Despite the recent heavy rains and flooding in Israel that helped replenish water in the Dead Sea, the salt lake in the ‘lowest point on earth ‘ is still suffering from a sharp decline in water levels due in part to the ongoing mineral harvesting activities by Israel and Jordanian chemical industries who cause the water to disappear further by evaporating it to extricate bromides and other chemicals for use in chemicals as well as in the fertilizer industry.

Aerial view of “divided Dead Sea” showing mining  evaporation pans at the lower end of the Dead Sea

The future of one of the earth’s true natural wonders may be in even greater jeopardy if plans go through for Israel Chemicals (ICL), which is one of the largest Dead Sea mineral extractors, to be purchased by a large Canadian fertilizer producer, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.

The Canadian firm is determined to purchase Israel Chemicals, which itself has a market value of nearly $17 billion USD, despite local fears that this would accelerate the mining of Dead Sea minerals even further.

This fear was expressed recently by Israel’s outgoing Environmental Protection minister Gilad Erdan, who said that “Potash Corp holds a global monopoly in potash production and can influence the prices of potash internationally against the interests of the State of Israel by exploiting its resources.”

Erdan went on to say that Israel Chemicals should not be allowed to merge with the large Canadian firm as it would create a “real endangerment of economic, social and environmental interests of the highest priority.

Spencer Tunick’s Naked Dead Sea photo shoot

Besides the issues involving the mineral mining industries at the Dead Sea, the salt lake also is a major tourism industry location for both Israel and Jordan. The activities of chemical companies like Dead Sea Chemicals has resulted in water levels in the areas of a number of Dead Sea hotels, beaches and health spas actually rising and threatening to flood these resort locations if measures are not taken to prevent this from occurring.

In order to bring more public attention to the lake’s plight, internationally renowned “nude art” photographer Spencer Tunick did a photo shot of 1,000 nude Israelis and tourists at the Dead Sea in September 2011.  While this project did bring attention to plight of the area’s tourism industry, it apparently did not have any affect on the mining operations which still continue unabated to this day.

The large profits created by companies like ICL, which claims to be the largest employer in the Nevev region of Israel, has caused the Finance Ministry, how headed by former journalist and Yesh Atid centrist party leader Yair Lapid, to not interfere with the operations of company which contributes NIS 12 billion ($ 3.34 billion) to Israel’s  annual GDP.

Lapid declined to “comment on the matter” in a Jerusalem Post article, and Potash Corporation (the company trying to purchase ICL) refused to comment as well. As a result, time may be definitely running out for a body of water that is predicted to run dry by the year 2050.

There is definitely ethical issues at stake when a country sells its natural resources to other countries. Concerned about the issue, we wrote to Daniel Orenstein, an outspoken environmentalist in Israel, who is also Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology; and co-author/editor of the new book Between Ruin and Restoration.

He writes to Karin Kloosterman, Green Prophet’s editor:

“I think your concern is well placed. I am not a big fan of distancing the ownership of natural resources from the source. It doesn’t bode well for local concerns (workers rights, environmental protection) – that said I’m wondering if a Canadian company would have better/stronger principles than the Israeli company they would replace (an argument that always surfaced during the NAFTA debates vis-a-vis American companies relocating to Mexico).

“Sustainability principles usually emphasize local control and decision making with regarding to natural resources. And I think your question is an excellent one and needs to be addressed – what is going to assure that the largest chunk of profits of Israel’s resources go to its citizens and not to the shareholders of an international company? – for this we’d have to check the percentage of royalties going to the public, which has been historically ridiculously low in Israel.

“And, of course, what kind of social/economic/environmental obligations are written into the deal (but I’d probably need a team of international corporate lawyers to figure if that one works to our – local – benefit).”

These are all good points that we plan on following up on.

Meanwhile…

More articles on Dead Sea environmental issues:
Steep Decline of Dead Sea Levels Due to Fertilizer Industry
1,000 Israelis Strip Naked to Save the Dead Sea
As Israel Chemicals’ Profits Soar The Dead Sea Suffers
Time Running Out for Saving Dead Sea Hotels

Lower photos via ICL Dead Sea Works

Chronic and even acute shortages of fresh drinking water is one of the developing world’s most serious issues today; especially in areas torn by internal conflict such as Syria. A number of viable methods for making water potable have been put forward in Green Prophet; including very simple ones such as using sunlight to purify dirty water enclosed in plastic bottles and “Life Straw” hanging filters that can be taken anywhere and used in emergency situations such as post hurricane and typhoon locations as well as in temporary shelter areas for conflict region refugees.SunDwater solar water distillation device

Using the sun’s energy to distill dirty and saline water is another idea that is presently being developed by an Israeli based company called SunDwater  which harnesses the sun’s energy to heat and distill non-potable water and turn it into safe, clean drinking water without needing any infrastructure  external energy source.

SunDwater’s water distillation device works on a principle of using solar mirrors to heat water and turn it into steam which is then recirculated back into a holding tank as pure distilled water. The device, which looks like a communications satellite dish with mirrors focuses sunlight on a central holding tank which heats dirty or salt water to boiling and then recirculates  the evaporated steam into a container from which it can be used for drinking, irrigation, or other uses.

The device in way works on a similar principle as a solar energy unit using mirrors to reflect the sun’s rays to boil water; and operate a turbine to generate electricity. The big difference in this case is that the boiling water is distilled and turned into water that is safe for human use.

