Dubai, UAE, 08 March 2020:   Aster Volunteers and Emirates NBD employees joined hands to clean up plastic wastes from Al Qudra Desert. The initiative saw 181 participants gather to remove up to 79 bags of harmful waste from the area for the benefit of the desert’s natural habitat. 

Al Qudra desert is popular among UAE residents for desert trips and overnight camping. However, disposable waste which are often left behind can have a negative impact on the surrounding greenery and wildlife. It is said that almost 50% of the camel deaths in UAE are caused due to consumption of plastic waste.  

“Our relationship with the ecosystem is symbiotic and it is important to ensure that we treat our planet with care. Our Green Choices initiative is aimed at creating a sustainable environment that not only supports human welfare but also the natural flora and fauna that share the planet with us,” commented Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare.

“As a leading Dubai bank with a deep commitment to the UAE community and our environment, Emirates NBD was humbled to join hands with Aster Volunteers to make a meaningful difference to the desert habitat of Al Qudra,” said Fuad Shaiban, Senior Vice President, Head of HR Business Partnerships at Emirates NBD.

On occasion of Aster DM Healthcare’s 33rd anniversary in December last year, the organization launched the Green Choices campaign. As part of this, 20,000 employees took a pledge to go for ‘green choices’ with an aim to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible. The Al Qudra desert clean up initiative was launched as a part of the wider campaign by Aster Volunteers’ to protect the planet and build a green future. Similar clean-up drives are being organized by Aster Volunteers in GCC and India targeting public parks, beaches and deserts in February.

Aster Volunteers is a corporate social responsibility initiative of Aster DM Healthcare that has impacted over 1.3 million lives.