EcoLur
Within the first 10 months in 2010 about 21,000 people became victims of climate changes. About one million people in Pakistan turned out to be homeless because of floods. According to initial data, forest fires in Russia caused damages of US \$ 15 million, while forest fires in Israel resulted in 2,800 ha land area to get burnt down. Europe is suffering from unprecedented frosts. This anomalous cold weather damnified the French economy in the amount of 30-50 million Euros.
Overdevelopment of natural resources, overpressure on all the elements of environment- here are the main reasons for global processes. Whether people realize their involvement in climate change processes or whether they feel responsible for these changes?
“EcoLur” launches a series of interviews on climate change problems with Armenian culture and art figures conducted in the frames of “Culture and Development: New ties - new perspectives” program launched bye Goethe Institute, Germany in the countries of Western Europe, Central Asia and South Caucasus. Our first interviewee is filmmaker Ruben Gevorgyants, the Chairman of the Cinematographers Union of Armenia.
Mr. Gevorgyan, which environmental problems are you most worried about in Armenia and in the world, in general?
R.G: I think each normal person should be worried about environmental problems. Destroying forests in Armenia was a great disaster. We lost huge amounts of forests, while each tree is a life, and nowadays we feel this drastically.
We certainly need nature as an integral component. It seemed that nature itself would regulate this balance, but as it turns out it doesn’t. Just look what is going on in the world. The earth is facing enormous disasters and I’m most concerned not about me, but about our future generation, our grandchildren and grand grandchildren.
Recently I was in Dilijan and could see how the locals were cutting down the trees, as they had no other means for heating. But even this can be arranged, as there are so many fallen trees and branches in the forest, and if to arrange all this in carefully thought-out manner, the forest will remain the same, but people are cutting down trees not realizing they get currently warmed, but tomorrow they will face great danger.
What are your concerns worldwide?
Forest fires. thousands of hectares of forests are destroyed, gases and ash are emitted into the atmosphere and these incidents captured the whole planet.
The whole humanity should seriously think over global warming what will be in the end. They arrange symposiums; get together and do I don’t know what else, but don’t take it seriously, as they always think, the God may know and do something.
We treat our earth so badly that the earth seems to get tired of the human race and must get rid of them, unfortunately.
What is your priority among environmental problems, forests?
I’m sure I wouldn’t swim in any of our rivers, as sewage, garbage etc are dumped there. You can neither eat the fish, nor swim. Just have a look at Sevan shores, what you can see: bags and bottles. If you want river water to be clean, you should climb up to the slopes of Aragats Mountain.
Are you inspired by nature and environment in your creative activities?
I’m an urbanist, but I enjoy nature, especially our Armenian nature, even these stones and land where nothing can be cultivated are very close to me. I’m a creative person and naturally I get inspired. The more strict nature is, the more I get inspired. There is something eternal in strict nature.
Politicians, scholars etc speak about climate changes and predict disasters. Do you feel these changes and how they are noticeable for you?
Sure I feel, but this year everything became more evident. The whole Europe is buried under snow. All the time there are floods. Nothing happens just for the sake of it. We had nothing like that before. I don’t know what the human race should do to have this process stopped.
Frosts reign in the whole Europe, other countries are suffering from floods, but the weather in Armenia is fine. Can we say that climate is behaving kindly towards us?
Human beings affect on nature and vice versa. Even if Ararat Valley will survive in the best way, it will make no sense, if the whole world will collapse. I think this world will be cruel and senseless.
How can art and culture contribute to the preservation of environment?
Ecology is very important. Human ecology is important, not only in the sense of people and nature, but also in the sense of human beings. Art propaganda can prevent bad deeds. That’s why we must always work in that direction.
To what extent are you willing to change your lifestyle in order to preserve nature?
I have never cut down a single tree, just the opposite, I have tried not to do such a thing. Every year I with my students clean the arch after Charents from garbage.
Our next interviewee is Composer Robert Amirkhanyan, People’s Artist of Armenia.
December 24, 2010