Robert Ferry and Elizabeth Monoian working in their Abu Dhabi Studied Impact Design studio. Robert Ferry and Elizabeth Monoian have made the United Arab Emirates their home, for which we are very grateful. Their teachings, their design studio Studied Impact, and their public initiatives such as the internationally-acclaimed Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) have coincided […]
Who knew? Now you can get sushi and organic food delivered to your home, from Masdar City. But there is a caveat. When we think of Masdar City, we think of solar power and funky space-buildings. We think of desert and withering heat. And perhaps we dream that one day this city will be completed […]
A gold Bentley, and white gold Mercedes. What’s next – a gold Rolls Royce? In a glitz race to see who owns the most outrageous symbol of unrestrained wealth, a white gold plated Bentley sports coupe was recently featured at a United Arab Emirates auto show. The car, which takes on a yellow gold hue […]
Green Sheik and Michael Braungart at green event in Abu Dhabi. One of the most respected environmental activists in the Middle East, no sustainability conference is complete without H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi’s stamp of approval. So it is an enormous compliment that the “Green Sheikh” attended an event co-hosted by Abu Dhabi’s leading […]
When it’s cloudy, does the money stop flowing? The National Bank of Abu Dhabi has become the first bank in the UAE to launch a solar-powered ATM, and it’s the first time this Green Prophet has heard of such an initiative. But after Googling a bit, we see it’s not the first. “As part of […]
How green is your fodder? Turns out, in the UAE, not so green. A new program aims to change that. In order to combat the dual challenge of desertification and regional water shortages, the United Arab Emirates are experimenting with myriad innovations. The latest encourages local farmers to switch to a different variety of fodder. […]
Code Red! Why throw away your cans when they’re worth a pretty Dirham? The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) is deeply active throughout the UAE. Although their UAE tree campaign generates an unhappy choice between water and trees, in the two decades since they opened their doors, they have done wonders for UAE environmental awareness. Despite […]
Planning out your vacations for the new year ahead? Beirut, Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi make the cut. A few months ago, world-renowned travel guide company Lonely Planet made a list of its top 10 cities for 2011. Tel Aviv made the prized 3rd place spot (after New York and Tangier, but before Valencia, Delhi, […]
Dubai’s Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) launches the first “green station” in the UAE. The station features solar-powered lights, a waterless car wash system, eco-friendly products, and the vapor recovery system, a new technology that reduces carbon emission and fuel wastage.
Water theme parks, like this one in the UAE, won’t reduce high water tariffs from desalination Saudi Arabia’s plans to increase water tariffs for non-residents, due to the high cost of producing desalinated fresh water, has an all too familiar ring in today’s increasing reliance on desalination in water scarce regions like the Middle East. […]
EKON, directed by Mohammad Rasoul, is set deep in the desert sands where the remaining human survivors, risk venturing the storms to understand the environmental catastrophe that threatens human extinction, and they must find a solution.
Can you guess where this winterland is located? In Dubai! In the middle of the desert. In a recent post, Pablo from Treehugger (a site we deeply admire) concluded that Ski Dubai’s indoor ski slope is not that bad. He based this conclusion on a beautifully calculated analysis of the facility’s energy consumption compared to […]
These clumps of plastic debris killed the camels from whose bellies they were retrieved. I’m not going to beat around the bush: I loathe plastic bags. There are many reasons, chief of which is the impact they have on our domestic and wildlife. Months ago we reported that camels were discovered to have been killed […]
Artificial islands are sinking in the mire: Dubai has to face new environmental woes that come with “progress.” When one thinks of Dubai shopping, economic prowess and cleanliness come to mind. While all three have become staples and synonymous with the Gulf city, the environmental toll that has been unleashed as a result is beginning […]
Skyscrapers (even rotating!) and dreams of vertical farms, but not a greenhouse to be seen. The Gulf is growing more and more dependent on imported food. Many Gulf countries are investing heavily in foreign farmlands that are more fertile, chiefly in Africa, but also India and Pakistan, in a bid to secure a steady food […]