A fund for environment
Friday, June 27, 2008
ALP SÜER
ISTANBUL – Referans
Turkey's first environmental fund, supported by the country's largest publicly traded bank, has invested in six companies that conduct environmentally sensitive activities.
Environmental problems, such as global warming and droughts in recent periods have demonstrated the importance of environmental consciousness, said Meltem Kökden, manager of İşbank Securities.
The threat has encouraged the bank to work for the future jointly with the Turkish Foundation for Reforestation, the Protection of Natural Habitats and the Combating of Soil Erosion, or TEMA, under the umbrella of the İşbank Type B Variable TEMA Environmental Fund.
The fund's initial portfolio includes TSKB, the first and largest privately owned investment and development bank in Turkey; Zorlu Energy; Turkish Automotive Factory Inc., or TOFAŞ; Aygaz, the first Koç Group Company in the Turkey energy sector; pharmaceutical company Eczacı; and Arçelik, Turkey's largest manufacturer of household appliances.
The number of companies included in the fund, which is aimed at supporting companies that conduct environmentally sensitive activities, is set to increase in the upcoming period.
The criteria for the fund
Companies that have not been penalized for environmental violations in the recent past and that are not involved in weapon and tobacco production or gold exploration activities are considered within the fund's investment strategy, said Kökden.
Next, the companies in the investment-grade pool are evaluated based on their performances on environmental issues, Kökden said. ISO14001 and its equivalent environmental management system certificates are taken into consideration, as well as the integration of environmental responsibility into production, according to Kökden's statement.
İşbank's environmental fund will support the social initiatives of investors to protect the environment, said Kökden. “A long-term and sustainable resource will be created for environmental projects.” İşbank will transfer half of the revenues attained from the fund to the TEMA Foundation, to be used for environmental projects. The fund is very attractive to investors, as it is possible to invest in the fund for a minimum of only YTL 10. This way, small investors can participate in the fund and contribute to the environment with regular investments.
Social responsibility funds are quite widespread in the United States and the European Union, amounting to $201.8 billion in the U.S. and $75.4 billion in Europe. The Calvert and Green Century Funds constitute the largest fund families in the United States.
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=108351
Jun 21, 2008
Kyoto Protocol, interview with Turkey's environment minister
Environment minister: ignoring Kyoto comes at a price
Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu reaffirmed Turkey's determination to become a party to the Kyoto Protocol, stressing the big price Turkey will pay if it fails to do so.
Being a party to the protocol will add to the country's prestige, Eroğlu said, adding: "We will have no responsibility until 2012. Negotiations will be held about what will happen after 2012. We have to be a party to the protocol in order to assert our special conditions in these negotiations. Otherwise it is highly possible that we will pay a higher price in the face of increasing costs due to the increased impact of climate change and [the greater cost of] delayed measures."
Environment Minister Eroğlu spoke with Sunday's Zaman about Turkey's position with respect to the Kyoto protocol. He maintained that the ratifying the protocol will contribute positively to the international prestige of Turkey. This will even boost support to Turkey's chances of winning a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2009-2010, as well as strengthening the country's hand in negotiations on environmental issues with the EU, he suggested.
Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım, also noting that the refraining from ratifying the Kyoto Protocol is not beneficial to Turkey, said: "It is senseless for Turkey not to be party to the Kyoto Protocol. Our future depends on this." Yıldırım stressed that Turkey will soon ratify the protocol. "Average [carbon] emissions, which is 11 kilograms per capita globally, is below four kilograms in Turkey. The US tops the list with 22 kilograms. Thus we can conclude that the countries that pollute the environment the most are the industrialized countries. Accordingly, they assume more responsibility," he said.
Haluk Özdalga, the head of Parliament's Environment Commission, which discussed and adopted the bill on ratification of the Kyoto Protocol drafted by the Cabinet, pointed out that the bill should be passed by Parliament before its summer recess. "After being passed by Parliament, the bill will be sent to the UN Secretariat and will enter into force after three months. If Parliament passes it before the summer recess, this will be fine and Turkey will have a chance to attend the meetings on the post-Kyoto period as an official member," he said.
Referring to criticism that joining the Kyoto Protocol will cost Turkey $20 billion, Eroğlu asserted that Turkey will assume no liability until 2012 after becoming a party to the protocol.
"Concerning the period after 2012, the parties will hold mutual negotiations in one or two years' time," he said. Eroğlu explained that work on calculating the cost of signing on is under way and that they are taking into consideration various scenarios.
"The work under a project recently launched by the relevant authorities is yet to be completed. On the other hand, in the work conducted by international organizations concerning harmonization and [carbon] emissions reduction, experts are trying to calculate the costs to the global economy. In the light of these studies, measures against climate change will introduce short-term costs to our country. Given the global aspects of climate change, long-terms policies will certainly bring active costs to the country," he said.
Eroğlu argued that becoming party to the Kyoto Protocol will have numerous advantages for Turkey, including the increased credibility of the country in the international arena as a reliable state with the determination to fight climate change as a top priority problem at home and abroad.
In addition, he added, it will contribute to the improvement of the technical capacity of the country in preparing for the post-2012 period, and it will ensure that Turkey can attend the negotiations as a proper member for the post-2012 period. "We will be able to start incentive and preventive financial measures for the use of low-carbon and high-efficiency technologies. For instance, it will make positive contributions to security of energy supply in the long term," he said.
Eroğlu stated that they are working to ensure that Turkey can attend the 4th Meeting of Protocol Parties, to be held in Ponzan, Poland, between Dec. 1-12, 2008.
