Geothermal energy production in Turkey was first carried out in 1984 at the Aydın-Kızıldere Geothermal Power Plant (JES) by TEAŞ, with an installed capacity of 15 MW. This production reached 77 MW in 2009 and 1,624 MW in 2020. By the end of 2020, 32 out of 60 geothermal power plants in Turkey were located in the Aydın province.
Geothermal energy is describes as “a new, renewable, sustainable, inexhaustible, reliable, convertible, green, environmentally friendly energy”, yet:
In a report published in 2019, GERÇED (Germencik Environmental and Nature Association) stated that “as a result of the gas and fluid emissions from the geothermal power plants (JES) in the region, the Aydın Plain is now one of the most polluted areas in Turkey in terms of air, water, soil, and agricultural products.”
One of the early studies on the damage caused by geothermal power plants in the region was conducted in 2010 at the Faculty of Science at Ege University. The research in Germencik Alangüllü indicated that the fluids released by the geothermal plants polluted surface and groundwater, and that the heavy metals and chemical substances in these waters could be transferred to humans and other living beings through food.
In a research co-conducted by the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs and TÜBİTAK in 2017, it was found that the amount of boron found in the waters of Alangüllü River was 67 times higher than normal, and the amount of boron found in the soil was 5 times higher than normal.
The report indicates that children and women comes first in deaths related to environmental factors, and when we look at the income distribution in the region, it is clear that the environmental pollution kills the poor the most.
As the severe destruction caused in nature brings the Aydın Plain to a deadly point, the impact of geothermal power plants (JES) on global warming continues to increase.
In the 2021 report by the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), it was stated that “many cities, including Manisa, Denizli, İzmir, Çanakkale, Afyon, Van, Elazığ, and Bolu, are facing severe problems due to uncontrolled and unregulated geothermal energy investments.”
In districts and villages where power plant projects are the subject matter, the public continues to voice their opposition to geothermal power plants through press statements, demonstrations, protests, and vigils, asserting their rights.
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Aydın, once called, “the city where oil flows from its mountains and honey flows from its plains,” by Evliya Çelebi, is now have wind power plants (RES) in its mountains, and geothermal power plants (JES) in its plains.
In Kızılcaköy, a small settlement in the Aydın Plain, olives, figs, and citrus fruits are cultivated. There are many companies that want to establish geothermal power plants (JES) or search for minerals in these fertile areas.
A group of woman from Kızılcaköy is going to the olive grove to make a press statement against mineral exploration.
In the Kızıldere area, more than 35 geothermal power plants (JES) release 190 million tons of steam and 9 million tons of non-condensable gases into the air each year; they also discharge 80 million tons of fluid into the water sources of the Büyük Menderes basin.
The villagers are complaining about olive trees in Yılmazköy not being as productive as they used to be.
In Alangüllü Village, villagers who graze their sheep next to the geothermal power plant say that the pastures and grazing lands have become barren.
The geothermal power plant pipes and electrical lines that are installed around many residential areas are all-pervading.
Esma Celayir (74), one of the participants in the protest initiated by the residents of Kızılcaköy against the establishment of geothermal power plants (JES), is leaving the court after a trial for the case opened against them for insulting law enforcement and resisting with force.
In 2018, the women of Kızılcaköy held a sit-in in the city square of Aydın to prevent the establishment of a geothermal power plant planned in their village.
Greenhouse farming refers to agricultural activities carried out in environments covered with plastic or glass, where factors such as light, heat, and humidity can be controlled independently of climate conditions. Greenhouses are typically constructed with steel frames, covered with plastic sheets and reinforced with plastic ropes.
Greenhouse farming in Turkey began in Antalya in 1940 and soon spread to many parts of the country, especially along the Mediterranean coast.
Farmers replace the plastic coverings they use as greenhouse materials every few years. They separate the parts that can be reused and sell the rest to scrap dealers for recycling. However, plastics that are not collected for various reasons remain in the soil for years. Studies indicate that 64% of plastic greenhouse waste is properly disposed of, while 36% is either left in nature or burned in ways that pose risks to the environment and human health.
This documentary story focuses on the region between Mersin and Tarsus, including the villages of Karaduvar, Kazanlı, Adanalıoğlu Bahşiş, and Kulak. The land in this region, highly fertile in both climate and soil, is home to greenhouses where 90.5% of the covering material is plastic. Plastics left in nature take 1,000 years to degrade.
Plastic materials are used in greenhouses both as covering and on the ground. All the greenhouses in the region operate using plastic materials and chemical pesticides.
Out-of-use plastic covers mix with the soil.
In a greenhouse near the village, plastic coverings that are not sent for recycling are abandoned in nature.
Women repair plastic coverings in the greenhouses that are still reusable.
Farmworkers living in plastic-covered tents work in the greenhouses along the Adanalıoğlu River.
The banks of the Adanalıoğlu River are littered with plastic waste left over from greenhouses and human activities.
Nylon ropes are hung from wires stretched across the greenhouse roofs to help support pepper seedlings.
After the harvest, the nylon ropes left over from the greenhouses are abandoned in nature.
After burning the leftover nylon ropes from the greenhouses, their ashes are dumped into a pond.
Madra Mountain extends to Kozak Plateau with its massive granite rocks. The region is not only home to many endemic plant species but is also a hub for pine nut production. However, since the 1980s, consecutive openings of stone quarries and gold mines have been destroying the Kozak basin.
