Find people changing the world in extraordinary ways.

Palestinian beekeepers make Jerusalem sweeter

Well in the Bronx, honeybee keepers have tasted notes of pollution. In Jerusalem will the sweet bees offer a taste of holiness?

B Corp’s sustainability status slides as Nespresso joins the ranks

Nespresso is now a B Corp. A fair trade organization along with B Corp members are outraged.

Insect radar monitors the web of life

To help understand insect populations, a new insect radar, the first for Israel, has been installed near the Hula Valley nature reserve. The area is a major rest stop for millions of migratory birds moving between Africa and Europe each year.

Hemp solar house highlights vernacular building potential in Morocco

The Sunimplant team developed a concept for the preservation of the environment and cultural heritage in the rural region of the High Rif in north of Morocco.

Money and energy-saving laundry tips

Small changes add up. Here are some tips to doing your laundry sustainably. These tips are good for the planet and for saving money too.

After you swipe right, read this

The researchers looked at how a heterosexual couple's physiology and behavior adapt to each other during that first encounter.

Solar panels driving opium trade in Afghanistan

The Taliban walks between hypocrisy and holiness while trying to figure out how to profit from poppies and not damage its local economy.

This artificial e-skin feels pain in real time

An electronic skin which can learn from feeling ‘pain’ could help create a new generation of smart robots with human-like sensitivity.

Boosting THC in cannabis plant using a virus

Researchers have used a virus and gene editing system to boost the potent aspects of the cannabis plant

Ancient aqueduct of Jerusalem uncovered

Learn from the Holy Land how ancient people engineered water.

What’s in season May

Sour green plums the size of large marbles are in the local Middle East markets now, a seasonal favorite of the Iraqis. Eat them out of hand as a snack, sprinkling each bite with a little salt. The classic Iraqi way to cook them is to pair them with meat in a flavorful stew. And if you want to ask for them in Persian just say "Gojeh sabz!"

Coral reefs and light pollution

Coral reefs are at risk as the City of Eilat plans to illuminate its Red Sea beaches

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Qanat, an eco-hotel in Iran’s desert, makes ancient tech new

When you go deep into a desert, whether it's Iran or Sinai, it has a similar effect of being in a forest. The stark nature of the planet holds you. Deserts may offer less distractions in your peripheral vision but the clouds and sand come to life as you feel yourself expanding within the expanse.

Turkey’s all electric Togg EV

Turkey launches its first EV company, an all electric car called TOGG.

Israeli Alt Dairy Startup Imagindairy Raises $15M Seed

Alt Dairy, Alt Meat and Alt Fish are hot trends in the food tech industry. Vegans are pushing for the conversion to non-animal sources of milk, meat and fish, and the planet needs it badly too.

Fly net positive with Saudia

Emirates might be the world's sexiest airline (though we don't suggest joining the Mile High club on a journey to Dubai) but Saudia but be the most eco-sexiest so far. The airline we have never heard of, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has operated the world’s longest net positive flight in May this year.

Saudi Aramco invests in hydroponics with Red Sea Farms

Saudi-owned and world's largest oil company invests in food, but is hydroponics sustainable?

Scientists call for a plastic cap

Climate scientists call for a plastic diet, asking governments to cap production.

Dolphin bycatch not sustainable

After taking a deep dive in the fishing industry, dolphin bycatch is being ignored and not reported.

Soil health calculator

To help farmers evaluate the impact carbon sequestration and other practices might have on their businesses, the Institute is developing a decision support tool

DuPont to make synthetic salmon from algae

DuPont, the chemicals company that makes teflon, lycra, polyester, and lucite, will now be making artificial salmon, using spirulina, a type of algae.

What’s in season April

April's biggest bargain is fresh, green garlic

Masdar’s developing green hydrogen plants with Egypt’s Sun

Masdar, a renewable energy company that built the net-zero energy city under its namesake, along with Hassan Allam Utilities, are investing in the future of renewable energy. They announced just now that they will develop green hydrogen production plants in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and on the Mediterranean coast.

Humans possess intelligence when it comes to selecting a nutritious diet

Studies have shown animals use flavour as a guide to the vitamins and minerals they require. If flavour serves a similar role for humans, then we may be imbuing junk foods such as potato chips and fizzy drinks with a false ‘sheen’ of nutrition by adding flavourings to them. In other words, the food industry may be turning our nutritional wisdom against us, making us eat food we would normally avoid and thus contributing to the obesity epidemic.

Tehran wins “world’s most polluted city” in April

The Iranian city now passes as one of the world's most polluted cities, as smog, dust and smoke overcomes it.

Frankincense resin could slow Covid impact

Plants from the past and used in the Bible may help us against modern ailments. Research studies to produce medicines capable of fighting COVID-19 from frankincense trees in Oman are being jointly undertaken by the University of Nizwa in Oman and the University of Oxford in England

The wild dozen and why you should care about these plants

There are wild ingredients found in your home that are now under threat. Brazil nuts, argan oil, and shea butter are now classified among a dozen wild, threatened and at risk plants known as flagship species that need protecting.

UN climate conference forgets faith, women and youth, say MENA groups

The UN's climate change conference, with the worst names, COP27, will happen in Egypt this year.

Solar shade fabric to light public park in pilot

The city of Tel Aviv has installed a pilot of LumiWeave, a flexible and lightweight solar energy shade and energy system in Atidim Park in Tel Aviv to provide shade during the day and illuminate your path at night.

New mysterious sun waves point to new theories for astrophysicists

These mysterious waves move in the opposite direction to the sun's rotation, which is to the right, three times faster than what is allowed by hydrodynamics alone.

Oman makes first electric car in the Middle East

Prototype from Mays Motors, the first electric car of the Middle East Starts production in 2023. Carbon fibre, has a range of about 350 miles and can accelerate from 0 to 80 in about 4 secs. Mad Max here we come.

