* Building on their petition to ban single-use plastic bags, QAD students participate in beach cleaning activities
The students of Qatar Academy Doha (QAD) – a Qatar Foundation (QF) school – received an appreciation letter recently from the Amir of Qatar for their efforts in pushing for a nation-wide ban on single-use plastics.
Building on this effort, these students took up the task of beach-cleaning to raise even further awareness about plastic pollution, littering, and its detrimental effects on our environment.
Nine-year old Al Dhabi al-Thani, a QAD student, which is part of QF’s pre-university education, along with other students and staff, and the Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP), collected on average, 10-12kilograms of trash from different beaches such as Al Mafjar, Umm Bab, Al Ghariyah, in Qatar.
“I want to explore the beaches of Qatar, and watch the birds landing on water. I want to dive to discover the different marine life in these waters. I want to be sure they are all fine, and not in danger because of pollution and plastic,” al-Dhabi said.
“I participated in the beach cleaning campaign to help preserve the environment in Qatar. We spent two hours removing waste and plastic bags. We were tired, but we also had fun. We want to keep our country beautiful.”
QAD was recently awarded the Eco-School Green Flag by QF’s Qatar Green Building Council for meeting sustainability standards and awareness. The students’ efforts in trying to ban plastic had the Amir of Qatar send them a letter of appreciation, saying that this important initiative indicates an early awareness of the danger of plastic waste to the environment.
The letter added that such campaign also embodied the students' love for their homeland, and instilled confidence in the determination of this generation and future generations to do what they can to effectively contribute to the efforts made to build a prosperous homeland.
The ‘Activists in Action’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks posed by single-use plastic bags and is on a mission to collect 10,000 signatures on a petition calling for these bags to be banned in Qatar.
“Plastic bags are very harmful to the environment, and we are working to remove them, but that is not enough, as we are all supposed to stop using these bags and replace them with recycled ones,” Tamim al-Thani, another QAD student, said.
“We request all community members to do their bit in preserving the environment, especially the sea, which has been a source of living for our ancestors – they used to dive to extract pearls and fish. And we want to protect it,” Tamim added.
Rawda al-Qassabi, another QAD student, highlights that every piece of garbage matters – whether small or big. “When we pick up a small piece of garbage from the beach or in a heritage place, we protect the environment from what could pollute and harm it.”
“If we stop throwing trash everywhere and change our mindset to protect our surroundings, then we would be on our way to achieve our goal,” she added.
QF schools offer a variety of environmental activities such as Qatar Sustainability Week, Earth Day, and World Environment Day, to raise students' awareness and it is not limited to just these days. The schools also motivate their students to participate in activities that can have a longer and larger impact by positively influencing their behaviors.
“Exploration of the natural world is an important phase in educational development at this stage of life,” said Eman Abdulla, head of Learning and Outreach and Schools, Children's Museum at Qatar Museums. She is also a mother of five children who study at QAD. “Through this beach clean-up initiative, these children will understand the connection between their lifestyle choices and the impact of plastic and trash in the oceans, beaches and heritage sites.”
Abdulla said that an activity such as a beach clean-up is also an opportunity for the family to come together. She and her family has been involved in many beach clean-ups and environment awareness initiatives.
For his part, Hamad al-Thani, also a QAD student, notes that he shared his experiences with his friends in order to motivate them to participate in future beach clean-up campaigns, as well as to spread awareness about the need for everyone in Qatar to take responsibility to keep the waters and beaches clean.
“We want to remove objects that might cause marine creatures, like birds and turtles that live in Qatar, any harm. Our efforts at the beach clean-up will have a long-term impact and will make Qatar more beautiful and cleaner,” Hamad said.
Jose Saucedo, director of DEAP, said that Qatar has a unique natural habitat with a wide biodiversity, where varied species of birds, fish, turtles, and other creatures live in the sea. He added that this biodiversity will not continue to flourish if changes are not made where environmental pollution is put to an end.
“Every year about eight million tonnes of plastic waste is dumped into the oceans, and according to scientists, it is expected that in the year 2050 there will be more trash in the sea than fish,” Saucedo said.
“In partnership with QF schools and QF’s partner universities, as well as many other schools, companies, and the public, we have managed to make a positive change. Over the last four years, 11, 000 volunteers, most of whom are students, have contributed to the removal of about 130 tonnes of waste from Qatar's beaches and heritage sites.
