Air and water Pollution In Turkey

What Can We Do to Help Reduce Air Pollution? 

* Conserve energy – remember to turn off lights, computers, and electric appliances when not in use. 
* Use energy efficient light bulbs and appliances. 
* Participate in your local utility’s energy conservation programs. 
* Limit driving by carpooling, using public transportation, biking and walking. 
* Combine errands for fewer trips. 
* Keep your automobile well tuned and maintained. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on routine maintenance, such as changing the oil and filters, and checking tire pressure and wheel alignment. 
* Avoid excessive idling of your automobile. 
* Use electric or hand-powered lawn care equipment. 
* Be careful not to spill gasoline when filling up your car or gasoline powered lawn and garden equipment. 
* Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when full. 
* Choose environmentally friendly cleaners. 
* Use water-based or solvent free paints whenever possible and buy products that say "low VOC". 
* Seal containers of household cleaners, workshop chemicals and solvents, and garden chemicals to prevent volatile organic compounds from evaporating into the air. 
* Purchase and use low-polluting outboard marine engines and personal watercraft (4-stroke and direct fuel injection 2-stroke outboard marine engines). 
* Advocate for emission reductions from power plants and more stringent national vehicle emission standards.

Summer temperatures have increased and are expected to continue to increase. Proposed new coal-fired power plants would increase Turkey's CO2 emissions. Turkey is working towards joining the European Union Emission Trading Scheme. 



Water 

Pollution 
Organic pollution of rivers is a problem.There is a potential for spills from the 5,000 oil- and gas-carrying ships that pass through the Bosporus annually. 

How to Prevent Water Pollution? 

* Conserve water by turning off the tap when running water is not necessary. This helps prevent water shortages and reduces the amount of contaminated water that needs treatment. 
* Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don’t throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain. 
* Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries. 
* Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers. This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. 
* By having more plants in your garden you are preventing fertiliser, pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water sources. 
Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes, make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a nearby dustbin. 








Drought 
Turkey does have sufficient water. Almost three quarters of water that is consumed is used for irrigation in agriculture.

By Buket Temel