Page 52 – Green Prophet

Leveraging Social Media to Showcase Your Building’s Sustainability

Architecture

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November 3, 2024

Foster + Partners in Israel — Orange trees help passively heat and cool in this Foster + Partners sustainable building

As sustainability becomes a priority for consumers and businesses alike, real estate and property managers have a unique opportunity to highlight their environmental efforts.

Whether it’s reducing energy consumption, improving waste management, or adopting green construction practices, showcasing sustainability efforts can attract eco-conscious tenants, boost the building’s reputation, and drive engagement.

One platform that can streamline this process is resustain.com, a solution that enables real estate professionals to manage and promote sustainable initiatives effectively.

Leveraging social media amplifies these efforts, reaching a broader audience with the power to engage, educate, and inspire.

Why Social Media Matters for Sustainability in Real Estate

moshe safdie china skywalk garden inside — A beautiful sustainable building in China called the Skywalk

Social media channels provide a powerful way to communicate your building’s sustainable practices to a diverse audience.

With billions of users across platforms, social media is ideal for storytelling, visual content, and real-time updates, making it perfect for highlighting sustainability.

Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok can attract followers interested in eco-friendly practices and green building initiatives.

Social media allows you to:

Connect directly with potential and existing tenants.
Showcase certifications (such as LEED or ENERGY STAR) and achievements.
Educate the public about sustainable practices.
Share real-time updates on improvements and achievements.

Building a Compelling Social Media Strategy

Moshe Safdie, Habitat Expo 67. A charming reuse of an expo space now cherished, sustainable housing in Montreal

1. Define Your Sustainability Story

Before you start posting, clarify the key sustainable features and practices of your building. Your story might revolve around reduced energy usage, solar panel installation, or smart water management. The aim is to create a cohesive narrative that resonates with your audience. Think about questions like:

What sets your building apart in terms of sustainability?
What impact have your sustainability efforts made on the local community?
How are tenants benefiting from a greener building?

Clearly defining these points will give your audience a reason to care and follow your journey.

2. Utilize Visual Content

People respond best to visual content, making platforms like Instagram and Facebook ideal for showcasing sustainable efforts. Share photos and videos of:

Renewable energy installations (like solar panels).
Green spaces around your building, such as gardens or green roofs.
Energy-efficient lighting or other green technologies in use.
Recycling initiatives or eco-friendly amenities.

To enhance engagement, consider using infographics that detail your environmental impact or the journey towards sustainability milestones.

3. Involve Your Audience

One of the best ways to boost engagement is by involving your audience. Encourage tenants or visitors to participate in sustainable practices and share their contributions on social media. For instance, you could:

Launch a monthly photo contest encouraging tenants to share sustainable lifestyle tips.
Share behind-the-scenes tours of sustainable initiatives, like recycling processes or energy-efficient systems, through live videos or stories.
Hold Q&A sessions with experts or green team members to answer sustainability questions via interactive avatars.

This type of content not only promotes awareness but also strengthens community ties and encourages sustainable habits among tenants.

4. Promote Eco-Friendly Certifications and Achievements

If your building holds any green certifications or has received awards for its eco-friendliness, showcase them proudly. Certifications such as LEED, ENERGY STAR, or WELL are highly regarded in the industry and serve as excellent social proof. You could:

Create a post series explaining what each certification means and the standards it represents.
Share a video of the certification ceremony or event.
Highlight key metrics achieved, such as energy reduction percentages, water savings, or recycling success rates.

Such posts add credibility to your sustainability story and help followers understand the significance of your efforts.

5. Feature Tenant Success Stories

Incorporate tenant testimonials or stories that emphasize the benefits they experience from a sustainable building.

For instance, a tenant might appreciate the reduction in their utility bills due to energy-efficient systems or the wellness benefits from improved indoor air quality. This personal approach helps potential tenants envision the positive impact of eco-friendly buildings on their own lives.

Creating short interview clips, sharing quotes, or writing mini-case studies can add a human element to your social media content, making it relatable and engaging.

6. Share Educational Content

Educating your followers about sustainability topics strengthens your brand’s reputation as a leader in green practices. Share tips, best practices, and updates related to sustainability. For example:

Post weekly eco-tips that tenants can adopt at home.
Share news articles or research studies related to green building benefits.
Collaborate with environmental organizations to broaden your reach and share expertise.

Educational content builds trust with your audience and can position your building as a thought leader in sustainable practices.

Metrics to Track Success

Tracking the success of your social media efforts helps you understand what resonates with your audience and refine your strategy. Key metrics to monitor include:

Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares).
Follower growth on each platform.
Click-through rates to your website or sustainable initiative landing pages.
Mentions and shares by tenants or environmental organizations.

Analyzing these metrics will help you identify the type of content your audience engages with most, allowing you to adapt and optimize future posts.

Conclusion

In today’s digital world you need essential online tools for sharing your building’s sustainability journey. With strategic content planning, you can showcase your commitment to the environment, involve your tenants, and inspire others to join the movement. Start today, and watch as your green building gains followers, boosts tenant satisfaction, and strengthens its place as a leader in sustainable living.

Make preserved, fermented Egyptian lemons for a taste of Sinai VIDEO

Recipe

Karin Kloosterman

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October 31, 2024

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Make preserved, fermented Egyptian lemons for a taste of Sinai VIDEO

Maybe you’ve gone on a diving trip to Sharm el Sheik. Or maybe you are one of the tourists who sit with the Bedouins at a housha for weeks at a time enjoying the slow life close on the Red Sea close to Nuweiba. I’ve been to Sinai about 10 times and when I go to a hotel there is one thing that makes me very happy at the breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet: preserved lemons.

Taba Nuweiba Beach, Bir Sweir, Sinai, Egypt — Trankila Beach in Sinai

The lemons in Egypt are small, not much bigger than a walnut, and when preserved upgrade their status by a mile. You can eat them with hummous and tehina on bread, or take a little bite with every savory dish you fancy. Sometimes I just eat them whole, picking the seeds out with my teeth. We have a recipe for preserved lemons already on Green Prophet but this one is a bit different. You cut the lemons differently, keeping them whole.

In the video below I walk you through the set by step process. Get yourself some Egyptian lemons and you can do it with me step by step.

Fermented lemons are a treat when you are traveling to Egypt. Stay at a hotel in Sinai and enjoy the fermented Egyptians lemon offered at most meals. It’s a staple pickle when you travel to Sinai or Egypt. We’ve even found them in Jordan.

A basic husha in Sinai. This was our home for a week. Basic and good.

This recipe works with any kind of lemon, but if you can get your hands on walnut-sized lemons from Egypt, even better. If you are using other lemons cut them so the width is no bigger than a centimeter or half an inch.

The smaller you cut them the better the flavor as they will ferment better. Add salt. We added about 5 tablespoons to 4 cups/ one liter of water. You can add garlic. Better to place it on the bottom as if it floats to the surface it will go moldy.

Add some weights to keep the lemons from floating.

Leave for about 5 to 10 days according to your taste. Do not tighten the lid or it might explode.

Eat alone with bread or add to sauces and soups and any dish you can imagine. Preserved lemon is a wonderful spice that adds a layer of flavor to anything savory. It will bring you back to your driving trip at Sharm el Sheikh in no time.

Fermented Egyptian Preserved Lemons

An easy way to bring the taste of Egypt into your home.

