Some good news out of the Middle East region for a change: It was announced at the Israel Business Forum that Israel has signed an historic water-sharing agreement with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. But not all parties are happy with political manoeuvrings around the announcement.
Artisinal olive oil. It has an attractive ring, but think what “artisinal” means. You associate it with ancient traditions that living people continue to maintain – with the material products of those traditions.
A tourist attraction in northern Israel has fitted donkeys with WiFi collars so that passengers can surf the web while exploring the historical Galilee region. The Kfar Kedem park originally designed to give visitors an authentic introduction to life during biblical times has added a high-tech aspect to the tour in order to attract a younger […]
A building in the Lower Galilee which showcases traditional architectural Arab styles with ecological benefits demonstrates that modern concerns can be resolved with ancient techniques One of the most important things we need to do to tackle climate change is reduce the amount of energy we use. One way to do this is ensure buildings […]
Forest in central Israel, as seen from Ein Karem Some architects and economists are proposing Israel solve its affordable housing crisis by turning central Israel into a “megacity,” similar to Hong Kong, and moving the nation’s lush nature reserves and agricultural lands to the Negev and the Galilee. Supporters of this solution insist it would […]
Panoramic view of Umm El Fahem (Mother of Charcoal) in Wadi Ara For those Israelis who use Wadi Ara a merely a way to travel on their way to other places like the Galilee, Wadi Ara itself has a lot to offer for weekend day trippers looking for an eco-touring experience. I was there recently. […]
Asbestos is all over the place in Israel. Now the rare form of lung cancer that asbestos causes is not the only worry: asbestos leads to mutations in mice. Asbestos covers parking garages in Tel Aviv, and the roofs of small buildings and sheds all over Israel. Look in landfills or even playgrounds, and don’t […]
Israeli idealists plan to develop a land trust in the northern Galilee to encourage rural homesteading. Despite its emergence as a developed, industrial country, Israel has a bevy of close-to-the-earth learning experiences to choose from. Several kibbutzim throughout the country offer a variety of useful workshops in permaculture, off-grid living, sustainable building, and organic farming. […]
Israeli Druize, Gamila Hiar, uses local herbs grown in the Galilee to produce her famous soaps. When Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli comes to Israel for a visit (Rafaeli protests against coal and water misuse), she makes sure to stock up on Gamila’s soaps for her glamorous friends around the world. She and other celebrities like […]
Ohalo College of Katzrin brings sustainable development studies into the ivory tower. The world of academia and environmental activism do not always go hand in hand, and academics are notorious for their detachment from the real world. But some universities and colleges are an exception to this generalization. In fact, Tel Aviv University held a […]
Amirim, a unique vegetarian village in northern Israel, offers gorgeous views… and mediocre food. Once upon a time (according to the owner of the bed and breakfast that I recently stayed at in Amirim), a young group of idealistic vegetarians gathered in central Israel and decided that they needed to get away from all that […]
A member of the Forum for Environmental Justice looks at environmental hazards in the Galilee region. They meet once a month to venture into the field together, discuss environmental problems and devise ways to cooperate to solve them. Most recently, earlier this month, Israeli Jewish and Arab politicians, community leaders, the public and media toured […]
Eat delicious organic goat cheese and feel good about helping the handicapped at Rom Farm in the Galilee. Most organic farms have, at the very least, an environmental conscience. Many of them believe that not only is organic farming more traditional and more delicious, but better for the planet (and therefore very important). Not all […]
“If agricultural wastewater went straight to the wastewater treatment plant, the facility would just collapse,” says Dr. Isam Sabbah, left, founder of the clean tech company Agrobics. Growing up in the Galilee region of Israel, Dr. Isam Sabbah was all too aware of the problems associated with the waste from olive presses. He’d seen organic […]
A “Hope Tree” planted outside Sea of Galilee incites eco-awareness in Israeli kids and public. Israel’s only freshwater body of water, the Sea of Galilee (known locally as the Kinneret) is about the only thing every Israeli can agree needs to be repaired. Every year the water line sinks lower and lower, as more water […]