The Magazine of Dubai Women's College Volume 16 Issue 2, May ...

DESERT DAWN
The Magazine of Dubai Women’s College
Volume 16 Issue 2, May 2007
ENVIRONMENT
“We cherish our environment
because it is an integral part
of our country, our history
and our heritage.”
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan
Al Nahayan, the late
UAE President.

CONTENTS PAGE
02 DWC News & Views
04 Eco-friendly Metro
06 Collective Green Efforts
08 The Ugly Truth
09 Your Decision
10 Green Education for UAE children
12 Victims of air pollution
14 Global Problem
16 Environmental Impressions
18 Towards reducing air pollution
19 Arabian Oryx
20 Heavy Consumption
22 Working with the Media
24 Dubai Creek: past and present
27 Water = Life
28 Arabic Stories
Editors:
Afra Atiq
Asma Ahmed
Cover Design:
Afra Atiq
Production Managers:
Eman Ghazal
Nourah Abdullah
Advertising Coodrinators:
Shaikha
Asma Ahmed
Photo Editors:
Ayesha Al Muhairi
Sahar Al Khatib
Thanks:
Amina McCulloch
Andrew O’Sullivan
Dr. Hanan Hairab
Fraser Macdonald
Heba Al Hadary
Kevin Kempin
Marc Pelletreau
Margo Tummel
Sama Al Khaldi
Steve Turney
Yomna Kamel
The Publications Committee
Publisher:
Dr. Howard Reed
Opinions do not necessarily represent the views
of Desert Dawn, the Communication Technology
Department, its faculty, DWC or its officials.
Desert Dawn welcomes submissions from students.
Not all submissions may be pronted, and submissions
may be edited for space, style and content.
Desert Dawn is produced by Dubai Women’s
College, Communication Technology Department
and printed by International Printing Pres, IPP.
Desert Dawn welcomes letters to the editor,
addressed to Desert Dawn, PO BOX 16062, Dubai
or email your letters to desertdawn@dwc.hct.ac.ae
Copyright Dubai Women’s College, HCT.
Now online at:
www.dwc.hct.ac.ae/commtech/publications

EDITOR’S NOTE
While the country has been progressing steadily
on the path of growth and development, the issue
of sustainable development has become a concern
for the UAE government, non-governmental
sectors and environmentalists. Sustainable
development is defined as “the process of
balancing the need of humans for economic and
social development with the need to protect the
natural and built environment.” Under the theme,
Development and Environment, the new issue of
Desert Dawn comes to reflect concerns of the new
generation of Emirati women about their country’s
sustainable development. A group of 15 female
students studying Communication Technology
at Dubai Women’s College worked together
researching, reporting, writing, designing and
producing a new issue of Desert Dawn.There are
so many things to say about this issue of Desert
Dawn’s theme, development and environment.
As young Emiratis and as editors, it is our job
to ensure that light is shed on the environmental
issues surrounding development and to dig deep
enough to find real solutions.We seek to explore
previously ignored environmental issues and give
them the representation they deserve by publishing
high quality objective stories.This issue explores
local, regional and international environmental
issues. In the new edition of Desert Dawn, we
provide our readers with truth and harsh reality
of the state of the environment. Stories include
global warming, water and air quality as well as
environmental awareness education. After three
straight issues on Emiratisation and lots of positive
feedback, Desert Dawn continues to grow and
improve. We are proud to present an all-new
edition of the publication.We hope that this issue
will help our readers think differently about the
environment and development.
Afra Atiq Asma Ahmed
Asma Ahmed Afra Atiq Shaikha Bukhashem
Hafsa Al Mutawa Shamma Abu Nawas Ayesha Al Muhairi
Sahar Al Khatib Moza Ahmed
Amira Saeed
Eman Ghazal
Aisha Binhammad
Nourah Abdullah
Athija Thani Shahd Khaled
Jawaher Ahmed
Margo Tummel
Graphic Design
Dr. Hanan Hairab
Department Supervisor
Yomna Kamel
Journalism

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum awards Dubai Qualuity Appreciation Program to DWC.
Dubai Women’s College wins Dubai Quality Appreciation Program
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai
Executive Council, and His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, awarded Dubai Women’s College (DWC) with Dubai Quality Appreciation Program
(DQAP) in recognition for its excellence in education. The award ceremony was held on March
14th at the Grand Hayat Hotel where 13 companies from different industries in Dubai won the
Dubai Quality Award (DQA) . DWC is one of two colleges, along with Dubai Medical College
for Girls, which won the DQAP that is provided to organizations committed to excellence and
are currently implementing quality initiatives within their organization.
Insight Dubai 2007
More than 50 Emirati and international
students participated in Insight Dubai,
an annual conference hosted and organized
by Dubai Women’s College.
The third Insight Dubai, held from April
8th to 12th, attracted students from all over
the world who came together to discuss l
eadership, global politics and cross-cultural
communication in interactive sessions. The
conference also offered two main workshops:
one on Sharia’ (Islamic) law and the other
on equal representation of women.
Student Parliament election
Dubai women’s College held its second
student parliament election on April 19th.
Ayesha Shukrallah, a year two Pharmacy
student, took the first position as President
followed by Asma Ahmed, a year two
Communication Technology student, as
a Vice President and Ayesha Al Marri,
a year two Pharmacy student, took the
third position as a secretary.
DWC and international students participate
in Insight Dubai Group
Ayesha Shurallah, year two pharmcy student,
elected president of DWC Student Parliament.
photo by: Insight orvganizers provided by: Mariam Al Shurafa
photo by: Mariam Al Shurafa

02 > NEWS & VIEWS
H.H Shiekh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
and H.E Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan attend
DWC Grand opening
Counseling Arabia
Dubai Women’s College hosted the fifth
annual conference of Counseling Arabia. The
conference took place on the 18th and 19th
of April 2007 with the attendance of His
Excellency Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer,
Chairman of Emirates Nationals Development
Program Board of Trustees and Azza Al
Sharhan, Director of Emirates Nationals
Development Program.
Letters to the Editor
photo by: Ayesha Al Muhairi
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed inaugurates
DWC Phase III
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice
President and Prime Minister of the UAE
and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Women’s College
(DWC) announced the inauguration of the
phase III of the college campus on March 28th,
2007. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed toured
Dubai Women’s College accompanied by His
Highness Sheikh Mayed bin Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, His Excellency Sheikh
Nahayan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, Minister
of Higher Education, Chancellor of Higher
Colleges of Technology, and Dr. Howard Reed,
Director of Dubai Women’s College.
His Excellency Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer
in Counseling Arabia
Your Excellency,
Thank you for your letter dated December, 2006 along with a complimentary
copy of Desert Dawn.
We found your publication very informative and useful. Hence, we shall display
it in our reference library for the users of our library and they will benefit from
this publication.
We are enclosing herewith the latest copy of our monthly magazine “ Al-
Tijarah” for your kind perusal.
Yours faithfully,
Saeed Obaid Al Jarwan
Director General
Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry
photo by: Mariam Al Shurafa