With this device, literally all types of water can be used, including sewage water  and “grey” water from sinks and showers.

Salt water from the sea or underground brackish reservoirs can be utilized as well. Shimmey Zimmels, SunDwater’s CEO, says that the present developed unit can convert as much as 400 liters of water a day, with a larger unit being developed to convert as much as 5,000 liters a day.

Since the unit is entirely portable, it can be set up quickly in virtually any location and begin converting water as long as the sun shines.

“Lack of fresh water is one of the most serious problems being faced by people in underdeveloped nations today,” says Zimmels. He adds that it is estimated by the United Nations and its different aid organizations that some nine hundred million people lack access to fresh water. “Our focus is to supply a device that is simple to operate and is a relatively cheap solution to assure that these populations are able to purchase and operate the units on their own and by doing so help supply their water needs,”he says.

The company applied for a patent for their device in 2011. More information can be obtained directly by contacting SunDwater via their website.

::SunDwater

Read more on water purification devices and solutions:

Portable LifeStraws Could Make Water Potable in Syrian Refugee Camps

The SODIS Makes Light – And Water – of Plastic bottles

Atlantium Purifies Water Without Chemicals

Image Contaminated water by Shutterstock

Suntech Solar, the Chinese solar panel manufacturing company that became involved in a number of Middle East solar energy projects, including deals to sell home solar panels in Israel and a bid for Abu Dhabi’s  Masdar City’s Nour 1 solar energy project is now on the verge of financial collapse and eminent takeover. This revelation, as reported March 13 in the Energy and Environment section of the NY Times  said that Suntech, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of photo voltaic (PV) solar panels, has nearly run out of cash as a result of investing more than 530 million Euro ($630 million) in German bonds which may prove to be fraudulent. This is bad news since Suntech had announced create a solar research center in Israel. 

The resulting financial means the company faces takeover by other companies and investors as a bid to help it meet its obligations to company bondholders. The NY Times article went on to say that Suntech had reached an agreement with current investors to allow it more time to find ways to meet its financial obligations. Even with this short term debt reprieve,  the current outlook for the company, which as recently as January launched a new research center in Israel’s Arava desert region does not look promising.

Suntech became one of the worlds largest suppliers of PV solar panels several years ago, when the idea of solar energy projects including smaller units for installation on private homes and business seemed to be on the way of becoming a common reality. S

untech made a deal in May, 2010, to supply an Israeli solar energy company, Solar By Yourself, with more than $35 million worth of solar panels  for use in projects that SBY planned to construct in both Israel and Italy.

Solar energy projects are still being carried in many locations, including the Middle East. However, the increasing availability of natural gas as an energy source for operation of electricity power stations, combined with reduced “feed in tariffs” being offered by electricity companies for solar powered electricity, has resulted in some large electric power companies like Siemens puling out of solar energy projects .

China’s manufacturing practices of “dumping” products like solar panels on world solar energy markets is another reason for Suntech’s current economic woes which has resulted in anti-Chinese trade sanctions being enacted by countries in which local  manufacturing companies have had to compete with.

What happens to Suntech, following the takeover, may be a bellwether for the future of Chinese and possibly other solar energy equipment manufacturers trying to survive in an ever changing solar energy business environment.

More articles on Suntech Solar:

China’s Suntech Among Masdar’s Solar Bids for Nour 1

Suntech to Sell Home Solar Panels in Israel

Jordan’s Feed-in-Tariffs for Renewal Energy is an Arab World’s First

Siemens Exits Israel Solel Solar Initiative

Image solar power plant by Shutterstock

Bicycle riding, including bike sharing in Tel Aviv and traveling by bike in the Middle East have been popular topics that Green Prophet writers have enjoyed sharing with their readers. Those living in urban areas, where bike riding is a very green way of getting around, stories of young bicycle enthusiasts using an abandoned bus lane in Amman Jordan and  a girl and her green bicycle in Saudi Arabia  indicate that bike riding is becoming increasingly popular in the Middle East.

With this fact in mind, the idea of  using a personal collection to create a bicycle museum is more than just an idea for an Israeli guy named Alon Woolfe. Woolfe regards himself as an avid collector; and turned a converted chicken coop into the country’s first museum of bicycles.

Woolfe began purchasing his collection and storing it in the building with the idea of finding the most “interesting, wacky and unique bicycles” he could find, he tells the local newspaper Haaretz.

His collection includes early models no longer in existence, such as a 100-year-old German model that actually has wheel rims made of wood.

Other interesting specimens include an 1880 “high wheeler” made by the Singer Sewing machine company. It is said to be one of the few surviving types from a 19th Century era when gentlemen and ladies  rode these contraptions around parks on Sunday afternoons.

“Some people are addicted to things like gambling; but I am addicted to collecting things, especially bicycles,”he told the newspaper.

An early 1800′s  Velocipede walking bicycle model Woolfe hopes to find or recreate for the museum. Photo: Wikipedia

Woolfe’s collection now contains around 120 different models. He wants to find one of the original velocipede bicycles from back in 1817.  Velocipedes (which means fast foot) pedal less “walking bikes”  were made out of wood and iron and moved by means of its rider pushing it along with his feet. “My dream is to bring an old walking bike – one of the first bikes manufactured in 1817. It’s really difficult to get your hands on one, so I’m considering making my own based on the original models,” he says.

