biodiversity center of Miramare
At 8.11 we caught the train to Trieste to visit the Biodiversity Center of Miramare. We were greeted by a beautiful view of a clear sea and lots of green. As we entered the building through the small doors we were greeted by Pierpaolo, our guide for the day. He started telling us about how the building of the park started in 1856 and opened in 1860. The park was the idea of Maxilian who decided to build a huge house and park filled with interesting plants from all over the world. In front of the place there is a protected sea zone. The zone is separated into 2 zones. Zone 1 is the best protected. After that he showed us all of the different environments of the mediterranean sea. The environments are separated into zones. The first zone is affected by the tides. There are a lot of birds there who hunt the sea creatures. Sea tomatoes are one of the creatures that lives in the first zone. When the tide is low the plant closes and when the tide high it opens. Going into the next zone the biodiversity increases. As there are scorpion fishes, Sea cows and lobsters. Damsel fishes are a fish specie related to the clownfish. They seem dead but they are actually waiting for cleaner fishes to clean them. We also got told about the sea snails who are full of poison. When they are born they aren’t poisonous but because of all the poison they ate they get poisonous later on. He also told us about the 3 different types of sea floors. Number 1 is a
seagrass floor where the sea urchins and sea cucumbers eat the plants. Number 2 is a sandy floor where hermit crabs and soil fish live. Number 3 is a muddy floor where there is almost no light, no plants and little oxygen. The area is habited with blue crabs and dog sharks. Then we had a break. Afterwards, we attended a presentation about plastic.
Macro and micro plastics
Afterwards, we attended a presentation about plastic and its characteristics.
We produce a lot of waste: some of it is biodegradable (degraded by microorganisms and disappear quickly from the environment), others aren’t. Most of the non biodegradable waste we produce is plastic. We tend to produce big quantities of it because it’s useful, cheap and versatile, easily shaped and resistant to mechanical actions and corrosions.
Every year 8 millions tons of plastic end up in the oceans and 570 tons of plastic end up in the Mediterranean sea. This is a danger not only for the marine organisms and ecosystems but also for the human being. Plastic is a non-natural organic material and it is artificially synthesized from natural resources like gas, cellulose, coal and oil.
We can say that plastic is :
-A polymer, a macromolecule made up of different monomers forming a chain to which other molecules or other chains are linked.
-Organic , because it’s an organic compound in which one or more carbon atoms are joined by covalent bonding to atoms of other elements.
-Synthetic, because it’s created by humans.
The term plastic identifies a family of artificial materials characterized by a particular macromolecular structure.
There are three types of plastic :
- Thermoplastic, they react to heat by softening and therefore acquiring a malleability and subsequently, return to acquire rigidity
- Thermosets, they react to heat and pressure, first softening and then hardening thanks to a three-dimensional cross linking process
- Elastomers, are characterized by a high deformability and elasticity
Plastic can be also divided according to their size into:
- Macroplastics , plastics that we can see and recognized
- Microplastics , fragments with a dimension below 5 millimeters
There are a lot of types of plastics that are used by humans. Every single type of plastic has a code and a number that can be from 1 to 7 and it’s placed in a triangle. If the number is between 1 and 6 the material can be recycled, while the number is 7 the material is not recyclable.
The plastic pollution in the sea is a big problem. Plastics can get into the sea in different ways:
– 80% of marine plastic litter proceeds from terrestrial humans activities.
– 20% of plastics in the sea is produced directly by sources like ships, fishing activities and aquaculture and offshore platforms.
