Volunteers save North from century-old litter
Russia's Arctic is one of the northernmost territories on our planet. The territory stretches 24,140 kilometers and is inhabited by reindeer and polar bears. But human activities during World War II and the race to the Polar North damaged the uniqueness and raw beauty of the wild Arctic. Bombed-out warehouses, scrap metal, and fuel tanks are scattered across the paths and cause injuries to animals. To preserve the natural beauty of the North, volunteers joined the ‘Clean North, Clean Arctic’ expedition. They went to the remote Franz Josef Land to make it clean and beautiful again.
For six weeks volunteers left their work, responsibilities, and their loved ones behind, but it was definitely worth it. “Given the pristine beauty we see over there, the contrast has always amazed me. It puts humanity in a very unflattering light”, says Vladimir Privalov, ‘Clean Arctic’ volunteer.
Watch the documentary to see how the project changes the Arctic and what else volunteers do to help out.