In addition to models that Woolfe purchased himself, other models have been donated to the museum; including racing bikes and accessories from cyclists who rode them in international competitions, including Olympic road bike competitions.

Former Olympic cyclists Henri Ohayon and Ben David made aliyah from Morocco in the early 19th century. They rode Bertini racing  bicycles and were national champions in the 1950s and 1960s. They were the only Israelis to ride in  Olympic road bike competitions.

Woolfe may also want to add a recently innovated model made largely out of recycled cardboard by another fellow Israeli, Izhar Gafni. Gafni makes these bicycles with cardboard material fortified with various resins at a cost of only $9 to $12  per unit; and which should sell for around $60. Nothing is greener than this.

More on bike riding and models in the Middle East:
‘Wadjda’ – A Saudi Girl and Her Green Bicycle
Tel Aviv Bike Sharing: Green Prophet Hits the Road
Cardboard Bike From Israel Makes Cycling Even Greener
Travel by Bike in the Middle East
Teenagers Use Abandoned Bus Lane for Safe Urban Cycling in Jordan

Bertini Bike Photo: Bertinclassiccycles.com  Velocipede photo: Wikipedia

As human populations increase, finding greener ways to bury the dead are ranging from sea burials to more simple land burials such as those practiced by Jews and Muslims. Even more bizarre ways of disposing of human remains may be a green “stacking” solution, includingthose still practiced by descendents of ancient Zoroastrians in Iran.

A multi-level burial site

As ancient burial grounds come more and more under threat of being turned into apartment blocks and shopping malls   simpler and perhaps more greener ways of disposing of the dead, especially historical personalities, will become paramount in an increasingly crowded world. One such historical personality, a former king of England, Richard III, is now found buried beneath a parking lot in the English city of Leicester.

The location is said to have been that of an old friary where the king’s body was laid to rest after he was killed  defending his crown in The Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. The last of the Plantagenet line of royalty, Richard III was defeated by Henry VII of the Tudor family line of English Royalty; and the exact location of his body had been lost to historians for more than 500 years.

So are there greener burial methods that won’t result in loved ones being covered by parking lots? One solution which has been occurring in parts of Israel for nearly 10 years is known as multi-level or ” high density” burial, similar to that in mausoleums.

This method involves burying bodies in above ground compartments where as many as three or even four levels are utilized with each body placed inside a  60 by 60 by 200 cm chamber with a layer of dirt under the corpse to “reconnect” with the earth.

The vault is then hermetically sealed with a slab of marble or similar material and a silicon sealing substance. This method saves much land space over the conventional method in which as much as a dunam of land per day (1/4 acre) is used for burying bodies in the ground.

This new burial method was first introduced to the large Holon Cemetery and is now being used in several other locations as well. Many relatives of those now buried in this manner appear to be satisfied with this method; and even say that is it much cleaner and leas traumatic than the traditional method.

Israel has yet to use other methods of burial such as cremation, due largely to objections by religious groups and also due to memories of the Holocaust in which  the bodies of as many as 3 million Jews were disposed of this way by the Nazis.  While Jewish burial in Israel is not likely to involve sea burials, cremation, or Zoroastrian types of burial, the multilevel way of burial is likely to become more popular as long as respect for the dead and conditions of  modesty are observed.

As for the remains of King Richard, they will now lie in a more appropriate place than under a parking lot.

::Washington Post

Read more on greener burial practices:

Are Sea Burials Greener Than Land?

Eco Funeral? Jewish Burial Rites are Green

How Iran’s Ancient Zoroastrian Funerals are Green

Serious and even dire food shortages in Mid East countries like Egypt, combined with projected sharp increases in food prices in Arab Spring countries in 2013 are sharp indicators that millions – perhaps billions of people are now facing even more lack of nutrients due to not having enough to eat. But ever increasing realities of global warming and climate change, especially desertification in  many Mid East countries are not  the main issues causing food shortages in many countries. Lack of food is also due to  sheer wasteful food production and distribution practices by both farmers and sellers of foodstuffs – often before much of it reaches the consumers who purchase it.

A weekend article recently published in Israel’s Haaretz magazine reported that this small country of 7 million inhabitants literally throws away nearly half the food produced and purchased there - often before it even reaches the supermarket shelves.

This food, consisting of vegetables, meat, dairy products and “dry foods” is often discarded if it doesn’t have a certain size, color or texture; or simply if it nears stamped expiration dates. This irony results in literally tons of food that might otherwise be entirely suitable for human consumption being thrown out into landfills and garbage dumps.

Although Israel’s per-capita income levels puts it above many neighboring counties as far as household affluence goes, there are still thousands of people living there who are classified as being under the established poverty level; and whose family members, especially the elderly and children often do not have enough food to eat to maintain proper nutrition.

Income disparities between affluent communities and poorer communities often determine how much food is actually eaten or simply thrown out. Less fortunate people are said to have varying degrees of “food insecurity”  by not knowing whether their families will have enough to eat.

As reported in Haaretz, Ilan Gilboa, a sanitation engineer for a large waste management company, said: ”A poor family will eat a whole watermelon and roast the seeds, too; a rich family will eat a few slices and discard the rest. A poor family will make toast from yesterday’s bread; a rich family will throw out what’s left of the day’s bread that same evening.”

This comment is an understatement about how much food is wasted by various households. But the problem of wasted food supplies falls just as much in the entire production an distribution network, including the large supermarket chains which have purchasing quality agreements with their suppliers concerning the quality of food that is purchased by them and sold to the public.