Jar with a lid
Weights

4 cups Egyptian lemons (You can use regular lemons as well, don't worry. Try to find organic as you will be eating the peels)
5 tbsp kosher salt (It's also known as pickling salt)
10 cloves fresh garlic (You can skip this if you like but garlic makes everything better)
4 cups water

Soak the lemons for a few hours
Cut each small Egyptian lemon in a cross going only 1/2 way or 2/3 of the way through. You can keep the seeds in
Remove peel from garlic, slice in half
Add garlic and lemons to the jar throwing in a spoon of salt as you go up. Make sure it's only lemons on the top. You don't want the garlic floating to the top.
Fill to the top with water
Add weight on top so nothing floats above the water
Add lid or plate on top. But don't screw down the lid or the jar can explode
Watch for 4 to 10 days as the lemons ferment. End fermentation by bringing to the fridge. Taste and end when the lemons are tangy and not too bitter.
Transfer to smaller jars and share with friends

Appetizer, Condiment

Egyptian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Easy, fermented food, spice

How do you cook with fermented lemons?

Mediterranean Diet, this is a salad — Add fermented lemons to your salad dressing. Add the rind and pulse in a food blender or grind with a mortar and pestle.

The flavor of lemon and salt is very intense. Rinse the piece before cooking with it. The best part is the peel – some cooks scoop the pulp out and discard it.

Consider these ideas for pickled lemons:

Chop a little piece fine and mash it into a vinaigrette dressing.
Gently mix a few fine slices into steamed broccoli; drizzle some olive oil over everything.
Add a teaspoon of chopped preserved lemon to pea soup.
Put a little bowl of those bright yellow lemon quarters on the table to accompany lamb chops.
Prepare a fillet of fish with a drizzle of olive oil, some chopped basil or green onion, and a few thin slices of preserved lemon. Bake or pan-fry.

More Middle East recipes:
A Classic Recipe for Muhamarra Red Pepper Spread From Aleppo, Syria
Taking On A Middle East Classic: Baba Ganoush
Cooking the Classic Middle East Kibbeh

Egypt builds highway through the City of the Dead

Archeology

Karin Kloosterman

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October 30, 2024

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Dome of a mosque through a minaret arch at the Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaytbay mosque and mausoleum, City of the Dead, Cairo, Egypt

Rapid urban development in Egypt isn’t considering the UNESCO-protected sites in the city, like this mosque in the City of the Dead, demolished and in ruin

Locals are reporting that Egypt is demolishing ancient history by knocking down the Al-Qarafa Cemetery in the City of the Dead, a UNESCO-protected site, to build a new highway through Cairo.

The City of the Dead, or the Cairo Necropolis, is also also referred to as the Qarafa in Arabic, is a series of Islamic-era necropolises and cemeteries in Cairo, Egypt. They run north and to south of the Cairo Citadel, below the Mokattam Hills and outside the historic city walls, covering an area of about 4 miles long.

This cemetery is is part of Historic Cairo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. According to people who live in Cairo, the area is home to stunning Islamic architecture, such as domes, minarets, and graves, some of which are over 1,200 years old. It also contains the resting places of Egypt’s most influential figures, such as those from the Muhammad Ali Royal Dynasty.

On the Urban Hell Reddit forum (where you can see photos –– we posted some here but the photographer asked us to take them down), one contributor says, “The Egyptian government and local authorities are highly corrupt, that’s why they are willing to destroy this cemetery without a second thought.”

Another reader defends the move, saying “They’re not “destroying it”. They’re putting an elevated highway through a four-mile wide cemetery. No registered historic buildings are being destroyed. The space this will take is a drop in the bucket. It would be nice if they didn’t have to but Cairo has grown 4x in population since 1970 and sacrifices must be made.”

Another one comments: “Reminds me of when Egypt destroyed trees in urban areas so property developers can sell the idea of “greenary” being exclusive and luxurious in gated communities. Or property developers leaving building facades unfinished so they don’t pay property tax. Or building a highway through apartments complexs or even through Alexandria’s ancient coastline

“Egypt needs to introduce new urban planning laws regarding historic sites, environment and facades before we see a highway ramp up to the Pyramid of Giza with a Starbucks on top.”

The government’s project is destroying a “unique, architectural, historic fabric,” said Ayman Wanas to the Associated Press. He is an official with the government department that lists distinctive buildings and wrote in his resignation letter posted online. “It’s a waste of Egypt’s historic, valuable heritage which is irreplaceable.”

Hundreds of activists were killed at Tahir Square in Egypt following the Arab Sprint uprising that started in 2011. Some sites list more than one thousand. We met Mohammed Gohar in Montreal who told us how he saved 17 Christians from certain death by hiding them in his TV station building during one of the protests. He was granted asylum in Canada for his bravery. Virginity checks and other awful violations faced the demonstrators as well.

The work on redeveloping Cairo, despite its rich architecture from the past is part of a mega-building campaign by their President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to reshape the home of 20 million people. His government is putting up massive freeways and flyovers at a furious rate while encouraging the growth of gated suburban compounds outside the city while building a giant new capital in the desert.

Dubai Design Week 2024

Design

Julie Steinbeck

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October 29, 2024

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Abwab, meaning ‘doors’ in Arabic, is a programme that supports designers from the South West Asian and North African (SWANA) region by commissioning installations or pavilions each year thematically remodelled to reflect relevant global and regional contexts. Since its inception in 2015, over 180 designers from countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE have participated in Abwab. For the 2024 edition, practitioners were invited to propose designs with a focus on vernacular architecture and how community-centric architectural methods—rooted in local materials and technique—can intersect with new environments.

Dubai Design Week, the Middle East region’s leading design festival will mark its milestone 10th edition from November 5 to 10. It is the Persian Gulf region’s first globally recognised design week.

This year’s festival will reflect on a decade of design and its influence on the UAE’s dynamic and expanding interior design and furniture market, now estimated at USD 26 billion. The 2024 program will honour the local community, creative talent and regional design vernacular it has aimed to nurture over the past 10 years, while celebrating the city’s evolution as a global design hub.

Dubai Design Week 2024 will bring together over 500 established and emerging designers and brands from more than 40 countries to showcase new design thinking in the form of installations, exhibitions and experiential mediums. Fueled by rapid urbanisation, a strong real estate market, developments in infrastructure, diversification of the economy and evolving tastes and aesthetic needs of residents, businesses and tourists, Dubai Design Week has matured from its inception in 2015 into a major international design event.

Dubai Design Week

Its success can be attributed to its forward–looking programming, a commitment to innovation and support of local talent and its role in shaping Dubai’s identity as a thriving global centre for design and creativity in the Middle East. It has become a platform for emerging, pioneering and established designers to showcase their work, connect with industry professionals, and gain exposure in the Middle East and beyond.

The anchor event of Dubai Design Week, Downtown Design, will again take place at its home on the d3 Waterfront Terrace from 6 to 9 November. Acclaimed as the region’s leading fair for contemporary and high-quality design, Downtown Design showcases the latest collections, innovative products and design solutions, complemented by a line-up of creative pop-up concepts, installations and networking events, alongside a line-up of talks, keynotes and master classes at The Forum.

Dubai Design Week

Downtown Design is the ultimate destination for those seeking the latest trends in interior design, furniture, lighting and home accessories.

