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 […]
Sharjah Launches the 'Environment Awareness Award’ for May with aims to increase students’ participation in environmental activities at school. With AED100,000+ in total prize money, the Sharjah Environment Award initiative will see 145 schools and 150,000 students taking part, focusing its first year on THREE R’s: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle!
As the environmental movement in the Middle East blossoms, women are being encouraged to take a more active role in environmental protection We have already profiled the lovely ladies at Naqa’a, an environmental group based in Saudi as well as the Eco-Chicks of Abu Dhabi who are making strides in introducing the climate agenda […]
If the mechanics behind Global Warming has eluded you, or if you’re excited by a few cooking tips or a good old fashioned dystopic novel, then dig in, because we’ve got seven books that will help you start 2011 on a green foot. The holidays are over and winter has finally set in. What better […]
Maybe blondes really do have more fun, and more fun composting too. It’s easier to get Israelis excited about blondes than about composting, but if you get their eco-attention using a blonde? That’s a different story. Atar Friedman, a beautiful young Israeli blonde with a mission, has been trying to get Israelis more conscious about […]
Arwa reviews the book by Richard C. Foltz, Animals in Islamic Tradition and Muslim Culture, Oneworld Publications Following the controversy during Eid Al-adha and allegations of animal mistreatment in Egypt, I found myself questioning how my faith which teaches compassion towards animals could become so inextricably linked to clear animal abuses. Islam, despite what many […]
Arwa meets three Muslim vegetarians from around the world whose views, lifestyles and paths to vegetarianism couldn’t be more diverse and distinct When I was 16, I discovered the horror of factory farming and decided to become a vegetarian. That was 8 years ago and I have been a vegetarian ever since. Thankfully, I no […]
Israeli scientists have found the earliest evidence for modern man, in teeth at Qesem Cave not far from Tel Aviv. Instead of 200,000 years of history in Africa, Homo sapiens are looking at 400,000 with early sources in the holy land. This news is just in from teeth located and dated by Israeli scientists in […]
Follow the top 10 Middle East environment news stories of 2010. With 2011 a few days away, we wanted to reflect on the stories that shaped the Middle East in 2010. As global warming transforms our climate and we scramble to catch up, we have found our region to be split in two camps: the […]
How far are you willing to go to maintain anti-public peeing social conventions? This is a question that plagues me at night, when I’m camping, and the bathroom is on the other end of the campground. On the one hand, watering a bush seems better than flushing a toilet, but sends untreated pollutants, which will […]
Want a reference book to living ethically? Want to know the truth about the costs of globalisation and profit-driven business practices on our health and society? Want to know what you can do to bring about change? This is the book for you. Unlike the other books by Leo Hickman that I have reviewed (The […]
After giving up the consumer lifestyle, Tafline reflects on how her Christmas list has evolved. It might not be what you’d expect. In four years, I turned my habits around completely: instead of buying the newest, snazziest jeans, I’ve been wearing the same clothes for nearly two years. And if I must get more, I […]
Could the stories of a lost city of Atlantis, first noted by Herodotus and Plato, have some basis in fact? A “Persian Gulf Oasis” may have been host to humans for over 100,000 years before it was swallowed up by the Indian Ocean around 8,000 years ago. A once fertile landmass now submerged beneath the […]
Eco-spiritual inspiration in Sufi poetry. Sufis, followers of the mystic sect of Sufism, have a deep reverence for nature and nowhere is this more obvious than in their world-famous poetry and literature. The renowned 13th century Sufi poet Rumi wrote sublime poetry highlighting the connection between spirituality and nature, and Sufi literature and poetry frequently […]
As the Muslim world marks the Islamic new year, Arwa reflects on the past 12 months of environmental action (and inaction) in the Middle East Believe it or not, this busy week saw the start of the Islamic new year of 1432 A.H. Unlike the typical new year celebrations with parties, fireworks and new year […]