Regarding the poor, there are organizations such as the Leket National Food Bank that try to “recycle” leftover and thrown out food for redistribution to the needy. But even their efforts are often not adequate enough as they only manage to redistribute only a small percentage of food that winds up being sent to the dump.

As overall food supplies becomes more scarce due to increased populations and climatic and other ecologic factors, the day may come when food supplies as many now know them will be only a distant dream. Food producers and distributors can be more green by helping to reduce the amount of discarded foodstuffs while still available.

More articles on food wastes and shortage issues in the Mid East and world at large:

Food Shortages Could Force the World to go Veggie

Arab Spring Countries Face Increased Risk of Food Price Shocks in 2013

A Farmer’s Market in Dead, Dry Qatar

Hilton Hotels to Share Food Wastes in Hungry Egypt

Image Apples on the ground , by Shutterstock

This year’s International Women’s Day not only illustrates the numerous issues facing women, but also celebrates the many achievements women have made worldwide – including those pertaining to environmental or green projects in the Middle East.

While well-known personalities are often highlighted each year, the achievements of ordinary women such as the Yemeni Girls who are using solar power to bring light to post revolution darkness in their country also deserve a special mention. We have highlighted a small handful of those who are making a difference in our region, but we know there are many, many more.

Dr. Nawal al-Hosany

Women hailing from Islamic countries are often required to go the extra mile to be involved in green projects due to living in countries where male dominance is the standard norm.

One noteworthy example is Abu Dhabi’s Dr. Nawal al-Hosany, who plays a leading role at Masdar City just outside of Abu Dhabi.

Dr. al-Hosany, a leading figure in the environmental movement in the Middle East, was recently interviewed by Green Prophet . During this interview, she told Green Prophet that when it comes to dealing with environmental topics like climate change and energy:

“Women form the majority of the 1.3 billion people living in poverty in the world. And it’s people in poverty that shoulder the brunt and burden of climate change. The rural poor – especially women – depend on the environment to provide basic needs, such as food, shelter and fuel. The harsh impacts of climate change on these women are interlinked to social and cultural conditions.”

She went on to say that women living in her region “have a social, economic and moral responsibility to be equal participants in the fight against climate change. And one way we can immediately help is to encourage women to pursue careers in math and science, where we can advance the renewable, clean-tech and sustainability sectors.”

Easkey Britton surfs the Iranian waves

International women environmentalists who visit and live in Middle Eastern countries also have to go further to make their presence acceptable in these countries.

One such woman, Irish environmentalist Easkey Britton, turned a few heads recently in the Islamic Republic of Iran when she went there to encourage Iranian women to be more involved in environmental projects such as surfing the Iranian waves.

Ms. Britton, who has taken her surfing activities to countries all over the world, told a BBC reporter that she had to be properly attired, including wearing a traditional head covering: “The moment we landed, people were incredibly welcoming and Iran has an amazing heritage. Yes, as women we had to have our heads covered and it was incredibly hot.”

One doesn’t have to go surfing to places like Iran in order to “make waves.” In Dubai, for example, women are now involved in introducing a unique form of yoga, Birkram Yoga to “turn up the heat one posture at a time.“ This includes Mona Banki, a teacher at Dubai’s Club Stretch, who branched out in 2010 to initiate Bikram Yoga Middle East in Tecom, Dubai.

We wish all these brave and innovative ladies well, and hope they will go from strength to strength with their great green work.

Read more on women involved in unique green projects in the Middle East:

Interview with Masdar’s Director of Sustainability – Nawal al-Hosany

Yemeni Girls Solar Power Post-Revolution Darkness

Dubai’s Bikram Yoga Turns Up the Heat One Posture at a Time

‘The Story of Hijjar’; Muslim women and Water Conservation

Better Place, Israel’s controversial electric car network provider, has had its share of issues and adverse publicity which began to heat up after its iconic founder and international CEO Shai Agassi was sacked this past October.

This act was later compounded when Australian Evan Thornley, who took over from Agassi, was also released from his position in January, 2013 following his pep talk to Israeli Better Place car owners. But all hope in the company is not lost: now consumers, and eco-tourists can try out the Better Place car in daily, weekly, monthly – even yearly rentals. 

The rental company Eldan’s CEO Shai Dahan tells us that the rental cars can be available any day now, and that this offer is a world first: sure there are the mini Twizy’s for cruising around Paris, but there is no family electric car yet available for rent anywhere in the world.

Exposure to the Better Place electric car service network has not been as widespread in Israel as the company had hoped, due to delays in establishing the battery recharging posts and exchange stations. Some say that public confidence in buying electric cars is not yet established.

Once in operation, only the small number of actual car purchasers (around 700) have had an actual opportunity to personally experience how the system works. This situation may improve somewhat, now that one of Israel’s largest rental car and leasing companies Eldan is offering the Better Place’s Renault Fluence ZE electric model to both rental and leasing customers.

Eldan originally agreed to use some of Better Place’s cars in an agreement made back in December, 2011. But in reality the option for customers is only expected to start sometime this month.

Eldan has agreed to add a number of the Better Place Renault Fluence ZE cars to its rental and leasing fleets, with car weekly rental rates to be priced at the price of NS 250 per day ($67.50 USD) with an additional charge of NS 2 per km for each 100 km driven daily. While this price computes at about 25% more than comparable cars with gasoline engines, the electricity needed to fuel the cars is included as well as any battery switching needed and all logistics services as would be available for electric car owners.