The project is also an environment friendly
alternative to cars and busses and will help
reduce pollution in the city. In response to
several studies on eco-friendly modes of
transportation, done inside and outside the
country, the Roads and Transport Authority
in Dubai (RTA) has a 30-billion dirham strategic
plan to deal with the current situation and
the future challenges. With a track network
of 318 km by 2020 that would carry 200,000
commuters per hour, the Dubai Metro project
has been launched. According to RTA, Dubai
Metro provides an alternative mode of
transport that will ease traffic congestion,
reduce traffic-borne pollution and improve air
quality; thereby creating a better environment
for the city’s residents and visitors. The metro
will not only enhance mobility within the city,
it will also reduce dependency on cars and as
a result the total health care costs attributed
to air pollution will decrease approximately
by one million dirham per year. Studies for
developing the metro system started back
in 1997. The study was completed during
1997-2000; it has concluded that Dubai could
not rely solely on its current roads transport
systems to meet future traffic demands. The
study suggested that there was a definite need
for a transit system to ease congestion and
adoption of practical transport policies that
would focus on traffic regulation and
protection of the environment. “It is
anticipated that by 2017 nearly 1.2 million
people will use the trains daily, with 17,000
passengers at peak hours and 355 million
people a year. With a carrying capacity of
up to 50,000 passengers per hour, the
mass transit system will be able to meet
public demand until well beyond 2020,”
Huddersfield’s study anticipates.
Metro Construction
Abdureedha Abu Al Hassan, the Director of
Planning and Design Department, Rail Agency
– RTA, says, Dubai Metro consists of two lines
(first and second stage), and will be followed
with extra future lines (purple, blue etc.).
The Red Line will be in operation by
September 9, 2009, whereas the Green Line
will be functioning on March 10, 2010. The
Purple Line is expected to be ready by 2012
and the Blue Line is expected to operate before
2015. Abdureedha says.
Environmental Concerns
During construction, Dubai government has
formed a set of laws to support the environment,
using purification methods in order to have
unpolluted surroundings. Abdulmajid Al-Khaja,
the CEO of Rail Agency, RTA, says, “The
necessary precautions are taken to protect the
environment during construction and the Health,
Quality, Safety and Environment Department
(HQSE) closely monitors the effect of these
activities on the environment on short and long
term basis.” Equipment failing to meet the sound
limits is only allowed to function throughout
late morning hours and not at night. “The
contractor has been asked to take precautions
to protect the surrounding environment. This
not only ends at the construction sites, but
also while manufacturing and delivering the
rolling stock and during operations,” he adds.
The quality Safety Environment and Health
Department of the rail agency has established air
sanitization systems and monitors to calculate the
gas levels. Manufacture and construction waste
will be taken and positioned in containers, which
will be emptied frequently. “The Dubai Metro is
one of UAE’s most prestigious projects which will
further enhance the Emirate’s image,” says
Abdermajid.
Underground station. Road cross over bridge from a station.
Provided by: RTA
Provided by: RTA

04 > FEATURE
“An eco-friendly
metro will be
a solution to
several problems
because one
lane of metro
equals up
to 60 road
lanes,” states
University of
Huddersfield’s
DUBAI METRO:
Eco Friendly Solution
TEXT > Shahd Khaled, Ayesha AlMuhairy, Jawaher Bufaroosha
& Mashael Hashim
More than a million vehicles are on Dubai’s roads, making an
average of 3.1 million trips each day. The annual growth rate of
vehicles in Dubai is 12% and the growth pattern is likely to continue
and the number of trips is expected to go up to a staggering 13.1
million trips per day.
Exterior Design of the metro.
study. “Dubai is now an example for traffic congestion
due to increasing numbers of cars. Recent
statistics assert that there are 465,000 vehicles
registered in the emirate, in addition to 5,000
taxi cars. There is a significant number of
residents of neighboring emirates who are
working in the city”, reveals a study on
sustainable transportation in the UAE by
Maha Al-Zubaidi and Khalid Sabie from
the University of Huddersfield in the UK.
Vehicles are to blame for 80% of pollution,
emissions of harmful gases pose health and
environmental hazards. Car emissions need
to be reduced to a degree that guarantees
unpolluted air and a hygienic environment,
the study stresses. Huddersfield’s study also
suggests that “an eco-friendly metro will be
a solution to several problems because one
lane of metro equals up to 60 road lanes.”
The benefits of the project would include
reducing the number of cars on Dubai’s roads,
facilitating traffic and increasing road safety.
Provided by: RTA

eneficial relationships with private sector
and non-profit associations.” The Environment
and Health Educational Office in Dubai
Municipality supports local, regional and
international NGOs working in Dubai as it is
well aware of the importance of enhancing
the voluntary activities among Dubai nationals
and expatriates. “These NGOs, besides the
private sector, contribute successfully to our
major environmental initiatives and campaigns,
and we do provide unlimited support to enable
them to participate efficiently,” he says.
“Together we celebrate the major environmental
occasions and days, participate in the major
events in Dubai, specific programs and
campaigns that target community members.
We also support the activities that are organized
by Dubai Municipality’s other departments
such as Clean Up the World Campaign,
Municipalities Week and JUTE UP (Reduce
using plastic bags in shopping) campaign.
About the role of the private sector, Mohammad
Musabeh, the manager of Emirates Ventures,
says, “We are a group of young Emirati men,
and we do a lot of environmental activities.
One of the events that we did was Clean the
World campaign during the years 2001, 2002,
and 2003. Our mission was to dive into Dubai
Creek and clean the seabed. In addition, we did
small activities on the shore of Dubai Creek.
People are positively responding to our activities
and campaigns.”
In 2005 Emirates Ventures started diving
in Rashid Port and its divers cleaned the
seabed. Mohammed says, “We are working
on a new project where every month, during
a certain weekend, we take students from
schools, colleges and universities to Diba
in Fujairah. We teach them about the
environment and we organize environmental
activities.” Dubai government helps in everything
and Emirates Ventures receives financial
support as well as moral support. “Senior
government officials attend our activities. We
received certificates of appreciation for all the
work we have been doing. We also receive good
media coverage.” Laila Al-Hassan, from the
Environment Education and Awareness Division
of Abu Dhabi Environment Agency, says,
“The Government and the private sectors are
partners. When it comes to environmental
protection, it is everyone’s responsibility and
these two sectors support each other.
In the years 2005 and 2006, the agency took
3,000 students on 115 educational field trips.
During these trips, the concepts that were
explained to students included the effects
of waste such as plastics on the terrestrial
environment, marine environment, mangroves,
and wetland ecology. Laila believes that the
results of this cooperation are positive. “The
demand for educational environmental field
trips from schools has increased over the years.
We are noticing a change in attitude in the
public. They are becoming more interested
in the environment. However, behavior will
take longer to change but we are very
hopeful,” she says.
Another non-governmental association is the
Friends of Kerala, which is an Indian NGO
with branches across the country. The association
works hand in hand with Dubai Municipality
and other environmental authorities in the
country. Arun Bhaskara Pillai, a member in
the association, says, “The association has
around 200 members, and we have branches
in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ajman.
The association organises seminars, awareness
classes, and campaigns. “With both Dubai
Municipality and EEG, we have done many
campaigns, where more than 150 volunteers
cleaned the Rashidiya park area.” Arun still
believes that they will not achieve their targets
without cooperation with other non-
governmental organizations. “I think that
all what we do is not enough because it has
to be done on a vast scale,” he says calling
upon all concerned bodies to work together
for a greener and cleaner environment.
Young people participate in cleaning up activities.
“The
Government
and the
private sectors
are partners.
When it
comes to
environmental
protection,
it is everyone’s
responsibility
and these two
sectors support
each other,”
Laila Al-
Hassan,
from the
Environment
Education
and Awareness
Division of
Abu Dhabi
Environment
Agency, says.
Provided by Friends of KSSP Association

06 > FEATURE
COLLECTIVE
Green Efforts
TEXT > Sahar Al Khatib and Hafsa Al Mutawa
A beautiful day on the beach, the air is clean and the sun is
shining down on the water. You see 4-to 14-year-old children
wearing white t-shirts with a green globe printed on it. They are
holding big bags and picking up the garbage off the
shores of the city’s beaches. Representatives from governmental
and non-governmental organizations are helping the children and
all are working together for a noble cause.
This is a common scene here in Dubai that
happens because of the cooperation between
the governmental and non-governmental
organizations that work hand in hand to keep
the city clean and green.
The Emirates Environmental Group is one
of the leading non-governmental organizations
that cooperates with the country’s public
and private sectors for one noble cause: to
protect the environment for the wellbeing
of humankind. Habiba Al Marashi, Emirates
Environmental Group chairperson, says,
“Since we are a private group, we don’t get
direct support from the government, only
private associations. We usually do workshops
about the environment and climate change
and its effect. During all the events and activities
we’ve done we have come to a conclusion
that there is a great positive reaction from
people.” Habiba is passionate about the
environment and she is doing her best to help
in protecting it, but she also strongly believes
that to achieve desirable results, her group
Diving in Dubai Creek to clean the sea bed.
needs support from all concerned parties: the
government and the public. “Taking care of
the environment is everyone’s responsibility
and we have to be role models,” Habiba says.
Mohammed Numan, an environment
awareness officer with the Environment
and Health Educational Office at Dubai
Municipality, says, “ Dubai Municipality is
a leading governmental department that
supports the role of the community associations
in sustainable development. One of our strategic
goals in Dubai municipality is building
Provided by Friends of KSSP association.

