Gulf News blog: Zero waste man and woman

Dubai: Gulf News's Sara Shurafa and Jaye Lentin will be attempting to follow best practice methods in Wiping out Waste set out by a team of experts. A tough task? You bet. You can follow their daily efforts as they blog about their tasks by bookmarking this link. Click on the names to find out a little bit more about Sara and Jaye, and click here to see all the information on the Wipe out Waste campaign. Updates will also be fired out on Twitter. And you can follow Gulf News by clicking here.

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Published 09:23 April 12, 2009

Traffic!!!! What not to try to waste when you are just stuck there, for me I cannot avoid traffic, as I live in Sharjah and work in Dubai, so no other choice but put my self in that ditch.

Maybe I'm much luckier than other people I know, as I start work at 7am and leave at 4pm, that way I'm somehow safe from the congestions but I still go through the slow traffic flow.

For me I don't like to share my morning drives with any one, or car pool, I cherish these early hours of the morning, as I'm a morning person and just enjoy the peace in them. This hour for me is just like any other hour by which people spend in yoga classes, or in praying.I drink my coffee listen to a Lebanese singer called Fairuz, and then switch to the news.

At evenings I rarely get stuck, and when am stuck, I just spend it on the phone, calling my friends back home, or sorting some of the issues a person has to sort, or even puting schedules and planning the weekend.

Maybe being stuck, instead of being home relaxing for most of people is a bad thing especially on a bad day, I've been there. But to think of it positively, it's an hour break from the hectic life we are living in, you get to be with your self in a small place (car) and stuck to think the things you postpone all day.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 12:10 April 8, 2009

We can save water

We've heard so much about global water shortages that it seems most people are indifferent to the idea. When I was a kid and first heard the concept, I remember running to the nearest tap, letting it gush and thinking: “Great, they don't mean us.''

For most of my life I've been oblivious of the impact that lifestyles have on water supplies. I was always taught to not leave taps running, to wash things with one bucket and to water the garden, not the driveway. The problem is that I've never actually been without water, which makes it hard for me to comprehend the need to make lifestyle changes that help solve a problem which I'm not experiencing. These are legitimate feelings on my part, but they are undoubtedly born of ignorance, which is no excuse. I have begun to educate myself and I'm truly becoming aware of how many lives suffer through terrible conditions because of our approach to water consumption.

Industry and commercial farming, specifically with livestock, are the biggest culprits when it comes to depleting and polluting our water. Damn them, right? Well, industry water taps flow to meet the demands that individual consumers issue upon them. Farming companies destroy water resources to plate up the food that we want to eat. Our choices as individuals contribute directly to the two largest culprits of water waste. By curbing our consumerism and excluding animal products and processed foods in our lives, we are voting for a sustainable planet and saving more water in one day than we would use to wash for an entire year.

When you look at the global statistics, bar graphs and pie charts that document just how much water human's waste, it's easy to feel small and insignificant. Figures rocket into the hundreds of thousands and most of us are left wondering how we as individuals could possibly make a difference. In fact, many of us make no effort to save water and hide behind the idea that a single persons efforts are too minuscule to count. I am slowly overcoming this mindset by taking responsibility for the fact that we as individuals are collectively responsible for every drop of wasted water, be it from our own taps or the taps of irresponsible industries.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published at 14:15 April 6, 2009

Water, a vital yet a scare resource

I was born and raised in a country where water is a scare resource, people there don't try to save water because of morals, or to save up on bills but in order to keep what they get for as long as they can.

So in order to save what we have, me and my family developed techniques, and they became a habit, even when we left that country we still did some of those practices. The worst practice is opening a tap and leaving it open when you brush your teeth, take a bath or wash the dishes. Even using the dish washer, flushing the toilets, or doing laundry with couple of items is a bad habit that wastes a lot of water

We used to bath with one bucket of water, brush our teeth with half of glass of water, never flush the toilet but rather pour half a bucket or an amount that will do. When it comes to laundry we used to have one day in the week for that, that way we will have loads of things to wash together (if you don't know the machine consumes the same amount of water if you wash one or 10 items). We never got a dish washer, my mum used to soap all the dishes before rinsing them all together.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published at 17:45 Apirl 2, 2009

I 've had quite a lot of curious inquiries about my shampoothie post, so here are some pics showing exactly how I made it. I actually used a scoop of it to shave my beard this week and it worked perfectly. So I'm giving up the shaving cream too. Also, I stopped using toothpaste about eight days ago and my teeth are as happy as ever.

Now I think at this point I should take a moment to clarify the changes that I've made in my grooming habits. I've had a lot of strange looks from people who think that I've just stopped washing and looking after myself completely.

This is not the case. I rinse my hair and skin with fresh water daily and a few times a week I'll make a hair and skin treatment out of fresh fruits and vegetables, which I use to wash and shave. I floss every night and I use a wet toothbrush to thoroughly clean my teeth at least twice a day. All that I've stopped doing is using unnecessary chemicals that cost money. If I ever attempted to wonder around looking filthy with dirty teeth and bad breath, my wife would most certainly be the first to stick a big fat needle in that balloon.

