With the 2022 edition of Earth Day calling for everyone – businesses, governments, and citizens included – to take accountability towards a healthier planet, the time for action is now. Here, in honour of this global event marked annually on April 22, The Gaggler reveals 22 ways to give back. We’ve covered initiatives in all six GCC countries, so everyone’s invited.
1
Fight food waste and advocate for misshapen produce by signing up for EroeGo, the first ugly fruits and vegetables delivery service in the UAE. Bonus: for every box delivered, the company provides meals for two people facing hunger to help fight inequality.
2
Save the planet and your skin by switching to Upfill products, which are not only waterless and all-natural, but also devoid of plastic packaging. The beauty brand has partnered with Azraq to reintroduce coral reefs in Dibba, which means your purchase will help support UAE marine life.
3
Support Goumbook’s Give a Ghaf Tree planting program to help the planet breathe better with the help of the UAE’s national tree. Now, not only can you plant a seed through the social enterprise, but you can also join its Community Planting Day and plant it yourself.
4
Headed to Riyadh? Be sure to unwind at Respire Lounge, where sustainability awaits at every turn – solar panels, Tesla charging stations, a compost machine, and a reverse vending machine are just some of the onsite features.
5
Reduce your consumption of single-use plastic water bottles by joining the Dubai Can movement, accessing drinking water at the many water stations installed across Dubai – Kite Beach, Zabeel Park, and Madinat Jumeirah included. Up to 50 new refill stations are expected.
6
Fight plastic pollution by volunteering with the Doha Environmental Actions Project, which frequently organises school presentations and environmental awareness sessions across Qatar. Recent events have included beach, desert, and mangrove clean-ups.
7
Inspire the next generation to make positive choices by gifting Save Our World’s The Eco-heroes series of children’s books about five fictional friends who are helping save the planet by reducing food waste, minimising plastic, and more. Funny and engaging, they encourage readers to make positive choices from a young age.
8
Based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi? Download the RECAPP app to have recyclables collected from your home for free. All you have to do is segregate them from general waste and schedule a pick-up day and time.
9
If you live in Kuwait, book a pick-up by Enviroserve, which recycles everything from plastic and paper to hazardous electronic waste such as cell phones and home appliances. Incidentally, Kuwait generates 1.5kg of trash per person per day – twice the global average – making this company a vital component of the country’s green initiatives.
10
Organise a fundraiser in support of Emirates Nature–WWF through fundraising platform Yalla Give, where you can share your campaign idea and collect donations online. The non-profit organisation partners with individuals and institutions to achieve science-based solutions towards combating climate change and safeguarding local biodiversity.
11
Considering most fast fashion purchases end up in landfills, shop pre-loved clothing at the likes of Retold, The Luxury Closet, and La Suite in Dubai. Alternatively, turn to Wild Fabrik, an ethical online marketplace rooted in providing independent sustainable brands with a platform to sell their goods and ensuring that they’re paid fairly.
12
Muscat residents can support marine conservation efforts by diving with Aura Divers – it facilitates the collection of everyday trash from the ocean during each dive. We also love that it was founded by Ehdaa Al Barwani, the first and only female dive instructor from Oman, who’s all about encouraging women to explore the underwater world.
13
Sign up for one of Emirates Environmental Group’s many campaigns that entail picking up trash, planting trees, collecting aluminum cans for recycling, and more. Devoted to protecting the environment through the means of education, involvement, and action programmes, the group encourages both corporate and community engagement.
14
Consume more sensibly and sustainably in Qatar with the help of Souqti, a platform where you can not only buy, sell, and rent pre-owned fashion, but also have items cleaned, repaired, and customised. Anchored in helping people reduce their footprint while saving money, it lists the designer likes of Gucci, Givenchy, and Céline.
15
Turn to The Giving Movement for athleisure as the eco-conscious clothing brand uses fabric made from recycled plastic water bottles. And, as its name suggests, the brand donates AED 15 to its partner charities for every single item sold.
16
Live in Bahrain and looking to give back? Volunteers are always needed for the beach and dive clean-ups organised by the aptly named CleanUp Bahrain, which is dedicated to influencing the youth of this island nation to make a difference.
17
Single-use menstrual products wreak havoc on marine environments. The solution? A reusable menstrual cup that, with proper care, can last up to six years. Other options include period pants (which can be put in the washing machine after use) and reusable tampon applicators by brands like Dame and Thinx.
18
Calling everyone with a scuba diving certification! Over 250 million tons of plastic are estimated to make their way into our ocean by 2025, so join the Dive Against Debris sessions hosted by Divers Down, which entail collecting everyday trash from the seas of Dubai and Fujairah. Both morning and afternoon slots are available.
19
Based in Jeddah, the Hejaz Ploggers are involved in planting, upcycling, and clean-up activities – all while promoting picking up trash while jogging (a.k.a. plogging). Any community organisaton that promotes a healthier lifestyle while challenging our current environmental habits wins our vote.
20
Help Freestyle Divers preserve and protect the UAE’s coral reefs by exploring its full curriculum that features courses, workshops, and internships. And if you want to learn to dive, the community scuba diving centre can construct a personalised programme for you to simultaneously gain experience in both scuba diving and marine conservation.
21
Calling all frequent flyers! Through Qatar Airways’ Carbon Offset Programme, you can offset the carbon emissions from your flight at the time of booking. All contributions received will be directed to the Fatanpur Wind Farm, an India-based project that avoids 210,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
22
Tackle ocean pollution and protect endangered marine life by volunteering with one of Azraq’s many environmental campaigns in the country. To date, the marine conservation organisation has reduced the use of plastic in the hospitality industry at over 55 outlets, removed millions of plastic straws from circulation, and recovered 60,000 plastic utensils from circulation across the UAE.