YOUR DECISION
By: Eman Ghazal
Here, in the UAE, winter used to be the
perfect season for people to go around and
have a good time with their families and
friends, but this is not the case any more.
When I look through my bedroom window,
I see a beautiful view of a great nature. I open
the window and the awful reality shocks me.
The only thing that I can hear and smell is
noisy smoky air, so I close the window quickly.
We watch many movies and documentaries,
and sometimes we participate in many
campaigns that concern air pollution or any
other environmental issue, but do we have the
courage to make the first step in order change?
We do many things that may harm the
environment, and we do these things without
paying any attention to the negative results
that these practices may do to the
environment. The difference in air quality
is very clear between Dubai and the other
Emirates. For example, when we go away
to visit someone or to spend a weekend
break, we notice the difference in air smell
and color, which means a difference in air
quality for sure.
Air pollution is not a small issue that can
be delayed or ignored by individuals or governments.
Traffic in Dubai has become
a problem. The city’s transportation authority
is doing a great effort to provide public
transportations for people who are living here;
yet the problem remains in the increasing
number of cars. Personally, I prefer to use
my own car for many reasons such as privacy
or/and getting from A to B faster and easier.
Industry also is growing in this region, which
proves that UAE is not totally depending on
oil anymore; because there are many alternative
economical sources in this country.
Unfortunately, industry has many bad effects
not only on humans, but also on many other
species, and that’s why many animals have
disappeared from this region, and no longer
found. To give an idea about air pollution
effect on people, a simple example would help,
a man spends his daytime in his workplace, in
an indoor, crowded office, facing the pressure
of finishing his job on time, the office is in
a building which is located on Sheikh Zayed
Road, one of the most crowded roads here
in the UAE, would he get a chance to think
about going and having a break in a nice place
with clean air, and if he has the chance to
think about it, would he be able to do it, when
and where, and would he be able to make it
before his break finishes? Questions that require
each person to think about seriously and try
to find an answer or most correctly a solution
to stop or to be more credible, to reduce it
albeit small. To sum up, air pollution has
become a health issue, which concerns many
people in UAE in general, and Dubai especially.
Many habits need to change and some important
decisions have to be taken. People in this
country, decide whether a bright future
is coming, or it would be something else!

08 > OPINION
THE UGLY TRUTH
Text: Athija Thani
A recent environmental study revealed that per
capita household waste has reached an average
annual level of 725 kilos in Dubai. That is
a huge amount, but the question is, why is
that a huge amount? What led to the sudden
increase? I believe that certain human practices
and habits led to the increase in consuming
all sorts of material, whether it is food, paper,
water energy etc. In addition to this, the
ignorance of people about the forthcoming
consequences to their actions. Some people
don’t even think that there maybe a reaction
to what they initiated, but prefer to ignore
it and deal with it some time later, when the
situation goes worse. Yet that could be too late.
In my opinion, I think people should realize
the harm they are inflicting on the environment
as well as themselves. It is quite surprising
that some people don’t even know what the
consequences are to their heavy consumption
and how it can greatly affect our life sources
because they have this idea that all is renewable
and if not there is always the manufactured.
I think that people with authority and power
should raise awareness towards this issue and
clarify all the misconceptions and mis-
understandings people may have. Perhaps
this step is an initiative as to provide an insight
into the huge amount of impact we have on
the environment. I agree that we have become
consuming junkies to the extent we consume
a lot of toilet paper! Laws have been laid down
and fees have been implemented. Yet people
ignore all this and continue! So I am wondering
what really is going to stop the situation from
crossing the red line. I have come to the point
where I strongly agree that it is all about
individual responsibility. All facts and figures
are out there in addition to the ugly truth of
our own doings, bells are ringing. What’s left
to be done is the decision of the individual,
does he/she want to keep on going down this
road or is this a time to rise to the occasion and
a time for change that can greatly affect the
living style and chances of survival for the next
generation.

is the Tadweer Factory. There is an upcoming
competition about ‘The Desert in UAE’
and ‘The Impact of Global Warming on
Biodiversity’, Work by students will be submitted
to the teachers and will be sent to Dubai
Municipality for evaluation.”
“We have an environment week every year
to encourage students to learn more about
the environment and how to protect it from
pollution and other negative impacts starting
from home and school,” Nawal adds.
Unfortunately, environmental studies are only
taught in the science and biology books and
not to all sections. It is not taught as an
independent compulsory subject like biology
or geography. However, some teachers believe
it is good to keep it as an extra-curricular
activity. “If we start teaching environmental
studies as a compulsory subject to students in
all grades, then I believe it will discourage them
from understanding the environment and they
will find it a boring subject,” says Nawal.
Government Schools
Many people believe that government schools
don’t have many activities or field trips for
their students that teach them about the
environment. On the contrary, students
of Al Soufooh Government School work
on environmental projects throughout the
year such as ‘An Environment Free from
Pollution’, ‘For a Better Environment’, and
‘Clean the World’, which are held in co-
operation with Dubai Municipality.
Afra Al Mazrooi, a geology teacher, says that
environment-related topics are taught in their
biology and geology classes, and it is only
discussed in a textbook chapter for tenth
grade. “Our students attend lectures that
educate them about environmental issues.
Also, we create contests to test the students’
knowledge about their environment,” says
Afra. The school has recycling bins of different
colors for the students to understand recycling
and the recyclable objects like plastic, paper, etc.
The Enviro-Spellathon
More than 125,000 students from government
and private schools in five emirates participate
in the ‘Enviro-Spellathon’. Launched by the
Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi (EAD)
in 2001 and sponsored by Shell, the Envirospellathon
is an environmental
education programme that works on bringing
environmental awareness into the classroom
of thousands of school children around the UAE.
According to EAD, the programme has
already captured the imagination of students
and introduced them to the UAE’s marine
environment, desert wildlife and water
resources. “Each student from the participating
schools receives a booklet, which contains
Students' artwork using recycled materials at Dubai
National School.
attractive images and facts on the UAE’s wildlife,
plants and habitat conservation. The students
are given two weeks to study the booklet and
then they are tested on what they have learned
by the school’s appointed coordinator teacher.
Those who achieve the best scores are awarded
a gift in a public ceremony at the end of the
academic year.”
Photo by Shaikha

10 > FEATURE
“Our students
attend lectures
that educate
them about
environmental
issues. Also,
we create
contests to test
the student’s
knowledge
about their
environment“
says Afra
Al Mazrooi,
a geology
teacher with
Al Soufooh
Government
School.
GREEN
Education For UAE Children
Text: Shaikha Bukhashim & Nourah Abdulla
Global warming, deforestation, CFCs, recycling, the ozone layer
are just a few words that young people might have heard about,
but never had the chance to understand the strong impact they have
on their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren.
People gain their knowledge from schools, but
it seems that the country’s schools’ curricula
don’t include the environment as a compulsory
subject. Schools are usually left with one option:
extra-curricular activities. Having schoolchildren
participating in environment-related
activities might happen or might not according
to the school’s policy and flexibility.
Private Schools
Several private schools hold activities and field
trips to help their students learn about the
environment. Dubai National School (DNS)
is one of the schools that hold activities for
their students to build their environmental
awareness. The school also has an environment
club that works on raising students’ awareness
of environmental issues. “Our environment
club began in 2000-2001. The club holds
several activities and competitions, which help
students learn about the environment and
inspire them to create small signs in the
school reminding students and teachers to save
water and electricity,” says Bassima Daouk, Head
of the Activities and Guidance Department at
DNS. The school encourages students, usually
from grades 2 to 12, to participate
in competitions about the environment such
as the Ecology Footprint workshops and
clean up campaign organized by the Emirates
Environment Group (EEG), ‘For A Better
Environment’ in cooperation with Shell, the
oil company, Zayed International Award For
Environment, WET Program for conserving
water and many more.Bassima says the school
holds several annual activities. A few of them
are the Clean Up Day in cooperation with
Dubai Municipality, a radio competition,
collecting old books and batteries and
recycling them. She also explains that the
best environmental activity the students have
ever done was back in 2004, which was a
fashion show that students from grades 9 to
12 joined using papers and many other old
tools to teach students that objects like paper
and cans can be re-used on different aspects
of our lives.
Nawal Al Hayek, Head of the Science and
Physical Science Department at DNS, says,
“We hold lots of activities and clean up
campaigns which both boys and girls work
on in the school.” The school sends them on
field trips to different places and one of them

