Page 468 – Green Prophet

7 Ways to ecofy and green your wedding day

Lifestyle

-

January 25, 2012

7 Ways to ecofy and green your wedding day

Greening your wedding is simple, chic and easy to do if you follow just a few of these suggestions.

Eco-romantics about to tie the knot pay attention: Green Prophet has the scoop on making your day of love as green as possible without compromising on romance and style. From mass weddings in the Middle East to intimate ceremonies in your own backyard, here are 7 ways to leave a smaller carbon footprint when you walk down the aisle together.

If you are exchanging rings, consider giving heirloom jewels or ethically mined and harvested diamonds, gold, gems and platinum.
Wear vintage gowns and suits or those made from eco-fabrics.
Use locally grown, pesticide free wildflowers and natural materials to decorate.
Serve food and beverages made from organic, locally harvested produce and vineyards.
If the wedding is to be indoors, rent out a building that is built to greener standards, or one that donates a percentage of profits to environmental causes. Consider a museum, an art gallery, botanical garden, historical home or cultural center for the reception.
As much as possible, consider how you can minimize the power requirements of your wedding by maximizing the use of natural lighting and cooling/heating options.
Instead of gifts, have your guests donate money to environmental or other causes that are important to the bride and groom.
If you are going to give your guests any party favors, make them eco-conscious. Candles made from soy, small planted seedlings, chocolate or other tasty morsel provided by a vendor that engages in conscious commerce.

Related: to find fun fashion follow Azazie The Leading fashion bridal party store

We promised you seven, but we gave you eight. That’s because eco-weddings are about giving back more to your niche in this world. Going green is chic, fashionable, timely and likely to make you and your guests remember your wedding as something different from the norm. Give more in the ways that matter, and less in the ways that are wasteful.

Read More Green Wedding and Romance News:
Tips for a ‘Greener’ Muslim Wedding
Israeli-Born Natalie Portman Sports Green Engagement Ring

Indoor Ski Slopes from Ski Dubai Goes Carbon Neutral in Spain

Maurice Picow

-

January 25, 2012

0

Indoor Ski Slopes from Ski Dubai Goes Carbon Neutral in Spain

Barcelona hopes to have an indoor ski slope as nice as Ski Dubai (pictured), but carbon neutral.

Barcelona is not as hot as places like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which now has an indoor snow ski slope. But they appear to be envious of Dubai’s very ungreen approach to denying that the country is a hot desert. Barcelona, home to art projects by Antoni Gaudi, Pablo Picasso, is also not the greenest city the world, even though it now is getting greener. Now Barcelona a Spanish, Catalonian coastal city with average winter temperatures ranging around 15 degrees Celsius is planning to build an indoor snow ski slope, similar to the one in Dubai. It will be called Snow World. And more than that, the ski slope will be a carbon neutral one, according to the developers of Dubai’s Ski World, who plan to create the same thing in Barcelona as well. But the one in Spain will be carbon neutral.

Continue

Israel and Palestine Join Hands Again to Build a Restorative Eco-Park

Travel

Tafline Laylin

-

January 25, 2012

3

Israel and Palestine Join Hands Again to Build a Restorative Eco-Park

Putting political differences aside, Israelis and Palestinians unite to restore a section of the Kishon River – one of the region’s most polluted.

Yet another joint Israeli and the Palestinian Authority eco-project challenges the mainstream notion that it’s all war and friction between Jews and Arabs. Despite a recent accusation by the French Parliament that Israel is perpetrating water apartheid against the Palestinians, this new initiative demonstrates the willingness of the two people to cooperate. Ynet News reports that the Gilboa Council and Jenin are creating two restorative eco-parks on either side of the historically polluted Kishon River “in hopes that one day they will become one,” says Gilboa Council Head Daniel Atar.

Continue

Crowd Farming in Egypt

Health

Tafline Laylin

-

January 25, 2012

47

A brilliant new online farming system in Egypt allows city dwellers to become reacquainted with their agrarian roots without leaving their urban comfort zone.

Egyptian urbanites who have a desire to grow their own food but lack the farming skills now have access to a brilliant new remote farming system that has both an online and real world component. Inspired by FarmVille on Facebook, online gaming, and other remote farming projects around the world, eZra3 (which means grow) allows users to select their own crops and monitor their actual growth via a web interface. And they get to eat the healthy yields! Ashraf Al Shafaki designed this modern, low risk virtual farming program in order to address a variety of environmental and social ills in Egypt, including food insecurity, soil contamination, and global warming.

