The Istanbul Canal: a major environmental challenge

By Albane Rousseau In the bustling city of Istanbul, a daring project is underway. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the driving force behind what he calls his “Crazy Canal Project”, a grandiose undertaking designed to relieve traffic on the Bosporus. Nevertheless, for Cemal Saydam, a retired oceanographer, “the proposed channel will not only affect Turkey but will cause an international environmental disaster that will affect … Continue reading The Istanbul Canal: a major environmental challenge

A breath of fresh air in Istanbul

Büyükada, the largest of the Princes’ Island located in Istanbul’s metropolis, holds a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. The beautiful landscapes and the absence of noise pollution gives the impression that time slows down. With the bikes and electric cars, it is the complete opposite from the city. Only 75 minutes away from the capital of Turkey, going to Büyükada is like entering a whole different … Continue reading A breath of fresh air in Istanbul

Forced transition: From gecekondus to gated communities

Text  by Isabella Balanchi – Photo by Moa Aulanko – The houses in Gülsuyu and Gülensu stand on a hill with steep streets and a view of both the skyscrapers of Istanbul and the twinkling turquoise Marmara Sea. The smell of jasmine flowers mixes with a vague smell of chickens and trash. Some of the houses are neat-looking and painted in bright colours, others are … Continue reading Forced transition: From gecekondus to gated communities

“It is not a question if it will happen, but when it will happen”

Text and photo by Jesse Hattink –  Earthquakes happen all around the world and can cause a lot of damage.  There is a 70 % probability that an earthquake will hit Istanbul in the next 20 years . How does the municipality prepare for this, and is it even possible to prepare?  Kandilli observatory in Istanbul monitors earthquakes all over Turkey. to do this they … Continue reading “It is not a question if it will happen, but when it will happen”

Shop till you drop in the Istanbul night

Text and photo by Nina de Groot –  In Istanbul, the shopping experience is one of a kind, as most shops in the tourist areas close after midnight. In this big city in Turkey the life does not stop, and the streets of Istanbul do not sleep at night.  Walking around in the streets of Besiktas in Istanbul, it is noticeable that there are a … Continue reading Shop till you drop in the Istanbul night

Working together with Nature

By Jaimy Witbraad Climate change is happening and the discussion around it takes many causative agents. With new policies on reducing CO2 emissions and a rising interest in vegan food, farmers need to change their ways. These ways lead to higher bills and many concerns for farmers. Luckily there is a solution: regenerative farming. The origin of the current farming systems we work with lies … Continue reading Working together with Nature

Meals of Tomorrow

By Lola Bessa The way we perceive, and experience food is of great importance. We need food to survive and therefore eat approximately two kilos of food a day. There are more foods than ever before and that’s why the future of the food system is more thrilling than ever.  What do you think of when you think about your favourite food? Is it healthy? … Continue reading Meals of Tomorrow

Thrifting a new self

By Melisa Salas It has been over a year since the world erupted into a state of chaos. It was scary, yet considered as a positive thing by many people. For many people, a national lockdown meant we got the time to reflect more on ourselves and grow as a person. On the 19th of March, three of my best friends and I were on … Continue reading Thrifting a new self

Time to press the green reset button

While the economy and businesses are rushing to return to normality, the Planet is in no hurry for pollution levels to rise again. It is about time we gave normality a green re-evaluation. By Veronica Kontopoulou It is May 2020; the air and water qualities have improved dramatically; the Himalayas are visible from Indian balconies for the first time in decades and videos of wildlife … Continue reading Time to press the green reset button

Heavy storm brings Istanbul to a halt

A North-Eastern storm has caused a lot of problems in Istanbul on Monday and Tuesday. Heavy showers and winds did significant damage to trees and homes, and several ferries on the Bosporus got into trouble, while one airport had to be closed temporarily. This disrupted the daily lives of residents and tourists in the city.   Text and photos by Bart Jacobs Due to the … Continue reading Heavy storm brings Istanbul to a halt