"Spreading th Green Phone Network" Project Results

  • Two Green Phones started in Serbia

The Gorani Movement and the Vojvodina Volunteer Centre from Novi Sad and the Gorani Movement from Pančevo established cooperation and concluded a contract of assigning a unique phone number to the Green Phone Network in Serbia – 0700 123456. Both partner associations were connected to that line and the equipment necessary for the operation of the recently established Green Phones was provided.

  • Two Green Phones started in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Bura Environmental Society from Mostar and the association Močvara from Čapljin established cooperation and concluded a contract of assigning a unique phone number to the Green Phone Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina – 080 1234 Both partner associations were connected to that line and the equipment necessary for the operation of the recently established Green Phones was provided.

  • Green Phones in Serbia received 164 calls during 8 months of operation

After processing the incoming calls, 5 most common regional problems were identified by category: waste, green areas, air pollution, water pollution and animals. Waste constitutes the biggest problem with a share of 36.59%. The Green Phone acted as information provider in 42% of calls, as facilitator in 18% of calls, while in 40% of all calls Green Phone activists resolved the problem without the cooperation of callers. 53% of all calls were made by women, while men made 47% of the calls. All received notifications were forwarded to the competent authorities.

  • Green Phones in Croatia received 3182 calls during 12 months of operation

After processing the incoming calls, waste was identified as the most common regional problem. 779 calls or 24.48% pertained to this category, followed by calls pertaining to green areas and construction. The Green Phone acted as information provider in 44.89% of calls, as facilitator in 23.33%, while in 31.78% of all calls Green Phone activists resolved the problem without the cooperation of callers. 48.44% of all calls were made by women, while men made 51.56% of calls. More than 2500 received notifications were forwarded to the competent authorities.

  • 70 % of calls/notifications pertain to ''urban sustainability''

More than 35% of calls pertain to waste on private and public urban surfaces, while 25% of calls pertain to green areas. Calls mostly pertain to problems such as tree felling in parks, waste in green areas, devastation of green areas and allergenic plants in urban areas. Besides the aforementioned notifications, calls pertaining to animals make up 10% of calls and these problems include keeping domestic animals in urban areas, as well as torturing and abusing animals, while calls pertaining to noise make up 10% of calls and are usually complaints about traffic noise.

  • More than 60% of received calls are successfully resolved

65% of all calls in Serbia are resolved or almost resolved. 35% of calls pertain to problems that cannot be resolved in short notice. 60% of all calls in Croatia are resolved, while the other 40% pertain to illegal mining and radiation caused by mobile phone antennas.

  • The Manual for providing Green Phone services was printed and promoted

After the project partners collected information on the regulations concerning environmental protection and the competent authorities, the Manual was prepared and printed in 1000 copies, which were then distributed to citizens and the competent authorities.

  • Serbian and Croatian Green Phone Bulletin was printed and promoted

The project partners collected and aggregated information and the good and bad practical examples of providing Green Phone services in Serbia and Croatia and then printed the Bulletin in 1000 copies.

  • Green Address Books for Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were printed and promoted

The project partners collected contact information for all institutions and authorities competent for environmental protection in their respective regions. Three editions of the Green Address Book were printed in 800 copies for each region. The Address Books were distributed to interested citizens and public services.

  • The first workshop for new Green Phone activists was held

The workshop for new Green Phone activists in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina was held from October 10th to October 12th 2007 in Zagreb. The following topics were discussed: Creation and Development of Green Phones, Environmental Protection Needs, Goals and Purpose of Green Phones, Necessary ''Tools'' for Commencing Operation, Rules and Principles of Providing Green Phone Services, Legal Framework for Environmental Protection, Structure and Competence of Institutions in Environmental Protection, Examples of Calls and Cases by Category and Exercise (case resolving). 6 people participated in the workshop.

  • Training for new Green Phone activists was held

Training was held in Novi Sad and Mostar, which included the 11 members of Green Phone that was recently established in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Members of Green Phone Croatia offered advice and help by giving actual examples of office and field work and passed on their knowledge and experience acquired through years of providing Green Phone services.

  • The second workshop for new Green Phone activists was held

Workshops for new Green Phone activists in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were held from March 28th to March 30th in Novi Sad and from April 11th to April 13th in Mostar. The following topics were discussed: Cooperation with the Inspection Services, Local Self-Government and Municipal Service Monitoring Officers, Cooperation with the Media, Cooperation with the Citizens and Cooperation with the Business Sector. 11 people participated in the workshop.

  • Two study visits were held

One member of the Gorani Movement and the Vojvodina Volunteer Centre from Novi Sad was the guest of the Green Phone of the Franjo Koščec association from Varaždin and one member of the Gorani Movement from Pančevo was the guest of the Green Phone of the Zeleni Osijek association from Osijek. The goal of the study trips was to give the new activists insight into the scope of Green Phone services and the specificities of calls and the way in which they are resolved through office and field work.

  • Two ''small campaigns'' were conducted in Serbia

Campaigns based on the most frequently reported environmental problems were devised and conducted in order to raise awareness and offer possible solutions. Election campaign posters were removed and flyers about the sustainable energy management were handed out, while elementary schoolchildren were educated about sustainable energy management and were given seedlings.