Schools initiative: Uncompromisingly green

The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi decided to measure itself with the toughest possible yardstick when it organised an event to mark the ‘Sustainable School Initiative’. To start with, the menu for the event was a sustainable one — all ingredients were locally sourced. The fish had been carefully selected to ensure that it was a local species that was not endangered. All the waste from the event was segregated and sent to recycling. The food waste was sent to an organic waste landfill. Water was not served in plastic bottles and no tissue paper was made available. Instead, reusable table cloths, napkins and towels were used. Trophies were made out of lead-free crystal and produced in the UAE with a view to reducing the carbon footprint from imports. The ballroom was illuminated using just 10 per cent of normal electricity consumption by using LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. The high-resolution (HD) visuals used on stage were projected by slashing 50 per cent of the total energy consumption using special technology. Reusable structures and environmentally-friendly ink were used for the publicity material. Advanced high-definition DLP (Digital Light Processing) video projection technology was used for panoramic video backdrop results with reduced video power consumption and eliminated the use of conventional use-and-throw printed backdrops. The events team ensured that communication was mostly via email and telephone. Meetings were restricted to a bare minimum and guests were encouraged to take the stairs to the ballroom instead of the elevator.