Crowdfarming

According to the eZra3 website, there are just over 9 million acres of arable land in Egypt, 20 million internet users, 7 million Facebook users, and 1 million FarmVille users. If just a small percentage of this population contributes to the eZra3 crowdfarming project, food insecurity could easily be a thing of the past.

eZra3 is committed to organic farming principles, which means that there will be no chemical fertilizers or pesticides, no GMOs, and no tillage. On the other hand, eZra3 farms will use companion planting, biological pest control, succession planting, and ensure a healthy diversity of plants and animals.

Gaming and beyond

Depending on each participant’s farming experience, there are four different solutions. Participants can get their green thumbs wet by playing the training game that “simulates the growing of crops in a real farm using real crop prices, fertilizer prices, from-seed-to-harvest durations and crop yields.”

Once they have a good sense of what farming entails (without losing money from failed crops), users can progress to the next stage by remotely managing their own small plot with dedicated online guidance every step of the way.

“eZra3 provides you with full information on what types of crops you can grow, when to grow them, prices of fertilizers and various agricultural inputs including labor and all you have to do is make decisions based on the info provided to you and on your personal preferences,” the website notes.

After enjoying the fruit of this labor, farmers might feel confident to tackle the next phase of actually owning their own farm. Again, eZra3 will facilitate the process and minimize risk by helping with the plot’s design and providing computerized estimates of how each farm will perform depending on its particular conditions.

The urban comfort zone

This system empowers city dwellers and online gamers who have lost touch with their agrarian roots to embrace a healthier lifestyle without leaving their urban comfort zone.

And they will be able to grow more than just cucumbers and tomatoes. eZra3’s farming expertise extends to 52 crops, 28 perennial trees, and 11 animals.

In addition to creating healthier food, crowd farming has the potential to reduce unemployment, create greater national self-sufficiency, and restore the Egyptian people’s sovereignty. It has been exactly one year since Egypt ousted Hosni Mubarak. And despite continued abuse from on high, clever innovations such as these demonstrate that the people are still strong.

Update May 3, 2023: the site is offline

More on Sustainable Agriculture in Egypt:

Egyptian Organic Farm Declared Sustainability World Leader

What Urban Rooftop Gardening Could do for the Middle East

Egypt’s Urban Agriculture Movement is Growing

Better Place Puts 100 Electric Cars on Israeli Roads

Maurice Picow

-

January 25, 2012

0

Better Place Puts 100 Electric Cars on Israeli Roads

Better Place Renault Fluence electric cars hit the road on way to customers

After more than four years in the making, media reports and hype, visits to the Better Place Education and Test Drive Center and final delivery prices, Better Place Renault Fluence ZE electric cars are finally on their way to purchasers in Israel. In a high profile ceremony on Sunday, January 22, which we were invited to but could not make because of the rain, Better Place launched its first 100 cars sent off to customers from the Better Place Israel headquarters near Tel Aviv. The cars, all Renault Fluences that had been specially built for running exclusively on electricity were sent off in a ceremony that included Shai Agassi, Better Place USA CEO, Idan Ofer Chairman of the Board, and Moshe Kaplansky, CEO for Better Place Israel.

Continue

Tourists Bust Egyptian Restaurants Serving Endangered Species

Travel

Tafline Laylin

-

January 24, 2012

1

Tourists Bust Egyptian Restaurants Serving Endangered Species

Tourists offended by this gruesome display of endangered species reported the Picalbatros restaurant in Hurghada, Egypt to the local conservation agency.

Tourists who dine at the Pickalbatros restaurant in Hurghada might be greeted with a gruesome scene: sharks, rays, and parrot fish hanging from hooks, Egypt Independent reports. While some people have turned a blind eye, on three different occasions tourists disturbed by this dark display contacted the Hurghada Environmental Protection Agency (HEPCA) (who is largely credited with the establishment of Egypt’s first dolphin sanctuary) to lodge a formal complaint. The agency in turn is pursuing legal action against the food chain.

