Close by, other visitors stand armed with paint brushes a paint pots, coloring in a large globe.

The activities all part of the mall’s campaign, Make Our Planet Green, to encourage people to be more environmentally aware.

Shoppers can take a break from retail stress and take part in a range of events as part of the initiative. A giant globe on the atrium floor has gradually been colored in by curious passers-by by ahead of Earth Day next week on April 22.

If they’ve spent a healthy amount shopping( AED 250 or US$68), they get to plant a sapling for free in a specially erected greenhouse before taking their young tree home. Alternatively if they’ve resisted from spending their money shopping or just been dragged along for a family outing they can pay a small fee to take a sapling home to plant.

Many art and environment lovers have also been participating in the Green Earth Sketching Contest. The competition requires them to sketch their version of an eco-friendly earth on eco-friendly paper. The winners of the contest will be announced on April 30 and the person who scoops first prize will get an Al Wahda Mall shopping voucher worth AED 5,000 (US$1,361!)

“We want to educate people about how they could contribute towards a greener planet by organizing activities they will enjoy taking part in,” said Mohammad Nauman Thakur, General Manager of Al Wahda Mall.

“With such initiatives, we believe in connecting with the community and we would like everyone to come here and take part in the ‘green drive’. Everyone should be responsible and do their bit for a cleaner planet,” he added.

Hundreds of visitors descended on the activity areas on the opening day of the Make Our Planet Green initiative.

“I had visited the mall with my young ones. It was nice to see them getting close to nature and learning about their responsibility towards a greener planet. They had fun planting saplings, it is not something they usually get to do,” said Filipino Maria Guiterez, an Abu Dhabi resident who works in the marketing department of a multinational company.

Aside from this latest green campaign, the mall already has in place environmentally friendly measures to help reduce its carbon footprint and use energy efficiently. The skylight on the roof has sun reflective films to help reduce overheating in order to save power.

LED bulbs have replaced 20 percent of the lights in the mall, and by 2017, the mall hopes that the entire building’s lighting will be using the energy saving LEDs instead of regular bulbs.

Al Wahda also uses an adiabatic cooling system to cut down on electricity consumption of the air conditioning system by reducing heat through a change in air pressure.

Even the restrooms are green! Waterless urinals have been in installed to help save over 400, 000 gallons of water each year.

The Make Our Planet Green event started on April 9 and is running for another week until its final day on April 25.

Images courtesy of Al Wahda Mall.

The post Abu Dhabi shoppers planting and painting at the mall appeared first on Green Prophet.

British Muslims are breaking the terrorist stereotype in a new eco-awareness campaign. Trees4Life, a British grassroots organisation has branched out as far as Palestine and Indonesia, to facilitate positive solutions to environmental problems in the form of tree-planting programs.

In the faithful hopes of trying to make us aware of our environmental obligations, Trees4Life believes planting a tree is the first small step in being a green Muslim. “We are just trying to open the door in thinking ‘green’,” says founder Naweeda Ahmad.

Green Prophet writer Zaufishan Iqbal asked the Trees4Life team how British Muslims can help the Middle East and whether planting trees is really the way to go about it.

Green Prophet: Great to speak to you Naweeda. First up, tell us a bit about Trees4Life. When and where did the campaign begin? Who’s on the team?
“Trees4Life Campaign began in June 2010. There are two members on the team; Ruhul Tarafder and Naweeda Ahmad. We also have 5 trustees, Shahed Yunus (Chair), Lina Khan (Secretary), Robin Virgin, Naima Bouteldja and Rafia Meah. Each of us has a varied role in terms of promoting unusual fundraisers and organising campaigns.

The main aims of the organisation are to raise awareness in Britain of the ecological and environmental problems facing the planet, especially some of the most vulnerable populations of the less developed world.

Trees4Life Campaign is an innovative, global initiative to raise awareness of the ecological and environmental problems facing our planet. Our belief is simply that life cannot survive without trees because trees are in essence the lungs of the earth, they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen, this is what sustains life.”