establishments and emissions from mobile
sources which are motorbikes and cars. They
are main sources of air pollution in any city.”
There are some strategies followed by Dubai
Municipality to reduce air pollution. One of
them is the air quality monitoring system.
There are six monitoring sites measuring
the criteria of air pollution and this includes
measuring the percentage of the sulphur dioxide,
carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide in the
air, he explains.
The rapid growth of the city, trade and industry
constitute an air pollution risk. However, the
level of air pollution is generally low except
in some instances where the level of ozone
is high especially in summer time. Suspended
particulate (mostly dust of natural origin) is
high during strong winds and sandstorms and
sulphur dioxide is high in the immediate
vicinity of major industrial sources and power
stations. According to a report recently published
by Dubai Municipality, “The Dubai air quality
management system includes air monitoring
activities, assessment of the new industrial
projects and the control and enforcement
of regulations with existing industries. Special
projects and guidelines are prepared to deal
with new industries or activities,” “A total
of 212,867 vehicles were registered, including
170,951 light vehicles, 5,256 buses, 16,304
light trucks, 8,287 heavy trucks, 312 heavy
mechanical vehicles and 3,498 motorcycles,
a report by Dubai Statistics Department says.
The huge number of vehicles registered in
Dubai every year is adding to the problem.
Asthmatic people feel that the air is not
as clear as it was few years ago. Dubai’s
environment is changing and consequently
cases of asthma are on rise. Samia Ibrahim,
a Dubai resident and a mother, says she is
asthmatic. About her health condition and
how the quality of air affects her asthma, she
says, “I have asthma and I always have to take
my medicine. Asthmatic people are very sensitive
to the environmental changes; we must avoid
dust and smoke.” Dr. Tarek believes that the
people here need to change their culture and
their way of living, because most of people
who are living here prefer to stay indoors.
Also they have to regularly change carpets
and curtains because they collect dust. People
need to open the windows to get fresh the
air. In addition in summer people can’t live
without air conditioners (ACs), but at least
the ACs’ filters should be changed and
cleared regularly.
Dr. Tarek advises his patients to avoid
the factors that cause their allergy. He
also advises them to have a healthy life
style “to eat fresh food, vegetables and fruit
and regularly exercise.”
“Green areas work like a lung
for the city as they provide
us with oxygen,” says Dr. Tarek
Eissa, an ENT surgery specialist
based in Dubai.

12 > FEATURE
AIR POLLUTION
Victims
TEXT : Eman Ghazal and Amira Saeed
“An estimated 15 percent of the people in the United Arab Emirates
have asthma, a chronic respiratory disease characterized by sudden
recurrent attacks of coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
In the UAE, a staggering 40 percent of the children have asthma,”
states a report recently released by Dubai Healthcare City.
Dubai is a city that is changing rapidly
bringing to its residents a luxurious life
style and quality of services and facilities,
but unfortunately modernism has an ugly
face. A few years back, the quality of air
was never a concern for the city’s inhabitants.
Nowadays, it is an issue of concern that
it is alarming the country’s health authorities.
A visit to a chest/lung specialist in Dubai
reveals that the number of people who are
falling victim to air pollution is growing.
Many suffer from a chronic respiratory disease
known as asthma. It attacks the lungs when
the airways are narrowed, which eventually
results in obstruction of the flow of air and
difficulty in breathing. The asthma attacks
occur mainly due to environmental reasons,
weather changes and other allergens such
as cats, dogs, mold, and dust.
Dr. Tarek Eissa, an ENT Specialist based
in Dubai, believes that air pollution triggers
asthma, especially when the patients live
in a crowded city where cars and factories
generate air pollutants. However, he thinks
it is not yet a serious problem in the UAE.
“We still have green areas around the city,”
he says. Dubai still enjoys good air quality,
unlike major cities like Cairo or Tokyo
where pollution is very high, Tarek says.
Dubai Municipality is making a great effort
to increase the green areas in Dubai to help
refresh the air. “Green areas work like a lung
for the city as they provide us with oxygen,”
he explains. Dubai Municipality has an
Environment Protection and Safety Section
(EPSS) of the Environment Department
that is responsible for monitoring air pollution
and controlling the air quality in Dubai. Since
1988 an air-monitoring system has been in
place to provide the basic data necessary for
air quality control programs. In 1993/1994
a new air monitoring network was set up by
Dubai Municipality to greatly expand this
air monitoring capability. From that time
onwards additional air quality analyzers were
placed to meet the air quality monitoring
demand for determining the exposure of the
public to air pollution. Commenting on the
quality of air in the city, a senior environment
officer at Dubai Municipality says, “There are
two sources of air pollution: emissions from
stationary sources and this includes industrial

“The reason we
use fossil fuels is
largely because
it is the cheapest
alternative.
Cleaner fuels
and technologies
cost more money.
Does this mean
it is an either/or
choice?”says
Richard Newell,
a faculty member
of the Nicholas
School for the
Environment
and senior fellow
of Resources for
the Future.
like carbon dioxide, water vapor and nitrogen.
The other kinds of greenhouse gases are man made.
Other reasons for concern are the widespread use
of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) and fossil fuels.
The Emirates was one of the first countries to
sign the Montréal Protocol, a treaty to combat
global warming and use of CFCs.The UAE
has also issued Ministerial Council Decree
No. 16 for 2003, which established fines on
the licenses issued by the Federal Environment
Agency to import ozone-depleting substances
like CFCs.
In an interview with Desert Dawn, Richard
Newell, a faculty member of the Nicholas
School for the Environment and senior fellow
of Resources for the Future, says that there
is a tradeoff between environmental protection
and traditional economic growth. “The reason
we use fossil fuels is largely because it is the
cheapest alternative. Cleaner fuels and
technologies cost more money. Does this mean
it is an either/or choice? No. It is a matter
of degree,” he says. Newell believes that
economies can continue to grow while
doing so in a way less damaging for the
environment, but they will probably grow
somewhat more slowly than they otherwise
would. “The trade off between the two is a
social and political one,” he adds. Newell also
believes that while climate change is a longterm
problem, the results for mid-term strategies
emphasize the important role for policies
that encourage reduction across all available
forms and timeframes. Newell states in his
paper “Environmental and Technology Policies
for Climate Mitigation” that one solution to
climate change is to place an “emission price”
on carbon dioxide. The paper states, “A tax
on fossil-fueled energy seeks to discourage
use of these sources in favor of renewables.”
Countries like the United Kingdom, Germany,
Sweden, and the Netherlands tax fossil-fueled
sources, in most cases by exempting renewable
sources from an energy tax.
Another environmental expert, Michael
Smiths, says that global warming can have
lasting effects on everybody, especially on
people’s health. He believes that “Global
warming melts icebergs and changes the
climate and this means that certain strains
of diseases can mutate and adapt to these
new conditions.” He adds that new diseases
mean that there has to be a new cure and
a new cure could take a very long time.
“It is a problem that may or may not have
a solution,” he says.“Now, at this time, we need
to anticipate these possibilities and try to find
solutions,” Michael stresses.
Global Warming is a real, serious threat
to mankind; if something is not done about
it today, there is no guarantee that there will
be a tomorrow. There is no single known
cause and no flawless solution, but if people
are willing to work toward a better environment
then there is hope.
The world is slowly melting away
“Global warming melts icebergs
and changes the climate and
this means that certain strains
of diseases can mutate and
adapt to these new conditions.”
Illustration provided by: Afra Atiq

14 > FEATURE
Richard Newell, a faculty
member of the Nicholas
School for the Environment
and senior fellow of
Resources for the Future
Photo Provided by: Richard Newell
GLOBAL
Problem..
TEXT: Moza Al Flasi & Afra Atiq
Ninety thousand deaths, excessive flooding, drought and possible
epidemics over an estimated period of sixty-three years are all
created by one major problem. It is a problem that has reached
such an extent that even the world’s greatest minds are struggling
to find a suitable solution.
Over the last few years, environmentalists
have had concerns about the effects
of human activity on the environment. Things
like water and air pollution are beginning to
take their toll on the environment and, more
specifically, the atmosphere. To combat this
major problem, global warming, many countries
are taking precautions, like signing international
agreements and finding alternative methods,
to prevent further damage. Global warming,
is just what it sounds like, a global problem.
Global warming does not only affect one
or two countries, it affects every country on
the planet. It is the increase in the earth’s
temperature. It is estimated that by the year
2071, according to a report for the European
Commission, climate change will kill an
average of about 1,200 people per year. Global
warming will have such a big impact on the
environment that excessive flooding and even
increased periods of drought are anticipated.
Because of Global Warming, countries at high
to mid latitudes, according to NASA and
IPCC, are expected to have a large increase in
rainfall; countries at low and mid latitudes are
expected to have increased rainfall only during
winter. According to a study published in
Global warming will affect all of us!!
2005 by the National Center for Atmospheric
Research, the frequency of drought has doubled
over the past thirty years and is expected to
keep increasing. Although one single cause of
global warming cannot be determined, experts
agree that human activity is facilitating global
warming and is increasing it.
One cause of global warming is the absorption
of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
There are, according to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, two kinds
of greenhouse gases: Naturally occurring gases
Photo Provided by: Jhon Garner