When we talk about plastic pollution we also talk about micro and macro plastics. Microplastics are one of the most important and concerned marine threats of our time and they derive from the washing of synthetic textile fibers or the use of cosmetic products or industrial abrasive paints and products containing them. Seven majors sources of primary microplastics:
- Tyres
2. Granules
3. Synthetic fabrics
4. Paint for buildings
5. Road paints
6. Cosmetics
7. Marine coatings
Secondary microplastics originate from the fragmentation of larger waste (macroplastics), due to weathering, mechanical erosion, UV radiation or some biological degradation. This micro-fragments of plastic arrive at sea trough:
- Urban effluent
- Roads
- Rivers
- Rain
- Wind
Sampling of microplastics:
In the Sea: Manta Net
- Sampling mouth opening 50 x 25 cm
- Filter net of 335 micron
- Length 250 cm
- Wings 40-70 cm
- Sampling cup
- Flowmeter In the
Sea shore: Transepts
- Transept 1×1 m
- Folding ruler
- Sampling card
- Sieves of 1, 2, 3 e 4 micron
The micro and macro plastic pollution also impact the animals wealth being:
- A trap, some objects and fishing gear, like fishing nets and their fragments can trap marine animals, wounding or killing them.
- Ingestion, most marine animals, from fish to turtles, from birds to cetaceans, from crustaceans to molluscs, can eat fragments of plastic by ingestion or filtration with the food. This can cause in the animal the choking or a feeling of false satiety that can lead to death from malnutrition.
- Invasion, alien species, microorganisms and viruses move with floating fragments of plastic and invade marine habitats.
- Toxicity and bioaccumulation, plastic and toxic substances may accumulate along the food chain causing damage and poisoning at various trophic levels, from plankton to invertebrates to small and large fish and to us.
By leaving plastics in the sea, animals will eat it. Therefore, if the fishes eat the plastic us by eating them eat the plastic too. Approximately every week we ingest on average 5 grams of plastic, which is more or less a credit card . For a more sustainable future it is important to : reduce the production and consumption of plastic, reuse and recycle through separate collections.
Cleaning the beach:
After the presentation about the danger of micro and macro plastics in the sea we went down to the beach to try to clean as much as possible the sand from the plastics. We split up into two groups. One focused on the macro plastics, the ones that are possible to see with eyes, therefore they walked around all the beach to search for glass residuals, pieces of bottles, nylon, medicine packaging. Instead, the other group focused on microplastic search. They created a square made with two meters to outline a space to work on. The guide gave us some tools such as a sieve, a magnifying glass, tweezers, a small shovel and a bowl to put all the microplastic we found. We dug a bit and put the sand inside the sieve with the largest holes. We shook the sieve to extract the largest pieces, and then transferred the materials to the sieve with small holes and so on to untill fifth and last sieve that had very little holes. After sifting the materials with the fifth sieve we extracted only the smallest materials so that it was easier to find out the microplastics. In conclusion we found lots of macroplastics, especially glass, cigarettes, pieces of plastic bottles, nylon. Instead, for the microplastic we found few, because it was harder to distinguish them from shells.
Free time in Trieste
We got the bus to the center of Trieste and walked to the Piazza d’Unità d’Italia. It was a really big square surrounded on three sides by buildings. On the other side you could see a view of the Adriatic sea and the port of Trieste.
The building on the opposite side of the view
was the biggest one. In Trieste it was really windy.
This is typical for Trieste because the Bora usually
goes to the city. The Bora comes from the North –
East of Italy and it is a really cold and stormy wind.
The Bora goes through the Adriatic sea and the
coastal areas between Trieste and Dubrovnik. At
the Piazza d’Unità d’Italia we took a group picture,
discussed when we had to be back at the train station and went our separate way. We explored a lot in the city and saw how beautiful all the buildings are. Most of the buildings had a classical architecture with classical aspects like: columns with capitals, arches, tympanum, classic statue’ s of gods and people, semi – columns and most of the buildings being a white color. We walked around in the city for 2 and a half hours
before we went back to Portuguaro by using the train. In
These 2 and a half hours we did a lot. We went shopping
for clothes and souvenirs. We also tried a lot of foods at
the bakery and at a fancy candy store. We also saw a
Roman theater that was still intact. They still perform
regularly in the roman theater. Trieste was an extraordinary
city and besides the wind the weather was really nice.
