Why Reusable Menstrual Products are Good for the Environment

Karin Kloosterman

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June 12, 2019

Reusable menstruation cup — Menstrual cup collects menstrual blood, and you can reuse it

Do you use homemade pads or moon cups? There are so many alternatives to wasteful products that choke our bodies and our natural environment.

The environment is big news right now. Our oceans are full of plastic waste and there are bulging landfill sites all over the world. The biggest problem with the never-ending stream of human waste is that most of it is likely to stick around for a very long time.

menstrual cups in colours — Menstrual cups in colors of the rainbow

One of the biggest issues is plastic. Each year, we produce millions of tons of the stuff, and every day, around eight million bits of plastic waste end up in the ocean. Conservative estimates say there are around 51 trillion microscopic pieces of plastic in the ocean right now. None of this plastic waste ever goes away. Larger plastic objects break down slowly, over many decades, until they become microscopic plastic fragments, which are swallowed by marine animals and eventually consumed by us and them.

The damage caused to our environment is shocking. You might think that photos of marine animals lying dead on a beach, their stomachs full of plastic waste, does not affect you directly, but it does. Plastic pollution causes knock-on effects, such as chemical contamination of waterways, which ends up in our drinking water. It’s also unpleasant to walk along an idyllic beach and spot used tampons and sanitary towels washed up by the tide.

Bad for the Environment

Tampons and sanitary towels are bad for the environment. They are not sustainable and cause long-term, lasting damage to the world around us. Most of the materials used to manufacture tampons and sanitary towels are non-recyclable, which means they end up in landfill sites and floating in oceans.

On average, women use around 11,000 disposable sanitary products in one lifetime. That’s a lot of waste. Even organic tampons, which are made from organic cotton, are not good for the environment. They do break down, but it’s incredibly slow. In addition, most of the packaging, and in the case of many brands of tampons, the applicators, are made from plastic, so they never break down.

One way to do your bit for the environment is to switch to reusable sanitary products.

Menstrual Cups and Period Panties

Menstrual cups and period panties are more eco-friendly than tampons and sanitary towels. Instead of being discarded after each use, menstrual cups and period panties are reusable and will last for several years.

Menstrual cups are designed to be worn internally, where they collect menstrual blood. Period panties look like regular underwear, except they have a thick, super absorbent layer to soak up period blood and prevent leaks. In both cases, you rinse or wash them rather than throw them away.

There are many different brands of both out there, including Diva Cup, Lunette, Thinx, and Lunapads. You can read menstrual cup and period panty reviews online if you need some help and advice. Alternatively, ask your friends what they use or connect with other users on social media; there is a whole sub-culture of women who actively promote plastic-free periods on Instagram and YouTube. By making the switch to reusable sanitary products, you can join the community and the conversation.

Aa well as being much better for the environment, reusable sanitary products are also much better for your pocket.

Period Poverty Around the World

Women spend around $100 on sanitary products every year. This is a big expenditure for girls and women in low-income households, and in many rural areas, women and girls are forced to make do with rags to soak up their period blood.

Reusable sanitary products are rinsed/washed and reused. With the right care, they can last several years, which saves the user a lot of money.

Menstrual cups and period panties are also a lot easier to use. Once you get used to the technique of inserting and removing a menstrual cup, you will wonder why you haven’t made the switch before. It is far easier removing and emptying a menstrual cup when there is no bathroom available. As long as you have some clean water to rinse your hands and the cup, you are good to go.

Blood as a fertilizer on farms?

In addition, menstrual blood is good for the environment and can be used as an iron-rich fertilizer for plants and vegetables.

african farmer in a greenhouse — *Human waste including blood, can be used for fertilizing plants. With caution.*

There are many reasons to make the switch to reusable menstrual products such as menstrual cups and period panties. If you’re not convinced yet, try it for one month and see how you get on?

Drone fishing in Jaffa

Food
Tech

Karin Kloosterman

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June 12, 2019

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Drones can clean plastic from the sea. Turns out they can do so much more: When you want to catch the Big One and don’t have a boat, what do you do? Use your drone. We ran into this man Avram “casting” his line out 400 yards (350 meters) at the Sea Port of Jaffa, in Tel Aviv.

drone fishing line jaffa — *The drone is used to drop the bait about 50 meters from shore, much farther than one man can cast*

Low impact fishing using a drone

Local men love to fish but most can’t afford to own a boat. Before work or after they jump down to the sea and cast out there line. But fishing in shallow waters will own bring you home teeny tiny fish called ‘barbunia’ or red mullet and they are really an acquired taste.

But Avram here who we caught on film uses a very clever approach. He has rigged out his drone with a catch and release apparatus. He ties the baited line of his rod to the drone and then steers his drone out 400 yards, deep enough to where the fishing boats can go. He drops the line and brings the drone back to home base.

He turns the drone off and then tightens the line manually, and waits. It can take 1 or 2 hours until he catches the big one. And it is worth the wait, he tells me.

Reeling in the drone

“I catch all kinds of fish,” he says. “Grouper, and even red snapper. I caught a 2.5 red snapper last Friday and we ate it at our Shabbat dinner.”

This is out of the box thinking and definately an innovative Israeli approach to fishing. Using hightech for low-tech ideas and pleasures. Another way to use drones? Dropping cannabis packets on people of Tel Aviv, of course.