Concerning the effects of Turkey's failure to be a party to the protocol, Eroğlu said: "Until now, Turkey has considered it fit to act cautiously with respect to Kyoto Protocol membership. However, today we are passing through an important and critical process. Our country did not become a party to the protocol while the protocol was being negotiated, and for this reason did not attend negotiations. This in turn led to our failure to ensure that the provisions that would take our special conditions into consideration were included in the protocol. … Now we must try to ensure that Turkey attends the negotiations concerning the post-2012 climate regime and assert its interests."
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
The UN defines the Kyoto Protocol as follows: an international agreement linked to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions .These amount to an average of 5 percent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.
The major distinction between the protocol and the UNFCCC is that while the latter encourages industrialized countries to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions, the protocol commits them to doing so.
22.06.2008
News
ALİ ASLAN KILIÇ
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=145448
Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu reaffirmed Turkey's determination to become a party to the Kyoto Protocol, stressing the big price Turkey will pay if it fails to do so.
Being a party to the protocol will add to the country's prestige, Eroğlu said, adding: "We will have no responsibility until 2012. Negotiations will be held about what will happen after 2012. We have to be a party to the protocol in order to assert our special conditions in these negotiations. Otherwise it is highly possible that we will pay a higher price in the face of increasing costs due to the increased impact of climate change and [the greater cost of] delayed measures."
Environment Minister Eroğlu spoke with Sunday's Zaman about Turkey's position with respect to the Kyoto protocol. He maintained that the ratifying the protocol will contribute positively to the international prestige of Turkey. This will even boost support to Turkey's chances of winning a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2009-2010, as well as strengthening the country's hand in negotiations on environmental issues with the EU, he suggested.
Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım, also noting that the refraining from ratifying the Kyoto Protocol is not beneficial to Turkey, said: "It is senseless for Turkey not to be party to the Kyoto Protocol. Our future depends on this." Yıldırım stressed that Turkey will soon ratify the protocol. "Average [carbon] emissions, which is 11 kilograms per capita globally, is below four kilograms in Turkey. The US tops the list with 22 kilograms. Thus we can conclude that the countries that pollute the environment the most are the industrialized countries. Accordingly, they assume more responsibility," he said.
Haluk Özdalga, the head of Parliament's Environment Commission, which discussed and adopted the bill on ratification of the Kyoto Protocol drafted by the Cabinet, pointed out that the bill should be passed by Parliament before its summer recess. "After being passed by Parliament, the bill will be sent to the UN Secretariat and will enter into force after three months. If Parliament passes it before the summer recess, this will be fine and Turkey will have a chance to attend the meetings on the post-Kyoto period as an official member," he said.
Referring to criticism that joining the Kyoto Protocol will cost Turkey $20 billion, Eroğlu asserted that Turkey will assume no liability until 2012 after becoming a party to the protocol.
"Concerning the period after 2012, the parties will hold mutual negotiations in one or two years' time," he said. Eroğlu explained that work on calculating the cost of signing on is under way and that they are taking into consideration various scenarios.
"The work under a project recently launched by the relevant authorities is yet to be completed. On the other hand, in the work conducted by international organizations concerning harmonization and [carbon] emissions reduction, experts are trying to calculate the costs to the global economy. In the light of these studies, measures against climate change will introduce short-term costs to our country. Given the global aspects of climate change, long-terms policies will certainly bring active costs to the country," he said.
Eroğlu argued that becoming party to the Kyoto Protocol will have numerous advantages for Turkey, including the increased credibility of the country in the international arena as a reliable state with the determination to fight climate change as a top priority problem at home and abroad.
In addition, he added, it will contribute to the improvement of the technical capacity of the country in preparing for the post-2012 period, and it will ensure that Turkey can attend the negotiations as a proper member for the post-2012 period. "We will be able to start incentive and preventive financial measures for the use of low-carbon and high-efficiency technologies. For instance, it will make positive contributions to security of energy supply in the long term," he said.
Eroğlu stated that they are working to ensure that Turkey can attend the 4th Meeting of Protocol Parties, to be held in Ponzan, Poland, between Dec. 1-12, 2008.
Concerning the effects of Turkey's failure to be a party to the protocol, Eroğlu said: "Until now, Turkey has considered it fit to act cautiously with respect to Kyoto Protocol membership. However, today we are passing through an important and critical process. Our country did not become a party to the protocol while the protocol was being negotiated, and for this reason did not attend negotiations. This in turn led to our failure to ensure that the provisions that would take our special conditions into consideration were included in the protocol. … Now we must try to ensure that Turkey attends the negotiations concerning the post-2012 climate regime and assert its interests."
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
The UN defines the Kyoto Protocol as follows: an international agreement linked to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions .These amount to an average of 5 percent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.
The major distinction between the protocol and the UNFCCC is that while the latter encourages industrialized countries to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions, the protocol commits them to doing so.
22.06.2008
News
ALİ ASLAN KILIÇ
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=145448
Jun 19, 2008
Yeşil ekran, NTV
NTV’den Dünya’ya: Yeşil ekran
NTV-MSNBC
19 Haziran 2008 Perşembe
Arılar nereye kayboldu? Buğday kıtlığı kapıda mı? İçecek su bulacak mıyız? Cep telefonu beyni yakıyor mu? Hormonsuz domates var mı? TV’yi kumandadan değil düğmeden kapatsak dünya kurtulur mu? NTV çevre sorunlarıyla başedebilmek için “yeşil ekran”ı açıyor.
İSTANBUL - Etrafımızı kuşatan çevre sorunlarıyla başedebilmek için NTV’nin “Yeşil Ekran”ı Temmuz’da yayına başlıyor. Yeşil Ekran, küresel ısınmadan inorganik gıdalara, çöp arıtmadan göç sorununa, karbon salınımından elektromanyetik kirliliğe tüm sorunlar karşısında yaşam rehberi olacak. Bunların yanında haber bültenlerinde özel dosyalar, organik yemek tariflerinden çevreci tatillere mini programlar, yeşil belgesel kuşağı, yeşile adanmış yapımlar, doğal olarak NTV’nin “yeşil ekran”ında yer alacak. Haberin devamı
NTV’nin Yeşil Ekranı’na Doğuş Yayın Grubu’nun tüm mecraları tam destek verecek. CNBC-e’de çevreci şirketler, dünyayı kurtarmanın maliyeti ve sinemanın en seçkin çevreci filmleri, Radyo Eksen ve Billboard Radio’da çevreci müzisyenler ve şarkıları, EVO’da çevreci otomobiller, NTVMSNBC’den web sayfası yesil.ntvmsnbc.com ...
DÜNYANIN KURTARILACAĞI SAATLER
Temmuz’da başlayacak özel yayınlarda “Dünyanın kurtarılacağı saatler belli oldu! Esra Sert’in sunacağı çevreci yaşam klavuzu “Yeşil Rehber”, her gün saat 11.10’da ekrana gelecek. NTV Haber Merkezi’nin Türkiye’nin her yanından çevre sorunlarını derlediği haber program “Yeşil Haberci” her gün saat 15.10’da, “Yeşil Belgeseller Kuşağı” 20.30’da izlenebilecek. Tüm haber bültenlerinde özel dosyalar, organik yemek tariflerinden çevreci tatillere, arkeolojik kazılardan başarı öykülerine mini programlar, yeşile adanmış yapımlar yayınlanacak.
Ayrıca bilgi bandında çevre ve ekosistemle ilgili faydalı bilgiler aktarılacak. Tüm DYG TV ve radyolarında da çevreyle ilgili ilgi çekici istatistikler, çarpıcı gerçekler ve çok kolay uygulanabilecek çevresel davranışlardan örnekleri anlatan kısa dosyalar ekrana gelecek. Denizlerimizin kirlilik oranı, barajlardaki son durum, havadaki oksijen oranı, en yüksek ve düşük sıcaklıklar gibi günlük yaşamımız ilgilendiren kısa bilgi notları da bilgi ekranında yer alacak.
ÜNLÜLER ÇEVREYİ KURTARACAK
NTV’nin başarılı anchormanlerinin yanı sıra, ünlü isimler özel programlarla ekranda olacak. Esra Sert, “Yeşil Rehber” ve “Yeşil Haberci”yi, Oğuz Haksever, ekoloji konulu tartışma programını, Celal Pir her akşam “Yakın Plan”, Burçak Önder “Ekolojik Ekonomi” yayınlarını sunacak.
ÇEVRE BELGESELLERİ KUŞAĞI VE ÇEVRE FİLMLERİ
NTV’nin “Yeşil Ekranı”nda her akşam 20.30’da “Çevre Belgeselleri Kuşağı”ı var. Belgeseller, çöp arıtmadan göç sorununa her konuda bilgi sahibi yapacak. CNBC-e’de çevre konulu filmler ekrana gelecek.
DERGİLERDEN ÖZEL ÇEVRE EKLERİ
National Geographic, CNBC-e Business, Evo başta olmak üzere Doğuş Yayın Grubu dergilerinde çevre temalı ekler hazırlanacak.
YEŞİL MÜZİSYENLER, ÇEVRECİ ŞARKILAR
Bu programların&haberlerin tamamı NTV Radyo’dan aynı anda yayınlanacak. NTV Radyo ayrıca “Türkiye’de Çevreciliğin Sesli Tarihi”ni anlatacak, küresel gerçekleri bir kez daha dillendirecek, “Halkın Sesi” çevreyi ele alacak. Radyo Eksen ve Billboard Radio ise “yeşil müzisyenler”in “çevreci şarkılar”ını yayınlayacak.
ÇEVREYE DUYARLI WEB SİTESİ
NTVMSNBC, projeyle ilgili tüm haberleri ve gelişmeleri yesil.ntvmsnbc.com adresinde okuyucusu ile paylaşacak, okuyucu görüşlerine yer verecek.
© 2006 NTVMSNBC.com
URL: http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/450573.asp
NTV-MSNBC
19 Haziran 2008 Perşembe
Arılar nereye kayboldu? Buğday kıtlığı kapıda mı? İçecek su bulacak mıyız? Cep telefonu beyni yakıyor mu? Hormonsuz domates var mı? TV’yi kumandadan değil düğmeden kapatsak dünya kurtulur mu? NTV çevre sorunlarıyla başedebilmek için “yeşil ekran”ı açıyor.
