Shawn Green remembers Dubai back in the early 1990s, when he’d ride around his neighbourhood on his bike and drink water from public fountains made of stainless steel.
Although Mr Green, 41, holds a British passport, he has always had an affinity with the UAE.
He grew up here, attending Sharjah English School and The English College before he went to Germany in the early 2000s for an apprenticeship and to study mechatronic engineering.
After spending about 10 years abroad, he came back to the UAE – something he said he'd always wanted to do – and kids were no longer drinking from those public fountains.
“Everyone was drinking from plastic bottles,” he says.
Worldwide, there’s a consumption of a million bottles a minute, so we want to do an hour’s worth of that
Shawn Green,
founder of Sprudel
“I had seen technology in Germany for water dispensers that can make sparkling water from tap water, so it was always in the back of my mind to do something with that in the Emirates.
"But then seeing the amount of plastic waste and spotting a gap in the market, I knew I had to do something.”
In March 2014, he went to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and incorporated Sprudel, an eco-friendly water company, which has been gaining traction steadily over the past decade.
The mission to eliminate plastic bottles
One million plastic bottles are bought every minute globally, according to the UN Environment Programme, and half of all plastic produced is designed for single use.
The amount of plastic waste generated around the world increased more in the 2000s than it had in the previous 40 years.
If this trend continues, the UN says worldwide production of primary plastic is forecast to reach 1,100 million tonnes by 2050.
This is bad news for the environment and our health. Single-use plastics are a major contribution to ocean pollution, but also, because plastic items never fully break down, microplastics can enter the human body through inhalation and absorption, and accumulate in our organs.
Several studies have found plastic-associated chemicals are linked to major health concerns and a 2021 study detected microplastics in placentas providing oxygen and nutrients to developing babies. But the full extent of the impact on human health is still unknown.
For all these reasons, Mr Green felt compelled to curb the volume of single-use plastics in the country he calls home.
The mother of invention
Sprudel means “sparkling water” in German, so while there were other companies in Dubai offering water-dispenser solutions at the time, Mr Green was the first to introduce the concept of turning regular tap water into a carbonated drink.
Now, Sprudel works predominantly with businesses to install taps with filtered water that allow them to eliminate single-use plastic bottles on their premises.
The company's dispensers are connected to the mains, providing a constant supply. They're also fitted with a filter that removes what Sprudel says is 99.9 per cent of bacteria and sediment, as well as neutralising the taste of chlorine.
A sample is taken to a Dubai Municipality-approved laboratory to be tested against UAE standards for unbottled drinking water, then an external CO2 bottle can be connected to create sparkling water on tap.
Mr Green has also invented a high-capacity, closed-loop bottling system for hotels, so they can remove plastic bottles from their rooms, outlets and staff areas.
He created the first prototype in his own back garden during the pandemic and Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens was the first property to install one.
They now feature in 23 hotels across the Emirates, each individual system designed, engineered and made in the UAE specifically for the hotel industry.
The systems, which can have a capacity of about 800 bottles per hour, are installed on the premises of the hotels. Whenever a bottle is finished, housekeeping collects it and it goes through the system to be washed then stored in sanitised crates.
“Then it gets labelled with the date and time of bottling, put back into the delivery crates and shipped off to that same room on each floor," Mr Green says.
It's created with smaller properties in mind, as it’s a more manual operation than larger, automated systems used for bigger resorts, but Mr Green says it can be used for hotels with up to 400 rooms “at a stretch”.
The bottling system is made with imported stainless steel, a requirement of the hospitality industry, although Mr Green says he’d love to use aluminium instead.
“About 80 per cent of the world’s aluminium is made here, but we’ve looked into that, we’ve asked the people who are making the decisions, and it’s not viable. [Stainless steel] is easier to clean, it doesn’t stain, from a molecular level it’s a lot smoother and there's less chance of bacteria growth.”
An hour's worth of plastic bottles
The challenge with his new system at first was that the Sprudel team, which now comprises five employees, was trying to retrofit it within the hotel’s already-existing plumbing network.
“Now I have the luxury where about 80 per cent of the current pipeline are new builds, so we can go in to the architects and tell them what we need, instead of trying to shimmy it into a space that wasn’t made for that," says Mr Green.
He estimates that, today, Sprudel is eliminating up to 35 million plastic bottles a year in the UAE. It’s a rough calculation that he reaches by using hotels’ historic data of purchasing, as well as Sprudel’s own information gathered among corporate clients.
Within the next three years, Mr Green is aiming to hit 60 million a year. “Worldwide, there’s a consumption of a million bottles a minute, so we want to do an hour’s worth of that.”
He’s already got several new UAE-based hotel and corporate clients lined up but he’s also working on two new prototypes, the details of which he cannot yet reveal, with plans to release at least two new products per year, all designed and manufactured in the UAE.
Sprudel is also planning to expand operations to other Gulf nations and further afield.
Most importantly, Mr Green wants to continue spreading awareness of the environmental and health hazards of single-use plastic.
“Facts and evidence are the key to encouraging consumers to be conscious of their consumption and contribute to environmental conservations," he says.
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S23%20ULTRA
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Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
FIGHT CARD
Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)
Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)
Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)
Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)
Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)
Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)
Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2 (Heaton (og) 42', Lindelof 64')
Aston Villa 2 (Grealish 11', Mings 66')
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Naga
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