Drop a teabag in a mug, add boiled water, and in the time it takes to brew, you can calculate your carbon weight. Trust me – you’ll need a comforting drink when you see your results. A  free and simple to use carbon calculator is available on the Carbon Footprint website that tabulates your carbon imprint in a matter of minutes, and benchmarks it against performances of your country, of industrial nations, and of the entire world.

I tried it and got a footprint of 9.88 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Low for an American, but astronomical for a resident of Jordan.

I don’t drive a car (use an employee bus) and my family lives simply in a small-ish apartment. With too-easy access to amazing local food, we aren’t tempted by pricey ex-pat import stores. We recycle to the limited extent possible in Amman but I blow the bank on air travel.  Are you curious to see how you measure up?

Your carbon footprint is the sum of all carbon dioxide (CO2) gas emissions caused by your daily activities in a given time frame. The figure’s usually expressed in tons and calculated over a year.  Most everyday actions use energy and produce CO2 emissions, simple stuff like showering, cooking, reading this article on a computer. Sipping that cuppa is carbon-neutral; shipping the tea to your market and heating the kettle are not.

I’ll show you my footprint if you’ll show me yours.

Here’s what resulted when I pressed “calculate”:

“Your footprint is 9.88 metric tons per year.

• The average footprint for people in Jordan is 3.07 metric tons.
• The average for the industrial nations is about 11 metric tons.
• The average worldwide carbon footprint is about 4 metric tons.
• The worldwide target to combat climate change is 2 metric tons.”

Compared to calculators I’ve used on the job, this freebie is fairly sophisticated. It calculates primary emissions based on a broad array of conversion factors sourced from carbon research powerhouses like the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE); Canada’s Standards Association (CSA) Greenhouse Gas Registries; and the World Resource Institute (WRI) Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

A total footprint sums your primary and secondary emissions. Primary are the fossil fuels we burn to heat and cool our buildings and power our travel; secondary are associated with the lifecycle of products and services we use (the energy used to produce, package, transport, and dispose of them).  

This calculator bases secondary emissions on generalized estimates, so your true figures will differ from the numbers produced here.  But it’s still a great indicator of where you stand in your own zip code, against your industrialized cousins, and in the world.

My guess is your number won’t incite you to reforest a tundra or build a windfarm, but increased awareness of our individual carbon performance might prompt a tiny shift in how we live.  And (insert Green groan) every big journey begins with a few small steps.

Carbon Footprint Ltd. is a private consultant offering carbon management services.

See a starfish caress a schoolgirl’s cheek as she holds hands with the boy with the algae beard. Watch a baby shark swirl‘round that Beetle parked curbside to coral and lobsters. Underwater, everything’s magnified. Changing currents and depths cause kaleidoscopic effects. Dive in next season and all will be changed. Jason deCaires Taylor creates underwater eco-art: offering “eerie encounters where art evolves from the effects of nature on the efforts of man”. Taylor works with marine biologists to create site-specific, underwater sculpture parks that double-duty as artificial coral reefs.

Artful Intervention Rejuvenates the Sea

His sculptures change over time. There’s a living aspect to them. Inanimate objects develop biological growth. He says they “evolve within the narrative of nature.”

Artificial reefs form when man-made objects settle on the ocean floor, providing stable surfaces that can support growth of a new reef community, or replacing reefs that have been destroyed.

But reef restoration is more complex than dropping derelict ships and subway cars onto a sea bed. Poorly made artificial reefs carry their own set of consequences.

Only 8 percent of our oceans are “shallow seas”, but these contain most of the world’s marine life. Coral lives in shallow waters, typically at depths less than 100 feet. These wildly diverse ecosystems harbor as much life as a rainforest.

Reefs build upon skeletons of previous coral generations and reef builders work at a glacial pace. Sponges, corals, and fans spread their population at a rate of just a few centimeters per year. This fragile animal workforce is vulnerable to storms, changing sea temperature and water chemistry.

Their greatest stresses come from us: overfishing, pollution, unregulated marine construction and tourism. The ironic loop of tourism to Natural Wonders is that the wonders naturally diminish as the number of tourists, if uncontrolled and uneducated, increase.

Egypt, Israel, and Jordan stand to lose enormous tourism revenue if Red Sea coral reefs continue to be destroyed by coastal development.

