Cold Greeks Stealing and Burning Trees

Greeks stealing fuel oil

A tanker delivering fuel to an address in Athens. Temperatures in Greece drops, but taxes increase. This leads to higher prices for heating oil.

Photo: ARIS Messinis / AFP

The economic crisis in Greece leads to an extra cold winter for many Greeks. In many cities there are reports of stealing fuel oil from primary schools - and in Athens disappearing trees from the parks.

The last school that has been affected by oil theft in the town of Volos. There are police on the icy thieves who ran off with a ton of fuel oil from the local primary school at the weekend, writes the Greek newspaper Ekathimerini .

Recently, also a school on the island of Lesbos subjected to a similar theft, and the same happened two other places in the country. Thefts happening at a time when schools have cut sharply in the budgets.

According to the paper, many parents to keep their children at home because of lack of warming at the country's schools, especially in northern Greece.

In northern Greece, winters compared to Norwegian conditions. It is not uncommon to experience freezing temperatures and snow.

To keep the heat Greeks choose to burn oil and gas, but because of a strained economy, many choose to burn wood, which is cheaper than fuel oil.

Illegal tree felling

In rural areas, they have long been plagued with illegal tree felling, but now it seems that this problem is starting to spread to the cities, writes Ekathimerini .

In the district Filothei, north of Athens, some fields five large trees, but no one should be taken for the illegal felling.

Now researchers also warn against increased pollution caused by burning wood. In cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki plagued many of the smoke from burning wood. Wednesday warned the authorities about the pollution problems.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO), the emissions of pollutant particles 30 times greater when Burning wood in relation to oil heating.

Particle concentration of air in Athens has been measured to 150 milligrams per cubic meter. It is three times higher than the level that is considered dangerous, says Environment Ministry, according to NTB.

- Smog is particularly strong in the evening. It consists of polluting and dangerous particles that can cause respiratory problems, said Avangelos Gerassopolous, director of the environmental protection department of the Observatory of Athens. 

Initially led to the economic crisis in Greece to a decrease in pollution because people let the car stand. Now, however, people cut in expenditures for heating and prefer cheap by over heating oil