DUBAI – The sunset over Dubai’s desert helped Sandhya Prakash fall in love with the country and its environment, motivating her to volunteer for Mission Green Earth.
Prakash is one of many volunteers helping organise the environmental campaign to have one million UAE residents literally stand up for ‘Mission Green Earth – Stand Up and Take Action 2008’ on October 17, 18, and19.
But to raise awareness and participation of one million residents has required long hours and boundless energy by volunteers such as Prakash, the Creative Director for Projects who helped put together the advertisement for the campaign.
“We chose 20 different people based on their volunteerism as the faces of the campaign, but everyone has become an ambassador for the campaign, telling those around them about the campaign and what they can do for the environment,” he said.
As an ambassador for the environment herself, and a resident of Dubai for four years, Prakash encouraged residents to take ownership of the environment in the UAE no matter how long their stay.
“The old timers are passionate about the old place, before the construction, while the new comers complain about what isn’t here – like there is no recycling in places,” he observed.
“Only when you take ownership for oneself, one’s family and one’s neighbourhood can you make a difference.”
The environmentalist and bird watcher said everybody could take steps such as car pooling, turning lights off and turning the air-conditioner off or to a higher temperature when people were not at home.
Madhu Bhatnagar, another key volunteer, has dedicated almost all her time towards the campaign and spreading its message of creating a sustainable environment.
“I’m on call almost 24 hours, coordinating and e-mailing, on the phone and interviewing experts,” Bhatnagar said. “We need to reach every person in the UAE to get them to stand up, We need to do recycling, to stop the wastage of electricity and water.”
The pair encouraged residents to stand up because, although some doubted the significance of the movement, the sheer volume of participation aimed to remind governments of their pledge in the United Nations Millenium Development Goals to create a sustainable environment.
wzoe@khaleejtimes.com