İSTANBUL - Etrafımızı kuşatan çevre sorunlarıyla başedebilmek için NTV’nin “Yeşil Ekran”ı Temmuz’da yayına başlıyor. Yeşil Ekran, küresel ısınmadan inorganik gıdalara, çöp arıtmadan göç sorununa, karbon salınımından elektromanyetik kirliliğe tüm sorunlar karşısında yaşam rehberi olacak. Bunların yanında haber bültenlerinde özel dosyalar, organik yemek tariflerinden çevreci tatillere mini programlar, yeşil belgesel kuşağı, yeşile adanmış yapımlar, doğal olarak NTV’nin “yeşil ekran”ında yer alacak. Haberin devamı
NTV’nin Yeşil Ekranı’na Doğuş Yayın Grubu’nun tüm mecraları tam destek verecek. CNBC-e’de çevreci şirketler, dünyayı kurtarmanın maliyeti ve sinemanın en seçkin çevreci filmleri, Radyo Eksen ve Billboard Radio’da çevreci müzisyenler ve şarkıları, EVO’da çevreci otomobiller, NTVMSNBC’den web sayfası yesil.ntvmsnbc.com ...
DÜNYANIN KURTARILACAĞI SAATLER
Temmuz’da başlayacak özel yayınlarda “Dünyanın kurtarılacağı saatler belli oldu! Esra Sert’in sunacağı çevreci yaşam klavuzu “Yeşil Rehber”, her gün saat 11.10’da ekrana gelecek. NTV Haber Merkezi’nin Türkiye’nin her yanından çevre sorunlarını derlediği haber program “Yeşil Haberci” her gün saat 15.10’da, “Yeşil Belgeseller Kuşağı” 20.30’da izlenebilecek. Tüm haber bültenlerinde özel dosyalar, organik yemek tariflerinden çevreci tatillere, arkeolojik kazılardan başarı öykülerine mini programlar, yeşile adanmış yapımlar yayınlanacak.
Ayrıca bilgi bandında çevre ve ekosistemle ilgili faydalı bilgiler aktarılacak. Tüm DYG TV ve radyolarında da çevreyle ilgili ilgi çekici istatistikler, çarpıcı gerçekler ve çok kolay uygulanabilecek çevresel davranışlardan örnekleri anlatan kısa dosyalar ekrana gelecek. Denizlerimizin kirlilik oranı, barajlardaki son durum, havadaki oksijen oranı, en yüksek ve düşük sıcaklıklar gibi günlük yaşamımız ilgilendiren kısa bilgi notları da bilgi ekranında yer alacak.
ÜNLÜLER ÇEVREYİ KURTARACAK
NTV’nin başarılı anchormanlerinin yanı sıra, ünlü isimler özel programlarla ekranda olacak. Esra Sert, “Yeşil Rehber” ve “Yeşil Haberci”yi, Oğuz Haksever, ekoloji konulu tartışma programını, Celal Pir her akşam “Yakın Plan”, Burçak Önder “Ekolojik Ekonomi” yayınlarını sunacak.
ÇEVRE BELGESELLERİ KUŞAĞI VE ÇEVRE FİLMLERİ
NTV’nin “Yeşil Ekranı”nda her akşam 20.30’da “Çevre Belgeselleri Kuşağı”ı var. Belgeseller, çöp arıtmadan göç sorununa her konuda bilgi sahibi yapacak. CNBC-e’de çevre konulu filmler ekrana gelecek.
DERGİLERDEN ÖZEL ÇEVRE EKLERİ
National Geographic, CNBC-e Business, Evo başta olmak üzere Doğuş Yayın Grubu dergilerinde çevre temalı ekler hazırlanacak.
YEŞİL MÜZİSYENLER, ÇEVRECİ ŞARKILAR
Bu programların&haberlerin tamamı NTV Radyo’dan aynı anda yayınlanacak. NTV Radyo ayrıca “Türkiye’de Çevreciliğin Sesli Tarihi”ni anlatacak, küresel gerçekleri bir kez daha dillendirecek, “Halkın Sesi” çevreyi ele alacak. Radyo Eksen ve Billboard Radio ise “yeşil müzisyenler”in “çevreci şarkılar”ını yayınlayacak.
ÇEVREYE DUYARLI WEB SİTESİ
NTVMSNBC, projeyle ilgili tüm haberleri ve gelişmeleri yesil.ntvmsnbc.com adresinde okuyucusu ile paylaşacak, okuyucu görüşlerine yer verecek.
© 2006 NTVMSNBC.com
URL: http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/450573.asp
Green Getaways, Eco-Tourism in Turkey
The Turkish Daily News has scoped out a handful of family getaways off the beaten path to suit everyone from wholesome beachcombers to thrill-seekers. Stay on seaside farms serving food grown on the property and kayak to underwater
KRISTEN STEVENS
The kids' legs are bouncing up and down as long hot summer days are already wearing on you. The city, the neighborhood and the neighbor are messing with your head. It's time to plan an escape route – one the kids will love enough to let you recline.When fleeing the noise and stress of city living, more and more people are considering ways to give back to the land and local economy as a natural extension of the relaxation they seek. Eco-tourism has quickly become a fundamental element of the travel industry, growing by 20 to 30 per cent every year since the 1990s, according to the International Eco-tourism Society. In the last few years, it has grown three times as fast as regular tourism. This is Turkey, a garden of holiday choices. Where to turn for a place that isn't more of the same: crowds, heat, buildings and asphalt? Finding alternative seaside villages and hillside hideaways calls for a little common sense and research. Below are some that please both locals and guests.
