From Market Waste to Sawdust, From Soil to the Future: A Circular Step Forward

At the workshop titled “I Make My Own Compost Bin, I Produce My Own Compost,” organized by Bornova Municipality, market and carpentry waste were converted into compost and reintegrated into the circular economy. Women producing in the urban garden received hands-on compost training while also being informed about water conservation and gender equality. Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki emphasized that the initiative represents a significant step toward environmental awareness and sustainable urban living.

The project, carried out by the Bornova Municipality Directorate of Climate Change and Zero Waste, aims to incorporate organic waste generated in the city into the circular economy and contribute to sustainable urban life.

Women’s Production Meets the Power of the Soil

The training was delivered by Fatma Mesutgil, Director of Climate Change and Zero Waste and Senior Environmental Engineer at Bornova Municipality. Women engaged in production at the urban garden created their own compost bins using recycled materials and learned, through practical application, the composting process and proper separation of organic waste. The compost produced during the workshop was later used in the urban garden to nourish vegetables and plants through natural methods.

Water, Soil, and Equality in the Same Cycle

Within the framework of the 2026 World Water Day theme, “Water and Gender Equality,” the workshop highlighted that compost applications increase the soil’s water retention capacity, thereby reducing irrigation needs. This approach not only supports water conservation but also helps ease the workload of women involved in agricultural production processes.

Mayor Eşki: “Small Steps Create Major Transformations”

Mayor Ömer Eşki stressed that the workshop was more than a recycling activity:

“This approach, which views waste as a resource, brings together urban agriculture and environmental awareness. When women’s empowerment in production is addressed alongside the protection of water and soil, we can truly speak of sustainability. The transformation that begins with small steps in Bornova will evolve into a large-scale environmental awareness across the city.”