Dubai, Jul 4 (IANS): The Dubai Municipality has honoured a 10-year-old Indian expat
who turned his love for the World Cup into an innovative way to reduce plastic bag waste.

Using his own Eid money, Faiz Mohammed distributed hand-decorated reusable bags to a number of groceries near his home in Karama after he grew tired of seeing so many plastic bags being wasted on home deliveries, the Khaleej Times reported on Wednesday.

To combat the excess wastage, he distributed the free tote bags in place of plastic ones.

Abdulmajeed Abdulaziz Saifaie, Director of Dubai's Waste Management Department, on Tuesday named the youngster one of the Dubai Municipality's Sustainability Ambassadors.

The Sustainability Ambassador initiative was launched in 2013 with a view to train students on how to carry out lectures and workshops on various environmental topics.

"The fact that this boy didn't use that Eid money to buy a ball, toy, something for himself, is commendable. He has a good hobby. If his family and community keep encouraging that, he will have a good future and so will the environment," Saifaie said.

Thanking the municipality, Mohammed said he felt honoured to be named a Sustainability Ambassador, the Khaleej Times reported.

"I will keep urging friends, family and shop workers about the importance of using reusable bags in place of plastic ones," he said.