Tree Planting Competition!

As part of  National Schools Environment Protection Program, RWA will participate in the Clean Energy Business Council’s inter school competition , to help reduce air pollution caused by the cars.

* The Competition - ‘Clean The Air We Breathe’

* Students from the participating schools can plant a tree or plant anywhere, any time of day during the competition period and thus purify the air around us we breathe.

* The teachers/parents must send individual photos to me (Mrs. Jaya Butani or Mrs. Trayle Kulshan, latest by 11^th June 2015) showing them planting a tree/plant.

* The school with the highest percentage of submissions (1 entry=1 tree/plant planted) will be announced the winner. (based on total number of students attending the school)

* This competition is open to students of all ages and year groups.

* The Prize

The Winner will be presented with a plaque and certificate in recognition of their NOx Pollution Neutral Effect environment.

The Winning School will be offered a painted area (free of charges), near the street and/or car park sufficiant to offset the vehicles and busses arriving/departing in the school area, each day for the last 100m of emissions.

The Winning School will be given the choice of rather painting their external roof adjacent to the AC input with Airlite Paint which will help purify the air, increase the building’s energy efficiency and clean the air going into the Air Conditioning System.

* Time Frame

Competition begins on 20 May 2015

Last day for submission of entries closes on 13 June 2015

Participating Schools must notify CEBC of their total number of trees planted by 15 June 2015

(and send a compiled file with the pictures)

The Winning School will be announced on 18 June 2015

The winning school:

Painting of the school building exterior (colour in accordance with school), will take place over the summer holiday at a convenient time agreed to by the Winning School and Airlite Paint. The Italian company Airlite has created a special paint that is based on the photocatalysis principle where the pollutants in the air are decomposed and naturally transformed into inert salts and thus neutralises the damaging effects of car emissions and helps purify the air. One square metre of paint reduces air pollution as effectively as one mature tree. (The Paint has the added benefit of significantly cooling a building/roof and ‘scrubbing’ input air to the AC system which improves energy efficiency and creates a healthier environment for our children).

Go Green

Solar Stars!

Wow we had so much fun cooking tasty noodles for our Solar Project with Beacon!
We had 80 enthusiastic participants!

Before the excitement.

 Putting together the solar cooker.

 Getting warmer!

Dubai - the perfect environment for solar power!

 Mmmmmm.

RWA Rocks!

Thanks to all who helped!
Especially the heads of Grades:
Grade 6 - Marie Jones
Grade 7 - Mairead Courtney
Grade 8 - Shelia Moran

High Trashion!

We had a great TRASHION SHOW, with so many fantastic outfits. 

Going Green is Always In Style! 

2015 Best in Show!

Adoring fans of a fabulous fashionista!

A green car!

Smart and sassy!

Goooooooooooooal!

1st place Diva! 

2nd place The Queen of the Atlantic Trash Vortex!

3rd Place was The Peace Tank! 

Solar Power!

RWA is happy to host a pilot activity about using solar power to cook! Check out the flyer! 

Make it work!

This week's theme is RECYCLING! 

* * *

We're all getting excited for our 

Annual RWA Fashion Shows! 

Each year students make awesome fashion and accessories from used materials. And just like Project Runway, we "Make it work!"

How hot are you?  Flaunt it on the runway! 

Fashion Forward Fun for everyone!

KG1-Grade 1 :  8 am, Tuesday 28th of April in the KG area
Grades 2 - 5 :  10 am, Thursday 30th of April in the first floor Sports Hall
Grades 6 - 12 : 1:15 pm, Thursday 30th of April in the first floor Sports Hall

Contestants please arrive 15 minutes early!

This year promises some super trendy looks, as well as AWESOME prizes! 

Our Grand Prize for each show has been generously donated by SEAWINGS sea plane tours of Dubai: a tour for 2 of Dubai.

* * *

So why is recycling so important...? Because recycling is the easiest, simplest thing that YOU can do to make your school cleaner, to reduce the UAE ecological footprint, and to save the world! It saves natural resources (because you are re-using what's already been used) and it saves energy (because it takes less energy to recycle something that to make a new one). 

