Environmental awareness is a rising value. Hardly a day passes without a protest or act related to the environment somewhere in the world. The fact that people take a stand for the environment is very inspring. The rising voice of the confident crowds who show their courage to object to the decisions of the country leaders who pollute the environment and reduce the green.
The associations, foundations and platforms, non-govermental organizations operating for environmental protection briefly, should draw attention to the citizens’ voice with the principle of ‘one hand washed the other and together they wash the face’, and also of course, the citizens awareness should be encouraged.
The country governors should take non-governmental organizations responds, criticisms and opinions into consideration and value them. In short, NGOs are indispensable institutions for democracy.
Are all of this environmentalist institutions well-intentioned? It is hard to say that for all of them. Superior powers can establish NGOs under the name of environmentalism and carry out operations in order to prevent investments in various countries. Are these organizations, supposedly acting on behalf of the environment, aware of what they actually serve while preventing investments and actions that will help improve the country?
In many countries, the companies considered as the patron of the tax record lists carry out investments in order to make more money by harming the environment. However, they can still protest against the investments of government’s in order to hide their own actions under the name of an environmental organization. Or else a company who could not win a tender from the government can protest against the investment that is subject to the same tender as a NGO, established by itself.
Every country has similar situations. Under these circumstances, it would be lack of foresight to say all of the environmentalist associations are well-intentioned.
Recoverable Damages
It is very essential for environmentalist organizations to keep their responses to a certain extent, taking into account the recoverable environmental damage.
We have seen that several important businessmen gave their support to the Gezi Park protests, which erupted last year as an environmental movement and turned into almost a rebellion. We all know what they actually cared about were not some trees. Because we know how many trees were sacrificed for their houses’ or villas’ constructions. I wonder if their faces go red when we ask about how many trees have been cut for their villas which are built for them to spend 3-5 days in the Mediterrenean or the Agean in order to enjoy themselves.
The young people who stood up for the trees, received the businessmen’s support however, do they realize how many trees have been sacrificed for the hotels these businessman built in order to sunbath for a few days in Bodrum and Marmaris?
Why do not environmentalist organizations stand up for forest pillages that are in the interests of the people as we call them White Turks while protesting the actions of the goverment? Do they think we are not aware of the fact that the people who are responsible for the forest pillages establish environmental organizations or support environmental NGOs and deceive people?
In recent years, we have learned that a former fashion designer who promotes crocodile bags and shoes will establish an Animal Foundation. One of our opinion columnist explained to her, before the establishment of the foundation, she could not be an animal lover with a fur over her shoulders, so she gave up her foundation idea.
Our country is full of countless examples of these hypocrisies.Unfortunately, we have few non-governmental organizations with enviromental awareness.
Our country is located in an important region and there are many people who have their eyes on it. It is the duty of every citizen to keep an eye open against these people.
Our young people with high level of enviromental awareness should be careful about what these “enviromentalist” organizations serve for, if they apply double standards and they should be alert to NGOs that protest against some investments that harm the environment and ignore other investments.
