Senior living spaces should provide a comfortable, healthy atmosphere to promote happiness and well-being. Eco-friendly spaces focus on natural, sustainable practices to improve air quality, resource use, and the world around us. Eco-friendly senior living facilities can provide a cost-efficient, healthy space for older adults to thrive without harming the environment. As a bonus, sustainable practices can significantly improve how older adults live in these communities.
1. Air Quality
Plants in a Brooklyn apartment. A good way to clean air.
Sustainable practices include better insulation, high-quality air filters, and indoor plant use to boost air quality. Older adults are prone to lung problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, pneumonia, and asthma. Improved air quality can reduce asthma attacks and ease symptoms of lung conditions.
2. Stress Relief
Natural light, indoor plants, and accessible outdoor spaces are essential for an eco-friendly living space. These features have been scientifically proven to reduce stress, improve mood, and create a relaxing atmosphere. Sunshine also provides valuable vitamins and nutrients that older adults may have trouble receiving.
3. Heart Health
Exposure to calming outdoor spaces, better-regulated temperatures, and indoor plants can improve stress levels, air quality, and mood. A lower stress level can provide significant benefits for the heart, including lowering blood pressure, which can contribute to heart attacks and worsening heart disease. Better air quality means healthier breathing, which supplies more oxygen to blood cells to help keep the heart pumping healthily.
4. Mental Health
Eco-friendly senior living spaces can provide access to gardening areas, green transportation like biking or scooters, and social activities like sports. These activities promote exercise, socializing, and enrichment, improving mental health. Better air quality can bring more oxygen to the brain, supplying it with more nutrients. The knowledge of helping the environment through eco-friendly practices and living can boost mood, too.
5. Enrichment
Older adults can learn to garden, compost, incorporate green transportation practices, and recycle in eco-friendly communities. Learning new activities and becoming a part of something bigger and beneficial can provide plenty of enrichment for older adults, sometimes improving mood, mental health, and pain relief. Indoor plant life and access to natural light can also enrich the living environment.
6. Comfort
Comfort is a significant issue in many senior living facilities. It’s common for seniors to experience abuse or neglect, regardless of location. Neglect can include missed meals, health issues due to unregulated room temperature, or lack of medication. Abuse and neglect in senior communities are prevalent issues in every state. In Texas, there were 4,000 reported cases in 2022 alone. There were nearly 10,000 reported nursing home neglect cases in SC, but many go unreported. Florida seniors surveyed indicated that 75% had witnessed or experienced abuse or neglect. Eco-friendly living involves better ventilation, air quality, and temperature controls. These factors can prevent overheating or hypothermia in older adults with trouble regulating body temperature during periods without staff supervision, mitigating the chances of neglect or injury.
7. Building Quality
Natural materials, good air quality, and water filtration systems reduce strain on a building and its equipment (like air conditioning systems). These features make buildings last longer, reducing wear and tear. Better-quality structures make for safer, happier living spaces in senior communities.
8. Water Quality
Eco-friendly living areas can and should prioritize water recycling practices (rainwater collection, greywater recycling, and more). With water filtration and recycling systems, water quality is improved. Harmful pollutants and chemicals are removed from the water to make it safe for consumption. Water is crucial for health, particularly for older adults.
9. Pollutants
Senior living facilities are often in older buildings, where pollutants like microplastics, asbestos, and chemicals can be common. Eco-friendly renovations provide clean air, food, water, and other materials to reduce harmful irritants to the skin, lungs, and overall health.
10. Finances
Renewable energy like solar or wind power dramatically reduces the cost of utility bills in senior living communities, improving financial health for older adults. Electric transportation or vehicles eliminates the cost of gas. Water recycling can significantly reduce water usage, which saves money as well. Improved finances can provide more freedom and security for seniors in these communities.
Conclusion
Eco-friendly living spaces provide many benefits not just to the environment but to residents as well. For older adults, air quality, water quality, and pollution play a huge role in mental and physical health. In senior living communities that prioritize sustainable practices like renewable energy, water recycling, and air quality, there can be a significant increase in senior health and happiness. Good air quality can reduce the effects of common lung conditions in senior populations. Water recycling can improve the quality of water and remove harmful pollutants.
Access to gardening, indoor plants, and sunlight can improve mental health, lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and increase enrichment. Eco-friendly living may reduce the prevalence of neglect through temperature control and access to healthier living spaces.
Wind turbines can pull more energy as a farm if the first turbine in a row goes slower. This kind of data can improve efficiency and profits.
Businesses in the same industry can often learn from each other’s successes and failures. It would be naive to think your competitors are not keeping an eye on your every move. From branding and pricing to social media posts and promotions, competitors should have one another on their radar. However, if your party supply store starts promoting Halloween costumes in August, don’t be surprised if your competitor starts early too.That said, they should not blatantly copy what the other one is doing.
Brands in complementing industries can also enjoy learning from other businesses. When clothing stores highlight certain trending colors in their window displays, shoe and bag stores often mimic them. So even if someone is not in the market for a neon yellow dress, they might consider the bright yellow bag as a pop of color with a monochromatic outfit. Here are some more ways competitor insights can help your business.
1. Watch Search Engine Ranking
When someone searches for “car detailing near me,” your business should pop up on the first page if that’s your focus. There are several ways to do that, with one of the most important being targeted website content. You need to be using the right keywords to rank well in search. This is an area where you can learn a lot from the competition. If another car detailing business in your area consistently appears at the top of search results, it’s worth analyzing their approach.
Start by checking out the keywords they’re targeting by reviewing their website content, meta descriptions, and headers. You can also conduct acompetitive content analysis to identify gaps. Consider creating content that addresses common questions potential customers might have, like “how often should I get my car detailed?” or “what does a full car detailing service include?” By offering valuable, informative content that’s optimized for search, you increase the chances of attracting organic traffic.