The United Nations Environment Program cites the primary threat to Red Sea reef ecosystems as inadequate environmental standards in Saudi and Egyptian oil facilities and the de-ballasting of ships. Scientists predict an 80% permanent loss of natural coral reef by 2050.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that coral ecosystems in Middle East seas are in generally good shape, but ten percent of world reefs overall have been completely destroyed. Artificial reefs can turn the tide by providing alternative habitat for threatened species.

Artful eco-parks also lure tourists away from sensitive “real” reefs. With his sculpture sited in clear, shallow, barren areas, Taylor replicates the requisite conditions to stimulate coral growth and also gives easy access to view his works to divers, snorkelers and passengers on increasingly-popular glass bottom boats.

Taylor sees that diverting tourism gives the natural reefs greater chance to repair and regenerate. His extraordinary works are designed “to use sculpture as a means of conveying hope and awareness of the plight of our oceans”. He envisions a new era of tourism where tourists sharply view beaches as living ecosystems, and not just wallpaper to some kick-back fun in the sun.

Says the artist, “Eventually the underwater gallery will be totally assimilated by marine life, transformed to another state, a metaphor for the future of our own species”. Perhaps a bit dark there, Jason. But I do like this work. It conjures up childhood memories of mail-order kits for Magic Rocks and Sea Monkeys. It’s beautiful and a bit frightening.

An inspired attempt to use art and watersports and alternative holiday-making to amp up our environmental intelligence.

::Underwater Sculpture

The rapidly dropping water level of the Dead Sea, a cause of much concern today, occurred as well in the distant past, resulting in the severe drying up of the lake, an international drilling project there has shown. The project opens a window into the climatic and seismic history of the Dead Sea over the past hundreds of thousands of years.

The project discovered that about 125,000 years ago, the lake had dried up almost completely as a result of climate change. This finding arouses worry about the present status of the Dead Sea – the lowest place on earth — in which human intervention is causing acceleration of the drying-up process.

A special rig was brought to Israel for the purposes of the drilling project, including equipment to bring up sediment samples from beneath the lake floor. The drilling was done from November 2010 until March 2011 in two areas: in the center of the lake at a depth of 300 meters and near the Ein Gedi shore.

The drilling was done under the auspices of the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP) under the direction of Prof. Mordechai Stein of the Geological Survey of Israel and the Hebrew University and Prof. Zvi Ben-Avraham of Tel Aviv University (pictured above), with support from the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

The Dead Sea is a salt lake located in a deep tectonic depression – the Dead Sea basin — in which the loss of water is only through evaporation. The lake behaves like a large water gauge of its watershed. The Jordan River and the Arava stream transport sediments and waters from north and south that reflect the environmental conditions in the Mediterranean and desert climate zones.

Over the past hundreds of thousand of years, the lake accumulated information on the hydrological–climate conditions in these regions. Moreover, the reconstruction of climates of the past are relevant to human history since the Dead Sea basin is located along a major route for pre-historic man on his way out of Africa.

The sediments that were drilled and recovered from the floor of the Dead Sea contain the information that enables us to reconstruct the climatic conditions that existed here and even in more distant areas such as the Arabian and Sahara deserts, said Stein.

A preliminary analysis of the drilled cores discovered, at a depth of 250 meters below the lake floor (and 550 meters below the lake surface), thick sequences of salt covered by rock pebbles that indicate a period when the lake retreated and nearly dried up. These sequences are overlain by marly (muddy) sediments that indicate, conversely, an enhanced input of freshwater to the lake and wetter climate conditions in the watershed.

Today, the Dead Sea is at a level of 426 meters below sea level and sinking rapidly. The evaporation of the lake in the past should be a warning sign for us now in terms of a possible drying up in the future, say the scientists. Whereas in the past, forces of natural climate change brought about a refilling on the sea through drainage of waters coming into the basin, this cannot happen as long as the waters of the Jordan River are diverted by its neighboring states.

A permaculture garden and a mud-brick house, the Dead Sea Harmony Centre in Jordan spreads the word on sustainability

William Alajalian, who was born and raised in the Dead Sea area of Ghor Mazraa, may be new to environmentalism but he is more passionate and pro-active than most campaigners. Around three years ago, his passion to build a garden and host visitors staying in Jordan collided in new ways. “Through hosting different people from different cultures I became more open minded and educated in sustainable solutions and projects,” he explains to Green Prophet. “Every new person gave me a new idea and more energy to keep going.” Three years on and with the support of locals from his neighbourhood, he  has set up an flourishing eco-centre which showcases green methods of growing and water conservation . 

