Nationwide environmental uprising triggered by children in Turkey
Youth-Led Environmental Clean-Up Efforts Sweep Across Turkey
In a heartwarming display of environmental activism, children across Turkey are leading the charge to keep their forests clean and prevent waste from polluting the environment.
The movement began in Mersin, southern Turkey, with 11-year-old Aras Kayretli. Inspired by concerns about the increasing number of wildfires and the environmental destruction they left behind, Aras launched a grassroots environmental campaign. He started by collecting litter during his early morning walks with his mother and younger brother.
Aras's initiative quickly gained momentum. He opened a social media account with the pledge to collect as much trash as he has followers. Within three days, his videos were viewed more than 40 million times, and his follower count neared 500,000. Aras plans to collect 50 full bags of trash to match his follower milestone.
Aras's campaign has sparked a wave of youth-led clean-up efforts across the country. In Antalya's Aksu district, children with autism from a local school cleaned up plastic waste, glass bottles, and agricultural debris from nearby wooded areas. Student Neslihan Özdemir stated that they cleaned up the forest to prevent forest fires.
Similarly, in Gümüşhane, brothers Mete and Görkem Koç picked up litter left behind by picnickers. Their efforts did not go unnoticed, as Environment Minister Murat Kurum sent gifts and officially recognized them as "environmental inspectors."
The environmental campaign has inspired a nationwide movement of youth-led clean-up efforts, with children leading the way in promoting environmental responsibility. Other children in Turkey have launched similar clean-up efforts, inspired by Aras Kayretli.
Başak Gizdaş, Aras's mother, emphasized that their initiative is not a competition. She is proud that her children are growing up caring about the environment. This sentiment is shared by Neslihan Özdemir, who mentioned that the forest was very dirty, and they picked up bags and trash.
These community-driven waste collection campaigns and sustainability projects are part of a broader network of youth climate action supported by regional and international programs. For example, the Youth Green Conference projects across Europe, including neighboring countries, foster environmental awareness, education, and engagement in sustainability and climate action among youth. International youth organizations like OneUpAction also support marginalized youth globally, empowering them to implement climate solutions and environmental actions at community levels.
The impact of these youth-led efforts includes increased environmental awareness, practical waste reduction on local scales, fire risk mitigation, and fostering youth leadership and creativity in sustainability. These initiatives help build a culture of ecological responsibility and enhance local community resilience to environmental challenges.
- Aras Kayretli's environmental campaign, sparked by concerns in science and personal growth, is inspiring educational and self-development opportunities for youth, as they learn about environmental science and take action to preserve their local environments.
- The youth-led clean-up efforts in Turkey, such as Bashak Gizdas's initiative with her children and the work of Neslihan Ozerdemir and the students in Antalya's Aksu district, not only contribute to the learning process of the students but also promote environmental science and foster a culture of sustainability and personal growth.