Make magical baharat, the 7 spice blend of Middle East cuisine

Baharat is an essential blend you can make at home. It's like a Middle Eastern answer to curry. But distinct.

Food in season in March

If you live in the near Middle East or the middle Middle East, or are just visiting - take this handy guide with you to find and taste what's in season for the month of March.

Super Adobe in Jericho

Want to make a low cost home from natural, local materials that last? Try a Super Adobe invented by Nader Khalili.

Why green potatoes are toxic

I love potatoes (especially in Moroccan cooking like mafroum) and coming from an immigrant family from Holland and Scotland, eating potatoes was basically a part of every meal, like bread and butter. But my mother was always afraid of potato “eyes” and the green bits and she and my dad would prune the unwanted bits […]

Holding back the deserts with a saxaul tree

Africa is getting its Great Green Wall, meanwhile Saudi Arabia is also suffering from climate change-induced draught and is starting to do something about it by planting more local trees that love the desert.

Anti-virals freshen up a woman’s eggs for IVF

"Within a decade, I hope we will be able to increase fertility among older women using anti-viral drugs," shared Klutstein.

Future Crops gets $30M investment for hydroponics with substance

Gary Grinspan of Future Crops. Aiming to make hydroponics more closely resembling nature.

Yemen is starving, Ukraine war is making it worse

Ongoing conflict, poverty, and draught have millions of Yemenis in the crossfire. They are starving.

Iran’s going solar with half a million solar panels

Each house will generate more than 100% of its energy needs and the rest will feed back to the household as a monthly check.

Your baby and air pollution

Your baby's birth weight is affected by air pollution finds a new study.

Ukrainian Waldorf friends moving to Israel? The Spring School wants to help

Are you are family, teacher or practitioner from a Waldorf community in the Ukraine? Are you coming urgently to Israel to settle? If yes, we are 400 families from the Tel Aviv- Jaffa community who want to help.

How to grow roots in the air

Want to learn how to grow roots in the air? This research team figured out how the plant does it.

Microplastics are pairing up with pollutants. This is bad news.

More worrying is that microplastics themselves are not inert, and they have the ability to pull along other environmental toxins with them, amplifying the toxicity effect, finds a new research study.

Microplastics found in baby poop

But plastics - why should you care if you don't care about turtles choking? It turns out microplastics are terribly bad for you if you consume them and can amplify the effects of other toxins in the environment by clinging to them, found a recent study out of Israel.

Big Data invention saves wildlife using movement, GPS

Bats, whales, bugs, fish and all creatures big and small move to stay alive. A new invention can track animal movements to avoid bird flu epidemics and help give wildlife an easier path to survival.

Indigikitchen shows the young and indigenous their food roots

Mariah Gladstone’s childhood laid the perfect foundations for the work she does these days, breathing new life into Indigenous Peoples’ food traditions through her online cooking show Indigikitchen.

Oman’s first solar energy power plant launches with $417 M USD investment

The Ibri II solar power plant, Oman will supply power to 30,000 households. It's the first large scale solar power plant for this Middle East country.

Jeff Bezos’ Altos Labs to Defeat Death

Jeff Bezos founds Altos Labs so the wealthy can live forever.

The plants our ancient ancestors ate

Finding bones at an archeology site reveals the kind of animals our human ancestors would eat. But plants? Remains in the kitchens and pots of our ancients and their plant matter is much more elusive because plant remains disintegrate over time.

Scientists say keto diet can repair broken brains

A keto diet is based on meat. Scientists say the diet improves spatial memory and visual memory, lowers indices of brain inflammation, causes less neuronal death and slows down the rate of cellular ageing

Wind powered freight and travel ship retrofits to set sail

Want to travel and order online guilt free? A new kind of freight powered by the aims needs your funding support for eco travel and reducing carbon emissions

Offshore wind energy deal between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy and ACWA Power of Saudi Arabia held a groundbreaking ceremony for the 240 MW wind power plant that ACWA will build in the Asian country, with an investment value of $300 USD million.

Exploding star hunter on the nature of supernovae

Exploding stars happen more often that you might think. Turns out you just need to know how to look for them. New research on "stars" gives us insight into looking for a new career, a romantic partner or friend, or even happiness in general. Read on.

Microplastics you breath in the desert

Plastics from dollar store products, packaging for our every day lives and industry have been a problem for decades, and the more scientists learn about plastic pollution the more serious the problems are shown to be for the environment and the health of all living things.

Lebanon’s water problems explained in 15 minute video

Lebanon is a country naturally endowed with plenty of clean water. But unregulated industry, farming, garbage disposal along other activity has rendered the water undrinkable and in some areas, dangerous to people’s health, making Lebanon among the most water vulnerable countries in the world.

Vegetable, vegan maqluba

Soul-satisfying makluba, an Arabic dish with our vegan twist.

Electric cars and lithium for batteries? Serbs revolt against Rio Tinto

But as always the case, lithium batteries that are good for your Tesla in Oakland or Montreal might be terrible in someone else's backyard. As we speak the Serbians are heavily fighting against lithium mining by Rio Tinto, and are calling out the government for its corruption.

Solar power for 10 mosques

Muslims are also environmentalists and a group of them from a few NGOs want to help 10 mosques in the world go green. As part of the activities of the Ummah for Earth alliance during the UN Climate Change Summit (COP26) Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa announced a new initiative aimed at reducing the carbon […]

Abraham Accords gets real in Tel Aviv

Just before the Covid-19 variant Omicron shuts down Israel's borders to foreign visitors, Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, the Minister of State Entrepreneurship from the United Arab Emirates, visited Israel for a whirlwind tour.