Green Prophet: How does faith as a Muslim fit into your environmental action?
“Ecology may seem like a western concept but really this is something that Islam promoted over 1400 yrs ago. Allah (Arabic, God) has made humans custodians of the earth; this has been entrusted to us by Allah and it’s important for us to look after it.

As Muslims, we have an obligation to preserve the planet, and what better way than planting a tree.”

Green Prophet: Is Islam therefore the inspiration behind Trees4Life
“At Trees4Life, we felt that Islam is not just about fulfilling the rituals of the faith – prayer, fasting in Ramadan – but to look beyond that and to be concerned about the world we live in.

We are therefore supposed to be concerned about our environment and to learn about how we can help our world in a positive way, this is part of our faith.

We wanted to engage in an act that would help us to help the environment and also encourage others to do the same. Planting a tree is one of the simplest acts anyone can do to help support the environment.”

Green Prophet: Where in the world have you planted trees so far, and where are you going next?
“Trees4Life Campaign is working to support tree planting programs in many parts of the developing world. Our first and current project is Trees4Life Indonesia whereby we aim to help our partners (IFEES and the Consortium) to re-plant trees in two of Java’s National Parks. Between 1985 and 2007, the island of Sumatra alone lost 12 million hectares of natural forest; a 48 percent loss over 22 years. Our humble aim is to plant 2,000 trees.

*Updates on the Trees4Life Facebook group page say over a half of this target was recently met. Great stuff.

We hope to initiate projects in other countries including Bangladesh, Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Costa Rica and Brazil. Developments are being made to launch these soon.”

Green Prophet: What response have you had about your campaigns from the Muslim and wider community?
“We have had a very positive response so far in a short space of time which is very pleasing. Earlier this year, we hit over 500 members on our Facebook group supporting the Banglatown road trip where through donations, we had the funds to plant just over 300 trees.

People from all over Great Britain have supported the project as well people who met the road trip team in the different countries they have driven through.”

Over the summer season, Trees4Life organised an open eco-poetry competition, allowing submitters to gift a tree planting, and a fantastic Fusion Rally environmental car trek across Europe saw the Muslim ‘Green Burqettes’ fundraise and promote Green Islam ideas.”

Green Prophet: Middle Eastern regions only constitute 4.7% of the world’s total carbon emissions, so it’s ironic that leaders fly across in planes just to tell us to switch off our kettles. How can planting trees help reduce our global carbon footprint?
“It is no myth that trees help to reduce carbon emissions. As they grow, they help in the fight against climate change. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air, store carbon in the trees and soil, and then release oxygen into the atmosphere.

Research shows that global warming is threatening the world’s trees. If current rates of fossil fuel emissions continue, the rainforests are in danger of collapse. In turn, deforestation exacerbates global warming when dying trees release their stored carbon back into the atmosphere. This vicious cycle could lead to irreversible and dangerous climate changes that would affect all life on the planet.

Planting trees is a simple step that anyone can take that reduces carbon dioxide and makes a pro active stand against global warming. Our official website provides a carbon calculator which can be used to find out an individual’s carbon footprint and how many trees he/she needs to plant to offset this.”

Green Prophet: Faith is a driving force for many environmentalists. Do you believe Muslims have an additional role to play in keeping the earth ‘green’?
“Yes definitely. In fact, studying the biography of the Prophet Muhammad shows his actions would be considered in today’s world as that of a green and eco-friendly person.

We think many Muslims are unaware that this is their social and Islamic responsibility as part of our Islamic faith to be ‘green’.

Over 1400 years ago the Prophet taught us to not waste our energy and resources but to use these wisely. In a hadith (saying) emphasising the urgency of preservation, he was reported to have said ‘If an individual has an opportunity to plant a tree, even if he knows the Day of Judgement is imminent, let him plant the tree’. [Bukhari]

Green Prophet: Although we have reported on the lives and passing of green Muslims, positive reenforcement of the ‘Muslim environmentalist’ image is lacking in mainstream media. What do you think is holding back Muslims from doing more for the planet?
“There are many factors holding Muslims back from doing more for the planet. First and foremost would be a lack of education on environmental issues. When taking into consideration many countries with an overwhelming Muslim population are hugely underdeveloped, and there are high illiteracy rates, environmental concerns are often not seen as a high priority.

