B Borzhava environmental initiative
A Local environmental action in practice
B) In pairs answer the questions and discuss how people helped the environment.
1) What activity is the text about?
2) How did each environmental organization help in environmental matters?
3) How important is each activity?
The International Organization for the Protection of the Danube River (IOPDR) launched “The Danube Day” in 2004. Since then, each June 29, a wide range of events of celebrations are held jointly in all 14 Danube River and Danube River Basin countries. In Ukraine, the Danube Basin includes the Tisza (all Zakarpattya region), Prut and Siret basins, in addition to part of the Danube Delta.
On June 29, numerous people gathered at Uzhgorod’s Teatralna Square for the opening ceremony of a unique, large-scale photo exhibition titled “Water Beauty of Zakarpattya”, a project devoted to both the natural beauty and environmental degradation of Zakarpattya’s lakes and rivers. In total, 354 photos were received from throughout the oblast, elsewhere in Ukraine and other countries, from which 173 were selected for exhibition along the main bridge spanning the Uzh River, the other side of which carried flags from all Danubian countries. Stretching to 144 metres in length, the image display was registered in the Ukrainian Book of Records as the nation’s longest environmental photo exhibition. The exhibition was on display from June 29 to July 6, and was viewed with interest by an estimated 17,000 locals and visitors.
The Ukrainian village of Kvasovo, Beregiv district, with support from the EU project “Waste Governance: ENPI East” and Coca-Cola Beverages, Ukraine, took the opportunity on the Danube Day to present a municipal waste management system. The management scheme includes the construction of a landfill for municipal solid waste, a sorting centre, and 1,100 containers for separate collection of recyclables (plastic bottles, glass and paper). The system will result in a much higher percentage of waste being collected and reused.
Tied to the Danube Day celebration was a coordinated effort on June 29 to remove accumulated waste (mostly plastic containers) from a 50-metre stretch of the Borzhava River. An estimated 80 cubic metres of plastic and 15 tons of glass bottles were removed from the river to be recycled, while a further five tons of waste of other mixed waste materials were removed as well. A further 45 cubic metres of plastic waste and five tons of mixed waste will be removed in the near future from the fourth-largest of 18 “waste jams” that have collected in the Borzhava River. The main goal of this collection activity is to draw the attention of upstream villages to the importance of introducing a waste management system with regard to protecting the Borzhava River and its inhabitants.
C A clean-up weekend
The environmental society Green Earth organized a clean-up weekend. All volunteers met at 11am on Saturday at the shopping centre on Market Street. Black bin-liners were distributed and volunteers were split into groups for safety. The collection of rubbish and materials for recycling took place within the inner-city area and the bags were collected from the meeting point at 4 pm. Then, on Sunday, volunteers met on the beach at 9 am so that rubbish could be collected during the morning. There was also a clean-up art competition which was open to young people between eight and eighteen. Applicants were asked to submit drawings or paintings on an environmental theme. At noon on Sunday the winners were announced and prizes were awarded.
There are huge benefits to be gained from such a project. The entire community has benefited from the campaign since the town can attract more visitors, thus increasing business and tourism. In addition, the town and beach have become much cleaner and safer for our children. National surveys have shown that the more young people feel involved in protecting the environment, the cleaner the area will stay after the initial efforts.