Bahrain, in the Middle East is one of the most wasteful nations on earth, according to the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) 2014 Living Planet Report (download the PDF here), published recently. Bahrain as the ninth worst offender in terms of the environmental impact it has on the planet, per head of population. But Bahrain is not lonely among […]
When looking for country-specific environmental indicators, it is often difficult to find a single indicator that holistically summarizes the environmental situation in a tractable and visual manner. This is the first part of two articles (the second one on your water footprint is here). Two interactive environmental info graphics will be explored to help you better understand what is […]
The ‘Green Mosques’ project hopes to help conserve water and electricity at 300 mosques- and save around US$1.5 million every year Water scarcity in the Middle East is nothing new- in fact, the region has been struggling to cope with drought and water shortages for centuries. The only problem is that today, modern urbanisation and […]
As the environmental movement in the Middle East blossoms, women are being encouraged to take a more active role in environmental protection We have already profiled the lovely ladies at Naqa’a, an environmental group based in Saudi as well as the Eco-Chicks of Abu Dhabi who are making strides in introducing the climate agenda […]
Coyote land or parking space for solar energy? Ask the coyotes first solar energy companies are finding out. Solar energy project promoters may not be paying attention to the ecological impacts of installing large solar panel installations in non-settled desert areas. This issue was brought up recently following the revealing of plans for companies like the […]
Does the Israeli Army read Green Prophet? Following our recent May 26 article , Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection: IDF Bases Pollute Land and Water, it now appears that the Israel Defense Forces, otherwise known as the IDF, may now be trying to “clean up their act” in regards to protecting the environment. Is this […]
Green Design – From Theory to Practice (see preview post here), a major international architectural seminar took place this week here in Jerusalem, bringing together leading experts from the worlds of architecture, design, and integrated studies. Despite the recent war in the south, all but one of the international practitioners came, and by doing so, […]
(Plastic bags on the trees in Vietnam) With the bombing and chaos in Israel and Gaza right now, it’s a little hard to focus on positive green news from the Middle East. My passion for it, is a little clouded by all the politics and news of violence. See my latest post on TreeHugger “When […]
In the Bible, Lot is well known because his wife (Irit) looked back at Sodom when angels were pulling them out of the city (even though the angels had specifically told her not to look back). As punishment, she turned into a pillar of salt. Luckily, things have since changed. Lot Spa Hotel in the […]
He’s a tour guide, educator and environmentalist. Meet Jared Goldfarb, who has a unique take on eco-tourism, and ways to lighten your travels in Israel. Whether you’re just visiting for a few days, or live here, Jared offers some advice for the thoughtful — and curious –– traveller. Tell us a little about what you do? […]
It’s September already and officially the end of the summer (not that you would notice by the still-scorching Middle Eastern climate). As the temperature begins to cool down (slightly), the next couple of months offer the ideal time to hit one of the many hiking trails, forests, or natural springs in Israel. But sometimes enjoying […]
For the most part it’s usually better to buy local. This cuts out the emissions created as a result of shipping, getting the product to your door. This is an important question: Is it better to buy biodegradable garbage bags that are manufactured in China? Or go with the one’s made a block away, that […]
How many shades of green can a Jaffa orange be? Israeli fruit and vegetable grower and supplier Mehadrin (owned by Hadarim, a property and building group, and a succession of other parent companies) is working with British supermarket chain Tesco in a bid to mark all its Jaffa oranges with the Carbon Trust label, a […]
Stay tuned for our future eco-tour of Dubai, but in the meantime let’s take a look at some green goings-on in Dubai. Because we’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover that very interesting things are happening over there. For starters, the Dubai government recently issued a requirement that all buildings in the emirate be constructed with […]
Mathis Wackernagel, Phd, co-creator of the term ‘Ecological Footprint’, will be in Israel on Thursday, speaking at a Tel Aviv University Porter Environmental School presentation. Wackernagel completed his doctorate in Community & Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and his thesis research led to his development of the concept of […]