2. Monitor Communications
An upcycled phone
Whether it’s their website, marketing materials, or social media posts, it’s imperative that you know what content competitors are churning out. Even if it’s poorly written copy, you should be subscribed to their marketing. The generic template-kind of emails from your competitor could mean you have a chance to shine with more organic content. Include an interview with the founder and add some behind the scenes pics for a human touch. With so much AI-generated content floating around today, you must stand out.
If social media is not your forte, hire someone so that you’re on top of your game. Many customers today make shopping decisions based on what they see in their social media feeds. Learn about algorithms, so your content reaches your target market. Even if they don’t purchase immediately, your company will hopefully be on their mind the next time they want to buy a product you sell.
3. Know Pricing and Promotions
Look for coupons for favorite green products
With everything else being equal, sometimes the bottom line is what decides if a customer is going to go for Company A or B. Keep a watch on industry price trends. Try to stay competitive unless you have another edge. Don’t try to undercut the market by pricing yourselves too low. This could make customers think there is something lacking in your business if you are offering the same service for half price. It can also hurt the entire industry when one business tries to bring the market rate down.
In addition tomonitoring competitors pricing, stay abreast of the sales and offers they advertise. Both businesses may have an oil change for the same amount. However, one business keeps sending $10 off coupons to their mailbox. That’ll easily change where a non-loyal customer will go. You can also walk into a competing business to see where they shine and what they lack. Take your own car for an oil change at a local competing business and evaluate their customer service, convenient timings, and so on. Emulate what they do well, and improve upon gaps.
4. Fill Gaping Holes
If the competing business is lacking in any area, it can be an opportunity for your business to stand apart. Say a pizza joint has great food but they don’t deliver. You can ensure you have your own delivery drivers and are available on the popular food delivery apps like Doordash and GrubHub. This way, a customer who cannot drive to the store can still order from your business. Of course, the taste and price also matter, so make sure that’s top notch.
Opportunities can change with time. The other pizza place may eventually start offering delivery. But there is no need to despair. You can find some other unique selling proposition to differentiate your business. There are so many factors involved in a good experience that every business can shine. Unique toppings, delicious sides, a friendly smile at checkout, and an easy-to-order-app are just a few ways you can outshine your competitors.
Consider that wind farms have a certain efficiency if the first turbine is slowed down. This can help create a more efficient farm and a lead on competition.
When you keep an eye on competitors professionally, there is far less guesswork. You will not make decisions based on a hunch. You will have concrete data showing which keywords, for instance, are used most in search. You can then modify your strategy accordingly. When you see what is working for others, it is easier to replicate it in your own unique way.
Marmosets use specific vocal labels to address other individual members of their species. When researchers separated pairs of marmosets with a barrier, they found that they used distinct ‘phee calls’ for the monkey on the other side.
“We think that this behavior is important for [marmosets’] social cohesion and therefore it’s crucial for their survival,” says neuroscientist and co-author David Omer.
Omer published his research in Science, along with a team of researchers from the Hebrew University. The researchers, led by graduate student Guy Oren, recorded natural conversations between pairs of marmosets, as well as interactions between monkeys and a computer system. They found that these monkeys use their “phee-calls” to address specific individuals.
Even more interestingly, the marmosets could discern when a call was directed at them and responded more accurately when it was.
“This discovery highlight the complexity of social communication among marmosets,” explains Omer. “These calls are not just used for self-localization, as previously thought— marmosets use these specific calls to label and address specific individuals”.
The study revealed that family members within a marmoset group use similar vocal labels to address different individuals and employ similar sound features to code different names, resembling the use if names and dialects in humans.
This learning appears to occur even among adult marmosets who are not related by blood, suggesting that they learn both vocal labels and dialect from other members of their family group.
“Marmosets live in small monogamous family groups and take care of their young together, much like humans do,” says Omer. “These similarities suggest that they faced comparable evolutionary social challenges to our early pre-linguistic ancestors, which might have led them to develop similar communicating methods.”
This research provide new insights into how social communication and human language might have evolved. The ability of marmosets to label each other with specific calls suggests they have developed complex brain mechanisms, potentially analogous to those that eventually gave rise to language in humans.
There are over 100 electric vehicle options in Ireland. Volkswagen is one option.
As electric car sales roll out of the UK, TotalEnergies from France and SSE from Scotland, have signed a binding agreement to create a joint venture to establish a new major player in EV charging infrastructure in the UK and Ireland, under the brand “Source”.
The new business partnership will create about 3000 high power charge points throughout Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales, meeting demand from fleet owners and private EV car owners to get a fast charge when they stop for a coffee. Fast charge stations can “refill” a Tesla in about 20 minutes as long as there is no wait for a charge point.
Investors know that Ireland is a great country for tech investment and companies that support them – see Ireland SEO. But in the last year or so its model for attracting international investments has been frayed. Support of EVs could open new models for startup and transportation businesses.
In the latest news charge points are needed in more remote locations but that is not what this business deal will fulfill.
According to the press material issued, Source will deploy up to 3000 high power charge points (of 150 kW and more) grouped in 300 “EV hubs”, targeting what they expect is a 20% market share. The majority of the charging hubs will be in prime locations in urban areas and powered by renewable energy provided by SSE and TotalEnergies.
Several hubs are already under construction in the UK with plans for dozens more, currently in development studies, the company just announced.
“TotalEnergies is proud to contribute to the development of electric mobility to decarbonize transportation in the UK and Irelan,” says Mathieu Soulas, Senior Vice President New Mobilities at TotalEnergies.
“This is a great opportunity to extend our network in Europe and stake out a key position as a reference high-power charging player.
“We want to offer our customers – passenger cars and fleet alike – a nationwide, ultra-fast and reliable charging service that allows them to travel efficiently with complete peace of mind. This development also contributes to our integrated power strategy in the UK, combining renewable and flexible power generation capacity, trading and marketing of low-carbon electricity available 24 hours a day.”
In the UK, Source will provide reliable ultra-fast charging stations now needed since the enforcement into law of the UK Government’s zero vehicle emissions mandate for all new cars and vans. Getting the power supply infrastructure built for EV and fleet owners is one of the biggest challenges facing the decarbonisation of transport. Consider that in countries like Sweden you cannot rent a vehicle that isn’t an EV.
