Mosaic making holiday in Turkey

Planet

To protect the environment we:
- Reduce as much waste as possible, avoid buying styrofoam or plastics and use recyclable products whenever possible
- Have solar panels to produce hot water
- Have our own underground water source to water the garden
- Use environmental-friendly, recyclable products: cleaning products, dishwasher tablets, soap, shower gel, shampoo...
- Ask guests to use the ceiling fans rather than the air-conditioning and make sure to turn them off when leaving the room
- Ask guests to consider the environment and water waste when using towels and bed linen
- Mattresses are made from bamboo or aloe vera fibres
- Most of the food is seasonal, very fresh, locally grown and organic
- Have a lovely garden full of flowers and fruit trees: lemons, oranges, peaches, apricots, avocados, bananas to name a few - all organically grown
- Don't own a car and get around on foot or by bike. For longer distances we use public transport or our local taxi
- Participate in beach and forest clean-ups with volunteers in the area
- Regularly donate to the Sea Turtle Sanctuary on Iztuzu Beach (Dalyan) and several times a year we help release recovered sea turtles back into the sea
Last but not least:
- Mosaic is one of the oldest and most sustainable art forms in the world

Unfortunately, protecting the environment in Turkey lacks behind Europe, although things are improving slowly. We encourage local people and make them more aware so that they too can start making difference.

People

To support the community we:
- Employ local cleaners, gardeners, support small shops and no longer own a car; we rather support our local minibus and taxi drivers
- Buy fresh food from local people, who grow their own produce
- Give our own fruit to small shop owners for free so they can sell it
- Buy fish from the local fishermen (we don't eat farmed fish!) and buy our honey from the beekeeper
- Help harvesting the olives with the local people, take them to the press and then buy our freshly pressed olive oil from them

I strongly believe that when living in another country it is imperative to learn the language and be part of the local community. Turkish people feel honoured that, as a foreigner, you want to become part of their community. They welcome you and enjoy sharing their homes, traditions and their lives with you. My friends and neighbours are mostly Turkish. From weddings to funerals, social and religious events – I have been part of them.
I share this experience with my guests so that they feel part of it too.