Have a story like this to share? Drop me a line [email protected]

The benefits of opening a business in Dubai

Bhok Thompson

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June 10, 2019

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The benefits of opening a business in Dubai

Dubai 3d printed solar panels — *Always on the edge of innovation. Dubai is an interesting place to start a green business for entry to the global stage.*

The large number of foreign investors registered in Dubai shows that this destination offers numerous business benefits and the possibility of developing economic activities at a fast pace. In the recent years, the UAE has become a hotspot for anyone willing to establish his/her business presence in most of the sectors of interest without harsh conditions and with the opportunity of making money quite rapidly. The tax regime and the complete control in the company are important benefits to consider at the time you plan to open a business in Dubai.

Dubai atlantis built city — *Dubai builds its own Atlantis!*

The taxation regime is appealing

Without any doubt, the tax structure in the UAE is on the list of investors wanting to take advantage of a solid and attractive business destination. The good news is that there is no corporate tax and no dividend tax, allowing international entrepreneurs to spend these amounts in other directions. Moreover, if you plan a business in the retail sector in Dubai’s free trade zones, you can benefit from zero taxation, meaning that there are no tax duties and related fees. Even if the VAT of 5% has been introduced since January 2018, this isn’t an impediment for foreign investors because there are VAT exemptions in many sectors. Furthermore, besides the fact that there are tax benefits in Dubai, the startup costs and the annual maintenance expenses are quite low compared to other cities in the UAE

An easy registration procedure

If you are the type of investor who doesn’t want to wait too much for the incorporation procedures and related aspects, it is good to know that the company registration in Dubai is quite simple. Entrepreneurs from abroad can choose the easy registration steps in the business field, meaning that anyone can start a business within a few days without considering any registration complications. If you want to start a car rental business in Dubai for example, there is no need to consider complicated incorporation steps, especially if you plan to open such a company in the free trade zones of the city. The same thing is available for those investors wanting to open a dental clinic in Dubai and perform cosmetic dentistry procedures in a sector that continues to thrive.

The economy in Dubai is a business plus

The economy in Dubai is quite diversified meaning that the business opportunities are huge in most of the sectors. IT, research and development, tourism, the oil industry, and the real estate sector are only a few of the areas in which businesses are successful in Dubai.

Businesses sustained by a solid infrastructure

No matter the type of business you want to set up in Dubai, such as car rental, insurance or travel, you should know that the infrastructure is excellently developed. Dubai has all the transportation ways incredibly well-developed: by air, by sea and by road. It is a known fact that the UAE has one of the most developed infrastructures in the world and this is no exaggerated statement.

As a short conclusion, the benefits of starting a business in Dubai are huge, whether as a local entrepreneur or from overseas. The only thing left to do is to choose wisely the sector in which you are interested in generating profits.

Natural fabric wallpaper that hipsters and walls will love

Design

Karin Kloosterman

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June 10, 2019

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Natural fabric wallpaper that hipsters and walls will love

I was a 70s kid. I saw the days it took for my mother to put up her flower-power wallpaper. Back then wallpaper was a must, along with bell-bottoms, Velveeta on celery sticks, and Disco. And as I learned over the years: it is sort of permanent, so you better make a solid choice. We still have wallpaper up from the 70s in my parent’s home in Canada! Back then you would have to first cover the paper with a stinking chemical glue and then carefully adhere the paper as it slowly dried to the wall. Many of us now look back at wallpaper and shirk.But things have changed. Today when we look for wallpaper, we want things that are chemical free and good for our spirit, mind, health and planet. If you live in the Middle East like I do you might want a wallpaper solution not just for a lovely earthy texture on your walls, you might want it to cover up the cracks or use it as the cherry on top of your green home.

A permanent fix for cracked plaster

The homes in the Middle East typically do not come with those flat and straight plaster boards. It is straight plaster on cinder blocks or over cement and plaster bricks. No matter how many times we replaster the walls at my home every season in Jaffa the old cement plaster house shifts and we get huge fissures running down the walls. There is nothing you can really do about that – it’s the nature of old buildings, but a good wallpaper can give you a few years of relief
from the cracks.

When I was looking for wallpaper solutions for my family room I came across this really neat coming in Germany. They make a sustainably sourced and fully compostable wallpaper called Veruso Lino that gives your walls a modern look that is homey, warm and easy to maintain.

Veruso Lino is a woven wallpaper made of plant-based materials such as linen and a wood composite, requiring little water to grow.

The company “Wallpaper from the 70s” (yes! that’s their name!) apply a new felting technique in the production so that they don’t use hazardous off-gassing chemicals in the binding process. Going all the way they use natural dyes in warm neutral hues and seeing the actual plant fibres on your wall gives you a back to nature vibe even if you are living in the middle of Istanbul or Cairo. Old-school papers that our parents used were full of plastics and impossible to recycle after they are pulled off the wall. We can even hazard to guess that the Veruso Lino line can be painted over one day, or maybe even stained over when you want to change the look.“We are a small German company and fully believe our future must be sustainable. This is also why we decided to push Lino, although financially for us it’s not an easy proposition,” the company representative tells Green Prophet.

Other so-called “natural” paper or wood wallpaper products, according to the company are not really environmentally friendly because of the industrial dyes and adhesives used in the process. Then they are simply painted with commercial wall paints and synthetic resins.