A key highlight of this year’s Dubai Design Week is the launch of Editions, the region’s first limited-edition art and design fair, running from 6 to 9 November. Over 50 galleries, design studios and collectives will exhibit contemporary design, photography, prints, ceramics and works on paper. Positioned alongside Downtown Design’s dynamic program and offering pieces at a range of prices, Editions paves an alternative route to art and design collecting, opening up the opportunities to a wider audience.

Dubai Design Week’s annual design competition, Urban Commissions, returns this year with the theme ‘Tawila’, meaning ‘table’ in Arabic, inviting designers and architects to propose innovative community furniture that explores the table beyond its form and as a facilitator of exchange, tradition and communal experiences.

This year’s winner is Altqadum, a research-based design studio from Oman that specialises in architecture, interior and objects design, led by Marwan Albalushi, Najd Albalushi and Abdulrahim Alkendi.

Their Bab Al Salam Mosque in Muscat is one of Time magazine’s ‘World’s Greatest Places 2024’.

Dubai-based architectural and interior design studio, Bone will present a pavilion made entirely from pre-fabricated earth blocks in collaboration with Fetdeterra, technical specialists in rammed earth architecture from Spain; Japanese architectural firm, Mitsubishi Jisho Design, will invite audiences to experience a traditional tea-house made from 3D printed waste sawdust; tech-driven multidisciplinary practice DEOND, founded by Ross Lovegrove and Ila Colombo, will explore the notion of phygital therapy with an AI-infused ‘second skin’ fabric that responds to the body’s state of being; as well as other installations made from various organic and upcycled materials including banana fibre, soybean wax, henna, Himalayan salt, terracotta and scrap metal.

Japan teahouse for people and pigeons

Monocle will bring the world of design, culture and business to the heart of Dubai for the month of November, launching at Dubai Design Week; celebrating creativity and craftsmanship with Monocle’s shop and café takeover of FRAME in d3, Art Jameel Shop will offer commissioned products by regional designers, and a dedicated retail space featuring social-impact driven brands including MADE 51, a global brand created by the UNHCR – UN Refugee Agency showcasing artisanal homeware and accessories crafted by refugees, and iIn addition, Abu Dhabi-based community arts space 421 will present design-led products by local and regional craft makers through their shop Dukkan421.

Refugee designs — Hosting a refugee shelter designs pavilion.

Abwab, meaning ‘doors’ in Arabic, is a program that supports designers from the South West Asian and North African (SWANA) region by commissioning installations or pavilions each year thematically remodelled to reflect relevant global and regional contexts.

Since its inception in 2015, over 180 designers from countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE have participated in Abwab. Noticeably missing in this list is Israel nearby, despite the the country giving birth to leading global designers and architects such as Moshe Safdie and Ron Arad.

For the 2024 Dubai Design Week edition, practitioners were invited to propose designs with a focus on vernacular architecture and how community-centric architectural methods—rooted in local materials and technique—can intersect with new environments. This is a topic we have covered extensively on Green Prophet. See our interview with Sandra Persik, the editor of the book Habitat.

Get the Dubai Design Week program here.

How the FAO helps keep sustainable farming in Gaza going

Green Prophet

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October 29, 2024

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How the FAO helps keep sustainable farming in Gaza going

UN livestock in Gaza, FAO — The FAO of the UN helps livestock survive in Gaza.

Now that Israel has declared UNRWA a non-entity, there are other organizations that can fill the void and give humanitarian relief for the Gaza civilians. One of them is UNICEF, another is the FAO, which helps people around the world.

Amid the ongoing horror of the conflict and alongside the tens of thousands of human victims in Gaza, Hakmah El-Hamidi has lost at least half of her animals. She has been raising livestock since she was a child, waking up at 7 a.m. to feed and care for them, repeating this task in the afternoon and evening.

“There is no food, no barley, no fodder and also no water during the conflict; we had over forty heads of livestock, and now they’re twenty or even less,” says Hakmah, a resident of Al-Zuwayidah in central Gaza Strip.

These losses have dealt a heavy blow to her family’s livelihood. Nonetheless, Hakmah says, “The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has helped us a lot when they provided us with fodder. Thank God, our animals have gotten healthier and stopped dying.”

She says the veterinary kit provided by FAO also “helped me a lot; it has vitamins and anti-flea spray. The animals were getting bitten by fleas so I spray it, as you can see. It’s really good.”

Despite the challenges of security and access faced by all the humanitarian agencies bringing aid to Gaza, FAO has distributed fodder to over 4 400 livestock-keeping families in Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah governorates of Gaza. Veterinary kits were additionally given to about 2 400 families to improve animal health and preserve livelihoods across the Strip. The kits include much-needed inputs to safeguard animals’ health, such as multivitamins, disinfectants, salt blocks and iodine wound sprays.

Of course, the support Hakmah has received is far from enough. She says she still needs more fodder, more medicines and roofing material to protect her animals.

The ongoing hostilities have caused the collapse of local food production and contributed to the rapid deterioration of food security in Gaza. Some 86 percent of the population or 1.84 million people in Gaza are facing high levels of acute food insecurity with the risk of famine persisting across the whole Gaza strip.

According to satellite data in a recent assessment carried out by FAO and the United Nations Satellite Centre, over two-thirds of cropland has been destroyed.

FAO’s rapid assessments also indicate that almost 15 000 or 95 percent of Gaza’s cattle have died, and nearly all calves have been slaughtered. Fewer than 25 000 sheep (around 43 percent) and only about 3 000 goats (around 37 percent) remain alive. Dramatic losses are also reported in the poultry sector, with only 34 000 (or 1 percent) of the birds left living.

A solar cooker on a roof in Gaza — A man in Gaza cooks food on his roof using a solar cooker, powered by the sun. From the archives.

Ward Saeed, originally from El-Zetoun in Gaza’s old city and now displaced in Deir al-Balah, is another livestock keeper who has suffered overwhelming losses of her animals in the course of a traumatic year.

“We were displaced and moved south because of the war. We took our animals with us and lost half of them— most of them— along the way. These are the only animals left, and they are our only livelihood source,” she says. But for her and her family, trying to find food for the livestock means risking their lives amid falling missiles.

Ward also says, “We benefited from FAO’s support, the fodder and the veterinary kit, but this is not enough, we need more.”

She says the most important needs are livestock fodder, shelter and food. And fodder is next to impossible to find amid the enormous numbers of displaced people who are all desperately trying to feed themselves and their animals.

Given that agricultural aid is one of the key components of humanitarian assistance, helping farmers to strengthen their resilience and feed their communities and families, it comes as little surprise that fodder was the most important pre-war import in Gaza. Almost 650 trucks were entering the Strip with fodder every month, before 7 October.

FAO, supported by the Governments of Belgium, Italy, Malta and Norway, is working closely with the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture and local non-governmental organizations to distribute the fodder and veterinary kits to Gaza’s livestock keepers.

The operation has faced logistical and security-related obstacles, particularly the restrictions at crossings and the collapse of law in Gaza, which constrains the delivery of aid.

But FAO is ready to scale up efforts to deliver more inputs to Gazan farmers and herders, once access and security conditions are fully restored. New deliveries will include feed concentrate, greenhouse plastic sheets, plastic water tanks, vaccines, energy blocks, plastic sheds, animal shelters and more veterinary kits.

For Gaza’s livestock keepers, like Hakmah and Ward, this support from FAO and its partners to help sustain their battered livelihoods can’t come soon enough.

