TOP 6 projects that are changing Slovakia. These Slovaks are fighting for a better future
There will probably never be enough volunteer projects that are fighting for a good cause. These projects have been operating in Slovakia for some time and a piece of well-done work can be seen behind them.
Each of these initiatives is completely different, but they have one thing in common, and that is the desire to change the world. They are fighting for climate change, for new protected areas, exposing theft and illegal activities in the forests.
Some of them were even publicly awarded the first Slovak envirocena last year Atlaswhich it began to award VUB Foundation.
They buy endangered forests and expose thefts
They buy endangered forests and create private non-intervention reserves in them. They detect theft and illegal activities in the forests, through direct actions in the field or stop the logging of the remnants of the most beautiful Slovak forests.
In 1997, the Forest Protection Group VLK launched an action to save the fir-beech forest in the Čergov Mountains in eastern Slovakia. Thanks to their initiative, anyone can buy your own tree in a protected area. In this way, too, they save large areas of diverse vegetation that would otherwise be felled.
Activists from VLK Forestry Association as early as the beginning of 2020, they warned that the envirorezort proposed to abolish the strict protection of the nuclear part of the Morské oko National Nature Reserve.
According to the elaboration of the draft regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic, the water area of the Sea Eye itself and the surrounding forests were to lose the status of the highest protection. This could contribute to the construction of new roads and hotels, paths, tree felling, hunting and many other activities that would lead to the destruction of this jewel of Slovak nature.
source: Facebook / Forest Protection Group VLK
In 2020, the VLK association finally created a petition, which was signed by more than 70,000 Slovaks. Slovakia thus won a new protected area and at the same time recorded the most mass commemoration in the history of Slovakia.
This happened after twelve years of work by the VLK Forest Protection Group. According to the Minister of the Environment Jana Budaja it was a great success for the engaged public.
The VLK Forest Protection Group has also achieved another significant success in the field of protection of our nature. Since 2016, Slovak conservationists have been trying to push it to 10% of the territory of Slovakia did nothing at all.
source: Facebook / Forest Protection Group VLK
The Atlas award highlights innovative projects
He strongly supports the merits in the fight for sustainability and nature protection VUB Foundationwhich has announced its second year Atlas of the award. Atlas Awards are intended for inspiring organizations, companies, municipalities and personalities who are not afraid to stand up for their opinions and make the world a better place.
VUB Foundation will highlight innovative projects that took place in Slovakia in 2021. Inspiring Slovaks who are changing the world were able to sign up for one of the following sections in the first round:
- Biodiversity (nature protection of Slovakia),
- Environment (air, ceiling, water and soil protection),
- Enlightenment (education and dissemination of environmental awareness),
- Eco startups (green projects of starting local companies),
- Green economy (business developing environmental protection, eco solutions to support the circular economy),
- Municipalities (green solutions in the conditions of cities and municipalities),
- Heroes (award for specific personalities for their volunteering or activism).
source: CEA in Trenčín – One of the winners of the pilot year and the Atlas Award was the Center for Environmental Activities in Trenčín, which organized a photo competition in 2020, in which young people provide tips on how individuals can mitigate climate change and how to properly sort and minimize waste.
The winners of all sections will receive public recognition from the leading experts of the domestic enviro scene, who have created an independent panel of jurors and winners in the first four cases and will receive a financial reward for further progress. Overall so VUB Foundation redistributes 40,000 euros.
“The crisis, which is increasingly affecting nature and the environment, is one of the greatest mankind has ever faced. The time is now and every positive change has its meaning. As an institution that has decided to elevate the fight for sustainability to the basic principle of everything we do, last year we introduced the Atlas initiative to the Slovak public. We have decided to raise the profile of supporting those who, through their persistent work, are putting their hands together to fight for a greener world and a better future. “ says Alexander Resch, Chairman of the Board of the VUB Foundation and CEO of VUB Bank.
Europeans are worried about their future
Climate problems and nature protection are not indifferent to Slovaks or the inhabitants of the European Union. It also follows from the survey Eurobarometer of 2019, in which As many as 93 percent of the population of the European Union consider climate change to be a serious problem facing the world today. In Slovakia, 79 percent of Slovaks had the same opinion.
The initiative behind the largest online petition in history
They also received the support of the President of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Čaputová, and many deputies. The Climate Initiative needs you for the largest online petition in historywhich was signed in 2020 by almost 130,000 Slovak citizens.
Climate Needs You has also become one of the first awarded projects in the first year of the award Atlas in category Climate.
“The climate crisis poses the most serious threat to civilization as we know it. The initiative also managed to organize a petition during the pandemic, which showed that more than 120,000 people support the declaration of a climate emergency and a priority solution to this problem. “ he commented MEP Martin Hojsík, on behalf of the evaluators.
The Climate Initiative Needs You to Launch a Petition for the Climate, the Future at the End of September 2020. The TASR states that a group of petition activists has asked members of parliament to declare a climate emergency in order to achieve Slovakia’s carbon neutrality in 2040.
