Transplanting seas to inland ocean lakes? A good idea for the Middle East? The two century-old and highly respected Japanese engineering giant Shimizu has hatched a wild and crazy proposal to rehabilitate the desert for human use. Their idea is to move vast amounts of seawater along canals that would track deep into desert landmasses […]
Fancy a hot snack? Try sambusak. If you suddenly need a nosh while browsing an open-air market (like one of these shouks), look around. You’re sure to find a sambusak stand where hungry shoppers are buying these hot, spicy pastries. These popular turnovers also appear at wedding buffets and fancy hotel receptions. Made at home, […]
These clumps of plastic debris killed the camels from whose bellies they were retrieved. I’m not going to beat around the bush: I loathe plastic bags. There are many reasons, chief of which is the impact they have on our domestic and wildlife. Months ago we reported that camels were discovered to have been killed […]
Lake Urmia (Persian: دریاچه ارومیه, theDaryache-ye Orumiye, Azerbaijani Urmu gölü, Kurdish Wermy, Armenian: Կապուտան ծով, Kaputan ts'ov; ancient name: Lake Matiene) is a salt lake in northwestern Iran near Iran's border with Turkey. Like the Dead Sea in Israel and Jordan, and Aral Lake in Iraq we could lose this lake forever if we don't take action today.
What it’s really like to explore Beirut (and especially the new Waterfront District) by bike. Lebanon – and Beirut in particular – have been making efforts recently to improve the availability of eco-friendly forms of transportation. A campaign this past summer gathered 150 cyclists in Beirut to demonstrate how easy it could be to bike […]
American University in Cairo’s new campus was designed for efficient energy and water usage. Most observers would not think of Egypt as an environmental leader. Instead, the smog and litter of Cairo come to mind, or the negative environmental impact of the Aswan Dam. Yet we recently reported here that Egypt ranks No. 1 in […]
Cloud seeding not more effective than chance (or prayers?) finds new research. Prayers are answered as rain starts falling in the Middle East –– but not before hot, possibly climate change related dry spells have helped spread wildfires in Lebanon and Israel. But those looking to cloud seeding to ignite a rain: better do a […]
ETV’s micro- turbine device to extend the range of the battery cell packs to up to twice the present driving range of 130 -160 km. Public charging posts (like this one) may not be needed. The electric car innovation and development industries in Israel have not been sparing media hype to make people more aware […]
This Lebanese oak tree has survived for 1500 years, but many others were destroyed in recent forest fires. Sawdust from Lebanese cedars has been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and the Bible recounts how the trees were brought to Jerusalem for the building of Solomon’s Temple. The cedar even appears on the Lebanese flag. But […]
Cancun ends. Qatar’s happy, so is Saudi Arabia. But Bolivia’s not. Not every country whose representatives attended the climate talks in Mexico are pleased with the outcome. CNN reports that Bolivia sought to block what is being dubbed the “Cancun Agreement,” saying that the text of that agreement is hollow, and that the failure will […]
Step back in time with this restored 5th-6th century sextet of cave houses converted into a luxury hotel. We were quite taken with these long-standing caves in Iran, and with this eco-boutique hotel in Turkey, but neither match the style of the restored Yunak Evleri hotel in Cappadocia. With fixings such as marble in the […]
To heat up its solar development, the Egyptian government is offering free land to potential solar investors. Despite Israel’s innovative green tech sector, and Abu Dhabi’s green building commitment at Masdar, the highest-ranking nation in the Middle East for renewable investment potential turns out to be Egypt, according to new rankings from Ernst & Young. […]
In over-crowded Gaza, the locals have taken to growing crops on their flat roofs As the most densely populated area in the entire world, the Gaza Strip is understandably short of space. People live in overcrowded concrete homes separated by narrow alleyways and agricultural land is in short supply considering there is a need for […]
As the Muslim world marks the Islamic new year, Arwa reflects on the past 12 months of environmental action (and inaction) in the Middle East Believe it or not, this busy week saw the start of the Islamic new year of 1432 A.H. Unlike the typical new year celebrations with parties, fireworks and new year […]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzY4SGgEB7g&feature=player_embedded[/youtube] Sometimes less is more. WWF creates a brilliant file format that can’t be printed. The Chinese used to write books on silk. Think about that for a second. If you thought you had to produce an entire sheet of silk in order to pass on that really bad joke your father sent you, might […]