Residents of Qatar have called for enhancement of the available recycling facilities in the nation’s first ever e-survey by Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), a member of Qatar Foundation. Over 1,600 replies were received to the survey.
The respondents demonstrated a keen desire to live sustainably with 90% stating an interest in environmental issues, and 51% aware of the work of QGBC.
Residents voiced overwhelming support for recycling in Qatar for establishing greener communities and neighbourhoods. Nearly 90% of the residents believe that their biggest motivator to recycle is their care and concern for the environment.
Paper and plastic are cited as the most recycled materials, however, initial analysis suggests that providing accessible recycling facilities would reduce waste further, as approximately two-in-every-three (65%) currently say they lack access to convenient facilities.
Only 6% of the household respondents possess recycling facilities at homes, leading to a considerable amount of waste being dumped into landfills.
Five in ten respondents agreed that convenient recycling facilities, either direct collection from their houses or recycling facilities within walking distance of home would considerably improve waste generation in the country.
Initial analysis of the results indicate major opportunities for residents to improve energy efficiency at home by tackling inefficient use of washing machines, air-conditioning and other electrical appliances.
9 in 10 residents use a washing machine to clean clothes yet, on average, over 50% of the washes are only half full or less. Just 2 in 3 residents (65%) always turn off air conditioning when leaving the house, with only 1 in 25 using the timer function. 50% of respondents only switch the TV to high-energy standby mode – rather than turning power at the switch - when no longer watching.
The data also reveals that a significant amount of water is wasted at homes with a corresponding cost attached. QGBC will use the findings to study personal resources consumption in Qatar and to find solutions for easing Qatar’s sustainability demands and provide practical and cost-effective solutions.
Meshal al-Shamari, QGBC director, said: “QGBC is working towards creating sustainable best practices within the built environment through education and various awareness initiatives. The analysis is providing particularly interesting results which will help QGBC effectively tailor its various educational programmes for the community, and enhance our cutting-edge training and consultancy services used by many businesses in Qatar.”