As of this year, China is the country with the most electric cars in the world. In 2021, there were 417 million registered vehicles in China, 319 million of which were passenger cars. Of that, 13.1 million were “new energy vehicles” – those with electric, hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Ireland plans on putting 1 million electric vehicles on roads by 2030, while building consumer confidence in EV charging. Countries like Canada have declared that all new cars on the road must be electric by 2035. Consumers are in a panic to buy fuel-based cars such as trucks as charging stations are few and far between in northern locations. Even in cities like Toronto, consumers are complaining that they can’t get adequate charges at rental apartments. A charge would take more than 24 hours on a regular outlet.
The partners in the new UK electric car deal with Source, such as SSE actually builds renewable energy power plants such as wind farms.
“SSE is already playing a leading role in decarbonising the UK and Ireland’s power system including building the world’s largest offshore wind farm and transforming electricity networks,” says Neil Kirkby, Managing Director of Enterprise at SSE.
“Now this agreement will help accelerate progress towards a decarbonised transport system too, ensuring the vehicles that keep the economy moving can do so in a more sustainable and efficient way,”
Aaron James, an electrical lineman who lost an eye and much of his face to an electrical accident, is the first person to receive a face transplant that includes a whole eye.
The operation involved several innovative techniques, including 3D-printed guides that helped surgeons fit the donor’s bone to James’s face and a transplanted piece of carotid artery that provides the donated eye with its own blood supply.
The eye responds to light, although researchers don’t believe it will connect to James’s brain well enough to restore his sight. “100/10, made medical history,” James’s daughter posted on TikTok. “Still bald headed, tho.”
Transplants can restore sight, mobility and even reproductive rights. The first womb was transplanted in Turkey more than 10 years ago, giving hope to women who were unable to conceive.
Beard transplants, a cosmetic procedure, are growing more common as Middle Eastern men enjoy wearing beards as a sign of religious devoutness and masculinity.
Success of the recent whole eye and face transplant was reported in the medical journal Jama. While the patient could not exactly “see” the researchers say that there was successful regrowth of blood vessels, meaning:
“The successful revascularization of the transplanted eye achieved in this study may serve as a step towards the goal of globe transplant for restoration of vision.”
The Ziggurat of Ur, located in the province of UR-Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar, Iraq. Built in the 21st century BC by King Ur-Nammu, the Ziggurat of Ur was used as a temple to worship the moon good “Nannar”. This 4,000 year old piece of archaeological history dates back to the first civilization’s in human history, beginning with the Sumerians.
The Iraqi city of Nasiriyah has clocked the world’s highest temperature in the last day reaching a scorching 48.7°C (119.7°F), according to data from the American Placerville station. The Nasiriyah News Network reported that the Placerville station’s data showed that there are 15 cities worldwide registering extremely high temperatures due to climate change.
Nasiriyah was top of the list, followed by another Iraqi city, Basra, which recorded 48°C (118.4°F).
Already prone to high temperatures, climate change is expected to have a disastrous effect on the Middle East. Syria’s drought 15 years ago led to a violent civil war that has left millions of people refugees –– people who now continue to seek refugee status in countries such as Canada and in Europe.
Iraq, home to the Euphrates River, and the ancestral birthplace of Abraham, has been experiencing more frequent heatwaves in recent years. Neighbors Iran and Kuwait also record record temperatures. A heatwave in Saudi Arabia this year in Mecca turned tragic when more than1,300 died from heat exhaustion –– tour companies took advantage of lax visa requirements, which led to overcrowding making the heat wave intolerable.
A low-energy Mudhif, or Iraq marshland reed hut. Keeps cool passively.
Local authorities have not yet commented on any measures being taken in Iraq to address this extreme weather event or how they will protect people. Iraq is asking people to turn down their air conditioners as not to strain the electricity grid.
TotalEnergies are looking to build a solar power plant in the Basra area.
Iraq’s state-run power company Tavanir reported on August 8, electricity consumption peaked at 79,872 MW – about 10% higher than the same period last year — and that brown and blackouts would face the nation.
One weather station in the south of the country reached a heat index of 82.2°C (180°F) and a dew point of 36.1°C (97°F), which might be the highest such readings ever recorded on Planet Earth. Welcome to our new reality.
Arava Power’s first US solar photovoltaic facility beginning commerical operation in Uvalde County, Texas. It will power 43,000 homes in the San Antonio area of Texas.
The project marks Arava’s first solar energy project in the US which was developed with Israel’s leading oil and gas retailer Paz Group and funded in partnership with the insurance company Menora Mivtachim at a total cost of $330 million USD.
Project SUNRAY spans an area of approximately 1,200 acres and is leased for a cumulative period of 50 years. It includes over 500,000 solar panels and is expected to produce 515 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. The result will prevent the emission of 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and provide clean electricity to 43,000 homes in the San Antonio area each year.
The SUNRAY project sells 50% of the generated electricity under a 12-year power purchase agreement, and the remaining half is sold on the electricity market in Texas.
“Project SUNRAY is the result of great partners and collaboration with tremendous institutions from the United States, Israel and globally. For Arava Power Company, this isn’t just about breaking new ground in the United States —it’s about demonstrating the power of our platform from development through asset management over our history and across geographies,” said David Rosenblatt, Co-Founder of Arava Power.
Ketura3 solar field by Arava Power Co in Israel
“Arava Power’s first project in the United States is a testament to our commitment to quality work and represents the growth we are undertaking.”
Rosenblatt co-founded Arava Power in 2008 with Ed Hofland.
Arava Power and Paz Group began developing the SUNRAY project in 2021, after acquiring it from OCI Energy. They completed financial closing in 2023 and as of last month, finished the construction work and received approval for commercial operation.
“We succeeded in developing our first US project under extremely challenging market conditions,” added Ilan Zidkony, CEO of Arava Power “Over the past few years, our team had to contend with regulatory upheavals, an almost unprecedented inflationary environment, and a complex financing landscape. Our company is proud of this achievement and are grateful for the confidence of top-tier partners and financiers.
