This is my 1^st official report for Tunza and I thought of a little while to decide what should be the topic. Then I decided to report on the last major event on water conservation which has been received in the community in a large way. This is to brief you all regarding the bubbling young group who cares about environment, even though I had mentioned regarding the same in very brief in one of the 100 words essay wring competition...

When I formed ?Green Brigade? - a few months ago, I thought of only communicating with people in a common forum, who are supporting me in my recycling programme with EEG (Emirates Environment Group) since last 3 years. I conceptualized this forum to communicate with my ?partners? so that collection of newspaper, Plastic bottles, Aluminium cans would be easy for me to send the same to EEG for recycling on a  monthly basis. But after few months, I received various encouragement notes from various corners and decided to take this forum to the next level.

Few of my friends, students from DPS Sharjah and Our Own English High School decided to start a door-to-door campaign for water conservation. In UAE, the average water consumption per person is 550 litres/day, where as standard norm set by UN is 250-300 litres/day and in India, average norm is 135 litres/Day. So, from these statistics, we can see how much water is wasted in UAE and the situation is worse considering the fact that UAE is having very less source of natural water. The situation is really alarming and awareness among people is vastly missing.

It was a great campaign we contacted many households and many workers in the Qasimiya area in Sharjah on 16^th June and the following weekend, ignoring the scorching heat and explained the situations and shared few very useful and simple tips for water conservation. We distributed the flyer specially made for the day and even pasted them in many household kitchens so that it remains as a part of a reminder!!!! Few people even told us that they will monitor the water bill from this month onwards and inform us?.

Here are the few simple tips which we have campaigned:

• Run your washing m/c and dishwasher only when they are full. Save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
•  Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.
•  Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month.
•  Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month.
•  Turn off the water while you shave and save up to 300 gallons a month.
•  Do NOT use the toilet to dispose of paper, facial tissues, or cigarettes.
•  Soak pots & pans before washing. When washing dishes by hand, fill sink/basin with soapy water
•  Don?t defrost food under running water. Defrost in refrigerator. Saves 50 -150 gallons a month.

This was well appreciated from all the corners and we ?The Green Brigade? are committed to take this further in the coming months?.

 If anyone wants to join us, they can join us on our facebook page: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/371497349573555/)

Unmesh Datta