Designed By: Hind Designed By: Khulood
Designed By: Nawar
Designed By: Mariam Designed By: Mahra
Designed By: Amna Al Tayer Designed By: Wafa
Designed By: Afra

16 > GALLERY PAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPRESSIONS
Year One Communication Technology students created posters that reflect their impressions about the environment.
Designed By: Amna Essa Designed By: Noora
Designed By: Shamma Designed By: Shazzy Designed By: Alya Taryam
Designed By: Shamsa Al
Designed By: Mashael
Designed By: Aysha Bin

ARABIAN
Oryx
TEXT > Afra Atiq
The United Arab Emirates is famous for
many things, the largest man made islands,
the world’s tallest tower and even the world’s
richest horse race. Little do most people know
that aside from all these wonderful things,
there dwells a little know fact. It is a fact that
is, in fact, quite shocking and not something
to be very proud of. Thirty-two animal species
indigenous to the UAE are on the IUCN Red
List of Endangered Animals and Plants. The
Arabian Oryx, also known as Oryx Lecory
in Taxonomy and Al Wethaihi in Arabic, is
one of the animals on the IUCN list. The
Oryx is one of the most beautiful and cherished
animals in the UAE and one of the few that is
indigenous to this region of the world. It is sad
to think that this amazing creature was almost
driven to extinction, in the wild, in 1972. The
Oryx was a sign of wealth and prestige among
the Arabs and very few were kept in captivity
in the homes of these people.The Arabian
Oryx was, and is until today, a common
reference in Arabic poetry and literature.
In the mid 1970’s, the late Sheikh Zayed,
former president of the UAE, realized the
need to save the Oryx and began to breed
the few remaining in captivity. In the past,
the Oryx had almost no natural predators
and its endangerment was caused almost
entirely by over-hunting. Today, despite the
fact that the Oryx population is about 3500,
they face a new threat. Recent rapid
development and urbanization of rural areas
has threatened Emirati wildlife. It destroys
the Oryx’s habitat and main sources of food.
Places where it would normally dwell are now
Arabian Oryx
filled with buildings or houses and crawling
with cars. Another threat to the Oryx
now-a-days is air pollution. The Oryx has
a very senstive respiratory system and air
pollution can cause their death. In addition
to these reasons, the Oryx is still being
hunted for sport.While development is
vital to a country’s stability and survival,
it is not worth sacrificing an entire species for
it. The key is to strike a balance between the
economy and the ecology.
The Oryx, along with all other desert
animals, should be saved not killed! I am not
expecting people to become animal rights
activists and stage protests, but I am expecting them,
at least, try to save the Oryx by educating
themselves about it and spreading awareness
to others. In my opinion, the Arabian Oryx
is a prime example of how easily something
that is an integral part of Emirati heritage
can be killed off.
Provided by: Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi

18 > OPINION
TOWARDS
Reducing Air Pollution
TEXT > Jawaher Bufaroosha
How can we take a step forward towards
reducing the level of air pollution in your city?
There are lots of things that we, as individuals,
do every single day that increases the emission
of air gases. I want to emphasize here how much
an individual can do to improve air quality;
this improvement relies on individual
responsibility. In order to take a step forward to
reduce air pollution, we should first identify the
factors. Some of the common and well-known
factors of air pollution are cars, energy
consumption, and waste. You might
be thinking how could you contribute to this
improvement? There are a few suggestions;
if you are a driver, you could carpool, walk,
ride a bicycle, or use public transit. You can
also try obeying speed limits, replacing air
filters, and having your tires properly inflated.
Driving smart is another way that could reduce
the emission of air gases. How can we drive
smart? Simply, use the cruise control on the
highway and accelerate gradually.
Reducing energy consumption has direct and
indirect effects on the air quality. For example,
if we reduce the consumption hours of home
air-conditioners, we are reducing the emission
of CFC, one of the gasses that causes a serious
environment problem. Suggestions for energy
consumers. Try turning off the lights when not
needed. We could also try using flourescent
lighting; we will not only be saving energy,
we will also be saving money. There are simple
things that you might not think about that could
easily affect the air quality, such as waste disposal.
You should try choosing recycled products and
products with recyclable packaging, recycling
papers, plastics, and metals, and even printing
and photocopying on both sides of the paper.
These suggestions might seem too idealistic. The
point is you should all be trying at least one
of these suggestions; therefore, this minimal
contribution from you along with the
contribution from others will definitely help.
Provided by: Dubai Municipality.

footprint.Environmentally, our resources such
as water are getting depleted. Our health can
be affected because when we consume a lot.
Waste increases, pollution increases and therefore
diseases such as respiratory problems increase,”
she explains.
Eng. Ahmed Mohammed Al Jassmi, Head
of the Industrial Waste Unit, Environment
Section at the Dubai Municipality, says, “The
increase in population and rapid growth is a
main factor in the increase of waste in the city.
However, the municipality laid down fees in
efforts to minimize the increase in waste.
Household waste is the highest in the emirate,
then comes industrial waste and finally medical
waste,” he adds. Private companies and
government organizations are working towards
a better environment. Together with the
municipality, they are putting down plans
and strategies to encourage less consumption
and more recycling projects. Tadweer, the
Recycling Facility, focuses on minimizing the
quantities of waste directed to landfills. The
main objective of this facility is to increase
waste reduction, recycle and conserve resources.
According to Eng. Ahmed,“When it comes
to waste treatment, there’s a required procedure
that we have to go through, from collecting
the waste to finally disposing it using the
right tools. At this moment we have five main
landfills located in Al Qusais, Hatta, Al Habab
and one in Al Warqa, which will be relocated
soon. As you can see all these locations are
actually on the outskirts of the emirate.“The
main functions of the Waste Treatment Section
is managing the treatment and disposal of
general industrial waste in the most efficient
manner. In addition the section plans, maintains
and develops the sites in order to ensure the
needs of waste requiring treatment.”
Dubai Municipality has taken the initiative
of reducing waste being dumped into landfills
and implementing the process of waste
treatment for materials that can be reused.
“Tadweer is a new facility that has not yet
functioned properly but will soon. It is a waste
treating facility that can consume waste up
to 4000 tons daily. Now this facility operates
1500 ton of waste daily,” he says.
Dubai Recycling Park Project:
Being a progressive city and living an
unprecedented construction boom, which
ranks it fourth highest producer of waste
worldwide, Dubai Recycling Park, the first
integrated waste management and recycling
park in the Middle East, is now underway.
According to recyclingdubai.com,“The concept
of establishing Dubai Recycling Park was
developed from the message of H. H. Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,UAE
Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler
of Dubai that it is the responsibility of
industrialized nations to safeguard the
environment. Dubai Recycling Park will
revolutionize the way the Middle East manages
waste by establishing up to a dozen different
recycling plants within Dubai Industrial City.”
Located within the Dubai Industrial City
(DIC), the park will feature 10-12 recycling
and waste management plants that will serve
DIC, Dubai and the region. “All the different
material collected will then sorted in the waste
management plant and transferred to one of the
A disturbing view.
recycling plant. All the sorted recyclable materials
will be used to produce original products (eg.
paper to cardboard), or to a different product
(eg. plastic bottle to plastic bags).” The Park will
be developed on a site measuring 1,500,000
square feet with a 49 year lease agreement with
Dubai Industrial City and a capital investment of
up to USD150 million.Construction will be fully
completed by end of 2008.
Photo by: Aisha Bin Hammad

