terrible... oh. franko · 2008-01-30: 03:01

Pavel where are you?????????????? dromidriver · 2008-01-30: 03:08

Your state is orientated to Russia since Cyril and Method-therefore you have such mentality that supports simple solutions and corruption. Europe is coming-but it will last 50 years, I suppose... wanderers · 2008-01-30: 03:12

very realist!!!! vterezia · 2008-01-30: 04:42

I don't know what kind of camera you're using but can you crop #9 in to focus more on the woman/ dog/ smoke.... like maybe the bottom right 1/4 of the shot? The close up of #8 is good. DancingDolphin · 2008-01-30: 08:00

I don't quite understand what happened? But it seems very strong for you... All the best and much strengh and healing xx ClaudePechabaden · 2008-01-30: 08:03

You are not mad at all, you are a great reporter and the energy you put in your words and your pics will help lots of people to better understand the crazy world we are living in... ronin53 · 2008-01-30: 08:16

I agree with ronin53. A camera and a need to report may be fueled by anger at the situation or the need to shout—are you listening. We all need the words and photos to help us see and possible understand. Thanks for sharing. photopoet · 2008-01-30: 08:33

incredible... Sueflower · 2008-01-30: 08:44

i'm sorry you have to get so frustrated each day - you do a great job of documenting and writing about it. #9 would be a great photo to submit. i like it just as it is, no cropping. you can see the beautiful mountains in the background and all the trash, the burning, and the poor people and animals that go through it. lexlevans · 2008-01-30: 09:32

It's incredible. How can the authorities let them burn tires again and again? I understand it's very hard to endure this situation. I hope there will be a way to stop this. noptek · 2008-01-30: 09:39

Reminds me my hometown in Ukraine... kif123 · 2008-01-30: 10:05

things like this happen everywhere. Not necessarily burning tires, but things you wouldn't think that can happen in modern Europe... Great shots! Bushman · 2008-01-30: 10:08

This is a sad situation, when people don't care for the environment anymore. These are selfish people, who care only about money...They don't care if it's harmful for the health of the people, for animals and plants. And the autorities that could do something to stop it but do nothing about it, are weak, coward peolpe. I think, you are doing a good job reporting this. Maybe it will make some difference in future. unige · 2008-01-30: 10:28

Kakuw dim, ujas! tessyworld · 2008-01-30: 10:32

Dear friend. I can say I understand your situation. I live in "Campania" in Italy, in the last period we have a very big problem with waste, already not solved.! However congratulations for this (and the others) post giodinu · 2008-01-30: 10:35

Imagines increibles... AdrianF · 2008-01-30: 10:41

Greetings from the Turkish lands of our planet. Border lines are only in our brains and on the maps. Our planet is unigue and we dont have a second one to live after we pollute this one. Poor Bulgaria is our neighbour, it is also on our planet. And its environmental problems are also our one. I am supporting your fight against your stupid old Soviet time city administraors-municipals. Don't wory, such idiots will extinct soon; let's pray for this too, but I thin we should do more for this. We should find a way to change this rusty ols Soviet time mentality to save our planet together. Do you have any idea for this? We are ready for support. Local Agenda 21 ProgrammeTurkish National Youth Parliament. Local Agenda 21 Trabzon Youth Council. U. Buyuktepe Trabzon,Turkey U. Buyuktepe · 2008-01-30: 10:53

very good report. r00tt · 2008-01-30: 11:09

nice work PEXRI · 2008-01-30: 11:19

cant be healthy slowpete · 2008-01-30: 11:36

very good report. Andrea67 · 2008-01-30: 12:13

very good report thanks amoon · 2008-01-30: 12:30

It´s amazing how much smoke we see in the photos!I think you gave a very good idea of what happened,but it isn't only in bulgaria, where I live in Portugal we see pretty much the same thing magtner · 2008-01-30: 12:44

I am very fortuned to live in a country and Providence where the air is outstanding clean and clear. My heart goes out to you and all the people that are confronted with this contamination and fumes. Lumierenatural · 2008-01-30: 13:03

Sadly, the States have become so anal about the environment that the EPA is too often confiscatory! However, your photos show the opposite end of the spectrum...irresponsible unregulation. Balance doesn't appear to be natural for humans... :( Great Photojournalism, however! :) 777STAN · 2008-01-30: 15:27

You have every right to be upset. The smoke from tyres is highly toxic and your grandfather should be able to speak his mind without being threatened. You have campaigned in a persistent and dignified manner and one day you will win. 365days · 2008-01-30: 16:37

wow great! josanhjx · 2008-01-30: 21:46

thanks and these pictures are rather intriguing bamboosal21 · 2008-01-30: 22:26

Hi . Good shots . Human is greatest enemy for nature and himself . gillas3 · 2008-01-31: 00:02

Phil e-mailed: I’m sorry to read/see your problems in Samokov still.. I hope your grandfather is OK. It’s difficult to know what to say but I think you just need to persevere.. In the UK we would write to our MP (member or parliament) – is that something you can do or have done?? mysamokov · 2008-01-31: 03:23

Local NGO e-mailed: Zdravei Lilya ! Foto reportaja e strahoten - samo da ima koi da go vidi ot vlastimashtite... Za sajalenie potchti vseki den e taka - ako ne dimi pri vas , to e samo zashtoto dimi ot drugata strana /zad dolnata benzinostancija/. Zashto ne dokarame malko medii- da gi vidjat nashite radeteli za Samokov - Super Borovec i t.n. kakvi sa v deistvitelnost... mysamokov · 2008-01-31: 04:31

Ivailo: Photo contest invitation: Здравей, ако проявяваш интерес можеш да участваш в един фото eko-конкурс. Виж www.earthfrombelow.org mysamokov · 2008-01-31: 04:34