A few cars will be added to the fleet, and more will be added depending on demand.

Long term leasing arrangements will also be available, depending on whether it is a company sponsored or private leasing arrangement. 

As opposed to most standard rental car agreements, electric car renters will not have to return to cars to Eldan fully “juiced up” as is the case with a gasoline powered car.

Regarding how many people will avail themselves to these cars, only time will tell. Some will want to try them out from a curiosity standpoint; while others, especially tourists from North America and other similar locales,  want to drive something that is more environmentally friendly.

Better Place is hoping that this option will expose more people to driving an all electric car;  with some of them actually purchasing one later on. Dahan puts it this way: “As part of the global transition towards environmentally friendly cars, Eldan has decided to be an inseparable part of this trend. This applies to both sales of cars and also in the automobile leasing and renting field.”

More on Better Place:
Shai Agassi Fired from Better Place Electric Car Company
After Pep Talk to Better Place Car Buyers, New CEO Fired
Green Prophet Interviews Better Place Car Owners in Israel
Better Place – El Dan Partnership to Offer Electric Cars

Cell phones have blamed for a number of environmental health problems, including collapse of bee colonies; and even problems with human sperm production. In fact, overuse of cell phones has even been considered as being more risky than other environmental hazards like car engine exhaust and insect sprays like DDT. Yet we continue to make them a bigger part of our lives, every day. The problem with proving the link to cancer is that cancer takes about a decade to manifest and it’s hard to prove a direct link, though Israeli researchers from a country which was early adopters and high uses, do suggest a link to cancer. See our story on Sigal Sadetzki.

Now an Israeli who has been using his cell phone inside his bomb shelter (bad idea) has been diagnosed with a cancer he says he got from using his cell phone. In an out of court settlement, the Israeli cell phone company Partner has agreed to give him $100,000. Is this a bid to keep this man quiet? Read on for the details.

Various cancers such as cancer of the larynx, malignant brain tumors and tumor in other regions of the head, face and neck have resulted in several court cases where cell phone users actually sued the cell phone companies themselves for alleged malignancies from cell phone usage or over exposure to cell phone transmission relay sites.

A prime example of this occurred recently in Israel when a cell phone user sued the Partner Communications Company, the local representative for the Dutch based Orange cell phone company for an aggressive malignant lymphoma cancer near his left ear.

The plaintiff was eventually awarded a sum of NS 400,000 ($108,000) in an “out of court” settlement, according to Haaretz.

The plaintiff, himself an attorney, had used his cell phone excessively in an office he had converted from a “secure room” which is built similar to a bomb shelter. Due to the thickness of the walls, it was determined that more radiation than usual was emitted from the phone being used in such an environment.

While the cell phone company claimed they adhere to established criteria regarding usage of their products, they most likely wanted to avoid undue and damaging publicity that might have occurred if the case had been tried in court; even though the plaintiff had been using his phone excessively in a closed environment.

Cell phones have often been described as “miniature microwave appliances”  and those who use them on a regular basis have been cautioned to use external earphone and microphones to avoid receiving excessive radiation doses.

Even with more and more cell phones being  used, especially the “smart phone” devices which employed a variety of usage applications, legal cases like this one are still considered as rare.

It’s likely that more such cases will occur as these devices have become an indispensable part of our modern lifestyle. What ever happened to ordinary telephone lines?

In the event that you are using a cell phone here are some tips from Sadetzki to help you stay safe from radiation’s harm:

1. Parents should limit the time their kids use cell phones or any hands-free devices

2. Calls, especially made by children should be limited in time

3. Cell phones should never be carried when touching the body, like in a pocket where radiation can be transmitted to the body while it’s communicating with the base station,

4. Cells phones shouldn’t be recharged near your bed or sleeping/resting quarters

5. Use a headset when talking on cell phone

6. Limit use in rural areas, because the radiation levels can be higher, the more spaced out antennas are in your network

Image Smiling Man With Cellphone by Shutterstock :

Read more on the dangers of cell phones:
Call Phone WIFI and Bee Collapse? Israeli Bee Boss Not Buying It
Cell Phones as Risky as DDT and Engine Exhaust
Radiation Exposure and Sperm: Basics Every Man Should Know

The Golan Heights, that disputed piece of real estate that Israel captured from Syria in 1967 is returning to world attention due to the possibility that there are oil and natural gas reserves in its southern sector. Until now, energy ideas dealing with the Golan have mainly evolved around renewable energy projects like a 155 megawatt wind farm which Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu once referred to as a “national project.”  The “Heights” have also been considered a good location for solar energy projects. Proposed solar energy projects there even raised the question of whether wind turbines might be “taking a back seat to solar power” on the Golan.  A Golan Heights natural beauty spot: Saar stream waterfall

Anyone who has had the opportunity and pleasure to drive through the Golan Heights has surely been attracted to the various natural beauty sites found there which are especially lovely in the spring.  These sites, such as natural streams and water falls, the majestic splendor of Mt. Hermon, and the unique hot springs and alligator farm at Hamat Gader  may be jeopardized if proposed oil and natural gas exploration is undertaken.

New geological findings suggest that commercial quantities of oil might be present in the southern sector, and the Israeli government subsequently awarded the first license to drill. The license “covers half the area of the Golan from the latitude of Katzrin in the north to Tzemach in the south,” according to a recent article in Globes.