“The commercial operation of SUNRAY is a key milestone in Arava Power’s U.S. vision, with a portfolio of projects in various stages of development totaling 1.3 gigawatts across the US.”
Morgan Stanley serves as the Tax Equity partner in the project and together with an additional investor made an investment of approximately $150 million.
As we tackle daily challenges and constant digital interruptions, sustaining our cognitive health becomes key to staying on top of our game. This is where natural supplements come into play, not just for a quick fix but a long-term boost. Mind Lab Pro has carved out a niche as a leading choice among these. Crafted with a blend of all-natural ingredients, it’s geared towards enhancing various aspects of cognitive health—think memory, focus, mood, and mental clarity. But Mind Lab Pro isn’t just about boosting your brain; it’s about supporting and nurturing your brain health sustainably, making it a reliable ally in your quest to stay sharp and effective.
The Science of Nootropics
Ever wondered what nootropics are all about? Nootropics are supplements designed and taken to improve cognitive functions like memory, creativity, and focus. They are your brain’s buddies, helping you stay sharp and think clearly, especially when the pressure’s on. They’re not just about giving you a quick jolt of energy like your morning coffee; they aim for a deeper, long-term enhancement of your mental capabilities.
Now, let’s dive into how Mind Lab Pro fits this picture. It’s a powerhouse that targets multiple aspects of brain health to boost cognitive performance. The secret sauce? A carefully researched and selected mix of ingredients that work together to enhance different parts of your brain function. For instance, it includes things like Citicoline and Phosphatidylserine, which help beef up your brain cell membranes and improve nerve signal transmission. Then there’s Bacopa Monnieri, a traditional herb that sharpens memory, and Lion’s Mane Mushroom, great for nerve growth and brain plasticity.
The coolest part? Mind Lab Pro does all this without relying on artificial stimulants, which means you get the cognitive boost without any of the jitters or crashes. It’s equivalent to giving your brain a gym membership that helps it get stronger and more agile over time, ensuring you stay sharp and effective, no matter the challenges.
Key Ingredients in Mind Lab Pro and Their Benefits
Ever peeked inside a supplement like Mind Lab Pro to see what makes it tick? It’s like a superfood salad for your brain. Each ingredient is carefully picked for its benefits and how they all come together to help your noggin stay in tip-top shape. Let’s break down these brain-boosting powerhouses:
Citicoline (Cognizin®):
Imagine a turbo boost for your brain’s power stations. Citicoline ramps up the production of acetylcholine, a vital neurotransmitter for memory and learning. It’s like high-grade oil that keeps your brain’s gears smooth and speedy, enhancing your ability to think quickly and remember more.
Bacopa Monnieri:
This ancient herb is like a shield for your brain. It’s packed with antioxidants that protect your brain cells from free radical damage. Plus, it boosts memory retention and reduces anxiety, making it easier to stay calm and focused even when the pressure piles on.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom:
This isn’t your ordinary mushroom. It’s a natural brain booster that supports the production of nerve growth factors, leading to better neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt and grow. Think of it as fertilizer for your brain, helping it to stay healthy and resilient as you age.
Phosphatidylserine:
This fatty substance is fundamental for healthy brain cells. It’s essential for the function of neuron membranes, which means it helps your brain cells communicate swiftly and efficiently. Plus, it’s a stress-buster, regulating cortisol levels to keep you cool and collected under fire.
L-Theanine and Caffeine (Suntheanine®):
The dynamic duo of mental clarity. L-Theanine, found in green tea, is calming, while caffeine gives you that well-known energy kick. Together, they help you focus intensely without caffeine’s usual jittery side effects alone. It’s like having the energy to power through your to-do list while being in the zen zone.
Each component in Mind Lab Pro works synergistically to boost your immediate focus and energy and protect and enhance your brain health over the long haul. So, you’re not just getting a quick fix but investing in your brain’s future.
Mind Lab Pro’s Support for Sustainable Cognitive Enhancement
When we talk about boosting our brain power, it’s not just about the short bursts for acing an exam or powering through a late-night project. What about the long haul? That’s where Mind Lab Pro shines with its focus on sustainable cognitive enhancement. It’s all about keeping your brain in peak condition day in and day out without relying on harsh stimulants that leave you crashing later.
Mind Lab Pro’s formula is stimulant-free, which means you avoid the peaks and troughs associated with caffeine or other harsh chemicals. Instead, it supports your brain’s natural processes, enhancing them without overriding your body’s systems. This approach ensures a smooth experience with no jitters or crashes and promotes long-term brain health, which is crucial as we age.
User testimonials and clinical studies are testimony to its effectiveness and safety. Many users report improved focus, memory, and mental clarity that doesn’t taper off as the day progresses. Instead, they feel sharper and more agile in their thoughts and decisions. Clinically, Mind Lab Pro has shown promising results in various studies, underlining its ability to enhance cognitive functions sustainably. These studies highlight significant improvements in memory, mood, and problem-solving abilities. This commitment to safe, long-term brain health improvement makes Mind Lab Pro a standout choice for anyone looking to support their cognitive functions for today and maintain their mental edge well into the future. It’s about nurturing your brain, giving it the nutrients it needs to thrive daily, making Mind Lab Pro a smart choice for sustainable cognitive enhancement.
Lifestyle Factors That Complement the Use of Mind Lab Pro
Although taking a supplement like Mind Lab Pro won’t make your brain grow overnight, it can help. It is essential to combine it with a healthy lifestyle to reap the greatest benefits. Let’s discuss how maximizing those brain benefits can be achieved with a balanced diet, frequent exercise, adequate sleep, and drinking plenty of water.
Balanced Diet: You are what you eat, right? Including plenty of omega-3s, antioxidants, and whole grains in your diet can help support your brain’s health on a cellular level. Think of food as fuel—high-quality fuel keeps your engine running smoother and longer. Incorporate foods like fish, nuts, berries, and leafy greens to support your Mind Lab Pro regimen.