20 > FEATURE
“The increase in
population and
rapid growth is
a main factor
to the increase
of waste in
the city,” says
Eng. Ahmed
Mohammed Al
Jassmi, Head of
the Industrial
Waste Unit
at the Dubai
Municipality.
HEAVY
CONSUMPTION
= Health Hazards
TEXT > Athija Thani & Aisha Binhammad
Dubai nowadays is a city undergoing rapid
development. With the growth of the city’s
population and consumption patterns, Dubai
could be facing a serious environmental
problem. It is the lack of proper waste disposal.
Papers, tins, and plastic bag are the most
common disposed materials consumed by
1.422 million residents of Dubai. According
to the Dubai Statistics Department, “Some
292,000 more people have become Dubai
residents in just one year as the emirate’s
population increased to 1.422 million
Shocking Figures
“Approximately 120 million tones of
waste is currently produced in the GCC
countries. 60% is from Saudi Arabia,
20% from the UAE and the rest is from
Kuwait,Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.”
“Dubai is estimated to have the highest
waste per capital production in the GCC,
equating to an emirate total of 9.4 million
tones per year, or 35% of the waste
produced in the UAE. Waste production
in Dubai is expected to increase from 10
million tones in 2004 to over 20 million
tines in 2010,” reported the Arabian
Business magazine in an article titled
‘Re-Cycle of Life’
in 2006 from 1.130 million in 2005. This
means that 24,333 people were added to
Dubai’s population every month, 800 daily
and around 33 every hour during 2006.
The figure does not include tourists,” reports
www.uaeinteract.com.
Because of the rapid growth of the city’s
population, the country, particularly major
cities like Dubai, has one of the world’s
highest levels of domestic waste per capita.
A recent environmental study revealed that
per capita household waste has reached an
average annual level of 725 kilos in Dubai,
“The Waste Services Section of Dubai
Municipality collected around 1.175 million
tons of waste during November from Deira,
Bur Dubai and the rural areas. The waste
collected included general waste, construction
and demolition waste. An estimated 3,390
tons of waste recycled was made up of paper,
waste, cartons, plastic etc,”reported the UAE
news agency (WAM). Laila Yousef Al-Hassan,
an Environment and Development Senior
Editor with the Environment Agency in Abu
Dhabi (EAD), says that the UAE needs now
more than before to improve its treatment of
hazardous materials and waste. Medical waste
is currently being treated by private companies,
but EAD is working on a plan to improve
it further.“The current image of the UAE is
suffering because we have a very large ecological

they tend to involve long-term time frames,
multi-faceted causal relations, and are characteristically
associated with discourses of scientific
expertise. EAD monitoring of the news
reporting of environmental issues in the UAE
has revealed that serious sustained journalism
on environmental issues is certainly possible,
if journalists are made aware and provided with
adequate information.
Communicating Abu Dhabi's 1st State
of Environment Report:
An Environmental conference was held in
Abu Dhabi under the title ‘Communicating Abu
Dhabi's 1st State of Envvironment’. It included
a set of workshops designed to demonstrate
the importance of media and the environmnet.
Environmental experts and media professionals
participated in an interactive workshop where
they were asked to work in groups and come
up with sollutions.
Different audiences, different messages:
Laila Yousuf Al Hassan, a Senior Editor at the
Environment Education Awareness Division
of the EAD believes the media in the country
can play a role by carrying the messages in a
simplified and interesting way to many audiences.
“Different communicated messages should be
tailored to reach different audiences. I don’t
believe in ‘one size fits all’. Our society is
multicultural; the country’s residents speak
different languages, have different priorities
and accordingly different understandings
of environmental issues,” Laila explains. Laila
also believes that the media should educate the
public on the basics of environmental issues
that concern their wellbeing and health. “I
don’t think the public should be bombarded
with too many statistics, scientific information
and details,” Laila says.
Working with the media:
Emirates Environment Group (EEG),
a voluntary, non-government organization
that is devoted to protecting the environment
through education, action programs and
community involvement, is one of several
organizations that work closely with the media
to promote positive environmental actions by
individuals, governments and business sectors.
EEG believes that environmental protection
campaigns, by their nature, call for a high
degree of public awareness and involvement.
Without public support, any campaign will
be a futile effort. “Building an awareness
campaign among individual and corporate
audiences is critical to the success of NGOs
like Emirates Environmental Group. Media
coverage is central to sustaining interest and
attracting sponsors for our campaigns, as
well as gaining greater public support,” says
Habiba Al Marashi, Chairperson of EEG.
Habiba believes that the media should not
marginalizenews about the environment.
“News related to the environment should
be front page stories, just like world politics
or current affairs since they (environment
issues) have direct impact on our community
and ultimately our economic sustainability as
a society,” she says. “To do this, it has been
imperative that we keep feeding the media
with content of interest, whether it is news or
features. We have to be persistent and accessible
as well,” Habiba explains.
The UAE population with access to
the Internet are among the least aware
of global warming, according to a
survey by AC Nielsen , a multinational
consumer research group. An “Online
Consumer Opinion Survey”, the
largest half-yearly survey of its kind,
was conducted by AC Nielsen in late
October/early November 2006 and
covered 25,408 Internet users from
47 countries and territories in Europe,
North America, Asia Pacific and the
Middle East. The survey came before
the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change released a report
that said that man was very likely
causing global warming. “The Czechs
led the world in awareness of global
warming with 99 percent of online
consumers saying so, followed by
the mainland Chinese, Portuguese,
Russians and Thais -- all at 98 percent.”
Unfortunately, among those least aware
were from the United Arab Emirates.
“The three lowest countries globally
in terms of awareness were the UAE,
where 16% of respondents said that
they had not heard of global warming,
followed by the US (13%) and
Malaysia (11%),” reports ACNielsen.
“News related to
the environment
should be front
page stories,
just like world
politics or
current affairs,”
says Habiba
Al Marashi,
Chairperson
of Emirates
Environment
Group.

22 > FEATURE
WORKING
with the media
TEXT > Shahd Khaled & Jawaher Bufaroosha
“We cherish our environment because it is an integral part of our
country, our history and our heritage. On land and in the sea, our
forefathers lived and survived in this environment. It is a duty and,
if we fail, our children, rightly, will reproach us for squandering
an essential part of their inheritance, and of our heritage,” Sheikh
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan, the late UAE President said.
Protecting the environment is a duty, as Sheikh
Zayed always stressed, but it does not fall
only on the shoulders of the government and
environment non-governmental organizations
(NGOs). There is an important key player
whose efforts could bring change on a vast
scale. The media can educate the public on
the dangers facing the environment and
generate public consciousness and awareness
of their responsibilities. Does the media in the
UAE play an effective role in educating people
about the environment?
Workshop during the conference.
What are the communication strategies that
could help get environmental messages across
to the public in the country. Desert Dawn
went with those questions to environmentalists
and journalists in an attempt to highlight the
significant role of the media regarding the
environment. According to the Environment
Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), UAE media coverage
of environmental issues is abundant and
has significantly altered the dimensions of
public debate. However, journalists often fail
to develop complex environmental issues. This
happens due to gaps in awareness or lack of
personal interest in the issue. Environmental
issues in general pose a severe challenge to
established routines of news making, because Participants of the Media and Enviro Conference.
Photo provided by Laila Al Hassan
Photo provided by Shahad Khalid

lived by trading in fish and pearls. In the past,
only small dhows were able to enter the Creek.
The bigger vessels had to unload goods into
small boats at the entrance of the Creek. In
the late 1950s, the Creek, the city’s lifeline for
trade, was beginning to silt, and the currents
that swept along the Gulf coast were piling
sandbars across its mouth. The late Sheikh
Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum allocated US$
960,000 to dredge the waterway and build
breakwaters at its mouth.
The expansion of the waterway helped
increase the shipping movement and enabled
ships of a capacity of 500 tones to safely enter
the Creek. The Creek now is 14 Kms long and
it has eight docks that accommodate more
than 30 ships. It witnesses the passage of more
than 700,000 tons of cargo annually although
till now only wooden ships are allowed to enter
the Creek to keep its traditional feature.
According to datadubai.com, “Countries which
depend on the Creek for their trade with Dubai
are the Arabian Gulf states, Iraq, Iran, Yemen,
Somalia and India.” At the present time, Dubai
Creek is not only a commercial water passage,
but also a major attraction for tourists and
residents of Dubai. The Abras, small wooden
boats, ferry tourists and residents between
Deira and Bur Dubai. They are considered
the cheapest and fastest mode of transport
in Dubai.
Eco-friendly Abras:
As a natural resource and a central hub,
the Creek faces several challenges that stand
in the face of development. One of the major
challenges is air and noise pollution caused
by diesel-run abras. There are 149 abras currently
operating in the Creek carrying an average of
20 million passengers a year. According
to Dubai Municipality, there has been a sharp
increase in abra users in the last ten years. In
2006, more than 21.2 million residents and
visitors used the abras to commute between
Deira and Bur Dubai. A number of studies
have been conducted recently to examine the
possibility of running the abras on solar power,
a source of energy that is eco-friendly since
it minimizes pollution.
Eco-friendly Abras will soon be in operation
Ahmad Mohammed Al Hammadi, Director
of Marine Operation and Transport Department,
says, “We have tested the solar power engine
on one of the abras. The results were positive
and we started to build research based on this.
Every abra will cost up to Dhs100,000, but
the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will
not be able to finance the 149 abras, which are
individually owned. The abra’s owners are still
reluctant to pay Dhs100,000 to make their
abras eco-friendly ones.”
Adding to this, Ahmad says that the RTA
is looking at other alternatives, which are being
examined. Among the proposed solutions
is using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
“If we succeed, then this plan will come into
effect as soon as possible. Yet, the Solar Power
remains our first option.”
The RTA signed an agreement with Emirates
National Oil Company (ENOC) for testing
abras to ensure that they meet specified
global standards and conditions on engine
exhausts. According to the agreement,
ENOC conducts annual tests of the engines
and overall condition of all abras. The tests
ensure the emission levels of gases like nitrogen
dioxide, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons
meet environmental safety standards.
photo by Shaikha Bukhashem
Due to the
busy movement
in the Creek,
Dubai
Municipality
has intensified
the cleaning
process using
marine trash
skimmers,
which regularly
patrol Dubai
Creek, says
Ayman
Mahmoud
Sulaiman,
a Marine
Pollution officer
at Dubai
Municipality.

