"We are cleaning the world"

Everyone can contribute to nature conservation. Moreover, there is a reason. The World Environmental Week runs from 21 to 27 September"We are cleaning the world." On these days, volunteers conduct general cleaning in different countries. Komsomolka simply could not stand aside.

"We traditionally cover environmental issues in the region, hold round tables with the involvement of reputable experts," says Angelika Poteryakhina, head of the Special Projects Department of Komsomolskaya Pravda in Samara. – Recently, we organized a rally around the springs of the Samara region: we learned a lot of legends about them, cleaned the area around them, and checked the water quality. Today we want to draw public attention to the problem of pollution of the Volga River and its tributaries, including lakes.

Gatnoye Lake is a favorite place for recreation of citizens, especially residents of the Kuibyshev district. This is not surprising: it is very beautiful here, and in the reservoir both in winter and in summer you can fish.  But vacationers and fishermen often leave behind garbage.

- The lake is unique for its flora and fauna: there are also red-listed plants, such as the snow-white water lily, beavers, rare waterfowl – swans, mallards.  And all this within the city limits. It is not surprising that the lakes have become a center of attraction for residents , " says Emilia Askerova, Deputy head of the Kuibyshev District administration.

Armed with bags and gloves, the volunteers went to clean up. The action was attended not only by journalists, but also by students of Samara State Technical University, as well as employees of the regional Ministries of Forest Resources and the Ministry of Energy, city enterprises, and supervisory authorities.  

"The Gatnoye Lake is part of the Samara River and is located in the support of the Saratov Reservoir, which means that it is inextricably linked to it," explains Alexander Superfin, Deputy Head of the Lower Volga Basin Water Department of the Federal Water Resources Agency and Head of the Samara Region Water Resources Department. - Unfortunately, it is exposed to a high anthropogenic load. Even on weekdays, there are a lot of people here. And the ecological education of residents leaves much to be desired. Therefore, today not indifferent citizens came out on a subbotnik to clean up after the indifferent.

The lake is a real natural monument.

- The Ministry has carried out work on defining the boundaries of water protection zones, coastal protection strips and installing information signs, - says Dmitry Minkh, Head of the Department of Rational Use of Water Resources of the Ministry of Forestry, Environmental Protection and Nature Management. – Here this zone is 200 meters: any activity that can lead to clogging of the reservoir is prohibited here.

In a couple of hours, the participants of the action collected half a ton of garbage – mostly plastic bottles and bags. Hot tea from the Volga Rescue Center of the EMERCOM of Russia and delicious flavored muffins-pies with orange filling and puffs with strawberry jam - from the Samara BKK restored the strength of volunteers.

It is enough not to litter

The employees of the Samara gypsum plant TM SAMARAGIPS worked together and cheerfully. They even took their children with them, as they believe that the love of nature and careful attitude to it is formed from an early age. Volunteers state that garbage on the lake has been accumulating for years. So, they found a jacket through which grass had already sprouted. 

"Our plant has been operating for 75 years, and we pay great attention to environmental issues," says Ekaterina Ovoseni, Operational Marketing Manager at TM SAMARAGIPS. – I think many people know that gypsum is the most environmentally friendly and ancient material. It is widely used in various fields, from medicine to construction. In addition, we are constantly improving production in order to minimize environmental damage and reduce the amount of waste.

Moreover, the company's management is very responsible for the environmental situation in the country. So, in May of this year, there was a federal emergency. During the depressurization of a diesel fuel tank at CHPP-3 near Norilsk, a leak occurred. The state of emergency has created a threat to the Arctic Ocean ecosystem.

"Our plant has not been left out," continues Ekaterina Ovoseni. - We have developed and implemented a product that helps to eliminate the consequences of oil spills. This is a gypsum-based material. It works as a sorbent, absorbing oil, fuel oil, diesel fuel and other environmentally hazardous materials. Then it is removed, disposed of, and the land remains absolutely clean, suitable even for farming. Gypsum, by the way, can be used for soil reclamation – it helps regulate alkalinity and acidity, which, of course, affects productivity. This is a unique product that we produce.

Gypsum is also used for interior decoration – in particular, very beautiful stucco moldings are made from white powder. Unfortunately, eco-friendly gypsum is now often replaced with cheaper, but not quite safe analogues made of polyurethane, forgetting that plastic releases harmful substances when heated.

- We are for health, for the environment, - employees of the company assure. – In April, we all definitely go out on a clean-up day: we clean up on the Chkalovsky lakes. Therefore, they responded to the offer of Komsomolskaya Pravda.

The team of the Samara gypsum Plant made a significant contribution to the cleaning of the lake-the girls are used to working hard. - We have been producing dry mixes based on gypsum for 12 years. It is eco-friendly, hypoallergenic, extracted at our own quarry, so we are responsible for the quality, " says the advertising and marketing manager of the Forman trademark  Samara Gypsum Plant Elena Fedoseeva. – Of course, we are always happy to take part in environmental actions, including cleaning up Lake Gatnoye. I would like to believe that our example, if it does not inspire people to go out for cleaning, then at least it will make them think about how easy it is to protect nature: it is enough just not to litter.