The May long weekend is behind us—a time when many took the chance to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. A few days spent hiking, mountain trekking, or kayaking does wonders for clearing the mind, while serving as a timely reminder of the priceless value of nature. As part of this month’s #SidnetDonations initiative, we’re spotlighting two organizations vital to our ecosystems—both aquatic and digital.
The non-profit and open-source projects we’re financially supporting this May were chosen by Wojtek Wąsik, a Full Stack Developer and DevOps expert who is celebrating his 9th anniversary with the Sidnet team today!
Linux Mint
While various GNU/Linux distributions enjoy immense and steady popularity within the programming community, they are still often perceived as overly complex. Many home users associate Linux with a steep learning curve that can feel intimidating. Linux Mint tackles these issues with ease; by embracing the classic Windows look and feel, it significantly lowers the barrier to entry for new users.
Mint started as a system built on the foundations of Ubuntu, but it quickly developed its own identity and infrastructure (including a parallel edition based directly on Debian). Its flagship desktop environment, Cinnamon, was created in response to the radical interface changes in GNOME 3, restoring a classic, intuitive desktop layout for all users. With easy installation of proprietary drivers and codecs, as well as support for a massive library of games and apps, Mint stands today as one of the best choices for those seeking a stable, free alternative to commercial operating systems.
“I wanted to support Linux Mint once again; I’ve been using it for several years now, both at work and at home. Its ease of use, friendly interface, and overall smoothness are simply unbeatable,” Wojtek explains.
Wolne Rzeki (“Free Rivers”) Foundation
Wolne Rzeki Foundation is a recently established organization, yet it draws on many years of experience from its dedicated team. It began in 2016 as a grassroots environmental movement before formally incorporating as a foundation in 2024. From the very beginning, they have combined a data-driven scientific approach with fieldwork, activism, and educational outreach.
The impact of their work often takes years to become visible, but when it does, the scale and complexity of their projects are remarkable. The Foundation developed a restoration plan for the Bukowa River, successfully opening up 150 km of waterways. Their spectacular achievements include the creation of the Sochy, Targowisko, and Dolina Smarkatej nature reserves.
“Wolne Rzeki Foundation is a group of people truly dedicated to environmental protection. One aspect of their work is nature education—I highly recommend their YouTube channel. Living in Warsaw, I often visit the Masovian Landscape Park, but many of the forest lakes and wetlands there now only exist on maps. From their channel, you can learn why our forests are becoming so dry and what can be done about it,” says Wojtek.
The Foundation does more than just monitor water quality and create protected areas. One of its primary goals is to restore the natural role of waterways within the ecosystem and to limit or halt their industrial exploitation. While humans have used rivers for centuries, today’s level of exploitation is not only harmful but often inefficient. Dams, hydroelectric plants, and river transport create massive barriers for migratory fish, cutting them off from spawning grounds and contributing to species extinction.
Wolne Rzeki operates primarily through volunteer efforts, making external support a crucial part of their funding. Anyone can donate via the Foundation’s website or Patronite.