Before modern times, the Berbers or Amazighs (indigenous people of Morocco) of this area would collect undigested argan pits from the waste of goats which climb the trees to eat their fruit. The pits were then ground and pressed to make the nutty oil used in cooking and cosmetics.
Could First Choice all-inclusive holidays spell the end for small businesses in Middle Eastern resorts? First Choice, one of Britain’s leading package holiday companies, announced this week that all holidays sold as of 2012 under its brand will be all-inclusive. This means that as well as flights and hotels, the price that tourists pay up-front […]
Istanbul – a major hub for train travel across the Middle East Survey results published this week reveal that the majority of international travelers would prefer to take trains instead of aeroplanes, if they had the opportunity. The poll of 300 consumers, conducted for train technology company Silverrail, showed that 79% would choose trains over […]
This beautiful dome-building from Foster & Partners is the first building the firm has completed in Africa. We haven’t always loved Foster & Partners developments in the Middle East. Although they are visually spectacular, we often wonder at the true sustainability of buildings that cost millions of dollars to construct. But the first of three […]
There are more reasons than ever to attend MENASOL 2011, with the current unrest raising questions One particular – and now very topical – public presentation at MENASOL should prove very popular, this year. A group of over 22 government officials representing Egypt and other Middle Eastern and North African nations has been convened to […]
Petrol and electricity are considered birth-rights, even God-sent in the Arab world. How can this reality compete with the use of renewables? Grid parity, the point when the cost of power generated from renewable energy resources become equal or cheaper than conventional power costs, is around the corner for many countries. In the Arab world […]
Carrots are fat and sweet now. Dress dinner up with this tangy Moroccan carrot salad. We’re enjoying every drop of blessed rain, Arabs and Jews having prayed for it during the hot, bright summer. The moisture in the earth fattens root vegetables, which we usually think of as soup ingredients but which make delicious salads […]
As solar energy becomes a more widespread reality and lessons are uncovered, conferences allow stakeholders to get the learned scoop. Given that Morocco has the highest concentration of solar power in the MENA region, it is appropriate that the country should host this year’s third annual MENASOL conference on May 4-5. These two days comprise […]
Can countries with unrest commit to eco-tourism aspirations? With countries across the Middle East – North Africa (MENA) region facing often fatal unrest like the food riots in Tunisia, it seems rather frivolous to be thinking about the travel industry. But with tourism a major earner for many Middle East & North African countries, the […]
A gigantic electricity network would link electric grids throughout the Middle East and extend them much further in a massive infrastructure investment in a smart grid. At a press conference in the Cairo office on Saturday, Mohie Eddin said the World Bank is considering a smart grid plan that would link the eastern Arab states, […]
For the sake of trade in red coral such as this, several Mediterranean countries opposed a measure that would have protected precious coral. Already plagued by a bucketful of ecological maladies, the Mediterranean faces further degradation of its precious coral, Bikya Masr reports. In December several Mediterranean countries were among those that shot down a […]
When it comes alive, the Penyon Bay Ecovillage will overlook the Bay of Alhoceima in Northern Morocco. As economies and ecosystems degenerate, and spiritual malaise increases (as I’ve pointed out in my green Christmas wish list), communities worldwide are forming new bonds. Moving away from the consumer model, ecovillages incorporate various degrees of the old […]
The Magreb nations have a bright solar future: don’t miss your chance to be part of it! Solar Maghreb in Casablanca, Morocco on 24-25 May 2011 is the must-attend utility-scale solar conference to make contacts within the five Maghreb nations – meaning “the Western” ones, in Arabic – of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and 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 […]