Until this year, Chile’s renewable energy standard required only 3.5% of clean electricity by 2020. This year, they raised it to 20%. Now they are swamped with geothermal bids. Ormat Technologies Inc ((NYSE: ORA) South American subsidiary Ormat Andina Energia Ltd was among the companies and subsidiaries of foreign-held companies that submitted bids to explore for […]
Increasingly, we humans are going to have to share our coasts with a new pest we have created. Here’s a problem that will get worse in future centuries. The rise in jellyfish. Jellyfish populations are proliferating and evolving. They are moving to new regions. Scientists attribute the rise in jellyfish populations on our coasts to […]
The Arava Institue works with Palestinians and Israelis to cooperatively solve the region’s environmental challenges As one the most conflict-ridden regions in the world, the Middle East has it’s fair share of political problems. In fact, whenever the issue of environmental dangers are highlight many people will shrug their shoulders and say ‘we have more […]
A UAE facilities management company and a Swiss non-profit have teamed up to create the UAE’s first carbon-neutral bus. Just this week we learned that Gulf countries are considering ending oil subsidies and that an Eco-Playbus is tooting around Bethlehem, showing some signs that the Middle East is moving towards a more sustainable future. That […]
Conservative women who visit Jeddah swim wearing their Hijab and all, but still manage to enjoy what this lovely seaside city has to offer. Diana Rayan, a Palestinian blogger and photographer living in Saudi Arabia contacted us with images of Jeddah, a city in Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea which is said to be […]
Plastic bottles might not work in the Emirate Palace Hotel – but opulent jewelry decor isn’t fitting either. Image via AFP “Deck the halls with boughs of diamonds tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la”. Over extravagant Abu Dhabi has done it again! This time it’s with an opulent bejeweled Christmas tree that is now “decking” the main entrance hall of […]
Built by Palestinian engineers, the toy-carrying Eco-Playbus is powered by solar and cycling power Yesterday, 250 children from the Aida Camp in Bethlehem and various Camps across Jerusalem gathered to celebrate the launch the unique Eco-Playbus project. Aimed at Palestinians living in refugee camps, the Eco-Playbus is a traveling vehicle filled with games and toys […]
Huge oil subsidies in the Middle Eastern oil-producing nations mean that residents pay very little for oil. One big problem in getting everyone to reduce use of harmful fossil fuels is that gas is too cheap some places. The worst offenders pay the least for gas, and it has long encouraged grotesque over-consumption. Most of […]
Responding to David de Rothschild’s concerns, IEI attempts to convince Lord Jacob Rothschild that oil shale is good for Israel. Read all about in a letter Green Prophet obtained. Following our much publicized open letter to David de Rothschild, who is in the running to become National Geographic Adventurer of 2010, Green Prophet was interviewed […]
The hornet that captures the sun’s energy in its bright yellow abdomen teaches us that nature knows so much better than we do. When we cover crazy schemes to manipulate nature – such as the plan to move mini oceans to the desert – I inevitably shake my head at our collective arrogance. These plans […]
In the absence of all the trees burnt during the recent Carmel fire in Israel, a Christmas tree made from 5,480 plastic bottles stands tall in Haifa. The city of Haifa, in northern Israel, has Jewish, Christian, Baha’i and Muslim residents, and so many religious holidays are celebrated there. In honor of the upcoming Christmas […]
Could the Ormat geothermal project at Sarulla in Sumatra, Indonesia have caused the recent volcano? Worries about Ormat's geothermal and the volcano in Indonesia are unfounded
Harsh winter storms have damaged crops in Israel to the tune of $5.5 million, according to Meir Ifrah, CEO of the Vegetable Growers Association. The recent drought had already damaged local produce. See our post on Israel’s shriveled vegetables here. Prices are close to double what they were last year at this time. Growing your […]
The Volt is already “charging” towards customers, and hopefully success Finally, after months of speculation, marketing hoopla, and just plain old media hype, the first GM Chevrolet Volt electric cars went out to waiting Chevy dealerships and the customers who ordered them months before. The Volts, containing an electric engine as the main power driver, […]
Sadly, the source of the recent Golan fire in Israel (before the Carmel fire) may have been an “eco-friendly” Rainbow Festival participant. Environmentalists can get it so horribly wrong sometimes. They may decide to buy certified organic out-of-season produce from thousands of miles away instead of buying local and seasonal. Or they may ditch their […]