As a range of world-renowned brands attempt to take steps towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future, some social media influencers are also playing a major role in raising awareness among the public.
Influencer Gamze Biran, a fashion blogger with a substantial following, inspires her followers with both quality content and environment-conscious posts. We chatted with Gamze about her posts and her role in increasing environmental awareness.
-You’ve been a fashion blogger for years. Was there a turning point that made you pivot to sustainability and raised your awareness?
– When I looked in my closet, I saw clothing that I was waiting to wear one day and cosmetics that I was waiting to use.
To be honest, it tired me. At that point I asked myself, “do I really need all of this?” and I saw that a simpler, more minimal and, most important, more sustainable life for the world is possible.
–Globally, many sectors have been working on sustainability and recycling. As a name in the fashion industry, what changed in your life after you began reshaping your content in this direction?
– First, I decided that I wanted to continue my life in this direction, and then I moved my content in that direction. At the beginning, I was a little fearful of the potential reaction from my followers. After all, they were following me for fashion. But their reactions were so positive that I started to make most of my posts about sustainable living.
-Small changes in everyday life are important for a sustainable future. What can people do, day to day? What do you do?
– I’ve been saying this from the very beginning – that even what we consider a really small step can make big changes in the world. Imagine that you refrain from buying a plastic bottle today and imagine that millions of people around the world do the same thing. That’s when we can make a major impact. When I leave the house each day, I always bring a tote bag with my coffee thermos and water bottle. In this way, I can easily make sure that I don’t use plastic or disposable containers during the day.
-We know you love to travel. So, what can we do to be more environmentally friendly when traveling?
-That we have had to reduce our air travel during the pandemic has actually reduced our carbon footprint significantly. Also, if you bring snacks and fruit on car trips, you’re less likely to purchase packaged food where you stop on the road. If you bring own cutlery, you’re less likely to use plastic cutlery, thus making a waste-free and hygienic choice. You can also bring your own products when you travel, such as shampoo and shower gel in travel-size bottles…the list goes on and on.
–Where are your favourite places to travel in Turkey?
– The coastline stretching from Izmir to Antalya… Even the thought of it makes me long for summer!
–You’ve raised great awareness in a short time with your environmentally friendly posts. Do you have new projects on this topic or new goals you have set for yourself?
-I want to share more about it and raise more awareness. Every day I get messages from people who are taking steps towards sustainable living. The more people are affected and the more they take responsibility, the more a better future is possible.