Many ordinary people throughout Asia and Africa struggle for basic necessities such as clean water, food, shelter, and free education. What is not highlighted is the correlation between having these basic necessities and preserving the environment.”

Green Prophet: If you could get Muslims to do one thing for the environment, what would it be?
“Stop wasting what Allah has given us. Use water wisely, think about our food, how much we consume and how much we actually waste. We need to re-educate ourselves on being grateful to Allah for the blessings He has given us.

If the simple act of planting a tree across the globe could be promoted amongst everyone then this single act would not only be a step in the right direction of preserving the planet but for Muslims it’s a small action for which the spiritual reward is far reaching.”

Green Prophet: As educators yourself, what work does Trees4Life do in Middle Eastern countries in protecting the environment?
“Our Trees4Life Campaign launched this year with the first project in Indonesia. The tree planting process involves identifying a nursery site, constructing the nursery, and preparing and maintaining seedlings. We train local people to look after the nurseries and thus, continue the tradition of tree preservation.

Trees4Life research the best nursery sites and maintain saplings in purpose-prepared eco-friendly land

The planting stage includes land preparation – clearing, green fertilization, preparing sites for planting of each tree – as well as establishing land control, shelters and signboards. The program in Indonesia, along with others, will plant “cash crops” and will facilitate community mobilization, education, planting and maintenance activities.

We hope to launch future projects across the world including the Middle East, with recruitment currently underway in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Brazil. We are currently exploring possibilities of developing olive tree programmes in Palestine.”

Green Prophet: What are some of the core green principles inspired by Islam?

“Islam is a way of life in which justice, fairness and compassion towards all of creation is paramount. Prophet Muhammad is the role model for humanity. Like Prophet Jesus and Prophet Moses, he had the Islamic environmental philosophy, simple living, moderation, and respect and concern for all creation.

Trees are a blessing from Allah; they provide us with shade, with fruits and more importantly they are the lungs of the earth, providing us with oxygen. They also provide us with a beautiful environment. Many different types of trees and flowers with herbal uses and beautiful shades of colour, are a reminder of Heaven, all of which make us reflect on creation.

Trees are mentioned in the Quran and hadith (Prophet Muhammad’s sayings) including the date palm tree, olive tree, fig and pomegranate. These fruits have many health benefits and undiscovered remedies so Islam teaches us to be grateful for these blessings.

Several hadith (prophetic sayings) refer to planting a seed or tree:

• ‘There is no-one amongst the believers who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but it is regarded as a charitable gift for him.’
• ‘If any believer plants any plant and a human being or an animal eats of it, he will be rewarded as if he had given that much in charity.’ (Hadith recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).”

Green Prophet: And finally, what changes do you hope to see in the Middle Eastern and Asian community in the next 25 years with regards to environmental awareness?

“It is very important for the countries mentioned and others to consider environmental awareness for the next 25 years and beyond.

One of the other benefits is that trees provide a powerful defence against floods and soil erosion, such as in Bangladesh and Pakistan, which climate scientists warn will suffer from increased risk of floods due to rising sea levels from climate change. The recent devastating floods in Pakistan fit into the long-term pattern of increased frequency of natural disasters and erratic weather symptomatic of global warming. Deforestation made Pakistan much more vulnerable to flooding.

Trees4Life Campaign thus aims to get to the root of the problem by encouraging people all over the world to plant trees. Extensive reforestation of the southern hemisphere would also significantly reduce the effects of global warming and help to restore the natural balance elsewhere. Trees are nature’s way of ‘locking in’ carbon, so planting more trees is one of the most powerful ways of combatting climate change and defending our environment.”

:: Trees4Life Campaign

More on Muslim eco-news:
Can Muslims Be Buried At Sea?
A Guide To Green Blogging For Muslims
30 Mosques in 30 States: USA’s Organic Muslims
Middle East Leaders To Launch Green Hajj Guide At House Of Lords
UN: Urban Trees Needed Everywhere

The post Trees4Life Tell British Muslims To Plant Trees In Palestine And Reduce Waste appeared first on Green Prophet.

