Going green isn’t just a fad, it’s a responsibility. We’re all great at ignoring the damage we do to the environment, but with every generation the need for environmental reform grows more and more. We know you don’t have time to go out there and physically plant the trees (not that it would stop the damage – deforestation has become the least of our worries now) but there are changes you can incorporate into your life that will make a cumulative difference. So go on, read the list, make the changes, then try to see how many people you can get to follow suit. Your grandchildren will thank you for it, we promise.
At home
Spare your air-con: Your air-conditioner is likely responsible for your home’s largest carbon impact. Yes we live in the desert, and yes there’s no way around using the A/C, but there are things you can do to reduce the overall damage. For starters, keep the temperature at around 25 degrees, which is the optimal temperature-to-power consumption ratio. Also, don’t blast lower temperatures when you walk into the house; they don’t speed up the cooling process much, and you run the risk of forgetting them on that setting. And finally, if you’re not using a room, or are leaving the house, turn it off; it’s great to come back to a cool house, but if enduring a few minutes of warmth helps save Mother Earth, we vote Earth.
Go Fluorescent: Fluorescent bulbs are your friends. We understand that harsh white light may not be aesthetically pleasing to the more Feng Shui of you, but the sacrifice brings heaps of carbon karma and shaves a chunk off your energy bill. If you’ll put your geek hat on for a minute, we’ll give you the breakdown: a lumen is a light unit (of sorts) and for every watt of energy consumed, a fluorescent bulb can produce anywhere between 50-100 lumens. Conversely, an incandescent bulb produces around 15 lumens per consumed watt, which makes it four to six times less efficient than its energy saving counterpart. Green power!
Ditch the dryer: Got a dryer? Oh for shame. Unless your flat doesn’t come with a balcony, there’s no excuse for not using the hot desert air to dry your clothes. It’s far quicker, and your average clothes rack can handle just as much clothing as a large dryer. Pro tip: if you live in a dusty area, don’t leave the clothes out for too long or they’ll need another run in the washer; and then where would the environment be? And while we’re on the topic of washers, use cold water instead of hot. Less energy, better for sensitive fabrics and unless your clothes are filthy (think soccer kids and mud) then it shouldn’t make a difference.
For more tips on being green in the capital or news of where to recycle, visit the government website www.abudhabi.ae/en or try abudhabiecochicks.wordpress.com, for advice on everything from chemical-free cleaning to volunteering opportunities
At the supermarket
Reuse your bags: Most supermarkets will have reusable cloth bags for sale, and that’s the first thing you should buy when you get there. These things are miracles, and some of us at TOAD have been using the same ones for over a year. And yes, if you forget them at home, buy more reusables: plastic bags are evil incarnate. If they aren’t available, then for goodness sake stop the supermarket baggers and bag your own items: TOAD scientists have estimated that a Dhs250 shopping spree will see baggers use no fewer than seven bags, including one to hold nothing other than a single shampoo bottle or bar of soap.
Buy local: Whenever possible, buy local products. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, then pull out a map and buy things that come from the closest possible countries. That potato you’re eying? A steal at just a couple of dirhams, but remember that those two dirhams include a large carbon bill, courtesy of the trucks that carried them in from our neighbours. And those imported Dutch berries that sell for Dhs40 for a tiny box? Those need boats, planes and trucks to get to your local market, and both you and the environment pay that bill. Visit the Emirates Hydroponics Farm website (www.emiratesfarms.com/shop/index) where you can shop for a wealth of guilt-free and delicious fruit and veg.
Ditch the bottles: Bottled water is almost as evil as plastic bags. The UAE’s scrorching temperatures mean the average person can consume more than 10 litres of drinking water a week; that’s seven bottles per person. Family of four? That’s 28 bottles of plastic a week that go to some landfill somewhere, and they’re all on our heads. Large, reusable water gallons are the key here – try Oasis water (www.oasiscome2life.com), which delivers for free to your home and office. And while you’re at it, save drinking water by not abusing it, and instead of cooking with it why not buy an industrial-strength filter and cook with tap water?
Out and about
Use public transport: Yes it’s great to have your own car, and be able to go wherever you want, whenever you want, but since Abu Dhabi has so many clean air-conditioned buses you can do most of your moving around without one. Buses are fairly regular, but visit www.ojra.ae/en_bus for a full list of routes and timetables. Don’t want to give up your wheels? Learn to share instead – www.carpoolworld.com is a good place to meet like-minded people willing to take their turn driving the long Abu Dhabi-Dubai commute, and you can save fuel money as you save the world. People living in quieter communities might like to give cycling a try. A trip to the shops is healthier on you and the planet by bike, and you can pick up a cheap used bicycle at Middle East Bicycle Trading (Post Office Road, Madinat Zayed, 050 541 5170).
Buy used goods: Plenty of online sites list a wealth of used goods, from furniture to clothes to cars, there’s almost nothing you can’t buy used if you’ve got a mind to. Try www.dubizzle.com or the dubiously named www.gnads4u.com to browse a treasure trove of used furniture. Buying used means you’ve given a second life to an item that would otherwise end up in the trash pile, and saved on manufacturing and shipping costs. And why not sell or give away old furniture and household items if you’re leaving? www.takemyjunkuae.com will cart away any unwanted items for free – and it’s for a good cause, with items and proceeds from sales going to labourers and low-income families.
