How green is Athens
IN THE ENGLISH LESSON
the location and time he found them . He also noted that he would keep the chair , so whoever wanted to could aim for the sofa .
Apart from the newly acquired chair , Martin ’ s neat home also includes a retro green velvet armchair , whereas soon he will also have a rug in the exact correct dimension . As told by the dry-cleaner employee , it will be good-as-new .
Martin also emphasizes how comfortably citizens claim objects in great condition on the streets . Actually , in certain cases , some help in order to get the objects transported to their new owners ’ homes .
The artistic aspect of hunting
What ’ s also interesting is the artistic side of this hunt for the city ’ s waste . Αrtist and sculpture professor who specializes in upcycled jewelry , Grigoria Vrittia , explains how her job requires others ’ garbage .
“ Awareness for the environment is a common pattern in my work and I try , as much as each project allows it , to reuse materials , mostly paper and fabric ” she explains . “ Long strolls in the city are also a part of the productive procedure . The search for materials , both with natural hypostasis but also spiritually , in Athens specifically , is always fertile . This city is particularly versatile and you can see different objects in each and every neighborhood .”
“ For my job , I pick up small pieces of furniture that I use as the base or part of the sculptures , paper with which I build the skeletons , fabric and plastic , which – after careful decontamination- sometimes become stuffing . I believe that , until the question of plastic and waste is resolved , the reuse of materials is the least I can do personally to offer to our planet . Treasurehunters Athens has helped me a lot during this procedure . The extent of the group makes me particularly happy because I see an autonomous try with social impact and this sense of belonging is a source of optimism .”
How green is Athens
Having green spaces in urban areas is important on multiple counts . Not only do they provide communities with places to relax , exercise and socialize , but they also bring wildlife to the area and help in the fight against global warming through carbon dioxide sequestration . Tree cover can even lower the temperature of a city by several degrees during heat waves through providing shade and a process called evapotranspiration .
When other countries are surrounded by larger green spaces , in Athens trees cover only a tenth of the urban surface .
NASIA KOUTALA , Γ4
IN THE ENGLISH LESSON
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