Imagine the Blue Fields of Normandy

The majority of the Lino wallpaper is made from flax. Flax fibres are one of the oldest cultivated fibres known to mankind. Grown in Normandy in Northern France, consider that before they were on your walls the flax was part of that gorgeous bright blue landscape soaking up the sun (sort of reminds me of my Babaa natural wool sheep sweater that still has flecks of Spanish countryside in it from the sheep as they grazed). Flax, like hemp, is a very good utilitarian fibre perfect for regenerative agriculture Like are anti-static, dirt-repellent and antibacterial by nature!

Why not just flax?

Just on its own though flax would never stick to the wall – or maybe it would if you used crazy glue but that’s ridiculous. The company needed to make a composite and chose viscose which sounds synthetic but which is actually a wood based product sourced from Lenzing, a company in Austria that uses FSC-harvested wood in a closed cycle approach. Other cool features of owning a natural-fibre wall: heat insulating, moisture absorbent, low flammability ratings and sound absorbent!

As for pasting, the company also sells organic wallpapering paste. Small packets to which you add water.

· 100% pure methyl cellulose, made from wood fibre

· Free of fungicides, preservatives and synthetic resins

For about $10 a pack you are good for 6 rolls of wallpaper. I already
see the new baby room coming to life. You too?

The future of green building in the Middle East looks backward

Cities

Karin Kloosterman

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June 10, 2019

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The future of green building in the Middle East looks backward

When Masdar, the space-age city in Abu Dhabi was in its planning stages, architects from Europe, building suppliers, advisors and energy creators were agog. A lot of purportedly “green building” was to take place and billions in contracts for wild dreams were to be awarded.

It was the same sort of energy surrounding Better Place the promised all electric car company that got almost a billion in investment which was squandered in all the wrong places. While Better Place was a good idea with a bad plan, Masdar was a bad idea with a good plan. With Masdar I always felt it was a story of the king not wearing any clothes, or like the meltdown of Amy Winehouse. All the players in the story were more than happy to go along with the lie because it was in their interest for the project to go ahead.

Masdar, an $18 billion experiment in sustainable living, was supposed to be the world’s first zero energy city. No building can be zero energy. Every building, village, town, city we create cannot be sustainable or perfectly environmental or zero energy. When we build on the environment, once a desert, forest or grassland, it is changed, maybe forever.

Masdar was also supposed to be liveable. When we sent a reporter there some years ago no people were in sight. We had one dispatch once from a student who was staying there and when she talked with us it felt like she was talking to from a closet.

Green building technology in the eyes of the planet is a bit of an oxymoron in my opinion especially when the people running the technology show are coming in with Western Silicon Valley ideals that are really incompatible with how I think future cities should look in the Middle East.

Fast Company points out the problem: “The Masdar City model seems difficult to reproduce: too isolated, too expensive, too empty. The embryo town appears rather as a symptom of the obsession of a state with regard to its future. What will become of this territory, once the hydrocarbon reserves underneath its soil are depleted? In response, the frenzied builders attempt to inscribe life in a permanent fashion on a land that seems hostile to human existence. It is about facing the fear of death by building quickly (an “instant city”), to help transition to an Emirates that is a techno-ecological leader. Masdar City is meant to be the laboratory. Opening soon . . . one day.”

Or never?

If we want to create progress in the Middle East in green building, architects, planners and investors need to move away from trendy ideas (shipping containers – read why we think they suck!) to going back to relationships with local traditions and cultures.

A few good places to start building greener in the Middle East:

Hassan Fathy was an Egyptian visionary architect who used local building materials to create relatable, affordable, comforting green buildings.

Mashrabiya is an aesthetic concept in the Middle East which creates shade and privacy and mitigates heat islands passively in buildings.

The Windcatchers of Yadz offer a fabulous, local solution to cooling rising temperatures that can go up to 50 degrees C in the Middle East.

Start with these few resources for a more modest approach before a layer of green technology or western ideology approaches Middle East architecture.

Mental health becomes a thing of concern among the elderly population – Common disorders

Health

Bhok Thompson

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June 5, 2019

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Throughout the globe, the population is aging at a rapid pace. Between 2016 and 2050, the ratio of the population all over the world that will have crossed 60 years of age will double from 12 to 22%. As is mental health important during any stage of life, it becomes even more vital during old age as both physically and mentally, a person starts facing various kinds of impairments. Neurological and mental health disorders among the seniors account for 6.7% of the total disability rate of the senior population. Around 20% of the adults who are above the age of 60 years suffer from some type of mental disorder, whether serious or not.

The older generation, who are above 60 years of age usually make necessary contributions to not only their families and their family assets but also to the society as active participants. Though most among them have perfect mental health, there are several adults who are at high risk of developing certain neurological, mental disorders or even substance abuse issues. Other health conditions like hearing loss, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis are also a part of their old age. There are many unfortunate seniors who experience different conditions at the same time.

Too many seniors live with disability – What is the problem?

As mentioned above, the proportion of aging adults is all set to double to 12 to 22% and this implies a clear increase from 900 million to a whopping 2 billion people who will have crossed the age of 60 years. The older generation faces specific mental and physical health challenges which need to be diagnosed and treated on time.

More than 25% of the seniors above the age of 60 suffer from neurological and mental health disorder which excludes headache problems and 6.8% of all the seniors who are disabled among the 60 year olds is said to have occurred due to neurological and mental health disorders. Two of the mostly occurred neurodegenerative disorders that occur to the seniors are depression and dementia. Just after them, there are anxiety disorders which set an impact on 5-7% of the population. When seniors suffer from substance abuse issues, these are mostly left untreated.