All these changes have shown me that there are so many things we do in our lives without ever questioning their value. Our grandparents show our parents, who then show us and so on. Over time these practices become ingrained in our identity and cultures, making us feel that to question them is disrespectful and even dangerous. I say that we must constantly evaluate whether what we do makes sense, otherwise we will continue a legacy of wasteful living that robs us of our ability to live at our full potential.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published at 19: 30pm April 1, 2009

Well, it's been one week since my last blog post. I've been feeling a little caught up in my own experiences and wanted to open myself up to some new ideas and see how others were responding to Wipe Out Waste. Many of the comments and articles have been very valuable and they've brought a very pertinent concept to my mind.

I often feel guilty because I know I could do more to cut out waste. Yet, I've refrained from eliminating some wasteful practices in the past because I assumed they would be too difficult or just impossible.

Unfortunately, negative thoughts and defeatist attitudes do not inspire me to do my best and feeling guilty because someone else is doing more than me only builds resentment. Every bit counts and anyone who makes an effort to cut out waste should feel proud.

It's not a competition. Having said this, I don't think we should rest on our laurels and use our accomplishments to excuse our bad habits. Our goal should always be 100% of our potential, whether we achieve it or not.

If we lower the goal and keep congratulating ourselves we'll end up as a very smug bunch of non achievers sitting on a giant pile of trash. If I aim for 50% change and reach it, great. If I aim for 100% change and reach 80%, even better.

So don't waste time felling bad about what you're not doing and don't sit back and admire your brilliance. Just open your mind to positive new ideas and inspiration will always follow.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published: 11: 45am April 1, 2009

Cleaning out the closet

This weekend I went through my closet. It was an attempt to figure out where my clothes start, and I was sure that they would never end ;)

After a few hours of getting my clothes out of the closet, I began sorting out what still fits, what's still in fashion, and what goes well for the office, a night out, and vacations.I got to realise that there are many things that I haven't worn for years now, so why are they still there if I don't use them?

My mum used to tell us always, "What you don't use, then you don't need, so get rid of it," and my mum never, ever wasted any of our things, she always did send them to charity.I have two big bags now lying in my room. I don't know what to do with them… I am sure that if I don't need them, someone else wants them, and I will feel guilty if they go to waste, so if anyone knows where can I take this stuff it would be a great help.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published: 07: 50am March 30, 2009

Down the drain

Rain, rain, rain … I like rain, but shiny rain. Um, what I mean is rain with some sunshine. This is the third day I don't see sunshine and I'm starting to get grumpy.

The only thing I could wonder of, with all that rain that went down on us, is if this city, or even Sharjah, has ways to conserve all this rain water… or is it wasted down all the drains?

Back home, statistics have indicated that 70 per cent of the rain and snow water goes to nothing. This is a big loss, especially when conserving it is much easier than distilling sea water :)

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Vote Earth

Guys you are all invited to vote for Earth on Saturday 28th of March from 8.30 till 9.30 UAE time. For the first time the whole world will also be voting, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.

It doesn't need any effort, just switch them off, and try to do something, for me I think I'll just go with couple of friends out to the beach and set there under the natural light of the stars :)

Common spread the word, join facebook groups, twitter it, blog about it… It just needs your voice and stand against global warming.

Check who is participating in UAE, the ones I know about are Dubai Holding they are voting by calling upon people to join them at JBR walk at 8.30, Nakheel is going to switch off lights at Palm and International city also.

So people be part of an international event :)

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published: 4:02pm March 24, 2009

Homemade shampoo

I made my own shampoo today and it was awesome. I threw one peeled lemon into a blender with one peeled baby cucumber and hit the power switch.

I then poured the light green concoction into a small measuring jug and marched off to shower. I used the blend just as I would regular shampoo, massaging it into my hair and scalp and then rinsing it out.

My hair felt great, fresh and lemony. I'm definitely going to experiment with different smoothie blends. I think I'll call them shampoothies. Now I'm wondering what other products I can make myself instead of wasting money on chemicals that do more damage than good. Any ideas?

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published 12:21pm March 24, 2009

Living a positive life

Today, I have completed one year in Gulf News and in Dubai. I don't think I have to mention how hard a first year can be….

Looking back, 2008 wasn't the best year for me. It was full of downs rather than ups, and it was full of disappointments, full of anger from people, and full of homesickness…

All of it a waste of energy, in my opinion, because it pulled me down and distracted me from appreciating other good things in my life here.

This year it will be a waste-free life for me. No more wasting time on grudges and anger, and on thinking what went wrong. I won't waste my time on negative thinking and on silly gossips and bad attitudes.

I will leave all that, lock it up in the attic with all the old stuff, and go through my second year with a positive attitude.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 11:27am March 23, 2009

A health hazard

Since I made a post about reusing my water bottle, and I have heard from many people that it is actually a health hazard. So I researched on the subject and found out that plastic bottles are safe to reuse at least a few times if properly washed with hot, soapy water.