24 > FEATURE
Photo by Shaikha Bukhashem
DUBAI CREEK:
Past and Present
TEXT > Asma Ahmed & Shamma Al Muhairy
Driving through Dubai and crossing Al Garhoud Bridge, you see a
line of wooden boats floating over the water of the Creek and an old
man with his crew building and repairing traditional boats. The life
of the old man, like many other Emiratis, has always been connected
to Dubai Creek.
The 70-year-old Emirati, Saif Al Falasi, sits
every day on the side of the creek working with
his crew building boats that he is quite famous
for. In the past, these boats were used to carry
goods through the Creek. Nowadays, Dubai
Creek has changed just like everything else
in the city.
Al Falasi still recalls how the Creek was
in the old days. He says, “The Creek was
a very narrow waterway until the late Sheikh
Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, former Ruler
of Dubai ordered the expansion of this narrow
canal to become Dubai Creek. Since then, the
flow of commercial and non-commercial ships
coming to Dubai carrying goods and people
from different countries has never stopped.
Dubai is indebted to the Creek for its
commercial boom.”
The Creek: past and present:
Dubai Creek was a narrow waterway, which
divided Dubai into Deira and Bur Dubai. It
was a safe place on the southern shores of the
Arabian Gulf where a small group of people

27 > OPINION
WATER = LIFE
TEXT > Shahd Khaled
Water is a scarce and essential natural resource.
Conserving and maintaining water quality
is especially important in the United Arab
Emirates, one of the world’s driest inhabited
countries. I believe preventing or reducing
water pollution protects our water quality and
is necessary to maintaining the health of our
environment and our own quality of life.
Most people think water pollution comes
directly from a factory or other known sources,
a type of pollution known as "point source
pollution."
Today, the biggest source of pollution is us
- you and me. This type of pollution is known
as "non-point source pollution" because it
can't be traced to one single source. We can't
tell how much pollution is coming and where
from. Types of non-point pollution that
ultimately end up in our waterways include
used oil poured into drains, soil washed from
construction sitegrease from restaurants,
fertilizer and pesticides washed off farm fields.
That's why it is so important for all of us to
clean up our act and learn how to prevent such
pollution.
I think we should start making a difference
in this situation starting from home by
discontinuing the dumping of hazardous
household products into drains, sinks and
toilets. In addition to this, we should reduce
the usage of non- toxic household products. I
believe by recycling and disposing trash into
the correct places not down the toilet, we can
reduce the damage of the sewage system and
not end up littering beaches and the waters. In
my opinion, I think we should conserve water,
low-flow toilets and showerheads save both
water and money. We should always repair
dripping
faucets
promptly
because they
waste lots
of gallons aday.
I believe in the
United Arab Emirates
alot of houses hose their
driveways and sidewalks,
so why shouldn’t we
conserve water by just
sweeping them.
The next big problem
is the house gardens;
I feel we shouldn’t
over-water our
gardens, overwatering
the
garden can
increase the leaching of
fertilizers into groundwater. It is
also better to water the garden during
the late evening to prevent water evaporation
due to midday heat.
Personally, I think we
waste too much
water washing our
cars. Instead, we
ought to hand wash
them with a bucket
of water, rather than
hose the car and not
recycle the water.
photo by: Shamma Buniwas
photo by: Sheakha Mohammed (ZU)
photo by: Hafsa Al Mutawa

The RTA plans
to activate
the ‘Waterbus’
service on
Dubai Creek's
water in July
2007,
says Ahmad
Al Hammadi,
Director
of Marine
Operation
and Transport
Deapartment
Traditional Dhow - Dubai creek. Photo provided by: Asma Ahmed
Addionally, the RTA plans to activate the
‘Waterbus’ service on Dubai Creek's water
in July 2007. “It is actually a service different
from the existing water taxis (abras) that
are utilized to commute between the banks
of the Creek. We will apply the highest security
and safety criteria for the modern air-conditioned
boats in line with the best international
practices,” Ahmad explains.
Trash Skimmer in the Creek:
One of the many challenges is the increase
of traffic in the Creek as well as the opening
of the Business Bay, which pours into the Gulf.
It is clearly evident that the road towards
development and prosperity includes falling
upon stumps and obstacles. Goals can always
be achieved as long as there are alternatives
that can be implemented.Ayman Mahmoud
Sulaiman, a Marine Pollution officer at Dubai
Municipality, says that due to the busy
movement in the Creek, Dubai Municipality
has intensified the cleaning process using marine
trash skimmers,which regularly patrol Dubai
Creek beginning from the wharfage and passing
through Ras Al Khor and Hamriyah ports.
Despite efforts made by the municipality
to clean the Creek, the problem remains in
the hands of the users, mainly abra workers.
“Although we have provided brochures and
books of instructions, still people are not well
aware of the importance of following these
instructions. Dubai Municipality gives all yachts
and cargo ships that enter the Creek a book
of guidelines for the protection of Marine
Environment,” Ayman explains. Additionally,
earlier in 2007, professional divers, under the
supervision of the municipality, ran a clean-up
campaign called ‘Marasina’. Covering Dubai
Creek and Hamriya Port, the campaign
targeted abra workers to make them aware of
the importance of keeping the waterway clean.

