Our Commitment to sustainability comes from our deep believe that we are responsible for the future of our children, our mother Earth and our economy. At Green Mountains, we are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Abu Dhabi’s vision for 2030 and the UAE’s green agenda. We know that our work is critical in the UAE Circular Economy goal and we are working daily to contribute more and more to achieve the set goals.
The 8Rs and Circularity
The 8Rs concept is a Green Mountains exclusive concept that was first introduced by our expert Nabil Yacoub. It defines our understanding to circularity:
Rethink
Rethink
By rethinking, we seek alternatives to reduce our footprint. In this stage, we evaluate the reasons that lead to waste production and pollution. We ask the simple, yet critical question: Do we really need to do what we are doing? Asking the question will lead to avoid producing waste or sometimes eliminating it.
Redesign
Redesign
By rethinking, we seek alternatives to reduce our footprint. In this stage, we evaluate the reasons that lead to waste production and pollution. We ask the simple, yet critical question: Do we really need to do what we are doing? Asking the question will lead to avoid producing waste or sometimes eliminating it.
Reuse
Reuse
Reuse means using products again for their original purposes or any other use without performing any repairs, processes or physical/chemical transformation. A typical example is reusing an old desk that is still in good condition but was discarded by another person that still sees life in it. Basically, what one person considers trash could be another person’s treasure. Another example is reusing an empty jam jar as a storage jar for sugar or as a flower vase. In this case the glass jar was reused as is, but for a different purpose.
Repair
Repair
When a product is discarded because its broken or no longer functioning as it supposed to, it can be simply repaired and use it again rather than disposing it in the garbage. This process means extending the life of the products by performing simple fixes. This includes very simple actions like furniture upholstery to more complicated ones like refurbishing of electronics.
Recover
Recover
When all the above measures were taken and yet, we still have material waiting in queue to go to the landfill, recovering valuable raw elements or energy can be a very good option in diverting waste from landfill. Energy recovery or Waste-To-Energy is a well know methodology under this pillar, where some suitable non-recyclable waste is transported into thermal energy then to electricity in many cases. Another way of recovery is extracting rare earth metals from electrical circuits.
Reduce
Reduce
Reducing waste is a crucial aspect of environmental conservation, aiming to reduce the amount of trash produced and the amount of waste generated throughout a product's life cycle. The goal is not to generate waste but to reduce waste at or near its source in homes, businesses, and institutions. Reducing waste conserves energy, reduces pollution caused by manufacturing materials and supplies that become waste, and reduces reliance on landfills and resource recovery facilities. The more waste we produce, the less waste there is to be disposed of.
Recycle
Recycle
Recycling Is the most well-known and acknowledged pillar in the 8Rs. It is definitely very important method that we can take towards achieving our goals and this justifies that recycling is mandatory by law in many countries. Recycling plays a vital role in managing solid waste, reducing reliance on raw materials, reducing air and water pollution, reducing energy use, and reducing GHG emissions. It involves transforming high-quality waste into valuable new raw materials. A typical example is transforming plastic bottles into plastic pellets ready to be used in variety of industries and for producing many new products.
Repeat
Repeat
Unlike the old linear economy model which is extract, manufacture, use and dispose, the circular economy module is a cycle of actions where resources are not used up but are used again and again. This pillar (Repeat) closes the loop and aligns with the concept of circularity of repeating the same actions and even use multiple methodologies in parallel in order to reach the ultimate goal of living as sustainable as possible.