I Challenge You...

I thought this would be a short blog this week as it has not been a busy week, but instead it has turned into a long blog because I have a strong interest in the subject.  The week started slow as school classes are over for me for the summer, I think.  So early this week, I cleaned the apartment and did several loads of laundry.  Thursday morning, we got up early and left for Prishtina for two days of Peace Corps training on how to bring an environmental focus to our roles here in Kosovo.  This lines up well with Thom's organization, but it can also be a focus of afterschool clubs and it certainly can be included in lessons in the schools. For me personally, I have always tried to find ways to reduce my own personal carbon footprint which as an American can be a challenge.  

Hotel International Prishtina

The view from Hotel International Prishtina

Day 1 in Prishtina, we basically learned about approaches to the environmental conservation in Kosovo, about governmental and organizational responses, and about some of things that are currently being done or need to be done in the country.  Day 2 we received additional information on ways to incorporate an environmental focus into our volunteer roles and we also had a field trip to Gjakova to a glass recycling facility there.

In Kosovo, there are a number of non-governmental organization (ngo) with environmental focus besides Gjethi (where Thom is volunteering) and there are some small businesses focused on the environment.  We have heard of a bio fuel facility somewhere close to us, but we have not yet visited there and I am not sure if it is operational or merely an idea seeking to be implemented.  There is a ngo "Let's Do It Peja (LDIP)" in Peja that is working on the problem of textile waste from discarded clothing.  LDIP basically has a three-pronged approach.  They have collection centers in Prishtina, Peja, and Gjakova.  The textiles are sorted into three categories:  items that can be resold, items that can be repurposed, and items that our no longer useable.  The first prong is to resale useable items in resale shops.  The second prong is to use portions of garments to recreate new items such as tote bags and new fashions.  The third prong is really interesting.  They are in the process of producing textile bricks which can then be used for insulation, acoustics, and decorative purposes.  These bricks would be produced from textiles that can't be used in Prong 1 and 2.

On Friday afternoon, we went to a small business in Gjakova which was very fascinating -- Kosovo Glass Recycling.  This man and his seven employees are taking glass bottles, crushing them to small pieces and creating table tops, counter tops and tiles.  These custom made to order products are produced from glass pieces, steel particles, and cement.   He sells primarily to restaurants in Kosovo, Switzerland and Germany.  Along with recycling glass into product, he is recycling plastic bottles and bottle caps into benches and tables for outdoor use.  Although this is a small scale operation, it could easily be replicated in other areas and the product lines could be expanded to things like pavers and flooring.   I know of other business in the U.S. that recycle glass bottles to make glassware, candle holders, and carafes.  These businesses require glass cutters and polishers.  Other businesses melt bottles to make serving platters and these require a kiln. Remark Glass, Rebottled, and  Esquared Glass are examples of such companies operating in the U.S. and Europe.  I believe, businesses like this could be replicable here in Kosovo as well.

The trip from Prishtina to Gjakova

Piles of recyclables

Piles of broken glass and mountains in the background

Table tops (square tops sell for 30 euros)

Round table top (40 euros)

Plastic bench

Along with the tour of the glass recycling company, we toured Risons, a rakia and wine company that shares the building with the glass company.  This seemed to be an unplanned, but very interesting side tour.  It is a small family owned business with a fairly extensive line of rakia (distilled liquor similiar to ouzo or fruit brandy).  The owner talked to us through a translator about  his product and his facility was really nice.  We had a welcomed break in his tasting room before heading back to Prishtina.

Wine or rakia tanks (not sure)

Wine bottles ready for bottling

Bottle wall

The owner talking about his rakia

Mustache rakia with various styles of Albanian mustaches and qeleshe

Herbal rakia

Oak storage barrels for aging rakia

Bottles of finished product

Distilling equipment

Price list

Tasting room

View from the tasting room

Swimming pool across the field from the tasting room

Small church near the glass facility

I have personally been working to minimize my carbon footprint in the U.S. and to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle.  Eleven years ago, I took the Veganary challenge.  This was a challenge I read about to give up meat for the month of January.  I had already given up red meat and didn't eat a lot of chicken or fish, so the challenge was pretty easy.  I know how to cook and eat to get protein in my diet without eating meat or dairy products.  I didn't miss meat, so I continued on the journey of a meat and dairy free life.  Meat production  contributes more to greenhouse gases that does  plant based foods production (especially meat production in the U.S. and other developed countries).  The link I provided from the World Research Institute takes a really responsible and reasonable look at the impact of meat production.

In the U.S., I have a small garden, a compost bin, rain barrels, and we have solar panels on our house.  Before leaving the U.S., we own an electric car and our electric company (MG&E) was making a concerted effort to use to solar and wind power to produce electricity.  I have worked to reduce food waste (we eat our leftovers) and I compost food scraps.  I shopped close to home (walking or biking distance) and I shopped second hand.  We kept the thermostat low in the winter and rarely used the air conditioning in the summer.  Even though we had a dryer, I did not use the dryer often and instead used drying racks to dry my clothes.  Using dry racks, not only saves energy, it saves wear and tear on clothing items.

I am working to minimize my carbon footprint in Kosovo as well.  I have a small planter garden on the balcony with tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, a lemon tree, and herbs.  I have a compost bin on the balcony as well.  I am fortunately able to buy fresh vegetables and reuse bags for carrying them home.  I often shop at Te Dadini's, a little market and they are getting use to me bringing my own bags (even though they still want to give me new plastic bags when I go there).  I like going to Viva Fresh for the integral (whole wheat) bread from the bakery, because I can get it in a brown paper bag and then shred it for the compost bin that I have on the balcony.  I am hoping to get some earthworms for my compost and then I will be able to set it up so that it composts faster as I have only a limited space.  Mostly, I try not to buy a lot of plastic containers (we don't drink soda or bottled water) and I am able to reuse a lot of the glass containers that I do buy things in.  I have also made some cute organizers out of little boxes that we have gotten from items we have purchase.  I have crochet some covers for them and they make a nice accessory.

My crochet covered box organizers and coasters

Of course, we walk everywhere that we can or use the bus for transportation.  Once in a while we will have to take a taxi.  Like this Sunday, we are back in Prishtina for the training, but there is no bus to Ferizaj.  We will have to take a taxi, but we think those occasions will be rare.  We don't have dryer in apartment, so as I do at home in the U.S., I use drying racks.  It works well and things dry very quickly.  We don't have air conditioning.  So overall, I am minimizing my carbon footprint.   

So my challenge to friends and family, is to try to add one activity to you lifestyle that can help to reduce your carbon footprint.  Walk more often to the store, have meatless meals more often, pay for carbon offsets (these offsets help to building more solar and wind energy), get a drying rack and reduce the use of your dryers, shop second hand or donate to second hand store, etc.  If everyone contributes, we can make a difference.

The flags hanging as we came back to Kaçanik on Friday