Change your habits, readers say

It may often seem like the burden of taking care of our massive planet Earth can get too much to handle.

But Gulf News readers think if every person does what he or she can to limit pollution and waste, it could make a huge difference.

With the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) currently underway, they shared green habits that they try to adhere to in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

Haider Al Zuhairi, a British-Emirati resident, said he takes every opportunity to reduce his impact on the environment.

He said: “We throw all recyclable material in recycle bins. We try to reduce using energy as much as possible by turning off the lights and the air conditioner whenever we can. We also make it a point to monitor our water consumption. We don’t use excessive amounts of water to water our plants, rather preferring a water can. It’s the small things that can make a huge difference — so whenever we can, we use the Dubai Metro to get around, and we never print out e-mails!”

The Abu Dhabi resident pointed out that more environmentally friendly products are now available in stores everywhere.

While he finds it expensive and unrealistic to install solar panels and harness solar energy, Al Zuhairi has replaced all the traditional incandescent light bulbs in his home with eco-friendly versions called light-emitting diodes (LED).

This switch is an easy way to conserve energy, as traditional light bulbs waste 90 per cent of the energy that they consume on heat.

For 42-year-old Nazar Kaderkunji, an Indian resident based in Abu Dhabi, recycling items around the home is his way of helping the environment.

Just throwing trash in the right bin can make a difference. Every ton of waste that’s recycled instead of being sent to the landfill keeps the equivalent of more than 3,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, according to US-based Global Environment and Technology Foundation.

Emirati student Omar Al Gurg is doing his part by using public transportation as often as he can. He said: “Whenever I need to go somewhere close by, I leave behind my car and take the Metro instead.”

Al Gurg believes fuel emissions are extremely harmful to the environment.

According to the US-based Environmental Protection Agency, he’s right. A typical late-model, mid-sized car produces about 4,300 kilograms of carbon dioxide each year.

Rising amounts of carbon emissions can spell disaster for the planet, which grows warmer with each passing year.

The writer is a trainee with Gulf News