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Commitment Updated: 29 Mar 2022

Garanti BBVA and TURMEPA join forces to collect 10 tons of waste from the Marmara Sea

Garanti Bank is cooperating with the Turkish Marine Environment Protection Association/TURMEPA to further its goal of working toward a sustainable world and combating the climate crisis. Both organizations are collaborating to collect waste and prevent marine pollution in the Marmara Sea and the provinces of the region as part of the “Blue Breath Project”.

Garanti BBVA y TURMEPA recogen 10 toneladas de residuos en el mar de Mármara

One aspect of the project entails waste collection from the Marmara Sea. According to the 2021 TURMEPA report,  between September 21st and December 31, 2021, sea brooms collected a total of 9,820 kilograms of waste, which they later recycled.  This waste is equivalent to the amount produced by 8,690 people daily.

The project also had an awareness raising component, with online training sessions on a variety of topics, such as climate change and its impact on the seas, sea snot, sources of pollution, the zero waste movement, Sustainable Development Goals and carbon emissions. Over 10,000 students and over 600 teachers from 50 schools benefited from the training sessions between October 18th and December 29, 2021.

In addition, the Blue Breath Training Bus provided students training on robotic coding and production skills, taught by expert instructors from Garanti BBVA and TURMEPA volunteers with a zero waste philosophy.The training bus will continue to tour provinces bordering the Marmara Sea.

Finally, the Blue Breath Project also selects a number of ‘Blue Detectives’ - high school aged youth who are interested in the environment. The Blue Detective candidates develop projects to help protect the seas and strive to raise awareness by mentoring their peers.