American University in Dubai students- of UNV 101 class- have jumped on the “environmental” bandwagon with the launch of their new Nature Club- a part of the larger Nature Network. The aim behind starting AUD’s Nature Club was to spread environmental awareness amongst students at the American University in Dubai (AUD) and to try to involve the students in various environmental activities. The Nature Network, which is supported by meUNIVERSITY, Emirates Bank’s tailored banking service for university students, also played a role in the need to develop such a club at AUD. Since the Nature Network’s primary goal is to harness the collective power of students from all over the UAE and to use it to effect positive change in the UAE environment, AUD students felt the responsibility to get involved in such an organization so as to make a contribution to represent their school. As part of this initiative, two representatives from AUD attended the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) Global Youth Gathering- a partner event for The Nature Network. To help with educating their peers on caring for their environment, students from the nature club have developed an ongoing environmental awareness campaign highlighted by touching public awareness posters and featuring subjects such as recycling and the perishing environment.
Since forming the club, the emphasis so far has been on the educational field trip to Khor Kalba in Sharjah, (the oldest Mangrove Forest of Arabia) which took place in April 2005 and was organized by Marc James – founder of The Nature Network and Mash-up. Thirty-Five AUD community members including four faculties took part.
The environmental journey included talks by a youth advisor, Lara El Saad, a representative of the UNEP, West Asia, Saif Poovancherry, a guide from desert rangers and Marc James. The following facts were emphasized in their talks:
More than one billion people in this world make less than $1 a day.
The U.A.E has the world's largest ecological footprint: meaning that the demands made by the local community on the resources available and the amount of waste generated by the average consumer is far higher than any other country in the world.
The trees and the green turtles in Khor Kalba are more than a hundred years old.
The unique endangered birds in Khor Kalba, which are the white-collared kingfisher and warbler, only reside in this part of the world. Crabs, the main and preferred source of food for the kingfisher, are being over-caught. Hence, the birds are in danger of extinction, as a result of their deteriorating food source and nesting sites. To add, mangroves at Khor Kalba are suffering greatly from human intrusion.
Due to plastic bag pollution in the creek, turtles are mistaking the bags for their favorite food, jellyfish and are dying a horrible death of obstructed intestines.
The group explored the beauty of Khor Kalba by canoe, so as not cause any harm to the environment. At this place of exquisite beauty, the fish leapt out of the water, the warblers chirped and the green turtles crept on the belts of ancient mangroves, beautifully contrasting with the brown rocky mountains and the sparkling blue water.
Sonam Bhojwani, one of the newly founded members of the AUD Environmental Club and co-organiser of the trip, said, “This is my first trip to this beautiful place and I can’t believe a place like this actually exists in the UAE. Most people do not travel outside of the city and will never truly enjoy the treasures that lay so close. I hope that other students will also have the opportunity to join organisations like the Nature Network and contribute to the environment, as we have.”
Following the trip, the students have plans to organize a CLEAN UP KHOR KALBA campaign, which is scheduled for the fall and will help to preserve this place of exquisite beauty.
