Had a busy week? Well, why not stop and sample the delights of Sunday’s news nuggets
It’s been a busy week here at Green Prophet headquarters and we’ve all been hard at work highlighting the green and not-so-green news of the Middle East. Personally, finding out that Mekkah wouldn’t be replicating the mistake of building huge, gawdy clocktowers and would be embracing traditional architecture instead was the highlight of the week. Miriam’s interview with a water engineer on the dangers of fluoride was an interesting (if shocking) read and Karen’s post on bike culture in Beirut raised some important questions.
If you’ve missed Tafline’s posts on her trip to the Siwa Oasis, firstly shame on you! And secondly, go read them now and enjoy the amazing photography that accompany the posts on the veiled weavers and salt carvers who love their trade. Once you’ve done all that, come back and read about electricity cuts in Yemen, green grants and find out whether the Dead Sea made it as one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Dead Sea Doesn’t Make To the 7 Wonders List
Despite Jordan and Israel’s efforts to promote the splendour of the Dead Sea, it wasn’t chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature (it did however make it to the final 10 contestants). The winners were: the Amazon River in South America, Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil, Halong Bay in Vietnam, Puerto Princesa Underground River in the Philippines, Jeju Island in South Korea, Komodo in Indonesia and Table Mountain in South Africa. Via Haaretz
Yemen Struggling With Limited Electricity
The water-poor (if conservation smart.) Yemen is dealing with even more problems- this time related to energy. Reports have emerged that the capital city is struggling with severe electricity cuts that mean on some days, residents are getting just one hour of electricity.
Via Global Post
Ford Awards $100,000 in Environmental Grants
Ford Motor’s annual environmental grants were awarded to 12 organisations across the Middle East this month. This years winners include three projects focusing on marine protection in the UAE, Kuwait and Oman; an environmental education project in Lebanon; an environmental community theatre in Jordan; a study of the Arabian Oryx; a Green Ramadan project in Kuwait and lots others.
Top image via XYO/flickr.
For more weekly digests and Sunday snippets see:
Sunday Snippets: Bahrain’s Water Solutions and Egypt’s Gazelles
Sunday’s Green News Snippets: Saudi Rail and the Haifa Oil Spill
Author: Arwa Aburawa
Arwa is a Muslim freelance writer who is interested in everything climate change related and how Islam can inspire more people to care for their planet and take active steps to save it while we can. She is endlessly suspicious of all politicians and their ceaseless meetings, especially as they make normal people believe that they are not part of the solution when they are the ONLY solution. Her Indian auntie is her model eco-warrier, and when Arwa is not busy helping out in the neighborhood alleyway garden, swap shopping or attempting fusion vegetarian dishes- with mixed success, she’d like to add- she can be found sipping on foraged nettle tea.
