Yeşil İz
SMALL STEPS, LASTING IMPACT. YOUR EFFORT COUNTS.
What is Yeşil İz?
Yeşil İz is a youth-led environmental initiative bringing high school students together to raise environmental awareness and take meaningful action for our planet.
What do we do?
Environmental Projects
We organize projects that create tangible environmental impact.
Awareness & Education
We encourage young people to learn about environmental issues and plan to organize events.
Volunteering
We bring high school students all around İstanbul together to take action.
Community
We build a growing, prestigious network of young people committed to a greener future.
Our Mission
The purpose of establishing Yeşil İz is to minimize the damage inflicted on nature while reaching as many volunteers as possible. By bringing high school students together under one roof, we aim to raise ecological awareness and empower them to make a meaningful, tangible difference in the world.
Our Vision
Our vision at Yeşil İz is to create a more sustainable future where environmental awareness becomes an integral part of everyday life, and where people view their responsibility toward nature not merely as a duty, but as a shared value. We strive to build a society in which young people are not only followers of change, but also its leaders.
A note from the founders
Arya Döven and Sena Karapıçak
We are both studying in Üsküdar American Academy, planned to graduate in 2030. Meeting through the UAA Debate Club, we found that we had similar interests and passions, especially about the environment. We found that we were both very bothered by how dirty our city was. We thought that if we educated teenagers, we would promise a clean future for Türkiye. It became our mission to help young people like us understand how important the state of the environment is and take small steps to change it. Because even though we will start in İstanbul, we hope to globalize our ideals and empower every teenager to know that they can make a difference.
Leadership & Team
Presidents & Founders
Sena Karapıçak & Arya Döven
Studying at Üsküdar American Academy, Sena and Arya co-founded Yeşil İz to raise ecological awareness among high school students across Türkiye and drive meaningful environmental action They also organize the activites and the PR of the organization.
Vice President & Lead Platform Architect
Hüseyin Gültekin
Also studying at Üsküdar American Academy, Hüseyin leads the digital architecture and executive operations at Yeşil İz, engineering and custom-building the entire web platform and administrative infrastructure from the ground up.
Better Parks
Details about the Better Parks project...
Healthy Trees
Our "Healthy Trees" project is based on keeping forest habitats clean.
Clean Coast
Our "Clean Coast" project is based on keeping coasts clean to protect sea animals and nature's beauty.
Project Green
"Project Green" aims to raise young people's awareness about the importance of the environment.
Getting Involved
Apply to Volunteer
Volunteer Application Process
Application Form Closes: October 10 2026
Volunteers Announced: October 20 2026
Starting October 20, a WhatsApp group will be created for selected volunteers, where all announcements, updates, and important information will be shared.
How Does the Volunteer System Work?
Being selected as a Yeşil İz volunteer does not automatically mean that you are considered an active volunteer. Your volunteer status is shaped by your participation in events and the active contribution you make throughout the process.
After each event you attend, you will receive a Volunteer Certificate documenting the amount of time you contributed to that event. At the end of each term, additional certificates will be awarded based on your overall participation:
- 4 events: Active Volunteer Certificate
- 7 or more events: Outstanding Volunteer Certificate
This system allows your time, commitment, and contributions to Yeşil İz to be formally recognized and documented throughout your volunteering journey.
Green Journal
What did we do every month and what do our volunteers think?
September
Published the volunteering application form on our Instagram account and website.
Weekly Knowledge
Weekly updates and environmental facts will be shared here.
Support
Help us make a difference.
Your donation directly supports Yeşil İz's environmental initiatives and helps us reach more young people across Türkiye.
Every donation, no matter how small, helps us organize more projects, reach more volunteers, and create a greater impact.
Donate today and support a greener future!
Our donation platform is coming soon.
We are working to create a secure and transparent way for you to support our projects.
Rewards
After each academic year, the names of all volunteers who receive an "Active Volunteer" or "Outstanding Volunteer" certificate will be featured on our website as a way of recognizing and publicly documenting their dedication and contributions to Yeşil İz.