Waking up to a bag of surprises
Waking up to a bag of surprises
Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Still clad in pyjamas, with sleep in their eyes, the last thing most Gulf News readers expected to see early yesterday morning was a pair of brand new, vibrant jute bags at their doorstep.
The initiative to distribute free jute bags to individual subscribers comes as part of Gulf News' Go Green campaign and the newspaper's 30th anniversary celebrations.
With distribution beginning on Friday in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the drive aims to place eco-friendly bags in the hands and homes of more than 200,000 subscribers by October 10.
For Santosh Moorkoth, an Abu Dhabi resident, the Gulf News jute bags have arrived at just the right time.
He said: "My family is involved in a lot of social events and we often go for picnics and barbeques with friends. The jute bags are so colourful, they are ideal to take to places such as the beach."
Having lived in the UAE for about 18 years, Moorkoth said he noticed that residents have only recently joined in, when it comes to eco-friendly practices.
He said: "My family tries to recycle often, but I admit we do not always give it our 100 per cent." He added that the attractive jute bags would "definitely change" the way his family shops in the future.
The excitement was evident in Zenobia D'souza, a resident of the Arabian Ranches in Dubai, when she opened the door to find her own pair of environmentally friendly bags. She said: "We read about the initiative in the newspaper this morning and were looking forward to it. In fact, my husband will be disappointed he missed the jute bags as he is currently out shopping for groceries." D'souza added that when her family travelled to Canada recently, they were introduced to many new recycling programmes.
She said: "Supermarkets in this region generally tend to give us our groceries in plastic bags, or they charge us for using plastic, so we have very limited options. I hope this changes."
D'souza said residents in the UAE should work harder to develop an eco-conscience, and added that she was starting immediately.
She said: "I am definitely going to use these jute bags, they look great!"
But perhaps the most delighted recipients of the jute bags were four-year-old Tom and his six-year-old brother, Billy.
When asked if he recycled, Tom promptly replied "yes", and Richard Markey, their father, agreed. As a British expatriate living in Dubai, Markey said recycling was a common practice in other countries, and that the trend was catching on in the UAE.
He said: "I think most expatriates are used to recycling back in their home countries. They should stop being careless with plastic bags and other harmful items here as well."
According to Markey, a change in the attitudes of shoppers is necessary to improve the environment. He said: "The amount of plastic used around the world is just incredible, and the situation is getting worse every day. It is time we put a stop to it."
Examining the jute bags, Markey added that bigger sizes worked better for shopping. He said: "Hopefully, our groceries will fit into the bags and we will be able to use it whenever we go to the supermarket."
He commended Gulf News for leading the way in bringing a societal change with its Go Green initiative: "I think it is great that jute bags are being distributed. People will now have an alternative and can shop knowing they are not destroying their planet."
John King, a British expatriate and Abu Dhabi resident, echoed his sentiments and said he was "grateful" for the jute bags.
He said: "We use similar bags at home, for groceries and to carry clothes and other items. But the colours and design of Gulf News' jute bags are very pleasing to the eye."
Taking the Go Green campaign to every subscriber's home was a "good idea", according to King.
He said: "I do not think most people are aware of their impact on the environment and many do not have the habit of recycling. However, initiatives like the jute bags will definitely make a difference, and I intend to use mine - starting today."
