Can you believe earth is running out of sand?
Peak sand and an end to construction as we know it
natural resources
Walking architecture envisions a built environment based on human motion
Daydreams can catalyze real change. Look to the far-reaching influence of designers who choose to work in the hypothetical, where unrestricted creativity is unfettered by cost, resources, and environmental impact. If only most of the Middle East’s fantastical architecture stayed imaginary.
Ethical Oil, Gas and Mining? EITI is the LEED of Fossil Fuels
Roughly half of the world’s population lives in resource-rich countries, and yet the same number survives on less than $2.50 per day. How can this be? Partly, the answer lies with irresponsible resource extraction. Giant corporations move in to communities, suck up their oil, gas, or minerals, make shifty deals with corrupt governments, and leave […]
Better Place EV Company May Turn Into EV Gas Station
Israel’s electric car company Better Place is going to experience an overhaul, and will manage its existing resources in a new way, according to Evan Thornley, the company’s new CEO who just moved to Israel from Australia. Instead of focusing on selling Renault-made cars and charge plans to keep them juiced, the company is going […]
Practical Herbs by Henriette Kress: BOOK REVIEW
If you’re interested in healing with herbs, this is the book to start from. Henriette Kress is a well-known Finnish herbalist who maintains Henriette’s Herbal Homepage, the Internet’s largest, and oldest, herbal website. She has published three books on herbology in Finnish; Practical Herbs is her first in English. It packs an impressive amount of […]
Mediterranean’s Worst Eco-Debtor Not in the Middle East (Yet)
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says that the Mediterranean’s biggest eco-debtor is Italy, meaning that nation uses more resources than it generates. Does that mean Middle Eastern nations bordering the sea are environmentally savvy consumers? Mama Mia, no! The medium is the message, said Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan. And the message is skewed by the words. […]
Kurdish Self-Rule Spreading in War-Torn Syria
Could a united Kurdistan mean a victory for the peoples’ natural resources: energy, and mighty rivers? Against the backdrop of the civil war raging in Syria, Syrian Kurds are moving towards self-rule. The Syrian government has relinquished many Kurdish communities to local control. Kurdish flags fly over former government buildings in northeastern Syria. Many new […]
7th Red Sea Oil Spill Since September Goes Virtually Unnoticed
The seventh oil spill in the Red Sea since September, 2011 has gone virtually unnoticed. The most recent spill in Gamsha Bay, which has been attributed to General Petroleum Company, has received no additional press coverage after it was reported last week in Egypt Independent. Both an onshore and offshore leak, it is particularly hazardous as […]
Nobel Winner Orhan Pamuk Devotes a Museum to Ordinary Things
Paying homage to a slower time, Turkey’s first nobel prize winning author Orhan Pamuk has immortalized the importance of everyday objects in The Museum of Innocence. Among the world’s most unique collections, the museum that opened last month in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district contains 83 cabinets full of bits and pieces collected in flea markets and antique […]
Israel’s Petroleum Council Adds Environment Reps
Meged oil field, in Israel. Last week two environmental representatives were added to Israel’s Petroleum Council, according to the Jerusalem Post. The council has been restructured to include a total of 13 members, including seven members of the public. As Israel’s ongoing court dispute between government officials and national gas distributors proves, the industry has […]
Absurd 24 Carat Gold-Plated iPads to Sell for $5,500
Gold and Co. London encases electronics in 24 carat gold-plating; their best market? The Gulf, naturally. It’s impossible and rude to speak for the dead, but we find it hard to believe that Steve Jobs would have wanted anything he designed covered in gold. But this is the Gulf and we’ve seen stranger things, including […]
The Green Sheikh’s Eco-Hero: Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan
The Green Sheikh explains why the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan is his eco-hero. Not all country leaders are alike but I admire those who spread wisdom throughout their country in order to enhance every single aspect of their people’s lifestyle, such as our former President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Zayed Bin […]
Book Review: Capitalizing on Nature- Ecosystems as Natural Assets
“Nature has provided ecosystems and their benefits to us for free… perhaps because this capital has been provided freely to us, we humans have tended to view it as limitless, abundant, and thus perhaps always available for our use, exploitation, and conversion.” (p.3) The modern economy’s obsession with competitive consumption and endless exploitation of natural […]
Morocco: Arab World Star Has A Dark Side
The Arab World’s superstar, Morocco’s longstanding exploitation of natural resources in the Western Sahara casts a dark shadow on the country’s reputation. Following unprecendented support (nearly 99%) for a draft constitution initiated by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, the country is being hailed as a model for the rest of the Arab world. And so it […]
Dimona Silica To Ship The Negev Desert To China
Within the next four months, Dimona Silica plans to build a factory in Nahal Zin Wadi in order to supply China with high-quality asphalt. Since its inception, Dimona Silica Industries Ltd. has been plagued with a dodgy reputation. After its involvement with the 2004 Investment Promotions Center scandal, where it was found that then Minister […]