themis from greece
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to Greece!
Themis VeleniThemis VeleniRiis Academy Riis Academy
WaterWater
ΓΕΙΑ, TΙ ΛΕΕΙ ; (pronounced YA, ΤΙ LEI?) = Hey, what’s up?
TA ΛΕΜΕ (pronounced TA LEME) = See you around
It is all Greek to me
Introductory game:Telephone!
• We all sit in a circle
• I am going to whisper a Greek word into one’s student ear
• He/she has to do the same with the person sitting next to him
Oceanus in the Trevi Fountain in Rome
Genealogy of Greek mythology
Oceanids: sea nymphsPotamoi: the river-gods
Who is that Greek God?
Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, ca 440 BC
Amphitrite
The Triumph of Poseidon and Amphitrite
Tritons, the satyrs of the seas
The Little Mermaid is actually 2,500 years old
The battle of Athena and Poseidon over Athens
Hades and Poseidon
Kerkini lake
Pozar falls
Edessa falls
Greece is widely known for its beautiful islands
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The Greek sea has always been an essential part of our economy
Playing with safe blue Greek seas
The Knossos palace at Crete, 2500 BC
Thera, wall decorations and mosaics, 1500 BC
Trireme, a revolutionary ship
Inscription with the oarsmen in action
Why is water important to us?
Without water, life wouldn’t exist!
By 2030, in some developing regions of the world, water demand will exceed supply by 50%
What is happening with the Greek water?
Greek Water Game
Each student can buy a cup of clear fresh water for 1 bean
75% of students will be given 1 bean
25% of students will have 10 beans
3 of the cups will be “contaminated” with black dye
The contaminated water will not be replaced because “it costs too much”
Problems with the Privatization of Water
Privatization Leads to Rate Increases
The bottom line for private companies is profit which translates into higher prices and inferior service for consumers
Privatization can leave the poor with no access to clean water
For instance, Bolivia’s public water system was recently privatized as a condition for a World Bank loan. The private water company, Aguas del Tunari, immediately doubled water prices. For thousands of families, their water bills accounted for a fourth of their monthly budgets, while other families had their water turned off completely. Hundreds of thousands of Bolivians protested and were met by their government with violence.
Privatization Leads to Job Losses
Privatization often leads to massive layoffs, at times putting service and water quality at risk due to understaffing. Layoffs are commonly used to reduce costs and increase profits. Such layoffs are not only devastating to workers, but also to consumers.
Privatization is making companies accountable to Shareholders not Consumers
In many cases, the deals that water companies make with government agencies include exclusive access to distribution for 25 or 30 years, effectively sanctioning a monopoly. These private monopolies tend to undermine accountability and result in poor customer service. The company is under little pressure to respond to consumer concerns, especially when the product in question is necessary to the lives of consumers.
Privatization Fosters Corruption
Privatization is Difficult to Reverse
Once a municipality signs over part or all of its water system to a private water company, withdrawing from the agreement borders on the impossible.
Privatization is Difficult to Reverse
Once a municipality signs over part or all of its water system to a private water company, withdrawing from the agreement borders on the impossible.
What can we do to save water?
SAVEGREEKWATER.org
SAVEGREEKWATER is a Greek citizens’ initiative that opposes
corporate privatization of our water resources and its distribution.
Clean affordable water is a human right and must remain a public
commons. Our initiative wants to inform all concerned on the
implications of allowing corporations to commodity and profit from
our limited water resources. The privatization of water is first a
question of democracy. If we cannot control our supply of water do we
really control anything at all? Our campaign wants to use this
opportunity to sensitize the public on the larger issue of careful water
management for private and agricultural use. Join the SAVE GREEK
WATER initiative against water privatization.