Local comfort, the Lycian way
With a pioneering attitude, Gürbüz and Anthea host guests of the Black Tree Farm Cottages with charm and environmental savvy. Set high in a village 12 km south of the Ölüdeniz resort in the foothills of Babadağ, a restored 18th century farmhouse and charming cottages make the most of Lycia's breathtaking Mediterranean beauty. Beneath these limestone heights crouch deserted coves, once anchorage for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. The nine cottages sleep from 2-7 people and have fully equipped open-plan kitchens. Individual patios give way to fields and horizons that meet the sea. The communal farmhouse is used by passing hikers and kids who prefer some freedom from their parents – or vice versa. With horses, mountain bikes or ponies to ride, children's video room, rabbits and geese, the place appeals to families especially. Kitchen gardens supply the bar and restaurant (open all day) with organic vegetables, and the menu is child-friendly. Local Lycian sites of Xanthos, Pinara, Letoon and Tlos are all within easy reach. Several isolated beaches are below and a 2-hour walk winds down to Butterfly Valley by way of Ölüdeniz.
The pottery room provides local clay and the use of an authentic Turkish pottery wheel. An old Turkish bath has been fully restored and the tennis court is new. The farm uses totally organic products and burns most of the refuse, which in turn heats the water.
Getting there
Thirty minutes south of the Ölüdeniz resort, Black Tree Farm Cottage Holidays is 2 hours from Dalaman airport / Ölüdeniz, Fethiye (0252) 617 0045 www.blacktree.net
Set sail on a “green” cruise
A little further south in the Mediterranean town of Kaş it is a simple matter to charter a gulet, a traditional wooden sailing boat. The captain charts your course and meals are prepared for you, leaving plenty of time for visiting local fishing villages and swimming in quiet bays. By joining a group sail, families can share costs and make new friends.
Getting there
Eco-friendly company Responsible Travel connects only with sailing outfits that care for the environment and local people. A typical 7-day trip includes flying into Dalyan and kayaking near Kaş; taking a glass-bottomed boat to Kekova and a jeep trip into countryside; and a sailing on a gulet. www.responsibletravel.com
Responsible Travel
From “green” resorts to adventure treks, Responsible Travel offers dozens of other high quality holidays in Turkey for families. The UK-based organization has a mission to provide holidays that support local people and the environment. A pioneer in responsible tourism, the company supports international charities working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and their ecosystem.
Yuva Eco Holiday Center
Yuva means home or nest in Turkish, and Atilla refers to his family-run Yuva Eco Holiday Center as a ‘nest' of sustainable living, combining traditional lifestyles, organic gardening, renewable energy, environmentally conscious tourism and healing arts. The nearby Ölüdeniz Lagoon contains enzymes believed to contain healing properties. Vegetarian meals recover flavors and aromas of traditional country cuisine prepared by cooks from different regions of Turkey. Family week includes holistic yoga, dance and nutrition – from July 28 to August 4. All summer guests can take part in yoga classes free of charge on a platform built over the sea. Come nightfall, the Milky Way lights up the sky.
Getting there
Located in the village of Faralya, 14km from the town of Fethiye. The nearest Airport is Dalaman (one and half-hours). +44 (0)1760 755888 yuva@vegiventures.com www.yuvaholidays.com
Pastoral Valley Organic Eco Farm
Pioneering eco-tourism on his organic farm, Ahmet Kezin, an architect-environmentalist, provides simple but attractive cabins, several made from the local adobe-style mud brick. In Yanıklar Village near Fethiye, the farm occupies 42,000 sq.m. in a valley surrounded by pine forests and bordering a river. All foods not actually grown on our farm are sourced from other local growers. If guests wish they can be involved in work on the farm, or take part in workshops based on local culture and handicrafts like kilim weaving, simple clay pottery making, basket making or producing a range of traditional preserves such as jams and pickles. Kids can learn to bake bread or börek. All food, drinks and snacks plus anything created in the free workshops is included in the single price of accommodation.
Yoga and tree house workshops for kids
The shady "tree house" is the workshop where kids build totums, kites and model planes and paint or read. All summer, guests can participate in basic Yoga exercises free of charge.
It's located in the Kocabük district of Yaniklar, 40 km. from Dalaman Airport. Minibuses run from Fethiye to Yaniklar every 15 minutes. Pastoral Valley is 3 km. from the center of the village. Yemisli Mah. Kocabük Mevki, Yaniklar Köyü, 48300 Fethiye / Muğla / (0252) 633 6627 www.pastoralvadi.com info@pastoralvadi.com
Yonca Lodge
Set in an orchard in Yaniklar, Yonca Lodge is a family-owned pension fronted by a beach. They also serve organic vegetarian food. As part of a village-wide effort to boost eco-tourism, locals and tourists are encouraged to preserve the natural environment and pension guests are free to take part in activities at the Pastoral Valley farm. Yaniklar Köyü / Fethiye (0252) 633 6177 www.yoncalodge.com
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107629
KRISTEN STEVENS
The kids' legs are bouncing up and down as long hot summer days are already wearing on you. The city, the neighborhood and the neighbor are messing with your head. It's time to plan an escape route – one the kids will love enough to let you recline.When fleeing the noise and stress of city living, more and more people are considering ways to give back to the land and local economy as a natural extension of the relaxation they seek. Eco-tourism has quickly become a fundamental element of the travel industry, growing by 20 to 30 per cent every year since the 1990s, according to the International Eco-tourism Society. In the last few years, it has grown three times as fast as regular tourism. This is Turkey, a garden of holiday choices. Where to turn for a place that isn't more of the same: crowds, heat, buildings and asphalt? Finding alternative seaside villages and hillside hideaways calls for a little common sense and research. Below are some that please both locals and guests.
