Umbrella sales in the UAE may soon see a surge in pricing. Researchers at the Masdar Institute have filed for a provisional patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for their discovery – and innovative cloud seeding material that moves them closer to their goal of producing rain on demand. It appears to be a more practical approach than building artificial mountains.
Masdar nanotech promises to bring on the rain!
Build your next home with dirt (and a robot!)
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a mobile robotic system that can build a dome-like habitat in half a day. It’s a new spin on 3D printing that could revolutionize homebuilding, allowing for faster, cheaper and more adaptable construction compared to traditional building methods.
Will U.S. leaving Paris Climate Agreement adversely affect the Middle East?
Concern for our planet due to human caused climate change is definitely not a new subject. Even deceased arch terriorist Osama bin Ladin blamed the U.S. for causing climate change; saying that Arab countries are getting drier due to this. Climate change is also being attributed for rapidly melting Arctic ice caps that are literally rocking world weather patterns.
In light of this, many people, including renown climatologists, are more concerned for the future of our plant following U.S. President Trump’s decision on June 1, 2017 to pull America out of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, saying: “I was elected to represent the citizens of
Pittsburgh, not Paris.”
After signing the Paris Agreement in the summer of 2016, the new US administration has now given a formal rejection to an agreement, signed by over 190 countries, to make a concerted effort to try to prevent world temperatures from rising more than 3.3 degrees during the current century. Without this agreement, temperatures could rise more than 3.6 degrees, if not more, causing dramatic changes in world weather patterns.
Without America’s leadership, the future of the Paris Climate Agreement and the global environment itself could be put in jeopardy; resulting in more severe storms and mass flooding in some areas and severe drought conditions in other regions.
Severe drought is being felt more and more in North Africa and the Middle East, where plentiful fresh water supplies have never been available.The Arabian Peninsula, in particular, is currently in the midst of one of the worst drought situations ever experienced in modern times, This situation is forcing many area countries to resort to obtaining fresh water through desalination; and even to consider schemes to actually drag icebergs from Antarctica to provide fresh water.
Despite these dire implications, the American administration has decided to pull out of the only international climate accord agreement that has been ratified by more countries than any other climate agreement to date. North African and Middle Eastern countries and territories that have ratified the agreement include Israel, Jordan, Morocco, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Palestine. Many others, including Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Libya, Sudan and Yemen have signed but not yet ratified it.
Syria is still one of major holdouts, having not signed nor ratified the agreement. Many of these countries already feel the impact of global warming and climate change, with severe water shortages and intensive summer temperatures.
US President Trump’s reasons for leaving the Paris Agreement center around feelings that the agreement is “unfair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people, and its taxpayers”.
Unfair? What is considered to be unfair when the future environment of the planet is at state? This pertains particularly to the harsh reality of the climate of the Middle East.
Read more about climate change and global warming:
Arctic ice melt is rocking world weather
“Before the Flood” now streaming, and you thought Halloween was scary
CNN: The Sixth Mass Global Extinction has arrived
Photo of Drought in Morocco by Geographical News
Photo of US President Trump pulling out of Paris Climate Agreement, by Foreign Policy
The top 6 greenest cities in America
All humans are now having to accept that they have a responsibility to protect the planet, and with a number of different implementations to help aid the battle against climate change, we’re taking a look at one of the most populous countries, America, and how they are staying green. Here, we’re listing the top 6 greenest cities in America, and if you want to visit one of them, make sure that you have your USA ESTA before you travel in order to ensure the process is as smooth as possible. Without further ado, here’s the top 6 greenest cities in America.
Portland, OR
Portland is already famous for its rose garden, and with a number of colourful parks, plenty of mass transit options and plenty of sustainable eating options to consider in the city, it takes one of the top spots as a green city in America. There are Bike Bars, electricity-producing exercycles and locally-made clothing being some of the most popular parts of the city, helping Portland to make its name as a top green city in America.
