I.Metshin: “The Gorkinsko-Ometyevsky forest has become a large environmental educational cluster in a short period of time”

The Gorkinsko-Ometyevsky forest in Kazan becomes a real environmental center. Nowadays, many projects aiming at respect for nature have been implemented here. Since May, 200 new containers for separate waste collection have been installed in this public space, as well as information plates showing the benefits of dual waste collection. The implementation of this project was inspected today by the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin.

For the third year, Kazan citizens harvesting at the “Public garden”

The Public garden project was established in the Gorkinsko-Ometyevsky forest three years ago. From May to September, all interested Kazan citizens can plant plants, take care of them, and harvest in autumn. Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, also planted a hydrangea in the flower garden.

“This is a great project that gives children environmental education by a simple example, shows the entire process of growing flowers, vegetables and other plants”, - I.Metshin said.

A bicycle can be made of 400 aluminum cans, and a t-shirt of 20 plastic bottles

Love for nature is promoted in the park towards separate waste collection. Since May 12, 200 bright containers for separate waste collection have been installed in the Gorkinsko-Ometyevsky forest. The Zero Waste Park project was developed by Coca-Cola together with the Directorate of parks and squares under the agreement with Tatarstan. According to Lilia Yakupova, manager of partnership projects of MBU Directorate of parks and squares, 660 kg of waste was collected in May, including 191 kg of glass, 56 kg of plastic, 3.5 kg of Tetra Pak, 3 kg of aluminum cans.

Special information plates, which were also installed as part of the environmental project, show what can be made from recycled materials. For example, one bicycle can be made of 400 aluminum cans, and a t-shirt of 20 plastic bottles. The Mayor suggested organizing a competition to award children a bicycle for 400 collected aluminum cans.

The Mayor was presented the use of recyclable materials – 12 chaise lounge (7 large and 5 small) are installed in the park, 98% made of recycled plastic.

The Mayor of Kazan emphasized that it is necessary to continue installing small architectural forms made of recycled materials in the park.

“We can only prevent an environmental disaster by working together”

During the visit to Gorkinsko-Ometyevsky forest, the Mayor was also presented with the Zero waste lab project with a lecture hall and an exhibition space for recyclable products. The eco-lab will include a co-working, “stages of waste processing” installation, and various games on ecology will be staged.

“I am glad that today the citizens are gradually getting involved in separate waste collection and understand the importance of this process. We have turned the Samosyrovo landfill into a green hill, which was a 16-story building height, but the work is not over – 1,900 tons of waste are taken out of Kazan every day, and if we all do not change our attitude to the environment, separate waste collection, then an environmental disaster would happen. We can only overcome this issue by joint efforts”, - I.Metshin concluded.