Good People of vitruta: Altay Bayındır

Altay, welcome to Good People of vitruta! It's an honor for us to host one of Turkey’s prominent national football players in such a visible branch of sports. We've followed your journey for a long time and know you've carved a unique space for yourself in the football world. But let’s hear it from you—who is Altay Bayındır, how did it all begin, and how is it going?

Hello, everyone. I’m Altay, born in 1998 in Bursa. As the youngest of three siblings, I started my football journey following in the footsteps of my older brother, who played as an amateur. I believe that nothing in life is a coincidence, and I am a firm believer in professionalism. Thanks to a mix of professional guidance and trusting my mother’s instincts, I continued my career as a goalkeeper, and I couldn’t be happier with that decision.

We read that you enjoy playing PlayStation and chess with your roommate. While PlayStation is a popular pastime for football players, especially during training camps, we wanted to ask about your interest in chess. Where does that passion come from?

Football is an intense career with emotions running high. At times, you’re under a lot of pressure, and if you think of football as just 90 minutes on the field, you’d be mistaken. That's why I aim to develop myself mentally as well as physically. I find strength in silence, my plants at home, my favorite hobby of reading, and chess. Chess, in a way, is like playing the match beforehand—it helps me gain a different perspective, both on and off the field.

You live a pretty intense schedule; what do you do when you're not training? How do you spend your free time?

I make sure to spend time with my family. They still live in Bursa, so whenever I get the chance, either I go to them, or they come visit me. Apart from that, I try not to miss my English lessons. But if you ask me how I'd like to spend a day off, I’d say at home :) Home is one of the places where I feel the happiest. A nice movie, a favorite meal, a little walk, comfortable clothes... I’d say that's a short summary of a perfect day for me.

How do you feel about books? Are there any books you've recently read and enjoyed that you’d recommend to us?

I love reading. I read to express myself more accurately, to become familiar with even the most distant cultures, and to develop my understanding of ideas. There’s no need to recommend a book that everyone is already familiar with, but I’ve only recently found the time to read it: Sapiens. As I read it, I feel like I understand the present and human behaviors I didn’t quite grasp before. Also, Sunay Akın’s books are always in my bookshelf...

As we entered 2022, we saw that you set a very different goal for yourself with your post on social media: “I want to reduce my personal carbon footprint, use less plastic, raise awareness for our nature, and create as much impact as I can.” This statement changed the way people view you and attracted a lot of attention. What would you like to say about this? How did your awareness in this area develop?

I believe that sports can inspire collective movements. I don't want to load too much meaning on myself, but especially considering our public lives and the accessibility of social media, there’s no reason why we athletes shouldn’t take the lead in doing good things. Whether we call it awareness or simply observing life and being a part of it, I’m just someone who lives life, and it makes me happy to do that as an athlete while creating positive impact.

Can you share three practical sustainability tips you've implemented in your life that we can also follow?

Now, I’ve started taking my water bottle to the matches. I also prefer drinking my coffee in my thermos, and being more mindful of plastic waste is another small step I’ve taken that I’d like to share with you.

Has this approach affected your style in daily life as well? What is your general style like? What do you prioritize when shopping?

I believe that simplicity is sophistication. Recently, I’ve been focusing on choosing products with sustainable production and usage conditions. When shopping, I prefer to choose calm pieces that I feel comfortable in, which suit my age and athletic personality.

Since we’ve talked so much about sustainability, let me ask you the question we always ask at Good People; what do you recommend we read, listen to, or watch regarding sustainability?

For those who are just starting to explore sustainability like me, I’d recommend Devin Bahçeci’s “Personal Carbon Footprint Guide” and following social media accounts that tell stories about the new wave of sustainability trends.