A barren landscape is transformed

“Coming from a conservative community I did not have much support in my ideas,” admits Alajalian (who is pictured above on the right). “Most people thought it was useless and unnecessary. But what I realised is that to reach the community I had to set an example of my own first. Now we have become a group of people, working together to create an example, a platform with minimum expenses.”

Over the last year, Alajalian and his growing team of volunteers have planted a permaculture garden with a fully-functioning grey-water system which saves at least 50% on water consumption. Plants, flowers, trees and vegetables have been planted and are now growing stronger and faster than ever before.

Permaculture and Earthen Architecture

The Dead Sea Harmony Centre also consists of a stunning mudbrick house inspired by the home that William Alajalian, now 32, grew up in as a child: “It’s cheap, it’s sustainable and good for our environment. You can write a book the advantages of a mudbrick house! Also it is a way to show the locals what they can do with their beautiful heritage.” The mudbrick house has two rooms- one used for workshops to teach students and locals about environmental issues and the other which is used to host volunteers helping the centre.

Alajalian wants see more eco-tourists come and experience the biodiversity at Ghor Mazraa and hopes that the centre can play a role in attracting them. The group is also working to establish a sustainable kitchen with solar-powered ovens and fridges to minimise energy consumption. In fact, the centre is keen to make the most of renewable energy resources and would like to see all their electricity generated from solar panels.

“I am trying to save my children’s future… To leave them with good water, good air, good soil”

Indeed, the centre is already sharing the skills it has learnt and was recently asked to design a permaculture garden for a public centre building for disabled people. Alajalian, who is married with two children, explains that they plan to speak at schools, mosques and get more locals involved. They want their message of conservation to be spread near and far so that they region has a chance of being able to deal with the myriad environmental problems it faces.

“Ever since I had my kids I started thinking about the future, the next generation,” states Alajalian. “Basically I am trying to save my children’s future… To leave them with good water, good air, good soil. This is all they need to be alive. That’s the main reason I have decided to start searching sustainable solutions the community.”

How YOU can help:

The Dead Sea Harmony Centre: “To help our project and the others like it around the region we need support not only in the form of donations to these low income villagers but also support from the government, the press, the community leaders (teachers, imams, women, etc) and volunteers. After all, to quote an old African proverb, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

: Images via the Dead Sea Harmony Centre.

For more on green developments in Jordan see:
INTERVIEW: Nadia Lawton Talks About The Green-Silver Bullet Of Permaculture
Go Green With Jordan’s New Generation of Eco-Warriors
Jordan’s Plans For Railway On The Right Track

Jordanian Nadia Lawton, a permaculture teacher tells Green Prophet why she believes permaculture could be the region’s silver green bullet.

“Permaculture made total common sense to me,” insists Nadia Lawton, “it also fitted with my life ethics a a Muslim.” While the first part of Nadia’s statement may not be considered unique, her remark about Islam is. Permaculture is defined as the design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems that have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems. It basically looks at growing in a holistic framework which promotes sustainability, the conservation of resources and biodiversity. It is also generally promoted by atheist Westerners- so as a Jordanian born-Muslim, Nadia Lawton does not exactly fit the mould. I caught up with her to talk about the importance of permaculture in the Middle East, the role of Islam and overcoming barriers.

Back in September 2011, Jordan hosted the tenth International Permaculture Conference. The week-long events were coordinated by Nadia Lawton, who along with her husband Geoff Lawton, is a permaculture teacher eager to spread the word about the advantages of permaculture in the Middle East. Indeed, when I got in touch with her she was on her way home from teaching a Permaculture Design Course in Tarim, Yemen (yes, the very same conflict-ridden Yemen hitting the headlines). She informed me that there were plans to partner their Permaculture Research Institute with Sheikh Habib Umar’s Dara Mustafa Institute and set up a new small 1 hectare permaculture school farm and a 16 hectare farm permaculture college.

“This is a very exciting new project of ours that could influence the whole Muslim world,” she remarked. “We are also working on a direct translation (of permaculture information) not only into Arabic but also to include Islamic text references to the holy Qu’ran and hadiths.” For Nadia Lawton, faith plays an central role in her dedication to permaculture and she insists that Muslims should all have permaculture values. She also adds this belief will soon be verified by Islamic scholars of the highest respect .