In a nutshell, mental health issues among the seniors are usually under-identified by the professionals and by the senior patients. The social stigma that is still attached with mental health disorders actually bar people from seeking help. Individuals who are suffering from dementia in places like Prestons and Leppington can seek help of home care Prestons as professionals commit to take care of the patients.

The potential risk factors for mental health issues among seniors

There can arise several types of risk factors for all the above listed mental health disorders found in seniors. The elderly usually experience problems which are common to even the young and also those stressors which particularly occur to the seniors. Reduced mobility, frailty, chronic pain and several other health issues mark old age. The seniors are more vulnerable to experiencing events like a sudden drop in their socio-economic position due to their retirement or bereavement due to loneliness. Such life stressors lead to isolation and physical distress for which they might need long-term care from their family members.

We all know that there is a strong link between mental health and physical health. The older people who have heart conditions are more susceptible to mental decline and depression as compared to those that are healthy. Undiagnosed and unattended depression in a senior who also has heart issues can have a serious negative consequence in the near future.

Apart from these physical and mental conditions, one more things that the seniors are subject to is elderly abuse which includes verbal, physical, sexual, financial and psychological which rises from constant neglect, abandonment, huge losses and hurt to self-respect and dignity. There are proof of this fact that 1 among 6 elderly people can experience senior abuse which can even go to the extent of physical injuries which often lead to mental consequences like anxiety, panic attacks and depression.

The importance of maintaining consistent support systems and compassionate oversight cannot be overstated, as it plays a crucial role in enabling seniors to recover from trauma and retain independence through access to personal care services tailored to their emotional and physical needs. Ensuring these services are accessible helps reduce long-term harm and improve overall well-being among the elderly.

It’s the correct decision to seek outside help when the work becomes overwhelming due to medical complexities, emotional stress, or time constraints. Qualified experts who get paid to be a caregiver know every nuance of senior care, from managing medication schedules to providing companionship and emotional support. Their training allows them to adapt care plans as needs evolve, ensuring a higher quality of life. This dependable support can make all the difference for both seniors and their families.

Public health issues – Depression and Dementia

DEPRESSION

This is a mental health disorder which can cause huge amount of suffering as it can impair the way you have been functioning your life. Among the general senior population, unipolar depression happens to 7% of them and this disease accounts or 6% of the YLDs among the seniors. In primary care settings, depression is something which is mostly left undertreated and underdiagnosed. Symptoms are most often untreated as they seem similar to the normal process of aging. Depression also leads to poor overall health and hence you have to utilize various effective health care services in order to cure it as early as possible.

DEMENTIA

Dementia is not a disease but it is a syndrome which is of progressive and chronic nature where there’s deterioration of memory, behavior, thinking ability and ability to perform daily activities. This mainly occurs among the elderly people and its symptoms are often confused with that of aging. In Australia, there are several dementia caring Sydney professionals who offer day care services for the patients who aren’t able to perform their daily tasks on their own. More than 50 million people all over the world are living with dementia and it has been projected that the total number of people living with dementia would soar up to 84 million by 2030 and 155 million by 2050.

Geriatric Psychology – What it is and how it helps deal with mental disorders

Andy recently celebrated her 90^th birthday but rather than being happy, she began to feel depressed about it. As she gave a retrospective glance to her life, she saw her husband leaving her 10 years ago, she lost her hearing and her son shifted her to a nursing home. From the time Andy was shifted to a nursing, she started feeling eerie and anxious all the time. According to her, the nurses keep buzzing all around her and this scares her. What is the reason behind such an unusual feeling?

Well, we can’t deny that aging comes with a whole new set of problems. While most people think of the common issues like loss of fitness, lack of flexibility and being more vulnerable to diseases, there’s more to it. There are also several psychological issues which start occuring as people age. This is where geriatric psychology comes in as it takes of the mental health issues which occur among people who are above the age of 65.

Just as Andy, there are many other patients who find themselves to be anxious and depressed all the time. Moreover, there are other issues like substance abuse and psychosis. Read on to know more on geriatric psychology, also known as geropsychology.

Geropsychology – What is it?

Psychology is a study of behavior and mind. Psychology is unique and therefore there are several types of roles of a psychologist – an educator, a researcher, policy advocate and a licensed health care provider. Psychologists are trained professionals and they have to complete 7 years of training and education after their undergraduate degree.

Geropsychology is a field with psychology which deals with the study of senior mind and providing clinical services to the aged people. Geropsychologists are researchers and they spread their knowledge of the normal process of aging and test several psychological interventions which can help in dealing with the problems that are common with old age. Geropsychologists help the seniors as well as their families to improve their mental and physical well-being and help them achieve their maximum potential during their golden years.

A surge in demand for psychological services for the seniors

There is a surging demand for more and more mental health professionals who have expertise and experience in dealing with senior care. This soaring demand is mainly due to the growing senior population all over the globe. It is expected that there will be a hike in demand for services catering to mental health and this is specifically going to increase among the middle-aged people.
According to latest researches, it is seen that a wide variety of older adults wish to receive proper treatment in case they developed clinical depression. If you give a choice to the seniors to find out a cure for depression, they will often opt for anti-depressant medicines. On the other hand, the elderly adults claim to feel more comfortable when they receive services from expert professionals.
There are also researches which reveal the fact that there are 2/3rds of the elderly population who suffer from some kind of mental health disorder but they do not receive proper treatment. This is an issue which is more acute among the underserved and rural groups, especially those who live under poverty level.

