Your compass in ecological education!

Did you know that greasy paper not recyclable? The processing of greasy paper is hampered by the fact that the paper fibres lose their structure in the presence of grease. For this reason, the recycled greasy paper is of very poor qualitywhich is not very efficient or cost-effective. So remember to put such paper in the bin for mixed waste!

Did you know that gold is found in electro-waste? It turns out to be a great electrical conductor. It is estimated that in one tonne of used smartphones there are approximately 340 grams of goldand around 320 tonnes of gold, worth more than 20 billion zlotys, are used annually in the production of electronics. This is another reason why it's worth separating electro-waste!

Did you know that there are approximately 370,000 waste? "Space junk" is found at an altitude of between 800 and 1,000 km. They are various objects (mainly no longer functioning satellites and their parts) launched into the cosmos by humans over the decades. The gradual filling of space with waste has been taking place since 1957 - since the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite!

Did you know that the first mammal species to extinct in the 21st century due to global climate warming, was scoral mushroom? This small rodent was endemic to the Australian island of Bramble Cay. The cause of its extinction was sea level rise and flooding of the species' habitat.

Did you know that the former Celsius degree scale on the thermometer was the opposite? Initially, Andres Celsius adopted a scale in which zero degrees meant the boiling point of water, while the human body temperature was defined as 63 degrees Celsius. Today, the opposite of the initial scale is adopted, according to which water freezes at 0º C and boils when it reaches 100º C!

Did you know that at deserts air temperature day and night can vary greatly? In some parts of the Sahara the difference is as much as 50 degrees Celsius! During the day temperatures exceed 45 degrees above zero, while at night they reach -5 degrees.

Did you know,  how to take care of the air inside our homes? Smoke, vapours, chemicals and mould very often accompany us in our everyday life, e.g. when cooking or cleaning. That's why it's worth taking care o the presence of plants in our homes, air-purifying devicesand, in the case of low levels of outdoor pollution, often ventilate the rooms!

Did you know that the record in Poland regarding smog concentrations was established in Rybnik? It took place on 9 January 2017, at 2 a.m., when the measuring station in Orzepowice recorded a PM10 dust concentration 1563 µg/m³. The concentration was so high and dangerous that because of this schools closed!

Did you know that, depending on the different activities we do, we use different air volume? A person needs about 50 litres of air per minute when running, while at rest it is about 5-7 litres. Air is also consumed when burning petrol in a car. Driving a car 100 km burns as much air as the average person needs to breathe for almost a week!

Did you know that some countries with dry climates use special nets that 'catch' mist droplets and turn them into drinking water? The droplets settle on the fibres and then flow into reservoirs as clean water. One such 'mist catcher' can deliver up to up to 20 litres of water a day! No electricity, no chemicals - pure water straight from the air!

Did you know that a leaking cistern in a toilet leaks about 720 litres of water per day? This means that up to 260 cubic metres of water can "escape" annually! For this reason, it is worth taking care of the efficiency of our equipment and installations. This not only saves water, but also money!

Did you know that boiling water can freeze faster than water at room temperature? This phenomenon is called The Mpemba effect and was noticed in the 1960s. The Mpemba effect is based on the hydrogen bonds of boiling water, which was only clarified in 2013. Water, as you can see, is more surprising than you might expect!

Did you know that every day in the production process of various items, we consume huge quantities of water? The production of one take-away coffee cup consumes 200 litres of waterwhile one pint of beer fetches 150 litres. A lot of water is also used by plantations of the increasingly popular avocado. Cultivating this fruit uses around 9.5 billion litres of water every day, which can be compared to the volume of 3800 Olympic swimming pools!

Did you know that the thawing of deep soil layers in the form of permafrost causes a phenomenon called thermo press? In other words, "thermal karst" is caused by melting of iceas a result of which a depression is formed in the soiloften filled with water. These karsts, are often circular in shape and turn into lakes.

Did you know that approximately 33% of the world's soils are degradedand every year 50,000 km2 of arable soils are lost. Man is a major contributor to this, which is why it is so important to appropriate soil managementas well as taking care of biodiversity and soil microorganisms. They are the ones that contribute to proper soil fertilisation!

Did you know that soil contains three times more carbon than the atmosphere? Plants take up carbon dioxide from the air and build carbon into their tissues. When plants die their tissues are converted into soil organic matter. In this way, carbon and stored in the soil. This makes the soil the largest coal storage!

Did you know that plants can communicate with each other? They do this by sending out various signals - for example, pulses electrical or vibration. Some plants in an emergency situation emit chemical substanceswhich float in the air and are picked up by other organisms. This allows neighbouring plants to know when to activate their defence mechanisms to protect yourself!

Did you know that among mosquitoesonly mosquitoes "drink" blood? It is estimated that there are about 3500 species of mosquitoes, but among them, only the females need blood. Interestingly, mosquitoes, as well as mosquitoes feed on nectar and plant sap. So why do they bite us so hard? It turns out that The proteins in the blood are essential for them to lay their eggs!

Did you know that in Africa there are plants that resemble stones? Lithopsor so-called living stones are plants of the succulent genus, the pimple family. Their appearance, which resembles small stones, is a kind of camouflage to help the protection against being eaten. The lid, however, reveals the flowers that can bloom from them!

Did you know that there is a plant that is able to eat even a rat? New species carnivorous plant was discovered in a mountainous region of the Philippines. The plant was given the name Nepenthes attenboroughii, from the naturalist who discovered it - David Attenborough. It is a species of the pitcher plant family. The better-known genera of carnivorous plants include. flycatchers and sundews.