Ayla Saruhan

I am here because I want to continue learning more about the climate crisis and what people can do on a day-to-day basis to prevent the Earth from reaching the tipping point at which humans will face extinction. As someone who grew up in a big city, I found that it can be easy to become disconnected from nature and the world around us as we get caught up in school, work, and our daily errands. While completing our daily chores, we may not be thinking about the effects that our actions are having on the world around us as we are already thinking about checking off the next item on our to-do lists. However, it is important to pause and look at the bigger picture and realize that if we are not taking care of our planet then there is no point in the work that we are doing since our planet will become uninhabitable. I grew up in Istanbul, Turkey where the city is intertwined with nature, from the fishermen working on the Bosphorus alongside the seagulls to the street cats that are cared for by city-dwellers and tourists. Growing up in a city surrounded by water fostered in me a deep appreciation for the sea and wildlife. I have many fond memories of spending summer days on the beach looking for shells with my mother, or playing in the waves with my brother and father. I want to make sure that the children of future generations can enjoy the planet in the same way that I did when I was growing up.