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| [traditionally passengers only] |
21 June 2011
well done Maha!
In writing this blog for the last almost-3 years I have tried to convey a little of what it's like to live in the UAE, share with you some of the more interesting or offbeat stories and generally give you an unbiased viewpoint on my life in the desert. Where-ever possible I have stayed away from political or religious judgments, comments or opinions, as it has never been my intention to offend or upset anyone. However there is a small and interesting rebellion going on in Saudi Arabia at the moment that I feel I must share with you - in case it's not made the news anywhere else - and furthermore give my support to. And this is not because it's a religious or political thing, but rather a way of showing my solidarity with these women who are making a point about what isn't working for them.
7 June 2011
"green" the new gold?
There are some encouraging signs that things are changing in the Middle East. And no I'm not referring to the Arab Spring movement or anything political. No the thing that is encouraging for me is that environmental issues are slowly becoming mainstream and being talked about in the newspapers; all kinds of people here are taking steps themselves to have less impact on the planet.
Stu and I do our small part; we recycle as much as we can, sadly there is no collection at the house and we have to take the recycling to a depot but that's ok. The food scraps we turn into compost with our Bokashi, a great way to improve the poor desert sand in the garden. Other than that we turn off air-cons in rooms we aren't using, turn off the water heaters, use LED globes in the lamps and turn lights and appliances off when not needed. We are also about to switch over to a chemical free cleaning product called Enjo, which cleans with water and fibres only. Apart from having a positive effect on our carbon footprint (which is the biggest in the world here in the UAE apparently) these changes have also had a positive effect on our utility bill each month. As the cost of water and electricity climbs all over the world this may be the thing that gets people motivated - the dollars and cents. Of course it's great that we all do our bit at home, but in my opinion it's not enough. The bigger consumers - the shopping malls, office blocks and other industries - must also start being mindful of their consumption. Small signs of this are starting to be seen and it's very encouraging to me.
Stu and I do our small part; we recycle as much as we can, sadly there is no collection at the house and we have to take the recycling to a depot but that's ok. The food scraps we turn into compost with our Bokashi, a great way to improve the poor desert sand in the garden. Other than that we turn off air-cons in rooms we aren't using, turn off the water heaters, use LED globes in the lamps and turn lights and appliances off when not needed. We are also about to switch over to a chemical free cleaning product called Enjo, which cleans with water and fibres only. Apart from having a positive effect on our carbon footprint (which is the biggest in the world here in the UAE apparently) these changes have also had a positive effect on our utility bill each month. As the cost of water and electricity climbs all over the world this may be the thing that gets people motivated - the dollars and cents. Of course it's great that we all do our bit at home, but in my opinion it's not enough. The bigger consumers - the shopping malls, office blocks and other industries - must also start being mindful of their consumption. Small signs of this are starting to be seen and it's very encouraging to me.
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| [Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre*] |
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