Üsküdar municipality draws attention to zero waste with exhibitions
A model wears a dress designed from polythene bags on International Day of Zero Waste, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Türkiye, March 30, 2023. (IHA Photo)


Emphasizing the importance of a sustainable future for children on International Day of Zero Waste, Istanbul's Üsküdar Municipality drew attention to recycling and the zero waste movement by organizing an event, with exhibitions and games at Bağlarbaşı Congress and Culture Center. The children, who designed clothes with materials obtained from recycling, exhibited their clothes at the Zero Waste Awareness Fashion Show.

Attention was drawn to the importance of conservation and water scarcity in exhibitions prepared by students as well as the sewing workshop and the exhibition prepared from waste fabric. Üsküdar Mayor Hilmi Türkmen and Üsküdar District Director of National Education Sinan Aydın also attended the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Türkmen explained to the students the importance of recycling. "105 countries signed up for this International Day of Zero Waste and we are its proponents. So, the real work begins now. There is a lot to do to decrease the waste to zero, such as sorting garbage in the houses. We throw all the waste in the same dustbin, from kitchen waste to medical. It is one of the wrong habits we have. We need to understand that not all items go into the same trash bin; instead, trash bins must be separated for different kinds of waste," he said.

"Actually, let's not say trash or waste because we are advocating 'zero waste' and what does zero waste mean? It means there is no such thing as waste," he added.