Earth Day 2022: 15 ways to shrink your carbon footprint

You powered down for Earth Hour (we hope). But are you ready to turn things up when it comes to making long-term changes for the good of Mother Nature?

We’re all guilty of being in Big Foot country when it comes to our carbon footprint (props to those few already tip-toeing around on our behalf), so it’s time to get hyped about saving the planet.

Earth Day (the big bro of Earth Hour) falls on Friday April 22, and is a time when we should all be asking ourselves what we could do differently.

Here are 15 ways to shrink your carbon footprint on Earth Day – and beyond.

Compost your food waste

Food waste makes up between 30 and 40 percent of what we throw away, and binning it with your regular trash means it ends up in landfills where it releases methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. By composting your food waste instead, you can reduce these emissions massively. Plus, you can use the compost in your garden (or, more likely, for your indoor plants). You can grab all the composting bins and paraphenalia you need from the UAE’s My Green Chapter.
mygreenchapter.com

Become a Leader for Change with Emirates Nature – WWF

We all know we could do more when it comes to sustainability and the environment. The good news is that it will now be a lot easier to get involved and do our bit. Emirates Nature – WWF has launched the ‘Leaders of Change’ mission and is calling on UAE residents to get involved with environmental conservation in the emirates. From Dhs35 per month, you can become a Leader for Change and get access to a digital platform packed full of ways to make a real impact on the local environment. Members of the new programme, a first for WWF globally, can join wildlife experts on all kinds of activities and excursions in the UAE such as wildlife tracking, hiking in the mountains, trekking through wadis, kayaking in the mangroves, tracking biodiversity, and getting hands-on with clean-ups and conservation projects.
emiratesnaturewwf.ae/en.

Ditch fast fashion

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the fashion industry is responsible for around ten percent of carbon dioxide emissions every year. As clothing becomes cheaper and cheaper, it becomes both more accessible (so we buy more of it) and worse quality (meaning we throw more of it away after a few uses because of holes or other problems). In fact, the United Nations Environment Programme estimates that a truck worth of textiles is sent to landfill or burned every single second. By committing to buying less, opting for secondhand clothing, or purchasing from sustainable companies that are committed to reducing their environmental impact, we can make a huge difference. Want to shop second-hand? Check out the UAE’s RETOLD (shopretold.com) for affordably priced pre-loved clothes or The Luxury Closet (theluxurycloset.com) for pre-loved luxury fashion brands.

You might also like: UAE’s best second-hand shops and thrift stores

Eat less meat

Anyone who has caught the vegan docs on Netflix will have experienced a surge of terror when presented with the shadier side of livestock farming and its knock-on effects on the plant. One solution for downsizing carbon output is to stick your fork into something plant-based. And this is an avenue where living in the UAE puts environmentalists on easy street. The country has a thriving vegan gastronome scene that is always pushing the boundaries. There’s a bounty of treats both sweet and savoury to get stuck into, and it all tastes that much better when you realise the good it’s doing. Happy stomachs, happy world. Our pick for a vegan meal out? Little Erth by Nabz&G in Dubai’s JLT, or hit Café 302 in Abu Dhabi for brilliant veg burgers. And there’s a whole lot to be said for stripping it back to basics and just eating more beautiful, whole foods. Tomato salad, anyone?

Get a water filter

While lots of us turn to bottled water to keep hydrated, using up dozens of water bottles a week isn’t exactly great for the environment. But if you get an under-sink water filter installed, you can get drinking water that tastes just like bottled straight from the tap.

It will save you money in the long run, too. Check out Liquid of Life, one of several companies that can install under-sink-systems in the UAE.
liquidoflife.net

Jump on public transport

Local traffic is stuff of legend. And though depictions of jams have been wildly sensationalised by meme merchants (it’s not bonnet-to-bumper Lambos all the time), cars have long been the bane of environmental campaigners. Fortunately, the public transport in this neck of the woods is unrivalled. In Dubai, by jumping on the metro or tram anyone and everyone can help slash their impact on our fragile blue and green marble. Even better, those residing in Dubai’s more densely urbanised areas can download an app and hop in the saddle of a Careem Bike, or Tier’s electric scooters. Good for your health, better for the planet.

Not using it? Switch it off

If you don’t want to kill the TV at the plug every night for the planet, then do it for yourself. This is as much an environmental issue as it is a safety hazard. And while we don’t want to give you the spooks (we’ve got your best interests in mind, guys), flicking the switch can prevent the kind of incidents that require the gang with the flashing lights. Comprende? And don’t get us started on the A/C. If you’re venturing further than the garbage shoot then quietening the fans is a must. Again, if not for the planet, then for your bank balance. Dubai’s DEWA (dewa.gov.ae) app allows you to compare your water and electricity consumption against previous months – set yourself a challenge to bring your use of both in lower each month. While currently Abu Dhabi’s ADDC doesn’t offer the same ability to compare in detail, cost is a pretty good indicator. Set yourself a goal to gradually reduce by five percent each month.