Minneapolis/St Paul
With a huge number of bike sharing schemes around the city, some number 1 green spaces and an entire shopping centre that uses solar power as opposed to a central heating system, there’s plenty of thumbs ups going to Minneapolis for their green policies. They even have LEED-certified Target Field which collects millions of gallons of rainwater and snowmelt every year.
Charleston
Charleston is known for its old-fashioned qualities and with this comes some extra eco-friendly tendencies. With antique stores that love reusing items and restaurants that love local ingredients it’s easy to see why Charleston ranks so highly on this list. In addition to this, Charleston is known for its excellent walkability options across all of the different aspects of the city (such as the museums), and with a number of walking tours to enjoy across the city, Charleston is the perfect green destination to visit or even to live.
Kansas City
With a new public streetcar introduced in 2016, its mass transit ratings are excellent. In addition to this, the city is extra special when it comes to flea markets and BBQ joints which run on locally raised livestock. In addition to this, Kansas City is also excellent when it comes to its wastage.
Honolulu, HI
An interesting addition to this list is the green paradise of Honolulu. Boasting one of 2016’s lowest greenhouse-gas emissions per capita and one of the highest percentages of green space in the whole of America, it’s no surprise to see it make the list.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a surprising addition to this, as for many, they think of San Francisco to be a bustling city. However, San Francisco boasts one of the lowest percentages of people who drive in the whole of America and has one of the highest bikers’ scores. Interestingly, San Francisco also has one of the largest numbers of farmers markets per capita, making it an ideal green place to visit in America.
The Mediterranean diet is officially awesome and heart smart
For years empirical evidence has suggested that the Mediterranean diet, which includes a lot of fish, nuts, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, is superior to others, but it has been exceptionally difficult to prove the relationship between food and diet given that so many other factors can influence a person’s health. Plus, let’s face it: how disciplined are any of us when it comes to food?
So professor of medicine Dr. Ramon Estruch and other researchers from the University of Barcelona traveled the globe to determine whether diet alone can be used to treat people who are at high risk of heart disease and then came up with a fail-proof method to test that hypothesis, the New York Times reports.
After consulting with professionals from around the globe, the researchers rounded up 7,447 people from Spain that exhibited all of the risk factors associated with heart disease, including smoking and excess weight, and split them into three control groups.
One of these was instructed to follow a low fat diet, while the other two groups were encouraged to consume stipulated quantities of olive oil or nuts; drinkers were even encouraged to drink seven glasses of wine each week.
After five years the study concluded early because of overwhelming evidence that a Mediterranean diet reduces risk of heart disease by 30 percent, according to NYT.
Rachel Johnson, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, told the paper that she thought the study was very impressive.
“And the really important thing — the coolest thing — is that they used very meaningful endpoints. They did not look at risk factors like cholesterol or hypertension or weight. They looked at heart attacks and strokes and death. At the end of the day, that is what really matters,” she said.
Even though no weight loss occurred as a result of the new diet, which eliminated processed, sugary foods while permitting high calorie nuts and oils, participants of the study experienced a dramatic increase in health and in a shorter amount of time than Dr. Estruch expected. He said he was surprised.
Results of the study were recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine and some researchers have since expressed doubt of their merits. Doctors who advocate for vegan diets, for example, claim that the “awful control diet” of toxic junk food actually caused some of the participants to die of stroke or heart attack.
The researchers did admit that more research must be done to determine whether the diet would be effective for people who are at low risk of disease.
Other diets that complement the Med diet featured on websites like https://www.tasteaholics.com, includes the keto diet. The keto or ketogenic diet is a high-fat, protein and low carb diet that is used by nutritionists and doctors to force the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates.
Olive oil, anyone? Here are 10 weird and wonderful uses.
Three simple ways to lead a greener student lifestyle
Most people today know what it means to go green, but when you’re a busy college student with a packed schedule, finding the time to switch to a greener and more environmentally friendly lifestyle might seem impossible. However, the good news is that there are several small changes that you can make in your daily life that takes little time or effort, whilst helping to reduce your carbon footprint and even saving some money in the process. You’ll be glad to hear that as a student, adopting a greener and eco-friendlier approach to your lifestyle doesn’t have to be time-consuming or require a lot of hard work. Here are some simple changes that you can make today to be a greener student.