Are there any policy recommendations to facilitate the state of mental health care?

There are policies which improve opportunities for better professional courses in the psychology of aging seniors at both the postdoctoral and doctoral levels of medication education. These will probably address the multiplying concerns of the older adults who are in dire need of mental health services.
There should be an increase in the initial diagnosing and treatment of mental health problems among the seniors through different provision of services in different areas where seniors are frequent visitors. Some such areas might be senior centers, primary care settings, libraries, residential settings and other community sites.
Improve basic behavioral research at the National Institute of Mental Health and at the National Institute of Aging. There has to be a boost in funding for research training and for the dissemination of psychological treatment based on evidence.
There are policy guidelines which support legislation to double the access to the best mental health services for the seniors. There are more than one impediment to such treatments like the monetary costs, dearth of balance between mental health services and reimbursement of health, improper diagnosis of mental health diseases among seniors, lack of enough programs which solely focus on senior mental disorders, transportation issues and the social stigma attached to it.
Better coordination of physical and mental health care has to be promoted. Due to the complex interplay of mental and physical health problems among the older adults, there is a need of interdisciplinary care for being able to offer optimal care.
Enhanced funding through Older Americans Act, Medicaid and Community Mental Health Services Block Grant to improve access to supportive services which are designed to meet the needs of the seniors.

Interventions to make the lives of seniors comfortable

If there isn’t fast recognition of the diseases, whether neurological or mental or substance use disorders, things can get worse among the seniors. This is why medicines as well as psychological interventions are necessary. Though there are still no medicines invented which can cure dementia, yet with the right kind of support, it is at least possible to enhance the lives of people who are suffering from dementia. Here are few psychological interventions that can help:

Diagnosing the disease too early so that it promotes optimal management
Recognizing and treating the physical issues which arise due to mental disorders
Improving mental as well as physical health, well-being and functional ability
Identifying and tackling challenging behavioral changes
Offering long-term support to the caregivers

How to promote proper mental health care within the community

In order to promote the health of seniors, social care and good general health is vital. You have to prevent all sorts of illnesses and also keep chronic diseases at bay. Therefore it is imperative that you impart proper training to the health providers who are working directly with such disorders and issues. It is also vital to focus on long-term care of seniors who are suffering from mental health disorders.

Do you find any possibility of imagining a dementia-free world? Since there is no cure to this neurodegenerative disorder, it is tough to envision a world sans dementia but it is definitely possible to spread awareness and halt the progression of this disease.

Banana leaves replace plastic packaging in Asian markets

Food

Faisal O'Keefe

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June 2, 2019

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Banana leaves replace plastic packaging in Asian markets

A Thai supermarket in Chiangmai has devised a brilliant alternative to plastic produce packaging, turning to natural banana leaves and raffia to bundle vegetables. Shoppers immediately responded, posting pictures of the aesthetically pleasing and sustainable wrappers on social media.

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Lebanese monkey escapes across border, drives Israelis bananas!

Animals

Faisal O'Keefe

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June 2, 2019

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Lebanese monkey escapes across border, drives Israelis bananas!

A frisky little monkey has been spotted in northern Israel after apparently crossing the heavily militarized Lebanese /Israeli border. According to a local Lebanese news report, the monkey had escaped from the farm of French nun in the Qouzah village in Bint Jbeil. The apostate primate has since been spotted in several locations across northern Israel.

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Costa Coffee UAE rewards eco-customers with free coffee!

Food

Faisal O'Keefe

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June 2, 2019

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Costa Coffee UAE rewards eco-customers with free coffee!

Next Wednesday, baristas at Costa Coffee will be pouring free coffee for all United Arab Emirates (UAE) customers who belly up to the coffee bar bearing personal reusable cups.The giveaway celebrates World Environment Day 2019, which falls on June 5th.

Earlier this year, the company reduced the price of all its coffee drinks by AED2 (about half a US dollar) for reusable cup-toting consumers. Since doing that, more than 20,000 customers have taken advantage of the offer, in the process diverting at least that many paper cups from UAE landfills.

Costa is now turning its attention to its straws, replacing the plastic variety with a fiber-based option that is less environmentally damaging. In partnership with Dubai International Airport (DXB), Costa has commissioned award-winning sculptor Mariska Nell to create an enormous globe, fully formed from 60,000 upcycled straws. The installation (image below) will be on display in DXB at Terminal 3 Arrivals from 31 May for passengers using the world’s busiest international airport to see, reminding them to take greater care of our planet.

“The food and drink industry is really waking up to the threat of plastic on the world’s environment and we as a company are committed to making changes to ensure a more sustainable offering,” head of marketing at Costa Coffee UAE Shemaine Jones told Time Out Dubai. “We commissioned Mariska to create the globe art installation using our old plastic straws to creatively highlight the vast use of plastic we are ridding from our stores and make travelers in the airport stop and think about their own sustainability efforts.”

Costa is also introducing napkins and cupholders made from recycled materials in all stores to help reduce paper wastage in the region. For more information on the offers and initiatives at Costa, head to the company’s Instagram page or visit their corporate website.

Renewable energies now more cost effective than oil

Energy

Green Prophet

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June 2, 2019

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Renewable power is the cheapest source of electricity in many parts of the world already today, the latest report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows. The report contributes to the international discussion on raising climate action worldwide, ahead of Abu Dhabi’s global preparatory meeting for the United Nations Climate Action Summit in September. With prices set to fall, the cost advantage of renewables will extend further, Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2018 says. This will strengthen the business case and solidify the role of renewables as the engine of the global energy transformation.