Continue

INTERVIEW: Green Buildings and the Next Climate Summit In Qatar

Cities

Arwa Aburawa

-

January 24, 2012

4

INTERVIEW: Green Buildings and the Next Climate Summit In Qatar

I speak to green campaigner Safa Al Jayoussi about nuclear power, green buildings and the role the region needs to play at the next climate summit in Qatar

The next stop on my whirlwind tour of all that is green and eco in Jordan is the Green Building Council. And perfect timing too. It was recently announced that the UN office in Amman, Jordan, is set to be the first green building to receive a Gold LEED Certification V2.2 in the entire region. I got in touch with Safa’ Al Jayoussi who is the outreach officer at the Jordan Green Building Council to find out more. Safa’ also volunteers with IndyACT, Greenpeace Jordan and has supported various 350.org campaigns and green initiatives in Jordan.

Continue

Vegan Chickpea and Artichoke Salad (RECIPE)

Health

Miriam Kresh

-

January 24, 2012

1

Vegan Chickpea and Artichoke Salad (RECIPE)

A hearty vegan warm salad, perfect for winter.

Chickpeas are a perennial favorite in the Middle East. Their earthy flavor is always wisely paired with something sharp, like onions, as in our chickpea sambusak recipe, or with lemon. And happily, artichokes are in season now. The two star in a hearty vegan salad that combines cooked and raw ingredients with a herby, pungent dressing that’s full of vitamin C.

For those hardy enough to boil up a big pot full of those tender thistles, have a bowl full of our artichoke dip for anointing the cooked leaves with before popping them into your mouth. Then slice the meaty hearts up for this salad. But if the thought of cooking so many fresh artichokes intimidates you, well, there’s no shame in using the local jarred or frozen variety.

Vegan Chickpea and Artichoke Salad

4 servings.

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp (75 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided juice of 1 lemon
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) fresh, finely chopped basil
1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt, or more, to taste
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) cooked chickpeas, well drained. If using canned, rinse and drain again before cooking.
6-8 artichoke hearts, sliced lengthwise
1/3 cup (55 g) natural almonds with skin, coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, mix 3 Tbsp (45 ml) of the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, oregano, parsley, garlic and sea salt. Set aside.

Heat another 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil. Add the chickpeas and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until they are all golden brown – about 10 minutes. Add to the bowl.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp (15 ml) oil in the pan and add the artichoke hearts, cut side down. Cook until they are browned, stirring only once or twice to avoid breaking them up, about 5-10 minutes more. Add them to the bowl as well.

Toss the salad gently until the chickpeas and artichoke hearts are well coated with the dressing. To serve, spoon the salad onto serving plates and sprinkle with some of the chopped almonds (add any leftover almonds to the bowl and toss again). Serve warm.

More mouth-watering recipes with chickpeas and artichokes on Green Prophet:

Recipe and photo of salad by Ricki Heller via thisdishisvegetarian.com

Masdar Visionary Tells the Untold Story

Cities
Tech

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 24, 2012

0

Ziad Tassabehji is one of the most influential men in the new green Middle East. Until now he’s kept pretty quiet about his involvement in Masdar.

He came from the dot-com market with a boom and a bust, but in the Arab world. Ziad Tassabehji (pictured above with his son) has always been an entrepreneur at heart. Born in Lebanon and now living in the UK after more than two decades in the United Arab Emirates, Ziad started his first Internet company before there was even Internet in Dubai in 1995. By 2002 after a major downsizing to keep his tech company afloat, he changed course and moved into renewable energy and sustainable development.

Ever hear of Masdar, the zero-energy city in Abu Dhabi? The city that has moonscape mashrabiya surfaces, people podcar movers and a student body whose coffee is brewed by solar power?

Masdar was Ziad’s idea presented to officials in the Arab world. Ziad was sure that Middle East governments and decision-makers needed to diversify their economies from oil and gas into renewables. The idea struck a cord and flew.

Continue

Saudi Star Among Firms Behind Thousands of Forced Relocations in Ethiopia

Health

Tafline Laylin

-

January 24, 2012

14

Saudi Star Among Firms Behind Thousands of Forced Relocations in Ethiopia

This image taken in the western Gambella region of Ethiopia shows irrigation canals being dug by the agricultural firm owned by Saudi-Ethiopian billionaire Mohammed Al Amoudi.