#1. Take Electronic Notes
Today, the world is going digital and students are no stranger to the concept of digital. In fact, if you are studying remotely for an online masters in public administration, then you’ve probably found that taking paper notes is not necessary since you will have all the information that you need online. If you attend classes on campus, then it’s likely that you will be allowed to take your laptop or tablet along for taking notes, rather than using a notepad. Not only will this help you to be eco-friendlier by saving paper, it will also be kinder to your wallet since you won’t be buying notepads and flashcards.
#2. Recycle
Getting into the habit of recycling whilst you are at college can set you up with a good habit for life. No matter what kind of products you are using, it’s important to always be mindful about what can be re-used, and the trash that you can save from being put into a landfill. Paper and cardboard, plastic bottles, tins, cans, and food waste can all be recycled and re-used in various ways. At home, it’s a good idea to use a few different trash cans, so that you can easily separate your recyclable and non-recyclable waste without having to put any more effort in than usual. Don’t forget about the things that you can recycle yourself, either, such as taking old bags back to the grocery store to use again, or refilling your water bottles.
#3. Unplug
If you’re studying from home for your online MPA program, then you might find that you’re using more power than usual by keeping the light on when needed, or charging your gadgets all day so that you are able to work. However, the good news is that even busy remote students can find ways to easily reduce the amount of power that they use, without it cutting into their valuable time. For example, it’s a great idea to invest in a surge protector for your electronic gadgets; this will enable them to charge when needed using the minimum amount of power needed and you can simply flip the switch when you leave the room to turn them off. In addition, you can use energy saving lightbulbs and appliances around the home to keep your energy use to a minimum without even having to think about it.
Did these tips help? Let us know in the comments.
Important factors to consider before starting a green business
Would you like to start your own green business? As more people look for more eco-friendly products and services to buy, the popularity of green companies continues to increase. However, like any business venture, you need to approach the formation of this type of company in a prudent and professional manner. Once you have addressed each of the factors below, you will be in a much stronger position to start and build a green company that will be successful for many years to come.
Improve Your Business and Financial Skills
If this is your first time starting a business, you need to learn quickly how business works and understand how the finances of your new company will need to be handled. This is a learning process that takes time and you can start this process by enrolling in one of the many online masters in accounting programs that are currently available. Once you have a qualification like an online MSA degree, you will be in a much better position and you will be able to handle all aspects of your business with much more professionalism.
Demand for Your Product or Service
Having an idea for a green business is only the first step on the road to creating a successful green business. At the end of the day, it’s not what you think will work that matters. Instead, it’s what your potential market wants that matters.
To find out this important information, you need to carry out the proper market research. The findings of this research will tell you whether or not there is a demand for the products or services that you intend to offer your customers and shoppers.
If there is very little demand for your green products or services, you need to take a different approach and focus on another business idea. This may be a hard pill to swallow, but you will be saving a lot of time, money, and energy finding out this information. On the other hand, if your business idea is a viable option, you can start your business with much more confidence.
The Type of Green Business You Wish to Start
The type of business you set up is crucial and it will determine how you work and how you reach your customers. Some green businesses can only service a local market such as recycling businesses and perishable organic food companies, while other green businesses are in a position to reach a national or international audience. Once you know what type of business you will be building, you can put in place the systems, staff, and other elements of a business that need to be put in place before you can start trading.
Starting a green business has the potential to give you the opportunity to have a lot more freedom, to increase your income, and allow you to do your bit for the environment. However, it’s not all plain sailing in the beginning and you need to understand and address each of the points above before you make this life-changing decision.
Dating goes curvaceous. Meet big, beautiful people on WooPlus
Look to the Middle East and we see glorious options for courtship. The original “Tinder” for the region started with JDate and then a pile of religion specific sites started cropping up for Jews, Muslims and Christians or unaffiliated. There is even a new online dating website run out of the super conservative Gaza Strip to help women and men find marriage. We’ve reported on dating sites for vegans, and treehuggers, which can help you whittle down your options to your right style and ethic.
