To measure the noise in the homes and on the playgrounds around the reconstructed Levski Blvd. this summer. This is one of the proposals around which civil activists from Varna united during the second working meeting at the Center for Sharing and Supporting Working Civic Initiatives “Kubrick”.
The Civil Ecolaboratory at the Public Environmental Center for Sustainable Development has two professional noise meters. This makes it possible to measure noise both inside the home and outside.
After the commissioning of the renovated Levski Blvd., citizens complain about the repeatedly increased noise. There is almost no green system around the boulevard to serve as a natural sound insulator. However, even where it is available, it is seasonal.
According to experts, floor landscaping is needed. However, it has not been done and it is not clear whether it was planned at all.
The civil activists united around the idea to demand from the Municipality under the Law on Access to Public Information the terms of reference for the design of Levski Blvd. To organize a special meeting on the topic. To take a civil initiative to oblige the municipality to prepare projects for linear highway shielding – something that it was obliged to do, anyway, under a European directive.
Another special meeting was requested by the civil activists – on the topic of waste incineration. Arch. Kalina Pavlova proposed to make a map of where and how much imported waste is burned in Bulgaria. She also asked to investigate the government’s commitments to incinerate waste.
In connection with waste, there is another civic initiative – to reduce the use of plastic bags. The idea to conduct an awareness campaign among citizens on Facebook on July 3 – International Day without plastic bags.
The second working meeting at the Center for Sharing and Supporting Working Civic Initiatives was held in the form of a working breakfast and a discussion to increase civic activity in Varna. The meeting is held under the project “Improving public awareness of the role of civil society for the community.” For 33 months, the Center for Sharing and Supporting Working Civic Initiatives and Practices must be recognized as a place to create and defend public campaigns and causes. In it, civil activists will receive consultations from specialists on legal issues related to the implementation of their initiative. They will be able to count on their promotion in media channels and social networks.
Translator: Valentina Vagge
Improving public knowledge about the role of Civil Society Organizations
The project “Improving public knowledge about the role of Civil Society Organizations” shall be implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Financial Mechanism. The main goal of the project is to improve citizens’ awareness of the role of non-governmental organizations in society. This material is established with the financial support of the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. The whole responsibility for the content of the document is held by the Public Environmental Center for Sustainable Development and under no circumstances can this material be considered to reflect the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria.