Sunday, Oct 25, 2009
Gulf News
Dubai One of the UAE's biggest clean-up campaigns, which annually brings together around 20,000 people and collects tonnes of litter and wastes from ports, beaches and wadis, is lacking sponsors this year.
Last year, 125 tonnes of rubbish was collected by volunteers from all over the country. The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), a Dubai-based environmental awareness civil society group, launched the Clean Up UAE campaign in 2002. However, this year's event has witnessed an exodus of sponsors, due to the current financial climate.
Only the overall sponsor, Al Safi Club for Friends of the Environment, the environmental wing of Al Safi Danone, remains for the group's seventh clean-up.
Habiba Al Marashi, EEG's chairperson, and representatives from the seven emirates who will be taking part in the event scheduled for December 12, said the different government bodies would be covering the costs.
"Clean Up UAE is a popular event eagerly awaited by the community… Last year we had a target to get 20,000 volunteers and we actually had 23,000. This year our target is 25,000 people," said Habiba.
The clean-up helps spread awareness to all communities throughout the country. However, a lot of people still need to be educated, said Reema Al Faisal from the Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority.
"Many negative impacts of climate change expected in the long term are happening now and the Middle East is not immune to this. People from all walks of life need to take part," said Habiba.
Each emirate has at least two locations mapped out to carry out the clean-up.
By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2009. All rights reserved.