Regular Exercise: Get moving to get smarter! Exercise isn’t just good for your muscles; it also increases blood flow to your brain, which can help keep you sharp. Whether it’s a brisk walk or a full-on gym session, regular physical activity can enhance the effects of Mind Lab Pro by boosting mood and cognitive function.
Adequate Sleep: Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Sleep is when your brain consolidates memories and repairs itself, so skimping on it can negate the benefits of any cognitive enhancers. Aim for 7-9 hours per night to let your brain (and Mind Lab Pro) do their best work.
Hydration: Water, water everywhere—make sure you drink it! Dehydration can lead to brain fog and a decrease in cognitive performance. Keeping hydrated helps maintain optimal brain function and complements Mind Lab Pro’s effects.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, we’ve unpacked how Mind Lab Pro supports cognitive health with its all-natural, carefully selected ingredients and how it encourages a holistic approach to brain enhancement. Remember, while Mind Lab Pro is a fantastic tool for boosting your cognitive functions, integrating positive lifestyle changes like a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and proper hydration can elevate your mental game. So, consider both the power of dietary supplements and the impact of healthy living for optimal cognitive health and a sustainable lifestyle.
It’s down in the history books of legends. How could the Jews hold onto the fortress of Masada for years without food and water? According to the common myth, the Romans laid siege to the Dead Sea fortress of Masada for three long years. A new survey using advanced technologies indicates that the siege was probably a much quicker affair: more like weeks.
Researchers in Archaeology at Tel Aviv University used a range of modern technologies, including drones, remote sensing, and 3D digital modeling, to generate the first objective, quantified analysis of the Roman siege system at Masada.
Findings indicate that contrary to the widespread myth, the Roman army’s siege of Masada in 73 CE lasted no more than a few weeks.
The study was conducted by Guy Stiebel, together with Hai Ashkenazi to attempt a new understanding of what really happened at Masada. The paper was published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology.
Why the siege against the Jews started?
The First Jewish Revolt against the Romans started in 66 CE after years of political instability. One of the first acts in this war was the seizure of Masada from its Roman garrison by a group of Jewish rebels. At the beginning of the rebellion, the Jewish forces managed to defeat an army led by Cestius Gallus, the governor of Syria.
Masada circumvallation wall and its sections. (Drawing by H. Ashkenazi, Base Map after Netzer Reference Netzer1991, Plan A.)
Later, after suffering heavy losses in the field, and following the arrival in 67 CE of a second expedition led by Vespasian and his son Titus, the local militias usually avoided meeting the Roman forces in the field and took shelter in fortified towns and forts, most of which had been built during previous periods.
This led to a war characterized mainly by Roman siege warfare. Several years of careful Roman advance culminated in the siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE, and though the Romans faced bitter resistance from the city’s defenders, the city was conquered and destroyed within that same year.
About three years later, the Romans followed the remaining rebels to their last stronghold – Masada. The amount of effort invested by the Romans in chasing these last few hundred rebels to their final refuge in the middle of the desert may seem surprising.
Some researchers argue that it was done in order to completely assert Roman rule over the country, to send a message to other potential rebels, and to “restore the impression of Roman might”; others have recently claimed that the Romans’ aim was to protect the valuable Balsam (opobalsamum) perfume production center at the nearby oasis of Ein Gedi.
Masada legend lasted weeks, rather than years
The researchers used drones carrying remote sensors that provided precise, high-resolution measurements of the height, width, and length of all features of the siege system. This data was used to build an accurate 3D digital model, enabling exact calculation of the structures’ volume and how long it took to build them.
Researcher Stiebel says: “We use drones, remote sensing, and aerial photography to collect accurate high-resolution data from Masada and its environs, with special emphasis on three aspects: the water systems, the trails leading to and from the palatial fortress, and the Roman siege system.
“The collected information is used to build 3D digital models that provide us with a clear and precise image of the relevant terrains. In the current study we focused on the siege system, which, thanks to the remote location and desert climate, is the best-preserved Roman siege system in the world.”
Dr. Stiebel adds: “For many years, the prevailing theory that became a modern myth asserted that the Roman siege of Masada was a grueling three-year affair. In recent decades researchers have begun to challenge this notion, for various reasons. In this first-of-its kind study we examined the issue with modern technologies enabling precise objective measurements.”
Reliable estimates are available of the quantity of earth and stones a Roman soldier was able to move in one day, the researchers explain. Ashkenazi says: “We also know that approximately 6,000-8,000 soldiers participated in the siege of Masada. Thus, we were able to objectively calculate how long it took them to build the entire siege system – eight camps and a stone wall surrounding most of the site.
“We found that construction took merely about two weeks. Based on the ancient historical testimony it is clear that once the assault ramp was completed, the Romans launched a brutal attack, ultimately capturing the fortress within a few weeks at the most.
“This leads us to the conclusion that the entire siege of Masada lasted no more than several weeks.”
Says Stiebel: “The narrative of Masada, the Great Jewish Revolt, the siege, and the tragic end as related by Flavius Josephus, have all become part of Israeli DNA and the Zionist ethos, and are well known around the world. The duration of the siege is a major element in this narrative, suggesting that the glorious Roman army found it very difficult to take the fortress and crush its defenders.
“For many years it was assumed that the siege took three long years, but in recent decades researchers have begun to challenge this unfounded belief. In our first-of-its-kind study we used objective measurements and advanced technologies to clarify this issue with the first data-driven scientific answer.
“Based on our findings we argue that the Roman siege of Masada took a few weeks at the most. As empires throughout history have done, the Romans came, saw, and conquered, quickly and brutally quelling the uprising in this remote location.
“Our conclusion, however, detracts nothing from the importance of this historical event, and many baffling questions remain to be investigated.
“For example: Why did the Romans put so much effort into seizing this remote and seemingly unimportant fortress? To answer this and many other intriguing questions we have initiated a vast, innovative project in and around Masada … to ultimately shed new light on the old enigma: What really happened at Masada?”
