Hey, are you gonna use that? Israeli residents may soon be able to put their banana peels to good use. Organic waste – such as vegetable and fruit peels, egg shells, pits, etc. – constitutes a significant part of any household garbage bin, but it doesn’t have to. These materials are valuable stuff, which could […]
Rabbi Ian Pear believes that public institutions should take the lead in generating environmental awareness. The relationship between ecology and worldwide religions has taken center stage recently. Islamic leaders are speaking out and two traveling Americans found all manner of environmentally aware Muslims in their country. Also, if it ever lifts off, the famous “Ground […]
Iran’s high fatality rate is usually attributed to cultural attitudes towards road rules, and poor safety facilities. Driving cars can be a hazardous affair. Traffic congestion can make the mildest person tear out their hair, or at least abandon them altogether for public transportation. And in cities where public transportation is sketchy, some people may […]
Palm Jumeirah Island room with a view, for “only” $200 a day Last year, at the peak of Dubai’s economic crisis, there was a massive expatriate exodus. Fearing debtors jail, many foreigners with unpaid bank loans abandoned their cars at Dubai’s airport parking lot. The New York Times described a policy of silence that forbade […]
The carbon-neutral city, Masdar, has all-but-failed. Can this urban park in Hong Kong do better? Architectural firm Foster & Partners have their stamp all over the Middle East: they had a hand in Masdar City, that ambitious carbon-neutral city plan that has turned into an embarrassment, and they are “greening” Jordan’s Queen Alia Airport. While […]
Green Prophet’s Merhdad, explores some of the “urban” issues in giving the ancient 500 year old Bazaar of Tehran, sustainable by design, a modern facelift. Plans in a new $20 million budget call for bike paths, trams, and a strengthened infrastructure for Tehran’s beating heart. In July 2010, Nader Karami, the mayor of Zone 12 […]
Who to believe? That Dubai properties hasn’t paid or that Hopkins Architects reneged on their agreement? There are different species of architectural firms operating in the feeding frenzy that is Dubai. Some, such as Foster&Partners, are contributing to the country’s environmental malaise, while others, such as Studied Impact, are trying a bit harder to reduce […]
Can a city relying on oil revenue and desalination really be labeled “eco”? (Image by dislona via flickr) At first, we felt a surge of pride to learn that Muscat, Oman, is the only Middle Eastern city on Mercer’s top 50 eco-city ranking. It ranks 48, just behind Glasgow, but ahead of Frankfurt. We were […]
Despite its claim to promote sustainable urban development practices, the world’s largest, disposable Expo invites irony and criticism. The first ever world fair took place in 1851 at Prince Albert’s behest. That fair was initiated to display participating nations’ industrial prowess. The tradition continues with ever-increasing largesse, culminating in this year’s World Expo that officially […]
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denies the charges, but he is suspected of accepting $1million to push through the highly contested Holyland Project which uprooted pine forests. Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Jerusalem’s former mayor Uri Lupoliansky, and senior officials in the Jerusalem municipality are accused of accepting tens of millions of shekels in […]
There are environmental triggers (hairspray! lipstick!) of common autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, a TAU researcher reports. Our immediate environment interacts with our genetic programming and can determine if we will succumb to an autoimmune disease, says rheumatologist Prof. Michael Ehrenfeld of Tel Aviv University’s Sackler School of Medicine, who is seeking to unravel those mysteries. […]
Karen ponders the possibilities of a new social idea to help the homeless and the environment. Walking down the street this morning, watching a homeless man rummage through the trash for recyclable bottles and cans, I had a dream. A dream of an organization that helps the homeless while helping the environment. A dream of […]
Last week Karin asked what weeds in her garden are edible. Today she finds out. With winter in full bloom in the Middle East (this is when we get rain), urban gardens come alive, whether or not you want them to. The rains and cooler temperatures invite green leafy things to sprout up everywhere. And […]
It’s easy to cultivate chickweed (a vitamin powerhouse) on your windowsill for a quick springtime salad. One of the most prevalent edible weeds thriving now in the Mediterranean is chickweed, Stellaria media if you want to get botanical about it. Its flavor is delicately salty and fresh, not at all like spinach. (Every edible weed’s […]
Karin tries urban foraging and eating weeds from her garden. What are the chances she will live after this experiment? Taking cues from the Arab women foraging for mallows in the kindergarten in front of my house, and Miriam’s latest winter salad recipe, I decided to do a little urban foraging myself. (That’s me above […]