Eco-warriors rewarded in Dubai

EEG organises numerous eco-friendly campaigns throughout the year and engages nearly 2,000 schools and 500 companies.

A top environmental group on Tuesday rewarded 'eco warriors' in the country for their outstanding contribution to the waste management campaigns.
The 21st annual award ceremony of the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), which coincided with the World Environment Day, saw 60 eco-champions winning accolades in three categories, including corporate, schools and individuals/families.
The participants took part in the group's six campaigns: paper, plastic, cans, mobile phones, glass and toners.
The EEG organises numerous eco-friendly campaigns throughout the year and engages nearly 2,000 schools and 500 companies. Since its inception in 1992, the EEG has mitigated 68,843 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions, preserved 103,686m3 of landfill space and conserved 308,775 trees from being felled.
At the ceremony, groups and individuals were given certificates, free hotel stays and dinners for their environmental work.
A student at The Millennium School Dubai, Mythri Muralikannan, won first place for recycling the most mobile phones in the individual category.
"I have collected 123 mobile phones with the help of my dad. I feel that recycling is very important, especially because e-waste doesn't degrade into the soil.
"The EEG's recycling campaigns are very useful and they provide a platform for environmentalists too."
Along with Muralikannan, the second runner up and first runner up collected and recycled 306 mobile phones, saving 251 gallons of gasoline from the environment. A student at the Our Own English High School, Dubai, Neola Jennica Castelino, won first place in the can collection campaign under the family category. She managed to collect and recycle 321kg of cans. "It was hard work. Whenever we went out, we used to collect cans from parks and streets. I believe taking small steps can help produce a big action one day."
Castelino, along with the first and second runner up collected 800kg cans - saving 182 BTU of energy and 19m3 of landfill.
The total amount of paper that was collected and recycled in the school category was 67,302kg, which helped conserve 1,144 trees.
Jackson Lyall, a student at the St Mary Catholic School, the second runner up for the paper collection campaign in the school category, said it is important that children learn the importance of protecting the environment. His entire school participated and managed to collect and recycle 18,740kg of paper.
"I think it's really important for kids to take part in initiatives as such because our future is in our own hands, so, it's our choice of we make it," Lyall said.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai