The UAE joined countries all over the world in marking Earth Hour on Saturday evening by switching off thousands of lights.
Between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, thousands of homes, businesses and government departments switched off their lights to raise awareness of the planet's environmental degradation.
The Roads and Transport Authority, RTA switched off 1,433 street lights across the UAE, while landmarks across the Emirates went dark for one hour.
In Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was one of the major land marks that turned its lights off, while in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building was also plunged into darkness.
Emirates Global Aluminium said it had saved over 70,000 kilowatt hours of electricity in the past year through weekly observance of Earth Hour.
Carrefour UAE also participated by switching off 50 per cent of light in its 28 stores nationwide.
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Earth Hour 2018: UAE ready to switch off the lights
Lights go off across the UAE to mark Earth Hour
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Also participating were employees from Expo 2020 Dubai who assembled 210 solar-powered lights from Beacon of Hope UAE, as were members of Abu Dhabi police led by Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi.
Speaking before the switch-off, Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, director-general of EWS-WWF said this year's Earth Hour was especially important due to it coinciding with the Year of Sheikh Zayed. “Earth Hour highlights the power of each individual, and what we can achieve if we do it together. With 2018 being the Year of Sheikh Zayed, we invite everyone to join the movement, honour our Founding Father’s vision, and help us make a difference. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was a visionary in terms of sustainable development. He understood the power of the human spirit and united our nation”.
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