Thankfully, the Middle East body type, usually curvaceous and medium to larger builds with bosom and bottoms, is embraced by both men and the women that own these bodies. But what happens to the fuller plus-sized women and men who want to find love and the right attention? Tired of swiping past skinny people till you find a body type that will match yours? Or seeking out cuddly bears bods and bosomy babes? A new Tinder dating site for full women and men who like full women, has just launched. It’s called WooPlus and it’s all about curvy power as sexy, sensual and strong.
Since the 90s we’ve been confronted by the waif-like models you want to feed, and the androgynous male type, slender like a boy. This has pervaded our society as the ideal. While it’s mindful and healthy to stay fit and within your body range and BMI, you can’t fight genetics and you shouldn’t.
In fact if you look to cultures of ancient Mesopotamia for instance, the women with the large hips and legs were most desirable, because this extra padding and size was a clear sign of healthy child-bearing status. Middle Eastern women in particular tend to be fuller in all directions.
While we don’t suggest you go and bulk up to join a dating website, WooPlus is definitely comforting and a safe place for people who don’t fit the media’s image of how you should look. We should all find love, and let’s face, even the skinny people start to gain weight once they find love and marriage because being fuller means you are willing and ready to take space in this world and to go with your instincts, not suppress them. Gaining weight can also mean comfort and happiness. Again, eating healthy plant-based foods is the best way to stay healthy, and this is always something we will advocate.
Follow WooPlus on the Internet in many ways. In fact they are having an event called #CurvyPower to celebrate the freedom from body stereotypes. To find the girls and your guys with the shapes in the right places, visit WooPlus’s ongoing discussion with #curvypower on Instagram, or install the WooPlus app through the App Store or Google Play.
Want to woo with the pluses? Find the app on the App Store and Google Play
3 tips to choosing a smarter smart phone
The best is to buy second hand of course, but if you plan to buy a smartphone in the near future, it’s a purchase you’re always going to keep with you, hopefully for a long time. It’s a great investment because it allows you to access your favorite social media sites like Twitter and Facebook while on the go, you can read your email messages from anywhere, you can use it to take photos, play your favorite video games, or even binge on “green” Netflix TV shows and movies from wherever you are. We don’t need to tell you why you need one.
Buying the right smartphone is incredibly important. If you pick the wrong option, you’ll have spent hundreds of dollars on a piece of technological equipment that doesn’t meet your needs. So to get it right, please use the tips we’re about to share with you to make it easy to choose the best smartphone to meet your needs.
1. Which Operating System Should You Choose?
Some people swear up and down that iOS from Apple is the best operating system on the planet. Others will tell you that android takes the cake. It really comes down to your specific needs, the amount of money you’re willing to spend, and other considerations when choosing an operating system.
We highly recommend choosing an Android phone if affordability is your main criteria. Buying a brand-new iPhone is expensive and can literally cost you anywhere from $500-$800 whenever they release a new iteration. Android phones are much cheaper, and you can get a high quality option for as little as $99, although you’ll probably end up spending more like most people.
You should consider getting an iPhone if you absolutely love Apple products, want access to the hottest applications, and desire a phone that’s relatively easy to use. Now we’re not trying to tell you Android phones are difficult to understand, but Apple has done a good job of putting together a phone that’s simple to operate.
2. Do Not Overpay for Your Phone Just to Get the Latest Model
Some people feel the need to immediately run out and pay top dollar for the latest model phone of their choosing. Or some people feel they have to buy the biggest screen, or the phone with the most memory, or the phone with the best camera. It’s certainly nice to have these options, but you do not necessarily need to spend top dollar just to have the biggest and best bells and whistles.
Remember, your phone is going to be outdated in no time at all. They’ll be a newer, hotter camera in about a year from now. They’ll be phones with much greater memory capacity, better battery capacity, and a newer, slicker operating system. So there’s no point spending a small fortune on a phone that’s going to be outdated in a little while anyway. Always keep that in mind if money is a factor when choosing a smartphone to meet your needs.
