EU Green Week - Family eco-picnic in Świerklaniec
The grand family eco-picnic marking the end of the Green Week of the European Union took place on June 10, 2023, in the beautiful and welcoming Park in Świerklaniec. The event was organized as part of the project "Silesia. Blue Sky Restored”.
The main organizer was the Project Partner - the Municipality of Świerklaniec. Co-organizers included the Silesian Voivodeship and the Union of Municipalities and Counties of the Central Subregion of the Silesian Voivodeship.
The Saturday picnic program offered plenty of attractions for both young and old, for those seeking entertainment and knowledge, for single people and large families.
The eco-picnic was opened by Marek Cyl - the Mayor of the Municipality of Świerklaniec, and Aldona Węgrzynowicz - the Deputy Director of the Department of Investments and Regional Projects at the Marshal's Office of the Silesian Voivodeship, where the project "Silesia. Blue Sky Restored" is being implemented.
With favorable weather conditions, most of the attractions took place outdoors. Over twenty stands offered knowledge, entertainment, fun, and... delicacies.
Firefighters from Świerklaniec, Orzech, and Nowe Chechło presented road and water rescue equipment and conducted rescue and first aid demonstrations.
Ecological-themed games and animation activities prepared by the Municipal Cultural Center in Świerklaniec, the Municipal Public Library in Świerklaniec, and other exhibitors took place on the extensive lawns.
The charming amphitheater hosted many attractions. The Kraków Promotion Office presented a theatrical performance involving the audience titled "Four Seasons". Awards were given in the municipal competition for eco-coloring. Then, the winners of the County Competition for Nature and Ecology Songs performed. The musical part of the event continued with participants of the ecological song review organized by the Municipality of Ożarowice. Young vocalists from the Tąpkowice kindergarten and the Michał Okurzały Primary School in Tąpkowice performed. The performance by the Ossianie Singing Ensemble was a strong highlight of the amphitheater entertainment.
Besides fun, the amphitheater also offered a substantial amount of knowledge. Cezary Olchawa, an eco-manager from Bytom, conducted engaging and sometimes explosive (literally!) experiments, involving the audience in the shows. The experiments focused on air quality, smog, the impact of pollution on human health and the environment. Participants could draw conclusions about why and how to care for air quality.
A representative of Ekoscan presented a lecture on energy performance certificates for buildings and the "Clean Air" Program as part of the project's closing.
The Metropolitan Communication Company prepared the premiere of a new electric Solaris bus, one of several that will soon be in service for the residents of the GZM Metropolis, within the GZM Transport network. It was a great attraction for both children and adults, and the questions seemed endless!
Those interested could also take a ride through the park on an electric e-Marcus minibus. The vehicles were fully occupied during these short tours.
A lot was happening in the sky as well. The Institute of Fuels and Energy Processing Technology presented the possibilities of examining hotspots and monitoring the type of burning materials using a drone. The Institute is the substantive partner of the "Silesia. Blue Sky Restored” project and supports eco-managers throughout the Silesian Voivodeship.
The eco-managers' stands from Bytom, Tarnowskie Góry, Piekary Śląskie, Radzionków, and Zbrosławice attracted tremendous interest. They provided advice on exchanging heat sources and their financing, as well as organizing demonstrations, games, and contests. Every visitor left with a wealth of knowledge and a small gift.
Participants flocked to the Beekeepers' Circle in Nakło Śląskie stand, where they could learn about the role of pollinators in the environment and the need to protect them. Those interested could explore the secrets of beekeeping. However, the most fascinating attraction was the demonstration beehive, where hundreds of bees busily worked together to create honeycombs. The visitors' task was to find the queen bee, and as a reward, they could taste delicious honey.
The Świerklaniec Forest Inspectorate prepared a wealth of materials about forests, their role for humans, ways to protect the forest stand and the entire ecosystem. The curious could make animal tracks impressions and learn to recognize animal tracks. Everyone left the stand with ecological gifts.
The School Complex - Agricultural Education Center in Nakło Śląskie brought an artificial cow that patiently endured milking attempts by the youngest and slightly older participants. Anyone who succeeded in milking into the bucket received a special certificate. The milking attempts brought a lot of joy and laughter. It turned out that it was not as easy as it seemed.
The Bank Ochrony Środowiska presented its financial support offer in the new edition of the "Clean Air" program for heat pumps, furnace replacement, and thermomodernization with a subsidy of up to PLN 99,000.
There was also face painting, carriage rides, jumping on inflatable attractions, and even... free ice cream!
There was also something for those thirsty for more knowledge at the picnic. In the Bachelor's Little Palace, a series of presentations on very interesting topics took place. Participants could listen to and discuss with several top-class experts in the field of pro-environmental and climate actions.
Wanda Jarosz from the Institute of Industrial Ecology in Katowice helped understand adaptation to the effects of climate change, while Piotr Cofałka talked about air quality in the region and explained the purpose of air quality forecasts and how to use them.
Professor Andrzej Szlęk from the Department of Thermal Engineering at the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy at the Silesian University of Technology discussed the topic of large and small-scale renewable energy sources.
Teresa Bryś Szczygieł, the president of the Green Earth Association, discussed with the audience the role of greenery in the process of protecting air quality.
During outdoor workshops with Sabina Cios, a landscape architect and owner of Flos Garden Studio, participants could learn about the role of greenery, not only for air quality.
An international exhibition of ecological posters was also presented in the Bachelor's Little Palace.
The entire picnic was energetically led by Gabriela Kokott-Drzyzga from Radio Piekary.
The initiator of the event, its organizer, the guiding spirit, and the caretaker of all picnic participants was Maciej Koźmiński, an eco-manager from the Municipality of Świerklaniec.
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Photos:
- Liliana Koźmińska
- Maciej Koźmiński
- Piotr Policht
- Helena Jadwiszczok-Molencka
- Wojciech Łukowski
- Nadleśnictwo Świerklaniec
- Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacji Metropolitalnej
Projekt zintegrowany LIFE "Śląskie. Przywracamy błękit". Kompleksowa realizacja programu ochrony powietrza dla województwa śląskiego realizowany jest przy dofinansowaniu z Programu LIFE Unii Europejskiej oraz Narodowego Funduszu Ochrony Środowiska i Gospodarki Wodnej.
LIFE20 IPE/PL/000007 - LIFE-IP AQP-SILESIAN-SKY