Winter holidays are here and after a long time I am back in Greece to spend them with my family. Unfortunately the crisis has affected the air quality here too.

Fireplaces: Huge problem because most houses choose them as a heating source, so they burn wood nowadays. Previously they were burning oil but its price climbed up and people tured to wood. PMs inside houses are on high values 20-40μg/m3. The threshold is below 25μg/m3. Outside values are high too with similar values of 18-38μg/m3.

Smoking: One more time Greek people disappointed me with the way they decide to behave in interior places. They smoke everywhere like in cafes, in restaurants etc. There is a law that prohibits that but they don’t follow it at all. How can we make people understand that this is a toxic air? It isn’t about them only but for all the people around them that they choose not to smoke like non smokers and kids. They are so proud smoking inside. Socialy is still something cool in Greece I guess. I asked some friends what will happen if I raise my voice. Will I find justice or will they throw me outside the places? Sadly the answer was that probably they will think I am crazy.

Cars: Yes there was a big scandal about some automobile companies that made-make car that pollute air beyond any consideration but that hasn’t affect how people think and move. People love Cars and traffic apperantly too.

Agricultural Fires: Through my trip from Sterea Ellada to Peloponeso farmers all over the countryside were burning unwanted material, from plastic to wood. I was hopping to breathe some pure air but that wasn’t the case on that trip. I know that there is a law that prohibits that action but I guess people don’t care.

If you are aware about air quality, a wearable device like TZOA is absolutely necessary in case you want to find places with good air quality in Greece or on the rest of the planet Earth.