Clean up the world 2008 launched

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the 4-day Clean Up the World 2008 organised by Dubai Municipality at Heritage Village in Shindagha, he said such campaigns should come out of its usual message of "general cleanliness" and should focus more on the most pressing environmental issues.

"Such issues should include reduction of waste and its safe disposal and amending the way we consume our most important resources, thereby guaranteeing the sustainability of our environment."

he said.

Earlier, the minister along with Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, cut the ribbon formally opening the largest voluntary clean-up drive in the country that will see nearly 20,000 volunteers joining hands to drive home the green message.

Also, speaking on the occasion, Mr. Lootah said it is the 15th consecutive year that Dubai is organising the campaign.

The campaign has such noble objectives as forging a sense of mutual cooperation among organisations and institutions concerned with environment in planning and executing environment action programmes, enhancing environment awareness of the community on waste reduction and recycling issues, ensuring participation of institutions and individuals in environment programmes, cleaning up the local environment, and encouraging team-work in finding lasting solutions for the growing waste problem.

"The campaign also seeks to encourage media to focus on environment protection activities thereby enhancing awareness of governments and industries with regard to local environment issues such as waste reduction, recycling and safe disposal of waste."

he said.

The campaign, which is observed under the banner "Start Today...Save Tomorrow," is held from 18 to 21 November at various sites across the emirate.

The opening ceremony also included an environment-themed stage presentation by school students, recreation programmes for students through workshops, Think Tank Magazine Awards programme for students, and the creek clean-up drive by professional divers.

Hassan Makki, Director of Waste Management Department at the Municipality, said the campaign, which is organised every year by the Municipality, is the largest volunteer clean up drive in the country.

He said during the second day of the campaign (Wednesday, 19 Nov), a clean-up drive will be held at Nadd Al Hammer, 9th Street, from 9.30 am onwards by volunteers from government educational institutions.

The day's programmes also include distribution of litter bins to schools, waste paper collection competition for government institutions and awarding of participants and the distribution of certificates and souvenirs.

In addition to this, abandoned vehicles removal programme will be held in coordination with the operations unit of the Waste Management Department.

On the third day (Thursday, 20 November), volunteers from private schools, colleges, and universities will participate in can collection competition at Ras Al Khor Bird Sanctuary Area from 9.30am onwards.

Also on this day, pest control companies in Dubai will participate in the campaign by undertaking pest control activities in various areas.

The last day of the campaign (Friday, 21 Nov) will see thousands of volunteers from the general public including private company staff, non-governmental organisations, community groups and private entities joining hands in cleaning up Nadd Al Shiba Area and various other sites.

Also on Friday, a clean up will be organized by the Filipino community at Mamzar Beach area from 9.15 am onwards.

The awareness programmes, organized on the sidelines of the campaign, will include workshops for general public on recycling and reducing waste, environmental workshops on making usable materials from waste, broadcasting campaign programmes on school radios, collection of used materials, lectures in schools on the importance of waste reduction, and arranging visits for students to waste recycling factories.

The Environment and Health Awareness Office will organize special awareness programmes for Dubai Municipality staff including an email contest.

The campaign is supported by Al Naboodah Engineering, Al Habtoor Group, Gulf Eternit Industries, Grand Hyatt, Zenath Recycling, British American Tobacco Association, Tadweer, Tetrapak and Union Paper Mills, among others.