“QAD students are very active and innovative in their solutions, and this is evident in their efforts to reduce single-use plastic bags. We must work together to preserve the unique environment in Qatar, so that future generations can enjoy the beaches and heritage sites.”
Building on this effort, these students took up the task of beach-cleaning to raise even further awareness about plastic pollution, littering, and its detrimental effects on our environment.
Nine-year old Al Dhabi al-Thani, a QAD student, which is part of QF’s pre-university education, along with other students and staff, and the Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP), collected on average, 10-12kilograms of trash from different beaches such as Al Mafjar, Umm Bab, Al Ghariyah, in Qatar.
“I want to explore the beaches of Qatar, and watch the birds landing on water. I want to dive to discover the different marine life in these waters. I want to be sure they are all fine, and not in danger because of pollution and plastic,” al-Dhabi said.
“I participated in the beach cleaning campaign to help preserve the environment in Qatar. We spent two hours removing waste and plastic bags. We were tired, but we also had fun. We want to keep our country beautiful.”
QAD was recently awarded the Eco-School Green Flag by QF’s Qatar Green Building Council for meeting sustainability standards and awareness. The students’ efforts in trying to ban plastic had the Amir of Qatar send them a letter of appreciation, saying that this important initiative indicates an early awareness of the danger of plastic waste to the environment.
The letter added that such campaign also embodied the students' love for their homeland, and instilled confidence in the determination of this generation and future generations to do what they can to effectively contribute to the efforts made to build a prosperous homeland.
The ‘Activists in Action’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks posed by single-use plastic bags and is on a mission to collect 10,000 signatures on a petition calling for these bags to be banned in Qatar.
“Plastic bags are very harmful to the environment, and we are working to remove them, but that is not enough, as we are all supposed to stop using these bags and replace them with recycled ones,” Tamim al-Thani, another QAD student, said.
“We request all community members to do their bit in preserving the environment, especially the sea, which has been a source of living for our ancestors – they used to dive to extract pearls and fish. And we want to protect it,” Tamim added.
Rawda al-Qassabi, another QAD student, highlights that every piece of garbage matters – whether small or big. “When we pick up a small piece of garbage from the beach or in a heritage place, we protect the environment from what could pollute and harm it.”
“If we stop throwing trash everywhere and change our mindset to protect our surroundings, then we would be on our way to achieve our goal,” she added.
QF schools offer a variety of environmental activities such as Qatar Sustainability Week, Earth Day, and World Environment Day, to raise students' awareness and it is not limited to just these days. The schools also motivate their students to participate in activities that can have a longer and larger impact by positively influencing their behaviors.
“Exploration of the natural world is an important phase in educational development at this stage of life,” said Eman Abdulla, head of Learning and Outreach and Schools, Children's Museum at Qatar Museums. She is also a mother of five children who study at QAD. “Through this beach clean-up initiative, these children will understand the connection between their lifestyle choices and the impact of plastic and trash in the oceans, beaches and heritage sites.”
Abdulla said that an activity such as a beach clean-up is also an opportunity for the family to come together. She and her family has been involved in many beach clean-ups and environment awareness initiatives.
For his part, Hamad al-Thani, also a QAD student, notes that he shared his experiences with his friends in order to motivate them to participate in future beach clean-up campaigns, as well as to spread awareness about the need for everyone in Qatar to take responsibility to keep the waters and beaches clean.
“We want to remove objects that might cause marine creatures, like birds and turtles that live in Qatar, any harm. Our efforts at the beach clean-up will have a long-term impact and will make Qatar more beautiful and cleaner,” Hamad said.
Jose Saucedo, director of DEAP, said that Qatar has a unique natural habitat with a wide biodiversity, where varied species of birds, fish, turtles, and other creatures live in the sea. He added that this biodiversity will not continue to flourish if changes are not made where environmental pollution is put to an end.
“Every year about eight million tonnes of plastic waste is dumped into the oceans, and according to scientists, it is expected that in the year 2050 there will be more trash in the sea than fish,” Saucedo said.
“In partnership with QF schools and QF’s partner universities, as well as many other schools, companies, and the public, we have managed to make a positive change. Over the last four years, 11, 000 volunteers, most of whom are students, have contributed to the removal of about 130 tonnes of waste from Qatar's beaches and heritage sites.
“QAD students are very active and innovative in their solutions, and this is evident in their efforts to reduce single-use plastic bags. We must work together to preserve the unique environment in Qatar, so that future generations can enjoy the beaches and heritage sites.”