Ivan: Probvai s nqkoia televizia BTV, NOVA ili gospodari na efira mysamokov · 2008-01-31: 04:35

9 is my favourite here: "Lets make lemon juice" ;) Earth from below: a photo contest: Please, nominate your 10 favourites. Use the calendar to navigate. Deadline 31st March. Thank you! :) mysamokov · 2008-01-31: 05:47

part 1 Hi Lillya, Thanks for sharing these with me on Couchsurfing. I think you are getting a good cross-section of feedback from around the world about this so you know what you are up against. There are many who support you but Things like ignorance, complacency, and views like: it takes a very long time to change things, one person can't change city hall used to belong to the majority of people. however the times are changing. You have done an excellent job of reporting, photographing, and vocalizing this issue. I believe you will be the change in this matter. Don't give up. Don't move too far away if at all, just yet. Your photos are so revealing. But you know the whole world was like this 35 yrs ago, even the USA. But when people learned to do better, they did better. For instance around 1976, Pittsburgh was voted the dirtiest city in the US. One person started it. Then The academics, environmentalists, activists organized the people there and told the city/municipality that they weren't going to take it anymore b/c it was dangerous and destroyed their health along with tourism. Within a couple of years of this, Pittsburgh became the #1 city in the USA to live b/c of what it had to offer including CLEAN AIR. It doesn't take long once the right people are made aware of what is happening. So keep on photographing and journaling and reporting. Assemble a good summary, with all the positive comments from your blogs and present it to the municipality, Or incorporate the info from your blogs and from Wikipedia abut the hazards of this smoke. Esther · 2008-02-02: 09:25

part 2 Discuss how it makes Bulgaria remain in the Dark Ages and not be part of the 21st cen. You are on the right track and doing a great job. Of course you are angry and frustrated. As long as you keep your feeling in perspective while you are promoting this you will go far. Don't forget there are other people out there doing the same thing you are about smoke, about plastic bags, and about toxic waste, etc. Did you know China banned the plastic bag b/c it is so detrimental to the environment? And a young woman in a village in England took the issue of getting rid of the plastic bag to the municipality and they laughed at her and said it was a ridiculous idea to ban the plastic bag. She then made a video of what plastic bags do to wildlife in the ocean, i.e., dolphins. She also discussed how they kill 100 yr old turtles, and cows in India, and how they cause malaria to spread in Nairobi and how they take 500 to 1000 yrs to break down in the landfill if you don't recycle them. She took this presentation to each of the business people, Individually at first, and then in a group. Soon, all the business people got together to make a law to ban all plastic bags in that town! And you know what else? They have plastic bag police in India that make surprise raids in India in markets. They fine anyone using illegal TOO THIN plastic bags, about 500 Euros, half of their annual income of some of the shopkeepers! So you see, what seems like it will never change, can actually change overnight, if you keep on doing what you are doing! In fact in my province of Nova Scotia, smoking cigs was accepted as normal in 1990. Then things started changing rapidly. No smoking in public buildings to no smoking in cars with kids in it in some towns. NOW There is no smoking in any restaurants, casinos, outdoor cafes, etc. And now one city is trying to ban people from smoking cigs on the sidewalks or streets or front yards in the whole city b/c it is polluting the air. Maybe you can use some examples of how far some areas have gone to make their air cleaner for their citizens. You could use cities like Pittsburgh or Sydney, NS, or Wash. DC, or Ottawa. You probably can find better examples on the Net. Check out Wolfville, Nova Scotia, and Bridgewater, Nova Scotia for the new smoking by-laws. There are laws in NS being presented as we speak to make it the cleanest place in the world to live. If you want some really fresh air, please come visit me here in Nova Scotia. Esther · 2008-02-02: 09:26

part 3 I think there will be a law against burning tires in the cities of Bulgaria in less than 2 yrs not 50. Just keep reporting and discuss it with medical people, and everyone who will listen. Make a one page flyer to give out or hang up in public places to make people aware of it. List your blog on it so they can find out more if they want to. Make a U-tube video of it too like someone else suggested. Have a photo contest of tire burning in your town. Post the rules near photo shops or in your local paper, mostly how it is to capture the worst smoke at different times of the day in Bulgaria or just Sofia. The prize can be small, like a meal, or better yet, make it funny, like a piece of burnt tire history. So a piece of a burnt tire from when it was legal would be a good prize, along with a certificate, and a meal for two. You can call Making burning tires history photo contest. The best photos can lead to doing this. These are just thoughts but I really believe YOU can make a huge difference here. I believe Robin53 above is right on with what he is saying. You are on to something that you are passionate about and that needs changing. You are the catalyst for change. Esther · 2008-02-02: 09:27

Hi Lillya, I wrote the above but wasn't part of this blog before I did, but now I am signed up with it. .... Keep on doing what you are doing. ... Esther NovaScotiaNomad · 2008-02-02: 09:30

Lillya, I saw your photos by being directed from www.couchsurfing.com where I am called NovaScotiaNomad. NovaScotiaNomad · 2008-02-02: 09:32

incredibile!!! vergognoso questo è fumo nocivo... Andrea67 · 2008-02-03: 15:27

This is very sad thing, a really pollution, it must be done somthing against it! You fight against it with these shots. Baravo! kopaczandras · 2008-02-03: 22:33

Ver sad indeed. Reminds me of my own country.... balkanbridge · 2008-02-04: 03:15

the 11 is awesome..great! Brekeka · 2008-03-04: 11:33

What a shame!! Police should take actions. Great work. Congratulations Leticia · 2008-10-01: 12:32

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