World Environment Day

Clean-up campaigns to raise awareness on environmental problems
Thursday, June 5, 2008

Students participating in World Environment Day activities yesterday were probably not expecting to have fun cleaning up parks and forests, but they were rewarded for their hard work with bike rides and face painting at the end of the day.

Though the United Nations suggests 80 different activities for World Environment Day, this year's activities in Turkey did not change much from previous years, as students once again cleaned up parks and forests. Officials and students believe that, though the clean-up activities are symbolic, they are not worthless because they raise public awareness of environmental problems through the media.

“These (clean up campaigns) are symbolic activities, but still they raise public awareness and the press brings the issue to the people's agenda,” said Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Müsbah Demircan. Around 1,200 students gathered together to clean a park near the Golden Horn yesterday. The activity was organized by the Education Ministry, in collaboration with Deniztemiz Turmepa, a foundation that aims to protect Turkey's seas and waterways.

Students said they were happy not to attend classes yesterday. “They said we would clean the forest areas, but we were not expecting to have fun and ride bicycles too. We really had fun here,” said Mizgin Kurt, 13, a student at Hacı İshak Primary School, adding that playground areas are limited in Istanbul.

Educators believe, however, that clean up activities should be supported by lessons and other activities organized throughout the year.

“This is an issue of education. Children clean these parks now, but everyone will continue to pollute the environment as soon as this organization ends,” said Necmettin Karagöz, director of Piripaşa Primary School in Istanbul. He said the problems will continue until everyone develops greater sensitivity to environmental issues.

Families worried about tick bites

The students, happy to be outside of the school on a sunny day, said they are aware of the seriousness of environmental problems in Turkey and in the world. Pollution and the shortage of water are the main environmental problems in Turkey, according to the children. “Everyone should throw the rubbish and stumps of their cigarettes in rubbish boxes,” said İbrahim Güler, 10, a student at Hasköy Primary School in Istanbul. He said he warns people around him about the environmental crisis but they do not listen to him.

Some high school students said they believe the next generation will be more sensitive to save nature. “Nobody told us not to waste natural resources, but now children learn that there will be water shortage due to global warming,” said Damla Derman, 16, a student at Fenerbahçe High School.

Families, on the other hand, were worried about tick bites, which killed 18 people in Turkey in May alone, as their children cleaned the grassy areas. The playing fields that were cleaned by students were disinfected for ticks the previous day. The clean-up campaign was canceled in the Sivas province of central Anatolia due to risks of having ticks in the region, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Officials also warned students to wear gloves during the cleaning to avoid infection.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=106450