3. Give Yourself Enough Storage Space but Don’t Necessarily Go Overboard
The more storage space available on your phone, the more your phone is going to cost. If you’re the kind of person that watches lots of videos on your phone on a daily basis, you’re going to need lots of storage space. But if this isn’t something you do or even care about, then why pay extra for the additional storage you’ll never use?
We feel 32GB is plenty of storage space to take pictures, save music files, and even record the occasional video. And if you buy a phone with expandable memory in the form of a microSD card slot, you could upgrade your storage capacity at any time.
According to Cellistan.com, a website offering the best mobile price in Pakistan, always choose a phone with enough storage space but try to avoid paying for extra.
4. Do Not Overpay for Your Phone Just to Get the Latest Model
Be smart and savvy, use vouchers from all sorts of discount stores like Bydiscountcodes to save on your purchase. This way you can save money for the more important things in life: books, maple syrup and a hammock for lying in wonder among the trees.
Conclusion
Please use these three tips to choose the perfect smartphone to meet your needs.
Green Investing? A Short Guideline to Elder’s Momentum Strategy: Rules and Benefits
If you are a trader, you will be interested to know more about Elder’s Momentum trading strategy, available on many trading platforms.
Artist creates gorgeous patterned textiles from rain
America has quit the Paris climate agreement and today’s newsfeeds are bloated with global reaction. Shell Oil CEO Ben van Beurden joined green industrialists Elon Musk and Richard Branson in denouncing Trump’s action. The Vatican lobbed a complaint, saying, “”Saying that we need to rely on coal and oil is like saying that the earth is not round.” It’s surreal, and scary. Let’s take momentary refuge in some natural beauty created by some of the weather we’re about to see more of.
Can the Green Party make a difference?
The UK is facing a general election on June 8th this year. Where does the Green Party fit into proceedings? What are the odds on the Green Party gaining any seats in Parliament; online bookmakers, Sportingbet will be keeping up with any waves in popularity now that the manifestos are all ‘out in the open’.
The ‘Green’ manifesto pledges to create more jobs by rebuilding public services, abolishing zero- hours contracts and ensuring that no-one works for less than a living wage. The democratic right to vote on whatever deal is negotiated for Britain’s departure from the European Union “should be provided through a ratification referendum that includes an option to reject the deal and remain in the EU”. It seems that the Green Party believes in the freedom of movement and the principles and regulations which protect human health, animal welfare and workers’ rights.
They also pledge that urgent measures would be introduced to tackle climate change, replace fracking, coal power and subsidies to fossil fuels with investment in jobs-rich renewable energy technology. To invest in warm homes for all and an industrial strategy to build resilient national and local economies. The proposed introduction of a new Environmental Protection Act would aim to safeguard and enhance the right to a safe environment, and a new Clean Air act would also be created.
With the current decline of the NHS service, the Green Party propose to roll back privatisation so that all health and dental services are always publicly owned and provided free. They believe that spending on mental health should be brought in line with spending on physical well-being.
Improvements to education would include increasing the number of Academies and Free Schools and reducing class sizes, whilst scrapping university tuition fees, funding full student grants and providing free local public transport for all young people, students and those with disabilities. Introducing political education and reducing the voting age to 16 would of “give young people a voice”.
Looking at the environment, they aim to tackle the impact of transport on climate change and public health by cancelling airport expansions and ending airline fuel subsidies as well as increasing incentives to take diesel cars off the road. Returning the railways to public ownership and investing in regional rail links would replace HS2 and other major roads programmes and housing changes would include rent control and mandatory licensing for landlords whilst building more affordable and socially rented homes and the promise to reinstate housing benefits for the under 21st.
Replacing Trident nuclear weapons system would, according to the Party, “save at least £100 billion over the next 30 years” and they will introduce a foreign policy which dictates a compassionate immigration and asylum system, making LGBTIQA+ refugees welcome.