Have you ever wanted to grow trees without actually planting them? The Groasis Waterboxx is a Jordanian invention that will do just that. Launched in June 2011, the Groasis nurtures a sapling’s growth without the hands-on fuss of shovelling soil and topping up water. With hopes to see it distributed throughout famine struck East Africa, the Groasis Waterboxx could be one solution to natural food shortages.

The Groasis Waterboxx was introduced by AquaPro Holland, founded by the inventor Pieter Hoff. It uses a principle of ‘biomimicry technology’, an artificial copy of the way nature shelters seeds in humidity to grow in the most eroded sites and deserts without human intervention.

Groasis inventor Pieter Hoff is happy with his vegetable results

By planting young trees upright in the container roots remain intact and are encouraged to grow even at night when temperatures drop. An ergonomically designed box means condensation forms quicker inside – known as a water harvesting technique – and an insulation plate helps channel more water to the plant, continuously feeding growth. A great ‘infographic’ style animation shows how the Waterboxx is the best micro-climate for plants.

How does the Groasis Waterboxx work?
A photo tutorial of the Groasis Waterboxx explains how the basic function begins with a biodegradable paper board with 2 or 3 apertures.

After loosely planting a young tree near the soil surface, the paper board tags around the plants to prevent water evaporation.

An isolation plate fits into the green base of the Waterboxx which is placed over the plants and nailed at the edges using wind protectors to keep the base sturdy and supportive.

Both the base and lid have large enough tubed holes for the plants to grow and receive sunlight.

Finally, a ridged cover is clicked on top with a water hole allowing up to 5 gallons of water to fill the entire Groasis Waterboxx without flooding.

A blue sifon is threaded through the lid and capped shut, acting as a controlled water supply to feed the plants.

Groasis technology could potentially improve farming techniques and provide food supplies in famine struck regions such as the ‘horn’ of Africa.

Rows of Groasis require minimal maintenance (Image:: flickr)

Using a Groasis Waterboxx also helps:

• Collect rain water and prevent rapid evaporation, saving farmers a trip and money
• Prevent the development of weeds near the new plant
• Prevent pests and smaller rodents and birds harming the plant
• Prevent erosion of the soil around the plant
• The Waterboxx claims to create a perfect oxygen level in the soil to positively influence growth
• It stimulates a balanced climate, cooling the plant and preventing burning
• Because of the minimal space and soil requirement, traditional irrigation is not needed so the Waterboxx can be used on mountain slopes, rocks and in burned embers

:: Groasis – Let’s Green The World

Images:: flickr, Groasis Waterboxx

More:
Who Needs 11 Nuclear Plants?
New Eco-Park Opens In Jordan
Woodland Design Lab In Wales

The post Groasis Waterboxx Grows Trees In Deserts appeared first on Green Prophet.

Beginning as a meeting once upon a time in Mexico, Trees Give Life is the co-effort of Arif Malik and performing artist Mohammed Yahya. Green Prophet talks to the organisation founders about why they are planting trees for religion. Less than a year old, the Trees Give Life campaign began with a trip to Latin America, one of the latest parts of the underprivileged world to embrace the Muslim faith. Founder of the campaign, Arif Malik was inspired by Islam’s environmental principles to reach out and make a difference.

He says, “As Muslims need to be more aware of our planet as we have been entrusted to take care of the planet and that includes you as an individual, as a society and community and state. So I decided that If I was to make a difference then I would not rely on anybody apart from myself and the Creator and that this was my small contribution… in trying to save the planet.”

Trees Give Life stems from an Islamic concept called ‘sadaqah‘ (sadh-ah-ka) which literally means charity. Unlike traditional Muslim charities that focus on mosque renovations or installing new water pumps, Trees Give Life has plants trees to heal the natural environment.

