You might have heard about the Environment Society of Oman (ESO), which is a newly formed non-governmental organization. The society was established in 2004 after a very long approval process which took about 3 years. It began its activities on a small scale during Ramadhan, but a very full calender of events is planned for 2005. In fact the very first event was held on Monday when the society's members were selling reusable canvas shopping bags outside Al Fair in MQ.

The first major event will be next Saturday, January 15th, with the kick-off of the ESO's lecture series. The first lecture will cover the "Endangered Species of Oman" with presentations about the Arabian Tahr, Arabian Leopard, and the turtles of Oman. The lecture will be about an hour long. It will take place at 7pm at the Bahla room at the Intercontinental Hotel (doors open at 7pm, lecture starts at 7.30 sharp). Snacks and beverages will be served after the lecture.

If you are interested in joining the society, please come by for the lecture and meet the members. For information email: info@environment.org.om , the website is under construction but for the moment it has details about how to join as well as an electronic membership form. The address is: www.environment.org.om

I had a look at this few days back while reading your blog, I found it very interesting but the site is soonot welcoming. I tried to understand and have an idea of what they do but all i saw is the application section... I'm currently not in Oman, and an over view or something in the website would be very helpful...

Najah, I mentioned in my post above that:

the website is under construction but for the moment it has details about how to join as well as an electronic membership form.

We are still working on the website. We have limited resources and we're all doing this on a volunteer basis. Anyhow, I was in a meeting about it this evening and hopefully we'll have something up soon.

ok since it is under construction how about you give us a little review of what their mission, goals, what are they about...etc in Sabla?
Or maybe reviving this thread to inform us about the website...etc.. To know the events is not enough, and i'm interested in knowing who what is where... all that.

yes I agree with Najah .. it would be useful ..

I am not so into enviromantal issues, but I think its great to have an enviromental society in Oman.

Sounds really interesting. Thanks for the info Muscati. Ill pass it on to people I know who may be interested.

Man I am so disappointed with the response here. You are such a young crowd. I expected more responsed here than on the other Omani forums.

Anyhow, on the chance that we can get even one person who wants to join, I will take the effort to share more about the ESO.
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The ESO is presently split into three main task teams:

- Education and Awareness
- Marine environment
- Terrestial environment

The Education/Awareness team is responsible for the anti-platic bags campaign, making and selling reusable bags, various events to raise awareness of environmental aspects.

The marine team is presently working on planting mooring buoys at various dive sites in Oman. These buoys are used by scuba divers. Whenever they get a diving area, instead of having to drop anchor which would damage the coral reefs on the sea bed, they can just tie their boats to the buoy in the dive spot. This is a very large project because the buoys are expensive and you require a diver and a special vessle to place the concrete blocks that anchor the buoys in place. We currently have a couple of buoys that were donated and we're working with some marine scientist to finalize a list of initial sites to place the buoys.

The terrestial teams is working on a few projects including an awareness program on the Arabian Tahr, an endangered animal which is unique to Oman. An awareness program about Oman's native plants and environmentally hostile trees.(did you know some of the trees we've planted in Oman have turned hostile against our native trees?)

Also, you probably know of the Oman Whale and Dolphin Group. Well OWDG is now part of ESO.

These projects and ideas above all came from the original founders of the ESO. We hope we can get many more ideas from the new members which we can then develop with their help and support and bring to fruition.

The ESO was approved on condition of being the only environmental society in Oman. This society will represent all environmental aspects in all the regions of Oman. This is not a society for a bunch folks in Muscat who want to do something in their spare time. We need more participation from Omanis.

The ESO calender of events is now online. Please note that most events are tentative except for those with complelte details:

http://www.environment.org.om/calendar_of_events.shtml

Thanx Muscati .. and indeed you guys are doing a really nobel work.

What about resycling?? anything about that in your organization?

I don't think the timing is good (15th) cuz people are busy preparing for Eid!

Anyway is the lectures going to be in English or Arabic, if english only, why?

Calm down Icey, you come out like you expect me to reply English so you can start a fight. No, don't worry, it's going to be in both English and Arabic.