Oil and gas production could replace wind energy projects on the Golan; photo by Karin Kloosterman

According to the Globes article, Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources petroleum council awarded the license to Genie Energy Ltd. , a company headed by former minister and National Religious Party leader Effie Eitam.

Shareholders in Genie Energy include such notables as Lord Jacob Rothschild and  newspaper mogul Rupert Murdoc. And Former US Vice President Dick Cheney is an advisor to the company. Mr. Eitam lives in Moshav Nov in the southern Golan Heights, which is located not far from the hot springs at Hamat Gader.

While the main objections to Israeli oil and gas explorations in the Golan are mostly political, the potential environmental impact of oil and gas production in this area cannot be ignored.

This especially pertains to natural sites such as Hamat Gader, which is part of the Yarmouk River ecosystem and an important water supply source for Syria, Israel and neighboring Jordan.

It might be more plausible for large scale energy projects conducted by Israel to be confined to those now being conducted in the eastern Mediterranean; though they have their own environmental issues.

Image Crocodiles from Hamat Gader by Shutterstock

Read more on the Golan Heights and energy projects there:
How to Road Trip in the Galilee and the Golan Heights in the Spring
Israeli PM Declares a 155 MW Wind Farm on the Golan Heights a “National Project
Are Golan Heights Wind Turbines Taking a Back Seat to Solar Power?

Urban transportation has recently taken on new and innovative forms, which include gliding along on electric skates, and surfing city sidewalks on various types of electric powered scooters. An electric powered unicycle, the U3-X  being developed by Honda, even travel sideways. For those who commute daily into large cities by way of buses, trains, or subways, an even newer and fully portable transportation device is now being worked on that can be literally taken with them to work.

Two Israeli inventors, Amir Zaid and Benny Shimon have developed a small, compact three wheeled electric scooter that they have named the MUV-e.This device, which can be folded to resemble a suitcase trolley, will weigh between 12 and 15 kg (depending on battery size) and be able to whisk a rider along at speeds up to 25 km an hour.

On a full charge from a standard 240 volt outlet, the device should take its rider anywhere from 15 to 40 km, depending on the weight of the rider and “road conditions”.

Zaid tells Green Prophet: “We are seeking to raise $500K for 2013 and to launch our first beta of one thousand pieces planned for the local market.

“We have a patent pending on the folding system, which is unique. Plus the battery packs are personalized and can be selected from three different sizes to fit all needs. Our production technology comes from the automotive world and ensures high level of rigidity with minimum weight, while our covers can be personalized in different colors and graphics.”

For the more expensive model, “operation will be controlled by opening an application on the smartphone.

“Once opened, you will mount the cellular on the handlebars and it will become the vehicle’s dashboard, showing all the relevant data of vehicle, navigation, charging etc.,” he tells us.

MUV-e in folded position

Zaid and Shimon haven’t yet put their scooter into actual commercial production, but they say that it should sell in Israel for around NIS 7,000 ($1,890). While this price may seem affordable in today’s economic climate, this writer remembers when a Volkswagen Beetle cost the same in the USA.

Cost will be $3000 for the premium version that folds automatically, and which can talk with your cell phone.

Other small electric scooters and bicycles might cost a bit less,  but the MUV-e is one of the most compact and portable devices for commuting people, who may find it the perfect thing to scoot them to their jobs or other final destinations once their train or bus reaches its final destination. It’s also handy for people who live in closet-sized apartments in Tokyo and NYC.

In any event, such a device may work out better than the two wheeled Segway, still in use in many parts of the world, but not nearly as portable as the MUV-e.

Below are some older prototype images:

More articles on smart electric transport:
Electric Skates – New Urban Mode of Transportation?
Honda’s U3-X Electric Unicycle Could Outrace the Dying Segeway, Sideways
Anywhere You Go Freego, Electric Scooters in Tel Aviv
Segway “Police” Achieve Fame for Corniche Cleanup

Tel Aviv’s serious pollution and car parking problems which were partially alleviated with the Tel-O-Fun bike sharing program  back in 2011;  and with proposed  ideas to ban trucks during the morning rush hours. The city’s Municipality may now have an even better program involving a new rental share agreement using a tiny two seat electric car, the Renault Twizy. The Twizy, which the New York Times refers to as “more than a skateboard, less than a car” is already being tried out in big European cities like Paris to help solve urban commuting and parking problems in there as well. And now Tel Aviv’s mayor gave it a spin. 

One of several all electric or ZE (zero emission) cars being developed by France’s giant Renault  automobile consortium, the Twizy is much smaller than models such as the  Better Place Fluence ZE salon which Green Prophet test drove last summer; and the brand new ZOE model, which more resembles Renault’s popular Cleo gasoline driven car.

Using small electric micro cars in an urban environment as congested and polluted as Tel Aviv may have now received a big boost with the car being tried out by Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai himself trying out the Twizy during a Channel 2 News program that emphasized the car being used in a proposed car sharing rental program that would include both the Renault Twizy and electric skateboards. Mayor Huldig appeared very enthusiastic when test driving the car as shown here in the news clip below (note, it’s in Hebrew).

Under the rental-share program, the cars would be available in various city locations for a daily rental fee of NIS 70 ($18.75) plus NIS 1.5 ($0.27) per kilometer driven. Payment would be by credit card and the cars would be picked up and returned to the designated rental locations in a similar manner as the present Tel-O-Fun green bicycles are.