Overtourism and detourism in Venice
On the 11th of April we went to Venice in order to get to know more about the problems that this city has about overtourism. With the term “Overtourism” we refer to the overconcentration of tourist flows that everyday visit Venice which leads to negative economic, social and environmental consequences.
We arrived in Venice at about 9am and we headed to Ca’ Farsetti which is the seat of the town Council. Here we had a guided tour about Venice’s history and of the palaces Ca’ Farsetti and Ca’ Loredan.
After greeting the town Council’s president, Ermelinda Damiano, at 11 dr.ssa Brigida Pagani took a conference about Overtourism in Venice and how the city is facing the problem. She explained the 3 main solutions:
- #DETOURISM
- ENJOY RESPECT VENICE
- VENICE ACCESS FEE
#DETOURISM
It is a communication campaign of the City of Venice to raise awareness of a different Venice and at the same time to promote sustainable tourism and compatibility with the daily lives of residents. It suggests to the visitors authentic experiences, places and paths different from the ordinary, not only in Venice’s historic center but also on the islands and on the land.
What is VENICE ACCESS FEE?
From the 25th of April till mid-July there is going to be an access fee to enter venice. It’s a measure that started as an experiment for the impact of tourist flows and it will be used to discourage tourists from coming to venice on busy days. It is a consequence of the
“tourism governance project” approved in 2017. Visitors will have to pay a fee of €5 to enter the city. The charge will be in place on peak weekends and on other days between April and mid-July for a total of 29 days. The access fee will be in charge from 8.30 am till 4.00 pm. To access the city it will be necessary to show a ticket (a QR-code) to a steward at a checkpoint. You can buy or reserve a ticket online at https://cda.veneziaunica.it/en/choose-the-date.
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The access fee must be paid by everyone in the ancient city ( no.1 on the map), on the scheduled days and times, without looking at the exemptions and exclusions. The access fee is not due for those who are passing through without entering the Ancient City (no.2 on the map) and for those who need to reach the San Giobbe landing stage if they are traveling from Piazzale Roma to Santa Lucia Station via platform 1(no.4 and no.5 on the map). The access fee is also not applied to the minor island of venice lagoon.
The minor islands are:
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Who doesn’t need to pay for it?
- Residents of Veneto or the metropolitan city of Venice and their relatives.
- Participants of a sports event in the ancient city.
- Guests of an accommodation located in the municipality of venice
- Students and workers of venice.
- Students on a school trip.
- Those who need to invite acquaintances.
- A person with a disability, caregiver or undergoing therapy with their companion .
- A public administrator or public authority accessing for institutional reasons.
- A Person summoned for reasons of justice or other reasons of public interest to public offices.
- A person who takes part in elections or referendums.
#EnjoyRespectVenice
It is the City of Venice’s awareness campaign launched during the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (2017). Designed to direct visitors towards the adoption of responsible and respectful behavior towards the city.
The campaign aims to achieve determined goals which are
- Promoting responsible Tourism: Encouraging visitors to appreciate Venice’s cultural heritage while respecting its environment historical sites and local residents
- Preserving Venice’s Unique Identity: Raising awareness about the importance of preserving Venice’s authenticity, traditions and architectural integrity amidst growing tourism pressures.
- Fostering Sustainable Practices : Promoting sustainable tourism practices to mitigate the negative impacts of mass tourism (Overtourism) on the city including waste management and energy issues
- Enhancing Visitor Experience : Providing tourists with information and resources to visit Venice responsibly , including guidelines on respectful behavior and cultural sensitivity.
Not only but the campaign specified forbidden things to do:
From the top on the right :
1- Sit on the thresholds of the city
2-Swim
3-Come with swimwear as venice is too close to beaches
4-cycling
5-throw waste
6-feed animals especially Pigeons
7-Camping
8-Write and draw on the walls
9-Put lockets on the bridge
10-Buy fake brands
Urban Police and Security Regulations fines from € 25 to € 500 those who don’t respect these rules.