Let's take the example of a water bottle to learn more: 

Here is a video report from Emirates News about recycling in the UAE.  It highlights the fact that one of the biggest challenges in the UAE is awareness of the people about recycling. 

The Emirates Environmental Group has some great programs that promote recycling and positive waste management. Check this out!

Do your part and spread the word to your family and friends about how simple, easy, and IMPORTANT recycling is! 

Goubook has some great information about recycling in the UAE.

Earth Day 2015

WEDNESDAY the 22nd of APRIL is EARTH DAY! 

Raffles World Academy will celebrate Earth Day with 2 main activities (see our events page as well):

1) Wear Green Day ! Show that you are aware of environmental issues by wearing green to school. Use it to strike up a conversation about how you can conserve energy and water.

2) Lights Out !   Try to turn out the lights in our classrooms ALL day LONG, open the blinds and use natural light.  Also try to: Keep the air conditioning at 24 degrees, Avoid using the projector (go old school). 

Did you know...

• The UAE is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
• The UAE is also one of the major consumers of electricity. Air conditioning is one of the main power consumers.
• Dubai’s electricity and power demand will double by 2015.
• In the UAE, the cost of buying one litre of petrol and one litre of water is almost the same.

DEWA has lots of details about how YOU can conserve energy and water everyday. This conservation document is particularly helpful. 

Also, the Prezis made by our 2 new Eco-Ambassadors (see link and photos at the right) have lots of information about conservation efforts being made in the UAE.

* * *

What is Earth Day? Here's some information from the Earth Day Network:

"Each year, Earth Day -- April 22 -- marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Many communities also observe Earth Week or Earth Month, organizing a series of environmental activities throughout the month of April.

Why do we need an Earth Day?
Because it works! Earth Day broadens the base of support for environmental programs, rekindles public commitment and builds community activism around the world through a broad range of events and activities. Earth Day is the largest civic event in the world, celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a billion people participate in our campaigns every year.

What can I do for Earth Day?
The possibilities for getting involved are endless! Volunteer. Go to a festival. Install solar panels on your roof. Organize an event in your community. Change a habit. Help launch a community garden. Communicate your priorities to your elected representatives. Do something nice for the Earth, have fun, meet new people, and make a difference. But you needn't wait for April 22! Earth Day is Every Day. To build a better future, we all must commit to protect our environment year-round."

To learn more about the world-wide movement, check out the official Earth Day Network.

* * *

Lastly, Thanks to everyone who contributed to the E-Team Coin Art Fundraiser, attached find a photo of the cool art that was displayed in the atrium on Thursday. All the money raised will be used for the eco-garden. :) 

Eco-Month!

Welcome back from Spring Break!

The E-Team is excited to bring you ECO-MONTH at Raffles World Academy. 

We have some events planned each week focused on a theme. 

We have ART DISPLAYS throughout the coming weeks. 

EARTH DAY is green day, where we all wear green and try having classes with out lights. 

The ANNUAL RECYCLED FASHION SHOW (or TRASHion Show, as we like to say) will be our big event. We hope you are channeling your Project Runway inspirations for this exciting event. 

This week our theme is Global Environment Week.

How aware are you of Global Environmental issues?  Have you ever heard of:

 - Climate Change

 - The Pacific Garbage Patch

 - Acid Rain

 - Endangered Species

 - Bio diversity

 - Ecological Footprints

Which issues excite you?

Which issues AFFECT you?

The UAE has many endangered species.This recent article from the GULF NEWS explains how and why some of the most important animals in the UAE are endangered. Best of all, the article gives tips on how YOU can help save them! 

Leave us comments!

Welcome

Welcome to the RWA - Dubai E-Team Blog! We will be updating this periodically with exciting articles and fun stuff about our local environmental issues.

Please check out the EVENTS page and the CALENDAR below for posters in information about our upcoming events during Eco-Month, April 2015!

* * *

Did you know that the UAE has the highest Ecological Footprint in the world? 

Did you know that household use accounts for most of that?

That means what YOU do really matters!