The Palestinian electric car isn’t much to look at, and it couldn’t carry a large Arab family, but it is solar powered! Just when we all thought Shai Agassi’s Better Place electric car company had the electric car technology field sewed up in this part of the world, some university students in the Palestinian West […]
You can lose your life cycling on the roads in Israel. Almost once a month, a cyclist gets killed by a car by a drunk or negligent driver. Despite the risks, the sport is catching on like wildfire. Bonnie Eshel, president of the Israel Cycling Federation says biking in Israel today is super-dangerous: “We live […]
A bicycle? A train? A bus? What is the best mode of public transportation for Lebanon? [image via: 350.org] Fast Forward, the organization that led a protest composed of 150 cyclists storming the streets of Beirut a few weeks ago in order to promote sustainable transportation, isn’t tired yet. It believes that the Lebanese people […]
Abu Dhabi tells its residents not to pollute the environment by abandoning their cars. [image via: k.a.r.e.n] We’ve heard of personal cars causing all kinds of pollution – air pollution, noise pollution… But abandoned cars polluting the streets and parking lots of a city? That’s taking pollution to a different level. And the Municipality of […]
Is the solution to Lebanon’s reliance on carbon emitting personal vehicles as simple as a two-wheeler? [image via: mozzoom] One hundred and fifty cyclists demonstrated how easy it could be to cycle through Beirut on Saturday morning, starting at Biel and going to the Luna Park – Manara and back. The eco-friendly protest, led by […]
In 2008, the Israeli government announced a 20 million shekel (around $6 million US) plan to revamp cycling tourism. Upping the ante, the government wants to put about $30 million into making Israel a cycling destination hotspot. Cycling tourism is worth billions of dollars in Europe, where lodges and facilities are set up for the […]
Dubai Metro works on expanding ridership and cutting down on personal vehicle usage, adding three more stations last week. [image of one of the Dubai Metro stations via: PakistanHousing] The Dubai Metro system, which already carries over 100,000 passengers a day, expanded to three more stations last week in an attempt to increase ridership even […]
An IDF jeep posted at the Jordan River, West Bank. Image credit Green Prophet The Israel Air Force is doing it (with solar panels), and now the IDF, Israel Defence Forces will save carbon emissions as it looks to buy hybrid Jeeps. Haaretz newspaper reports that the IDF is now testing the hybrid Ford Escape […]
Will “no hands driving ” work in the macho Middle East? It seems the race to create the most innovative electric powered vehicles has become even more bizarre: America’s General Motors recently unveiled its new EN-V Robot car in Shanhai China. The vehicle, which uses a GPS type guidance, vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communications system, is being […]
Taxis can’t wait all night to recharge: The Better Place battery switch is showing another way for electric cars, in Tokyo. A few days ago, Better Place electric car company sent out the press release. The Israeli-US company launched its electric taxis in Tokyo, Japan. The pilot will be small, with only 4 taxis which […]
Road train hauling works for truckers, mate. But will it work for cars in the Middle East? All aboard! A road transport concept known as road trains may be a partial solution to energy savings and pollution reduction on major motorways according to Greenbang. This concept, which is presently being used by long distance motor […]
The Icelandic volcano has both environmental and economic effects. Some Middle East passengers are stranded in Europe and wonder if it’s time to think about less polluting modes of travel. By ship? As a massive volcanic ash cloud hovers over most of Europe, Gulf-based airlines are increasingly concerned over the potential effects the Icelandic volcano […]
Inside view of Maserati MC Sport: worth 300 grand? Maybe for some wealthy Lebanese who are more interested in “green” of the envious variety. Will eco-friendly cars ever become popular in a country that prefers status symbol models like BMW’s, Mercedes Benz and even Maserati’s? Not according the AFP which reported on the country’s annual […]
No green “juice” for your Better Place electric car? Energy expert says Israel’s infrastructure will never be able to fulfil renewable energy goals. Thinking about buying an electric car like ones being promoted by Shai Agasi’s Better Place? Following my test drive of one of their Renault Fluence ZE Concept cars it turns out that […]
Not a car, not a bike, not a buggy, not a lawn mower. Check out Honda’s one-wheel unicycle. Middle East readers want to know: Does it do dunes? We’ve written about electric cars, electric motorcycles and scooters, and even electric powered skateboards for an environmentally clean way to get travel short distances. But now, something new […]