Car-pools, green buys: UAE residents ready to get eco-friendly

As ordinary citizens, we each can do our little bit to save the environment and UAE residents are willing to do just that.

In an online poll run by Emirates 24|7, residents in the UAE are willing to do many things that can reduce the level of pollution.

To begin with, they believe, if there are fewer cars on the road, air pollution levels can be improved.

The authorities in the country too want to see fewer cars on the UAE roads.

Alarmed by the rising level of pollution on the city’s major roads, the Director General of Dubai Municipality, Hussain Nasser Lootah, recently suggested that ownership of cars be restricted via a federal law.

And, UAE residents seem to be willing to contribute to the cause.

Twelve per cent of the respondents are willing to leave their cars behind at home and opt for a car pool or use public transport.

Next, UAE residents want to stop using plastic carry bags. Thirteen per cent of the respondents who participated in the poll said they want to opt for greener bags, which hypermarkets and supermarkets in the country, are now encouraging to use.

Reuse – that is what they want to promote.

Residents also want to be environmentally savvy when they shop. Everything that we buy affects the planet, but some good choices can have a lesser impact.

The first step that residents can take is by educating themselves about environment friendly products and opting for them as opposed to hazardous ones for the environment.

It's called "green purchasing," and two per cent of UAE residents want to do that by checking 'green' credentials of products before buying them.

Residents also want to opt for cutting down on their utility consumption – nine  per cent want to reduce their electricity consumption whereas the same number of people want to reuse their water usage.

Above all, the majority (45 per cent) want to do all that we’ve discussed above to make UAE a greener place to live in.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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