Sustainable Small Biz: Practical Businesses Can Prioritize the Environment

Peace

Bhok Thompson

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October 29, 2024

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Sustainability isn’t a buzzword. It’s a way of running a company in a way that privileges the planet’s future. Whether your company is big or small, climate change will affect everyone, and with resources depleting and temperatures rising it’s more important than ever for businesses across all industries to adopt sustainable practices. Large corporations typically will have entire divisions devoted to sustainability action plans, so as a small business, it might seem daunting to balance resources and labour to make your business more sustainable.

With the right implementation, sustainability is not only possible but also practical and beneficial for the long-term success of your company. This article will have a look at why sustainability matters, address challenges for small businesses and make practical tips for recommendations on what you can do to directly implement sustainable practices that’ll help your business and carbon footprint.

Practical Tips for Sustainability

Luckily, it’s not “all-or-nothing” for sustainability. Small changes that can be made in a business week that are equal parts sustainable and manageable can make a massive difference to how your company operates and how it looks to business partners.

Switch to Eco-Friendly Packaging and Supplies

Using sustainable packaging for your products is a great way to signal to customers that you’re taking steps to be sustainable. This can include using paper-based materials or compostable packaging to minimise plastic use. If your business relies on deliveries, this can make a significant difference to your overall sustainability for a small increase in packaging costs.

Many customers are willing to pay a little extra for products that are packaged sustainably because more and more people are voting with their wallets when it comes to going green. Consulting giant PWC found that consumers are willing to spend more on sustainably produced goods to be more sustainable, so saving the planet might save your bottom line, too!

In terms of office supplies, using biodegradable lanyards for your employees is an easy way to switch to eco-friendly materials and reduce waste, as the standard plastic used takes centuries to break down in landfills, not to mention novel concerns about microplastics.

Partner with Local Sustainability Initiatives

Another practical change is supporting initiatives through the local community. The major advantage small businesses have over larger corporations is being able to forge and maintain strong bonds with individuals and local organisations through partnering with local sustainability initiatives. Things like local cleanups, tree planting, or community gardening days can all be great ways to get to know people who are interested in helping the planet and can demonstrate genuine commitment to the cause.

Greenwashing is something to look out for. Defined by the clean energy regulator as when “a company makes itself, its products or services seem more environmentally friendly, sustainable or ethical than they are.” Big corporations are constantly being called out for greenwashing, so getting into grassroots movements can be a surefire way to signal that you are genuine about making your small business sustainable, and customers are sure to follow.

Why Sustainability Matters

microfiber cloth cleans windows, no spray needed — Wash, rinse, repeat. No dangerous soaps or chemicals needed, even for the windows. This keeps you and pets safe and happy.

Sustainability, at its core, is about longevity. The planet is in a state of disrepair as a direct result of our actions since the Industrial Revolution, so it’s our job to help fix the problems that we have inherited and continue to create. After all, profit margins and salaries mean nothing if there’s nowhere left to spend the money. Modern consumers are increasingly aware of how brands prioritise the environment and are also not afraid to blast brands that greenwash on social media. Being genuinely sustainable means attracting more loyal customers and enhancing your brand’s relationship with consumers.

Sustainable practices also make sense from a long-term cost standpoint. Sure, upgrading to LEDs can be costly in the short term, but over time the savings on your electricity bill more than make up for this upgrade expense. It can also help to get ahead of regulatory pressure – depending on where you’re operating, it may only be a matter of time before many environmental regulations become mandatory and your upgrades haven’t been priced into the current financial year.

Barriers to Change for Small Businesses

It’s important to take a step back and acknowledge the issues with making these changes for small businesses. Unlike corporations, capital is limited, and making choices that don’t lead to short-term gains can be unpopular, especially if your funding is limited to a handful of investors who may have a larger say in what happens to their money. Sole traders and small partnerships also suffer from wearing many hats in their roles: despite a company owner being a veteran in their field, marketing or customer service may not be their strong suit and these are both important aspects of how to “sell” your move to sustainable practices.

None of this is cheap, either. Being certified by third-party green companies is a cost with no immediate return. Switching suppliers can be time-consuming and difficult, and may result in a less favourable contract, with the benefits only being evident in the long run. As a result, it can feel like an impossible task to take on all of these roles and challenges and come away as a successful, sustainable business. On top of all of this, it can seem like an uphill battle against corporations with stacks of cash to throw at their latest eco-friendly venture, but it’s important to remember that some of the best changes that you can make are in one-on-one interactions with local customers.

At the end of the day, the corporation is a faceless entity, and you are not. Every change you make can directly affect your community and how people in it view your company, so changes can be magnitudes more effective for this reason. Making small, manageable changes can be a great way to begin making impacts over time, and your efforts are sure to be noticed if they are done earnestly. Sustainability comes with its own set of challenges, but it opens up a slew of opportunities for growth and engagement. You can lead by example and change consumer hearts and minds, one sustainable choice at a time.

Tom Brady, Will Smith yacht into Sindalah luxury resort in Saudi Arabia

Architecture

Karin Kloosterman

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October 28, 2024

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Neom is a megalomaniac’s dream in Saudi Arabia where dozens of towns, cities and resorts like The Line, a mile long city will cut through the desert to the Red Sea, and all join together in a futuristic utopia. The first of the endless series to be opened, claim the Saudis, is Sindalah an island covering 84 acres. It opened this month to the public with celebrities like Will Smith and Tom Brady smiling on location to bring the Americans over on their mega yachts.

Video via KSAProjects

Saudi Arabia announces massive construction projects on a weekly basis hoping that its oil wealth will attract western tourists, as it builds out other dreams for its locals in a parallel universe.

Below is an image of the intended result. The two images below are the actual construction state of Sindalah.

sindalah construction — Sindalah under construction

Will Smith, Tom Brady at Neom — Will Smith and Tom Brady at Neom’s Sindalah, eco luxury yacht resort on the Red Sea

Set to welcome up to 2,400 guests per day by 2028, the island will also generate around 3,500 jobs.

Boasting an “impressive marine ecosystem”, Neom developers provide no available reports on environmental assessment or how it will protect coral reefs, dolphins or marine life. We reached out and received no comment.

Sindalah’s PR unit says its surrounding waters are home to 1,100 species of fish – 45 of which are unique to NEOM waters, in addition to more than 300 coral species.

In line with Neom’s commitment to sustainability and conservation, preservation of Sindalah’s natural marine habitat has been central to the island’s development, and guests are invited to dive beneath the surface to explore its wonders for themselves, writes marketing material. Where are the commitments and environmental standards kept?

From What’s On Saudi Arabia: “Dozens of yachts from around the world have landed at the state-of-the-art marina at the Sindalah Yacht Club in NEOM as the destination approaches its grand opening. Also spotted on one of the super yachts was Tom Brady, the American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 23 seasons.”

Sindalah, before and after (after is a rendering – not the actual after)

We have dove off the waters of Egypt and no one is preparing you on how to behave in a coral reef environment. With luxury mega yachts expected to crash every party, how does Sindalah expect to protect the environment?

Sindalah will host 38 restaurants, nightlife and golfing for guests who can stay at none of 440 rooms and 88 villas, as well as 218 luxury serviced apartments.

Sinai, Egypt across the Red Sea still looks a lot more appealing. Plus it’s home to God’s mountain.

