#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The number of participants in Poneslos (eng.: Here we go) ecological marathon increases every year: if in 2017 there were only 17 teams, now there are over 70 and a record number of people. The teams presented their vision of the theme Poneslos in Art, which unites art, culture, city and ecology.
The annual eco-marathon Poneslos is one of the largest and most significant projects of the Combine of Good program. This year it was held in all territories of Nornickel’s presence for the ninth time, 23 projects came to the finish line, says Elena Fedorets, chief specialist of the Nornickel’s Polar Division’s department of charitable activities and development of corporate communities.
The diversity of ideas was inspiring: the guys collected and recycled aluminum containers, improved the territory, cleaned rivers and lakes, and created art objects.
“I would like to note the activity of the eco-marathon runners from Dudinka: they created a comfortable street space in the Graduates’ square, they also cleaned the Aromatny stream from garbage, improved the territory, created the Arctic Hill art object near the City Center of Folk Art, landscaped the territory adjacent to the Norilsk airport, and much more. The Norilsk residents landscaped the territory of gymnasium No. 1, created the Podezd (eng.: Entrance) art space in the Arena-Norilsk sports and entertainment center, the Zvezda art object near the Eternal Flame, cleaned the bottom and coastal zone of the Gorodskoye and Dolgoye lakes from accumulated garbage, and landscaped the embankments. Their work also includes the Mammoth panel in Talnah, landscaping of a territory in demand by local residents, assistance to a shelter for homeless animals, eco-quests, master classes, eco-board games in a new format and much more. I would like to note that eco-activity in the city is growing: if last year 565 people took part in the Poneslos marathon, then this year there are already 654. And in 2017, there were only 150 volunteers and 17 teams. I am proud of our marathon runners, who are active from the bottom of their hearts, attracting more and more associates, including entire families. Their projects are large-scale. And of course, thanks to Nornickel, which supports these initiatives”, noted Elena Fedorets.
There are so many good things that were done during the 2024 eco-marathon that it is impossible to list them: for example, in August, a two-day regional eco-shift was held in the Harayelah river area, where 70 active volunteers held a large-scale clean-up day, made benches from wooden pallets, participated in the environmental education event The Second Life of a T-Shirt, and painted pictures that became the common regional eco-activity EcoArt. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, a new eco-trail Art at Heights with a length of over two thousand meters appeared in the area of mount Otdelnaya.
Later, the most active volunteers from all the territories where the company operates met at the sustainable development summit Siberian Perspective in the national park Krasnoyarskiye Stolby. For two days, they took part in the work of the summit’s expert platforms, shared successful volunteer cases and even participated in the improvement of the Bobrovy Log fun park territory.
And here is the ceremonial summing up of the results, where the winners received certificates for team-building events worth 75, 100 and 150 thousand rubles.
However, for the participants of the eco-marathon, it seems that volunteering itself and the opportunity to implement ideas are more important. The eco-marathon is becoming an integral part of life for many, and not just a task. For example, Olga Virchenko, captain of the SэS team (Environmental Rescue Service), has been participating in Poneslos from the very beginning. This year, her team, in collaboration with the guys from the DNA team, released an environmental board game based on Monopoly:
“This is not our first board game, we have been doing them for four years. First, we made games for preschoolers, last year – for younger schoolchildren. This time we released a game called Geoexpedition for players from ten years old. We hope it will bring a lot of joy and knowledge. Although the game is based on Monopoly, it is not about money, but only about protecting the environment in Russia. Players take some object under protection: a tree, an animal, a river. After that, they can carry out eco-work: clean the river sources or support the coastal flora and fauna. The player who steps on the territory protected by another one pays an ecological fee in the form of resources. These can be seeds, animal feed, water or just volunteer help. If you have accumulated a lot of resources, do charity work”, Olga explains the rules.
She adds that the game required complex technical solutions, but it is important that in the end it turned out to be not only an exciting, but also an educational board game: on the back of each chip there is a fact about the place that was taken under protection. City residents will be able to play the new eco-game in Norilsk libraries, where themed events will also take place. In addition, the copies will be donated to the Dudinka orphanage and hospitals, where they will be brought by hospital clowns. The game developers note that all elements of the game are made of eco-materials, they are durable and can be recycled.
“We are glad that thanks to Nornickel we have the opportunity to do what we love. We are developing together with the company, bringing these games to light. We can produce eco-games: their production is expensive, exclusive, not everyone can afford it, but Norilsk has the opportunity to make such board games. I admit, we have put all our efforts into this project and so far there are no new ideas. But they will definitely come, so next year we will take part in the eco-marathon again”.
The team Guys with a Shovel – newcomers to Poneslos. Their captain Sergey Zubkov said that the team’s main project was the development of the so-called sixth microdistrict of Talnah – a favorite recreation area for residents.
“There was a lot of garbage there, and we decided to improve the area: we removed spontaneous fire pits, arranged them safely, collected garbage, installed gazebos and benches, and a canopy. We want the city residents to relax there comfortably with children. The idea was suggested by the Talnah residents themselves”.
And although, according to the organizers, all the participants deserve the highest awards, the teams Los’On Dobry and Shaluny with the project The Second Life of Aluminum Containers were still recognized as the best. The guys organized a whole range of events, including collecting aluminum containers for recycling, installed can collection points, donated a can press to the village of Potapovo, held a photo contest, a game clean-up day Clean Games and much more. The teams received 150 thousand rubles for team-building and charitable purposes.
Other teams got 100 and 75 thousand rubles for the second and third place respectively.
The remaining teams were awarded letters of gratitude and sweet prizes.
Next year, the eco-marathon Poneslos will celebrate its tenth anniversary. The organizers have no doubt that even more Norilsk and Dudinka residents will support it with their ideas and deeds, because the beauty and cleanliness of Norilsk is a common cause.
Earlier, we wrote that Clean Arctic would develop rules for the disposal of waste from remote areas.
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Text: Maria Sokolova, Photo: Sasha Bushuyeva
