Religion

Idols of Ganesh in Canadian lakes are causing local environmental concerns

Immersing religious idols in Canada's lakes, rivers and coastal waters remains a contentious issue. While the practice is an important tradition for many Hindu communities during festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, environmental regulations in many jurisdictions prohibit the disposal of foreign materials into natural waterways, even when the objects are intended as religious offerings.

Muslim vegetarians? More young Muslims are saying yes

The halal food market is now worth trillions globally, and companies are beginning to notice growing demand for halal-certified vegetarian and vegan products.

Signs of Shavuot: Grief, Love and Choosing Life

Shavuot is a holiday heavy with symbolism. While it marks the end of the counting of the omer, it also functions as a miniature jubilee. The fiftieth day like a tiny echo of the fifty year cycle. And in each of the seventh years during that cycle, acts of rest and liberation are performed, especially in the fiftieth year.

Robot Monk Gabi Takes Vows in Seoul. What Would the Buddha Have Thought?

  How many of us looked twice when we saw that South Korea has ordained a robot as a budd? His name is Gabi, and he...

A Quantum Kaddish? What fungal networks teach us about grief, God and death

Can Zara speak with their recently departed mother through fungal networks? In April my mom passed away and I attended her funeral as a relative...

Abortion Pills, Plan B and Mifepristone and what the new US mail ban means

Abortion pills, often confused with Plan B (the morning-after pill), and historically referred to as RU486 (mifepristone), are part of a broader category of reproductive health medications that women have been using for decades. But they are not the same thing.

Sámi shaman drums and why owning one could get you killed

For centuries, the Sámi shaman drum was one of the most powerful sacred objects in northern Europe, and one of the most feared by church and state. If ISIS looks bad to us today for its religious fundamentalism, Christians were just as fervent. 

Adamah in Los Angeles wants to make Jewish climate action local, practical and spiritual

At a time when climate anxiety can feel abstract and overwhelming, and being Jewish something people may need to hide in big cities, Adamah Los Angeles is trying something different: turning Jewish values into local climate action with dirt-under-the-fingernails practicality.

Jewish Vegans invite global community to “Compassionate Passover” event

As Passover approaches, a global online gathering is inviting people to explore the holiday’s ancient story of liberation through a modern lens of compassion,...

Haman’s Fingers, A Moroccan Purim Specialty

There’s feasting at home on the night and the next day, and to make sure everyone gets good things to eat, families send out packages of treats to friends and neighbors. Traditional goodies are hamentaschen, and other treats like our chocolate nut clusters .

Jujube, the sidr tree of medicine and magic

A magic holy sidr bath to deflect the evil eye? It needs 7 powdered sidr leaves stirred into a bucket of warm water. The hadith of the Prophet Muhammad allows to repeat healing prayers and verses from the Koran to increase the water’s potency. 5 grams, or 1 tablespoon of sidr powder equals 7 leaves.

We saw peace – an interreligious encounter deep in our eyes

They came from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt… There are Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, Jews (Orthodox and Reform), Orthodox Christians, Coptic Christians, Protestant Christians, Druze, Baha'is, a Scientologist.

Isra and Mi’raj Festival and the Night Journey to Jerusalem that shaped Islam

The Muslim prophet Muhammad never traveled to the city of Jerusalem in his lifetime. Yet his dream is celebrated as a spiritual transformation. The Isra and Mi‘raj story describes a spiritual or visionary experience, not a recorded historical journey. Even early Islamic scholars debated whether the event was physical or symbolic. Yet today, Muslims around the world are marking Isra and Mi‘raj as a living spiritual tradition filled with prayer, storytelling, and community rituals around the world.

Zoroastrianism from Iran is the world’s first eco-religion

When Zarathustra started preaching around 1200 BCE in ancient Persia, which is known today as Iran, he wasn't just founding a religion—he was creating the world's first environmental protection movement. Good thoughts, good words, good deeds. But there was a mantra and words to live by: don't pollute the earth, water, or fire. Ever.

What is the Jewish Climate Trust?

Jewish Climate Trust has quickly attracted the attention and support of some of the most influential voices in Jewish philanthropy, drawing backing from prominent family foundations and business leaders connected to the Bronfman and Schusterman philanthropic networks, alongside climate-focused investors and community builders aligned with founding leader Nigel Savage. Together, these donors have committed many millions of dollars to build a serious, long-term climate platform for the Jewish world — not as a symbolic gesture, but as a strategic intervention in one of the defining challenges of this generation.