According to Jewish tradition, all spiritual journeys begin by using our minds to keep their bodies healthy. As Maimonides explains, we become genuine people whenever we consciously focus our bodies’ actions toward a constructive purpose, such that no action is “an act of nothingness” (Introduction to Avos Chapter 5).
Once we’ve left nothingness and joined purposefulness, we’re card-carrying members of humankind: only then can we direct our actions toward wellness and wholeness of body, mind, and spirit. Then we progress to the purpose of all the purposes: knowing and emulating God.
It’s Always in the Body
Even when we’re busy with spiritual work, the body remains at the center of all the action:
When we’re immersed in Torah study, our brain holds our thoughts.
We pray with our mouths.
With our body’s actions, we emulate God’s ways and live according to His instructions: “All my bones will say: ‘No one is like You, God.’” (Psalms 35:10)
When we live according to God’s will, He blesses us with material prosperity: “I will give the rain of your land in its time… You will gather your grain, grapes, and olives.”(Deuteronomy 11:14)
Our path to God isn’t through the perfect wisdom of the soul but rather through striving to become better in our imperfect bodies.
This path takes us through the Land of Israel, the area of the world that Jewish tradition teaches is the body of the Jewish nation, as I explain in my new book,Land of Health: Israel’s War for Wellness.
As individuals, we find God when we are inside our individual physical bodies.
As a nation, we find God inside our collective body.
Comparing Lives
Let’s explore the parallels between these two lives: individual and national.
Individual Life
We become genuine people when our minds guide our actions toward health and wellness.
Once we’re purposeful people, we progress to seeking spiritual growth.
National Life
Israel’s national mission begins with caring for the Land of Israel: its earth, water, plants, and animals. Listen to King David’s prayer (quoted in the closing line of the Kuzari):
“Get up, have compassion on Zion… Because your servants want its stones, and its earth they seek.”(Psalms 102:14)
Then we find God in Israel by living here with His Torah:
“From Zion, Torah will go out and the word of God [will go out] from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3)
We appreciate and value our bodies, because they hold our personal “form of God.” We also appreciate and value the Land of Israel, because it holds the spirit of our nation.
The Valley of Elah, where David fought Goliath, viewed from a hilltop city dating back to that era.
How to Care for Israel
Am I suggesting that Jewish national life begins with environmental advocacy for this corner of the Middle East?
Exactly!
But only as the first step of a larger mission.
Cherishing and supporting Israel’s land and stopping there is like caring for our physical health as the final purpose of life.
Again, let’s look at the parallels between individual and national life:
Individual Life
Maimonides notes that living healthily in order to get more pleasure and prestige for more years isn’t very different from mindlessly chasing after unhealthy pleasures and prestige — it’s all the same selfishness. (Introduction to Avos 5; Laws of Character 3)
Therefore, healthy Jewish living aims to achieve a more meaningful purpose: enabling us to know and emulate God’s ways.
National Life
Caring for Israel’s land only to protect its beauty — or to escape antisemitism — isn’t very different from mindlessly building skyscrapers while ignoring their environmental imprint. It’s all the same materialism.
Therefore, the Land of Israel aims to achieve a more meaningful purpose: finding God’s Presence and living in the Land of Israel by God’s word. This is where the Jewish people have observed the Torah for millennia. Their stories are told in its beautiful hills, valleys, rivers, plants, and animals.
A healthy Jewish yearning for the Land of Israel begins with cherishing it — not only because he likes pretty views and interesting history but also because God dwells in those views and history.
This article is an excerpt from the author’s new book, Land of Health: Israel’s War for Wellness, which is now available here on Amazon and in Jewish bookstores all over the world.
About the Author:
Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Naiman is a Torah student, certified health counselor, and foraging guide. He lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel, where he teaches at Yeshivas Lev HaTorah. Check out healthyjew.org to subscribe to his weekly email newsletter, The Healthy Jew, and to book your foraging walk in Israel. Land of Health is available on Amazon.com and in your local Jewish bookstore.
The gold dust bought at Walmart may make your graduation photo pretty. But one blow and it’s forever cycling as microplastics that will get into our lungs.
Girls exposed to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be more likely to start puberty early, according to new research published in Endocrinology, the flagship basic science journal of the Endocrine Society.
EDCs mimic, block or interfere with hormones in the body’s endocrine system.
There has been an alarming trend toward early puberty in girls, suggesting the influence of chemicals in our environment. Early puberty is associated with an increased risk of psychosocial problems, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer.
“We conducted a comprehensive screen of 10,000 environmental compounds with extensive follow-up studies using human brain cells that control the reproductive axis, and our team identified several substances that may contribute to early puberty in girls,” said study author Natalie Shaw, M.D., M.M.Sc., of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Durham, N.C.
Look out for musk ambrette
Musk Ambrette listed as a problematic chemical for endocrine health
Those substances include musk ambrette, which is a fragrance used in some detergents, perfumes, and personal care products, and a group of medications called cholinergic agonists.
“More research is needed to confirm our findings,” noted Shaw. “But the ability of these compounds to stimulate key receptors in the hypothalamus — the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor [GnRHR] and the kisspeptin receptor [KISS1R] — raises the possibility that exposure may prematurely activate the reproductive axis in children.”
According to the research team, musk ambrette is potentially concerning because it can be found in personal care products, and some rat studies have suggested it can cross the blood-brain barrier.
Children are less likely to encounter cholinergic agonists in their daily lives.
Canadian and European regulations restrict musk ambrette use because of its potential toxicity, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed the fragrance from its “generally recognized as safe” or GRAS list. Yet it is still available on the market in some personal care products.
“This study suggests that, out of an abundance of caution, it is important for parents to only use personal care products for their children that are federally regulated,” Shaw said.
As part of the study, the research team screened a Tox21 10,000-compound library of licensed pharmaceuticals, environmental chemicals and dietary supplements against a human cell line overexpressing GnRHR or KISS1R. They conducted follow-up analysis using human hypothalamic neurons and zebrafish, finding that musk ambrette increased the number of GnRH neurons and GnRH expression.