But when they get through normal wear and tear while being washed, chances are high for chemicals to leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices.

One of these chemicals that leak is Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body's natural hormonal messaging system. BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels.

All this makes sense to me, so I decided to buy a water flask—as one of our readers have advised, but that will lead back to the same old problem of my life: losing the water flask and buying a new one each week.

So what shall I do? I tend to forget my things around. When I was a child, I used to forget my lunch box and get in trouble with my mum.

When I became a teenager, it got worse because I lost things that were costly, such as mobile phones, purses, jackets, umbrellas—you name anything that I can carry around and I would lose it.

So now my new challenge is buying a flask and trying not to lose it, because if I do, then I will also be losing money. :(

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 8:40am March 23, 2009

Naturally clean

I'm always looking for different ways to cut down on some of the consumer products that I use regularly. I've always been slightly weary of all the soaps, lotions and creams that are paraded before us with promises of cleanliness and eternal youth.

It seems strange to me that our skin, an organ which is meant to secrete, needs to be blocked up with chemicals every day in order to stay clean and healthy.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed that we're sold soap, which dries out our skin, followed by moisturisers made by the same companies. This is classic marketing, create a need and then provide for it.

Well, I don't buy the logic and I've cut down drastically on buying the products. I don't use any deodorant and I rinse my body with only fresh water every day, which cuts down on shower time.

I also swim in the sea at least once a week to get some natural salts on my skin and hair. I have been using organic soap and shampoo once a week, but I'm going to phase this out and use fresh lemons and other homemade fruit blends for a weekly treatment.

I'm also looking into a shaving cream alternative. This may sound quite extreme to most people but my diet is really clean, so my skin doesn't secrete bad odours. I don't smell even after an hour of hard exercise. It's great to not waste time or money on shelves of pointless toiletries.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published 9:50am March 22, 2009

Starting the week

After a calm and relaxing two-day weekend, you come to the office looking fresh, and ready to start your day. You open your PC and your email to find that in two days, or 63 hours to be exact, you have received about 100 emails.

You realise you need an hour to look through them, delete most of them and reply to a small bunch of them.

On most Sundays, I deliberately arrive at work by 7am so I can delete emails in my inbox before the work flow accelerates. But today I got here later than planned and got stuck with deleting emails.

I wasted my time, my energy and other people time for sure because I had to delete emails that I am sure other people spent time to send to me.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 11:42am March 19, 2009

Last Day of The Week

At last it's Thursday, and I have a two day weekend :)

Am all done and wasted, I always imagine my self like my cell phone battery, but the difference is that my cell phone battery needs two days to die and my physical battery takes 5 days, now am beeping "battery low", hopefully 5 pm will come fast and I will be on my bed recharging :)

Thinking of it, How much do we waste yearly on cell phone batteries? I think I need one battery a year

But you know that these things are very hard to dispose, and that they are lethal when we just throw them away. I have heard that there are places that collect cell phone batteries and can rebuild things from them, may be not…but at least I think we have to find a way to dispose them safely. and also ways to make them live more with us. Any Ideas??????

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 10:15am March 19, 2009

New Practices

I've added a couple of new practices to my daily routine and they seem to be working quite easily. I've been using half a glass of water to brush my teeth, so no more running tap.

I'm also trying to master the two minute shower and will let you know how it goes. When I leave my apartment I make sure all the lights and appliances are switched off.

I've also been making an effort to turn lights off as I leave a room. In the past when I was home, the bathroom, kitchen and passage lights were on constantly. This was nothing more than pure laziness on my part, so I'm kicking out the bad habit for a new one.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published 12:15pm March 18, 2009

Back Bone Waste

Good morning; I'm very happy with all the face book massages and blog comments me and Jaye are getting, truly it gives me a push forward knowing that people around me are interested and about to follow our lead. I also appreciate the tips given by Naina Nair and her daily comments.

Yesterday I didn't feel like going to the gym, just felt liked heading straight home, when I reached there the guilt of not exercising started to play with me. so I got into my bathing suite and went for a swim in my building swimming pool.

Positive thinking lead me to the conclusion of that swimming is an exercise, and in a pool water is not wasted as much as filling the bath tub, as the water is filtered not drained.

The temptation came after that, getting into the Sauna after the exercise was just the perfect thing to do. I got there and was about to start enjoying the heat and the relaxing tone and all what I could think of isn't that heat waste, isn't that heat waste…… but my debate was it relaxes my shoulders and muscles after spending the whole day in front of a computer, and concluded that my job is a waste of my shoulders and back bone ;)

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 10:00pm March 17, 2009

Talking trash

Here's the shocker. I've been amazed at how quickly the plastic bin fills up. I've managed to minimize my plastic consumption when grocery shopping, only occasionally buying berries or dates, which are only available in plastic tubs.

It seems almost impossible however, to avoid plastic as a consumer. I picked up some electronics gear for home a few days ago and it was literally imprisoned in plastic. I had to free my purchases using a sharp blade and I was left with a mountain of plastic waste.