At the same time, she wanted the government to prepare a binding plan and goals for achieving neutrality by the end of 2021. The last point of the petition was a request for the government to support the greatest tightening of the European Union’s climate goals.
source: TASR / Martina Kriková
However, the deputies did not listen to them. In September 2021, the Climate Initiative needs you to come up with another petition, but it is a bit more specific, but it still demands the same.
“We call on our government to declare a state of climate emergency and determine by June 2023 a concrete plan for how Slovakia can become a prosperous and carbon-neutral state in times of climate change.” says petition initiator Natália Pažická.
The finalists of the Atlas 2022 award are known
Enviro Award Atlas 2022 already knows its 21 finalists. Their list can be found on the page VUB Foundation. The selection of three projects of the submitted candidates in each category was decided by a jury composed of top experts.
The judges of the Atlas 2022 award are Petra Csefalvayová, specialist in concepts and projects of circular economics from the Institute of Circular Economics, Jakub Filo, deputy editor-in-chief of the daily SME, which has long focused on the climate crisis, Zita Izakovičová, director of the Institute of Landscape Ecology and project manager and Miroslava Plassmann, director of WWF Slovakia, a branch of one of the world’s largest nature conservation organizations.
Applications for projects coming for the Atlas award could be sent by representatives of the organizations themselves, but they could also be nominated by the public. In the following days, the jury will be further evaluated by the shortlist and the winners will be solemnly announced on April 2, symbolically on Earth Day
An application that has no period in Slovakia
They did not want to wait for the state, they presented a project that every tourist in our country should know about. Defender Erik Baláž decided to draw attention to the fact that visitors to Slovak national parks lack basic information for a long time. For example, in the dry forest in the Tatras, we have a feeling of catastrophe, because no one has explained to us that a new forest is being created at this place.
Just because Erik and his team have prepared an application that has no period in our country. Lesmír is therefore a mobile application that intuitively accompanies the user through nature.
On your site to statethat Lesmír will allow people to get to know nature actively – outside in the field. An expert talks about the necessary information, who explains where a person is and what is interesting there. The videos also include cartoons, historical landscapes, and exclusive footage of wild animals.
They rewrite history, point to the problems of nature protection and the climate crisis. It spreads enlightenment and changes the world for the better. This is exactly the initiative that Atlas won last year.
A story of tremendous effort, courage and perseverance
The Slatina valley is one of the last preserved Mediterranean mountain valleys with a meandering river in Central Europe. Due to the species diversity of animals and plants, its natural value is incalculable. Nevertheless, the fate of this site was uncertain for decades due to the planned construction of the dam.
The threat of flooding the village of Slatinka and its natural wealth was finally stopped in 2020 by the local Slatinka Association. The story of tremendous effort, courage and perseverance deserves the attention and recognition of the whole of Slovakia. This is exactly what the award took care of last year VUB Atlas Foundation.
“There is no such price in Slovakia, our success has not clearly resonated. We especially appreciate the chosen moral support that we were among many amazing organizations, “ says Martina Paulíková, the representative of the winning team.
source: Facebook / Slatinka Association – The Slatinka Association won the historic first prize of VUB’s Atace in the category “biodiversity protection”.
Green education in active cooperation with students
One of the winners of the pilot year and the Atlas Award was the Center for Environmental Activities in Trenčín, which to address the public administration of green education in active cooperation with pupils and students as young reporters.
The title of the winner of the award was also brought to the Trenčín organization by the results of a photo competition in which young people bring tips on how individuals mitigate climate change and how to properly sort and minimize waste.
“Winning the Atlas award was a huge boost for us. It helped us breathe in difficult times without funding, thanks to which we had the opportunity to hold a multi-day workshop, start a podcast and even more kick the whole implementation team, consisting of two adults and four students, “ says Klaudia Medalová from the Center for Environmental Activities in Trenčín.
source: CEA Trenčín – Young reporters for the environment are gaining experience also thanks to reports with the spokeswoman of the city of Trenčín Erika Ságová.
They turned “old” clothes into original bags and packaging
The ecological label sobi.eco was founded years ago by siblings Alena Tomáš Horváthovci. Startup produced original bags and packaging with unique technologies from recycled clothing. Use unnecessary material that would otherwise end up as waste and a burden on the environment.
They also increased the importance of their idea by the ethical and social dimension – all products are sewn in workshops directly in Slovakia and at the same time provide work for people with health or social disadvantages who have few employment opportunities.
The founders of the sobi.eco startup also showed their generosity and shared part of the grant that belonged to them as the winner with three other finalists in their category.
The VUB Foundation gives an opportunity to inspiring organizations, companies or personalities who are not afraid to stand up for their opinions and make the world a better place.
source: Facebook / sobi.eco – The sobi.eco brand became the first ever startup to receive the Atlas environmental award in 2021.
Sources: vsetkoprenic.sk, minzp.sk, wolf.sk