Meropi Ydraiou: Our priority is the environment - What we have done to now
environment
05 Jun 2020
/ 09:49
CORFU. Message from Mayor Meropi Ydraiou for WOrld Environment Day.
World Environment Day on 5 June acts as a reminder to us of the problems the planet is facing. We are not the owners but part of the planet's natural wealth.
Our survival on the planet depends directly on the quality of air we breathe and water we drink, on the temperature of the planet and on the survival of other animal and plant species. Following the coronavirus pandemic, the environment needs protection and restoration,. Nature can't take any more!
The sustainability of the planet is the greatest moral, political and socio-economic challenge of our times.
In the solidarity of generations development and environment are interdependent. Every action that is taken for development must now be examined for its environmental impact.
Multi-level participation is required in this effort, from all public, local authority and private sector bodies involved in development. Most of all, however, information is required so that awareness can be raised and all citizens can take an active part.
In order to win the battle we must place the environment at the centre of any political goals.
Central Corfu & Diapontia Islands Municipality has aligned its policies with the fulfilment of citizens' and visitors' needs without undermining the future needs of our island.
We are celebrating World Environment Day in order to raise public awareness about the big waste problem and the daily management of solid waste and to increase the public's participation in recycling and improving the cleanliness of recyclable materials.
The local authority has made the environment an immediate priority and has adopted innovative and specific actions.
We therefore call on all members of the public to cooperate with and contribute to the general effort to create towns that are environmentally-friendly, human and functional.
In the 9 months that we have been in office we have made significant achievements as regards solid waste management.
The desired objective is for the Municipality to ensure the optimum and quickest solution for each waste stream produced and we are working towards that, having already achieved the following:
1. For the first time there is a municipal network for battery collection in all the communities of the new Municipality.
2. A collection network for ink cartridges and toners has been set up in all the municipal buildings in Corfu Town.
3. In a few days an extended network of municipal collection points will be re-established for lightbulbs and the recycling of electrical goods and appliances.
4. We ensured that we didn't lose any funding from European programmes for the acquisition of necessary equipment for Sorting at Source and separate collections of the different household waste streams. We managed to save these funding opportunities before they were lost and have also applied to join new programmes.
5. We are the first Municipality in the Ionian Islands and Western Greece to set up municipal collection points for cigarette butts in order to prevent further pollution of the sea and urban areas from this form of solid waste.
6. Through FODSA (Solid Waste Management Organisation) we have got approval for the transportation of waste from the island until the construction of the new waste management facility, which will be contracted out by the end of the year along with the restoration of Temploni landfill.
The aim of the local authority is to change from being an example to avoid - which has been the case up to now - to being a role model and fulfilling its European and national legislative responsibilities. But mainly fulfilling its responsibility to the public who voted for it. To take the new Central Corfu & Diapontia Islands Municipality into the 21st century by adopting and implementing the latest methods of managing solid waste.
I am certain that all together - Municipality, organisations and citizens - we can find the ways and means to solve the exisitng problems. So I call on all members of the public to cooperate with and contribute to the general effort towards living in harmony with nature, for an environmentally-friendly, human and functional Corfu.
Protection of the environment must become the modern 'Big Idea' not just for our towns but for the country and the world and every citizen needs to become involved.
Our survival on the planet depends directly on the quality of air we breathe and water we drink, on the temperature of the planet and on the survival of other animal and plant species. Following the coronavirus pandemic, the environment needs protection and restoration,. Nature can't take any more!
The sustainability of the planet is the greatest moral, political and socio-economic challenge of our times.
In the solidarity of generations development and environment are interdependent. Every action that is taken for development must now be examined for its environmental impact.
Multi-level participation is required in this effort, from all public, local authority and private sector bodies involved in development. Most of all, however, information is required so that awareness can be raised and all citizens can take an active part.
In order to win the battle we must place the environment at the centre of any political goals.
Central Corfu & Diapontia Islands Municipality has aligned its policies with the fulfilment of citizens' and visitors' needs without undermining the future needs of our island.
We are celebrating World Environment Day in order to raise public awareness about the big waste problem and the daily management of solid waste and to increase the public's participation in recycling and improving the cleanliness of recyclable materials.
The local authority has made the environment an immediate priority and has adopted innovative and specific actions.
We therefore call on all members of the public to cooperate with and contribute to the general effort to create towns that are environmentally-friendly, human and functional.
In the 9 months that we have been in office we have made significant achievements as regards solid waste management.
The desired objective is for the Municipality to ensure the optimum and quickest solution for each waste stream produced and we are working towards that, having already achieved the following:
1. For the first time there is a municipal network for battery collection in all the communities of the new Municipality.
2. A collection network for ink cartridges and toners has been set up in all the municipal buildings in Corfu Town.
3. In a few days an extended network of municipal collection points will be re-established for lightbulbs and the recycling of electrical goods and appliances.
4. We ensured that we didn't lose any funding from European programmes for the acquisition of necessary equipment for Sorting at Source and separate collections of the different household waste streams. We managed to save these funding opportunities before they were lost and have also applied to join new programmes.
5. We are the first Municipality in the Ionian Islands and Western Greece to set up municipal collection points for cigarette butts in order to prevent further pollution of the sea and urban areas from this form of solid waste.
6. Through FODSA (Solid Waste Management Organisation) we have got approval for the transportation of waste from the island until the construction of the new waste management facility, which will be contracted out by the end of the year along with the restoration of Temploni landfill.
The aim of the local authority is to change from being an example to avoid - which has been the case up to now - to being a role model and fulfilling its European and national legislative responsibilities. But mainly fulfilling its responsibility to the public who voted for it. To take the new Central Corfu & Diapontia Islands Municipality into the 21st century by adopting and implementing the latest methods of managing solid waste.
I am certain that all together - Municipality, organisations and citizens - we can find the ways and means to solve the exisitng problems. So I call on all members of the public to cooperate with and contribute to the general effort towards living in harmony with nature, for an environmentally-friendly, human and functional Corfu.
Protection of the environment must become the modern 'Big Idea' not just for our towns but for the country and the world and every citizen needs to become involved.