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Data centers in Space? Sophia Space and Apex plan on busing them in

Can data centers really be built in space? Pasadena-based Sophia Space is partnering with Apex to test the idea by launching modular AI computing systems into low Earth orbit in 2027. Using radiation-hardened compute TILEs cooled by passive radiative systems and mounted on scalable satellite buses, the companies aim to prove that edge computing can operate reliably in space. While challenges remain, the project represents an important step toward distributed orbital computing networks that could support everything from climate monitoring and pollution tracking to autonomous spacecraft navigation in an increasingly crowded orbital environment.

Mona Khalil, Orange House Project founder, sea turtle protector killed in Lebanon

Mona Khalil spent decades protecting Lebanon's sea turtles and coastal ecosystems. Her death in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah shines a light on a broader environmental tragedy unfolding across northern Israel and southern Lebanon. From damaged wetlands and disrupted bird migrations to threatened seed banks and endangered wildlife, the region's ecosystems are becoming casualties of a war with no clear end in sight.

6 Ways Landlords Can Improve Cash Flow from Eco Rentals

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Is your shawarma wrapped in forever chemicals? The hidden microplastics in street feed

Shawarma is one of the world's most popular street foods, but the greatest health risk may not be the meat, pickles or tahini. Scientists are increasingly concerned about PFAS "forever chemicals" and microplastics that can migrate from food packaging into hot, greasy takeaway meals. As awareness grows about hidden toxins in everyday products, even your favorite shawarma wrap may be part of a much larger environmental and public health story.

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Data centers in Space? Sophia Space and Apex plan on busing them in

Can data centers really be built in space? Pasadena-based Sophia Space is partnering with Apex to test the idea by launching modular AI computing systems into low Earth orbit in 2027. Using radiation-hardened compute TILEs cooled by passive radiative systems and mounted on scalable satellite buses, the companies aim to prove that edge computing can operate reliably in space. While challenges remain, the project represents an important step toward distributed orbital computing networks that could support everything from climate monitoring and pollution tracking to autonomous spacecraft navigation in an increasingly crowded orbital environment.

Mona Khalil, Orange House Project founder, sea turtle protector killed in Lebanon

Mona Khalil spent decades protecting Lebanon's sea turtles and coastal ecosystems. Her death in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah shines a light on a broader environmental tragedy unfolding across northern Israel and southern Lebanon. From damaged wetlands and disrupted bird migrations to threatened seed banks and endangered wildlife, the region's ecosystems are becoming casualties of a war with no clear end in sight.

6 Ways Landlords Can Improve Cash Flow from Eco Rentals

Want your rental property to pay the mortgage? Build a sustainable home that practically advertises itself. From solar-heated hot tubs and energy-efficient appliances to pet-friendly yards and Nordic-style saunas, eco-conscious upgrades can justify higher rents, attract better tenants, and reduce costly vacancies. This guide explores practical ways landlords can improve cash flow without major renovations, including working with property managers, adjusting rental rates strategically, reducing operating expenses, and uncovering new revenue streams. Whether you're running an Airbnb, a vacation cabin, or a long-term rental, sustainability isn't just good for the planet—it can be good for your bottom line. A greener property often becomes a more profitable one.

Dior’s Summer 2027 show promises sustainability. Do we believe them?

Dior highlights recycled materials, regenerative agriculture, circularity initiatives, and digital traceability, but the luxury fashion business model still depends on constant consumption, global supply chains, fashion shows, and high-carbon production.

Is your shawarma wrapped in forever chemicals? The hidden microplastics in street feed

Shawarma is one of the world's most popular street foods, but the greatest health risk may not be the meat, pickles or tahini. Scientists are increasingly concerned about PFAS "forever chemicals" and microplastics that can migrate from food packaging into hot, greasy takeaway meals. As awareness grows about hidden toxins in everyday products, even your favorite shawarma wrap may be part of a much larger environmental and public health story.

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Idols of Ganesh in Canadian lakes are causing local environmental concerns

Immersing religious idols in Canada's lakes, rivers and coastal waters remains a contentious issue. While the practice is an important tradition for many Hindu communities during festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, environmental regulations in many jurisdictions prohibit the disposal of foreign materials into natural waterways, even when the objects are intended as religious offerings.
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