Turkish PM Erdogan on recent visit to Egypt; more energy influence at Israel’s expense. AP photo by Maggie Michael and Lee Keeth In a continuation of his anti-Israel and anti-Cyprus governmental and economic policies, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to persuade Egypt to ship its natural gas to Europe, via the Nabucco […]
Three geothermal projects totaling 113 MW from Israel's geothermal giant Ormat got approvals just in time to get US government support under the Recovery Act Section 1705 loan guarantee this week. Nevada has some of the best geothermal potential among the US states, but has barely begun to develop it: the 113 MW will increase Nevada's geothermal power production by nearly 25%. Under the same program as Solyndra if Ormat Nevada Inc could line up an investor with up private financing by September 30th, under Section 1705, the US Department of Energy would provide a US government guarantee to back the loan in the unlikely event that Ormat was not able to repay its investors. However the loan guarantee has been anathema to the party that now controls the US congress (Utility-Scale Renewable Projects Become a Casualty of Republican Hostage-Taking) and will end this week.
Susan just pointed out her criticism of Canadians taking the moral high ground when it comes to oil from tar sands. Extracted from a heavily polluting process, Canadian lobbyists are saying that Canada’s tar sands oil is more ethical than oil from Saudi Arabia, due to the lack of women’s rights (in the western sense) […]
Lobbying group EthicalOil.org is challenging Saudi Oil on the basis of women’s rights. A Canadian lobbying group is claiming that Canada’s oil is somehow more “ethical” than Saudi Arabian oil because the Saudis don’t just destroy the climate we evolved to live in but also abuse women’s rights. Now, I am as feminist as they […]
Bush era US climate science policy seems to have moved north to Canada, argues Susan. A student researcher at the University of Toronto has exposed a draconian shut-down of climate science in Canada. This is a first for Canada – an advanced democracy, but a democracy that has the resource-curse of vast oil sands potential. James Birch does research in a thirty […]
How should teachers incorporate environmental ethics and lessons on sustainability into their classrooms? That’s the focus of a four-year educational ecoliteracy project — Turkey’s first — which has just begun. A training program for Turkish teachers kicked off this week in an unusual classroom: an arboretum in the northwestern province of Yalova. Beneath Yalova’s graceful […]
It is expected to fall today: a dead six-ton satellite will hit earth today, NASA predicts. Where it will fall is anyone’s guess. Iran, Israel, India, Illinois? Space junk is becoming a serious environmental concern, especially when it starts falling back to planet earth. NASA has issued an advisory that an old satellite, the Upper […]
Who needs terrorism when we’ve got oil spills? “The Mega Leisure Destination on the Red Sea” has sprung an oily leak so serious that the Egyptian authorities have declared a state of emergency, according to Almasry Alyoum. General Petroleum Corporation reported that one of their wells is leaking in three Gamsha spots north of Hurghada […]
Instead of standard apples and honey, put some creative green thought into your Rosh Hashanah gifts this year. The Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah 2011 is quickly approaching next week on September 28, and for many Jewish people this is a time of gift-giving in the new Jewish calendar year 5772. Gift giving is […]
Could reckless driving in Lebanon come to an end with the new Cheyef 7alak crowd sourcing campaign? There’s something uncanny about seeing yourself on video: somehow your manifested self looks and sounds nothing like the inner self. Your voice doesn’t sound like your own, your nose looks bigger than you think, and you see all […]
After fighting over the Nile for the last several months, Egypt and Ethiopia have kissed and made up. After a decades-long monopoly over the Nile river, Egypt became defensive when Ethiopia stood up to reclaim its rightful share of water. In addition to making public a plan to build what is now known as the […]
Water conservation policies are being promoted in the naturally water poor nation of United Arab Emirates Considering that the United Arab Emirates is located in harsh and arid desert, the fact that the average resident uses around 364 liters of water a day – way above the global average of 200 litres- is surprising. Natural […]
New Life at the Dead Sea: How do they survive and what is their energy source is the next big question. All the attention from the naked Israelis at the Spencer Tunick photo shoot at the Dead Sea has brought good vibes to the dying salt lake: Israeli and German scientists say they have found […]
German industrial giant Siemens, already a leader in developing renewable energy projects and sustainable future residential communities has announced that it will phase out its participation in building equipment for nuclear power plants.
The Middle-Eastern pantry staple can be made at home easily. Pomegranates come into season now, just as summer fades and before the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Fresh pomegranate seeds are one of the traditional Rosh HaShanah simanim (symbolic foods) on the holiday table. Downtown juice stands everywhere in the Middle East offer glasses of […]