Qatar Green Building Council aims to engage the community in a wide range of sustainability-oriented activities.

This initiative plays a crucial role in raising awareness among the wider community, while showcasing the progress Qatar has made in the areas of sustainability and green buildings.

With this in mind, we at Al Asmakh Facilities Management decided to do our part by sharing a little piece of information that will create awareness within our community to help support Qatar’s sustainability greatly.

Water is the most important element for the preservation of life next to air. It is a finite commodity which, if not managed properly, will result in shortages in the near future.

There is no doubt that most of us take water for granted.

We have a habit of leaving our taps running. Whether it is when we brush our teeth or wash food, it’s all too easy to leave taps on and water running down the sink. For every minute that the tap is running, it uses as much as 12 litres of water. 

Air Conditioning is one of the essentials in Qatar, especially during the summer. Eco-conscious individuals may wonder about the environmental impact of air conditioning and how to choose more sustainable options. But it is almost as impossible to stay without an AC. 

By letting the room be cooled enough to turn off the AC unit often and by keeping it turned off when you leave home can largely impact in energy saving. Being considerate about energy consumption is going to benefit you financially too.

Many different things can negatively influence the environment, such as not using proper procedures when disposing of products. However, there are many benefits to using eco-friendly products that are not simply centered around the health and well-being of the Earth, but also the health and wellbeing of your family.

Choosing eco-friendly products is the least we can do to our environment as well as ourselves.

Cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions is a crucial element in fighting global warming and climate changes that may be a factor in catastrophic weather events.

Replacing only one light bulb with an Energy Star-rated light bulb in every house would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 9 billion pounds, or about the amount from 800,000 cars; the statistics show.

Plastic bags end up as litter that fouls the landscape and kills thousands of marine animals every year that mistake the floating bags for food. Plastic bags that get buried in landfills may take up to 1,000 years to break down, and in the process, they separate into smaller and smaller toxic particles that contaminate soil and water.

So, the next time the clerk at your favorite grocery store asks whether you prefer “paper or plastic” for your purchases, consider giving the truly eco-friendly response and saying, “neither.”

Like we mentioned earlier and there’s no harm in repeating, water is a limited yet the most valuable resource for life form.

You can help reduce the waste of this precious resource by making simple changes in your daily routine. An average shower uses about 5 gallons of water per minute. If you shorten your shower by 2 minutes, you can cut your water use by 10 gallons. You can further reduce your water consumption by turning the water off while soaping.

Trees naturally pull in carbon (and water) from the atmosphere to feed themselves. It’s just a happy coincidence that, in doing so, that process produces oxygen, which is a necessity for lives to thrive.

The crucial takeaway is that trees absorb carbon and one of the biggest aspects of global warming is the rising amount of carbon dioxide trapped in our atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is one of several greenhouse gases contributing to our rapid climate change. Since trees already absorb carbon, we need to plant even more to combat the effect it’s having on our planet. 

The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Making a new product requires a lot of materials and energy – raw materials must be extracted from the earth, and the product must be fabricated then transported to wherever it will be sold. As a result, reduction and reuse are the most effective ways you can save natural resources, protect the environment and save money.

Pollution from vehicles is a major threat to the environment. We all benefit from clean air. No matter who you are, there are actions you can take to help reduce the amount of pollution that comes from cars.

If you are only going a short distance, consider riding a bike or walking instead of driving. You can get exercise and enjoy the fresh air while getting where you need to go.

It is an important duty of every citizen to contribute to the environment and to build a sustainable living for the future generations. Let’s rebuild together what we have destroyed.