Dilovası Sets an Example with Zero Waste Project

Dilovası District Sets Example with Zero Waste Project In Dilovası district of Kocaeli, materials that would have gone to landfill have been individually recycled to produce library materials. An exemplary initiative was undertaken within the framework of the 'Zero Waste' project at Dilovası Public Education Centre. In cooperation between teachers and course participants, waste materials destined for disposal were collected, and new products were created from these materials. A library was established with items produced using various waste materials, such as tables made from vehicle tyres and shelves made from vegetable and fruit crates. The library, which has earned recognition for its work, is particularly attracting the interest of children.

"Our goal is to reduce waste going into nature"

Salih Toltar, Director of Dilovası Public Education Centre, stated that they have supported the Zero Waste project through recycling, "Through cooperation between our teachers, administrators and course participants, we have created this library using recycled materials. Our aim is to make this place interesting and to develop in people a love of reading and culture. Our second goal is to ensure that our worn and weary world is affected less by environmental pollution. We created a library for a healthy environment. We made tables from car tyres. We created shelves from vegetable and fruit crates. We also took various packaging materials used in coppersmithing through repair and renovation, and through cooperation with our designer teachers and students, we created book reading areas with shared ideas. For example, we created a cabinet with shelves from scrap metal and pieces of wood," he said.

"We obtained all the products here by collecting them from outside"

Emine Feyza Çolakoğlu, a teacher at the Public Education Centre, emphasizing that they place importance on production rather than consumption, stated: "Through our work, we want to change society's perception. We want to show that we place importance on production rather than consumption, that we want to leave something for future generations. It also became a concrete realization of the questions 'How do we convey this to children?' and 'How do we explain it?' We obtained all the products here by collecting them from outside. In fact, we collected things that people were throwing away, things that parents thought they would throw away. After that, we worked to evaluate them. After our work, our children came here and were very happy about it. Some even couldn't believe what they saw. Some said 'This was something I was going to throw away.' The fact that it was re-evaluated and converted into a new product greatly affected them," she said.

"We want to educate people and show them these examples"

  Çolakoğlu noted that government authorities attach great importance to the Zero Waste project and provide support, stating: "Currently, the Zero Waste project is being carried out throughout the country. We want to educate people and show them these examples. Our aim is to make a product usable and recycle it. That was entirely our purpose," she said.

"They made very nice things from waste"

A student commenting on how nice the library created from waste materials is, said: "They made very nice things from waste. They evaluated the waste very well. I love this place. My mother makes flower pots from yogurt containers at home. When I drink mineral water, I collect the bottles and bring them to school. They give us certificates there by weight. People should put their rubbish and waste in waste bins. They shouldn't throw them on the ground; they should protect nature," she said.