UAE has a Green Earth Mission

By Zoe Sinclair

Dubai: Oofrish Contractor is one of more than 20,000 residents who have already committed to standing up for a green UAE on October 17, 18, and 19.

The event, Mission Green Earth - Stand Up and Take Action 2008, hopes to see one million UAE residents do just that, to remind the government of the targets they pledged in the United Nations Millenium Development Goals.

Rugmani Prabhakar, spokesperson for Mission Green Earth - Stand Up and Take Action 2008, said the organisers, including the Art of Living (AOL) and the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), were confident one million UAE residents would participate.“It’s happening wherever you are. Just assemble at your school or business, take a photo and send it to us,” she said. “It needs to happen. People need to realise ‘This is my responsibility’.” The campaign’s website, missiongreenearth.ae has seen 3,700 register to stand up and nearly 600 to plant trees, since the site’s launch on Tuesday.

However Mission Green Earth Logistics Coordinator Vanya Vorab said verbal commitments have raised the number to more than 20,000 residents.

Oofrish Contractor aims to motivate 150 people in her office alone, as well as encourage neighbouring businesses, to “stand up and take action”.

“In my early life I was not aware of the environment,” she said. “But now I live in the Springs and they collect cans and recycle everything. Over one week I collected three bags of recycled cans. When someone makes you aware of it, you realise your toll on the environment.” Contractor also plans to approach the property managers of her office block to organise tree planting.

Siva Shenbagan, another participant, said raising awareness of such issues was vital.

“Possibly our generation has had the worst effect on the environment. We need to give something back to the earth,” Shenbagan said.

“When the 50 people in our office stand up, they are also raising awareness among their family and their kids. So the thinking process goes on to the next generation.”

The campaign will be held under the patronage of UN Messenger of Peace Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.