Nadia Lawton is also the founder of the Jordan Valley Permaculture project in Jordan which was completed in 2011. Located in a harsh desert environment, it demonstrates how permaculture principles can work even in the harshest Middle Eastern climate. “We always wanted to have a demonstration site and education centre to help local people… It has become part of my life work to set this project up so people can live in peace with the environment and each other.”

Nadia is optimistic about the future. Over the years, she states she has seen big changes with more people – from locals to royal families- taking permaculture seriously. In fact, Nadia says she is certain that Permaculture “holds all the answers for food, water and sustainable development [problems in the Middle East] and it fits perfectly with the culture.” So when I ask her what is holding the development of permaculture in the region, she replies that it is limited funding. “This means we have to work with what we have and show people what they can do with minimum funding, which is good. But we always want to do more, so we can help more people.”

:: Images via Craig Mackintosh.

For more information on Jordan and permaculture see:
Jordan To Host International Permaculture Conference
Permaculture Hannukah Party at Yesh Meain Ecological Farm
Jenin Playground to get Green Makeover

Could the ocean make pumped hydro power? In the Middle East, it could.

A brilliant proposal has been made to build a massive 2,400 MW sea water hydro project using the Mediterranean Sea, and the Dead Sea, which is below sea level. The Dead Sea Power Project would use the ocean to make hydro power, in a world first.

The ambition and scope of the project would be on a scale almost like terraforming Mars – and the environment is not much more hospitable.

Sea water has never been used in pumped hydro power, because sea water is all level at sea level, and hydro power requires higher reservoirs to work. Here’s how this completely new way to make hydro power using an ocean would work.

Normally hydro power is created by simple gravity as rushing water falls down from higher ground.

The idea behind normal hydro power storage is that it uses excess electricity to provide the off-peak power to pump water back up a hill into a vast reservoir. Then, when it is needed, it is released to rush down through turbines below, churning out electricity.  Normally that electricity is provided by excess unwanted wind power at night and utilizes a reservoir at the top to hold the water (potential energy) till needed.

How this project would work:

A tunnel below sea level from the Mediterranean Sea would funnel sea water through a 10 meter diameter (30 foot) wide concrete tunnel 72 km ( 45 miles) to a very deep indentation in the rocky landscape about half way across land towards the Dead Sea. No energy would be needed to move the Mediterranean water to the inland sea water reservoir, because the water does not need to go uphill the whole distance.

Then, when needed during peak electrical demand; water would be released down to power turbines 423 meters below sea level on the shores of the Dead Sea which is 1,387 feet below sea level - generating up to 2,400 MW as needed.

The fresh Mediterranean Sea water spilling out on top of the Dead Sea would replenish and revitalize it with much less salty water, which would tend to float on top, while generating substantial power. The Dead Sea has been shrinking, and needs more water.  Saving the Dead Sea would have tourism benefits. (Time Running Out for Saving Dead Sea Hotels)

The project would help ease power and water shortages in the region as hydro power could be used to power desalination.

It would have geo-political benefits as well. Crossing the borders of three entities, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Israel – this project leverages shared regional needs to provide a platform for shared problem solving.

All three areas would have access to this Mediterranean water for desalination plants to help ease the chronic water shortages, and the electric power would be sold into the existing electrical grids of all three regions to pay the cost of the Project.

Related stories:
New Life Found In Dead Sea! (Amazing Photos)
Dead Sea Inspires Advantix Systems’ Cooling Tech

We speak with Alisa Ananbeh, a student leader on the environment, on going green in Jordan.

Around six months ago, Alisa Ananbeh took part in a US funded five-week programme to help young people from the Middle East deal with environmental problems. Just under twenty students from Gaza, Jordan and the West Bank travelled to America to learn about the US environmental movement and ways to build leadership on the issue in their own countries. The diverse group arrived at the end of July 2011 and spent time in Oahu, San Francisco, Boulder Colorado and Washington DC. I spoke to Alisa who lives in Jordan about what motivated her to take part in the programme and how she hopes to help Jordan deal its own unique environmental problems.

GREEN PROPHET: Tell us a little a bit about yourself –where you are from, your interests and background.

