Increasing Awareness on Plastic Pollution Among Beach Users in Konyaalti and Serik Public Beaches (Antalya)

EKAD

Increasing Awareness on Plastic Pollution Among Beach Users in Konyaalti and Serik Public Beaches (Antalya)

Antalya’s public beaches, Konyalaltı and Serik, suffer from litter pollution left behind by beach users. Plastic pollution level gets higher every year, threatening the coastal ecosystem in the entire Mediterranean.

For this purpose, EKAD has partnered with Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and TURCEV (Turkey Environmental Education Foundation) in a new project in order to draw attention to coastal and marine pollution, and emphasize that keeping the beaches clean is not only the responsibility of Municipality’s cleaning/sanitation workers, but instead, it starts with the conscience and awareness of beach users.

In this Project, EKAD and its Project Partners will contribute to the cleaning and conservation of Konyaaltı and Serik Public Beaches through a series of awareness-raising campaigns, educational practices and media activities.

This informative project will be conducted in summer 2023, through beach clean-up activities making use of measurable indicators, surveys, and observations. Information kiosks will be set up on visible parts of both public beaches, where volunteers will provide information to daily visitors, tourists, and locals about the importance of coastal habitats, the negative impacts of plastic pollution, and individual efforts to reduce plastic usage. Our goal is to increase awareness on pollution and the conservation of coastal environments.

The Project will be carried out with the financial support of the Turquoise Coast Environment Fund, in the framework of the cooperation with the Conservation Collective, MAVA Foundation, the GEF Small Grant Program (SGP) and Support Foundation for Civil Society.

Planned Activities:

  • A total of 30 young volunteers will receive trainings and briefings on ecological footprint, waste impacts, coastal ecosystems and the conservation of endangered species like sea turtles.
  • Beach clean-ups will be conducted in Konyaaltı and Serik Public Beaches on separate dates, with the contribution of these volunteers and Project Partners. Expected participants include beach visitors, local authorities and small businesses.
  • Project members will conduct surveys with public beach visitors to increase awareness on beach usage and pollution.
  • Kids will be engaged in several activities and games aimed at creating environmental consciousness.

For detailed information: info@ekad.org.tr