Organise a clean-up operation

As far as city streets go, the UAE’s are spic and span. Leadership in this part of the world has placed huge emphasis on a culture of caring for the environment, both developed and natural. But we humans are messy creatures, and sometimes that mess can build up into a bit of an eyesore, particularly in the more rural desert regions of the country. Emirates Environmental Group has been helping support volunteers who want to clean up their act (and that of their neighbour) for years, making headlines annually with its Clean Up UAE campaign. With events held throughout the year, there is a strong focus on educating and inspiring the future generation about environmental preservation and sustainable development.
eeg-uae.org

Plant a tree

A Ghaf tree, the nation’s tree, to be precise. Inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s programme of ‘greening’ the desert, Goumbook (goumbook.com) has been planting trees in the UAE for more than a decade. That fine work has resulted in 25,000 saplings going into the ground, playing their part to clean the air we breath, scrubbing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere via photosynthesis (thank you, GCSE science).

But there are always more roots to be put down, and be you a corporate team or individual wanting to make a difference by offsetting your own carbon releases, Goumbook can facilitate your efforts. Green thumbs at the ready.

Recycle as much as possible

How many times have you stood next to the bin and wondered “is this recyclable?” before second guessing yourself and chucking it in the normal bin? We’re willing to guess more times than you’d care to admit. Print out a list of stuff you regularly buy that’s recyclable (or even find a handy graphic online), and stick it on your fridge. That way when you’re next staring at your shower gel packaging, you’ll know exactly where it belongs.

You might also like: Best ways to recycle in Dubai

Shop at stores with an eco-conscious Ethos

Throwing cash at a problem is never the worst solution to a problem (if you can afford it), but savvy supporters of the environment will be aware that their dirhams can work for the planet while also making their home sparkle. The Green Eco Store runs the full gamut of (environmentally friendly) household goods, from kitchenware and cleaning supplies to kids’ school gear and even T-shirts for the gents.
thegreenecostore.com

Swap the plastic for eco-friendlier alternatives

We’ve covered ditching the bottled water to cut down on plastic use, but what of the ubiquitous plastic bags? From groceries to shopping and take-out meals, everything comes in a plastic bag, and it is doing the planet absolutely no good. If reducing your carbon footprint isn’t enough reason to care for the planet, think of life underwater that’s suffocated by the weight of ocean plastic pollution (Yes, all our single-use plastics end up there!). But there’s good news because you can use so many eco-friendly alternatives. Buy jute bags for grocery shopping (www.carrefouruae.com), get cotton muslin bags to store herbs and greens (shifteco.ae), Stasher bags for almost all your plastic-free storage needs (www.virginmegastore.ae), or a cute beeswax wrap to ditch the saran wrap (www.noon.com).There’s options aplenty, get picking.

Use energy-saving appliances

Using less energy means fewer fossil fuels are burnt at power plants, and switching to energy-saving appliances will save you money, too. Energy-saving light bulbs can use between 75 and 90 percent less power, and that will quickly add up if you make the change throughout your apartment.

Wash your clothes less

Before you start calling us gross, hear us out. Washing our clothes releases half a million tonnes of microfibres into the ocean every year, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature believes that 35 percent of all microplastics come from laundry. We’re not saying give up cleaning your clothes altogether, there are lots of
items that you don’t need to wash after every wear. Pajamas, towels, dresses, skirts, trousers and jeans can all be washed every three uses, and sheets, pillowcases and bath mats once a week. You can also buy a microfibre-catching bag to wash your laundry in, too.

Volunteer with animal conservation organisations

Cutting down plastic and recycling are great ways of doing our bit, but interaction with animals just makes being eco-friendly all the more rewarding. Which is why, the volunteering opportunity at the UAE Dolphin Project is a great way to get involved in planet-friendly efforts. With accessible stretches of the coastline in Abu Dhabi, you can help benefit the local marine environment and dolphin population. If you are passionate about life under water and have some spare time, this is the organisation for you. You can sign up to be a general volunteer and be a part of one-off activities such as public events or field work, or you can sing up to be a permanent volunteer and join their core team with a minimum commitment of three to six months and between five to ten hours per week. (UAE Dolphin: Project, www.uaedolphinproject.org/volunteering). There’s many more kennels, animal shelters, and wildlife conservation centres in the country who’d be more than happy if you went up to help them. You’re one Google search away from helping the planet.

You might also like: Where to volunteer in the UAE