“Using human hypothalamic neurons and zebrafish provides an effective model for identifying environmental substances that stimulate the KISS1R and GnRHR,” said co-author Menghang Xia, Ph.D., from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) in Bethesda, Md., which is part of NIH. “This study was a multidisciplinary team effort, and it showed that we can efficiently reduce the time and cost of assessing environmental chemicals for their potential effects on human health.”
It developed out of the cannabis and medical marijuana industry, but now hydroponics is a good source of food in Bhutan.
Like millions around the world, Kinley Wangmo and her family were left without a source of income during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Unlike most of the world, this Bhutanese mother found a livelihood solution in hydroponics farming, which involves growing plants in a special nutrient-rich water instead of using soil.
What began as a simple interest soon blossomed into a profound passion. She attended online trainings and saw that this innovative technique was also full of promise for addressing the challenges of food security and land fragmentation in her landlocked Himalayan homeland.
Hydroponics uses less water and is more productive than soil-based agriculture and can be carried out all year round. Though hydroponics can be expensive and difficult to install, all it requires at its most basic level is the plants, water, a container and a source of light.
To save on the cost of importing hydroponics systems, she learned extensively from international experts and customised their approaches for Bhutanese farmers.
Using her previous experience as a contractor, undertaking everything from plumbing to electrical jobs, Kinley, who also currently runs a hardware shop, leveraged her skills and self-taught know-how to build a hydroponics system using the deep flow technique, which catches and recycles water using pipes. The system is low-cost, efficient and made using readily available materials.
It’s also easy to maintain, making it accessible and practical for small-scale farmers in Bhutan’s rugged terrain.
Kinley started Bhutan Hydroponics in a small-scale greenhouse in the Changzamtok area of the capital, Thimphu, back in 2020.
In early 2024, Kinley was one of the 30 recipients of funding support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as part of its Peri-urban and Urban Farming project in Bhutan, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
The project helped her with land development, equipment and materials for the farm, as well as seeds on a cost-sharing basis, and technical support with installing the greenhouses, garden structures, irrigation systems and digital equipment she needed for the venture.
Her vision is steadily taking shape with the establishment of three spacious greenhouses.
“The main benefit of hydroponics is that it helps plants and vegetables grow faster than traditional soil farming, and it takes up less space,” Kinley explains. “In a greenhouse, we can control everything to make sure the plants grow well.”
Kinley is keen to share her knowledge to help communities in Bhutan become more independent. “The pandemic showed us how important self-sufficiency is.”
She’s been a passionate advocate for increasing the use of hydroponics in the country, offering her expertise in setting up systems and selling her adapted hydroponics system at a cost that’s highly favourable compared with imported equipment.
About one-third of Bhutan’s population faces food insecurity. With shrinking, fragmented land holdings and many working-age adults moving from rural to urban areas, labor-intensive agriculture is becoming increasingly challenging.
The pandemic also showed the reliance of urban areas on food imported from abroad or from rural areas. In this, Bhutan’s Department of Agriculture has been pushing ahead with its strategy to promote urban farming.
Kinley also advocates for self-sufficiency and safe food in urban areas, like the capital in which she lives.
“In urban areas where food security is a pressing issue, I am dedicated to making freshly harvested, nutritious food accessible to everyone. Amidst busy lifestyles and the challenge of accessing quality food, we aim to reduce food waste and promote healthier eating habits,” says Kinley.
Bhutan’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, livestock and forests; this sector supports about 57 percent of the population. Even though the agriculture sector is growing in absolute terms, the share of the national Gross Domestic Product has been steadily decreasing due to rapid growth in other economic sectors.
On top of that, agricultural productivity is being undermined by an array of factors including urbanization and rapid development, crop damage by wild animals, land fragmentation, pests and diseases, rising temperatures and a shortage of agricultural inputs. As a result, Bhutan’s goals of food security and self-sufficiency are becoming harder to achieve.
FAO’s project is addressing these issues by helping to move crop production closer to consumers and meeting growing demand in urban areas while showcasing new technologies for transforming agrifood systems, as well as creating more jobs and income opportunities especially for women and young people.
Now, Kinley employs nine people, mostly single mothers and youth. Her current focus is on growing lettuce, which her team has harvested three times in five months and supplied to chain of hotels in the country. She currently grows two lettuce varieties and plans to cultivate three more types and recruit more staff in the future as her business continues to grow.
“Despite the challenges, I promote technology to inspire young people and women in agriculture because it’s simple,” Kinley says, adding that technology makes agriculture more appealing because it is less physically arduous and cleaner than conventional farming.
Since she expanded her business early this year, she has been selling lettuce and salads in the capital and nearby towns. She says that if she can further expand the business, she would be able to meet the rapidly growing market demand.
With her initiative full of innovative promise, Kinley is making an important contribution to the future of food, inspiring others and forging a new agricultural development model for Bhutan.
On January 1 the first day of the new year this year, I woke up with a very positive attitude, despite microplastics. Although we enjoyed the turn of the year night with friends until quite late, I chose to stick to my diet, not to drink alcohol, not to eat after 8pm, and of course, not to smoke. Having fun, does not require abusing my body, I thought, or putting my health at risk, after all.
So, this morning, I woke up without a hangover. Instead, I had a very positive and optimistic attitude. To the extent that I even went for a swim, despite the sea water cold, but extremely refreshing, temperature. In the clear blue waters, observing the fish and sun reflection on the sea bottom, among other things, I thought, well, about climate change. If climate change is here to stay for the next few decades (depends on us really), I wondered, instead of trying to fight it, why not make it our partner and make the most out of it?
For one thing, the weather is warmer, drier and more moderate. No extreme heat or cold during the year – with the exception of the summers, of course, which are heating up considerably, almost unbearably in many parts of the world. Also, not counting the days that some areas of the planet cope with extreme weather events and catastrophes.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a Washington, DC global yearly surface temperature has been in the rise since the 1940s and the global average surface temperature has increased by 1 degree Celsius since pre-industrial era (1800 to 1900).
