ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

Program of Environmental Education and Awareness

EYDAP as the largest operator of water supply and sewerage in the greater Attica region rises environmental awareness of the younger generations by focusing on sustainable management and use of water and environmental protection.

For this reason, the company has successfully created an environmental awareness program which is mainly intended for students of primary education.

Program implementation

The environmental program "Stagonoulis" is implemented in terms of planning, organization and coordination by the Communications and Corporate Affairs Department executives. In particular, from the very beginning until the end of the school year, instructors welcome approximately 150 students per day- for three days per week- in EYDAP facilities in Galaţsi. The program takes place in the main building’s newly renovated conference room using up-to-date technological equipment and offering a hospitable environment for the young visitors.

The program is designed for students who attend the last grades of elementary school, as in this time period of their educational journey is the most appropriate for the children to learn basic concepts of the water cycle, its management, cleaning, biological sewage treatment etc.

However, it worths mentioning that this program, with the necessary adjustments whenever needed, can be addressed, as effectively, to students of higher levels of education and often densely attended by secondary education level school students, college students, as well as other stakeholders, such as clubs, associations etc
Structure and purpose of the program
The "Stagonoulis" environmental program’s main objective is the environmental awareness of the younger generation through information, knowledge and development of environmental consciousness.

Specifically, the program is structured in the following thematic modules:

1. Illustration of the indissoluble and longitudinal relationship of the human being with the water, through audiovisual material.
2. Understanding of the natural water cycle; which aims at highlighting the need to safeguard the uninterrupted continuity of the natural good to the planet, and its vital for the survival and evolution of man.
3. Historic overview of water supply of the city of Athens from ancient times until today; presentation of  path from Water Supply up to Water Treatment Plants; and thepurification of raw water, asto turn it into drinking and available to consumers.
   The aim is to inform the new generation about the value of water, through the observation of the timeless and laborious effort of man to find, collect and ensure its adequate quality as to meet his vital needs. Moreover,  children are getting able to perceivethat water is not only a valuable natural resource, but is also agood that requires a high cost in order to reach our tap from Water Supply Resources, clean and healthy.
4. Historic overview of the city of Athens  sewerage from ancient times to today throughout a detailed presentation of the Sewerage Network Operation, the Wastewater Treatment Plants and the utilization of byproducts (biogas, dried sludge). This thematic module includes the evolution of the city sewerage system, from the discharge of wastewater in open spaces to Wastewater Treatment Plants in the last fifteen years that decisively contributed to environmental protection. The aim is to understand how the process of developing a comprehensive sewerage system was vital in upgrading the standard of living of the inhabitants of Attica, but also the protection of the natural environment by improving the Saronic Sea and the use of byproducts for wastewater biogas plants in the effluent treatment plant.
5. Generating and exploiting renewable energy resource facilities of EYDAP (hydroelectric energy Mornos aqueduct, producing electric and thermal energy  from biogas in Psyttaleia). The aim is to highlight the importance of energy conservation and protection of natural resources and the environment.
6. Presentation and analysis of the problem of scarcity of water resources on the planet with the simultaneous presentation of the principles of rational use of water in our daily lives to preserve precious resource

Presentation material of the program

The main body of the program is the presentation, of a series of pictures that includes all the above mentioned thematic structure of the environmental   program, within a narrative and explanatory development which is made by the presenter of the program. Afterwards, it is being presented, in a comprehensible language and a playfully mood, a short view audiovisual material starring “Stagonoulis” mascot  in a 3D form, through interesting images that presents the circle of water management, from EYDAP and succeeding in raising environmental awareness.

It is worth noticing that at the end of the program the children receive gifts from EYDAP, in order to keep in mind the vivid stimuli that has been received from the environmental program.

Purposes of the program

The environmental program "Stagonoulis" utilizes an additional tool to the educational process. It is aiming to the clarification of the basic concepts on water management, to the comprehension of the environmental values to knowledge acquisition and to raising environmental sensitivities that can be translated into initiatives and actions from the new generation.

By the means of raising environmental awareness in the younger generation the emphasis is placed on the rational use and on the need to protect water resources, by integrating concepts such as 'quality of life', 'culture', 'solidarity' and 'responsibility' as basic components of modern man culture development.

The children by becoming aware of the long path that makes daily the water to come to us, in order to enjoy every drop of it, are being familiar with the tedious struggle of man, in all phases of history, by trying to ensure it, while trying also to develop new methods that improve quality of life and protect the environment.

It should be noted that the program have been attended by over 200,000 students of primary and secondary education from the wider area of Attica and in addition, every year more and more schools are showing interest to be part of it.