I don't see how the 15th can effect the Eid preparations. It's not like you'll be out shopping every single day. Besides this is just an hour or two to learn something new and meet new people.

Arby, we'd love to be involved with recylcing. Unfortunately, there aren't any recycling sites in Oman. Even if we set up recycling stations and collect people's waste, we have no place to take them to be recycled unless we send them abroad which would cost too much. However, this is definitely part of our long term plans. That's why for the time being we're working on reducing waste and encouraging people to use less plastic.

Arby, we'd love to be involved with recylcing. Unfortunately, there aren't any recycling sites in Oman. Even if we set up recycling stations and collect people's waste, we have no place to take them to be recycled unless we send them abroad which would cost too much. However, this is definitely part of our long term plans. That's why for the time being we're working on reducing waste and encouraging people to use less plastic.

There are people who are collecting pepsi cans and sell them, do you consider that as environment friendly act or it means something else!!?

Thanks for the overview Muscati that was thorough…

I would love to get to know it more inshallah when I’m in Oman, will try to attend some of the events and get an idea…

How did the event of selling canvas go?
All the best, I will try to spread is as much as I can from my side we need such organizations…
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I think this is really great and wish the society the best of luck. If there is anything I can contribute with ( Graphically of course , like a poster and so on :p ) then let me know.

How did the event of selling canvas go?

We sold out all the bags that we had with us. Unfortunately 90% of the buyers were expats while most Omanis ignored us and didn't even stop to ask what we were doing. The ones who stopped just asked what we were doing and walked away. Some gave excuses like "i'm not the one who does the shopping for the house" or "the bags are too expensive".

But there were a few Omanis that were extremely enthusiastic about the society. One guy, who's a photographer, offered us his services to photograph events as well as the services of his company. Others came and gave their names and contact details and offered to volunteer for whenever help was required.

We will keep doing this. This time it was Al Fair, which was an easy target because most of the customers are foreigners who already know about reusable shopping bags. Next time we'll choose a store where most of the shoppers are Omanis and Arabs, like Sultan Center or Carrefour. Maybe even Lulu where majority of the shoppers are Arabs and Indians.

We went consider this campaign a success by counting the number of bags we sell. Only when you start seeing people taking their own bags with them when they shop will we consider our effort a success.

The first event of the Environment Society of Oman was a tremendous success. Close to 100 people showed up for the lecture today. We had booked a room with 50 seats. By afternoon we already had around 40 people who had emailed saying that they're coming so we called the hotel and increased the seats to 75. By the time the lecture started at 7.30 there were already 75 people in the room and we had to keep bringing in more seats until the room was full and then we had people standing in the back and on the sides.

This was just a quick intro to the society. Our future lectures are going to be more exciting and more detailed. We have lots of events lined up for the next few months. And the more people who join up and volunteer, the more work we can do.

I will keep you informed things as they come up. I hope we get more young Omanis involved.

NB..what Muscati mentioned above about whales and dolphins:

"Oman Whale and Dolphin Research Group":

http://www.whalecoastoman.com/

I plan to join U the soonest.

Muscati, thats really intresting and its nice to see people are excited about the event ..
the crowd that attended the lecture, were they Omanis or Expats?

I'd love to say the room was full of Omanis, but sadly the vast majority were expats but there was a decent number of Omanis in the crowd. It wasn't all expats.

Best part, 22 people signed up for membership at the event. Now we have more than 80 paid up members.

http://photos8.flickr.com/6767132_aa8fd2f45e.jpg

Lecture Saturday March 19, 2005

In Arabic

intresting topic I must say ..

http://photos5.flickr.com/9731171_2fe54eb70b.jpg

The ESO's next lecture will be on April 24th. The title of the lecture is: The Landscape of Oman- Perceptions and Challenges. It will include a slide show of photos by Khamis Al Muharbi, one of Oman's best known photographers, as well as a lecture by David Insall. It will be bilingual. Should be really good.

Location: The Cultural Club, Qurum.

Click here (http://photos5.flickr.com/9731171_2fe54eb70b_o.jpg) for the full sized poster.

Interesting... innit?

Woah that pic is great.....where is that by the way?