ALISA: I live in Jordan and have a Jordanian father and a Ukrainian mother. My life was always somewhere in between those countries. I studied Management Information Systems for my Bachelor degree. Books, art and culture are my childhood passions that stayed till my adulthood. My other passion is to be environmentally concerned, through small everyday things in life and to raise the awareness as much as possible. I also believe in social corporate responsibility and its benefits for the company and the society. I am currently working for an IT company and at the same time volunteering with the Jordan Green Building Council.

What was the single most important thing you learnt during the Study of the US Institute for Student Leaders on Global Environmental Issues (SUSI) programme?

Definitely team work! People that participated with me gave me so much knowledge, positive energy and showed how by uniting with each other we empower our actions. During SUSI we learned how to trust and listen to each other to achieve results. For example during our first days, we went on a canoe trip, where we needed team work and understanding of the almighty waves to stop us flipping over. Those trips, activities and sub-activities also taught us how to multitask and see opportunities from different angles. Sometimes it was crazy, but we still maintained the element of fun and constant learning!

What kind of things did you learn that you think will apply to environmental problems in the Middle East?

Jordan is a rapidly growing and developing country where the ICT industry has grown by 25%. By 2011, the number of workers in the ICT industry will increase from 16,000 to 35,000. This is significant since by reaching the business sector and promoting the green sustainable solutions, you could positively change the impact on the environment. Through simple habits – and with less cost than most people would tend to believe – everyday life could be changed in undemanding way and decrease the damage on the environment.

Starting with reducing printing or printing on both side of paper, recycling and introducing more plants to the office, positive changes could be made. In addition new developments such as cloud computing can decrease usage of servers and reduce the carbon footprint of the company.  A new office could be equipped with second-hand furniture and existing offices can change lamps and educate their workers about environmental awareness.

Was it encouraging to meet others from the Mideast who cared about the environment in the same way you do?

Yes, it even helped me to form lifelong friendships! Now I know where I can find help with my environmental plans. During the program, we saw that a small group of like-minded individuals can accomplish a lot in a limited amount of time. And even though not everyone was from Jordan (some of us came from Palestine) we still organize Skype meetings to discuss our plans and ask for some advice.

What are the main environmental issue that you think must be tackled urgently in Jordan?

Jordan’s main problem is the lack of acceptance of our environmental issues. By educating the youth and demonstrating positive ways to protect the environment, I hope we can have a long-term impact. Therefore I believe it’s important to raise the awareness amongst people not only in the cities but in the villages too. That way, other issues such as lack of water, waste management and environmental pollutions will be jointly solved by Jordanians.

Images via Alisa Ananbeh

For more information on going green in Jordan:
Jordan Railway Plans On The Right Track
Amman’s New Mega-Mall is Antithesis of Sustainable Development
Solutions to Jordan’s Energy Crisis Must Be Sustainable

There’s no getting around it: the world is becoming a much less secure place in which to live. Economies are tanking, geo-political systems are in turmoil, weather events such as wintertime drought are becoming more frequent and serious, and already dangerous planetary warming is being exacerbated by phenomenon such as giant plumes of gurgling methane discovered in the great white north. All of these factors have an impact on the ability of ordinary people to find healthy food at decent prices. So we have gathered 7 agricultural solutions that are being harnessed in the Middle East region to address these challenges and increase our resilience amidst one of the most uncertain times that humanity has faced. Read on for the not-to-miss list.

1. Groasis Waterboxx Trees

It’s absolutely essential that we find solutions that address our unique challenges, and the Groasis Waterboxx is one of them. Launched in Jordan earlier this year, the Groasis Waterboxx makes it possible to grow a sapling without shoveling soil or using excess water.

Originally introduced by AquaPro Holland and invented by Pieter Hoff, the Groasis relies on biomimicry to nurture seeds similarly to the way that nature does in particularly harsh environments such as the desert. Its ergonomic design efficiently harvests rain and condensation to ensure the maximum amount of growth effect with the smallest amount of hydrological input – an excellent solution that definitely targets the Middle East’s specific agricultural challenges.

2. AeroFarms Vertical Farming

Green Prophet writer Susan Kraemer wrote that AeroFarms could herald one of the most important developments in food harvesting since humans switched from hunting and gathering to farming.

