As the Green Prophet archives will tell you, Israel is no stranger to environmentally friendly tourism. Not only is there a variety of ecologically minded guesthouses all of the country (including a vegetarian paradise in the Galilee), but the Israeli Ministry of Tourism has announced that it is going green. Part of this initiative has included stepping away from motorized (and gas-guzzling) transportation and encouraging human-powered transportation, such as cycling tourism (it already planned a wonderful wine tour cycling route this past Passover).
But now there’s another way to tour Israel without getting into a car, a train, a bus, or a plane. Run the City sightjogging.
The first sightjogging company in Israel (which promotes sightseeing as you jog), Run the City currently offers various running tours of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Their team of experienced recreational runners will pick you up from your hotel and run you around town, pointing out sights of historical and cultural interest based on the tour you selected. (And if you can’t remember the last time you put on those running shoes, don’t worry – they promise you’ll still be smiling throughout the run.)
Their selection of eco-friendly running tours includes:
Tel Aviv Roots and Tradition: A tour of some historic milestones of the city such as the American-German colony, old Jaffa, Neve Tsedek, the Trumpeldor Cemetery and the Bialik house.
Tel Aviv Luxury & Diamonds: A look at the glitzier side of Tel Aviv (as you sweat in your running gear) that includes the Diamond Stock Exchange District, Chen Boulevard, and elite apartment complexes.
The Jerusalem tours are still in the process of being mapped out.
So whether you’re a local resident or a tourist coming from outside of town, consider using human powered energy when touring around the city.
If running isn’t your thing and you’re an eco-tourist at heart, check out these other green options for visiting Israel:: Neighbors’ Paths: Eco-Tourism AND Eco-Peace! and Green Shavuot Activities (Because You’re Gonna Need a Break From All That Cheese)
[…] Using power generated from human activity such as walking or jogging is not a new idea, but has previously required large, clunky equipment. Two researchers at the University of Wisconsin Madison, Tom Krupenkin and J Ashley Taylor, have been working on that issue, though, and have come up with an innovative and convenient way to harness human jogging power. […]
[…] the Green Way Green Prophet writes about Run the City – a New Type of Israeli Eco-tourism. The Daily Green writes about Greening the NYC Skyline. USA Today writes that Denver’s parks […]
[…] Green Prophet writes about Run the City – a New Type of Israeli Eco-tourism. […]