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The beach located
just a few hundred meters from the St. Petersburg branch of Sri Chaitanya
Saraswat Math is now clear of scattered rubbish, thanks to the concerted
efforts of many devotees who gathered on Thursday morning with large plastic
bags and cotton gloves to comb the sands, search the bushes, and explore
the shoreline.
They found cigarette butts, empty vodka bottles, plastic cups, chips,
sausages, clothing, tree bark, ladies stockings, pieces of plastic,
styrofoam, metal, mattress springs, aluminum, bottle caps, candy wrappers,
and tires.
Two
news media organizations covered the event, officially called an ecological
action by the organizers: Sripad Avadhut Maharaj assisted by Vijay Raman
Prabhu, Aditi Devi Dasi, and Amrita Lila Devi Dasi.
According to Vijay Raman Prabhu, the ecological action, which occurred
for the fourth time, is a way to show by example that people should clean
up after themselves. The organizers hope that by giving attention to cleaning
the beach, others will participate and remember to pack their trash.
Vijay Raman Prabhu says the event also demonstrates the Vaisnava cultural
values of cleanliness and beauty. So far, the public response has been
positive.
In addition to the city-dwellers looking for a rural refuge, the devotees
often go to the beach to rest, walk and meditate. For them, the beach
clean up has a deeper significance as well.
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