“We really don’t know the true value of a tree and (the value of) its effect on the environment; if all the Muslims just planted one tree, can you imagine what the would mean to the world?” – Arif Malik

According to their website, Trees Give Life aims to provide basic training “in the use of planting trees and other vegetation” to the poverty-stricken communities who can go on to share this knowledge with local communities. Such empowering skills are hoped to assist the newly-recruited tree planters to generate an income and “improve their quality of lives”.

And what about the environment? In the pursuit of protecting and serving all forms of life, the campaign hopes to “conserve the local environment of Latin, America, and other parts of the world including the UK which is affected by Natural and man made disasters by ensuring that certain species of trees and vegetation do not become extinct.” By planting more vegetation in derelict farmlands, this ensures that trees are grown specifically to regenerate the eco system and thus reduce the effects of global warming, CO2 emissions and reducing carbon footprints.

Young plumoso palm trees ready to be planted in their new homes in South America

Green Prophet: Environmentalism in a majority of the Muslim world is seen as a novelty. Do you believe that Muslims have an important role to play in keeping the earth ‘green’?

Trees Give Life: ‘Muslims must stand up… and lead the way forward. If we do not and sit back then we will also suffer and our future generations will suffer. We are all accountable and will be held accountable for our actions, [even] towards our plants.

We have a social obligation, a moral obligation, a religious obligation and a spiritual obligation. The birds and plants and the eco systems are dying because of our actions. Muslims believe that God created everything in due measure and without flaws, but if we ignore the planet’s laws and neglect it, we may not have a future.’

Green Prophet: What do you think is holding back Muslims from doing more for the planet?

Trees Give Life: ‘My personal opinion is that many of us have lost what a it means to be an active Muslim. A Muslim must have an active connection with:
1. God,
2. The communities that we live in, and
3. The environment.

We cannot just pick one of these three and say “I will only concentrate on this one”. These are a must for all of us to be involved they are all intrinsically linked. Mankind is the caretaker of the planet and [Muslims believe] the first caretaker of the planet was Adam. All the prophets [in Islamic history] cared for the environment too.

If there are constraints to your activism then I would advise do the next best thing and remember that anything positive you do will have an effect on the earth – it’s like the ripple effect when you throw a stone in water – just like any negative thing you do will affect your surroundings.’

Green Prophet: Does Trees Give Life have any Middle Eastern projects in helping communities protecting their own environment?

Trees Give Life: ‘At this stage do not have any trees that we can plant in the Middle East, however if are able to establish and get contacts then we would be glad to assist. We are an organization that is based on a need and not to get politically driven to any one particular area or region.’

Green Prophet: How can we support Trees Give Life?
Trees Give Life: ‘Buy a tree through our website and assist us through donations. If you cannot afford a one-off payment, then at the least offer your support by raising awareness, and if you cannot do that then pray the Trees Give Life project is successful.’

:: www.treesgivelife.org

Images:: Trees Give Life ©, flickr

More on Green Muslems:
Trees That Don’t Stand a Chance Against Climate Change
Interview With America’s Leading Green Muslim – Ibrahim Abdul Matin
“Muslim For A Month” Project In Turkey Grows Interfaith Seeds
The Green Mosque Puts Faith In Its Eco-Friendly Place

The post Meet The Mexican Muslim Tree Huggers appeared first on Green Prophet.

Palestine’s green city attracts new criticism after developers admit they will be replacing 3,000 JNF trees with indigenous olive trees

Rawabi, Palestine’s first planned and green city was bound be a project full of stumbling blocks. An ambitious plan to help revive the fortunes of the West Bank, it not only had to prove its green credentials but also carefully navigate the identity politics minefield that it is part of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Back in October, Israeli Environmental Minister Gilad Erdan forced developers to cede access to the environmental impact assessment report of the project (although they were not required to do so) and went to criticize the report and threaten to shut down access roads to developers.

In early January, a boycott call was made against 20 Israeli companies assisting the project as they agreed not to use settlement products as part of their contract. Now, in response to criticisms from the Palestinian side for using JNF-sponsered trees, they have decided to replace them with indigenous Palestinian olive trees instead.