“Renewable power is the backbone of any development that aims to be sustainable”, said IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera. “We must do everything we can to accelerate renewables if we are to meet the climate objectives of the Paris Agreement. Today’s report sends a clear signal to the international community: Renewable energy provides countries with a low-cost climate solution that allows for scaling up action. To fully harness the economic opportunity of renewables, IRENA will work closely with our members and partners to facilitate on-the-ground solutions and concerted action that will result in renewable energy projects.”

The costs for renewable energy technologies decreased to a record low last year. The global weighted-average cost of electricity from concentrating solar power (CSP) declined by 26%, bioenergy by 14%, solar photovoltaics (PV) and onshore wind by 13%, hydropower by 12% and geothermal and offshore wind by 1%, respectively.

Cost reductions, particularly for solar and wind power technologies, are set to continue into the next decade, the new report finds. According to IRENA’s global database, over three-quarters of the onshore wind and four-fifths of the solar PV capacity that is due to be commissioned next year will produce power at lower prices than the cheapest new coal, oil or natural gas options. Crucially, they are set to do so without financial assistance.

Onshore wind and solar PV costs between three and four US cents per kilowatt hour are already possible in areas with good resources and enabling regulatory and institutional frameworks. For example, record-low auction prices for solar PV in Chile, Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have seen a levelised cost of electricity as low as three US cents per kilowatt hour (USD 0.03/kWh).

Electrification on the basis of cost-competitive renewables is the backbone of the energy transformation and a key low-cost decarbonisation solution in support of the climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

Creamy white malabi pudding with pistachios

Miriam Kresh

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June 2, 2019

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Malabi with pistachios via les petites pestes. Food trends come and go, but malabi, or muhallabia (in Arabic) is forever! Mouhallabia is a classic creamy stovetop milk pudding from the Middle East. It is egg-free and gelatin-free, takes a few minutes to cook and has been enjoyed across the Middle East for centuries. It is affordable and cooks in a reasonable amount of time; with easy-to-find ingredients.

Rose-flavored sweetness and a light, creamy texture that keeps you dipping your spoon back in – in Israel this pudding is called malabi.

In Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt, people call it muhallibieh. The Greeks eat it as well. And it’s only milk pudding, made in ten minutes. Sounds like a dessert for children, but all over the Middle East, you’ll see Malabi offered in restaurants and at dinner parties. In Tel Aviv and Jaffa you will now find shops called malabia, which serves a vegan or cream option for about $2.50.

Recipes vary a little. Some call for a combination of milk and cream. A vegan combination I like is half coconut milk, half water. Rice milk works very well too, but not, for some reason, soy milk.

Some people flavor their malabi with rosewater, some with orange flower water. Very old recipes call for mastic, a resin from a shrub belonging to the pistachio family.

One ancient recipe requires flavoring the pudding with two leaves of a bitter orange tree, or the flowers (click to read our almond blossom recipe).

Toppings vary too. You can top Malabi with chopped pine nuts and walnuts, or with chopped pistachios, like in the above photo. Some dust a little cinnamon over the top, or sprinkle shredded coconut and peanuts. A little syrup over everything – it can be silan – the Middle-Eastern date honey used to “sweeten” sweet potatoes – or a home-made sugar syrup flavored with lemon, maple syrup, or chocolate syrup.

Malabi

8 servings – can be halved

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

1 cup sugar

5 tablespoons cornstarch, diluted in 1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons rose water or orange flower water

4 oz. chopped nuts

Silan or other syrup

Method:

1. Put the milk and the sugar in a pan and bring the mixture to a boil.

2. Always stirring, add the cornstarch and water mixture.

3. Cook over medium heat till the pudding thickens – up to 5 minutes.

4. Add the rose water; stir.

5. Ladle into small bowls. Cool the pudding and then refrigerate it till cold.

5. Garnish the servings with chopped nuts and a swirl of syrup.

Bon appetit!

More Middle-Eastern recipes from Green Prophet:

Run in sprints – for your heart and perfect body, new research confirms it

Health

Karin Kloosterman

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May 31, 2019

0

reformation bathing suit — Want a summer body and the fastest way to lose weight? Run in sprints, according to new study

If your knees are still young and your mind willing, running is by far the best way to keep your heart and bones strong. It’s by far the easiest way to lose weight but you need to be committed. Recent studies show that swimming and cycling may have very little positive effect against osteoporosis (and can even be putting your bones at risk). And as we learn in grade school, it’s never too young to start keeping your bones strong.

I started running 2 years ago, I admit, to lose weight I had been gaining from childbirth. Not the actual birthing but after I stopped nursing. I started running on a trip to Costa Rica. Not a fan of gyms, driving or working very hard to exercise, running seemed like the least hassling option for looking better. Side benefits I now see are plenty… I eat better as I crave less fatty foods, I feel better as the positive hormones cycle through my body, and people respond to me more favorably creating lots of positive feedback loops. I had been feeling so good about myself that one year after running I started combining it with Iyengar yoga to lengthen the muscle mass I had started to build.

When I started running I only took cues from my body. As I was already in my 40s yet was quite active as a teen and young adult in my 20s, I had some muscle memory and some basic skills that carried through with me. When I first started running I decided that I would run for 3 miles (about 5 kilometers) and do it every other day. My step-son told me that it’s good for the body to have a day off to burn fat.

