Dubai Customs joins the world in celebrating the World Environment holding several related activities and conducting awareness campaigns for its clients and employees. The World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5th.
The slogan of the World Environment Day-2009 is "Your planet needs YOU! Unite to combat climate change" and Dubai Customs takes part this year as well as every year by raising clients and employees' awareness of the dire need to protect the environment and how to partake in this important objective. E-mails about the topic were forwarded to all employees and signs that highlight environmental issues were put up all around the Department. The campaign highlighted all aspects related to climate change, humans' responsibility towards it and the potential risks of this phenomena on humans', food resources and oxygen. Methods by which one can contribute to combating climate change and providing healthy, hygienic and unpolluted environment were also included in the campaign.
Mr. Yousef Al Sahlawi, Senior Executive Director at Dubai Customs said:" The World Environment Day is considered one of the major opportunities to raise awareness about environmental issues. Climate Change is a key challenge that the world faces nowadays. Overcoming this issue is a burden on all of us whether organizations or individuals, nations or governments,. We can all contribute to having a healthier environment for the future generations by protecting the environment and reducing the amount of CO2. There are serious concerns resulting from the increasing carbon emissions, the temperature rates, the deterioration of the snow cover, the aggravating effects of storms and tornadoes, the changing composition of the atmosphere and other aspects of climate change that result from daily human practices and human misuse of natural resources which have a negative effect on the human beings".
The awareness raising programs launched by Dubai Customs in relation to environmental issues aim to encourage adopting healthy practices at work, home and on the streets. For example, minimizing the consumption of water and energy, reducing the amount of consumption remnants, conserving the green nature, better use of towels, using recyclable bottles and cans, and covering food items with materials that can be recycled.
There is much that can be done regarding this matter in the work environment. The amount of paper used can be reduced or reused and recycled, for instance. The documents can be printed on both sides as well as activating power saving systems of the office equipment such as photocopiers, printers, computers and so on. In addition to drawing the attention to the necessity of switching off lights that are not adequately used in offices, meeting halls and rooms in order to contribute to reducing the danger of global warming and the emissions of carbon around the offices.
Mr. Yousef Al Sahlawi added:" Dubai Customs has given the environment protection cause a great interest since a long time. The Department has launched many initiatives that are concerned with this objective, whether by creating electronic and automated systems and programs that enable clients and employees to reduce the consumption of paper or by also executing community activities related to the environment. The department’s environmental activities include carrying out campaigns for cleaning the beaches and sponsoring year-round events that have to do with environment which come in a bid to add to the Department's responsibility towards the community; a highly important objective within Dubai Customs’ strategic visions. One of the most recently launched campaigns in the beginning of 2009 was the one related to confronting trade of products made of extinct animals and plants . Another example would be the project which was launched last year concerning the fishermen's ports; an environmental, economic and tourism project that constituted the development of four ports located on the Arabian Gulf Coast opposite Jumeira. This project which provides a healthy climate for tourists, visitors and fishermen has received Dubai Environment, Health and Safety Award (silver category). All these efforts and initiatives have positive economic outcomes that ensure continuous sustainability and development in addition to their social and humanitarian aspects".