Local comfort, the Lycian way
With a pioneering attitude, Gürbüz and Anthea host guests of the Black Tree Farm Cottages with charm and environmental savvy. Set high in a village 12 km south of the Ölüdeniz resort in the foothills of Babadağ, a restored 18th century farmhouse and charming cottages make the most of Lycia's breathtaking Mediterranean beauty. Beneath these limestone heights crouch deserted coves, once anchorage for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. The nine cottages sleep from 2-7 people and have fully equipped open-plan kitchens. Individual patios give way to fields and horizons that meet the sea. The communal farmhouse is used by passing hikers and kids who prefer some freedom from their parents – or vice versa. With horses, mountain bikes or ponies to ride, children's video room, rabbits and geese, the place appeals to families especially. Kitchen gardens supply the bar and restaurant (open all day) with organic vegetables, and the menu is child-friendly. Local Lycian sites of Xanthos, Pinara, Letoon and Tlos are all within easy reach. Several isolated beaches are below and a 2-hour walk winds down to Butterfly Valley by way of Ölüdeniz.
The pottery room provides local clay and the use of an authentic Turkish pottery wheel. An old Turkish bath has been fully restored and the tennis court is new. The farm uses totally organic products and burns most of the refuse, which in turn heats the water.
Getting there
Thirty minutes south of the Ölüdeniz resort, Black Tree Farm Cottage Holidays is 2 hours from Dalaman airport / Ölüdeniz, Fethiye (0252) 617 0045 www.blacktree.net
Set sail on a “green” cruise
A little further south in the Mediterranean town of Kaş it is a simple matter to charter a gulet, a traditional wooden sailing boat. The captain charts your course and meals are prepared for you, leaving plenty of time for visiting local fishing villages and swimming in quiet bays. By joining a group sail, families can share costs and make new friends.
Getting there
Eco-friendly company Responsible Travel connects only with sailing outfits that care for the environment and local people. A typical 7-day trip includes flying into Dalyan and kayaking near Kaş; taking a glass-bottomed boat to Kekova and a jeep trip into countryside; and a sailing on a gulet. www.responsibletravel.com
Responsible Travel
From “green” resorts to adventure treks, Responsible Travel offers dozens of other high quality holidays in Turkey for families. The UK-based organization has a mission to provide holidays that support local people and the environment. A pioneer in responsible tourism, the company supports international charities working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and their ecosystem.
Yuva Eco Holiday Center
Yuva means home or nest in Turkish, and Atilla refers to his family-run Yuva Eco Holiday Center as a ‘nest' of sustainable living, combining traditional lifestyles, organic gardening, renewable energy, environmentally conscious tourism and healing arts. The nearby Ölüdeniz Lagoon contains enzymes believed to contain healing properties. Vegetarian meals recover flavors and aromas of traditional country cuisine prepared by cooks from different regions of Turkey. Family week includes holistic yoga, dance and nutrition – from July 28 to August 4. All summer guests can take part in yoga classes free of charge on a platform built over the sea. Come nightfall, the Milky Way lights up the sky.
Getting there
Located in the village of Faralya, 14km from the town of Fethiye. The nearest Airport is Dalaman (one and half-hours). +44 (0)1760 755888 yuva@vegiventures.com www.yuvaholidays.com
Pastoral Valley Organic Eco Farm
Pioneering eco-tourism on his organic farm, Ahmet Kezin, an architect-environmentalist, provides simple but attractive cabins, several made from the local adobe-style mud brick. In Yanıklar Village near Fethiye, the farm occupies 42,000 sq.m. in a valley surrounded by pine forests and bordering a river. All foods not actually grown on our farm are sourced from other local growers. If guests wish they can be involved in work on the farm, or take part in workshops based on local culture and handicrafts like kilim weaving, simple clay pottery making, basket making or producing a range of traditional preserves such as jams and pickles. Kids can learn to bake bread or börek. All food, drinks and snacks plus anything created in the free workshops is included in the single price of accommodation.
Yoga and tree house workshops for kids
The shady "tree house" is the workshop where kids build totums, kites and model planes and paint or read. All summer, guests can participate in basic Yoga exercises free of charge.
It's located in the Kocabük district of Yaniklar, 40 km. from Dalaman Airport. Minibuses run from Fethiye to Yaniklar every 15 minutes. Pastoral Valley is 3 km. from the center of the village. Yemisli Mah. Kocabük Mevki, Yaniklar Köyü, 48300 Fethiye / Muğla / (0252) 633 6627 www.pastoralvadi.com info@pastoralvadi.com
Yonca Lodge
Set in an orchard in Yaniklar, Yonca Lodge is a family-owned pension fronted by a beach. They also serve organic vegetarian food. As part of a village-wide effort to boost eco-tourism, locals and tourists are encouraged to preserve the natural environment and pension guests are free to take part in activities at the Pastoral Valley farm. Yaniklar Köyü / Fethiye (0252) 633 6177 www.yoncalodge.com
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107629
Greening Turkey through environmental oversight committees like Mavi Yol
Activists initiate legal campaign against hotel construction
Thursday, June 19, 2008
YAŞAR ANTERMUĞLA – Doğan News Agency
Environmentalists said yesterday they will take a company that dumped excess sand from a hotel construction site into the sea to court after the offending firm was given an additional year to complete the clean up project.
The Mavi Yol, or Blue Path, environmental organization, which represents close to 40 groups, has decided to initiate a legal battle to have the whole hotel project cancelled.