So I started out. From the outset I decided that I would never stop running. Even if I was going slower than the walkers. I wanted to keep my hips and leg muscles engaged in the running position and I wanted to improve with every run, even if it was just a tiny bit. If I was sick and needed to take a day or two off, I would return to the run a bit slower than my last run. This way I was never discouraged.

I did two other important things: I told myself that I can’t quit. That not running 3 days a week for myself would be like not giving my kids breakfast in the morning or taking the dog out for a walk.

Somehow among all my friends with “great tips” from speed-walking yoga gurus to crossfit enthusiasts, I decided to go with my intuition. In order to advance in my running and improve my heart health and overall effect I would sprint 3 times during my 3 mile run. I normally started the sprinting sessions, about 150 yards at a time, after I had run halfway or even two thirds of the way in. I would start sprinting only at the time when I felt my heart rate was stable (I could feel it inside me, I don’t wear a monitor); and during the sprint I would run as fast as I can.

Being a little competitive I sometimes like to sprint past the people who try to run ahead of me. Lucky for me I live on the Mediterranean Sea so have a lovely wind and backdrop for my sport. Hopefully you too can find a forest or a cool path that makes you happy to run through. One of my rules: never change the route. This way my mind can’t play tricks on me to shorten the route. Also I know what to expect most of the time — although today I saw a colt taking a bath in the sea — did not expect that!

The results of my two year running combined with yoga have been exceptional and it really does boil down to what you do and what you eat. If you run and do piles of yoga but then eat meals of junk food, soda and processed food, well it might not give you the effect you want. That said I do eat whatever I want but cravings for sweets and fried foods and meat have tapered off.

Read more: the 10 best marathons in the Middle East

To my chagrin and not surprise a new study on running looks at the approach I have taken and it confirmed my intuition.

In a new observational study that looked at more than 70 scientific papers, the results were in line with what my body had told me. Compared to high intensity training (HIIT) like working out at the gym, taking it in stride with sprinting (SIT) is the key to losing weight.

“The data shows that sprint interval training led to a 39.95% higher reduction in body fat percentage than HIIT. Additionally, SIT participants exercised for 60.84% less time than HII.”

All Findings:

Sprint interval training (SIT) vs High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
SIT resulted in a 39.59% higher reduction in body fat percentage than HIIT.
SIT significantly outperformed HIIT in Body Fat Percentage (BF%) reduction while requiring 60.84% less time spent exercising than HIIT.
SIT participants spent 81.46% less time sprinting in comparison to time spent doing high-intensity intervals of HIIT.
On average, SIT conducted 10% fewer workouts per week and these workouts were 44% shorter in comparison to HIIT.
During these workouts, the SIT group did 4.68% fewer sprints than the HIIT participants did their high-intensity intervals.
These sprints were 85.64% shorter in duration than the high-intensity intervals of the HIIT group.
Sprint interval training vs Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT)
SIT resulted in a 91.83% higher reduction in body fat percentage than MICT.
SIT significantly outperformed MICT in Body Fat Percentage (BF%) reduction while requiring 71.17% less time spent exercising.
SIT participants conducted 15.54% fewer workouts every week on average compared to MICT.
These workouts for SIT were 60.12% shorter than MICT workouts.

For those that want to try it know that sprint interval training requires intense bursts of energy, where you give it your all, but you have long rests in between (in my case jogging at a slow pace) so it makes it super easy to achieve the desired effects without a lot of time or effort. The key here is just committing to it. Once you have the game plan, stop wasting hours and hours at the gym. You are telling yourself lies and spending money for no reason.

Your time can be spent doing so many other things, like hanging out with your friends or making a healthy home-cooked meal at home for your kids.

Reformation swimsuits for pin-up models and a saint

Fashion

Karin Kloosterman

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May 30, 2019

0

So it’s summertime again. That means swimwear. When was the last time you found the perfect bathing suit? On a trip to Rome maybe in 2010 when you found that perfect bikini? Ordering on the Internet or going to some bland and somewhat vulgar shop like Bikini Bay fills me with dread; I tried both at some point in my life.

Then I stumbled upon Reformation and took the chance. Above is the first thing I ordered, the Tropicana One Piece. I am not being paid to write about the company or review them. I really just think that this is a company more women need to support. Especially ones like us who want to move this planet forward with basic values that every product we buy should carry. Reformation uses regenerated materials or dead stock to create a stunning line of dresses, pants, shirts, shoes and bathing suits.

In their swimwear, Reformation uses a sustainable product called Econyl, a regenerated nylon fiber made from waste such as fishing nets from the oceans and other waste from landfills. That makes me happy. But above their adorable packaging (this is a vegetable) and social media messaging (these are our new shoes what you do with them is your business), and eco-values and tips on how to clean your clothes to minimize microfibres, they make really good clothes that feel like they will last.

reformation bathing swimming suit — *Not me, but a very cute model showing off the 50s era Reformation bathing suit. Fit for a pinup girl, or you.*

The bathing suit has the feeling of something durable, like my grandmother’s bathing suits from the ’70s (or was it the ’60s?) and the lining is sturdy. Nothing flimsy there, except maybe for the tie-on part in the front that I need to adjust every once and a while.

Sizing was done with their online charts and with my husband’s tape measure I managed to figure out my figure. Order was placed online and arrived within a week via courier. Sent to Canada we did have to pay import fees and shipping but overall the pricetag (about $180 US after everything) is what I would pay for a decent bathing suit anywhere.

