2003 Activities Report

In 2003 we undertook the following activities:

Our Seat Place

In March, the Association started renting an apartment in Warsaw on 46 Nowogrodzka Str. Apt. 6. The place is huge – 188 sqr. meters (overall 11 rooms including two kitchens and two full bathrooms). Rent is quite affordable. However, interior was in very poor shape.

The apartment required overhaul immediately. It was to serve both as a seat of the organization and youth hostel (in future). Therefore, to make it usable, we put substantial part of our time and money to connect heat, gas and water. Bathroom and kitchen was finished. Some of the non-bearing walls were taken down too. Thanks to volunteers we painted a lot. Because of this tremendous remodeling effort any other activities were reduced to the necessary minimum and finish work will be continued in 2004.

Green Bottle

Since Autumn of 2003 the Association have been running a project „Green Bottle” that will be over later in 2004. The project’s main goal is to promote products in returnable packages, in relation to new EU-driven legislation on packaging and packaging wastes.

Within the project, we organized two competitions addressed to high school students. During first of them entitled „Green Bottle” pupils were supposed to make a poster about the waste issue. We received 130 works, on 3rd of December jury decided the winners among the schools (Gimnazjum nr 2 from Sochaczew) and individual persons (Agnieszka Pachuta from private Gimnazjum nr. 2 of Warsaw)

Pupils rivaling in second contest’s had to visit as many shops as possible and get the owner’s signature confirming selling and stocking returnable bottle drinks. This contest will be arbitrated in 2004.

Bicycle Activism

Even in spite of construction work on our own place we did not neglect to represent and lobby for the cyclist in Warsaw government. Every last Friday of the month Critical Mass rides happened. Because of the growing number of the participants and their safety (we reached magic 1000 bikers of all ages) we legalised CM ride and now it is escorted by the Police, also on bicycles.

We were involved in bicycle paths development and construction in the town of Piaseczno. We expressed our opinions about misplanned investments like stairs on bicycle route on Zeslancow Syberyjskich Roundabout or irrational bicycle traffic engineering on Jana Pawla II Ave. Representatives of our group were consulting plans of bicycle path along Marszalkowska Str. with the Board of City Roads (ZDM).

Also, in July and November, „Zielone Mazowsze” activists toured the District of Praga Poludnie with its Mayor, Mr. Tomasz Kozinski and other officials.

„Zielone Mazowsze” was co-ordinating preparation to the Ecotopia Biketour 2003, an international cycling tour from Warsaw to the Ukraine, in which 50 people from 15 countries took part.

Legal involvement

„Zielone Mazowsze” Association kept undertaking legal interventions for the betterment of the environment. Among other things, we participated in compromise with District Water Management (ODGW) concerning trees clear-cut in Warsaw section of the Vistula Valley. Namely, a list of most precious woods have been created in order to save them. Also, we successfully protected few thousands trees by blocking a project of river regulation by the Zoological Garden in Warsaw.

Association is an interested party in a dozen of legal procedures concerning roads, petrol stations and chain hypermarkets.

Other

„Zielone Mazowsze” participated in the Earth Day in May where accomplishments of the organization were presented to the general public. We were selling linen shopping bags and returnable glass bottle drinks in nice yellow tent. Sun, fun, plenty of talking and few new people have been attracted to the group.

Some of us participated in direct action training organized by Greenpeace.