Mayor Huldig believes that the cars would be used by both local residents and visitors, including foreign tourists; and would do a lot to help reduce air pollution in the city as well as being a way to get around easier. While the Twizy is presently a curiosity to many people who have seen it, it is also another way of helping to solve the traffic congestion problem in the Non Stop City.

Although the Twizy can travel at speeds up to 50 kph, using it on highways is another matter however. “We don’t see this car as being used to drive to Jerusalem,” says Carasso Motors Ltd CEO Avi Tamir, importers of Renault and Nissan cars in Israel.

Photo:  Renault/NY Times : 

Read more on the Renault Twizy, other Renault electric cars; and the Tel-O-Fun bike sharing program:
Tiny Electric Vehicle Rental Program Could Reduce Tel Aviv Pollution
Renault’s Electric ZOE Mini Car is More Electric Bang for Your Buck
Green Prophet Test Drives Better Place Electric Car
Tel-O-Fun (Finally) Brings Bike Sharing to Tel Aviv

Plastic items that usually get discarded and wind up being buried in landfills or washed out to sea are serious issues brought up during annual events like Earth Day. The seriousness of large amounts of plastic debris in the worlds seas and oceans have raised fears of giant plastic garbage patches in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.

David de Rothschild (with red cap) on Plastiki plastic catamaran

The known fact about a huge floating “island” of plastic and other debris in the middle of the Pacific Ocean resulted in the four month voyage by renown environmentalist David de Rothschild, who participated in this event as part of the crew of the Plastiki sailing catamaran made mostly of of recycled material, including more than 1,500 plastic bottles.

But one doesn’t have to take long sea voyages on boats made of discarded plastic to have an idea on how much plastic wastes is normally thrown out by an average household in just a month’s time. In order to prove this, I decided to save all the plastic items used during this period of time and then do an updated article of them, including photographing this material.

Plastic beverage bottles are just a fraction of the plastic containers and other items that people purchase at local supermarkets and other stores. After tallying up these items, the following were noted:

20 plastic yogurt containers
6 tomato paste and sauce containers
Assorted shampoo and cosmetic item containers
At least 3 containers for roasted chicken
5 containers for cheese and other dairy products
1 sushi container
Other miscellaneous containers, including a bottle for so-called “natural” plant fertilizer.

All of this accumulation was for only two people and without including plastic beverage bottles. After photographing these items, they were put into a plastic item recycle bin, and will hopefully be made into other plastic products.

But will they? Chances are, many of these items will be separated from plastic beverage bottles and afterwards sent to the local landfill due to more difficulty in recycling these items. Plastic items that are recycled can be effectively turned into a number of products, including even bridges for cars and other vehicles as noted in a previous article. Art forms are also made from discarded plastic material, including  “carpets” of plastic beverage bottles .

So next time you start to throw away discarded plastic food and cosmetic containers, consider our planet and take a few moments to separate these items and deposit into plastic products recycle bins. It does not take that much time to do this and in a small way you will help save our planet.

Read more on plastic wastes and recycling:
Recycling for Earth Day
Will Bridges of Recycled Plastic Work in the Middle East?
David de Rothschild Talks Adventure and Plastic with Green Prophet
Is the Mediterranean Sea Harboring a Giant Plastic Patch?

This little critter, the common red worm, is a natural organic composting machine

Composting for improvement of houseplants and gardens and made in your backyard or even in your own living room  is a subject covered frequently in Green Prophet. Composting equipment can cost as little as ten dollars  for a vegetable compost bin  or by the help of a new turbo composter that makes home composting easier by shortening the compost processing time needed to make the finished product. An even more unique way to produce excellent organic compost from vegetable matter is to enlist the help of a creature that inhabits many gardens and is a natural born compost maker.

Known as the common red worm (eisenia fetida)  these creatures can eat their way through a large amount of organic waste matter, especially vegetable wastes from your kitchen such as vegetable and fruit peels, tea bags, leftover bread, leftover cereal, coffee grounds and paper coffee filters. The process of worm induced composting is called vermicomposting and simply involves setting up a worm bed or box  with a few hundred red worms and continuously adding waste matter to the box and letting the worms do the actual work.

The composting work these worms can do is truly amazing; and one average size red worm can “recycle” half a kilogram of household vegetable waste per day ! The worm excrement or castings is high in micro-nutrients and various trace elements that are good enriching the soil and providing essential nutrients for plants. Worms are sensitive to both light and temperature; so make sure the worm bin is away from light and kept at a temperature of between 55 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (13 – 25 Celsius).

When removing the castings from the worm bin, be careful to make sure the worms are not injured or removed as well. Red worms or their European equivalent, European night crawlers, live about a year are are very prolific. Although they are bisexual, two worms are needed to “tango” and produce other worms which is form fertilized egg pods.

In the Middle East, these worms can be found in well watered gardens, or places that are damp enough for them, such as forests, well irrigated agricultural areas, livestock yards, etc. A small worm bin in your house or apartment should produce enough organic worm poop castings to keep your garden and house plants well fertilized for a minimal cost.