Erol Engel, spokesperson for the Bergama Environmental Platform, emphasizes the scale of the threat by stating, “The number of granite quarries in the 16 neighborhoods of the region has reached 120.” Since mining companies do not need an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report if their expansion requests are below 25 hectares, the excavated areas are constantly expanding with small dig sites. There is no quantitative data available to fully grasp the magnitude of the destruction.
When the stone quarries start operating, the soil, along with the forest and plant cover, is removed. The morphology is disturbed, erosion accelerates, agricultural land is damaged, underground water systems are disrupted, and landslides and collapses occur due to the blasting. The dust emitted by the quarries affects both the local residents and plants.
Despite the fact that scientists evaluate the Bergama Kozak Plateau as an “ecologically sensitive area” and experts define it as a “unique geologic park,” the granite quarries continue their operations. Meanwhile, the villagers’ struggle against the companies responsible for the destruction of the region’s living and non-living nature continues.
On the road to Okçular Village, signs for mining quarries stand side by side with real estate agency signs. As the stone quarries have encroached into the village, the villagers have begun selling their homes and fields.
Okçular Village, a forest settlement at an altitude of 430 meters, is home to 247 people. The villagers grow pine nuts, cultivate olives, and raise livestock.
Gülden’s house is reached by passing by a massive granite rock.
The traditional architecture in Okçular benefits from the natural texture of the environment.
In Okçular Village, dynamite explosions in the mining company’s excavation site, followed by digging activities, are completely destroying the natural landscape.
Trucks and machinery working at the stone quarries use village roads, forest paths, and the main transportation routes of the basin throughout the day. The living creatures in the area are affected by clouds of dust, exhaust fumes, and the constant hum of engines.
Near the large stone quarry in Okçular Village, there is a stone processing facility. According to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, stone quarries pose a threat to public health.
Each year, fewer pine cones are brought to the pine nut sorting facility in Okçular Village. For over ten years, production has significantly decreased.
The villagers are going to meet with the delegation from the Ministry of Environment and representatives of the mining company regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
As a result of the resistance by the Bergama Environmental Platform members and the villagers in the Kozak basin, the EIA process for the Granite Marble Quarry project was canceled/returned, effectively ending it. However, the other quarries in the basin continue to cause destruction.
The heavy metal waste site from the iron enrichment facility on the Kozak road leading to Karaayit Village is forming a mountain that grows higher and higher.
The relationship we have developed with the world we live in, following the Industrial Revolution, has reached destructive levels. A human-centered mentality has turned both the living and non-living worlds into objects of profit and consumerism. Nature has been ruthlessly destroyed, and many species have gone extinct.
Life in “modern” cities has become increasingly difficult for the animals we have domesticated. In many countries, they were demonized and subjected to brutal massacres. The eradication of dogs and cats disrupted the population balance of urban species, leading to an increase in wild rodents, such as rats and pigs. Many cities in Europe have struggled to find a solution to this problem.
These animals, which we could never fully integrate into urban life, were placed under protection in 2004 under Law 5199, which prohibited any form of extermination. According to the law, local authorities were responsible for treating, rehabilitating, neutering, vaccinating, and returning stray animals to their original location. However, although the requirements of this law have not been fulfilled by those responsible, the penalty is being inflicted on the dogs. A legal amendment is being proposed to allow for the euthanasia of stray dogs.
The Turkish Veterinary Medical Association and Professional Chambers have suggested a series of solutions, explaining that the population of stray dogs, seen as a problem, could be brought under control in the near future.
Municipalities are collecting dogs from different parts of the city and abandoning them in remote areas. In Van, the stone quarries far from the city are one of the regions where dogs are left.
Animal lovers are trying to support the care and feeding of the dogs around Sıhke Pond in Van.
An injured male dog waits for his turn to eat.
The unhealthy environment around Sıhke Pond creates a problematic relationship between humans and dogs.
Dogs, displaced from the environment they used to share with humans, are struggling to survive under harsh conditions. Human-centered life, uncontrolled urbanization, and speciesist policies are having devastating effects on all non-human species.
“After,” a dog fed and treated for mange by animal lovers in its natural habitat, was caught by municipal teams through sedation to be taken for treatment.
At the Van landfill, dogs are searching for food among the waste, including medical waste.
Dogs particularly enjoy swimming in Lake Van during the hot summer days.
A neutered and vaccinated stray dog waits for food. It is indicated that with a systematic and consistent neutering and vaccination program, this issue could be resolved in favor of the animals in a short period.
In recent years, extraordinary wildfires of great size and frequency have been observed in various parts of the world. These fires, with global warming as a significant factor, release large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases leads to further warming of the planet. The relationship between wildfires and the rise in greenhouse gases creates a vicious cycle, each fueling the other.
Scientists working on global warming emphasize that one of the important ways to reduce the impact of forest fires is to break free from dependence on fossil fuels. They highlight the seriousness of the situation by proposing solutions such as increasing energy efficiency and promoting the use of renewable energy sources.
In a report published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), it is predicted that globally, forest fires will become 14% more frequent and intense by 2030, 30% by 2050, and 50% by the end of this century.
On Wednesday, July 13, in Datça’s Mesudiye neighborhood, a wildfire broke out in Kocadağ, burning over 700 hectares of land. The Mesudiye fire, which was only brought under control by noon on Thursday, July 14, involved 10 planes, 20 helicopters, 156 fire trucks, 19 water tankers, 29 construction machines, and 1,138 personnel. As a precaution, 3,520 residents from 450 homes were evacuated from the affected areas. Ten homes were damaged, with four suffering severe damage.