Our favorite eco-organization EcoPeace Middle East are arranging a full moon hike in the West Bank this week with a local center, the Auja EcoCenter which offers tried and true alternatives for better living in desert climates. Auja has been the focus of a number of stories we have covered here on Green Prophet, namely because the […]
I remember that when I visited Byblos, in the Jbeil district of Lebanon, in the summer of 2011, I felt like a true beholder of history. Historians agree that it’s the second oldest continuously-inhabited city on earth, runner-up only to the Palestinian city of Jericho. I sat at Feniqia restaurant in the heart of the […]
Three public spaces in downtown Amman have been temporarily re-purposed as platforms to promote contemporary design from Jordan and the wider region. This is Amman Design Week, a first-time consolidation of the kingdom’s artistic capabilities, established and emerging, and the excellent choreography of its exhibits rivals that in any world-class city. Supported by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al […]
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? If a food worker in Egypt fails to properly wash his hands, does it cause an epidemic in another nation? More than 80 people in seven US states have been infected with food-born Hepatitis A, and at least 32 people have been hospitalized. The […]
Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design – Israel’s oldest institution of higher learning – is a prolific incubator of brilliant ideas, with its post-grads serving as the school’s best advertising. They move on to produce beautiful artifacts, while kicking forward the antique design credo of “build a better mousetrap”. Now one student has developed a […]
The sun may be setting on a popular morning brew. According to a new report issued by the Climate Institute, global warming will underpin an estimated 50 percent drop in coffee production by 2050. Bad news for coffee lovers, but catastrophic for the 120 million people in dozens of mostly developing nations who depend on […]
Last week in Florida, a judge ruled on an ordinance banning front yard vegetable gardens. This allowed the upscale village of Miami Shores to take legal action against residents who to grow food in their yards on the grounds that vegetable patches are “ugly.” Seems, in at least one part of America, that growing your […]
It’s coming up on two years since Cameron Sinclair announced the shutdown of Architecture for Humanity, probably the best thing to ever emerge from an architect’s imagination. That San Francisco-based nonprofit brought pro-bono architecture to the world’s neediest communities. Now a young husband/wife team have stepped into the void, launching a venture to make affordable, ecological housing accessible to […]
Dip a dowdy dress into one of the world’s saltiest lakes and see what happens. Artist Sigalit Landau did, and ended up growing a crystalline gown straight out of Frozen. Take a look at these images. It’s unlikely you can “Let it go”.
When there is nothing left to do, you might as well do something. In Syria, where the war is five years and counting, dancing might be the last thing on anyone’s mind. But for Ahmad Joudeh, it is a priority. Dance is his lifeblood, and he is fueling others with it, too.
Flavorful figs are Middle East natives. Green Prophet Linda Pappagallo wrote about this in a swell story about the versatile little foodstuff. Did you know they come in more than 750 varieties? They also come with a little surprise tucked inside – a secret ingredient that will delight and disgust you in equal measure.
The brainiacs at NASA conducted a long-ago study on the impact of common house plants on indoor air pollution. Their findings are as relevant today as when first released in 1989: easily grown indoor gardens can work wonders in filtering airborne toxins. Green up your home and clean up your airways with some easily acquired, […]
Anyone who spends a good deal of time looking for eco-friendly solutions in everyday life probably also wants to do their part even when going on holiday. If you are among the growing number of people who are always seeking a way to accomplish what you want or need to do without further endangering the […]
Mash-ups of tech with temporary tattoos are not new. Versions are currently used to measure blood alcohol levels and detect exposure to ultraviolet rays. Designers from MIT Media Lab have teamed with Microsoft Research on a project to develop “smart tats” able to interface with remote technology. They can also report on their users health […]
The Jordanian-born cook fills syringes with a cannabis compound, and injects sauces, breads, and juicy cuts of meat. He experiments with classic Middle Eastern fare such as stuffed grape leaves and falafel, and puts a nouveau twist on Levantine ingredients: pot-primed pomegranate sorbet, and cannabis and chickpea beignets.