Today, wars are made to get the control of the energy and water sources. Anything to change our lives in a negative way, will effect the comfort we are used to live. We already witnessed this together with all European countries when Russia reduced the distribution of naturel gas. Therefore we need to reduce the energy dependance and start to use reneweable energy sources in order to make our lives easier. The first step is saving. If we save in everything we use, we will protect our world sources and ofcourse our pocket.

When we mention savings, we don’t mean to lower our comfort. We should minimize the rawmaterial usage and start to provide energy from naturel sources.

From Industrial revolution until today, world’s population increased 8 times.In the last 100 years industrial production has been increased 100 times ,and consuming capacity is overloaded therefore the world’s sources are under huge pressure. Increasing of human activities and population caused a very serious problems on the environment.

The world has lost 6 million km² forests in less than 200 years. Because of the erosion, in some main rivers, residue collection increased three times and  100 km³ total water usage per year increased to 3600 km³.

Serious changes in the atmosphere started to change also the climate and it effects the natural life on the earth.

Air, earth, sea and water source pollution has very dramatic effects on human and on other living species.

The natural sources of the world is limited. The best and highest technologies won’t be enough to widen the natural sources on the earth. The best way to live in a limited world is to prevent increasing of the population and to change our consuming habits .

Principles of environmental protection and sustainability
To use the natural sources as if they are unlimited, is a gamble with life.

Climate is changing

• 1990’es are noted as the hottest years in the last 600 years.
• Until 2100, the earth heat is expected to escalate1-3,5 degrees.
• According to the sciencetists; this will be the biggest change in the world history since last 10.000 years.
• Sicknesses, natural disasters and desertification is expected to increase.

Water sources in the world is draining

• 70% of the world is water but 97% of this amount is sea water, 2% are in the arctis as a glacier and drinkable water in the whole world is only 1% of the sources. For 90 million babies which is born in every year, 27 billion m³ water in addition is needed.

Water sources in Turkey is draining

• The whole usable water in Turkey,including underground sources is,110 billion m³.
• If we consider that in a year 260 billion m³ water from Dane river discharged to blacksea, we will see that we are very poor of water.

Turkey is not rich of water

• In order for a country to be rich in water, there must be 10.000 m³ water per person per year of usable water. On the other hand, Turkey ‘s usable water index is 1430 m³ per person per year.
• In the year 2030 estimated population of Turkey will be 80 million and expected water volume per person is 1.100 m³ a year.

We are consuming

• Only in Istanbul per year, 450.000 tons of paper is consuming.
• Approximately 49.140 lt. water is consuming by one person only in the toilettes per year.
• Between 1960-1994 paper consumption is increased 245%.
• Average tree consumption per person is 1.5 kg a day.

We are destroying

• In the whole world every day 400.000 hectare forrests are dissappering.
• In Turkey every year more than 20.000 hectare forrests are dissappering.
• In the soft climate of Blacksea region, only 12 % of naturel old forrests stayed without corruption until today.

We are loosing

• We have lost 80 % turf area.
• We have lost 90% heather area.
• We have lost 80% dunes.
• In Turkey in the last 40 years 1.300.000 hectare, (meaning 3 times bigger than Van lake) wet land has been lost.

Human damage is increasing. We must decrease the human effects through nature and life.

Fast population and increasing of consumption per person, causes increasing pressure over natural sources. As a result quality of living descends.

We will need 3 more planets if everyone in the world uses the natural sources like a western European.!

Why is environment so important?
In Jjohannesburg the whole world agreed that, the main solution of powerty is to apply sustainability in all sectors. Greenhouse effect is getting higher, natural sources are disappering, costs are getting higher and income disparity is increasing.

Today we shouldn’t expect everything from the government. That wont help enough and it effects country economics in a negative way. But every savings made on a personal base would provide serious benefits for us and for the country economics.

HÜLYA BELTAN
February 2000