A headline in the Israeli press last week went a little like this: “Scientists, activists debate if genetically modified foods are panacea or plague.” Sounds great, but where exactly is the ‘debate’? The article in question reads more like a press release for the GM lobby: ”Distribution of new, genetically engineered crops can help solve […]
Cleantech Israel, a new group that enables entrepreneurs, investors, academics, government officials and others to meet and exchange ideas about Israel’s renewable energy, water, and environmental technology sectors, held its second event yesterday in Herzliya Pituach. The event featured a presentation by Alon Tamari, Co-CEO of SolarPower Israel — the largest solar integration company in […]
For better or for worse, Israel has become a leader in the technology industry. Innovations like solar power and drip-irrigation help to conserve scarce natural resources. But on the other hand, chemical-dependent intensive farming has polluted Israel’s soil and groundwater, not to mention putting the safety of farmers at risk of exposure to pesticides. So […]
With the world markets being down in the dumps it’s heartening to see that some are still making it. Israel Chemicals Ltd., which harvests minerals from the Dead Sea to make fertilizers and chemicals, said fourth-quarter profit jumped 82 percent as demand for potash and phosphate fertilizers led prices higher. Earlier this week we posted […]
Israel Chemicals has signed a deal with the Yam Thetis consortium to buy 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas until 2015. And apparently being green can be profitable as well, because the company estimates that the switch will ultimately save them $100 million a year. Israel Chemicals, which manufactures fertilizers and specialty chemicals, bears […]
Analysts from Tel Aviv University and San Francisco offer sound solutions for looming energy crises: With electricity rates soaring as much as 150% since 2001, and predictions of severe and regular blackouts in states such as Washington and Virginia, there’s a clear need for new thinking about electricity. A recipe for preventing a dark future […]
It may pay to invest green, but Israeli green funds are momentarily in the red, reports the Israeli business newspaper, The Marker. Israeli green mutual funds trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) invest primarly in foreign companies. The growth of the shekel, the nosedive of the dollar, plus a decline in the cost […]
The public discussion of Israel’s water problems intensified last week, with Israel’s most respected newspaper, Ha’aretz, calling on water authorities to shift to regulating demand for the scarce resource. During the same week, a new study was released which suggested that a shift to electric cars could seriously impact water consumption in countries where this […]
Hebrew University, sent Green Prophet this press announcement today. Water seems to be the talk of the town these days: Possessing only 6.2% of global freshwater resources to supply 21% of the world’s population, China’s severe water shortage has become one of the most pressing dangers the country faces, threatening its fast-growing economy. Despite its […]
Brits amongst us might well be familiar with the concept of ‘green’ or ‘ethical banking’ through publicity surrounding the Cooperative Bank and Triodos, or other UK high street banks that are falling over themselves to offer this new, trendy financial facility, which is also spreading rapidly through the American banking system; but what about Israel? […]
Marty has just arrived back from 1955, we hear a sonic boom. Marty turns around and sees Doc Brown’s Dolorean drive up behind him. Doc impresses on Marty that he must return with him to the future to fix a mishap of his son. In order to fuel the time machine Doc rummages through Marty’s […]
Almost every office has one. Sitting in the corner with that strange square body with a big blue head… The water cooler! Ahh just the thought of it makes me feel thirsty. I love the “glub glub” when you pour yourself a cup of water. Well it might be time to say goodbye to that […]
Green Prophet’s James goes underground to see what happens below the surface in Israel’s water pipes. I will open rivers on the bare heights and springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land fountains of water. – Isaiah Always ready and willing to […]
A $100 million investment by Afcon Industries is more than hot wind. It’s a testament to put Israel on the cleantech map and the country’s renewable energy goals set in the right direction. When ready, the cleantech project could supply up to 5 percent of Israel’s energy needs. It could set an example for the […]
Israel is no stranger to wind power, but using it as a source of viable alternative energy has been criticized by green groups such as SPNI for several reasons. One major reason is that Israel is a flyway for millions of migrating birds heading to Europe via Africa and vice-versa. And no system is in […]
We’ve talked about the wonders of bamboo, but another material, being researched and improved by Israeli scientists may become the new bamboo, the new hemp and the new wood. Watch Jonathan Dayan from Tel Aviv University talk about his PhD research on kenaf.
Israelis are known for their advances in high-tech. We brag about it whenever we can. A little known fact is that Israel also generates and exports tons of e-waste. Bringing things up to speed is an Israeli company, Snunit Recycling, which is poised to make a pretty penny from our electronic waste. And we don’t […]
Controversial Danish Eco-Skeptic Bjorn Lomborg is currently in Israel. Today he is due to present a lecture at the Knesset arguing that funds set aside for environmental protection would be better spent on research and development for the “possible” negative effects of global warming.Professor Lomborg, author of the book, ‘The Skeptical Environmentalist’, which ruffled many […]
It reminds us a bit of the canary in a coal mine story – throw a living creature into a dangerous situation, and if it lives, forge ahead.If it dies, oh well. Rethink strategy.An Israeli company Checklight has put this concept into practice, using the luminscent bacteria found in the sea, like on the beaches […]
By now, many people have heard of the electric car grid project that Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi is launching with $200 million capital. Agassi plans to build a grid of charging stations in all parts of the country that would provide a free power charge to electric car batteries. The idea is to provide an […]
Ironically, for a planet that over 70% of it’s surface is covered by water, water is becoming quite a commodity. While it may be true that the black gold of 20th century is being phased out, the new liquid gold, it appears, is Blue Gold aka water. According to an article published in USA Today, […]
One of the big issues when the topic of eating healthy comes up is the problem of food coloring. Many of these colorings are actually poisons. The FDA has approved them because they are used in such small quantities that there is no apparent effect on our bodies. But color dyes are not all bad; […]
Bank Leumi has a new trick up its sleeve. It has decided to use smell marketing to get Israelis to invest more money. It is not a new concept, and one used by everyone from sleezy car salesmen to shop owners around the world. Smells play with our senses; they trigger old memories and can […]
A day out at the IKEA store in Netanya is a national pastime in Israel. While we don’t mind an outing once and a while to the superstore, we’re cautious about buying furnishings from there. Firstly for the quality issue and secondly because the business shuts out our smaller home furnishing stores in Israel.Big box […]
Energy, we all need it for practically everything we do. With global warming accelerating and fossil fuels expected to run out in decades, the hunt is on for alternative energy sources. Professor Dan Zaslavsky from the Technion in Haifa has come up with a solution – the Energy Tower – which will not only reduce […]