A day before the deadline given to MNG Holding to remove the sand from the Pina Peninsula in the Gulf of Güllük, the company was given a year to remedy the violation, said Mavi Yol spokeswoman Filiz Dizdar.
Bodrum Chamber of Trade President Gündüz Nalbantoğlu said many of the beaches and forests on the Mediterranean and Aegean coast are under attack from indiscriminate corporate dumping.
“If a plastic bag or some garbage is dumped by a boat, it gets a fine of YTL 5,000. However, companies that dump tons of waste and building materials receive insignificant fines and are rewarded with more time,” he said.
The company was given 85,000 square meters of land on the Pina Peninsula in 2006 in order to build a five star hotel with a 1,200-bed capacity. According to reports, the company then dumped excess earth from its construction site into the sea, apparently to build three piers on the beach because the sea was not suitable for swimming.
After the matter was taken up by newspapers, the local administrator suspended the dumping of earth and fined the company YTL 21,000. The company now has a year to get the necessary permission to continue construction of the hotel.
Dizdar said his group plans to wage a legal fight to annul the decision to open the Pina Peninsula to tourism and to allow a delay in the removal of the landfill.
“We will fight to ensure that the company that ruined the forest and the sea will end its presence in the region,” she said.
Warriors of Nature spokesman Zafer Murat Çetinbaş said the destruction of the natural environment near Bodrum could not have occurred without the knowledge of state officials.
A member of the Bodrum Citizens' Initiative, lawyer Ahmet Aksüt, said, “No one should doubt that the company will get the necessary license and build restaurants and hotel in the middle of the sea. Even Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay will be present in the opening ceremony. However, these people who ignore the law will definitely answer for their deeds in front of the court.”
He said a legal victory for environmental groups would pave the way for more campaigns against companies and civil servants who ignore such scandalous behavior.
When the issue first made headlines, the coordinator of the project for MGN, Sinan Karaağaçlı, was recorded as saying, “We filled the sea. We are a huge company and will get the permission afterwards. You know how things work in Turkey,” when asked about the matter while he was accepting an award from the local administrator for MNG's contribution to tourism.
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107603
Thursday, June 19, 2008
YAŞAR ANTERMUĞLA – Doğan News Agency
Environmentalists said yesterday they will take a company that dumped excess sand from a hotel construction site into the sea to court after the offending firm was given an additional year to complete the clean up project.
The Mavi Yol, or Blue Path, environmental organization, which represents close to 40 groups, has decided to initiate a legal battle to have the whole hotel project cancelled.
A day before the deadline given to MNG Holding to remove the sand from the Pina Peninsula in the Gulf of Güllük, the company was given a year to remedy the violation, said Mavi Yol spokeswoman Filiz Dizdar.
Bodrum Chamber of Trade President Gündüz Nalbantoğlu said many of the beaches and forests on the Mediterranean and Aegean coast are under attack from indiscriminate corporate dumping.
“If a plastic bag or some garbage is dumped by a boat, it gets a fine of YTL 5,000. However, companies that dump tons of waste and building materials receive insignificant fines and are rewarded with more time,” he said.
The company was given 85,000 square meters of land on the Pina Peninsula in 2006 in order to build a five star hotel with a 1,200-bed capacity. According to reports, the company then dumped excess earth from its construction site into the sea, apparently to build three piers on the beach because the sea was not suitable for swimming.
After the matter was taken up by newspapers, the local administrator suspended the dumping of earth and fined the company YTL 21,000. The company now has a year to get the necessary permission to continue construction of the hotel.
Dizdar said his group plans to wage a legal fight to annul the decision to open the Pina Peninsula to tourism and to allow a delay in the removal of the landfill.
“We will fight to ensure that the company that ruined the forest and the sea will end its presence in the region,” she said.
Warriors of Nature spokesman Zafer Murat Çetinbaş said the destruction of the natural environment near Bodrum could not have occurred without the knowledge of state officials.
A member of the Bodrum Citizens' Initiative, lawyer Ahmet Aksüt, said, “No one should doubt that the company will get the necessary license and build restaurants and hotel in the middle of the sea. Even Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay will be present in the opening ceremony. However, these people who ignore the law will definitely answer for their deeds in front of the court.”
He said a legal victory for environmental groups would pave the way for more campaigns against companies and civil servants who ignore such scandalous behavior.
When the issue first made headlines, the coordinator of the project for MGN, Sinan Karaağaçlı, was recorded as saying, “We filled the sea. We are a huge company and will get the permission afterwards. You know how things work in Turkey,” when asked about the matter while he was accepting an award from the local administrator for MNG's contribution to tourism.
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107603
Energy-saving lights & the Osram Student Illumination Movement
Osram campaigns for energy savings
Thursday, June 19, 2008
MÜGE ÖZBAĞISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
Not only the commercial gain, but also the global social mission and raising of consciousness about climate change in consumers' minds are important issues, said Erol Kırılmaz, one of the youngest country managers of lighting equipment producer Osram.
In an interview with the Turkish Daily News, the 36-year-old executive urged wider utilization of energy-saving lamps, saying this is one of the ways in which people could shoulder this social responsibility. “By buying these lamps, the consumer can secure up to 80 percent energy savings and do something to protect the environment at the same time.” Under the directives of the young chief executive officer, who is quite convinced that the road to increase consciousness can only be pawed through reaching out to children, Osram started a social education project called the “Osram Student Illumination Movement” on its 100th anniversary in 2006.
