When Mischa Gurov, a Russian-born information technology professional, learned that some people in Switzerland swim to work, he was surprised. Now, despite initially thinking the practice was “wonderfully Swiss – and slightly mad",” he does exactly the same thing. But in his case, it is not just about swimming to work. Gurov has turned his commute into an environmental initiative, clearing the water of trash left behind by city residents and visitors.
While living in London in 2018, he launched an anti-littering petition aimed at cleaning up Richmond Park — the largest of London’s Royal Parks, covering about 10 square kilometers — and the River Thames. Now, much as he did then, Gurov has decided to take action in Switzerland’s largest city.
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Mischa Gurov holds a bag containing the cigarette butts he collected along the Schanzengraben canal in half an hour
(Photo: Mischa Gurov)
Earlier this summer, he decided to see how many cigarette butts he could collect along a short stretch of the Schanzengraben, a canal originally built as part of Zurich’s fortifications in the 17th century and used as a defensive moat. In 30 minutes, along a stretch of about 30 meters, he collected more than 500 butts.
Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter in Switzerland. More than 6 billion are discarded each year, with the cost of collecting and cleaning them up estimated at 53 million Swiss francs (56 million euros). In waterways, the toxins they release can be lethal to fish.
Trash removed from the waters of the Schanzengraben canal by Mischa Gurov, alongside fish he photographed with his camera
(Photo: Mischa Gurov)
The Schanzengraben canal in Zurich
(Photo: Colinmthompson/Shutterstock)
Gurov also removes larger pieces of trash from the water when he can reach them safely. He believes stricter regulations — including heavier fines for littering — could help deter careless behavior and cover cleanup costs currently borne by taxpayers. At present, littering in Switzerland can result in fines ranging from 80 to 250 Swiss francs (85-266 euros).
To understand Gurov’s unusual story, one must go back to 2019, when he moved to Zurich. He decided to swap his train commute — which can often be extremely crowded — for a refreshing swim through the city’s historic canal. When the weather is favorable, he takes public transportation to the city center, changes into a swimsuit and, with his belongings packed in a waterproof bag, jumps into the Schanzengraben and swims the final 1.35 kilometers of his journey to work.
“It’s the best way to start the working day,” Gurov told Euronews Earth. “Sometimes I see the sunrise over the lake before my swim, or watch the swans bathing in the early morning. Other times, fish swim alongside me for many meters — it’s really a special feeling of harmony.”
Mischa Gurov in the Schanzengraben canal
(Photo: Mischa Gurov)
An aerial view of Zurich and the Schanzengraben canal running through the city
(Photo: AsiaTravel/Shutterstock)
The distance Gurov has covered by swimming this year has surpassed 60 kilometers. But this summer’s low water levels — the result of drought conditions and intense heat — have given him a new perspective on his journey. Equipped with an underwater camera, he documents fish, ancient stone walls and parts of the city that are far more difficult to see from the street.
“I realized that nature isn’t necessarily somewhere far away — in the ocean, a rainforest or the mountains. Sometimes, an entire world exists almost unnoticed beneath a bridge that people cross every day,” said Gurov, who on one occasion even managed to photograph a brown trout (Salmo trutta), a large fish considered rare in the waters of the historic canal.
“That’s exactly what I’m fighting for: a small, surprisingly rich urban ecosystem that is at risk because of water pollution. It only strengthened my determination to keep this hidden part of Zurich clean — and to encourage the people passing above to do the same.”
Pedestrians rest along the Schanzengraben canal in Zurich
(Photo: Todamo/Shutterstock)
Lake Zurich, which the historic canal connects to the city’s central train station, provides about 70% of the city’s drinking water and is also used for swimming and bathing. This summer has been the hottest and driest ever recorded in Switzerland, leading to increased algae growth in Zurich’s waterways. But when Gurov contacted the authorities, he was told that the number of people swimming in the Schanzengraben did not justify the high cost of cleaning it.
For Gurov, keeping the water clean is not only about protecting the ecosystem he has come to know so well. It is also about everyone doing their part to protect a resource the entire city enjoys and relies on.
“Keeping Switzerland clean is a shared responsibility,” Gurov told Euronews Earth. “Littering cannot be solved by cleaners, authorities or individual volunteers alone. It only works if all of us do our part – people, communities, businesses and authorities.”
Switzerland’s National Clean-Up Day is scheduled for Sept. 18 and 19, with residents invited to take part. Gurov not only intends to join the effort, but plans to swim along the Schanzengraben at 7 a.m. on the day, wearing a helmet decorated with 1,000 used cigarette butts and a Swiss bell. His aim is to symbolically sound an “environmental alarm” and protest the poisoning of the fish and other creatures that accompany him on his daily journey.