Cook Shulbatto, a vegan Druze bulgur pilaf

Bulgar wheat, or burgul as it’s known in the Middle East, begins as husked wheat grains. Farmers – or more likely, their wives – boil the grains for one hour, then dry them. The processed wheat grains are then take to the local mill for grinding into fine, medium, and coarse-sized particles. Each burgul quality has […]

Desalination investments from unlikely business partners

Just around the beginning of Covid something remarkable happened. After years of cold shoulders, the Arabian Emirati nations which make up the United Arab Emirates declared peace and friendship with Israel. It was a first from the Arab world to thaw out decades of boycotts and sanctions. While Israel has official peace with Jordan and […]

Adrian Pepe’s Lebanese culture, craft and identity through local sheep

A textile artist from Beirut explores the local sheep as culture and identity that he weaves into his creations

Dispelling the Myth That Women Behind Hijabs Are Submissive and Weak

“She’s completely covered. I didn’t expect a woman wearing a hijab would be able to speak openly about these subjects for your book.”

Milk alt lab Imagindairy gets $13M seed funding

Imagindairy imagine a future of milk without udders and methane gas. Using fermentation, the company creates the same kind of milk protein found in cow milk but without the animal.

Why your business needs a chief sustainability officer

A corporate sustainability manager is responsible with social responsibility for everything that happens in the company that may have an environmental impact. We give you reasons you can't refuse one in your business.

Saudi Arabia’s oily lies at COP26

Saudi Arabia plans to be carbon neutral by 2060, and says it will use carbon capture and storage technologies to get it there. Greenpeace calls its bluff.

Slow Food rallies against fake meat and techno fixes at COP26

The same old corporate solutions of a tech fix such as hydroponics and fake meat (see Leonardo Dicaprio and meatballs) will not save us from climate change.

Your incense may be killing you

You might find yourself starting a rest asana when your yoga teacher lights an incense stick. A new retrospective study from Taiwan shows that incense use might just be as bad for you as smoking. Unborn babies are especially at risk.

Muslims and COP26

Listen to what 70,000 Muslims want from COP26

Copy wedding rings of the ancients

Most eco-conscious women and men know that diamonds and luxury goods are passe. They waste resources, cost money and create heartache for those that don't have. Make a ring that will create a lifetime of sustainable joy.

Crab legs overturn fishing industry pest into new export

An invasive species introduced into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, the blue crab threatened the artisanal fishing techniques used along the Tunisian coastline, specifically damaging the gillnets and traps used in the Charfia (a traditional, fixed fishery system that blocks the path of fish and leads them to traps). Now they are for export.

Dead Sea Museum, first renderings revealed

The Dead Sea is dying. A new museum is being built to hold onto what we are losing.

300 nudes pose to save the Dead Sea

Imagine creating a garbage dump in the middle of the grand canyon or scaling the top of off Mount Everest? In effect that's what mineral mining is doing at the Dead Sea. And where politics and money can't intervene Ariel Fruchter is hoping art will help.

Floating windfarm riding waves off Scotland’s coast

The world's first floating windfarm is now fully commissioned and delivering green electricity to Scotland’s grid. It is called the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Ltd. (KOWL)

Looking for divine intervention at COP26

Religious leaders of northwestern Nevada held a collective multi-faith prayer-vigil at Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church in Reno on October 17, seeking divine intervention to save the planet and for the successful outcome of upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

Will climate change affect baby birth weights?

Due to increasing temperatures resulting from climate change, the researchers stress that public health organizations are advised to develop strategies to address these challenges on a national, as well as a community, level.

Leonardo DiCaprio invests in cruelty-free meatballs

Leonardo DiCaprio, known in his movie roles for What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Titanic –– and for dating Bar Refaeli – has invested in not one but two alternative meat companies, Aleph Farms, based in Israel, and Mosa Meat from the Netherlands.

8 Eco-Friendly Dorm Essentials for the Sustainable Student

Tell your dorm mates you are "upcycling" an old mattress into a luxury organic mattress, one made with sustainably harvested hevea milk.

CBD oil puts Brit in Dubai jail for 25 years

Forced to confess in Arabic, Billy Hood a 24-year-old from Kensington England was charged with crimes and 25 years in jail for possessing harmless CBD oil.

3 of the Best 2021 Eco-Friendly Vehicles

If were living on Mars I'd probably have my eye on the Tesla Cybertruck. But since I am still on Planet Earth here are some more earth-grounded eco cars to look out for this year.

Archeologists unearth ancient winery in Israel

Children and adults alike used to drink wine in the Holy Land and from this winery just unearthed in Yavne, that made at least half a million gallons of wine a year.

Why men like it cooler

My son kicks off the covers. Yet my daughter wants a thicker duvet. My husband wants the air conditioner, and I want it off. It seems that men and women really do feel differences in temperature. A new study believes that the answer is evolutionary.

Green Development LLC Reviews the Social & Economic Benefits of Carbon Reduction

Green Development LLC is at the forefront of combating the social costs of carbon emissions through its large-scale renewable energy projects in Rhode Island.

Sea lions and fishers battle at sea

Globally, conflict between recovering seal and sea lion populations and fishing communities has been escalating.

Kids with nicotine in their hair!

We already know how processed food is degrading our kids' bones. And while smoking seems so 70s, people are still doing it around their kids and the effects are showing up in their hair.

Watch out for Frankenchickens says watchdog group

KFC, Nando’s, Greggs, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose are among the 250+ companies in the UK and EU to have committed against Frankenchickens, but supermarkets including Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Lidl are refusing.

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Algae against IBD

IBD for inflammatory bowel disease can cripple, even kill a child or grown up. Treatments and operations are limited but researchers and a commercial group are now funded with about $9 million to investigate the promise of algae as a treatment. Back in 2007 algae was heralded in as the next biofuel on earth and […]

Ancient farmstead with winepress and chandelier found in the Holy Land

Along with the likelihood that the people in the area north of Tel Aviv practiced regenerative organic agriculture, the people back then were farmers with culture!

Forging a true Nature’s Path with regenerative agriculture: interview with Arjan Stephens of Nature’s Path

Today we speak with Arjan about the business his parents started, Nature’s Path, and how his company is shepherding the the food industry into the path of regenerative agriculture.

