Green Minsk

28.07.2023 - 17:32 / 34travel.me / Maria Gulina

Activities

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Eco-conscious lifestyle is not a hobby for freaks or hipster fashion any more, it is becoming more and more common. If you come to Minsk and you don’t want to change your environmentally friendly habits, this article is for you.

TRANSPORT

The most environmentally friendly transport is a bicycle. Automobile exhausts do not improve the air or the climate. There are several bike rentals Minsk, it will cost from 2.5 BYN (€ 2) per hour to 15 BYN (€ 6.5) per day.

Bicycle culture and infrastructure in Minsk is developing constantly. There are more and more bike parking spots and paths. Be aware that there are no separate traffic lanes for cyclists, and you should get off your bike at most pedestrian crossings.

If sharing wide sidewalks with pedestrians doesn’t sound like an option to you, you can ride along one of the picturesque bicycle paths of Minsk:

The Main Cycling Track passes through almost the whole city by the water (find the map here). It is about 26 km long and you’ll be surrounded by greenery and nice views almost all the time.

The path around Cnianskaje Water Reservoir (about 8 km long) is a beautiful route pretty far from the city center.

Choose the path in Lošycki Park for a calm and relaxed bicycle walk. It goes through a mysterious and loved by locals park in the southern part of the city.

In case something unfortunate happens to your bicycle, head for Garage 38 (Praspiekt Niezaležnasci 44b, garage 38). It is a free DIY bike workshop in the city center founded by Minsk Cycling Community. Their volunteers will help you to repair or customize your bike.

If you want to go outside of Minsk, we have a couple of routes to check out.

FOOD

You can often see huge green letters «bio», «eco», «natural» and «organic» on the packages. Remember that it is an advertising ploy. The term ‘organic’ products means that their producers don’t use pesticides and artificial mineral fertilizers, save energy and reduce waste. Farms that operate according to these principles receive European certification of organic agriculture and are entitled to use the corresponding label. Here you can find such farms that haven’t been certified yet. You can look for seasonal products on the markets: the most famous is, of course, Kamaroŭka(vulica Viey Kharužaj 8).

Another way to be more environmentally friendly in food is to buy seasonal local products. Long-distance transport pollutes nature and consumes a lot of fuel. A lot of pesticides and artificial fertilizers are used in greenhouses, a lot of energy is needed for lighting and heating. Moreover, seasonal goods are usually taste much better.

You don’t have to a full-time vegan or vegetarian, but arranging yourself more vegetarian days is also