‘No-plastic’ drive by Emirati… a mite to save the environment

Did you know that plastic bags, that we often accumulate after every trip to the grocery store, can inadvertently kill camels and turtles?
 
And drilling home this point is Emirati Ali Alsaloom, who has put up a YouTube video challenge, asking 10,000 residents of the UAE to pledge a plastic-bag-free life in return for three mobile-free days of his.
 
Pitched against the Earth Hour initiative, where an hour will be blacked out to unite people in this crusade for environment conservation, Ali is hoping his efforts go a long way in educating people about the deadly impact plastic bags have on animals.
 
“I hope to encourage more people to reduce the use of plastic bags and opt for bio-degradable and eco-friendly bags,” he stated, adding, “I keep a grocery bag in my car. In reality, we don’t need 20-30 plastic bags for our one-time to the groceries. If there’s one big bag, it’s enough.”
 
Statistics showed that one in two camels in the UAE died of eating plastic bags, which left behind by careless desert campers or picnickers.
 
“Not many people know that plastic bags can fatally harm camels and turtles. The camels swallow them, thinking it is food while turtles consume it thinking it is jelly fish,” elaborated Ali, asserting, “We have to stop using plastic bags to save these animals.”
 
Research showed that plastic, which aren’t digestible, remains inside the camels’ stomachs, blocking their intestines and slowing starving them to death. Apparently, 60kg of calcified plastic is often found inside a camel’s carcass.
 
Although Ali doesn’t have access to the exact number of pledgers for his challenge, he believes it stands at a little over 1,000. “Basically, I’d be happy if my challenge is not beaten. It will be a miracle to stop using my phones, all three of them, for 72 hours,” quipped Ali, adding that his effort is to mainly “encourage people to do something for the environment and promote responsibility for their actions”.
 
Expanding on his role as the Environmental Awareness Ambassador of EAD (Environment Agency Abu Dhabi), Ali has produced a series of environmental videos titled “Ask Ali”, which was recently featured by Eithad Airways, and hosted many talk shows in schools and colleges.
 
“EAD has come up unique concepts like creating Jahila, a camel, who spreads awareness about its own wellbeing,” he added.
 
Ali admitted that there have been similar efforts by supermarkets, like Geant, in the UAE, but there’s still a lot more that needs to be done.
 
So, the next time you are about to pile your shopping cart with plastic bags, stop and think whether your actions will harm an animal.

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