I consoled myself in the knowledge that I was going to recycle it, but I'd be a much happier customer if I could buy products that weren't covered with five times their weight in eco hazardous trash.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published 11:55am March 17, 2009

Don't waste water

Fine but my car needs a proper wash, my baby needs a decent shower not a swab with one bucket of water.

I need a relaxing bubble bath with Dead Sea minerals, not a shower by which I close and open the tap.

Me and my car need to feel the life and to be glowing after a decent water bath with excess hot water :)

How long can I stick to a policy of No Water Waste, I have no idea.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 11:33am March 16, 2009

Bottling it up

Believe it or not, I used to hate water. I used to go a whole day without drinking water or maybe just have just one cup a day if I got really thirsty. This caused me many health problems, from kidney problems to weight issues. So I took the decision to force myself to drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day.

So to remind myself about the need to drink water, I used to surround myself with bottles. I had one in the car, one in the office, one in my hand bag and one beside my bed. Bottles became my companions.

Now I try to stick to one bottle that I refill at home or in the office. I must admit it is hard to kick the habit of keeping so many bottles with me, but last week I broke my own record by buying only two small half a litre bottles. I wash them everyday and refill them with water.

I am hoping to finally settle with just one bottle a week, but only if I don't lose the bottle!

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 08:31am March 16, 2009

A different way to weigh and pay

I had a full weekend with social commitments and two video shoots for work, so was quiet on the blogging front.

I also didn't get the chance to do a weekly shop at the market, but instead picked up groceries at a nearby mall. Not ideal as it's pricier, but I avoided waste by taking my own reusable shopping bags along and making an effort to not buy any packaged items.

The staff are getting to know me and are quite helpful. When I weigh my produce, I get them to skip the little plastic bags and put it straight into my own bags, putting the price stickers on only one item or one bunch of produce.

When I get to the checkout, instead of packing everything on the conveyor belt, I just hand over the few items with price stickers on them.

For instance, I'll put one bunch of bananas on the belt, priced at Dh40, which accounts for the eleven bunches that I have in my trolley.

The cashiers can see at a glance that I'm not trying to be sneaky and everyone can see that I'm doing things a little differently for a good cause.

I remember not trying this before because I assumed that shops would think I was trying to steal. I now believe that generally people will support you if you are sincerely trying to change for the better.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published 09:00am March 15, 2009

Veggies and fruits in numbers

Last night I went to Spinneys to pick up groceries for the week. Of course, I don't have to tell you how everything you buy is packed and wrapped, and it's an issue you cannot avoid, especially with fruits and vegetables.

The good thing I did, and for the first time in my life, I bought my veggies and fruits in numbers, meaning I counted how many apples I will be eating this week, how many bananas and how many tomatoes I will be using in my salad.

To give you a big laugh if any of my family and friends saw me yesterday that would have been a total knock off for me, because in our culture that's considered being cheap :)… we tend to buy in bulk and cook in bulk that's how we try to show our generosity (its just a Bedouin culture that is still stuck with us).

We tend to slaughter a whole sheep if we invite cousins over. Going back to yesterday, yes I bought four apples, three pears, four carrots, six cucumbers and – newsflash! – I'm not cheap but I'm not wasting food or money either.

That reminds me - food is sacred so please try not to waste it so your grandchildren won't starve.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 09:00am March 12, 2009

A good start for a good day
I have discovered that with a little effort to time manage the first 3 hours of my morning; I can really set the tone for the rest of my day.

Let me go over the routine I follow on most days. I wake up at 5:30am, brush my teeth, throw on my gym clothes and then cycle around 5kms to a nearby gym. I exercise for about 70mins and then cycle home. I used to drive to the gym, but find that the bike ride saves me time spent on cardio workouts and the fresh morning air is a great wake up. I also save on fuel.

Once back at home, around 7:30am, I eat breakfast and prepare food for the day. I pack a cooler bag with fruit and vegetables chopped up in reusable containers and I keep everything cool with two reusable ice bricks that I freeze every night. All the food is raw, so there's no cooking or reheating required.

This routine allows me to have fresh food available at the office, or anywhere I might be called out. I just cart my cooler bag along. I don't go hungry, thirsty or worry about where to get lunch and I don't have to spend money on overpriced pre-packed food.

There are occasions where I'll sleep in and head to work without food. It's funny how these are always the disorganised days that stress me out. I've found that in order to have a productive and energetic day with minimal waste, all it takes is a little morning planning.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published 09:00am March 12, 2009

Spinach vs supplements
This morning while I was having some Muesli and Greek yoghurt, Jaye was having this mixed shake of spinach and berries and raw stuff.

The thing that struck in my mind is when the web editor said spinach has a high iron in it, which is a great thing to put in a shake, so I balanced that in my mind and the conclusion was that I buy supplements for 700dhs a month and Jaye just blends spinash in his drink! In calculating that, Jaye can buy spinach for 2 yrs in what I spend on supplements for one month.

