ET: We have established in the statutes of the society to preserve the unique Datça peninsula with its natural resources and to make it accessible to people in the form of “soft” tourism because this nature is the only income source of the peninsula. No industry exists here and therefore there is no chemical waste in the region. The sea is absolutely clean and there is no airport nearby. In other words, we have the ideal conditions for a “soft” cultural and wellness tourism.

A further task of the society is to prepare the local population to get used to the idea of environmental protection, thus bringing each and everyone to the thought that they are personally responsible. This also includes not putting the nature under any unnecessary risks.

ET: One of the oldest projects, that is continuously being carried on, is the general cleaning up of the peninsula, in particular the disposal of rubbish. Nearly everyone that lives here, can only survive from tourism and this only for two or three months in the year. Those people, who don’t have their own financial security or fields planted with olives or almonds, have no source of income. Seeing as how tourism is the basis of all this, we have to at least dispose of the rubbish. This is an action, that is being continuously carried on during the summer by the environmental protection society. With the help of boats, the bays are cleaned of rubbish which is left behind by people and then washed up onto the shore. Of course, this is also being carried out in the town itself.

ET: When we call on such an action, whereby the municipality also lends us their support, we can depend on about 100 people. That’s a little too few, but it functions by carrying out these actions with a big group every month and in between with a smaller group. Sometimes the commanders of the Gendarmerie and the Air Force also give us some of their people. The areas and streets to be cleaned are organized by the committee. The main goal actually would be that the people learn not to throw their rubbish away just anywhere and therefore the society is continuously talking about this with the local population. When we want to carry on the business of tourism, then cleanliness must be a key reason to want to come here.

The second reason has to be the image of Datça itself. The architectural image of Datça has become the number one theme for the environmental society this year - in that there is no recognizable style or lines to follow and a harbour development which nobody understands. We have to work in stone and need clear lines and forms to follow. We should do away with the plastic chairs, for example, and return to the old comfortable wooden chairs on which one doesn’t perspire!

There is a “People’s March” from the Mediterranean Sea to the Agean Sea on the first weekend in May every year, in connection with a clean-up action. We have the luxury to be able to walk from one sea to the other, right across the peninsula in only one and half hours. Many people take part in this people’s walk whereby the local town municipality provides the service of an ambulance in the case that some of the older people can’t quite make the full distance and have to be transported. One walks practically right over fields where one has a view of the whole peninsula from one sea to another. Where else can you do that? It’s sensational. This will continued to be done every year.

Another problem is the question of where the rubbish should go. At the moment it is disposed of in a valley, part of which is a river bed in winter. Because of this the rubbish floats slowly back in the direction of Datça. Therefore the governor and the environmental department called all the village council leaders together to negotiate a place where their own village rubbish is allowed to be disposed of. The local councils were given tractors and trailers by the district governor which can be covered, so that the rubbish doesn’t fly everywhere from the wind.

Another big problem is the sewerage. The state had planned a sewerage system for Datça and actually already built some of the required infrastructure, however, we do not require a chemical sewerage plant. Because we do not have any chemical wastewater a biological system would be sufficient. The construction of the sewerage plant, directly across from the harbour in one of the most beautiful bays, has already begun. The pipes were laid along the length of the harbour but before they could be put into operation they were already blocked due to the fact that a few people had secretly connected their sewerage into them.

MF: The society has far reaching influence on the local administration, you are taken seriously and important issues are discussed with you. One could say that the society represents a political power.

ET: Yes, that’s right. We are also called to sit on the local council meetings because sooner or later we put forward suggestions which can alter their decisions. Therefore it’s better to tell us directly what has been decided than to wait for later.

For example, there has been a lot of money invested in the sewerage system and naturally it is clear that the mayor wants to complete this project. However we have given a definate “no” to the actual plans as they stand, because we don’t want the treated water to flow back into the sea. Who will guarantee the degree of cleanliness of the treated water? Turkey is a member of an organization of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea that have signed an agreement that no sewerage, and also no treated water will be allowed to flow into the sea. With this water we can provide for the watering of a forest and also initiate reforestation. Of course this costs money but this just has to be found. We also can not leave the sewerage in tanks in the harbour next to luxtury yachts worth millions – this just does not fit together!

There are other alternative scientists from which we can avail ourselves for information, and our president Yola says that we have to be forced to make further research into the availability of other alternatives which can improve the situation. There is even a very exemplary model quite near to us in the holiday village of Aktur. Because the mayor is also interested to find a solution to this problem in cooperation with the environmental society, success will prevail.

Another project is ecological farming. This is something rather exciting to look forward too, because the peninsula is an area where every farmer can carry on ecological farming. There is absolutely no reason why so much poison should be spread over the fields when the soil is already so fertile. We put a seed in the earth and out grows a tree. Other islands nearby have no water and have to bring every drop by ship, but we have everything we need here and therefore we do not value it.