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Ecological education is a psycho-pedagogic process effect on human beings in order to shape its environmental awareness, which relates to the education and upbringing of society at different levels alike in schools as well as outside them. At the time when many degraded areas in Poland are revitalized, there is a possibility of linking revitalization activities with ecological education. This integrated approach applied during the process revitalizacji degraded areas and cooperation between local authorities, designers, contractors and residents of the surrounding areas, allows to obtain the expected results of revitalization and increase people's awareness and improve the quality of life of society. Among the objects on which we observe such changes are urban green areas, which transformation is more and more often enforced by the local residents. One such place is the Zachodni Park, located in the area of Ochota District in the capital city Warsaw. Translated by Marcin Maluszynski

Petrochemical substances released into the environment contain, among others, some harmful trace elements, such as thallium that are harmful to human and animal health. Organisms that are poisoned with thallium are prone to some mental changes and are also susceptible to possible damage of the cardiovascular system. A characteristic symptom of thallium poisoning is alopecia. There is lack of limit values for this element in the legislation or recommendations for agriculture. Lack of limits, especially for elements such as thallium, poses a risk of uncontrolled accumulation in feed and food products. The aim of the study was to determine the mobility of thallium in an environment with varying degrees of pollution. The content of thallium in the extracted fractions detected in soil samples was below 1.0 μg g−1, i.e. the level of quantification for atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. The results described in the literature referring to the content of this element in soils in...

Urban areas are exposed on those originating in various sources, emissions of pollutants that pose a threat to the health of living organisms. The type of pollutant and its toxicity to organisms and mold exposure as well as the frequency of their occurrence in the environment can have a negative impact on living organisms occurring in the area. Another element negatively affecting the environmental health is a rush of individuals and communities to prosperity, which, combined with a weak nervous resistance to stressful situations contributes to the reduction of resistance to disease becoming the scourge of society as bulimia, diabetes and cancer. The tendency to increase building occurring in urban areas and the increasing number of urban dwellers in Europe as well as increasing awareness of the population about the need to protect environmental health, points to the need to seek alternative and innovative solutions for urban greenery. Investments included in that group, the green roofs and green walls, the implementation of which will increase the biologically active surface in the cities, may be an essential element of urban infrastructure that contributes to improving the quality of life of communities living in the city.

Interactions of mercury in the environment. Mercury is a pollutant of global concern largely due to its potential for biological transformation into harmful forms and bioaccumulation through the food chains. Mercury is not able to biodegrade in the environment and it forms many toxic inorganic and organic complexes. The strongest harmful effects of mercury concerns the central nervous system. The harmful effects of mercury is very stable, because the mercury compounds bind to enzymes. Getting into the brain, mercury displace zinc from brain tissue, and thus reduces the efficiency of the brain. Then excreted in the cell nuclei and destroys the genetic material. The antagonism between zinc and mercury partially modifies its toxic effects. Mercury is combined with active groups of proteins and amino acids, accumulating in the body. Selenium has similar affinity, limiting connects these groups with mercury, reducing its toxicity. Antagonists are also cadmium, mercury and zinc, but their effects are most likely related with the action of selenium. Antagonist for mercury is also iodine content in the thyroid gland which is lowered, the excessive concentration of mercury in the body. It is known that taking selenium, zinc and thiols, e.g. GSH and NAC, are of prime importance in considering effects on human organisms as well as the level of its excretion. Due to the fact that interactions are dynamic and poorly understood at present the better understanding of their role requires the further studies. Despite that have been identified interactions between elements and mercury, limiting its toxic effects, we still do not have sufficient knowledge about how to reduce the negative effects of this element on the human body. The definition of what is an acceptable daily dose of mercury for humans also does not quarantee protection of the health, because we do not know the exact limits of tolerance for different follow-up effects of prolonged exposure to low concentrations. It should also be pointed out that the interactions are dynamic and weakly understood at present. The better understanding of the role the afore-mentioned particles may be crucial in the to study the interaction between mercury and various environmental components and to find a substance that interacts with mercury to reduce its toxicity to living organisms