::National Geographic

Read more on composting for home and gardens:

Make Your Own Compost Bin With Mesopotamian Bricks

Israeli Turbo Composter Makes Home Composting Easy

Make Compost in Your Living Room

Make Your Own Vegetable compost Bin for $10

Our stories on animal abuse  have included severe abuse of circus animals in Lebanon, neglect and abuse of zoo animals in Egypt, and even rampant abuse of pigs in (supposedly) kosher Israel.  Always considered as “silent victims”  these animals have suffered severe neglect and abuse in many Middle East countries, particularly during Egypt’s 2011 Arab Spring revolution.Awaiting his next tourist charge, our camel seems a bit on the thin side, almost a year later

Abuse of camels, especially those used in the tourism industries of many Mid East countries have also been reported, including the alleged abuse of one particular camel, which has become a well known tourist attraction  at the top of Jerusalem’s Mt. of Olives.

This camel, of whom this writer reported on in March, 2012, was found chained to a metal post near the Mt. of Olives  observation point during a particularly cold and rainy day with his keeper nowhere in sight.

The recollection of that sad encounter with the Mt. of Olives camel resulted in a strong desire to revisit the place recently to find out if he was still there and in the same miserable condition as he was during our previous visit less than a year before.

Our second encounter occurred this January,  the day after one of the worst winter storms and “biblical floods” to hit Israel and other neighboring countries  had just abated. Although the bad weather had ceased, it was still quite cold on the summit of the mount.

The camel was not alone this time, as scores of tourist buses kept arriving there with foreign visitors for a panoramic view of the Old City as well as pose for photos on the observation point and upon the camel’s obliging back. Needless to say, he was quite busy letting people sit upon him for photo shots.

He still appeared to be a bit on the thin side, and we could only wonder what might have been happening to him there a couple of days before when Jerusalem received several centimeters of snow.

Not wanting to agitate his keeper, who led the stalwart beast around with somewhat frightened tourists sitting on his hump, we decided to let discretion be the better part of valor and not bring up that point with so many foreign tourists present.

Another domestic beast noted there was a white donkey, which seem a bit bedraggled and not receiving nearly as much attention as the camel. The donkey will probably become more popular as we near the Easter holiday and the New Testament account of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem while riding atop a white ass.

This “white ass” has obviously seen better days

In the earlier encounter with the camel, back in February, 2012, the camel’s keeper was reported to have said to an inquiring newspaper reporter that his camel charge was “very well” and was generally kept in a nearby stable when not being used as a tourist attraction.

Hopefully this is true as despite the fact that camels are generally regarded as very resilient beasts, being hobbled outside atop a snowy or rainy place as this could no doubt be construed as being nothing less than a case of  animal abuse.

Read more on animal abuse in Israel and other parts of the Middle East:
Jerusalem Camel Abuse Caught on Camera
Israel’s Cruel Meat Industry Exposed by Watchdog TV Show
Egyptian Zookeepers Insult My Religion
Horses: The Silent Victims of Egypt’s Revolution

When the Star Wars films began they chose Turkey and its fairy chimneys for the futuristic backdrop of the science fiction films. Later films were shot in Tunisia and some fans have even gone so far as to restore characters’ homes, like Luke Skywalker’s house pictured below. Tunisia, Egypt and more North African countries, are facing serious political upheavals and desertification. Can Star Wars movies and the movie industry in general educate people on the woes facing these conflict-prone countries?

Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata was also Luke Skywalker’s desert homestead. But it’s a traditional Berber home. 

Tunisia is a Mediterranean coastal and desert country that has been a favorite movie set location, including at least three of the extremely popular Star Wars films. The popularity of Tunisia, besides perhaps the friendliness of its people, may also be attributed to its unique topography and desert architecture; especially subterranean dwellings like the Hotel Sidi Driss located in the desert oasis of Matmata.

The cave-like desert dwellings of Matmata, go back hundreds of years and are a real indication of how people can live in harmony with the harsh desert conditions that are often scorching hot during the daytime and bone-chilling cold at night. The hotel itself, besides being a unique desert tourist hideaway, has been used as Star Wars’ character Luke Skywalker’s desert homestead in at least two of the series films.

Matmata caves in Tunisia in the region of the troglodyte communities. 

The immense popularity of the Star Wars series has resulted an another film now being planned by J.J. Abrams , the Emmy-award-winning creator of TV’s “Lost” and director of 2009′s “Star Trek” movie. He has been chosen and has agreed to direct the seventh installment of the “Star Wars” series.

Luke Skywalker’s home in Tunisia. Before, and after shots. Fans renovated this building. 

Tunisia’s attempts to be in harmony with the desert, which covers most of the country’s southern regions, has  also included several large scale solar energy projects, carried out in conjunction with the Desertec series of solar energy projects in North Africa.

The filming location of the next installment has not yet been announced; and with the final completed film only coming out in 2015. But perhaps the pristine desert landscapes of Tunisia may once again play host to the  Star Wars actors and film crews and could also be a welcome boost to Tunisia’s tourist industry, which has been flagging since the original Arab Spring uprising.

In the meantime, those tourists choosing to visit Tunisian locations like Matmata can see its truly unique subterranean architecture, which proves that people can indeed live in harmony with the desert and keep the process of desertification at bay.

Read more on Tunisia, desertification, and deserts:
5 Things Wikipedia Won’t Tell You About Tunisia
Ancient Nabatean Wisdom to Prevent Desertification Today
Desertification in Egypt is Putting Food Supplies at Risk
Greenprohet’s Whirlwind Trip to the Siwa Oasis in Egypt

:: gonomad.com

Image of Matmata caves via Shutterstock