Trio of “luxury high-end boutique hotels” Leyja launched by Neom

9 Simple Activities That Can Make You Happy

Health

Bhok Thompson

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October 27, 2024

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Happiness can sometimes feel elusive, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a multitude of simple things you can do to cultivate happiness in your life. Here’s a small handful:

Eating meals outdoors with loved ones
Outdoor kitchens are inside gardens, greenhouses or on your favorite patio space. They are green, sustainable and liveable.

There are numerous physical and psychological benefits associated with cooking outdoors backed by science. For example, research shows that when people share meals together, they’re more likely to feel happy and satisfied with their lives. Combined with the benefits of being outdoors, sharing meals with others outside can do wonders to increase happiness.

Going for walks

If you have a dog, you know that going for walks is the most exciting part of their day, and it can be that way for you, too. Walking will get your heartrate up just enough to give you some health benefits, and will also make you breathe deeper, pulling more oxygen into your system. This alone can lift your mood quite a bit.

Deep breathing

The mind is always moving a mile a minute, and when you learn to slow down your thoughts, you experience more peace and lower stress and anxiety. Engaging in deep breathing exercises for just ten minutes a day can do wonders to make you feel happier.

Sleeping well

You don’t realize how much sleep quality is tied to your mood until you have a rough night and feel irritable the next morning. When you don’t sleep well, your mood suffers. If you can improve your sleep quality, your mood will also improve. Over time, when you get settled into a proper sleep routine where you’re able to stay in the deeper REM cycles long enough, you’ll wake up feeling rested and happier.

Talking with friends

Sometimes just talking with someone about what’s going on in your life is all you need to feel good. You don’t have to share too many personal details to enjoy a meaningful conversation. Often, it’s enough to just enjoy the company of a friend and talk openly together.

Helping others

Many people derive a strong sense of happiness from helping other people. If that appeals to you, start volunteering your time with organizations that do the kind of work you support. For instance, you might want to work in a soup kitchen or help a nonprofit organization deliver supplies to homeless shelters. Or, you might prefer spending time with animals living in a shelter. Do whatever excites you the most, because that’s what will make you the happiest.

Drawing, singing, and other creative acts

Being creative is about more than just creating something fun – it’s an outlet for self-expression. Although art is often appreciated by others, artists need to express their craft to feel alive. If you’re the creative type, but you haven’t pursued anything artistic in a while, try to find a way to express yourself. Sometimes that blocked energy can stagnate and suppress happiness. Once you find an outlet for self-expression and get into your flow, you’ll feel a lot happier.

Meditating

Just like deep breathing exercises, meditating can have a profound impact on slowing down your thoughts and bringing you into the present moment. During meditation, your brainwaves first enter the alpha state, which makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. When you allow yourself to go deeper, your brain will enter theta, which feels like a blissful experience.

Spend time at the beach

If you’re fortunate enough to live within a reasonable drive to the beach, start visiting more often and dig your toes into the sand. If you don’t like to swim in the ocean, you don’t have to – just getting your feet wet is enough.

barrel sauna in Canada — A sauna at the beach

Most people know they feel great at the beach and the smell of the salty air feels uplifting, but can’t explain why. It’s actually because there is an abundance of negative ions in the air created because of the way sunlight and moisture break apart and reform while gaining electrical charge. High concentrations of negative are associated with a positive mood and even higher energy levels. Many people claim going to the beach has helped to alleviate depression, stress, and anxiety.

Happiness isn’t hard to find

Although society constantly trains us to look outside of ourselves for happiness, the truth is being happy is an inside job. Increasing the happiness in your life doesn’t have to be hard. Start small by incorporating a couple of things on this list into your daily routine. With some experimentation, you’ll find something that works for you.

C-section babies benefit from poo milkshakes, new study

Food

Karin Kloosterman

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October 27, 2024

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If you have ever given birth vaginally there is an unspoken reality. Labor feels like you need to go to the toilet and it’s common for women to poop when the baby is being born. If we think nature knows best, it seems counter-intuitive that a brand new baby would be exposed to faeces while being born, but new clinical research suggests there is an immunity benefit.

Otto Helve, a paediatrician and researcher has found that giving a baby born by C-section a tiny bit of their mother’s poo in their milk gives the babies beneficial gut micro-organisms. Nestle has already launched a poo-based pill for gut health and research from 10 years ago suggests that other people’s poop can help restore a broken microbiome.

In early results of a clinical trial, Helve found that babies fed 3.5 mg of poo versus those that were given a placebo, showed an obvious increase in microbial diversity.

While the results are positive, researchers emphasize that this method should not be replicated at home, says Helve from the University of Helsinki: “You have to be certain that the faecal matter that you give to the newborn doesn’t include pathogens that could cause a disease.”

Researchers are asking these questions because birth by C-section is associated with an increased risk of many immune-related diseases, suggesting that the lack of maternal microbes in early life may have long-term health consequences for children. With women afraid of the pain of birth, and doctors afraid of lawsuits, more and more women opt for C-section.

Over the years global caesarian section rates have significantly increased from around 7% in 1990 to 21% today surpassing the ideal acceptable CS rate which is around 10% to 15% according to the WHO.

Vaginally born infants receive healthy gut bacteria from the mother at birth through the vaginal canal, and from around the mother’s anus. But C-section babies are not exposed to maternal faecal microbes and this prevents the natural transfer of microbes from mother to baby, the researchers say.

The children in the study were followed for 24 months during which time, stool and blood samples were collected from the child and mother and analysed for changes in the bacterial diversity in the microbiome between groups, and to assess immunological changes associated with the transfer such as response to vaccinations and function and interaction of immune cells in vitro. The trial has recruited 90 healthy pregnant women scheduled for elective C-section since 2019.

All of the mothers were asymptomatic (no diarrhoea or abnormal bowel functions) and none had been prescribed antibiotics or travelled outside of Europe in the three months prior to screening. Some mothers had pathogens in their bodies and they were screened out for the procedure.

How To Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Your Supply Chain?

Transportation

Karin Kloosterman

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October 23, 2024

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shipping container cargotecture — Shipping container

Every business has a carbon footprint. An organization, in its full operation, is bound to leave behind a carbon footprint. This, in fact, is an inevitable reality. But there are certainly a few ways to reduce an organization’s carbon footprint to some extent.

Reducing the carbon footprint is good for the environment and requires adhering to complaints issued by various organizations. One way you can reduce your organization’s carbon footprint is by selecting sustainable freight shipping. But this is just one of several ways. Let’s get into an in-depth discussion of how businesses can reduce their carbon footprint.

Choosing a Sustainable Freight Shipping Process

According to a study, transportation and logistics contribute to one-fifth of the world’s total carbon emissions. This trend doesn’t stop here. Almost 30% of this number is contributed by road freight transportation. This is why it is important for businesses to choose a freight shipping structure that is sustainable and reduces the carbon footprint. For instance, one can opt for a shared truckload model, which is designed to reduce 40% of carbon emissions. In STL, the shipper only pays for the space they need. This is different from a full truckload, in which you need to hire the entire truck. This means various shippers consolidate their goods into one truck, reducing carbon emissions.

Implement a Circular Economy

Before discussing how to implement a circular economy model in your supply chain, let’s define the term. A circular economy is a production and consumption approach that aims to reduce waste, utilize fewer resources in the supply chain, and use materials, tools, and machines for a longer duration of time.

Let us understand the circular economy with an example. The food industry is one of the top supply chains and is responsible for 50% of the total carbon emissions. One way the industry can reduce its carbon footprint is by reducing packaging usage and waste. Organizations working in the food industry can design their food packages so that they are easy to reuse.

