‘Green Minds’ drive begins in school

Sustainable development is being taken to schools with the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment, rolling out a ‘Green Minds School Awareness Campaign’ on Tuesday. Marking the celebrations of the World Green Building Week, the campaign is held in partnership with Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS-WWF), a non-profit environmental organisation. A number of lecture presentations are being held in schools across the UAE from Monday to September 21, promoting the green building concept and focusing on sustainability.  The campaign also emphasises that students can have a positive impact on the environment and buildings that they occupy. The lectures are conducted by members of the EmiratesGBC, who have expertise in the field of sustainability and are committed to promoting its importance. The council members are visiting schools that have signed up through the EWS-WWF eco-schools programme, and are discussing with students the various aspects of sustainability such as energy and water use, recycling, and simple measures the children can undertake at home and school to promote a greener ?environment. Adnan Sharafi, EmiratesGBC chairman, said: “The Green Minds School Awareness Campaign is a strategic initiative by EmiratesGBC, which underscores our commitment to promote a greener environment. By educating children on the importance of energy efficiency and recycling, we can encourage them to play a more active and responsible role in promoting green practices — that are simple but effective. It is extremely important to integrate them into our green initiatives as they are our future, and their contribution will make a huge difference.”  The World Green Building Week, held on the third week of September each year, creates a window of opportunity to highlight the role of green buildings in achieving a healthier community.  This year, 90 nations representing more than 20,000 organisations are expected to participate in the activities under the theme, ‘Green Buildings for Great Communities’, through conferences, tours, educational events, and gatherings. Last year, the official opening of EmiratesGBC headquarters in Al Quoz, Dubai, coincided with World Green Building Week.  With an innovative design that used sustainable technologies and tools for buildings, the green office serves as a model for all stakeholders involved in driving the UAE’s sustainable growth. From : Khalij