Can I drink what he drinks…. No WAY, I hate mixing food, I hate raw food and no way I can't start thinking of every supplement from where can I get it.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 09:00am March 12, 2009

Fruit for thought
I stopped by the central fruit and veg market yesterday and had a blast. There was fresh produce as far as the eye could see and I got stuck in. I filled the back of my car with a weeks worth of food for me and my wife and it cost me Dh400.

That's how much I was paying for one tri – weekly trip to the commercial stores, so big saving potential on my monthly budget.

Another bonus was that there wasn't a single plastic bag or container wrapped around any of my purchases. I took eight of my own eco – friendly bags along and just packed straight into them. There were also wheelbarrows at the market and I used one to make three trips to the car. I'm now going to keep an eye on two things.

Firstly, will this purchase actually last a week, or will I have to shop again?

Secondly, because I bought in bulk, will I end up throwing away any produce?

I was quite excited by the market, so didn't pay very close attention to all the items that were being loaded into my bags. I'm hoping this doesn't mean that I'll end up wasting by throwing out squashed or rotten food and then having to spend money shopping again. I guess I'll find out over the next couple of days.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Published 12:00 pm March 12, 2009 Lunchtime reflections

It's lunch time….

And to keep it between us, last night I was out late so didn't have the chance to cook lunch. I just ordered a salad and frankly I miss the steak salad from that place.

Everyone here on my team gave me the look of “WHAT ARE U DOING'' but excuse me I said life free of waste but not food :-) I will get to you guys later about the packaging. Bon Appetite for me.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 9:00am March 12, 2009 It's a WOWie day
Good morning… A new day of WOW… This morning I started using old print outs of paper as scrap paper, that made me smile as I am saving a tree somewhere ;) but that smile didn't last…guess what?

I went into the bathroom and the cleaning lady was drying the whole bathroom with tissue paper. WHAT A WASTE!! Ha! Can't she do that with a cloth? I do that, I have a cloth for every part of my house.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 11:00am March 12, 2009 A fresh start
Frankly I woke up this morning feeling so tired that I have no energy to waste on anything… But forced myself to make my coffee and my breakfast and get them with me to the office. So I wont be buying any packed food or consuming carton cups. Also I wont be wasting money.

In the office since 7am, in 10 minutes I'll be heading to get my coffee, u know what I take my cup with me :) ...first time I did that I got weird looks from the women serving the coffee, now she asks for my cup to fill it. Its all about habit right.

Posted by Sara Shurafa

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Published 10:00am March 12, 2009 War on waste
To kick off my war on waste, I will attempt to cut any unnecessary spending from my monthly budget. I'll be starting with a review of my weekly grocery shopping, which includes any odds and ends that attract my attention through the day.

I usually spend around Dh 400, three times a week, on food and household goods from commercial outlets and around Dh 50 – Dh 100 on fruit and salad from shops or cafeteria's on days that I don't bring food to work.

It always bugs me when I spend money eating out, knowing that there's delicious food at home that's already paid for. I also don't like the fact that all the produce I buy costs more because it's pre-packaged.

So I am going to check out a fruit and vegetable market that I've driven past a million times and also make sure that I bring enough food to work. By buying in bulk and then arming myself with fresh food for the day, I should be able to reduce my grocery bill and cut out daily splurges. Let's see.

Posted by Jaye Lentin

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Your comments

I would like to know more about using of microwave ovens.I've read in some books that the rays are harmful and not to use it to reheat cooked meat,fish etc. How true is this? Can anyone help me?
Fafeeq
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 08:42

Please encourage people to come to the UAE Can Collection Drive 2009 on May 28th, 9am - 1pm.
Nidhi Mehta
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 19, 2009, 11:01

I agree with the comment of Mr. Choudhry that pieces of glass are found on roads, footpaths and parks and it is dangerous and annoying. I make my children wear sport shoes instead of sandals or slippers even when we walk to the nearby supermarket so that the glass pieces do not hurt them. Instead of banning soft drinks in soft bottles, an option for recycling must be considered. Back home, even today when I purchase a soft drink bottle for takeaway, a deposit is charged which is refunded when I return the bottle. At times when we have a party and need many bottles, a larger deposit is charged which is refunded after all the bottles are returned. The soft drink companies take away the empty bottles and reuse and refill them after cleaning. A similar procedure could be adapted here wherein when a deposit is charged, people will avoid breaking the bottle or buy soft drinks available in cans or plastic bottles. Each one of us needs to get together to keep the country clean. Fines for littering must be imposed. Truly the government is spending a lot of revenue to keep the country green and beautiful. The authorities need to implement strict laws on littering and violators must be fined on the spot so that we residents have no reason to complain about litter on the streets.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: May 14, 2009, 17:50

UAE is doing well in keeping the environment clean and green, lot of government spending is quite evident in this respect and certain laws are also inplace for violaters who litter around. However, a couple of issues are consistently noticed in parks, green belts, road medians and walkways which is quite dangerous and annoying. The issues are pieces of broken glass bottles, cigarettes and edible seeds. Glass bottles used by people and broken on the roads and footpaths are no way acceptable in any civilised society and is highly harmful for the walkers. Likewise pieces of cigarettes and seeds spread all around makes the city face ugly. Is it possible to ban selling of soft drinks in glass bottles all around UAE to curb this problem?
Mohammad Aleem Choudhry
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 12, 2009, 10:18

