Mediterranean in the middle of dishonor of Zeus

Hell is empty,

All the devils came here ...

William Shakespeare

Published in "Politika" newspapers, Annex for Culture and Arts, in August 2018

https://medium.com/@evavanistalazarevic

The action of Shakespeare's "Dream of the Midsummer Night" takes place in Athens. In the midst of long summer 2018 nights we share sympathetic & pities overlooking to the hellish consequences of climate change on the grip of civilization - Greece. Extreme heat shifted to the north and northwest of Europe where they were unknown, and it seems like great Zeus or Poseidon seemed to focus badly to the Mediterranean. Mostly of expensive space programs have been devoted to researching the causes of global warming, with no great success yet. Canadians on North, for example, fight with fires, new phenomena for that climate. Because of the change of atmosphere, smoke and choking, they have to run entire cities.

State of Canada, however, receives ten billions of dollars from pollutant companies annually because Canadians respect and follow the Kyoto protocol. However, they cannot be competitive at the same time (for example, cementers that use mostly gas) and have to dismiss some of their employees. Even the southern neighbor prev. President Obama, with all of his democratic shifts, failed in his mandate to maintain or even only soften the steel arm of the oil community in the United States. In USA, no climate protocol has been signed in recent decades. Shortly, the enormous benefit of the oil industry of the most dangerous polluters is annihilating every cry of ultimately civilized world for a cleaner globe. These are “the boundaries” that we do not skip. The melting of the Arctic and the Antarctic will raise the sea level that will hit the USA, in particularly but local media is ignoring that fact. The “Kyoto” Protocol, one of the most important laws in ecology is 1997 adopted and in 2005 run out into practice. We are aware of limits of CO2 emissions, which can reduce the greenhouse effect, but if the legislation is not set, we cannot weep “over the splited milk”.

The Belgians started to plant, for example, melons and peaches for which a warm climate is needed, and the Dutch enjoy the warmth of the Nordic sea at Sheveningen, where people rarely swim due to the cold. Leech and apocalyptic storms seen at movies have reached the region - south of Europe in summer 2018. We witnessed them as well at Balkans in 2014.

It seems that nature responds to the attack of man, with all its angriness. We can watch sad photos: suffocated birds in plastic bags and abandoned, uninhabited islands in the Pacific; 6,000 km away from the closest civilization covered with plastic bottles and waste. But again, the progress against pollution is also evident: globally, the nation smoked until the nineties, and the bad habit of health for itself and others was successfully rooted out by concentrated guidelines on target groups and strong bans. Also, a way of wider implementation of electric cars was not too long, just a few decades. Progress also applies education in schools, called "green files" where the youngest learn the behavior for preventing global warming and climate change. And yes, severe penalties have been imposed for secondary pollutants: for example, non-recycling of waste throughout Europe, and residents of cities have become eco-conscious.

However, history denounces us in the quick conclusions over the neglect: far away in 1477 Columbus sailed to Iceland. Frightened by the announced iceberg, he was pleasantly surprised that the temperature was above zero, and the sea was calm and easy to pass. For example, in Houston, Texas, 1986 in January the temperature was far below zero, which in that region is not remembered till then. In the summer, the Spaces Shuttle Challenger with 7 crewmembers flew after 73 seconds, supposedly, for the reason of releasing screws due to the launch from ice conditions. Temperature bouncing’s have always been happening, but not so drastic.

It's as neither scientists nor the astronauts can analyze or deliver enough data to expose the thesis about the exact causes of the apparent ecological release of our exhausted planet! If the planned temperature is up to 50 degrees in Western Europe, did the fingers of demons from Pandora's box get caught? The Magic of "Midsummer Night"?

In the rational minds of the 21st century, only volcanic power of nature that reacts to the phenomena of today...

A curse of beauty

Biologically, attractive individuals are the ones most exposed to attacks or destruction, somehow the first on the sight. The most interesting and beautiful cities in the Mediterranean are most exposed to this CO2 strike; cause a massive interest of tourists which often end up by degrading the city, from ecological to physical destruction. For example, the summer scenes of giant ships - skyscrapers that sail into the most attractive: Venice, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor or Barcelona are comparatively acting as LEGO cubes - covered with a long, threatening shadow over the Romanesque or Gothic towers - destroying them in continually on aesthetics basis, of historical heritage, value of rarity and through the lack of necessary peace. In Venice, the situation is most alarming, because large cruiser propellers destroy and disperse sludge that, without cessions, cemented and protected the wooden trunk of Venice's foundations from natural destruction in the sea.

