Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Democracy, Environment

and Economy

Erasmus+KA2 – No. 2018-1-PT01-KA229-047365

2^d activity

Vaasa Finland, 6 – 10/5/2019

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Mr. Nikos Aslanoglou, member of the ecological team of Veria
• Human actions <->Democracy, Environment, Economy

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Pesticides and fertilizers, the waste material
• They are disposed of in Nature
• Through water
• They contaminate the underground waters, the rivers and lakes, and the water supply sources in the area.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Floods <- plots/buildings built on watercourses
• No Implementation of Laws
• Mandra of Attica

1^st big problem: administration

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Fires
• Arson, garbage dumping (eg glass, cigarette butts), negligence
• Inactive state/authorities
• Implications and Cost
• Solution->the mobilization and involvement of citizens and authorities and the appropriate education of the younger generations.

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Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

2^nd big problem: education

• The lack of effective education of the Greek people

• A typical example is the turning of the area near the village of Messi into a waste site.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Many problems have accumulated
• e.g. When some people burn plastic waste-> toxic substances -> atmosphere, soil and water areas-> the water, food and air we breathe-> harmful substances -> environmental illnesses are caused, money for the doctors
• Question: since the administration is inactive and does not provide essential education, how can we talk about the quality of democracy?

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Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Garbage on beaches
• The school composting campaign

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Holding meetings, not far from the environment, but οn the scene of the problem.
• Alternative waste management- each company is responsible for the waste management, for example packaging (see ALMME)
• Harmonious co-operation of the state and individuals

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Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE “ALMME”

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

EDUCATIONAL MEETING WITH THE QUALITY CONTROL RESPONSIBLE OF THE COOPERATIVE Mrs Afroditi Filinda

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

THE COOPERATIVE STRUCTURE

• GENERAL ASSEMBLY
• MANAGEMENT BOARD
• PRESIDENT

It consists of all the members

SUPREME BODY

AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES

An Agricultural Cooperative is an autonomous association of individuals, which is formed on a voluntary basis and, through the mutual help of its members, aims at their economic, social and cultural development and promotion, by means of a co-owned and democratically run enterprise.

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Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Ν.4384/2016

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

COOPERATIVE IDENTITY

• Autonomous association of individuals

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• Voluntary Participation

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• Economic, social and cultural needs and pursuits

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• Co-ownership of a democratically run enterprise.

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Values:

“Cooperatives are based on the principles of self-help, self-reliance, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. Following the tradition of their initiators, the members of cooperatives rely on the ethical values of honesty, transparency of social responsibility, and care for the others.”

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Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES

Cooperative principles are the guidelines according to which cooperatives implement their values.

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1^st Principle: Voluntary and free participation

2^nd Principle : Democratic management on behalf of the members

3^rd Principle : Economic participation of the members

4^th Principle : Autonomy and independence

5^th Principle : Education, training and information

6^th Principle : Cooperation between cooperatives

7^th Principle : Interest in the community

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Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

THE ROLE OF COOPERATIVES

To offset the enormous increase in inequality between the rich and the poor in the world

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The cooperative ideal :

conflict and competition -> economic growth

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

THE COOPERATIVE STRUCTURE

The structure of cooperatives typically has the form of a pyramid.

Pyramid Base 0 🡪 individuals (farmers, consumers, etc.) members of the cooperative.

Higher on the pyramid 1 🡪 associations of individuals (first level cooperatives)

Next level 2🡪 associations of first level cooperatives (second level /secondary cooperatives)

Then 3 🡪 associations of secondary cooperatives (third level /tertiary cooperatives or Federations)

Top of the pyramid 4🡪 associations of tertiary cooperatives (top cooperative organization or Confederation of cooperatives)

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

REASONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN A COOPERATIVE

• Guarantee for stable customers
• Fixed prices at satisfactory levels
• Investing in new markets
• Market outlets for their products

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

INTEREST IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

“Cooperatives should be interested in the development of the community which they operate in “

The interest of cooperatives in the community could be:

• Preservation and protection of the natural or urban environment of the community

• Sustainable management of the agricultural production

• Respect for the social environment of the community

• Employment for the members of the community

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

DEMOCRACY - COOPERATIVES

• They have an internationally agreed moral code of values
• They operate according to principles that have been internationally agreed on by members of the International Cooperative Union
• They shape their own democratic management
• They conduct regular internal and external audits
• They protect the democratic rights of their members
• They are aligned with the best practices
• They withstand any internal or external control

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

FREE PARTICIPATION

Some cooperatives are specifically founded to serve cultural, national or religious minorities

While the members of cooperatives are free to belong to any political party, religious or cultural group, they do not have the right to discriminate against other members.

Women participate equally in training programs for the development of their leadership skills.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Packaging:

• Environmentally friendly (recyclable products).
• Recycling application in used packaging
• CO2 footprint released into the atmosphere when making the packaging on product labels, customer awareness, greener markets.

Garbage and materials:

• Payment for the delivery of garbage (oils, batteries, wood).
• Payment for receiving packaging materials (paper, metal).
• Application of controls on pesticide packaging

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMAGE OF COOPERATIVES

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Educational Visit to the company

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

• Epsilon is a private company that deals with the collection of biomass and its conversion into energy through gasification.
• As raw material it uses wood residues, which are supplied by farmers or forests.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Gasification of Biomass

• Organic matter disintegrates through fire and reacts with oxygen resulting in its decomposition into smaller molecules and forming a gaseous mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen etc after removing impurities. Then this gas mixture turns into electricity and heat.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

UTILIZATION OF ELECTRICITY

• The electricity produced from the gasification of the biomass is given to the Public Power Corporation, following an agreement made by the company espilon with them.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

The Aims of Epsilon

• “Epsilon” uses environmentally friendly methods.

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• At present there are no branches in other prefectures, but the long-term goal is to create more units in neighbouring areas, eg Meliki.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

External Audit

• There is no external control on the part of any state body, because “Epsilon“, as a private company, is not under the state’s jurisdiction.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Both the residents of the local community and the county in general know very little about this company.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

The prospect of the business is to be able to operate the unit continuously, as opposed to the present situation in which it operates only for certain hours.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

The key points of this investment are:

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• Low investment cost.
• Annual high payoff on capital and return in a short period of time.
• Guaranteed constant supply of quality, low cost raw material.
• Limited - controlled operating cost.
• Guarantee of good and continuous operation of the production process.
• No environmental burden.
• Creation of jobs.

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

The operation cost of the biomass unit includes:

• The purchase - supply of raw material (biomass).
• The maintenance of mechanical equipment.
• The insurance of the unit.
• Expenditure on the workforce and the engineer in charge.
• General management expenditure.
• Other expenses (consumables, accounting, etc.).

Sustainability for Democracy � Democracy for Sustainability

Efficiency

With the equipment of gasification by leading manufacturers and the technology of "epsilon", high efficiency is achieved, depending on the power output of the unit.