Concerns about the use of JNF (Jewish National Fund) trees were first raised by Uri Davies in the Ma’an news site who noted that the aims of the JNF clashed with the aims of the project to reflect Palestinian identity. Palestine’s first green city is a joint initiative between the Qatari government-owned Qatari Diar and Ramallah-based Masser International and insist that the city is a symbol of Palestinian identity.

JNF, which is an Israeli organisation, has previously faced criticism for controversially planting trees in illegal settlements in the West Bank and un-recognised Bedouin lands. In fact, Green Prophet reporter Tafline Laylin highlighted an incident in which Bedouins were accused of cutting down JNF trees in retaliation to them being planted on disputed lands.

Rawabi developers have been careful to champion environmental awareness through green parks, public transportation, waste-water reclamation, alternative energy and extensive tree planting.

Bashar al-Masri, the developer behind Rawabi, told the Jerusalem Post that Israeli elements were trying to ‘manipulate the issue’. The project has previously faced criticisms for insisting that settlement products from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and also the Golan Heights were not allowed to be used.

Israeli companies who agreed to this clause faced a petition to boycott them which was signed by 48 MK’s (Members of Knesset- Israeli parliament) and accused the Israeli companies of selling the “soul of Zionism and national solidarity for a handful of dollars.”

:Image via Bayti

For more on Palestine’s Green City and the JNF see:

Are Bedouins Cutting Down Trees as a Form of Political Protest?

Construction Underway on Rawabi, First Planned Palestinian City

Rawabi: Palestine’s Greenest City or Greenest Wash?

The post Palestine’s Green City Faces New Criticism- this time about JNF Trees appeared first on Green Prophet.

As the most densely populated area in the entire world, the Gaza Strip is understandably short of space. People live in overcrowded concrete homes separated by narrow alleyways and agricultural land is in short supply considering there is a need for food to replenish 1.5 million Palestinians, who also happen to live under blockade. In response to this situation, Gazans have taken to greening their roofs by planting herbs and vegetables to help supplement their diets and also generate a small income by selling excess produce.

‘What We Grow Feed Us’

According to the BBC, Israel has for many years restricted entry to and exit from Gaza, but it intensified its blockade of Gaza in June 2007 when Hamas took over, causing severe shortages. The dire situation in Gaza has already pushed the population towards more resilient energy supplies such as solar energy for electricity, solar ovens and electric cars. At is stands, the majority live in severe poverty and 80 percent are food-aid dependent.

“We grow on our roof because we are farmers but have no land now,” says Moatassan Hamad, 21, from Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip in an IPS article. “Our family is large and thankfully what we grow feeds us. Cabbage and eggplants in winter, and endochriyya [a plant used for making soup] and chili and garlic and onions in summer. And other things that we can sell, like flowers and palm tree seedlings.”

A Green Tranquil Island

On another roof in central Gaza, Abu Jihad raises around 100 chickens on his roof to help feed his family. He also added that the quality of his eggs and meat is often better than factory-farmed chickens because of the natural food he gives them. “I don’t feed them any steroids or chemicals, just vegetable peelings and dried bread and seeds, and I let them walk around on the roof every day.”

For many Gazans, these green roofs are also a place to socialise and relax as there is little space for communal activities in the Gaza Strip. Or a place to find peace and quiet in often overcrowded homes. As Hamad explains, “There is no space in camps, no trees, no public gardens. Our friends and guests like to sit up here, because most of them don’t have anything like this.”

Although the Gazans have been pushed to plant their roofs out of necessity, there is no reason why the entire Middle East shouldn’t follow their lead. The region is full of bare flat roofs that are would benefit from a bit of (edible) greenery!

:: IPS and image via Eva Bartlett/IPS.

For more on greening Gaza see:

Cell Phone Invention Could Save Gaza Residents From Fatal Explosions

Green Prophet Flies To “The Gaza Islamic University Environmental Engineering Blog”

Egypt’s Anti-Smuggling Wall Will Cause Major Damage to Gaza’s Aquifer

The post Gaza’s Green Roofs of Herbs and Vegetables appeared first on Green Prophet.