The movement was founded on the basis of improving educational conditions such as the lighting quality in classrooms located in Anatolia. Another focus of the project was the cognitive “illumination,” intended to educate children on climate change and global warming topics. The Illumination Project addresses children through a video and a magazine, in which a polar bear explains global warming. “What can I do to reduce global warming?” is the crucial question raised by the products. “The kids have shown great interest in the topic,” said Kırılmaz.
The Osram Project team, which traveled 6,000 kilometers from Eskişehir, to Mersin, Adana, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Malatya and Kayseri, has reached nearly 5,000 children and handed out more than 50,000 informational pamphlets. The company aims to reach more than 1,000 schools in east and southeast Anatolia. The interest in schools is high, said Kırılmaz and added the project will continue through this year.
Energy-saving lamps constitute an important portion of Osram's revenue, however there is further energy-saving potential, said Kırılmaz. For example, the new light-emitting diode, or LED technology and the Osram Halogen Energy Saver products provide alternative illumination scenarios consuming 30 percent less energy than normal incandescent lamps, he added.Some 100 million household lamps are sold in Turkey each year and 30 million of them are energy-saving lamps. Although traditional lighting is still widely used in the country, Kırılmaz said there is a good chance of expanding the market of energy-saving lamps and modern lighting systems. “The interest and the consciousness to save money and do something against global warming at the same time is very distinct and continues to grow. The urgency to take on some responsibility rests on everybody's shoulders. There is no escaping that,” he said.
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107194
Thursday, June 19, 2008
MÜGE ÖZBAĞISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
Not only the commercial gain, but also the global social mission and raising of consciousness about climate change in consumers' minds are important issues, said Erol Kırılmaz, one of the youngest country managers of lighting equipment producer Osram.
In an interview with the Turkish Daily News, the 36-year-old executive urged wider utilization of energy-saving lamps, saying this is one of the ways in which people could shoulder this social responsibility. “By buying these lamps, the consumer can secure up to 80 percent energy savings and do something to protect the environment at the same time.” Under the directives of the young chief executive officer, who is quite convinced that the road to increase consciousness can only be pawed through reaching out to children, Osram started a social education project called the “Osram Student Illumination Movement” on its 100th anniversary in 2006.
The movement was founded on the basis of improving educational conditions such as the lighting quality in classrooms located in Anatolia. Another focus of the project was the cognitive “illumination,” intended to educate children on climate change and global warming topics. The Illumination Project addresses children through a video and a magazine, in which a polar bear explains global warming. “What can I do to reduce global warming?” is the crucial question raised by the products. “The kids have shown great interest in the topic,” said Kırılmaz.
The Osram Project team, which traveled 6,000 kilometers from Eskişehir, to Mersin, Adana, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Malatya and Kayseri, has reached nearly 5,000 children and handed out more than 50,000 informational pamphlets. The company aims to reach more than 1,000 schools in east and southeast Anatolia. The interest in schools is high, said Kırılmaz and added the project will continue through this year.
Energy-saving lamps constitute an important portion of Osram's revenue, however there is further energy-saving potential, said Kırılmaz. For example, the new light-emitting diode, or LED technology and the Osram Halogen Energy Saver products provide alternative illumination scenarios consuming 30 percent less energy than normal incandescent lamps, he added.Some 100 million household lamps are sold in Turkey each year and 30 million of them are energy-saving lamps. Although traditional lighting is still widely used in the country, Kırılmaz said there is a good chance of expanding the market of energy-saving lamps and modern lighting systems. “The interest and the consciousness to save money and do something against global warming at the same time is very distinct and continues to grow. The urgency to take on some responsibility rests on everybody's shoulders. There is no escaping that,” he said.
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107194
Jun 13, 2008
Solar power in Turkish homes
Turkey requires homes to generate solar power
Friday, June 13, 2008
ISTANBUL - Bloomberg
Turkey is preparing draft legislation that would require homeowners and businesses to install solar panels or batteries to cover 10 percent of what they consume and meet European Union standards, Milliyet said today.
Turkey could produce 20 percent of its electricity from renewable resources, Soner Aksoy, head of the Parliament's Commission on Industry, Trade, Energy and Technology, told the newspaper. Aksoy is preparing the renewable-energy law on the use of solar, wind, geothermal and biogas power generation, it said.
The law would require homes, apartment buildings and businesses to use panels to heat water and photovoltaic batteries to produce power, Aksoy said. It will also include price incentives for solar power generation for five years, he said.
Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi TAO, a state-run bank, and the Energy Ministry are discussing long-term loans to help homeowners and apartment managers insulate homes to save up to 40 percent of the energy houses waste, Milliyet said, citing Aksoy.
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107131
Friday, June 13, 2008
ISTANBUL - Bloomberg
Turkey is preparing draft legislation that would require homeowners and businesses to install solar panels or batteries to cover 10 percent of what they consume and meet European Union standards, Milliyet said today.
Turkey could produce 20 percent of its electricity from renewable resources, Soner Aksoy, head of the Parliament's Commission on Industry, Trade, Energy and Technology, told the newspaper. Aksoy is preparing the renewable-energy law on the use of solar, wind, geothermal and biogas power generation, it said.
The law would require homes, apartment buildings and businesses to use panels to heat water and photovoltaic batteries to produce power, Aksoy said. It will also include price incentives for solar power generation for five years, he said.
Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi TAO, a state-run bank, and the Energy Ministry are discussing long-term loans to help homeowners and apartment managers insulate homes to save up to 40 percent of the energy houses waste, Milliyet said, citing Aksoy.
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107131
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