As the leading country for better life quality and environmental change in the region, UAE never fails to come through with new methods of improvement. From projects and services that not only better the quality of life for its natives and residents but also help the greater good and better the planet. All this responsible effort and hard work and planning are shown in these old and new services provided in Dubai, UAE.
RECAPP
This service was launched in late 2020 in Abu Dhabi by Veolia Middle East. Since its launch, the service gained 15,000 registered users in Abu Dhabi alone, collecting 150 tones of recyclables over this small period of time according to Gulf News. The success and positive outcome led to RECAPP being available in Dubai in perfect timing with the whole city vision of conscious living. This way of service operates in a pretty simple and straightforward manner. Download the Go RECAPP app, schedule pick-up times, then it is all done. A worker will be at the door to collect your recyclables and deliver them to the warehouse where they get sorted, recycled, and reused. Saving the environment from the comfort of your own home! Users benefit from the point system in the app which they can trade with sustainable products from RECAPP partners such as Agthia with Al Ain Water, 1971 Store, Carrefour, Upfill, and Cotton Home.
Free Water Campaign
On July 1 of this year, the free water campaign will start. Over 30 locations across Dubai with fresh drinking water, encouraging people to use refillable bottles instead of plastic ones.
The project comes under the orders of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, in an effort to gear the city towards conscious living. Because according to statistics provided to Lovin Dubai “UAE residents use on average 450 plastic water bottles per year, leading to a yearly consumption of 4 billion bottles.” Which is in no way shape, or form helping the already declining environmental state of the planet. But this campaign will surely be a first step and steady one in the long run for the bettering of our environment.
Sustainable City
Established in 2015, and located in the most southern part of Dubai on Al Qudra Road. The Sustainable City is the first net-zero energy city in the region. With a focus on urban quality of life and zero impact on the environment. As per their website, the city has many key elements to it such as natural ‘biodome’ greenhouses, organic farms, and individual garden farms for local food production.
10 MW peak solar production, and most importantly wastewater recycling, just to name a few.
Rethink Brine Challenge
Probably one of the most innovative projects ever for solving both the brine water issue due to desalination and the CO2 emissions due to concrete buildings. The project came to be as a result of the Rethink Brine Challenge with a grand prize of 2.5 million AED to find a solution for all the brine water waste since the UAE is the leading country in water desalination in the region as said by Gulf Business. The outcome of the project was fruitful and the possibility of building one-story buildings with cement made out of sea salt is now a reality. With more studying and development to the concept to make it readily available for multiple story buildings.
EE&R Strategy
In Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates, the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Strategy 2040 is changing the way the whole emirate deals with sustainable energy. Launched in 2018, the strategy aims to better the environment both locally and nationwide. By lowering the prices of energy used by customers and making sourcing this energy way less harmful to the ecosystem of the UAE, according to the official government website.
This strategy comes under many visions in the country such as UAE National Agenda Vision 2021, the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the National Climate Change Plan 2017 – 2050, and the Ras Al Khaimah Vision 2030. The benefits are already in effect since the strategy was launched and surely by the end of the time frame expected for it, we will see the UAE reach its ultimate goal of reaching the highest efficiency in sustainability and the lowest rate of waste and environmental harm.
These are just some of Dubai’s ever-developing and ever-growing initiatives that aim to create a greener community.