These clever stacked farms that can be used virtually anywhere – including inside buildings in the heart of any city – use aeroponic farming technology instead of soil and sunshine to grow food. Saudi Arabia has already embraced the technology that specifically addresses estimates that 80% of the world’s burgeoning population will be living in cities by 2050.

3. Yemenite Rainwater Harvesting

Food grows where water flows, so harvesting rainwater in nearly dry cities such as Sana’a in Yemen is absolutely pivotal to any kind of agricultural success. Which is why Sabrina Faber’s award-winning rainwater capture system is so clever. Adding to its ingenuity is its sheer simplicity: the rainwater harvesting system will be incorporated into rooftops and is modeled after traditional capture designs Faber has seen out in Yemen’s countryside.

4. Gaza’s Green Roofs of Herbs and Vegetables

“They” say that necessity is the mother of invention, and this is turning out to be particularly true when it comes to food. Many residents in Gaza have experienced have embraced one of the largest growing urban agricultural solutions.

Having no land and stunted access to to food, many people in this politically-charged strip of land are growing cabbage, eggplants, and endochriyya [a plant used for making soup] in the winter, as well as chili, garlic, and onions in summer, and they are doing all of this on their flat rooftops that receive plenty of sunlight. Several rooftop farming initiatives have popped up in Cairo and Beirut as well.

5. Liveinslums Microgardens in Cairo

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Liveinslums has worked with local architects and designers to help residents in Cairo’s neglected City of the Dead grow microjardins – mini, soilless, and transportable subsistence gardens that also fertilize the sand. In addition to being incredibly portable, the microjardins are easy to construct.

Liveinslums provide seeds, turf and perlite, which act as a substitute to soil, vitamin solutions that are added to water, and plastic, wood, and other recycled materials out of which these mini gardens are made. Initiatives like this demonstrate that with the right amount of tender loving care, food can be grown anywhere!

6. Feeding Abu Dhabi With Water From Air

Despite having some of the world’s most largest and grandest desalination plants, the Gulf countries are quite possibly the most vulnerable when it comes to water, and they are rising to the challenge with some of the most sophisticated water capture innovations.

With an average humidity level of 61% , the Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Services Center (FSC) has spearheaded G-earth  - a technology that extracts condensation from the air to provide water for Abu Dhabi greenhouses.

7. SEKEM – Egyptian Organic Farm

Organic farming may not be new, but Egypt’s largest is so successful that we can’t ignore its potential to not only save people from food shortages, but also to restore the country’s soil to sustainable levels.

Established by Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish in 1977, SEKEM is an organic farming community that integrates social, economic and environmental development just outside Cairo. Run by Dr. Abouleish’s son Helmy, this incredible enterprise that champions the best in sustainable farming techniques has grown from 70 hectares to several thousand!

lead image via The Green Pages, Flickr

Costing in excess of $170 million and with a total floor area of 150,000 square meters, Amman’s newest mega-project is located in a middle class residential area, skirted by vacant lots of grazing goats and humble concrete houses.  Access to its underground car park on Opening Day was blocked when a sheep sprinted from an adjacent field, a typically surreal Amman experience.

Just in time for Christmas and joining the existing team of city shopping centers, Jordan’s latest retail-abalooza has arrived: Taj is Amman’s newest shopping mall, boy does it  have a ‘shiny nose’. Pitched as a “lifestyle destination”, right now this 21st century citadel is the antithesis of sustainable development.

Taj is a glitzy retail and multi-purpose facility intended to “entertain and serve chic travelers and cosmopolitan city residents” – or at least it will be someday when the shops, movie theaters, restaurants, bowling alleys, arcade and kids’ zones actually open. A massive stone box stretching five stories high, it’s largely empty yet fully powered, illuminated, heated and cooled in support of a single supermarket, a handful of European clothing chains, and a lot of empty space.

(Pictured left – one of the mall’s next-door neighbors)

Launching a major retail center in mall-crammed Amman in the wake of the global financial crisis is a gamble. According to Al Ghad, tourism income is down 18 percent, and the Jordan Times reports unemployment as hovering between 12-14%. Although the average household income sits at $45,000,  fewer than 10% of households make more than $14,000. Who’s shopping?  Will locals dine at places where the bill for a meal is higher than a week’s salary, or drink a mega-brand cup of coffee that costs a day’s pay?

