On the occasion of the national holidays celebrations
The Kuwait Environment Protection Society called on citizens and expatriates to adhere to disciplined environmental behavior during the national holidays, in order to protect all components of natural habitats, their wildlife, and their environmental elements, after the Society observed many violations and transgressions against them.
The Secretary-General of the Association, Janan Behzad, said that «Protecting the Environment,» while calling on everyone to follow environmental discipline standards, is consolidating the concepts and values of environmental citizenship by being careful and striving to avoid the observed violations and transgressions that are committed by some during the national holiday celebrations towards the various environments in the country, especially the terrestrial, coastal and marine environments, causing damage to many of its creatures and components.
Behzad added: «The pollution of seawater with plastic, resulting from human waste on the coasts from water bottles, celebration balloons, plastic bags and other consumer waste containing non-biodegradable materials, or to be precise, materials that need many years to partially decompose,» noting that 30 percent of the world’s sea turtles and 90 percent of seabirds are affected by such waste, «and this is a global statistic, while such percentages are unknown to us, but what we do know is that sea turtles in Kuwait are confined to a limited environment and threatened by many dangers, the most serious of which is extinction.».
She pointed out that «it is no secret to anyone that this time is also the time for camping, and camping has various effects, including organic waste, inorganic waste, and sometimes materials that are larger than the environment can absorb, such as camp furniture and other waste produced by camps.».
The Secretary-General of the Environment Society explained that waste is a burden on the state because each individual produces organic waste of 1.4 kilograms per day, and this naturally increases during these occasions due to increased consumption, social events, celebrations, and other factors. She pointed out that Kuwait Municipality announced the production of waste in some areas during the National Day celebrations in astronomical numbers, and its fate is landfills, which cost the state millions of dinars in their journey. In addition to the cost of disposing of it, there is the cost of environmental degradation resulting from waste management, which amounts to $255 million annually.
Janan Behzad stated that overgrazing, the indiscriminate movement of vehicles and heavy military equipment, and spring camps lead to the disappearance of plants with high grazing value and the spread of low-value thorny plants, or even the complete disappearance of vegetation. She added, "The movement of vehicles and heavy equipment, as well as the movement of grazing animals, leads to soil compaction and causes a decrease in rainwater infiltration rates by 30-100 %, which activates runoff processes and subsequently soil erosion." She noted the direct impact of rainwater falling on soil devoid of vegetation cover, as fine soil particles are carried downwards with the rainwater. She pointed out that anyone who sets up camps in the desert that affect the soil will be fined up to 5,000 dinars and required to remove the offending material. Grazing or any agricultural activity that could affect vegetation cover is prohibited, and violators will be fined up to 5,000 dinars. Anyone who damages plants and flowers will also be fined up to 5,000 dinars.
Behzad stated that "plastic waste in the desert has a significant impact because it persists for years without decomposing. We observed a large amount of waste carried by the wind and entangled in plant branches or plant remains damaged by the misuse of land in the desert environment by desert visitors." She added, "It's easy to reduce the consumption of plastic bags when environmentally friendly alternatives are available. Proper waste disposal is crucial to prevent harm to the natural environment. Plastic can remain in the environment for many years, sometimes exceeding 20 years, without decomposing. This means it becomes part of the natural environment and soil, causing pollution.".
Finally, Jenan Behzad explained that the State of Kuwait is below the water poverty level, and that a drop of seawater in Kuwait goes through successive and complex stages until it reaches the consumer fresh and clean, according to global standards, to ensure its safe use for drinking. She emphasized that during national celebrations, quantities of water sufficient for 14,000 housing units for one day in Kuwait are wasted, according to what the Ministry of Electricity and Water announced last year. She added that the pressure on water production is no less important than the deterioration resulting from gas emissions resulting from burning fossil fuels, which are used to desalinate water and produce energy, and are responsible for producing greenhouse gases in Kuwait. This means that water waste is linked to many sectors, such as air and pressure on drainage networks.
