Ondokuz Mayıs University Environmental Problems Application and Research Center Director Prof. Dr. Yüksel Ardalı was the guest of Orkun Yazgan in the Çevre Günlüğü program broadcast on Çevre TV.
Ardalı, who raised awareness about Earth Overshoot Day and warned in the broadcast, said, "We harm the ecosystem while benefiting from it, and we do harm to humanity with irreversible damage." said.
“We use next year's resources”
Ardalı continued his speech as follows: “For the year 2022, Turkey's resources were consumed on June 22 and the world's resources were consumed on July 28, and the resources of the next year are being used. This ecological footprint resulting from human activities not only consumes our resources, but also increases the waste we create, our carbon and footprint, and the need for land and water areas we need to dispose of them. Global Footprint Network reveals that this rate in Turkey is above our biocapacity. This means that there is ecological openness in our country as well.”
“We must make sustainability our way of life”
Stating that changing consumption habits also changes production needs over time, Ardalı said, “In order to use resources correctly, efficiency and reflecting this efficiency in every aspect of our lives is essential. It is possible to reduce our ecological footprint at many points, from the vehicles we use to the water we consume, from our food consumption habits to the electronic devices we use. Frankly, we have to make sustainability our way of life.” he said.
Also in the program, Prof. Dr. Ardalı touched upon many issues such as sustainable development goals, circular economy, sustainability of production and consumption habits, and talked about what should be done in the short term.