For a taste of what Dubai entirely used to be during your travels here, visiting the city on both sides of the Dubai Creek is a must. Take an abra, a traditional wooden boat.

Even if you have a hard time finding genuine local food in the UAE, you can still score fine regional dishes, thanks to the Lebanese and Persians.

Whether you want to visit the city’s souqs, the bombastic Dubai malls or the city’s various business or style hubs, a ride on the Dubai Metro is a must.

On February 15 at the Al Marooj Rotana in Dubai, I will moderate a panel of sustainability and corporate responsibility leaders at the Sustainable Leaders Forum.

During our day trip to Musandam, Oman, I caught this sunrise as we drove through Sharjah. The desert haze and lone palm tree sum up this trip to the Middle East: warmth, an uncertain future, sublime beauty and promise.

Dubai skiing may not have been on your itinerary, but who could resist the urge to bundle up and check out the ice sculptures, ski lift and fluffy snow?

Wander through Tunisia, Egypt, Andalusia, India, Persia and China, while mingling at fashion and food bazaars including H&M, The Gap, Nike and Starbucks. Ibn Battuta Mall blows away Epcot Center.

Kamikatsu, a small town home about 2000 people in rural Shikoku, Japan, is a true zero waste community. I feature the town’s recycling efforts in Earth911.com.

True, he had a lot of help from imported labor, contractors and a great geographical location, but when God decided to show fearless ambition, it resulted in Dubai.

I am excited to announce that I am on my way, for the first time, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region. I’m looking forward to meeting sustainability professionals!