A bunch of squeezed tourists in the narrow streets that are carring by a “huge wave” cannot look or even breathe, even if climate is favorable. Perhaps Venice is the most dramatic example, but no other “Mediterranean pearls” have been spared.

In order to reduce the concentration of tourists when the cruiser agreed, there is an innovation: additional charge for leaving the ships that proved to be a successful breaks man. A superb, brief broader view from the ship itself upon the city and the continuation of the day in the Jacuzzis and the enjoyment of the "all inclusive" deacons replaces the strenuous research and absorption of the multicurrent historical monuments. A good musical on the boat is a replacement for the effort that requires the inclusion of the mind, the desire for cultural upbringing. Tourists from cruisers today are mainly interested in lapidary and shortened versions of historical monuments. One photo, a brief overview, like on social networks. Like easy access to American hospitals; museums as well have introduced multi-color paths choice: the longest, medium and shortened version of the sightseeing, where the last is the most popular. It's not different when ships reach the usual destinations: Palermo, Genoa, Venice, Alexandria, Istanbul, Heraklion, Corfu, Rovigno, Lisbon, Tenerife ...

21st centuries ego-centrism is fed by selfie photos and movies posted on social medias; teasing those unlucky people who stayed at home without any vacation. If we do not have enough free days for available and affordable cruiser, there are undemanding locations like Maldives or Zanzibar or Thai beaches that offer sex tourism delivered by minor miserable population. Hedonism, we could say, a replacement for "once upon a time culture"!

Rehabilitation according to the Barcelona model

 But let’s return to eco-recipes that can save us from a concentrated mass attack of new people / tourists. Rehabilitation (Latin word for cure) is today’s ecologically sustainable option offered to regenerate the attractive cores of the beautiful Mediterranean cities. Barcelona has progressed with successful principles, as the largest city on Mediterranean cruise route, although in the past decades it has risen several times and collapsed after a while. At first glance, it might look silly, but legislative changes are having some visible results. The highest stores in the city core are abolished (mostly added post festum from the original buildings), i.e. limiting the new ones; in order to maintain an earlier density that pulls more efficient heating and cooling and reduces need for parking. Eco-improved materials are used (glass aluminum, self-renewing concrete, etc.). Multiple checking on drinking water has been upgraded rigorously, related to the systematization of waste. Ruthless cleaning of the interiors of the famous Serda’s blocks provides a new semi-public and public space, more air and width, so more effective social interaction of the population. Empty plots got a new purpose by creating of urban gardens often maintained by the inhabitants themselves. Gardens become a source of organic food, as well. And tourists can try gardening food and planting roses like Prince Charles.

The older inhabitants, associate with the younger ones, linking social and ecological topics beneath the new greenery, which make an extra shade against the poisonous sun of full radiation. Tourists mix and socialize with the local population, which was not the case before. Software programs have been introduced & can be easily downloaded to mobile phones with the prefix "spotted by locals" - where local people are proposing to tourists the best places to go out, entertain or see some cultural events, rank them and comment on ratings.

Intensive maintenance of public spaces and facades of historic buildings is done through a set of facilities, money and tax incentives as well as investments from the tourism. The rich existing cultural content and unusual megaprojects are largely involved in this delicious eco-recipe. The City and State participate with private public partnerships (PPP) in the reconstruction of hospitals, garages and, for example, public toilets that serve tourists as well. Better local life is provided from tourism, but it requires adjusting of plan for more efficient security system and leaving enough space in the ground floor for unpleasant, cheap fast food restaurants. To determine the measure and obtain a harmony throughout this new process seems to be crucial.

The "devils" - the masses of tourists that lead to ecological degradation in the long run could be, that way, somehow diminished. Prediction of bad scenarios, preparation and anticipation, long-term planning can deal with the huge mass of “Age of cheap”.

As it was said surprisingly rational for early Renaissance time when magic was lightly engaged, by divine Shakespeare: "It's not the stars which determine our destiny, but ourselves to deal with."