‘Will concrete flood us?’ is the title of the next meeting of the Ecological Thought Club, which will take place on 14 May 2024 at 5.30 p.m. at the Metallurgy Museum in Chorzów (ul. Metalowców 4a).
Do Poles love concrete and hate trees? One might think so, observing the transformations taking place in Polish cities and towns. Increasingly often the green oases in cities are being urbanised, and with it the singing of birds is disappearing, replaced by the noise of machines. How much longer will officials continue to claim that trees that are 100 years old are nothing more than self-seeding trees that can be cut down without second thought? Is the real modernisation of the city to flood it with concrete? Will developers understand that people need not only four walls but also some space to walk around? With the changing climate reality, proper vegetation in cities is a more urgent need than ever before.
The meeting’s guest speaker will be Jan Mencwel – a cultural animator, publicist, commentator, social and urban activist, Warsaw City Council member, and co-founder and chairman of the ‘Miasto Jest Nasze’ [City is Ours] association. He publishes articles and comments, among others, on the ngo.pl website, in Kultura Liberalna, Res Publice, Gazeta Stołeczna, Rzeczpospolita, Super Express, Fakt, and Polska Times. As a city activist, he has been involved in numerous initiatives in Warsaw, such as Otwarty Jazdów [Open Jazdów] (defending the settlement of Finnish houses in Jazdów against demolition), Chlebem i Solą [Bread and Salt], and the Free Belarus Initiative. Since September 2018, he has been professionally involved with ClientEarth, where he was responsible for campaigns related to climate protection. Jan Mencwel is the author of books such as Betonoza. Jak niszczy się polskie miasta [Concretosis. How Polish cities are being destroyed] and Hydrozagadka Kto zabiera polską wodę i jak ją odzyskać [Hydro-puzzle. Who takes away Polish water and how to get it back].
The conversation with the guest will be hosted by Prof. Piotr Skubała from the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Silesia in Katowice and Ryszard Kulik, PhD from Pracownia na rzecz Wszystkich Istot [Workshop for All Beings].
The event is organised by the University of Silesia in Katowice, the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Silesia, and Metropolis GZM.
Media coverage for the event was provided, among others, by Gazeta Uniwersytecka UŚ [USil Magazine]