Southern California’s largest orchid producer Westerlay sets sustainability standards

Westerlay is undertaking three significant efforts in 2021 to reduce its carbon footprint by 43 percent from 2020:

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We need larger buffer zones around protected marine areas, finds new study.

Even protected oceans and seas are severely affected by "edge effect"

Bats also like the food diversity of cities

A new Tel Aviv University on bats study found that, like humans, bats living in Tel Aviv enjoy the wide variety and abundance of food that the city has to offer, in contrast to rural bats living in Beit Guvrin, who are content eating only one type of food. The study was led by research student Katya Egert-Berg and Prof. Yossi Yovel.

Dog poop DNA needed for pet license in this city

It was talked about in 2008 and we reported on it –– that dog inspectors in Tel Aviv were going to track you down by your dog’s poop if you don’t stoop and scoop. Finally the great idea to clean up the city is taking effect. The city will start a bylaw that will make […]

How to make your deck sustainable

We know that the wood industry is causing deforestation, harm to animals and people and climate change. A new UN project to track illegal timber is now set up, but play your part by making "smart wood" choices when building a new deck this summer, or winter if you are in temperate climates.

Is wood from your new deck killing monkeys and the fish?

Up to 30% of the wood sold in markets globally is harvested illegally, according to international agreements. This deforestation causes habitat loss and extinction and a new UN initiative wants to track the bad guys, or rather tell you about the source of your wood, through a new app.

Device restores the sense of touch

A new device developed in Tel Aviv inspires hope among people who have lost their sense of touch in the nerves of a limb following amputation or injury.

EarthX and a blueprint for sustainable investing, 2022

Trammell S. Crow, a Dallas-based businessman and father of four, is focusing his efforts on impact investing, and media that focuses on saving the planet through EarthX.

Butterfly Pea Flower Latte recipe

This Butterfly Pea Flower Latte is a delicious alternative to coffee in the morning and can be enjoyed later on in the day to help unwind. The blue butterfly pea flower tea has a woody and earthy flavor, and it has a similar taste to that of fine green teas and a lightly sweet aroma.

This milk alternative cares about the bees, smallhold farms, and recycling from cap to carton

So how do you find a brand to carry in your cafe or to drink in your coffee? I like the new environmentally fit label Better Than Milk for a number of reasons and my top list of whys is because the company sources simple ingredients and doesn’t try to thicken its milk with artificial gums and thickeners that aren’t good for us

Boiling lobsters alive to be banned by the Lords?

More like a spiritual council than lawmakers themselves, British Lords are putting pressure on their parliament to make it illegal to boil lobsters and other crustaceans alive.

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Medical cannabis and children? University opens new unit

A team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) has completed a first-ever meta-analysis of pediatric patients treated with medical cannabis to understand better the risks and benefits of cannabis use among young patients.

Chinless, missing “source” between humans and Neandrethals found in Israel

The Nesher Ramla Homo type was an ancestor of both the Neanderthals in Europe and the archaic Homo populations of Asia

International cannabis conference comes to Israel

Along with plenaries and presentations on a broad range of cannabinoid-related topics, including autoimmune disease, epilepsy, pain management, PTSD, obesity and cancer, the event will host a 90th birthday celebration for Prof. Mechoulam on Thursday, June 24, now at Hebrew University.

Egypt is protecting its people and its economy from the devastating impacts of sea-level rise

Children run after each other with kites flying along Egypt’s Nile Delta. Families and friends enjoy the scenery as they enjoy an afternoon picnic. Just a few miles away, farmers work in their fields of green. These diverse crops will feed millions of Egyptians. Throughout the region, cities buzz with people coming and going from […]

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Peacemakers save the Red Sea with science

The Red Sea is in danger of environmental degradation. Saudi Arabia is building its so called eco city Neom on the Red Sea, tourism in Sinai is ruining reefs and an oil and gas pipeline using cargo ships is planned from Saudi Arabia up through Israel. Catastrophes can strike at any moment.

More than half of Dollar Store products contain toxins that can hurt you

new report finds that 54% of all the products tested at Dollar Stores contain hazardous chemicals linked to cancer, learning disabilities and serious illnesses.

Being happy helps you live longer

Happiness might lead to better health but does it help you live longer? That’s a question that researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) took on in a longitudinal study they began back in the 1990s.

Water investments between an oil nation and a startup nation

A first-of-its-kind agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi on June 1 to launch a joint Israeli-Emirati Water Research Institute. The institute is being established as part of a strategic commercial collaboration between Watergen, an Israeli water-from-air technology company, and Baynunah, a sister company of Al Dahra Group, an Emirati agriculture group that specializes in food security.

Mudhif, an Iraqi guesthouse, from reed grass connects American veterans to their trauma

Mudhifs have traditionally been used for town meetings and ceremonies. At the Roxborough site, it will serve as a gathering place to share experiences of war through storytelling, healing and recovery among U.S. Veterans, Iraqi immigrant communities and the public.

Avocados, pistachios. A natural Prozac?

A natural food supplement found in avocados, pistachios, walnuts and canola oil can reduce anxiety, finds a new study.

Cultivated Meat Likely to Make Up 40% of Future Meat Intake, say Americans polled

Consumers envision cultivated meat to be a significant part of the meat market; Study reveals compelling support among young Britons and Americans.

Covid’s triple threat

Severe symptoms of COVID-19, leading often to death, are thought to result from the patient’s own acute immune response rather than from damage inflicted directly by the virus. Immense research efforts are therefore invested in figuring out how the virus manages to mount an effective invasion while throwing the immune system off course. A new […]

Smart reason to like mosquitos

Can a protein found in a mosquito lead to a better understanding of the workings of our own brains? Prof. Ofer Yizhar and his team in the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Neurobiology Department took a light-sensitive protein derived from mosquitos and used it to devise an improved method for investigating the messages that are passed […]

Real life genie lamp found in Jerusalem

Disney makes genies sound like fun and games but genies, or jinns, in the Middle East are serious business. Especially if one has moved into your house and won't leave the couch.

