Tips: Ways to clean up the desert

1. Take reusable water jugs instead of boxes of small water bottles Every year, each person in the UAE consumes around 350 to 450 bottles of water—the highest per capita record in the world—according to Worldwatch Institute. A number of these bottles get dumped in the desert at will by offroaders. By bringing a reusable water jug, you are doing your share in helping solve this problem in your own little way. "With a water jug, they have enough healthy water and they can just refill it and put ice anytime. They can take it with them when they go home," says Habiba Al Marashi, chairperson of Emirates Environmental Group. 2. Bring reusable, recyclable utensils instead of ceramics or anything breakable. Many times, if ceramicware breaks, people simply throw it in the desert. Any broken material that has sharp edges may hurt you, your kids, or the wildlife in the desert by accidental ingestion or direct contact. Bringing reusable plastic wares can save you the headache. 3. Bring with you a large trash bag which you can dispose of properly back to the city. "Because they enjoy the scenery the desert brings, they should leave it as beautiful as the first time they saw it," says Al Marashi. 4. If you had to change tyres or damaged your bumpers, bring them home with you. Any spare tyre left in the desert, aside from being very unsightly, can also provide a trap for small animals. Rubber tyres will stay there for years. But the high temperature in the desert can cause it to burn and turn into toxic oil. 5. Veer away from unfamiliar tracks or places with natural vegetation.