Was 2010 good or bad for the environment?
Depending on whether you’re a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person, you could reflect upon the year 2010 and see it in either a positive or negative green light. There were some environmental catastrophes, such as the Carmel fire – the worst fire in Israeli national history, but there were also some positive strides. Green Course, an Israeli student-run environmental NGO, has chosen to look at the glass as being half full, and recapped 10 Israeli cities celebrating environmental achievements in 2010.
Here’s what Gil Yaacov, Executive Director of Green Course, had to say about the past year:
1) and 2) Tel Aviv and Rehovot: Public transportation reform is moving ahead (thanks in part to the local Green Course chapter’s public transportation campaign).
3) Jerusalem: The campaign to promote recycling and solid waste separation is moving forward and receiving more media and public awareness.
4) Haifa: Despite the catastrophic fire, the immediate response of many activists is definitely a positive thing. Green Course activists are now working hard to prevent the next national disaster. In the meantime, a beautiful Christmas tree made from over 5000 recycled plastic bottles adorned the city this year demonstrating the importance of recycling.
5) Beer Sheva: Green Course volunteers led a solid waste campaign, encouraging the municipality to enforce waste separation laws.
6) Palmahim: A successful campaign was led in order to prevent the construction of a tourist village over the Palmahim coast.
7) Tel Hai: Campaigns to improve public transportation infrastructure have been launched by activists.
8) Kiryat Shemona: Community gardens have been sprouting up in this city.
9) and 10) Ashkelon and Sderot: Green Course activists are still campaigning to prevent the construction of a third coal power plant in Israel, and as a result the authorities are considering a natural gas plant.
Hopefully 2011 brings as many (if not more) environmental achievements all over the region.
Read more about the past and future years’ environmental stories in the Middle East::
Top 10 Middle East Environmental Stories from 2010 (SLIDESHOW)
Lots of Green Challenges Ahead in 2011
7 Books to Start the New Year Green and Right
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
