A weekly Green Prophet series that looks at the Arabic “green” blogosphere and online communities.
After looking at “The Forum of the Ornithological Society of Kuwait and at the Saudi Green Blog, and at The Oman Eco Group Blogs, we are continuing our trip through the Gulf Countries and arrive this week at the UAE Environment & Life Blog. This is a new blog, which has been active since June 2010. It is written mostly in Arabic and its aim is to update its readers in all the “new scientific researches and activities which are connected to agriculture and environment.” This is a personal blog administered by Dr. Magd Juratly, who according to his biography is an agricultural engineer. His expertise lies in organic technology and consulting in agricultural issues. He has a PhD in Agricultural Sciences.
As a personal blog, it contains many posts connected to the research interests of Dr. Magd Juratly or to his work as an agricultural consultant. The blog also deals with environmental developments and projects in the UAE. In addition, it brings many scientific research articles on environmental and agricultural issues.
Product Promotion
Dr. Magd Juratly has been using the blog to promote and notify the public of some of the environmental friendly products of various companies he consults for. One such product is the EKOFLORA “Organic Fertilizer.” According to this post, these are “excellent organic fertilizers for the production of a large and healthy crop.” They are produced by “EKOFARM,” located in Turkey.
“Organic pesticides” are also profiled. These were developed to find a solution against insects and diseases that damage crops and entail an Arab-Turkish cooperation.
Environmental Developments, Projects and Coming Events in the UAE
Dr. Juratly notifies his readers on environmental developments taking place in the UAE. One of these developments is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 25, 2010 between the UAE Ministry of Education and the UAE Society for Natural Life in order to raise the environmental awareness among school children.
This MoU is a result of the new strategic aims of the Ministry of Education in the field of environmental education. Both sides agreed to work together on creating environmental learning and awareness programs in all the schools. Furthermore, the MoU stressed the need to spread the environmental competitions within the schools.
In February 2010, the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water started to issue a monthly environmental magazine called “My Environment.” The Ministry issued this magazine in order to raise environmental awareness among UAE citizens and includes a variety of important articles concerning the environment in the UAE, as well as in the world. Subjects covered include agriculture, terrestrial and marine life, and various others.
In addition, the blog updates its readers on upcoming environmental events. One example is the Fourth International Date Palm Exhibition, which will take place in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates University on October 20-24, 2010. This exhibition will be conducted under the auspices of al-Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The exhibition will deal with all aspects concerning dates and palms: different species, production, and tightening connections between the different date and palm growers from the UAE and from other countries.
Another event is the exhibitions of “Gardens and External Beauty in the Middle East” and “Lighting in the Middle Eas.” These exhibitions will take place in Dubai between October 31, 2010 and November 2, 2010. The “Lighting in the Middle East” exhibition will focus on lighting solutions in the cities, buildings, theaters, etc., as well as lighting in the greater Middle East and North Africa. The “Gardens and External Beauty in the Middle East” exhibition is the international commercial exhibition for gardens, external beauty and landscape engineering.
Environmental and Agricultural Scientific Researches
The blog includes also many posts concerning general environmental scientific research, which are not limited to the UAE. For example, it includes posts on the importance, advantages and types of biosphere reserves, Syrian cotton, Bio & Organic Shops, the benefits and importance of coated seeds, the benefits and importance of natural reserves for humans and the environment, the importance of forests for humans and the environment and how to protect them, environmental pollution, and reflections on the spread of environmental diseases and more.
UAE’s Blog in Sum
Dr. Magd Juratly has been using his blog for three different aims. The first is to notify the public in the UAE concerning environmental friendly agricultural products. The second is to notify the public in the UAE on environmental developments in the country and future environmental events that will take place. Lastly, he has included many scientific articles concerning environmental and agricultural issues.
Thus, the posts in this blog comprise a mix of Dr. Juratly’s research interests as well as spesific posts focused on the environment. In this way, he has been working hard to raise environmental awareness among the public in the UAE.
More On Environment in The UAE
Growing Green Ethic amongst Emirati Businesses
Public Transportation Takes Flight in Dubai
Solar Power To The People Of Abu Dhabi
Organic Farms Growing in Dubai