This sweet pea is smart when choosing bacterial partner

Researchers have shown that pea plants are not only capable helping up with solar energy and making a good alternative meat burger like Beyond Meat but they able to help us with sustainable agriculture too. Scientists at Oxford have found that peas are selective with choosing symbiotic bacteria as partners.

Fireflies use music as armor against bats

A new Tel Aviv University study reveals a possible defense mechanism developed by fireflies for protection against bats that might prey on them.

Man arrested in Dubai for cannabis possession – in his blood!

Cannabis use is widespread and acceptable in Canada where it is legal, and in the United States where it is legal to use in at least half of the US States. Federally it is prohibited but state by state law makes it possible to consume in states where it is legal. for some people it […]

Our kids have junk inside their bones

Kids and the food they eat. Parents know that junk food affects their teeth, their BMI and their mood –– and now scientists see worrying and long-lasting effects on the bones of children who consume junk food.

Boxed Water, the natural step to weaning ourselves from plastic bottles

With Covid times and one-time use more in demand, Americans consume 70 billion plastic water bottles each year on planes, at offices, at resorts, at school, at home –– only 8% of the U.S.’s plastic waste is recycled. Boxed Water is Better, a company that proposes an interim solution is better for the planet.

Oxford scientists find worrying link between COVID-19 and mental health

Sometimes you want evidence to show your friends and loved ones to help them make the decisions about getting vaccinated. A new study from Oxford, England has found a serious link between surviving a COVID-19 infection and brain health.

Svenn wooden watches are the sign of our times

Three bacterial strains discovered on space station may help grow plants on Mars

Artificial Intelligence is used by Karin Kloosterman in this biodome to grow bio-organic food with zero waste. Hydroponics and growing food this way might be the only chance for colonizers of Mars.

Chronic constipation linked to Parkinson’s

Had Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox been able to go back to the future he might have discovered that constipation is an early sign for Parkinson's Disease. The new observation means catching it earlier and treating it faster.

Ocean hero killed on electric scooter

Eco-entrepreneur Shimrit Perkol-Finkel, 45 and a mother of 3 girls, was killed on the streets of Tel Aviv while riding an electric scooter this week. The streets of Tel Aviv are dangerous and deadly for drivers and pedestrians.

The SEC launches ESG task force for catching climate misconduct in the financial world

Have you invested in a company that consistently pollutes? The SEC is looking for you. New whistleblower unit seeks to penalise polluters and corporations that deny climate change.

Jaffa gets energy collecting devices installed at sea

Jaffa gets a renewable energy collection device installed at sea.

How bankers can invest in the ocean, new UN guide

If you want to make sound investment decisions for your clients, consider the sea.

Mediterranean oil spill cleaned by EU ambassadors

EU Ambassador to Israel Emanuele Giaufret was joined Friday morning by more than two dozen envoys from EU member states, including 10 ambassadors, at a large-scale beach clean-up operation at the Beit Yanai National Park near Netanya, Israel. A suspicious and deadly bitumen oil spill appeared washing up on the Israeli and Lebanese coast a […]

Iran accused of eco-terrorism as oil coats the Mediterranean Sea shore

Two weeks ago one of the largest oil spills in the Mediterranean Sea washed up globs of carcinogenic bitumen tar known as dilbit onto the Israeli and Lebanese coasts. A gag order on the tanker’s identity confused the public, as over 10,000 people went out to the shores to collect the tar from rocks, turtles, […]

Digging into chickpea family for less pesticides in the United States

The chickpea has played a significant role in the vegetarian diet for thousands of years. It is high in protein and rich in important carbohydrates and minerals. And vegans love it.

Organic date syrup via Israel and Dubai show fruits of peace

Date honey is lower on the glycemic index than bee honey,” he said. “For people watching their sugar, dates are a healthy source of anti-oxidants and fiber. My father, for example, can eat date products but not table sugar. Unlike bee honey, it’s safe for babies—and it’s vegan.

Dubai’s dead plastic camels

A new scientific study showing that desert camels are dying from mistaking plastic bags for food has lead pioneering plastic pollution researchers and others to call for a radical shift in how we discuss the problem that's harming life in all environments on Earth--on land, not just in the sea.

Oil tanker dumps black plague on Israeli beaches, and denies link

Give Israelis an emergency and you will see what kind of stuff they are made of. The recent crisis is a large oil spill which is currently washing mounds of goopy tar onto every inch of beach along Israel’s 170-mile coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

How your home garden helps the bees

Home gardens are by far the biggest source of food for pollinating insects, including bees and wasps, in cities and towns, according to new research.

Most of us are urbanites, new UN study

A town in the Faroe Islands. Rural, but pushing on urban, finds new UN study. Most of the world isn't as remote and disconnected as you'd think

Ancient coffins found with the elephants at the zoo

While building a wildlife hospital at a zoo in Israel, developers came across an interesting find: two ancient stone coffins called sarcophagi.

The Pope supports pulses

Pulses can change the world for good. They are a good source of protein and are the most sustainable form of protein humans can produce. To mark World Pulses Day, the United Nations hosted a virtual event, where the Pope endorsed pulses.

Lebanese eco-activists tell Iraq to keep their stinky oil

Greenpeace has released a global report that the estimated average number of premature deaths in Lebanon as a result of fossil fuel induced air pollution.

See-through worm repairs brains

A team of Hebrew University researchers have successfully used genetic engineering as a first step to what one day may allow scientists to genetically repair damaged brain circuits.

Slaughter free ribeye steak meat grown in a lab

Aleph Farms and its research partner at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, have successfully cultivated the world’s first slaughter-free ribeye steak, using three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology and natural building blocks of meat – real cow cells, without genetic engineering and immortalization.

