MEHRABAN SALAM

Halabja — The environment is today witnessing increasing degradation due to global warming and pollution, prompting citizens to adopt various means to contribute to its protection. In this context, the Environment-Friendly House was established in Halabja.

The "Environment-Friendly House" is a home that encompasses various environmentally friendly means and experiences in Halabja, Kurdistan Region, allowing anyone wishing to create a model environmentally friendly home at low cost to visit and benefit from its expertise and apply it in their own home.

Hasna Mahmoud, Head of the Environment Department at the Noy Organization and supervisor of the Environment-Friendly House, said in a statement to our agency: "We carry out many activities daily inside this environmental house, including sewing fabric bags. For more than five years, we have been working on this project, making fabric bags and distributing them free of charge to schools and villages surrounding Halabja. We also decorate these bags with various drawings to attract children and young people and encourage them to use them."

She noted that these bags are safe and can be used daily. "We sell them at nominal prices to reduce the use of plastic bags. We have continuously distributed them in Halabja city center and its villages, as well as in the Sharazur and Hawraman areas, free of charge."

Hasna Mahmoud pointed out that another activity carried out at the Environment-Friendly House is recycling plastic waste that people discard into the environment, which causes damage to soil and water in Halabja.

She explained that, according to their capabilities, they work on reusing excess furniture, used clothing, and even clothes with stains or tears, as well as burnt light bulbs that are usually thrown into the environment and cause harm. "We also collect pieces of carpet, plastic, bottle caps, and other materials, and turn them into handicrafts, paintings, decorative pieces, and models for use. When people visit us and see these models, we invite them to create beautiful artworks from used materials instead of discarding them. We will also soon resume sewing courses."

"Using Bicycles Is Part of Environmental Protection"

Hasna Mahmoud explained that one of the most important causes of environmental pollution is the excessive use of cars. Therefore, the Environment-Friendly House works on training women to ride bicycles. "We aim to teach women to ride three types of bicycles, with specialized female trainers, so that women can learn to use them themselves. The goal is to reduce dependence on cars within the city, contributing to environmental protection."

Solar Energy Systems and Greywater Reuse

She also said that the Environment-Friendly House in Halabja does not rely only on solar panels to generate electricity but also includes a greywater reuse system, where water from sinks and kitchens is collected, filtered, purified, and used to irrigate the green spaces inside the house.

Hasna Mahmoud affirmed that the Environment-Friendly House is open to all citizens, who can visit to benefit from the environmental ideas and experiences it offers.