Zrenjanin

Zrenjanin and ecology

The biggest environmental issue in Zrenjanin is water quality. Tap water in the city has been unsafe for drinking since 2004, primarily due to high levels of arsenic, heavy metals, and other pollutants. The concentration of arsenic in the water far exceeds permitted levels, posing a serious health risk, including potential cancer, heart disease, and nervous system disorders. Although numerous attempts to address this issue have been made over the years, including building a water treatment plant, a permanent solution has not been achieved. Water pollution in Zrenjanin is part of a broader regional problem, also evident in nearby Kikinda, where residents face similar challenges in securing drinking water. This indicates a general problem of inadequate protection and management of water resources in this part of Serbia.

Another major issue is the presence of illegal dumps, which arise due to improper waste disposal despite the existence of a municipal landfill. These illegal dumps pollute the soil, water, and air, while the underdeveloped waste separation and recycling system further complicates waste management. Although recycling points exist, their potential is not fully utilized due to limited resources and low public awareness.

Workshop

The high school students from Zrenjanin excelled at the workshop and proved to be true environmental enthusiasts! Right from the start, they effortlessly listed environmental problems in Serbia and their city, but they didn’t stop there – they immediately offered creative solutions. They particularly focused on the issue of improper waste disposal in Zrenjanin, identifying it as one of the biggest challenges in their community. Some of their solutions have already been implemented through recycling machines at school and sustainable development projects organized by their chemistry teacher. This team was well-versed in environmental topics, and we enjoyed their energy and hope that one day they will become our green allies.

Their teacher was impressed with the idea of further collaboration – he suggested that a few times a year, we bring students together in our Green Co-working Center. Together, we would work on ecological issues, exchange ideas, and learn how to contribute to nature conservation. These young people not only have ideas but also take action – and we are confident they will continue to inspire us with their initiatives!

During the workshops, the students were given a task – to create a creative video where they chose one environmental problem in their city that bothers them the most and explained the best way we could solve it! You can check out the competition results at the following link: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeleni.sad?_t=8qe8gTVP0Kc&_r=1

Joint working meeting

Since one of the project’s priorities was connecting young people with a desire for activism, a joint working meeting was organized at our Green Co-working Center for this purpose. All the best teams gathered there, along with their peers from other cities and our expert team, to discuss solutions to environmental problems. During this meeting, the youth shared innovative ideas, exchanged experiences with their peers, and discussed opportunities for joint collaboration to address environmental issues in their communities, as most of these environmental problems are not isolated but shared among many of the participating cities.

The collaborative meeting sparked active discussions among the students about the problems in their communities. They shared their impressions and observations about the state of the environment in their cities, focusing on specific issues such as improper waste disposal, air pollution, and the lack of green spaces. Most students expressed a desire to contribute to their communities through education, organizing environmental actions, and involving the community.

Environmental action

The students from Zrenjanin didn’t stop at theory – they decided to organize an ecological cleanup of Zrenjanin, where they put all they had learned into practice. By their example, they demonstrated how joint effort and organization can significantly contribute to cleaner and healthier living spaces. This initiative was also an excellent opportunity to encourage the citizens of Zrenjanin to act responsibly towards nature and dispose of waste properly https://www.instagram.com/p/DCNLea7s16g/.