يبظبأل ةئيبلا ةلاح ريرقت رتمؤم في ًابلاق و ًابلق ملاعإلا تابلاط ةكراسم
DWC students participate in Abu Dhabi 1st State of Environment
ةيلكلاب ملاعإلا مسق ةبلاط مسخ ب ةخيس .اهسارقنا بابسأا
اهعن نم ةديرف ةبرتج برتعت رتمؤلم انرسح نأا ”:لقت
انك طقف ،ًاقباس اهانصرح يتلا تارتمؤلما نع فلتخت يهف
اذه زييم ام و ،ديق نود انئارآا نع برعن و ثدحتن و كراسن
ةئيبلا ةحاس في ةفورعلما تايسخسلل انتلباقم ه رتمؤلما
ةنيدم في ايلعلا ةيقنتلا تايلك تابلاط و بلاطب ءاقتلإلاو
دقف ،يبد ةنيدم جراخ رتمؤم رسح ه ديدلجا و ،يبظبا
برتعت يذلا و تاراملا صرق قدنفل انل ةرايز لوا هذه تناك
.”يبظبأا ةنيدم في ةديدج ةيحايس ةهجاو
: ملاعإلا مسق تابلاط نع لقت ةملعم لماك ىنيم
عيسالما مهأا نلجسيو نودي تاديج تاعمتسم دقف“
ةلاعف تءاج يتلاو ةسقانلما نم نكمتي يك ةحورطلما
نحرطي ةأارج لكب رسلحا مامأا نفقي نك ثيح ةظحلمو
تابلاط رسح نإا. نهئارآا نع نعفاديو اهنسقانيو عيسالما
تايلاعفلاو ةيفاقثلا تايقتللماو تارتمؤلما هذه لثم ةيلكلا
ةبترلم اهلسو في ىلعأا ًلاثم عيمجلل تبصر ةفلتخلما
ضسلخا هجو ىلع ةيئيبلا ةيفاقثلاو ةفاقثلا نم ةيلاع
عوطلما ةصفح :ملقب
تاراملإا رصق قدنف تاحاس ىدحإ يف ةئيبلا ةلاح ريرقت رتمؤم يف ينكراشملل ةيعامج ةروص
ةئيبلا ةلاح ريرقت رتمؤم في ملاعإلا مسق تابلاط تكراس
صرق قدنف في ةمساعلا ضرأا ىلع ميقأا يذلا يبظبأل
ةئيه نم ميظنتب كلذو ،2007 ضرام رهس للاخ تارامإلا
ةمتهلما تايسخسلا نم يربك ددع صرح .ةئيبلا ثاحبأا
يتلا تلاجلما و دئارلجا فلتمخ نم ينفاحسلاو ةئيبلاب
تابلاطو بلاط لىإا ةفاسإلاب ،يئيبلا يعلا صرن في مهاست
.ايلعلا ةينقتلا تايلك
ةقلعتم يهف ريرقتلا اهلوانت يتلا ةيسيئرلا رواحلما امأا
،يئيبلا فياقثلا ثرإلا ،هدرامو رحبلا ،تايافنلا ،ءاهلاب
ةفاسإلاب ،يجليبلا عنتلاو يسارألالل لثمألا مادختسلا
.ةيعامتجلاو ةيداستقلا ةيمنتلاو ةئيبلا ةرادإا لىإا
عم نهبواتجو تابلاطلا ضامح رسلحا نم ظحل دق
ةيلكلاب ملاعإلا مسق في ةبلاطلا نياث ةجيذع .صراحلما
ثيح رتمؤلما في اهحرط تم يتلا عيسالما ةيمهأا ىلع تدكأا
درف لكب ةطيحلما ةئيبلاو ةلودلاب صرابم لكسب ةقلعتم اهنإا
نع تبرعأا دقف ملاعإلا ةبلاط قيتع ءارفع امأا .ديدحتلاب
لثتم تناك ثيح رتمؤلما في اهتكراسلم ةرماغلا اهتداعس
ةسقانمو ةيبرعلا اهلما نع ثيدلحاب ملاعلا مسق تابلاط

28 > ARABIC
ةيئيب قئاقح
للها همحر دياز خيسلا ةلودلا ضسؤم للها نذإاب هل رفغلما
تاحاسلما ةدايز تلمس يتلا تاردابلما نم ديدعلا ىنبت
لح صرخألا مازلحا ءانب و ءارحسلا. ةعارز و ءاصرلخا
و تانايلحا تايمحلم ةريزج ماقأا و يبظبأا ةنيدم
.ةردانلا ريطلا
تايافنلا لسفل ةيزكرم ةأاسنم ءاسنإل ططخت يبد ةيدلب
.اهريودت ةداعإا ضرغب ةماعلا
ةزودلا ةيزنوبرب يتاراملا ”يبظبا زنك“ مليف زاف
في دقع يذلا يئيبلا مليفلل ليودلا ناجرهملل ةعبارلا
نع ًامليف ٥٤ هيف كراسو ًارخؤم ضنتب ناويرقلا ةنيدم
.ةيبنجاو ةيبرع ةلود ٢٣ نم ةئيبلا
ةيواميكلا دالما نإا ةئيبلل ةدحتلما ممألا جمانرب لقي
في تايفلا عيمج نم ٪٢ نع ةلوؤسم ةئيبلا في ةماسلا
ضارمأا ببستت .ةيمانلا لودلا في ٪٥ و ، ةمدقتلما لودلا
ءيدرلا يحسلا فصرلا و رذقلا ءالما ببسب لاهسإلا
ةحسب ايرثك صرت و ،ماعلا في لفط نيلم ١،٨ ةافب
ينيلالما ءانم و
لسفأا انل ةبسنلاب لكست ريطلا ضارقنا تلدعم نإا
مئادلاو لئاهلا يرثأاتلا ةحادف ىدم ىلع فرعتلل رايعم
لك لباقم يفف .ةئيبلا ىلع يصربلا ضنلجا هفلخ يذلا
،لماعلا ىتسم ىلع ةفورعلما ريطلا عانأا نم عن
ةصرع كانه نكي دق ،عن فلآا ةصرع غلبت يتلاو
وأا تانايلحا نم ةفورعم يرغ ،عن ةئام ابمرو لب ،عانأا
ريطلا اهب ىظتح يتلا ةيبعسلاو .تايرطفلا وأا تاتابنلا
نأاسب تاملعملل ىهاسي ل ردسبم اندوزت اهنأا ينعت
ىلع عانألا هذه ةردق ىدمو ،نيأاو ،ضيعت عانألا يأا
راهدزلاو ءاقبلا
للاخ يبد ةرامإا في ةيلزنلما تايافنلا جاتنإا عفترا
2000 ماع نط نيلم حن نم ةيسالما ةتسلا ماعألا
2006 ماع نط ينيلام ةثلاث نم براقي ام ىاإا
يلجا فلاغلا في ةقلاع تاميسج يه تلسوريلا
ةمواقم في اهرارقتساب زيمتت ثيحب ةلئاسلا ةلالحا في
بركأا تاميسج نيكتل عمجتلاو ثرختلا ءطبو ةيبذالجا
.تيبركلا تابكرم ىلع اهنم يرثك يتتحو ،لقثأاو
نم ةزيمتم ةعممج باتكلا اذه مسي
رن عدبلما رسلما اهطقتلا يتلا رسلا
بحاس ايؤور ضرعت يتلاو ،دسار يلع
،نايهن لآا ناطلس نب دياز خيسلا مسلا
يذلا ةيرسلما دئاقو ،ةلودلا ضيئر
ةلود نميلما هدهع في ترهدزاو تماق
.ةدحتلما ةيبرعلا تارامإلا
مبلألا نم رس باتكلا اذه مسي
ةعممج مدقي ياردك دلانور يبرعلا
في اهطاقتلا تم يتلا تارامإلا نم ةزيمم
باتكلا يتحيو ،نياثلا نرقلا فستنم
تارامإلا نم ةفورعم تايسخس رس
.ةيبرعلا ةلاسألاو ةوادبلا اهيف زبرت
نم ةردان ةعممج باتكلا اذه مسي
فستنم في اهطاقتلا تم يتلا رسلا
يبرعلا مبلألا اذه لكسي نيصرعلا نرقلا
ةيسخسلا ياردك دلانور ةيؤور ،رسلما
ةعيصر ةحلم رفيو ،تاراملا ةراحبل
يظح يتلا خيراتلا نم ةيرسق ةترف نع
. اهتبكام فصرب
في اهرثأاو ةيسايسلاو ةيعامتجلا ةئيبلا
اذه .ةدحتلما ةيبرعلا تارامإلا ةلود مايق
ةيقيزيفلا ضئاسلخا نع ثدحتي باتكلا
حصري كلذكو ،ةفلتخلما تارامإلال ةماعلا
ةيناكسلا تاكرحتلاو ةيداستقلا ةطسنألا
ضئاسلخاو حملالما لىا ةفاسإلاب
.هلئاسوو لقنلا قرطو ةماعلا ةيناكسلا
ةءارقلا قحتست بتك
Book Reviews
ييرهلما ةشئاع :دادعا

Green DWC
Located in an impressive campus that was
opened in 1998, Dubai Women>s College
(DWC) is an environment friendly college.
The campus enjoys vast green areas and it has
recycling bins placed in four different locations.
The college works closely with the Emirates
Environment Group (EEG), a leading
non-governmental organization, which
regularly collects the college’s production of
recyclable materials. In 2001, EEG started
to place Recycling Centres in private and
government schools to support and motivate
them. The schools were chosen as the ideal
place to start with, as the problem of waste
management can be successfully addressed
when started at the base level of the community,
with the youth as the primary target.
Why Recycling?
Recycling paper reduces tree cutting and spares
our forests.
Recycling metal, plastic and glass reduces
resource extraction for raw materials and the
ecosystem destruction associated with mining
and drilling.
main drop of recycling bins
main collection bin

30 > DESIGNING DESERT DAWN
Desert Dawn cover designs created by Communication Technology Yr 2 students under the topic of Environment & Development
Designed by: Shaikha Bukhashim Designed by: Aisha Bin Hamad
Designed by: Moza Ahmad
OUT OF STOCK
Designed by: Ayesha Al Muhairy
Designed by: Hafsa Muttawa
Designed by: Shahd Khaled

The Com Tech Company
Media and Graphic Design Solutions
contact: Hanan Hairab
04 267 2530