Choosing Electric and Hybrid Vehicles for Logistics

When electric vehicles were first tested in the 1930s, who thought they would play such an important role in curbing the carbon footprint of the supply chain? The freight industry is also among the top eight supply chains that contribute to 50% of carbon emissions. To reduce the environmental impact of operations, many shipping providers are opting for electric and hybrid vehicles for logistics.

Choosing a Sustainably Structured Logistics System

In addition to using electric and hybrid vehicles for logistics, there are numerous other ways to reduce carbon footprint. One of them is choosing a sustainable logistics system. How? Here are some ways:

Optimizing the utilization of truck space: If you are shipping your products by road, make sure you are maximizing the utilization of truck space. This way, you will be able to ship a larger volume of goods in one single consignment.
Optimizing the route: Optimizing the route to reduce the need for terminals reduces the cost and duration of transit.

Implementing Proper Waste Management Strategies

Efficient waste management strategies in your supply chain distinguish you from your competitors. Organizations that aim to make a profit while also working for a noble cause are always appreciated by their peers and partners.

Proper waste management includes encouraging your customers to recycle the final products. In other cases, it also means being able to recycle the raw materials that were used in the production process.

Conclusion

Managing your organization’s carbon footprint has many environmental benefits. This approach also makes your operation cost-effective.

By determining the route that leads to fewer carbon emissions, you reduce the cost of fuel and freight transportation. By opting for proper waste management, you ensure that not a single byproduct of your supply chain goes to waste.

Moreover, when you choose these approaches, you establish yourself as a leader in your niche and get recognition as a business that gives importance to environmental well-being. This helps open up new partnership opportunities that you have never thought of.

How divers can help save kelp forests

Julie Steinbeck

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October 23, 2024

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Are you a diver that runs a dive shop or a hobby diver that loves the sea and wants to change the world? A researcher of forest ecosystems? A concerned citizen? The Canada and UK-based Ocean Wise and the Kelp Forest Alliance have released a new guidebook to help monitor kelp ecosystems globally.

Kelp forests may seem like just seaweed, but they are foundational for life both underwater and on land. Kelp – also known as dulse – itself is a superfood, but in the water and alive kelp support an astonishing array of biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services that help mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Kelp forests hold significant cultural and existence value for Indigenous peoples and local communities. These underwater forests are vital for the health of our planet, but unfortunately, kelp forests are disappearing at an alarming rate.

“Over 50% of kelp forests have declined in the past 50 years due to climate change and ecosystem imbalances. Global efforts to protect and restore these necessary ecosystems have never been more urgent. But to make a compelling case for kelp forest conservation, you must be able to measure their value and the impact of your interventions,” says Carlos Drews, Executive Vice President of Conservation, Ocean Wise.

kelp forest divers save — Divers restore kelp forests

Ocean conservation has been around for decades but kelp restoration is a relatively new frontier. Still in its discovery phase, kelp restoration research has focused on uncovering the most effective ways to protect and restore kelp forests. But reversing the global loss of kelp requires scalable, innovative, cost-effective, and collaborative efforts. This new handbook hopes to be the the missing link to making this a global effort.

Conservation without proper monitoring and reporting is at best an estimation, say the guide creators. That’s where this guidebook comes in—offering standardized methods to ensure data can be assessed, shared, and compared across projects.

“We spend our hard-earned conservation dollars trying to help kelp forest ecosystems, but we rarely place the same investment in tracking the outcome of those efforts. When we fail to accurately monitor and report on the outcomes of these projects, we do ourselves a disservice,” says Aaron Eager, Program Director, Kelp Forest Alliance.

“We are currently missing opportunities to understand what makes some projects more successful than others. This gap also impedes our understanding of the benefits these ecosystems provide and a result, we are unable to effectively communicate their importance to society. This document will help guide monitoring efforts and give the kelp forest community a common language when comparing data.”

Global kelp restoration efforts include active projects in 13 countries including Canada, Australia, Chile, Denmark, and the United States.

Get the guidebook here.

About Ocean Wise

Ocean Wise is a globally focused conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our ocean. Through research, education, public engagement, and international collaborations, we empower communities to fight three major ocean challenges: ocean pollution, overfishing and climate change.

By equipping and empowering individuals, communities, industries, and governments, we can create a future where people and our oceans can thrive. Ocean Wise is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia with staff across Canada and Chile, and operates conservation projects that make national and international impact.

About Kelp Forest Alliance

The Kelp Forest Alliance (KFA) is a global network of scientists, conservationists, and stakeholders dedicated to protecting and restoring 4 million hectares of kelp forests by 2040. We promote research, conservation, education, and restoration efforts worldwide. The alliance offers evidence-based strategies for effective and ethical kelp forest management, advocates for stronger policies, and aims to deepen public awareness and connection to these often-overlooked ecosystems.

Divers play a critical role in saving and restoring kelp forests, which are vital marine ecosystems. These underwater forests support biodiversity, sequester carbon, and protect coastlines. Here’s how divers contribute to the conservation and restoration of kelp forests:

How divers can help preserve kelp forests

One of the primary threats to kelp forests is the overgrazing by sea urchins, particularly in areas where natural predators, like sea otters, have declined. Divers help by:

Urchin Culling: Divers manually remove overabundant sea urchins, reducing their numbers and allowing kelp to regrow.
Targeted Removal: They focus on areas where sea urchins are particularly damaging, helping to restore balance in these ecosystems.

Planting and Restoring Kelp

In some areas, kelp populations have declined to the point where natural regrowth is limited. Divers can assist by:

Replanting Kelp: They collect kelp spores or young plants and replant them in damaged areas to encourage regrowth.
Seeding Efforts: Divers can attach kelp spores to artificial substrates or rocks to help new kelp beds establish.

Monitoring and Research

Divers are often involved in scientific research that helps track the health of kelp forests:

Ecological Surveys: They monitor kelp health, sea urchin populations, and other environmental factors.
Data Collection: Divers gather data on water quality, temperature, and biodiversity, which can help scientists understand the impacts of climate change and human activity on kelp forests.

Marine Debris Removal

Trash and fishing gear can damage kelp forests by entangling plants and marine animals. Divers contribute by:

Removing Debris: They collect discarded fishing nets, plastic waste, and other debris that can harm kelp forests.

Can these scientists pull energy from magma?

Energy

Isabella Hannah

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October 22, 2024

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Studying how magma behaves underground could help harness powerful geothermal energy. Scientists from the Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) in Iceland plan to drill into the magma beneath the Krafla volcano, starting in 2027.

Pressure and temperature sensors will be placed in the first of two boreholes to track changes to the magma, which could help predict volcanic eruptions.

The second will house a test run for a new type of geothermal power station. “[Magma] are the heat source that power the hydrothermal systems that lead to geothermal energy. Why not go to the source?” says Yan Lavallée, volcanologist and head of KMT’s science committee.

Krafla is one of the world’s most active volcanic areas, where temperatures approach 2,372°F (1,300°C). The greatest challenge to accessing this energy is not having the equipment melt.

Iceland has been harnessing the Earth’s geothermal energy for a while — where it drills into underground regions to produce steam from heated water. Ormat from Israel is a leader in this space. Water in a magma chamber inside a volcano isn’t steam, but rather it’s “supercritical” — it’s water water so hot and under pressure that it’s not liquid or steam, but that fourth state of matter close to a vapor.

