Bright green ideas from Bahrain University students were showcased at a campus exhibit last week. Since universities are supposed to train the next generation of thinkers, creators, and doers, it is only fitting that the projects generated by their students be showcased and highlighted in order to encourage new ideas. At Bahrain University, apparently, the […]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc-KLWyxSCc[/youtube] For the first time, the Gulf Kingdom of Bahrain is participating at the La Biennale International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. But theirs is an unusual approach. In accord with this year’s theme – to experience rather than merely observe architecture – Bahrain’s National Pavilion comprises a multidimensional, sensory depiction of an earlier, more integrated, […]
Skyscrapers (even rotating!) and dreams of vertical farms, but not a greenhouse to be seen. The Gulf is growing more and more dependent on imported food. Many Gulf countries are investing heavily in foreign farmlands that are more fertile, chiefly in Africa, but also India and Pakistan, in a bid to secure a steady food […]
Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources sees desalination as a solution to future water shortages. Egypt and Bahrain are looking at a cooperation agreement that will enable both countries to develop water desalination projects between the two countries, Egypt’s water resources and irrigation ministry confirmed to Bikya Masr on Tuesday. “We believe that the future water […]
Her future doesn’t just depend on how we learn to care for the planet from here on out, but how many other children will be born in her lifetime. Mention eco-sexuality to the uninformed, and you’ll get often blank stares or snickers; people assume that being conscious about one’s personal life takes all the fun […]
A Bahraini dhow in drydock. No fish. Maybe it’s time to go back to racing camels? It’s not just dumping construction wastes in the Persian Gulf that’s killing delicate coral formations these days. Now, the Sheikdom’s fishermen are complaining that their catches are much lower than expected. Bahrain’s Gulf Daily News says the fishing industry has collapsed. And […]
After her grandfather’s house was demolished, Sheikha Mai committed to preserving Bahrain’s venerable places Image by dunsky via flickr Though most of our architectural news depicts ongoing developments (like in Bahrain), the BBC series giving prominence to “heritage heroes” preserving more venerable developments, marinated in history, has steered our green news reel in a different […]
A death trap for corals: Is Abu Dhabi’s Bu Tinah island atoll next in line for dumping? We have heard this issue before: corals are being killed from human caused environmental damage. We’ve heard this in a lot of places, especially in the areas like the Persian Gulf; where large scale construction projects in Dubai, […]
This desalination plant in Al-Hidd will be joined by additional facilities as Bahrain seeks to boost its water production. (Image via sidem-desalination.com) Aiming to meet its growing water needs, Bahrain is pursuing an ambitious plan to increase its production of desalinated water. The kingdom currently produces 142 million gallons of water a day. The first […]
Too many artificial islands imperil endangered species, coral reefs, and humans too? If Bahrain’s endangered dugong and turtle populations had a voice, surely they would use it to cry out against the Durrat artificial islands. The fishermen are shouting because they’re running out of fish. Even members of parliament are grumbling that land reclamation renders […]
Bahrain government supports initiatives to bring business back to the families. Defying globalization and thinking locally? Explore what’s happening in this Middle East island kingdom. Mohammed Jaffar is a 19-year-old street vendor in Muharraq, Bahrain, who sells a variety of locally grown greens and fruits. He is made popular among customers by local eggs produced […]
The Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), an offshore division of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), aspires to become the first in the Gulf region to end the “flaring” of natural gas, the UAE-based daily The National reported this week. The World Bank describes gas flaring as “the process of burning-off associated gas from […]
Farming the sun from hot climates to Europe? This is the plan of DESERTEC. Today we speak with Oliver Steinmetz. Oliver’s a co-founder and volunteer board member for the DESERTEC Foundation, a small NGO founded in 2008 to promote the DESERTEC concept of supplying clean energy from desert regions to regions with less sun, like […]
Though lacking the resources that have enabled richer Arab states, and the UAE in particular, to play a leading role in promoting renewable energy, Syria is also looking to boost its involvement in this field. This week, the Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology (HIAST) in Damascus is hosting an International Conference on International […]
Every day is a beach day in Morocco. In a smart move, the country unveils its plans to solar-ize the nation. Image via joaomaximo Countries in the Arab world are starting to wake up to the potential of solar energy, especially those with no known oil reserves. Morocco is the latest to announce its intentions […]