Does this manifesto appeal to you? Which way will you, and the rest of the country, vote come June 2017?
Romantic, fragrant plants you can grow for bodily balance
In the not so distant past, it was considered to be a luxury if you could spend a fortune and get away from it all for week or two. Today, luxury is about having time. This is time to spend doing things such as gardening. Maybe you have a large yard where you can house chickens and goats and heirloom roses that you found in the countryside near Milan. But even on a small plot, patio, rooftop, fire escape, and even inside, luxury can be found in all types of gardening.
“It’s one of the most simple and spiritual acts anyone can do,” says Brooklyn florist Sarah Ryhanen of her 10-plus years spent gardening. In a recent Vogue article, Ryhanen and her friends compiled a list of natural remedies anyone can grow any time of the year. Got a black thumb? No problem.
Aromatherapy with patchouli
Known as the smell of hippies, patchouli has attracted the treehugging types for decades because of its earthly, paradisal fragrance. It’s a rare plant not easy to find in gardening store, but you can order seeds online, and grow them into your own plants. The leaves should be dried for use, then burnt, or fermented to get that full patchouli smell.
Botanicals for your bath
Instead of buying expensive, chemical laden-products pumped out with low-cost epsom salts, just make your own sensual bath using herbs you can grow such as sage, dill, rose, geranium and vetiver. If you don’t just want a pile of plants floating in the tub (they can clog the drain, so be careful to strain!), you can infuse the plans into salts as a body scrub for calming and exfoliation. Rosemary and lavender are good for this. Or take some organic olive oil and infuse it with your favorite plant. Bottle and place to the side of the tub.
RELATED: Make your own sugar wax
Healing skin mist
If you’ve ever gone to get a natural facial, remember how good the smells can be? From bergamot,to citrus flowers? But you don’t have to fork out millions to get the same effect: take a few sprigs of your favorite flowers (you’ve grown them, so we don’t need to tell you to use organic!) and steep them in hot water for a few minutes. Let cool for an hour with the flowers inside, then siphon into a glass spray bottle after it has cooled. Chamomile is a great flower to start with, and do be mindful that not all flowers work as edibles or on skin. Some flowers can be poisonous and dangerous for your skin. Chamomile is also known to heal your body from the inside.
Make your own detox face oil
Red clove is great for getting your lymph nodes flowing and can help clear toxins from your body. getting lymph nodes to flow correctly, which will help drain the body of accumulated toxins and cellular waste, she says. Create an infused oil by gathering the fresh flower tops, drying them in the open air, and packing them in an empty glass jar. Pour olive oil over them, and let the mixture sit for two weeks before straining. Make sure the flower tops are completely dry, because the age-old adage “Oil and water don’t mix well” is true, says Graves. Once the concoction is ready, lightly massage the face with two drops. The detoxifying properties of red clover infused face oil will “balance hormone levels and reduce inflammation throughout the body,” she says, reminding us that when it comes to healing, Mother Nature always knows best.
You might already be seeing professionals about healing therapies. Ask them about natural flowers and how they can influence your healing cycles. Kingsberg Clinic is one to follow.
Arab gulf to drag iceberg from Antarctica for drinking water?!?
Mining for ice, is the latest natural resource and crazy plan concocted by the United Arab Emirates to solve their drinking water shortage. A 2014 UN report dealing with climate change stated that “the worst is yet to come” to countries with chronic to acute water shortages. The report particularly noted that countries in the Arab Gulf region will be acutely affected, despite receiving partial relief from desalination. We see 4 major famines now in Africa, the worst famines since WWII.
Despite this dire message, UAE Emirates like Abu Dhabi and Dubai waste large amounts of water on indoor ski slopes and water parks. The big question is what can be done to bring more fresh water to this region? One idea is to haul icebergs from the earth’s polar regions. If brought to the heat of the UAE it is believed to last 25 years.
The ravages of global warming are now affecting the polar regions, including the continent of Antarctica where hundreds of icebergs are crumbling from Antarctica’s ice shelves every year. Even the forever seed vault is melting in “permafreeze”. So is this a good idea?