Last week BBC News reported that 70,000 indigenous people have been forced to relocate in the western Gambella region of Ethiopia to new villages that lack adequate resources for their survival. The land has been signed over to foreign investors, including Saudi Star Agriculture Development Plc, a company owned by Saudi-Ethiopian billionaire Mohammed Al Amoudi.

Felix Horne of the Oakland Institute recently authored Understanding Land Investment Deals in Africa – a succinct analysis of the perils of land grabs in Ethiopia. He told Green Prophet that Saudi Star has begun rice cultivation on 10,000ha of land in Gambella and a 10,000ha irrigation project along the already-compromised Alwero River. Only grain that does not meet export requirements will be sold locally.

Continue

Canada’s Greensoil Invests in Israel Cleantech

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 24, 2012

2

Canada’s Greensoil Invests in Israel Cleantech

Greensoil, an investment firm from Canada will fund Israeli agritech companies with a reported $12 million.

Cash from Canada will be funding clean technology companies in Israel. A new Canadian fund called Greensoil looks to build Israeli agritech companies with the launch of a $12 million CAN fund. Greensoil investors say they will invest in Israeli companies whose technology innovations help the world feed its population with less water and less arable land. It will uniquely focus on food and agricultural innovation from Israel. The company will invest in agro and food technologies with existing or near-term revenues and plans for international expansion. There are no specific announcements on who the fund will be investing in, but a PR rep told me announcements will come soon.

Continue

Abu Dhabi’s $32 billion TAQA Adds Clean Energy Division

Business

Susan Kraemer

-

January 24, 2012

0

Abu Dhabi’s $32 billion TAQA Adds Clean Energy Division

Abu Dhabi’s 75% government-owned National Energy Company TAQA has just created its first-ever division to specialize in investing in renewable energy.

The new unit, Energy Solutions, will invest in wind, solar, thermal and hydro power, according to a report at The National. TAQA first evidenced an interest in clean energy in 2008, and it has committed to a $1.1 billion carbon capture and storage project in the Netherlands, the Bergermeer gas storage project, to become operational in 2015.

Last year, Abu Dhabi’s National Energy Company invested in carbon cutting software, as I wrote previously: California’s Hara Could Cut a Staggering 12 Terawatt Hours of Energy. That experience has no doubt given them an insight into the potential.

Until now, only fossil energy has been the focus.

Continue

Egypt Now Contracting a Whopping 1,000 MW Wind Farm!

Business

Susan Kraemer

-

January 23, 2012

1

Egypt Now Contracting a Whopping 1,000 MW Wind Farm!

Egypt is now close to awarding a contract to build a 1,000 megawatt wind farm, to be up and running in 2016, that it first announced last year.

A wind farm this size has few equals worldwide. Egypt has some of the best wind power potential in the world, and its government is beginning to tap into this source of free fuel in earnest, since passing its plan to get 20% of its electricity from renewables by 2020, in order to stave off climate change.

Continue

World’s Largest Quran is Bound With the Skin of 21 Goats

Design

Tafline Laylin

-

January 23, 2012

2

World’s Largest Quran is Bound With the Skin of 21 Goats

For Mohammad Sabir Khedri, compiling the pages of this enormous and intricately detaied holy book was a 5 year labor of love.

A master calligrapher has lovingly unveiled the world’s largest Quran in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to a Reuters report released last week. The giant holy book measures 7.5 by 5.10 feet, weighs over 1,000 pounds, and cost half a million US dollars to put together. Its 218 pages are made of cloth and paper and feature complex gold script designs created with the input of nine students. And it is bound in the skin of 21 goats.

Continue

The Garbage Women Of Turkey Turn Trash Into Trendsetting Handbags

Lifestyle

Julia Harte

-

January 23, 2012

1

The Garbage Women Of Turkey Turn Trash Into Trendsetting Handbags

Turning trash into art and employing women who have never worked for pay before — two difficult tasks that Turkish company Çöp(m)adam accomplishes at once.

Turkey’s recycling culture is largely unseen. Recycling is usually carried out by poorly compensated workers who salvage reusable materials from trash collected by the municipality and take them to recycling centers. But one Turkish company is raising the profile of recycling in Turkey, making trash into beautiful objects and paying Turkish women a decent wage to do so.

Continue

Hot topics

Finance

Marketing

Politics

Strategy

Hot topics

Finance

Marketing

Politics

Strategy

Company

Headlines

Newsletter