Smarties at Oxford says cycling impacts the planet

Cycling, e-biking or walking can help tackle the climate crisis – even if you swap the car for active transport just one day a week - according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Oxford’s Transport Studies Unit.

We started eating olives 500 years after discovering olive oil

Olives are a key component of the human diet, culinary culture, and economy of the Mediterranean region. Archeological findings and written testimony shows that olive oil was used extensively for consumption, lighting, worship, hygiene, and cosmetic purposes in ancient times. However, the date when olives began to be eaten has remained a mystery. Until now.

Women and men in sync hormonally in January and August

Our minds may be affected by winter’s long nights or spring flowers, but what about our bodies? A new study at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel reveals that our hormones also follow a seasonal pattern.

Bethlehem’s Patron Saint of Puppies

If you’ve traveled to India, Mexico, Amman, Jordan –– you see that dogs don’t have it so good. They are kicked, wounded, abused, and in some places poisoned or shot on sight, nursling puppies killed in front of their mothers and then left to rot in a garbage dumpster. Or litters of puppies and kittens tossed out of the windows of speeding cars. Or puppies kicked around like soccer balls. This is what happens in holy cities like Bethlehem, says Diana George Babish, who cries about the state of animal rights in her home city, run by the Palestinian Authority.

King David’s Purple Cloth Unearthed

“The color immediately attracted our attention, but we found it hard to believe," one of the archeologists said.

Winter floods out Syria’s displaced

Taking cues from the tiny home movement, we are sure colleges and design schools around the world, along with architects, can start planning some better solutions for temporary shelter for the world's displaced – millions from the civil war with Syria, and millions more who end up in countries like Greece from Africa, seeking refuge or maybe just a better life.

Can bee-free honey satisfy vegans and save the bees?

Engineering a bee’s stomach for vegan honey? This is the latest in the foodtech trend from Israel. The idea that technology can solve any problem we are in.

Make your own Bernie Sanders’ Recycled Mittens

The sign appeared to me in Bernie Sanders' clunky upcycled mittens.

Like tree rings, desalination heavy metals now mapped from seashells

Princeton grad Prof. Sigal Abramovich has a mission. She wants to convince global regulators to include regular monitoring of the geochemistry of a certain type of shell of marine organisms as an indicator of pollution in the ocean.

The Emirates plan to live on Mars

The UAE are looking far into the future and making to colonize Mars.

Arab men get a fashion week in Dubai

The Dubai-based Arab Fashion Council has pioneered the first men’s fashion week in the Middle East. But will it be eco? Presented by Arab Fashion Week in partnership with Facebook, Arab Fashion Week- Men’s will run from January 28 to 30. Thereafter, it will take place twice a year each January and June in line […]

Who was Maria, who lived an immaculate life 1400 years ago?

Ancient Greek burial stone discovered while clearing paths for nature park in Israel's Negev Desert

Superadobe Homes Built Of Sandbags Rise Around The Planet

The SuperAdobe technique for sustainable building with the most basic materials is in use around the world.

Israeli air purifier could bring Japan’s karaoke back to life

Aura Air signs $30 million deal to supply Japanese market with air purifying system, which has proven to be 99.99% effective in killing COVID-19

Saudi women take to the skies

Barely able to drive, Saudi women might be ruling a cabin near you. If we ever get to fly again.

Feijoa muffins with jelly recipes

Some spoon the flesh out to eat, some peel the fruit. It's also known as the pineapple guava.

Don’t forget us in the mountains

A joint study found that mountain ecosystems are becoming increasingly fragile, under pressure from changes to land use and climate, overexploitation, pollution, demographic shifts and other factors which threaten livelihoods and food security.

Human’s built mass equals planet’s biomass

We have created a concrete jungle, heavier than all the world's real, living jungles.

1 in 7 cosmetics products contain asbestos?

If you or a girlfriend is using cosmetics there is a significant chance they are being exposed to a deadly carcinogen –– asbestos. About one in 7 products tested contained asbestos.

Seasteading: utopian floating cities or safe haven for western pirates?

The Seastead Institute and its branch projects aim to build a new society free of government ties, on the water.

DIY Solar – Can I Install Solar Panels Myself?

Solar panels sound like an amazing idea for a home or cottage. And it can increase the resale value. But Can I install the solar panels myself? Here are the pros and cons.

Ontario Green Savings on What to Know When Updating Appliances

Is your kitchen running on energy hogs? Save money by going green. A Comprehensive Rundown of Some Things to Keep in Mind When Replacing Old Home Appliances With Newer, More Environmentally-Friendly Models

Ancient grotto projects Ivo Bisignano’s human forms

The ancient caves at Beit Guvrin in southern Israel opened for the first time in 25 years with an art exhibit by sculpture Ivo Bisignano.

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Shahar Livne’s minable materials from plastics and leather from waste meat

Israeli designer Shahar Livne creates old plastic and industrial slaughterhouse waste into sustainable materials to be exploited.

Refugees code their way to assylum

A new project by the City of Tel Aviv is offering a coding course to selected refugees, giving them a jumpstart to a new career path. And in my eyes a chance to influence the machine.

$8 million fine and 10 years jail for cutting a tree in Saudi Arabia?

The kingdom announced the launch of 'Let’s Make it Green' - a plan that seeks to plant 10 million trees across the country by April 2021. But cut one down and pay a heavy price.

Japan builds desalination plants for Bahrain and the Emirates

Two dry Persian Gulf countries are amping up their desalination capacity: Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Both have access to Persian Gulf waters but very little freshwater access inland.

The blueprint for Noah’s Coral Ark

If Noah would have had the challenge, this is what his living ark might look like to save the coral reefs.