I’ll bet foreign tourists will continue to blow their holiday time and money bobbing in the very-near Dead Sea or crawling around authentic Old Downtown, instead of sipping a Starbucks in a place indistinguishable from malls back home.

Artists’ renderings depict views of the complex invisible to any Ammanian, except perhaps to a roofer working on the equally gigantic Saudi Arabian Embassy under construction across the street. Maybe embassy employees will keep Taj afloat. Or it could appeal to the sizeable ex-pat community: it’s interior architecture and non-Jordanian offerings are as safely familiar as any airport Duty-Free shop.

I wish developers would quit with the mega-malls and instead build upon more authentic urban experiences.  Mall-mania is middle-aged, born half a century ago in the USA as a means to consolidate shopping into a one-stop climate-controlled experience.  A paean to the automobile society, they were particularly attractive to people living in goods-starved rural and suburban places.  Malls in major cities are oxymoronic: the point of a city being, well…it’s a city.

Organic, largely uncontrolled free-market commerce responsive to evolving needs of its users.  Intense competition from other shopping venues, not to mention the internet, has shown these “lifestyle experience” palaces to be non-starters in most US and European cities.  Successful United Arab Emirates versions are from another economic time and scale.

To its credit, Taj is built with beautiful stonework and will (one day) offer lovely outdoor public “rooms”, but big-scale sustainability is much more than regionally sourced materials and daylight views while you have a smoke.

Better site selection; elimination of urban light pollution; onsite generation of renewable energy; and education of the local community to a greener way are just a few of the low-hanging sustainable fruit the Taj developers could have picked.

At a minimum, they might have greened-up ongoing maintenance.  I cringe at the acres of horizontal plate glass: how much water will be wasted keeping them clean?  Taj seems as current and eco-sensitive as a polyester leisure suit.

Ironic how a project’s opening can be both too soon, and too late.

::Taj website

The Dead Sea is again in environmental headlines as a project to remove salt accumulations from the lakes southern portions have passed preliminary readings in Israel’s parliament.  The salt removal project would be largely paid for by the Dead Sea Works, with the profits derived from the sale of the extracted minerals to be placed in a special rehabilitation fund. This project comes on the heels of warnings by environmentalists that the hotels located in this portion of the Dead Sea could be  flooded by the ironically rising waters .

Salt build up causes water to rise

This salt build up problem is linked to a Jordan Times article stating that the Dead Sea is losing water by the amount of 30 meters a year, with the fear that the lake will dry up entirely by the year 2050.

The article adds that although the construction of a conduit between the Dead and Red Sea is “technically possible” it is full of environmental dangers, much of which could occur during the construction of the conduit itself. Feasibility studies authorized by the World Bank,  dealing with the impact of mixing the highly saline Dead Sea waters with that of the less saline Red Sea, have been ongoing for more than two years  and are still inconclusive.

These studies have been criticized  by groups such as Friends of the Earth Middle East  (FOEME) whose Israel Director, Gideon Bromberg, says that the World Bank study needs more time in order to reach a satisfactory conclusion regarding the construction of the conduit project.

Bromberg’s FOEME non-profit still believes that the best solution for replenishing the waters of the Dead Sea is to bring water through the Lower Jordan River, now nothing more than a sewage canal.

Getting a whiff of Jordan River’s sewage

Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority  have considered the conveyance project as a way to bring much needed water into the Dead sea.

If this project is completed, at a cost of more than 8 billion dollars and in at least a 20 year time frame, the hoped for increase in the lake’s water levels will hopefully bring it up to – 315 below sea level instead of its present – 408 meters.

A series of public consultation meetings will be held in Israel, Jordan and Palestine during 2012. Locations of these meetings, in which the general public will be invited to voice their opinions include Amman, Aqaba, Eilat, Jerusalem, Jericho, and Ramallah. As stated by the World Bank spokesperson:

“The objective of the public consultations is to receive feedback and suggestions from stakeholders on the draft results and preliminary findings of the study program. These comments will then be taken into account in the final reports.”

Read more on Dead Sea issues, including the Jordan River:
Time Running Out for Saving Dead Sea Hotels
Unholy Waters: The Jordan River is Nearly Dead
Despite everything, Dead Sea Still a Popular Tourist Destination
Jordan, Israeli and Palestinian Reps Meet to Jumpstart Controversial Red-Dead Canal