Alice Starr Dworkin

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Environmental Sustainability in Turkey

For most people in Turkey, environmental sustainability is a foreign concept. Of 70 million Turks, about 35 million are considered urban, while 35 million are living in very rural areas aspiring to become urban. I've noticed a large divide between people from villages and those from larger cities; commonly observed in the social mores, religious practice, and community values, of course. Regarding environmental awareness, however, it is not as simple. In cities and villages alike I've seen trash strewn on the road, piles in yards and parking lots, and a rather careless attitude toward the ability of one person to make a difference. In urban areas, more liberal-minded people are willing to accept the "strange" modern behavior of recycling, or advocating "save the environment." In rural areas, speaking out with a "modern" voice is much more difficult; at the same time, water conservation, organic food, and respect for trees already exist within traditional life styles.

Those who are in higher education, such as university students and professors, do have the background knowledge to understand Turkey's serious environmental problems. These include scarce and polluted water resources across the country, deforestation in the south (mainly due to increased tourism-oriented development), and high air-pollution levels in the cities. Having scientific information and the ability to reach policy-makers is the most valuable aspect of being in academia. The paradox here is that educated people live in the cities; this means often they are out-of-touch with what rural areas and populations actually require. And as they are more educated, people are more likely to adopt the modern consumeristic lifestyle that is contributing to the increasing severity of these problems. I think Turkey's challenge is not to "modernize" the rural areas through conventional industrialization development. Far more important is to form bridges among communities across the country, involve local people in all levels of development planning, and seek long-term sustainable development that may be able to preserve some of the grand and beautiful nature here.

Being More Than a Consumer Abroad

When traveling abroad, it is very easy to be a consumer and nothing else. As people pass briefly through another land, the money spent (for transportation, lodging, food, entertainment) most often supports a tourist industry that is self-referenced; that is, profits from tourism go solely to expanding the industry itself. Money is invested in the underlying resources (local villages, natural wonders, cultural heritage) only to the extent that they continue to attract increased tourism. For this reason, it is important to question the value of traveling: What are we consuming, and what are we contributing? Is our presence here (as tourists, students, researchers) enriching the land that we care about?

It is difficult trying to understand that balance. Personal joy in travel, learning to have an open mind, and experiencing strange environments are wonderful to seek out. One simple (and not immediately obvious) way of contributing can be through conversations that give native people a chance to speak their minds and share their ideas. Asking, for example, "What are you most proud of in your country? What is something that you wish foreigners would understand?" Curiosity, patience, and non-judgmental listening are wonderful and highly appreciated gifts.

Tips for Learning About Sustainable Practices in Your Host Country

Local people themselves are the most valuable resources for learning about sustainability. One example: Using past experiences with agricultural successes in other countries, a foreign NGO in Turkey once funded a project to grow organic cauliflower in a farming valley near Ankara. It was a great idea that used well-researched practices and academic advice. When the cauliflower grew to fruit, however, they discovered there was simply no demand for this among Turkish people. The point is, scholarly academic works provide valuable information, but consulting the accumulated wisdom of local people will sometimes be equally or even more valuable. Resources written and distributed around the world are great; but in this example from Turkey, it was the knowledge of sometimes illiterate local farmers that would have been the most valuable resource.