In theory a magma geothermal plant has the potential to produce at least 10 times the power of a traditional geothermal plant.

According to researchers Iceland’s ongoing volcanic eruptions may continue on and off for years to decades, providing renewable energy but also threatening the country’s most densely populated region and vital infrastructure.

Related: submerged super volcanoes

The eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula have forced authorities to declare a state of emergency, with a series of eight eruptions having occurred since 2021. This southwestern region is home to 70 percent of the country’s population, its only international airport, and several geothermal power plants that supply hot water and electricity.

The most recent eruption in May through June triggered the evacuation of residents and visitors of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a popular tourist attraction, for the third time in more than two months.

Although Iceland sees regular eruptions because it sits above a volcanic hot spot, the Reykjanes Peninsula has been dormant for 800 years. Its last volcanic era continued over centuries however, prompting scientists to predict the renewed volcanism to be the start of a long episode.

Under an hour’s drive from the island’s capital city Reykjavík, the eruptions pose considerable risks for economic disruption, and they leave evacuated communities uncertain of a possible return.

An international team of scientists has been watching the volcanoes over the past three years. Analyzing seismic tomography imaging and the composition of lava samples, they’ve uncovered parts of the geological processes behind the new volcanic era. They predict the region may have to prepare for recurring eruptions lasting years to decades and possibly centuries.

The researchers report their findings in a paper published June 26 in the journal Terra Nova. The project included collaborations from the University of Oregon, Uppsala University in Sweden, University of Iceland, Czech Academy of Sciences and University of California, San Diego. The work follows an earlier Nature Communications study of the initial Reykjanes eruptions in 2021.

Some of the risks of tapping into magma for geothermal energy are the risks of creating earthquakes. Sudden changes in flow could endanger operations and there is currently no equipment that can safely handle the excessive heat. Also magma releases gases like sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could pose local environmental hazards and contribute to atmospheric pollution if not managed properly.

Scientist shows how her brain changed on the birth control pill

Health

Karin Kloosterman

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October 22, 2024

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Scientist shows how her brain changed on the birth control pill

Neuroscientist Carina Heller has joined a cadre of investigators who are filling in gaps in women’s health research by hopping into brain-imaging machines themselves. Credit: Ann-Christine Buck

Ask anyone in science and it’s known that areas that get the most funding are issues that affect more men than women, such as heart disease and prostate cancer. She had a question and got some of her own answers: A scientist in the US scanned her own brain over the period of a year to document how the brain is affected by the birth control pill. We know that some women report weight gain and other unwanted side-effects, and now we have a look into the brain.

For 75 days over the span of a year University of Minnesota neuroscientist Carina Heller’s morning ritual included climbing into her university’s brain scanner at 7:30 a.m. and lying perfectly still for an hour and a half — without falling asleep. She believes she is the most scanned woman in science.

She found a rhythmic pattern of change in brain volume and connectivity between brain regions over the course of her natural cycle, with volume and connectivity dipping slightly while she was taking the pill. Heller has joined a group of investigators filling gaps in women’s health research by scanning their own brains.

Her work builds on the work of Laura Pritschet who is now a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Pritschet scanned her brain for 30 consecutive days during her natural menstrual cycle and then for 30 more days while taking oral contraceptives in a project Pritschet calls 28andMe, after the genetics firm 23andMe in South San Francisco.

Heller’s goal was to catalogue how her brain changes during her menstrual cycle, with and without oral contraceptives and what that might mean for women’s health. Her research might inform women as to whether or not they want to take the birth control pill which alters a woman’s hormone cycle.

It’s just the beginning but her findings suggest that brain morphology and connectivity change daily throughout the natural cycle and are influenced by birth-control pills with preliminary results presented at the annual Society for Neuroscience conference.

This begs the question: Could a male birth control pill be the answer?

The Taliban bans women’s voices, non-Muslim friendships and visits to national park

Karin Kloosterman

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October 21, 2024

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Women in the Taliban-controlled country of Afghanistan are already banned from showing their bodies and faces in public. A new blow to dehumanizing women is the ban of the sound of women’s voices in public.

Like the regime in Iran that controls women singing in public and showing their hair, the restrictions in Afghanistan are more fierce and among them ban women from being friends with non-Muslims and from entering national parks. Women are not allowed to work at NGOs that support women. Women can’t work in any legal profession, they can’t work for the government, or go to the gym or drive.

The Taliban published a list of “vice and virtue” laws this past summer which were approved by their supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The vice and virtues edicts are exhaustive and oppressive: Afghan women must completely veil their bodies – including their faces – in heavy clothing at all times in the public setting so men will not be led to temptation and vice.

women and man in Afghanistan — Woman and man in Afghanistan

Among religious Jews, women are not encouraged to sing in public so men refrain from attending women’s concerts if they so choose. But women are allowed to speak in public, even encouraged to do so. But in Afghanistan and in Iran women’s voices are considered an instrument of vice and will not be allowed to be heard talking in public under the new restrictions. They cannot sing or real aloud if it can be heard from outside their home.

“Whenever an adult woman leaves her home out of necessity, she is obliged to conceal her voice, face, and body,” the new laws state.

In some areas in Afghanistan women sneak to the gym but in head to toe hijab.

It wasn’t always like that.

Two Afghan medicine students (Left & Center) listening to their Professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Kabul, as they examine a plaster showing a part of a human body - January 1962 (STAFF/AFP via Getty Images) — Two Afghan medicine students (Left & Center) listening to their Professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Kabul, as they examine a plaster showing a part of a human body – January 1962 (STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Other restrictions on women, pointed out by the US Institute of Peace (we have edited the exhaustive list):