With this reality in mind, ideas of harvesting fresh water supplies from these icebergs brings up plans to actually tow some of these icebergs all the way to countries like the UAE. The idea of towing icebergs is nothing new and versions of this “zany idea” go back to the 1800s.
Once the iceberg is in place, the UAE will begin chipping off blocks of the iceberg above the water line and then crushing the pure polar ice into drinking water which would be stored in large water tanks and then filtered through a water processing plant.
Experts on the ground say it will create a mini-climate which could also help with the heat crisis, and become a tourist attraction.
Reports that the UAE is interested in doing this were recently been disclaimed, when the UAE’s Ministry of Energy dismissed reports of plans to tow icebergs to the country from Antartica for drinking water as “mere rumors”.
A plan to undertake such a feat included a “mapped out route” by Abdullah Mohammad Sulaiman Al Shehi, managing director of Masdar City-based creative consultancy National Advisor Bureau Limited. Reports by the country’s energy ministry now say, however, that such an idea is not feasible. The logistics of such a project, as well as the high costs, make towing an iceberg from, for example, the Ross ice shelf impractical. The distance alone is more than 13,300 km or 7,980 miles.
Other ways to bring water to areas like the Arabian gulf region need to be explored. These might include devices like Israel’s Watergen device that converts water vapor in the air into potable drinking water. A partnership between Watergen and the UAE might even help promote peace in the region as well. Could it ever happen in our lifetime? Let’s ask the wild card Trump?
More Green Prophet articles on water issues:
Climate change “worst is yet to come” UN report warns today
It’s not the tide. It’s not the wind. It’s us
Global Message goes awry at UAE Water Park
Photo of towing Arctic iceberg from Dessault Systemes
Photo of an iceberg creation by Angela Seven
Turkey takes harder stance on animal abuse
Some might say Turkey is overrun with stray dogs and cats. These strays and their good treatment by mosques and business owners have become a part of Istanbul culture.
Unfortunately, poor treatment of these animals has also been a part of the culture, with insufficient penalties in place.
Now, legal measures are being proposed to increase the penalty for animal cruelty from paltry fines, to serious jail time. According to TRT World, the proposed law demonstrates rather advanced sensibilities such as the following:
- Hurting, harming or causing pain to animals in the production of movies, commercials and other media is banned.
- Establishing animal circuses, water circuses or dolphin parks is banned.
- Municipalities with a population over 100,000 are required to establish animal care centres.
- Forcing animals to do actions that exceed their power are punished with sentences ranging from four months to four years.
In addition to the above, there is wording to cover neglect of psychological as well as physical care. Prospective pet owners in highly developed nations like the US, stand to benefit from the wisdom of such laws. There is a fine line between pet ownership and pet abuse: Here is what you should know to stay on the right side of that line:
You Are Your Pet’s Health Plan
Your dog’s health is your responsibility for the entirety of their lives. It can be expensive. But as with humans, the bulk of that expense happens in the latter years. There are puppy shots and routine maintenance after that. During their robust years, you mostly just have to feed the dog to keep it healthy and happy.
Compounding natural health issues is the fact that dogs age differently. Some dogs are extremely vibrant well into their teens. While other dogs are ancient by age six. It all comes down to knowing the breed you are interested in, and counting the health care costs before bringing a dog into your life.
Abandonment is Abuse
What do you do when you realize you can’t afford to take care of your children? Abandoning them on the street is not a legal or socially acceptable option. We have almost romanticized the notion of leaving a baby in a basket at the door of a wealthy family. But that is child abandonment, and punishable by prison. Abandonment is abuse.
In some ways, pets have it even worse. They don’t typically get placed in baskets and left at the door of responsible pet owners. They just get turned out into the streets with no prospects for food water, and other necessities of life.
A child left in this way, if lucky, might become a gang member and a detriment to society. A dog, particularly a big one, has even less chance of carving out a life. It will be hunted, caged, and exterminated like a pesky insect. Responsible pet ownership is a commitment that stands long after convenience falls.