I don't know where that picture was taken. There will be plently more stunning pictures like it tomorrow since the guy who took it is the guy who will be making the presentation.

Last time, lots of you said I didn't give enough notice about the event. This time I gave you one full week of notice, and here I am remining you once again about it.

Trust me, this will be good.

Application is a bother Muscati: from what I know, the only way to apply for membership is to print out that membership for on the website and mail it to them?

Theres a culture club?

What's a culture club?

Application is a bother Muscati: from what I know, the only way to apply for membership is to print out that membership for on the website and mail it to them?

PT, the application form is electronic. You fill it online and click on Submit. You don't need to print anything or leave your house to become a member. We're looking for an online payment service so you can pay online. Until then you're gonna have to find a way to make the payment either by depositing directly in our account, mailing it, or giving it to one of our members.

Besides, you don't even have to be a member to help out or attend any of our programs. Everyone's welcome. But if you care enough to want to be a member, we'd really appreciate it because all these things do cost money. And our goals include the funding of environmental research and projects in Oman. We can't do that unless we have funds.

Theres a culture club?

What's a culture club?

Yes there's a Cultural Club in Qurum. It's a huge building and it's been there for about 20 years. It used to be called something else- can't remember what (Nadi Al '7irijeen, I think.. and now it's Al Nadi Al Thaqafi). You can't miss it. It's the biggest, ugliest building in Qurum. Once you're past the Natural Park in Qurum, on your way towards the Crowne Plaza.. when you get to the small roundabout, take a right and head uphill. Soon as you get on the big slope, it's the big house on your right. There's the Cultural Club, immediately followed by the Shell Representative Office.

Ooh!! I vaguely remember something like that being mentioned once or fifteen times in our tarbya wa6anya books EVERY SINGLE YEAR. So that's what it was.
Cool. :)

News:

The Arabic website is now up. There are still a few things left to fix in it here and there as it's being proofread, but you can check it out at: www.environment.org.om/arabic

Is there an easier way to pay the registration fee yet?

Nope. You can go to any BankMuscat branch and deposit into the ESO account. You can put money or a cheque in an envolope and mail it to the ESO. Or you can email and arrange for someone from the ESO to meet you to take the money from you. And soon we'll have our own office so you can come by and pay the membership fee. But online payment isn't happening yet because there isn't a payment gateway in Oman, though Omantel is presently working on one.

But don't forget you don't have to be a member to help out at ESO or to attend any of its activities.

:p I'm sorry I make such a big deal, its just that I'm not particularly 'financially independant'. Once introduced to Paypal, I got hooked, and expected everything to be so simply. But sending a cheque thru the mail isnt difficult at all.

Office - where will it be?

The office will be in Al Khuwair opposite Do7at Al Adab. Should be open by the month's end.

Checked the website .. good start ..

but I guess maybe you could put some of the lecture materials in it?

http://static.flickr.com/29/64834016_6023ae0f4a.jpg

The Importance of Planting Native Trees to Support Oman's Natural Environment. Saturday November 26th at Majan College. Doors open at 7pm, lecture starts at 7.30pm.

If you're into gardening, or if you have a garden in your house, you will find this one very interesting. Come even if you don't. I guarantee you will not be bored and you will learn something useful.

Come even if you don't. OK.

I guarantee OK2.

The question is should we encourage gardening and we know there is lack of water in some places?

That's why this lecture is about using native trees. It will tell you why it is important to use trees which are native to Oman which are used to our climate and usee up less water than what other plants which aren't native to Oman need. And the lecture will show you how there are some beautiful native plants which you can use, not just the usual ones which everyone uses.

Trust me, it's an eye opener.

January 8th is Oman Environment Day and the Environment Society of Oman plans to celebrate with an exhibition of its current and future projects. This is a great opportunity for everyone to see what ESO has been doing and how you can get more involved.

Venue:

Marina Cafe on the coast road between the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Intercontinental Hotel (share3 al-7ub).

Time:

Drop by anytime between 5pm and 8pm

The exhibition will be open to the public and you are more than welcome to bring family and friends along. You can meet ESO members and board members. Drop by for a chat. Refreshments and snacks will be served.

Please come and support ESO!!!!!

www.environment.org.om