In a bid to raise ecological awareness and reduce UAE’s ecological footprint, the British University in Dubai (BUiD) organised and successfully concluded its second Sustainability Summer School (SSS)end June where over 50 undergraduate and post-graduate students from various universities across the region participated in a week-long professional development programme on sustainability.
The theme at the event this year was “Greener Hands for a Greener Community’. It was aimed at the participating students imparting knowledge on how to reduce the ecological footprint not only as individuals but also as campaigners who would enthuse other members of the community in developing greener communities for a greener future.
Members of the five competing teams were proactive in coming up with innovative eco-conservation ideas and making field trips to organisations such as Masdar City, Dubai Metro, DEWA and the Platinum Pacific Control’s building that uses solar energy.
Leaders of these teams spoke to Education about their experience working on the SS project as did Dr Hanan Taleb the founder of this initiative.
Green Team
Leader: Israa M. Zein, with a total of six members
The project: We created a Partition using recycled bits. The team members made this choice based on their Architecture and Interior Design background. I went along with this choice and chose to direct them about picking the right materials and working on a good structure.
How the job was done: The team members collected many used hangers, pieces of broken wood (MDF) and newspapers and they started making a standalone structure. We created a partition made of recycled bits to be used in homes, offices and any interior space to maximise and beautify it. Even though we weren’t the winners, I was really proud of Aram, Hadee, Abeeha, Shahiz and Raghad because they worked together to have this outstanding result!
Learning: Such projects certainly lead to the development of greener communities because it spreads the knowledge of sustainability between all the students from the various majors we have in the local universities.
Blue Team
Team Leader: Hadil Al Bustami
The project: A chair with an attached side table that doubles as storage space. We got the idea by lookin for sustainable or recycled material that could be used to create a chair. The material we decided to use was the carton pipe made from 100% recycled cardboard taken from defective industrial waste boards. We went to a factory that produced it and took as much as we thought was necessary for our creation.
Before doing the chair. we made a miniature model from juice straws to get a good idea of how to make a perfect design that would serve our function as well as look presentable. We created a lightweight yet sturdy seating option that is easy to transport. Once it reaches the end of its useful life, it can be returnedto the recycling bin to be reborn as something new. I would like to commend the hard work and vision of our very committed team.
Learning: Such efforts will always help communities to put their waste materials to good use and realise the full potential of recycling.
Pink team
Leader: Samar Shaker
The project: Conversion of Cary tyres. In the UAE ,there are plenty of used tyres that need to be put to good use. We need an industry to extend the life of these tyres and use them in different forms. Our team converted the tyres to a seat that can be used almost anywhere including in a nursery. Rubber is kid-friendly material; we also added other recyclable materials such as sackcloth, vinyl sticker for design and water-based colours.
Learning: I believe sucha project can open new doors and will help making green and sustainable studies more fun. It will also draw the attention of the public.
Red Team
Leader: Aseel Ahmad
The project: Picking up discarded and used pieces around the campus and putting them to use. Our team went around the campus and collected materials that were lying around. We took pieces of cardboard discarded from food and supplies cartons to create a multifunctional furniture piece. We made use of newspapers and magazines to form a substantial structure.
Learning: I believe such projects develop a new perspective for looking at things, I mean, if we start to care about reusing existing materials, we learn to avoid overusing them at the first place.
Green Team II
Leader: Ali Khalid
The project: Our project was an optimisation of the food court tables. The idea came as we were searching for a solution that could be applied on a mass-produced product to enhance its environmental, economical and social relevance.
The main idea was to incorporate a garbage disposal system to each table, where the users could actually segregarte their leftovers and dispose them properly, while at the table, by gathering them in modular containers within the table which would be replaced when full by the janitors with empty ones. This would lead to the minimisation of plastic bags usage.
Learning: The success of the product. It’s a strong competitor to regular tables and a very wise choice. This experience had its influence on all participants at all levels. I believe they will incorporate this learning into their daily lives.
Yellow Team
Leader: May Al Saffar
The project: Chair from recycled cardboards and a table from water bottles. The chair was not just a piece of furniture but an item that includes a storage area for books, newspapers or any other accessories. Besides that, we created a small table from the used water bottles. The chair and table were chosen because they are mandatory pieces of furniture in any usable space. In terms of reducing the carbon footprint, my team and I believe the life cycle assessment of any material is very important - cradle to cradle rather that cradle to grave. We managed to reduce the carbon footprint by using a very friendly waste material to create a new product.
Learning: I completely support the products created from recycled materials for their environmental advantages, their aesthetic looks and the constructive message they send to society.
