Warm greetings from the Emirates Environmental Group!
A strong sense of community spirit and enthusiasm pervaded the air as we joined hands in the celebration of Earth Hour on 31st March 2012. Held at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, more than 200 members of EEG joined other like-minded environmentalists, government officials and individuals for the Earth Hour 2012 activities organized by DEWA and held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.
This momentous occasion witnessed the participation of thousands of people across the UAE and 150 other countries around the world, highlighting the importance of saving energy. In Dubai alone, the event resulted in the mitigation of 130,000kg of carbon emissions and a savings of 216Mw of power, a 6 per cent increase in the energy saved compared to last year.
The message was clear: the event was not just about turning off the lights for one hour, it was a moment to reflect on our actions and to work towards a more sustainable use of our resources, which we owe to our future generations.
This month, we will continue highlighting our environmental stewardship with the World Earth Day celebration on 22nd April. Protecting the environment is a relentless pursuit, which we should inculcate in our daily lives. We must remember that even the smallest change in our consumer behavior can make a big difference to our planet's well-being and for sustaining our resources.
This being said, I would like to remind and call on everyone to exert greater efforts in achieving the target of 25,000kg of Aluminium Cans this year as part of our Can Collection Campaign. Start collecting Aluminium Cans today - pick them up whenever you see one littered on the street or in your workplace, store the emptied beverage cans in your house, and participate in our next action day on 5th May. We would be delighted to welcome all of you with your families, friends, neighbours, and officemates, participating in this drive eagerly. As we always say, let us give back to our planet by actively promoting recycling.
Prior to our Can Collection Drive, we will be organizing our Annual Inter School Environmental Public Speaking Competition on April 29-30, also as part of our Earth Day celebration. There are two categories in the competition. The Sub-senior Category (for students aged 13-15 years old) topics will revolve around two themes: 'Every Drop Matters!' and 'My Climate, My Responsibility.' For the Senior Category (16-18 years of age) the themes are 'Consumerism and its Effects on the Environment' and 'Social Media and the Environment: How Far Could They Go to Protect Earth? This competition is highly popular in the UAE so schools are required to register soon as we will be accepting entries strictly on a first-come, first-serve basis.
I would also like to invite each of you to our 4th Community Lecture for 2012 that will focus on the topic "Assessment of Sustainable Building Materials" The speaker, Mr. Imad Juma Mohammed, is the Head of Structural Unit and Engineering Materials Laboratory of the Dubai Central Laboratory Department of Dubai Municipality and will discuss the importance of materials testing to achieve efficient use of electricity, water, and renewable energy. Testing of materials can also help improve the quality of finished products supplied to customers; increase the life span of buildings; help protect the natural environment; conserve biodiversity; and improve the community health. This Community Lecture is open to the public and will be held on 24th April 2012 (Tuesday/ 7:30pm) at the Emarat Atrium.
For the corporate sector, our sister organisation, the Arabia CSR Network will launch the 5th Cycle of the Arabia CSR Awards this month. This is definitely another milestone and an occasion to celebrate the achievements of public and private companies in enhancing their social and corporate performance to promote sustainability and to have a greater positive impact on society.
Before I conclude, I would like to leave you with this reminder: "As stewards of the planet, let us do our share in ensuring our sustainable social and economic progress by nurturing our environment. Let's make every hour an Earth Hour and every day an Earth Day!"
HABIBA AL MARASHI
Chairperson EEG
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