grEEN ScENE

a CommITTed
AL khor community redefines sustAinABLe Living
aFtEr a 45-km loNg drIvE, aloNg ScENEry that at BESt BE dEScrIBEd aS dry aNd at WorSt, dEprESSINg, thE gatES to thE al khor commuNIty WaS a rEFrEShINg SIght.

neIgHBourHood

74 Qatar today

e
july 2011

By sind h u n a i r
ven more convivial is the landscape inside. Green is not just a movement but a colour in abundance within the guarded gates. Landscaped lawns and lush gardens line the roads, while most of the residences seem to have a thriving vegetable garden with numerous papaya trees and date palms visible above the fences. As you enter, the security guard cautions to keep to a speed limit of 25 kmph. I nod in acquiescence and press lightly on the pedal to find the speedometer touching 30kmph. I learn to drive or crawl to be more precise, and make my way to the office of the Al Khor Community, where I am met by Nabil Makarem, Community Director, and Laura Young, Events and PR Coordinator of Al Khor Community, who with their team mates, take the green concept quite seriously. So much so, they have a dedicated team and an allocated sizable allowance which is used directly for community developments, of which environmental activities take a sizeable share. "This is the largest community in Qatar which houses the expat operational working community of Qatargas and RasGas. It was

grEEN ScENE

"WE arE coNcErNEd aBout thE SaFEty oF thE chIldrEN Who cyclE or Walk to School. It IS alSo to ENcouragE thE coNcEpt oF WalkINg WIthIN thE prEmISES"

othEr SuStaINaBlE drIvES

awarEnEss programmEs in tHE sCHools arE an ongoing proCEss. safEty EvEnts anD gEnEral awarEnEss Days tHat EDuCatE anD inspirE mEmbErs of tHE Community. 56 rECyCling stations plaCED arounD tHE Community. watEr ConsErvation is bEing promotED as a Habit, witH buCkEts of watEr not HosEs pErmittED for Car wasHEs, witH striCt impunity mEasurEs. all aDvErtisEmEnts for EvEnts HappEning witHin tHE Community arE put up on tHE wEbsitE, allowing for minimum papEr usagE. Constant mEasurEs, inCEntivEs anD invEstigations to look at EnErgy EffiCiEnt rEsolution for akC. builDing rElationsHips witH loCal CommunitiEs ( sCHools, laDiEs groups, youtH Clubs, labour Camps in al DHakHira, al kHor anD simaisma, anD Donating itEms suCH as ComputErs anD gym EQuipmEnt). working EspECially ClosE witH rED CrEsCEnt anD Donating monEy on a rEgular basis tHrougH Community CollECtions. ConDuCting CHarity EvEnts likE 'walk for lifE' anD bussing pEoplE to DoHa for DiabEtEs walk.

youtH lEaDErsHip programmEs witH worksHops arE ConDuCtED. a DEDiCatED soCiEty, Dal ar arQam, proviDEs islamiC EDuCation anD organisEs Cultural aCtivitiEs.

built originally for 750 people and has grown exponentially and now we have 10,500 people living within our premises. The facilities and infrastructure are constantly improving. We have two schools and three recreational clubs," says Makarem. The Community is spread over an area of two million sq mt, of which 30% is landscaped. Safety is another feature that is primary here. This answers the speed restrictions which are 'stringent' according to Young, with warnings and demerits (minus points) imposed on those who break the rule. "We are concerned about the safety of the children who cycle or walk to school. It is also to encourage the concept of walking within the premises," clarifies Young. Zeolite project Environmental awareness within the community is an ongoing process and the team is leaving no stone unturned in bringing ideas to encourage new environment-friendly practises. One such activity is the Zeolite Greening Project.

"We at Qatargas have entered into an agreement with a Japanes company to pilot the use of their Zeolite as an environmental improvement initiative. This engineered material is a safe by-product produced from fly ash resulting from the burning of coal, in the electricity generation process. This material is then shipped to Qatar and is being tested in the gardens at Al Khor Community. A representative is verifying the effects of the material," he says. Zeolite retains water for a longer time and it increases the productivity of the soil. A visit to the Zeolite-treated segment of the garden was proof enough. The patch with a larger proportion of Zeolite in the soil showed greater fertility than the one that used little or none. Vegetables and fruits are abundant in this section and the soil, even in high temperatures and at mid day, was damp to the touch. "Since Zeolite can retain 112.2% water by itself, it has an effective holding capacity of minerals and water. There are many examples where the application of the material promotes growth in many plants, leading

to increased plant production in Japan," he says. "We are hoping other communities will promote and use this product. We are hoping to attract large users to promote it. A small quantity of it makes a big impact." The Community also has a recycling programme in progress. "We consume about 2,000 litres of water per day and recycle almost the same amount. We also have a sewage plant of our own," adds Young. The passion of the team has already borne fruit, with the Community receiving the Qatar Today Green Awards, 2010. This has made the team more ambitious and they plan to add to their achievements in this sector through constant brain-storming sessions, and the Zeolite mission is just one of them. Sustainable living should be about maximising returns without abusing energy. In a country that has a wealth of energy and funds; it is indeed an uphill task to inculcate a habit of conservation, but it's a task the team is dedicated to achieving
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