Infarm raises $170 million to add “farm” to cities

Infarm, a company that grows fresh produce inside supermarkets, has recently announced a $170 million USD funding round to help the company expand across Europe. Their environment-controlled and automated growing chambers grow food such as leafy greens inside the supermarket, so it's fresh, without your food accumulating food miles.

Estée Lauder shows the planet beauty is more than skin deep

The niece of a Hungarian chemist, Estée Lauder, nee Mentzer, was trained in the art of face creams at an early age. She founded what is today a global brand, still run by the family. And now, carbon neutral.

Hard Kombucha, The New Eco-Cocktail

Hard kombucha, a healthy alternative to beer and wine.

Student exposes fake news propaganda machine in Macedonia

One student goes to the heart of the Macedonian fake news industry. She is asked to pay for her research interview in sex or money.

Israel approves 30% renewables goal for 2030: Revolution or low bar?

Israel lays down a plan to produce 30% of its energy by 2030 by renewables. Energy experts say this aim is too low.

10 Soups For Winter 2020

Here are 10 comforting soups to get you through the winter. One or two may be a pleasant surprise.

Secret oil pipeline deal revealed between Israel and the Emirates

A new deal in the wake of a blooming love story between Israel and the UAE has led to a landmark oil deal allowing UAE crude oil to be transported through the Indian Ocean and Red Sea by tanker, then shipped by pipeline through existing infrastructure in Israel.

This ancient Arab irrigation system invented before Rome’s aqueduct

An ancient water management system engineered 3000 years ago is still keeping farms and oases green in the UAE and Oman.

Wind turbine power company nixed for biosphere risks in Israel

Israel is known as a solar energy pioneer, but wind in some locations, is not lacking in the small Middle East nation. But after seeing the research and the environmental impacts of wind energy companies, offshore wind turbines, and on land turbines, the Israeli government has rejected a plan for a local company Energix which works with wind turbine energy suppliers such as Vestas and Siemens.

The Cedars of God are dying

Greenpeace is promoting a new film about the trees, the ‘Cedars of Lebanon’. This is the second film that was produced to document and highlight the devastating impact of global climate change on precious and unique ecosystems in the Middle East.

At the Four Seasons Casablanca? Learn about desert oases at risk

You are having an adventure of a lifetime. But if you weren't at 5 Star Four Seasons Casablanca or Marrakech - what would you know about the local people in Morocco? A video produced by Greenpeace helps show some of what happens as a byproduct to climate change. The deserts are getting even drier.

Getting cadmium out of my chocolate through the roots

Simran Sethi is a writer and activist who writes about protecting food we love like chocolate and wine. Scientists too are working to food we love safer through more sustainable agricultural practices.

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Vegan cheesemaker eyes IPO

It's a sign of the times: a vegan cheesemaking company in Israel is considering listing on the TASE - or Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Two meat or animal product substitute companies already list there and now Vgarden, which makes vegan cheese is looking to raise capital.

US oil giant Chevron buys Israel’s natural gas

Israeli offshore gas fields are now under control of one of the world’s biggest energy companies, Chevron. It irks activists, but might spark a pan-European pipeline, one analyst suggests.

Dubai’s Sustainability Pavilion for Expo 2021 revealed in real

Dubai will host the World Expo 2020 in 2021. We show off first look of the Sustainability Pavilion.

Nature study: Bacteria could be best vaccine against Covid-19

Bacteria can be added to fashion, as living eco-couture, those working with Eshel Ben-Jacob discovered. A team at an Israeli university find that bacteria might play a role in a vaccine against Covid-19.

Flip flops take over shores of the Seychelles

Your tuna is contributing to more than 80% of the plastic waste clogging up the Seychelles Islands. It would make David Attenborough cry.

Middle Eastern vices

Middle Eastern vices are not the same that you find in America or Europe. In the Middle East it's about hashish. Americans and Canadians love cannabis now, and everywhere in Canada, and in more than half of the US States, you will have no problem with this vice. It is even being given out as medicine to help epilepsy, anxiety, pain from cancer.

5 Ways To Use Air-Conditioner Water

Air conditioners pull water from the air, literally. It's distilled so not great to drink, but useful in other ways.

Ancient wine exporting city “Elusa” unearthed in Israel

The discovery of the name of an ancient city in archaeological investigations is a relatively rare occurrence. The name of the wine-exporting city of Elusa is well-known from historical sources, however this is the first archaeological evidence of the name from the site itself. A 1700-year old stone bearing a Greek inscription referring to the […]

Mead: The Ancient Wine Is Back

What do you think of when you think of mead? You might imagine Vikings with braided beards quaffing something potent out of cow's horns. Or possibly, jolly Hobbits clinking pewter cups of golden liquid between nibbles of seed-cake and tarts. But mead is no longer the drink of the mythical past.

Is too much coffee good for you?

Middle Easterns love their coffee and they love it string. Brew it by the spoonful in a cup or boil it in a finjan. It's a great morning treat. And it helps bring on a bowel movement when particulary strong. But how much coffee is good coffee? Can overdoing it ever be bad?

As Trees Die, Cyprus Republic Looks to Lebanon for Water Import

Cyprus has one of the worst fresh water shortage than other regional countries, including Lebanon, Israel and Syria. The problem is so bad that reservoirs have gone dry and trees are dying.

10 Free Ways to Feel Happier Super Fast

I’m no Pollyanna, but I usually maintain a healthy screen between my personal life and world events. Lately I’ve been reporting on the disturbing happenings in Turkey, and hanging out with people working with Jordan’s Syrian and Palestinian refugees. It’s been tough to keep a happy face. But research shows you will live longer if […]

Is Pig-fed kosher or halal?

