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Rostov-na-Don Youth for a Clean City

May 2003

For those who remember the New York City garbage strikes during the 1970s, the current sanitation situation in many Russian cities is an unpleasant reminder of much smellier times. Unfortunately, in Russia, the pile-ups are not the result of striking garbage collectors, but are the status quo, brought about by insufficient municipal waste services.

“It’s much worse in the spring,” says Fyodor Mik ushin as he walks toward a row of modest snowdrifts framing the unpaved gravel road which leads to his office. “Because in spring the snow melts, and that’s when you will see what has been hiding all winter—little mountains of trash all over the city.”

Mr. Mikushin is the director of the Rostov-na-Don non-profit organization ‘Eko-Logika,’ a youth-run environmental protection center and consultancy. In addition to his battle to reduce Rostov’s unending supply of trash, Mr. Mikushin’s activist repertoire includes an ambitious agenda of programs aimed at making his city a cleaner, environmentally friendlier, more livable place.

‘Eko-Logika’s’ anti-litter campaigns have directly contributed to improving the quality of life of Rostov’s citizens. Over the last three years volunteers have regularly cleared playgrounds, city parks, streets and residential areas of refuse, and have reclaimed large areas which were formerly used as makeshift dumping sites. Apartment entrances and vestibules were cleared and repainted in over 20 buildings. “We have returned to many of our buildings and seen that the residents have kept their entryways clean. No one likes to smell garbage and look at graffiti every time they leave the house.”

With more than 50 regular student-volunteers from Rostov-na-Don high schools and colleges, ‘Eko-Logika’ is one of the largest of the city’s hundreds of non-profit organizations, and one of the most effective.

“We work seasonally—by that I mean that each season presents unique new environmental dilemmas that demand our attention,” adds Mikushin. One such seasonally induced problem is the regular deforestation that strikes city parks and nature preserves during the Christmas season. Thousands of pines are cut down each year by Rostov’s residents to be used as Christmas trees for a few weeks, and then discarded. “Until ‘Eko-Logika’ documented this phenomenon, the City Administration would not admit that it was actually happening. They refused to enforce penalties for cutting down trees on public land and were generally uninterested in our proposals to re-plant. So we decided to re-plant the trees ourselves.” And they did. In cooperation with other city NGOs, ‘Eko-Logika’ planted close to 100 trees this spring in an effort to compensation for the ravages of the last holiday season.

According to Mikushin, as a rule, the Rostov City Administration contributes no funding to environmental programs. In fact, the city can’t even afford to buy more garbage trucks to haul away refuse. “We are funded solely by outside sources, and international grant programs.” ‘Eko-Logika’ used some of the funding received in a $6884.00 grant from the United States Agency for International Development for the tree-planting promotion. The USAID grant monies are coordinated in Russia by IREX, the International Research and Exchanges Board, and are earmarked for programs during the period 17 September 2002 to 15 March 2003.

Recently ‘Eko-Logika’ has begun an anti-smoking campaign to supplement their current clean air programs. Entitled ‘Kiss Me I’m A Non-Smoker,’ Mr. Mikushin has coordinated his campaign with the observance of International Anti-Smoking Day, begun in 1975 and observed in over 25 countries. Street actions were held by ‘Eko-Logika’ and other partner organizations, with the participation of the local Board of Health. Free informational materials were distributed, as well as stickers, booklets detailing strategies for quitting smoking. Additionally, interactive events were held at three Rostov schools.

“Our goal is to instill in young people a desire to live in a cleaner city, and remind them that they can change the current situation. They know that it doesn’t have to be this way, and are willing to volunteer,” says Fyodor.

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