It is "Earth Day" today. We all need to get together to discuss more ways of saving the earth and the environment. Most schools are observing earth day today by teaching children to make paper badges, bags, envelopes etc. Some schools are switching off electricity for half an hour to make the students understand the meaning of 'saving energy'. Reuse of newspapers by making bags and envelopes and the importance of saving water and electricity will be highlighted in schools. Each one of us can do our share to save the environment. Many of them have already started the good work. But those who are yet to join in can start today as today is 'Earth Day' and the best day one could choose to start doing their share for saving the environment and wiping out waste.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 22, 2009, 11:25

I agree with Jaye that most of us need to change our mindset about wasting water. Without realizing we waste so much of water throughout the day. Usually the attitude is 'When there is so much water why not use it. When there is a shortage we will see how to manage.' In my hometown I have faced water shortage. Our building used to get water supply for limited hours and we had to store water whenever we received the supply. Even now when I visit my relatives, I see that they are facing a similar problem. Water is a scarce resource and each one of us needs to stop wasting water. Maybe not all the people will agree or understand the situation. But some person somewhere has to start the thought process and surely many will follow. A thought can make a difference. Drops of water make an ocean, so every drop counts!
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 09, 2009, 11:44

Congrats to Sara and Jay for taking up the WOW campaign and trying to implement it into their daily routine. It is really interesting to see the different ideas that have been posted to avoid creating waste!
Mohammad Mazhar Al Deen
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2009, 16:29

You can use Skhikakai powder to wash your hair. It's natural. Also brush your teeth with mango leaves, it's refreshing.
Sarvajna
Manama,Bahrain
Posted: April 07, 2009, 11:00

As Sara suggests, sorting laundry and washing a full load definitely saves water. I have several laundry bags in my house as I separate out the white and coloured clothes. I wash the white school uniforms at the end of the week all in one load. Daily use clothes can be washed as and how a full load is accumulated. Keeping separate laundry bags assures that white and coloured clothes do not get mixed. I wash my embroidered and silk clothes separately in a bucket of water and drip dry. If we fold clothes neatly once it dries, we could skip ironing of most garments and save on electricity. Instead of ironing one garment daily, it would be better to switch on the iron once on the weekend and iron all the clothes at one go. This saves both electricity and time which is so precious especially on a weekday.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 07, 2009, 08:54

Your old clothes can be given to any church. Every church has allocated places and teams to ensure these are collected and distributed to the needy. I have seen this in Dubai and Sharjah as well. Good luck to both of you Sara and Jaye. WoW is a good cause and everyone must learn from it and ensure we all adapt it at home and at work as well.
Andrew Gonsalves
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 06, 2009, 14:52

I agree with Jaye that we must aim to do our best and not waste time in pondering about how successful another person is. We need to move on and give our best and try to aim higher each time. There are many people out there who are doing their bit to cut out waste and are spending time to send in their suggestions so it benefits others. It is a positive step towards helping society and an entirely selfless act. So if a few people are wasting some time to help many others in wiping out waste, I guess it is time spent well rather than wasted.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 06, 2009, 11:18

Like Sara, I am sure many of us face the problem of surplus clothes. My kids outgrow their clothes within a few months time. In India I used to give away the clothes to my maid who had kids younger than mine. Here, in the UAE I give away my clothes which I do not use to my maid. Sometimes I carry a few of my dresses to India and give it to some needy people. Some of the old T shirts can be used for dusting purposes in the house. The person who cleans the cars in our building uses old clothes for wiping the cars. Recently, I had been to a boutique where my purchase was given to me in an interesting cloth bag. Skirts or stoles which we do not use can be used for making these quaint cloth bags. A string can be sewn in as a handle. I am planning to give some of my surplus clothes for making these cloth bags which I can carry to the supermarket for shopping. I may have to pay the tailor a little money to get the bags sewn but I would be using unwanted dresses for a good purpose besides I would be replacing the ubiquitous plastic bag.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 01, 2009, 17:19

Sara, once a year (usually around Ramadan time) I clear-out my closet and donate the clothes to the Red Crescent Society. If you search for them you'll find their various locations around town where you can drop your bags off. They are also grateful for towels, bed linen, duvet covers, soft toys for children, etc.
Jessica H.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 01, 2009, 16:29

I am sure the two bags full of clothes will be gladly accepted by any charitable organisation in and around Dubai. I have donated clothing to charity in my home country, India, and believe me this simple act of charity and caring surely does bring many smiles of delight on the faces of those less fortunate than us. Being a 'new' expat myself, I am not sure of the details of Dubai based charities but am sure getting the same wouldn't be a problem as you just need to ask around. I really appreciate yours and Jaye's 'Crusade to cut out waste' and wish your tribe increases by the day!
Shiuli Dutt Dey
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 01, 2009, 16:28

