Gold and Armored Rolls Royce for $8 million?
A gold Rolls Royce rolls shows unsustainable luxury of wealthy Gulf clients.
Smoking Linked to Skin Cancer in Women
Rates of skin cancer in Israel are some of the highest in the world, though the rest of the MENA region has significantly lower incidence, according to the World Health Organization. Conventional thinking suggests that the best way to avoid skin cancer is to use sunscreen, particularly one made from organic materials. New research, however, […]
Link Between Unhealthy Sperm and WiFi Use
He may appeal to the eyes, but what is all that computer use doing to his sperm? Infertility is a family affair. In the Middle East, the matter is often more than a medical concern. Larger families are the norm and in certain communities (for example, the more religious), a sign of honor and prestige. […]
Morocco Airport Counts Solar Power Carbon Savings
Marrakesh also known as the “Ochre City” is my favorite place in Morocco. Visiting there last summer, I got to see how the futuristic transport hub is creating solar power in action. Supplied by the Finnish company Naps Oy, who I met in Finland in 2010, I like the way the solar elements integrate with […]
Frankincense is Soon to be the Ghost of Christmas Past
Frankincense burners such as those depicted above could eventually become unnecessary as frankincense supplies dwindle. We all know the story. The Three Wise Men (Magi) traveled to Bethlehem upon the birth of baby Jesus and laid gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh at his feet. The story is so engrained in the consciousness of Christians […]
Playful Packaging From Gugu Design
The packaging from Gugu Design’s games is not merely protective, but actually another game. Two games for the price of one package! We’ve seen sustainable designers upcycle the packaging from other products to make something new (such as the Ecoist clutch purses made from candy and potato chip bag wrappers), and we’ve even seen them […]
Yemen’s Shibam is 400 towers made from earth – like a Manhattan in the desert
If you have lost faith in earth architecture, take note: Yemen's Manhattan of the desert, Shibam, boasts 400 habitable clay towers!
Solutions To Jordan’s Energy Crisis Must Be Sustainable
Jordan may be dealing with an energy crisis exacerbated by attacks on the Sinai Peninsula gas pipeline – but now is not the time for rash decisions Over the last of couple of months, voices highlighting the threat of an energy crisis in Jordan are getting louder. The situation is desperately alarming they say and […]
Gaza’s New €10 Million Desalination Plant Will Fend Off Chronic Water Shortages
The EU plans to help fend off a growing water shortage in Gaza with a 10 million euro desalination plant. The European Union has pledged to build a €10 million desalination plant that will service Khan Yunis and Rafah in Gaza. This is a “medium-term” project designed to alleviate what is Gaza’s evolving water shortages. […]
Hanukkah Chocolate Coins Recipe
A Jewish “spin” on gambling? Who cares? It’s fun! I confess: every Hanukkah, I have to look up the rules for the dreidel game again. It’s not complicated, but I only play it a few times a year, and usually with rowdy small children To keep the tradition alive and make memories for my family, […]
Prized UAE Falcons Have Hospitals and Passports
Unlike many wild animals in the UAE, prized Saker Falcons receive first-class protection. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are frequently caught with illegally-procured wild animals, including an injured cheetah found limping along a road in Abu Dhabi, but Saker Falcons receive first class protection mostly thanks to programs initiated years ago by the late President […]
Turkish Energy Analyst Says Biggest Emitters Avoided Durban Commitments
The countries that emit the most greenhouse gases only agreed to “vague, fragile” reduction targets at the recent climate change conference in Durban, according to Özgür Gürbüz, who was present at the conference. For MENA countries, there are some bright spots in the outcome of the most recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) […]
Swanky New Train Will Get Pax From Jeddah to Makkah in Under 30 Minutes
The Haramain High Speed Rail Project (HHR) in Saudi Arabia recently broke ground, which bodes well for the future of the Kingdom’s environmental/energy footprint. Phase II of Saudi Arabia’s 276 mile Haramain High Speed Rail Project (HHR) is now underway. The Kingdom is getting 35 swanky new trains and 4 stations designed by Foster + Partners […]
Trick or Tweet? Saudi Prince Buys $300 Million Stake in Twitter
Arabic is the fastest growing language on microblogging site Twitter, with a 2000 % increase in Arabic postings logged over the past 12 months. This week Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) announced a $300 million investment in social media site, Twitter. This isn’t radical corporate evolution: apparently the shares were […]
Eco Tourism in Cape Town, South Africa
We climbed aboard the Ocean Adventurer over the weekend to learn more about the prolific upwelling system that supports such extraordinary biodiversity. It is a strikingly adapted high-performance sailing catamaran hull chosen by owner David de Villiers for its super efficient design, which uses 70% less fuel than its counterparts.