Peter's Viewpoint

Although Greece preaches the “Change to Green” their actions display their anti-green behaviors.

Different attitudes under different conditions are the common everyday situation exampled by the cleanliness of Athens during the 2004 Olympics to the return to bad habits weeks after the Olympics ended.  

So what does a country like Greece to help improve the continuing air pollution problem and economic crisis that it has?

The politicians of Greece decided to sell automobiles; yes new cars at discounted prices claiming that this will help the Greek economy while at the same time reduce air pollution.  Bullshit!  The sale of automobiles in Greece offers no solution to the economics of the country because there is no auto industry in Greece.

Secondly, by reducing the prices of automobiles, Greece increases the number of cars on the already crowded narrow roadways creating more traffic and increasing air pollution even by cars with new anti-pollution technology.

Other factors of consideration are:

• New automobile technology using battery powered cars is already in use.
• See electric-cars
• Trucks have never been recycled but then to do so would put a burden on the companies that own them not to mention the political consequences.

Electricity is another problem in Greece the politicians could have solved through the use of solar cells on the roof tops of homes and office buildings.  Instead they give discounts for new cars while procrastinating and averting the government owned power company process of creating a solution that not only would provide free or low-cost electricity to the citizens of Greece but could probably produce profits through the sale of electricity sold to neighboring countries.

Instead of positive results, Greece’s politicians are now faced with every increasing pollution problems in addition to the economic crisis.

The ancient Greeks that encompassed harmony with nature in their simplistic but effective designs and historical heritage would roll over in their graves if they knew how badly modern Greeks are destroying their reputation.