Hi Sara, As for your old clothes, you may take them to the St. Mary's Church in Oud Metha, Bur Dubai or join the 'Walk for a Cause' in Mirdif on Friday. I sometimes give away my old but good clothes to the cleaning ladies in our office building, most of whom are happy to make use of it.
Shubh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 01, 2009, 15:08

Dear Sara, You can send your stuff (old clothes) to some charity organisation which can be used by poor people. I know one lady who is doing this good work by collecting old stuff and sending to Orphanages.
Shakeel Ahmad
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 01, 2009, 12:50

Yes, I'll go with Naina. It's true, I do the same thing. Shopping only once in 10 days also helps in saving money.
Fafeeq
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: April 01, 2009, 08:50

In India where I have come to visit my mother, water is boiled or filtered for drinking purposes. Most people have a collection of pearl pet plastic bottles for storing drinking water. I was very unhappy with the whole plastic bottles idea. So at my Mother's place I replaced those plastic bottles with a steel dispenser. It is easier to clean and will last for years together. We use steel glasses for drinking water instead of plastic disposable cups. Hopefully many of her friends will take the cue from her and thus save the environment from plastic cups and bottles. Besides, Sara had mentioned that reusing plastic bottles for a long time was a health hazard and I totally agree with her.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 31, 2009, 07:44

Jay, Shampoothies sound interesting, I am planning to give it a try. Thank you for sharing your tips, I have started including more raw food in my daily diet. Your posts are inspiring. Sara, congrats on completing a year in Dubai and good wishes for the coming year.
Joy Grace
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 29, 2009, 11:54

This is a really admirable attempt by Sara and Jay. Through this campaign "Wipe Out Waste" people are getting a clear picture of wastage in their every day life. Using this, many people will try to "Wipe Out Waste".
Shaikh Mohammad Ayoub
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 25, 2009, 09:47

Jaye you could use a mix of 2 tsp of honey with a squeeze of fresh lemon on your hair. It is an excellent conditioner and will leave your hair glossier than ever. Another hair conditioner is a mix of 1tbsp yogurt with one egg and 1 tbsp honey. Mix all three ingredients and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes and then you can wash with home-made shampoo. Tea also leaves the hair smooth and shiny. Make black tea as usual but without sugar. Cool and then apply on hair. Rinse after a while.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 24, 2009, 17:16

Congratulations Sara for your one year stint at Gulf News. I wish you great success in your career. You have taken a splendid decision to live a positive life free of gossip and negative thoughts. Bad attitudes and meaningless gossip can truly put a person in an emotional turmoil. Ignoring such people and thinking positively will surely keep you happy and help you reach higher in life. Life is too short to waste on unwanted emotions and we must live it to the hilt without regrets.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 24, 2009, 16:32

There is so much we all can do to save our earth and resources for a better living of future generation. *** Make sure your tap is not running while you brush your teeth...save water *** Switch off engine while attending red signals. *** Use fabric bags while doing supermarket shopping. These bags can be reused! *** Do not overload your children with toys instead buy limited toys and then 'please' give away for charity instead of just throwing them in bins (its a common scene near the bins in dubai you see toys / baby chairs / prams in good condition thrown by parents after the children have grown, these things can bring a lot of cheer in life of poor children) *** cook limited food enough for family consumption...do not throw food .. *** Do not throw your kids books after they have passed their final exams. Instead give an add in gulf news (its free)those in need of that class books will contact you these are just a few tips to save a load of natural resources and energy. We have to just create awareness...soon it will become a habbit.
Anjali B.Ramchandani
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 24, 2009, 13:26

Though I am at office and didn?t have enough time to read the full story and comments, I have one suggestion that I want to share with all. We can take our own cup, bottles or plates (not plastic) to the work place. We can save a lot of paper products that are thrown away in huge quantity on a daily basis.
Adeel Khan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 22, 2009, 14:05

Great Job Jaye n Sara! Its go to be something to try out 'AVOIDIN WASTES' with Dubai being the worst energy saving city! (Think of driving to the supermarket in a four-wheel drive!). As of now, I'm a bachelor so not much possible about 'not wasting', but I'm good with the lights and switches and also use my single disposable cup for water the whole dayat office rather than one every time I need water!
Geo
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 21, 2009, 00:43

All the best to Sara and Jaye in your attempt to cut waste. I read your blog everyday without fail. I take pointers from you and Naina to help me cut down on waste. Thanks to everyone. One small step by everyone will go a long way towards improving the conditions of Mother Earth. Remember April 22nd is Earth day.
Vinitha
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 19, 2009, 12:34

Hey... I am planing to carry a shopping bag/s with me to supper / hyper market or for shopping... Any suggestions on how to start this habbit?
Abdulrahman Othman
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 19, 2009, 11:44

Sara, you need to take small breaks while working. You could try some exercises which are done sitting on the chair at your workplace itself. Or take a small walk around the office. Maybe you would feel it is a waste of time, but it would help you put in more work as your muscles won't ache as much. Don't work to the point where you shoulders and back muscles start aching. Sauna is surely tempting and a good way to relax once in a while. A hot shower could also help you relax your muscles. Do put in the required hours of sleep at night so you would feel all perked up and ready to go the next morning. Do not waste a good night's sleep as it accounts for our entire work output the next day.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 19, 2009, 07:32