The European Commission (EC) approved a meat-based feedstock for farm-raised fish. Next year, your mullet and trout might contain chicken and pork. Horsemeat in burgers, meatballs and frozen lasagna is startling, but while these products include a “secret ingredient”, they remain as advertised: meat-based foods. But what happens when the fish on your dish also […]

Recycle Jordan’s Politicians into Purses

Voting is underway for Jordan’s Parliament. I’m not running, but I have this one in the bag. Hundreds of posters are hanging along Amman roadways; a somber assemblage of Middle Eastern manhood, mostly mustachioed. No wonder there’s tension in the lead-up to election: everywhere I look there are faces scowling down. The signs are made […]

Morocco solar energy deals led by Saudi Arabia

ACWA rumored to win the contract to build a 160 MW CSP project in in the south of Morocco.

Bashing Dune Bashing

Dune bashing destroys nature. Here’s why Ajmal prefers dune walking over dune bashing in the region of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I almost threw up the very first time I went dune bashing. It was in the Margham Desert area of Dubai sometime in 2002 and the driver of the 4×4, Yasser, me and a […]

Raphael Mechoulam, pioneer of medical cannabis chemistry

The most advanced country in the world for "legalizing it" for medical reasons, the main reason Israelis can smoke cannabis to feel better is this man Rafael Mechoulam.

10 Tips to Avoid Food Waste on Passover

Jews in Israel and around the world prepare at least a couple weeks in advance for the week-long Passover holiday More than any other Jewish holiday, Passover is all about the food.

Moroccan love potion Majoun, spiced with cannabis

Be lonely no more. Morocco's "love potion" candy hides a secret high note in its heart.

Wudu is Islam’s sustainable water ritual

Wudhu (woo-dhoo) is a Muslim's ritual wash before any act of worship. Wudhu is a control switch, a health check, a reminder of liquid blessings. But how can wudhu make the Islamic faith even greener?

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5 Spectacular Eco Mosques Of The World – real and conceptual

Explore the world's five most renowned and low-key "eco mosques" - Muslim places of worship - that are either high tech or made from mud.

Make Smen: Spiced, Aged, Middle Eastern Butter

Every culture seems to have its ghee. This is smen, clarified butter from Morocco. It gives a flavor to all your food.

Despite Ban, UAE remains market hub for shark fins and their soup

Green Prophet delves into the bloody and murky business of shark fishing and fining in the United Arab Emirates Following the recent shocking incident where a pregnant hammerhead female shark and its forty-five pups were found dead at a fish market in Dubai, we decided to delve a little deeper into the murky business of […]

Bull penis stew recipe

People around the world eat the penises of bulls, sheep, and goats, without a quiver.

Cotton and oil fuel Middle East oppression

It started with cotton and oil: the Middle East oppressed now seek freedom and a future. image via AP The autocratic rule now being challenged in Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East has its roots in the state system that developed in the region during the twentieth century. This system is based on […]

Etrog jam recipe

The etrog is a stunning fruit. It's also known around the globe as citron ––but it's not to be confused with the French word "citron" which just means lemon. The etrog or citron is indeed a citrus fruit, so cousin to lemon and lime, but it's a world away from that tangyness and in its own class.

Breastfeeding and Islam

Islamic states have the highest infant mortality rate in the world thanks in large part to a decline in breastfeeding.

3 Good and 3 Bad Sunscreen Tips for a Healthy Summer

So summer is here and the timing is right for dancing in the street (socially distanced, maybe), but not without first considering the impact of the blistering sun.

Green Muslims who break terrorism link

Muslims everywhere can be at "peace with the earth and be at peace with heaven" by adopting environment message from the Quran, advocates new UK campaign launched by Muslim convert.

How to make Turkish coffee in a finjan

You can add some milk or oat milk, but typically Turkish coffee is always drunk black.

Pregnancy is the new fountain of youth

Find your inner warrior, and the fountain of youth with pregnancy? Women from the western world put off pregnancy (even green ones!) for as long as possible, making way for career, adventures, or finding that somewhat “elusive” true love. In the meantime, these same women postpone the effects of ageing by becoming gym rats, getting […]

Sustainable coffee and Israel?

Beduin coffee in Israel. Consumption is on the rise, and in demand is the sustainable, fair trade, organic variety.

How lightning in Africa takes the pulse of the sun

Could Prof. Colin Price’s new discovery become a new tool for monitoring the effects of climate change? Sunspots, which rotate around the sun’s surface, tell us a great deal about our own planet. Scientists rely on them, for instance, to measure the sun’s rotation or to prepare long-range forecasts of the Earth’s health. Some new […]

Syrian Beehive Houses Kept Heat Out the Natural Way

Way before there were electronic ways to condition our temperatures, cooling methods were built into the architecture of traditional Middle Eastern homes. Such as the beehive homes found in Syria.

Coffee stops bad breath

specialist Prof. Mel Rosenberg of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine finds that a coffee extract can inhibit the bacteria that lead to bad breath. New laboratory tests have shown that the extract prevents malodorous bacteria from making their presence felt — or smelt.

Coffee grounds into energy

You know that great smell that tickles your nose when you walk into a coffee shop? The wonderful aromatic smell of roasting beans? Well, if you are a resident of Safed, Israel - where the Elite coffee factory is located - that sweet smell is currently mingled with the harsh odor of the shale oil used to power the factory. Thus destroying the great scent.

Organic coffee in Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, for those who haven't had the pleasure of visiting the city, is a city of coffee drinkers and cafes. (Some would say bums and people who don't work in the middle of the day... but we say coffee drinkers and cafes.) It is not unusual to step out in the middle of a work day and spot people happily sitting out on sidewalk cafes drinking some form of coffee drink.

Hiria: Tel Aviv’s Garbage Dump Turned Eco Park

At 70 hectares big, the Hiria garbage dump is pretty hard to miss.It's literally a mountain of garbage.

Rawabi offers suburban affordable housing Palestinians

A few weeks ago, we were driving our “tourist” mom from Canada around the country, when we accidentally took the wrong cut-off and found ourselves somewhere in the middle of east Jerusalem. Excited by seeing the children riding around on donkeys and the general sense of chaos, Mom commented on how very different this place […]