As I am active advocate of buying few things, but good things that you can keep forever or a long time, I am holding myself back from buying another Reformation bathing suit, but if the temptation overcomes me I will be doing it in good conscience.

Three cheers to this company that makes sustainable fashion affordable, sexy, in good quality and in good faith.

Sodastream to build Gaza factory for “peace”

Maurice Picow

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May 30, 2019

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Sodastream to build Gaza factory for “peace”

Sodastream, the Israeli company manufacturing devices producing soda gas beverages in reusable bottles (which sold to Pepsi Co for 3 billion last December), has been on a continuing upswing since featuring actress Scarlett Johansson to be its anti-BDS advertising queen in 2014.

Since then, the company has been a rising star in Israel’s manufacturing community, as well as being a friend of the environment and an advocate of peaceful co-existence between peoples.

Sodastream manufactures devices producing CO2 gas beverages in reusable bottles. The company’s new plant in the Bedouin town of Rahat, outside of Beersheba hires a diversified workforce of 2,000 including Israeli Arabs, Jews, Druize and Palestinians.

Following the company’s purchase last year by Pepsi Cola for $3.2 Billion, company CEO Danny Birnbaum gave a bonus of NIS 18,000 ($5,000) to all Sodastream employees who had been working at the company for at least one year.

The plant in Rahat has 84 specialized injection machines to assemble and fill its unique sparkling water devices. Since the plastic bottles used can be refilled over and over again, the environmental benefits are enormous as this results in less disposable bottles being sent to trash dumps or finding their way out to sea.

(Israel is the world’s largest user per capita of one-time use plastics – Andreas Weil, EcoOcean)

SodaStream’s fortunes since inception have been a long roller coaster process with the company sometimes on the verge of bankruptcy due to economic and political concerns (the company was once located in the West Bank, near Jerusalem).

Birnbaum’s feelings pertaining to peaceful co-existence and equal opportunities can be partially attributed to his father, Rabbi Erwin Birnbaum, a Holocaust survivor and partisan fighter who brought his family to Israel in the late 1970’s after serving as a Conservative Rabbi in the USA for many years.

Rabbi Birnbaum has long advocated peaceful co-existence between peoples in the region and elsewhere; an attitude that has certainly influenced his son Danny in his position as CEO of SodaStream.

When interviewed on Israel’s Channel 12 in Israel we caught Birnbaum saying: “this is one of the best ways to promote peace by giving people in Gaza more economic opportunity. We don’t talk politics here; we only talk peace. Birnbaum recently took 30 journalists from all over the world on a media tour of the SodaStream plant in Rahat.

Joint manufacturing projects between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza have been tried in the past; with less than satisfactory results. Birnbaum hopes to change this with establishing the new plant in a “peace zone” between Israel and Gaza.

“This project is for the benefit of everyone, including my own family. I have two sons in the army now and don’t want them or any other Israelis to have to be living in Gaza,” says Birnbaum.

Read more on SodaStream and issues regarding disposable plastic wastes:

Throwaway plastics and ignorance are killing our oceans

Sodastream’s stock rises as Scarlet Johansson’s banned ad sizzles

Watergen pulls water from air for orphanage in Uzbekistan

Tech

Green Prophet

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May 30, 2019

0

Watergen, an Israel-based innovative company that creates clean water out of air is now providing a source of freshwater for over 120 children living in an orphanage in Uzbekistan’s city of Bukhara. We covered the company in 2015 and they are doing well!

The technology comes in the form of an atmospheric water generator known as the “GEN-350,” which can produce up to 900 liters of water per day. A popular tourist destination but also associated with arid weather conditions, Bukhara has recently been experiencing serious water shortages. Earlier this month, water supply was even disrupted for almost two days. The entire city of Bukhara was left without drinking water including several busy hotels. Since the local underground water is unusable, fresh water is currently supplied to Bukhara from the city of Samarkand, almost 300 km away.

With a weight of just 800 kilograms, the GEN-350 is transportable and can be installed easily. Each unit contains an internal water treatment system and need no infrastructure except a source of electricity in order to operate. The GEN-350 was installed at the orphanage as part of a test pilot, estimated to run for about two months, in order to demonstrate the generators unique capabilities to produce hundreds of liters of clean, safe-drinking water in the arid environment of Bukhara.

Attending the inauguration ceremony of the GEN-350 were senior political leaders in Uzbekistan including First Deputy Prime Minister, Achilbay Ramatov; Prosecutor General, Otabek Murodov; Governor of the Bukhara region, Uktam Barnoev; and Mayor of Bukhara, Karim Kamolov. All signs show that the pilot has gotten off to a great start. Watergen’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Michael Rutman, who was present at the ceremony said: “I’m very pleased with the results of the GEN-350. The children were very excited to drink the high quality water from the GEN-350.”

Watergen’s president, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili added: “Uzbekistan’s water utility company was thrilled with our water from air solution and requested to run pilots in several other regions of Uzbekistan. Although there is only 20% humidity in the air of Bukhara, the GEN-350 was still able to generate hundreds of liters of high-quality drinking water.”

Dr. Mirilashvili is also the visionary behind Watergen’s goal to provide clean, safe-drinking water to every human around the world. Watergen’s efforts to make fresh, pure water available around the globe earned the company its place on the World Economic Forum’s list of the world’s top technology pioneers in 2018.

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