This is a comment on the "Bottling it up" entry. it is good to reduce your consumption of plastic bottles however many recent studies have shown that it is hazardous to human health to reuse water plastic bottles because they were intended to be used once and thrown away. Therefore I recommend that you purchase a metal water flask and use that. We should always be concerned about the environment AND our own health.
Lubna Haggag
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: March 18, 2009, 15:07

As in my building we do not have recycling bins, I place dry trash like papers, cardboard, plastic, juice bottles etc. in the lobby near the garbage chute, so the cleaning staff can give it to recycling units. But if separate recycling bins are installed in all buildings, people might take the cue and start sorting their trash before disposing.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 18, 2009, 07:48

Just like Sara, water is something I use more than required. But nowadays I have started making small changes so my water consumption goes down. Using the shower instead of the bath tub would definitely help save lots of water. Bubble baths could be had as a luxury after a hectic week at work on the weekend. Washing the car with a couple of buckets of water rather than using the hose would help. Dish washers and washing machines could be switched on only when we have a full load of dishes or clothes. That way we save both electricity and water. When just a few cups and dishes need to be cleaned, washing them directly under the tap would save electricity. Not wasting water is a bit tough but not impossible.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 17, 2009, 14:06

It is great when seeing a lot of people are really implementing these. I am a bachelor staying in Abu Dhabi, recently started self cooking.
Baskar (koKki Baskar)
Virudhunagar,India
Posted: March 17, 2009, 12:55

Even I try to avoid thin plastic bags for vegetables and fruits. Like when I buy a bunch of bananas I stick the sticker on one banana. Last time I did that, the person at the weighing counter was wondering why I didn't want the price sticker stuck on the bag. He did cast be a surprised look, but I just told him to do that with all the produce I had purchased. At the billing counter I faced another wry glance because I had purchased quite a few bunches of greens and as all greens were priced at the same rate I had not put them in the plastic bag. The person who was billing was holding the greens quite gingerly and did show some irritation for not having them packed in a plastic bag. But I guess slowly people will understand and accommodate people like us who are doing things differently like Jaye said for a good cause.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 16, 2009, 10:42

I totally agree...the article is real and fantastic.
Faiz Ahmad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 15, 2009, 12:12

Our culture definitely considers cooking little food or buying in small numbers as 'not being generous'. But like Jaye, I do not mind buying only as much as my family needs at a time. I usually stock my groceries on a monthly basis. This way I can avoid frequent trips to the supermarket where at times we ending up buying things which we do not need. Also, I make it a point to make a list of things I need before stepping into any supermarket. That way I can buy precisely the stuff I need and nothing extra. I also save time as I do not wander around wondering what lies in my shelf at home. Every month I rearrange my kitchen cabinets and dig out things which would otherwise lie in the back and get spoilt. Also checking on the expiry dates and placing the ones which are near to expiry date in the front and using them first would be sensible.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 15, 2009, 11:36

Hi, I am a Mechanical engineer, LEED AP. While studying for LEED i realised that we can save energy in everyday life and can lead to a Green Life! I have started a blog http://lead-green-life.blogspot.com/ on which i have listed energy saving tips for everybody. I am supporting Gulf New's Wipe out Waste campaign on my blog and I am already saving energy in my day to day routine.
Amruta Tavkar
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 15, 2009, 11:26

For Jaye, Purchase from the fruits and vegetable market is a step in the right direction. It is always refreshing and economical to buy from there. You can use my strategy if you are afraid of bigger packs. My wife approached and convinced the neighbouring families to share, and now we are not afraid of buying bigger packs, as we don't have unconsumed rotton produce anymore. Resultantly increasing the frequency of buying fresh produce also. Good Luck.
Humayun Azhar Chaudhry
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 12, 2009, 10:20

Jaye if you do not want your purchase to go to waste, sort out the vegetables and fruits. After that check out which of them could spoil first. Store these in the front rack of your refrigerator. Seperate out the overripe or mushy ones and use them immediately. Discard the rotten ones if any. Cut away the stalks of leafy vegetables and store in an airtight container. Even I buy vegetables once every 10 days and I make it a point to make sufficient space in my refrigerator before buying more stuff. If you store everything properly the stuff you bought will last you more than a week. Storing may take up 20 minutes of your time but there will be no wastage and you could avoid going to the market maybe for 10 days.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 12, 2009, 09:57

For Both of you Sara and Jaye Best of all to purchase a thermo luch bag ( good looking are avaiable in the market). Prepare your Sandwiches and Salads in the night for the next day's breakfast and lunch, store in a reuseable containers. This will save your time in the morning and for lunch you can use microwave in the office for the sandwiches as salads don't need heating. Of course don't forget to have your own spoon, fork, glass and cup for coffee in the office.
Humayun Azhar Chaudhry
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2009, 12:43