March 31, 2024: Taliban closed several female educational centers in Kabul for registering female students beyond 6th grade.
April 2024: The Taliban’s Education Department of Kabul Province issued a commitment letter to owners of private schools, outlining a series of ten points to which the owners/administrators are pledging adherence. One of these points declares, “I confirm my agreement to adhere to the decision to suspend schooling for female students from grades 7 to 12…” Source: copy of the letter
June 4, 2024: The Department of Education in Bamyan issued a letter, signed by Qari Enayatullh Sahaar, stating that in all schools where students follow both Hanafi and Jafari jurisprudence, but only use textbooks based on one of these jurisprudences, the textbooks will be replaced with books from both Hanafi and Jafari traditions. Source: copy of the letter
March 24, 2024: The Taliban leader stated that the public stoning of women shall be enforced, and the Taliban will not bend to the pressure of the West.
December 30, 2023: The Taliban’s Ministry of Economy issued a letter calling on local and international organizations to refrain from implementing projects focused on peace, conflict resolution, advocacy and public awareness as they are not considered a need. Source: copy of the letter
August 15, 2024: The Taliban’s department of economy instructed NGOs to remove the word “woman” from their organizational names. Source: contacts on the ground
February 28, 2024: The Taliban’s spokesperson for the Ministry of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Abdul Ghaffar Farooq, announced that women appearing on television must wear black hijab and with their faces covered only leaving their eyes visible.
April 2024: The Taliban in Helmand verbally instructed media outlets to refrain from airing women’s voices. Source: field contacts
April 2024: Media outlets were verbally instructed to ban women from co-hosting shows with male journalists and refrain from reporting on women’s rights and violence against women. Source: media contacts
May 5, 2023: Banned young and unmarried women from going to health centers and shrines in Kandahar province.
January 2024: In Farah, the governor has issued a verbal order making wearing of black color hijab, face mask and gloves mandatory. Source: contacts on the ground
January 2024: In Logar, the religious police made announcements through loudspeakers in mosques and in public stating that women and girls should refrain from wearing white pants, and shoes when going out and that those ignoring the order have no right to complain about the consequences. Source: contacts on the ground
January 2024: In Paktia, the vice and virtue authorities announced through mosques that women are prohibited from wearing black Arabic hijabs, as they reveal the eyes. Instead, women are mandated to exclusively wear burqa. Source: contacts on the ground
February 14, 2024: Mullah Abdul Haq Waseeq, head of the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence, has directed its units to stop organizations from taking inappropriate photos (mixed male/female) during aid distribution, and during meetings, particularly of women. Violators are instructed to be reported to the directorate for appropriate action. Source: copy of the letter
May 26, 2024: The Taliban required couples in Herat to present their “marriage certificate” to allow them to eat together in restaurants.
July 3, 2024: The religious police in Daikundi issued an announcement mandating that women must comply with the hijab requirement within five days. The specified hijab style must be Arabic. After the deadline, violators will face punishment and imprisonment, with responsibility falling on both the individual and her family. Source: copy of the announcement and sources on the ground
July 5, 2024: The religious police in Daikundi issued an announcement mandating that women must comply with the hijab requirement within five days. The specified hijab style must be Arabic. After the deadline, violators will face punishment and imprisonment, with responsibility falling on both the individual and her family. Source: copy of the announcement
July 17, 2024: The Vice and Virtue authorities in Faryab have re-issued a ban prohibiting women from visiting three parks (Khawja Ghaar, Dara Shaakh, and Dara Rang) in Gurziwaan District. The ban has been confirmed through an official letter and corroborated by contacts on the ground.
July 31, 2024: The Taliban issued a new edict under their ‘Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Law’, which was published in the Ministry of Justice gazette, listing previously imposed restrictions as well as additional ones, including women’s voice in public and prohibiting friendship with non-Muslims. Source: copy of the edict
August 26, 2023: Taliban Minister of Vice and Virtue during his visit to Bamiyan announced that women are henceforth not allowed to enter Band-e Amir national parkBand E Amir National Park: forbidden for women
March 27, 2022: Banned women from traveling abroad without a mahram (husband or guardian) and without a legitimate reason.
January 16, 2023: Instructed travel agencies not to sell tickets to women without a mahram.

Taliban and woment — Original artwork by Ahmad Fahim Hakim

Honey gummies from the Land of Milk and Honey

Food

Julie Steinbeck

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October 21, 2024

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Loads of vitamin supplements, including leading American supplement company SmartyPants founded by Courtney Nicols who we interviewed for Charity:Water uses sugar as a sweetener. A new invention from gummy supplement manufacturer TopGum Industries, has created HoneyGum, a line of all-natural, honey-based functional gummies. The new product joins the company’s rapidly expanding portfolio of advanced dietary supplement gummies.

What makes this gummy unique is TopGum’s utilization of pure, high-dose liquid honey as opposed to commonly used powdered honey. Harnessing the ancient wellness benefits of pure liquid honey, HoneyGum seamlessly blends one of nature’s finest ingredients into its advanced gummy formulation technology.

The company will introduce the new line, alongside its innovative Caffeine Gummicino, IronGum, and others at SupplySide West, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, on Oct 30 to 31.

Honey is enjoying a revival among consumers. According to CNBC Honey is a key trending flavor in multiple food and beverage products. People everywhere including me are raising honey bees at home to access pure, local honey. Much of the honey you find in supermarkets will be adulterated: the bees fed with sugar, pesticides and the honey boiled as a form of pasteurisation. Read here about the benefits of raw honey. And here to know if your honey is real or fake.

TopGum creates nutraceuticals in these health categories:

Honey Sleep Relaxation: Features honey (500mg) with chamomile extract, GABA, L-theanine, and valerian in a calming, lemon-chamomile flavor, designed to help promote restful sleep.
Honey Immune: This gummy is enhanced with 500mg honey, elderberry, vitamin D (1000IU) and other vitamins in a vibrant mixed-berry flavor.
Honey Immune Ginger: Combines ginger, propolis, and honey (500mg) in a refreshing apple flavor.
Honey Energy: Delivers 500mg honey-infused energy via B-vitamins and caffeine in a bright tangerine flavor.
High-Dose Honey: Offers the highest amount of honey in a single gummy, enriched with biotin for beauty-from-within, and comes in a natural, light brown hue.

You can theoretically skip the product and just make these honeys at home. Functional foods and neutraceuticals are also found in the CBD market in the US where Walmart is adding CBD to coffee products. As my old fashioned GP used to say: if you eat a healthy diet there is no need for vitamins.

But biohackers disagree and new research suggests that certain supplements such amino acids may prolong life.

Still people want promise and vitamins may be the way to help achieve mental and physical health on top of eating a balanced diet, preferably the Mediterranean Diet.

Bees for peace — Women learn how to raise bees using the biodynamic method at Bees for Peace in Israel.

“Combining liquid honey into a stable gummy matrix in a way that hits the right texture and flavor notes is a complex process,” explains Jennifer Toomey, Head of New Product Development, US, for TopGum. “But it was important for us to showcase the benefits of honey without the unnecessary additives that can come with a dry or powdered ingredient.

“The new line of honey-based functional gummies is designed to meet the diverse needs of consumers in their active lifestyles,” asserts Eyal Shohat, CEO of TopGum. “Each HoneyGum product is carefully crafted to deliver a holistic, wellness solution in a deliciously chewy and convenient format. This new gummy series is a prime example of how TopGum can innovate a full line of products responding to consumer demands for functional supplements that can deliver a flavorful and enjoyable experience.”

The HoneyGums were created using TopGum’s technology for combining pure liquid honey with the company’s fiber-based prebiotic gummy matrix. This process leverages the natural sweetness and prebiotic benefits of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) with the natural goodness, signature flavor and sweetness of honey. The gummies come in a unique, hexagonal shape, as inspired by natural honeycombs, for tactile and visual appeal.

Hot topics

Finance

Marketing

Politics

Strategy

Hot topics

Finance

Marketing

Politics

Strategy

Why Social Media Matters for Sustainability in Real Estate

Building a Compelling Social Media Strategy

1. Define Your Sustainability Story

2. Utilize Visual Content

3. Involve Your Audience

4. Promote Eco-Friendly Certifications and Achievements

5. Feature Tenant Success Stories

6. Share Educational Content

Metrics to Track Success

Conclusion

Fermented Egyptian Preserved Lemons

How do you cook with fermented lemons?

Rapid urban development in Egypt isn’t considering the UNESCO-protected sites in the city, like this mosque in the City of the Dead, demolished and in ruin

Practical Tips for Sustainability

Switch to Eco-Friendly Packaging and Supplies

Partner with Local Sustainability Initiatives

Why Sustainability Matters

Barriers to Change for Small Businesses

Choosing a Sustainable Freight Shipping Process

Implement a Circular Economy

Choosing Electric and Hybrid Vehicles for Logistics

Choosing a Sustainably Structured Logistics System

Implementing Proper Waste Management Strategies

Conclusion

How divers can help preserve kelp forests

Planting and Restoring Kelp

Monitoring and Research

Marine Debris Removal

Company

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