Anybody can take part in organic farming.
Healthy living ambassador and “urban gardener” Ivan Strunje believes that Croatia could become the leader in organic farming in Europe. From early childhood, he has enjoyed nature and herbs, and he became an active proponent of healthy living when he was just 12 years old, reports Poslovni.hr on 30 July 2017.
“I started a petition to clean a polluted stream in Vinkovci. I received the support from my school and numerous citizens, so I managed to collect a few thousand signatures,” says Ivan. Everybody got involved in the cleaning of the stream, and at that moment he realised that his mission was to warn people about the need to conserve the nature and the planet.
His next venture was drafting a project for a competition announced by Davor Škrlec, Croatia’s Member of the European Parliament. Ivan and a colleague prepared a project on the issue of the sustainable and circular economy, which brought them the first place in the competition. The prize was a visit to the European Parliament where they gave a lecture to other MEPs about their ideas.
“I was 20 years old when we came to the European Parliament. Then I realised how much support the European Union provides to sustainable green projects, after which I became much more courageous and more confident,” says Ivan, who encourages people to plant herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers in their gardens or on their balconies.
“It would be advisable for everyone to plant what they like to eat most. With little money, they can get healthy food and make a positive impact on nature,” says Ivan, adding that many in Croatia could live a good life thanks to organic agriculture, which does not require significant investments.
In addition to healthy eating, farming can also be useful for generating electricity. A few years ago, a new way of producing electricity from plants was discovered. “Each plant releases root acid which breaks down complex organic molecules into finer particles, which are then further broken down by the bacteria present in the soil. This process releases electrons that can be gathered in a small bowl with water at the bottom of the plant into which a cathode and an anode can be placed.” Ivan believes that this innovative way of generating electricity has great potential for future development.
Translated from Poslovni.hr