Temperature increases as global emissions of greenhouse gases also increase. According to 2022 Global Climate Report from NOAA National Center for Environmental Information, 2022 was the world’s 6th warmest year on record (1880 to 2022). Further, every month of 2022 ranked among the ten warmest for that month.
Therefore, in general, there is no doubt, that except for extreme weather events that will certainly affect the daily routine of many communities around the planet, in more frequency and intensity, we should expect warm weather and late winters.
With this moderate weather expected, people who travel south to warmer climates, don’t really need to travel anymore, as these areas are now more vulnerable to hurricanes or other extreme weather events due to rising temperatures. These people could choose to stay and enjoy the warm weather at home. That potentially cuts down considerable travel, primarily, air travel. It also brings people closer, as people don’t leave home but make more contacts in the neighborhood, and get to know their neighborhood better.
Cutting down on travel – air or land – may be a considerable intervention to reduce emissions as, according to scientists, they affect the rising temperatures.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 65% of global GHG emissions come from carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and industrial processes. Transportation was responsible in 2010 for 15% of global GHG emissions, including road, rail, air and marine transportation. They rely by 95% on petroleum-based fuels. Even electric vehicles that charge from the grid, most of that electricity, in most cities, comes from burning fossil fuels. According to NOAA, in 2022, global average carbon dioxide set a new record high reaching 417.06 parts per million. Nearly 50% higher than the average before the Industrial Revolution.
The moderate weather is also encouraging more physical activity outdoors. More walking and biking for local commute and travel of short distances. No need to take the car. Walking and biking encourages more physical exercise, which pollutes less and builds a healthier body. Being healthier, also means, less visits to the doctors, and less need for medication.
Let’s start placemaking, making cities safer for walking
The benefits are obvious. Once in a routine of physical exercise, then more benefits come. Like, walking longer distances, getting to know your local neighbors and shops, stop and talk to people, get more accustomed to where you live.
Become, what Jane Jacobs used to call, the ‘eyes of the street’. The benefits are again obvious. More people walking the streets, less crime on the streets, more local businesses, less need for travel longer distances. More people on the streets of the neighborhood, more urban furniture and public interventions can take place by the community through Placemaking. Therefore, we can grow better neighborhoods and more resilient communities.
According to the World Health Organization all physical activity counts. It can be done as part of work, sport and leisure or transport (walking, wheeling and cycling), preferably on a daily basis. On the other hand, too much sedentary behavior can be unhealthy.
It increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and type-2 diabetes. According to the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior, 150 to 300 of physical activity per week and 60-minutes moderate aerobic physical activity per day, offers significant health benefits and mitigate health risks for children, adolescents, adults and older adults. The Guidelines ‘At a Glance’ can be a great handbook to start changing habits this new year.
Moderate weather also cuts down the need for more clothing. Which, reduces our need to shop more, either online or in shops, cutting down on travel emissions for us, and considerable emissions from the production and delivery of products from one end of the globe to another.
Skateboarding in Australia where the weather is always great.
Changing our attitude and habits, will also send a new message to the clothing industry to cut down on (over) production and perhaps focus on quality and endurance of products with less synthetic materials, which also pollute our air and water. Rather than spend more to increase production and then try to sell.
According to a report by the BBC, the fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global emissions, as new fashion trends aim for fast fashion, and cheap, mass-produced clothing with new lines being released constantly. GHG emissions are not the only impact of clothing over-production and over-consumption on the planet. Cotton for the fashion industry uses about 2.5% of world’s farmland. Synthetic materials, such as polyester, require up to 342 million barrels of oil annually.
Washing polyester clothes releases microfibers that contribute by more than 30% to global microplastics pollution. Dying of clothes requires 43 million tons of chemicals annually. Clothing production also uses a lot of water. A t-shirt, for example, requires 2,700 litres of water and a pair of jeans 10,000 litres of water. The list goes on.
At work, moderate weather allows people to be outdoors more. To walk, or bike to work. Also, to even open a window at the office – if operable windows are available – increasing natural ventilation and refreshing indoor air. As a result, productivity increases at work, and allows people to leave work on time, and spend more free time outdoors, with family and friends, enjoying the good weather in the neighborhood.
According to the World Green Building Council, staff costs, including salaries and benefits, typically account for about 90% of business operating costs. Therefore, increasing air quality at work may appear a modest improvement in employee health or productivity. However, it can have a significant financial benefit for employers.
Often more, than any other financial savings associated with efficiently designing and operating an office building. Improving indoor air quality (IAQ) through high ventilation rates and low concentrations of CO2 and pollutants, may improve productivity by 8-11%.
At home, more sunshine days means we can solar heat water for showers, without consuming energy. Also, if we have south facing windows, we can passive solar heat the living space from the sun. We can also use the warm outdoor air to refresh and ventilate our home indoor air by opening windows, without the need for a mechanical system and without consuming energy.
Is your hot water warmed by the sun?
Moderate weather also encourages less need for heating, therefore less emissions from burning fossil fuels. Also, moderate weather encourages more outdoor activity. More engagement with the outdoors, may lead perhaps to adopting new habits, such as gardening and growing our own vegetables and managing our organic waste in a composter in our garden. The benefits are obvious, considering the pollution and land appropriation for landfills, the pollution from emissions and particles in the air from garbage truck traffic in our neighborhood streets, not to mention noise and the potential for traffic jams and accidents. Also consider how we contribute in reducing the chemicals harming the rivers and lakes from industrially produced fertilizers (remember ‘The Silent Spring’?). Organic fertilizers will benefit our garden, our neighborhood and our city. And of course, the nearest river or lake or sea.
According to the US Department of Energy solar water heaters can be a cost-effective way to generate hot water for home use. They can be used in any climate and the only fuel they use, sunshine, is free. They also have some smart suggestions about further energy-saving strategies to lower heating bills, if a back-up system is required. As a matter of fact, some hotels are not only heating water for showers from the sun, but also heating pools and heat water for the kitchen, from solar systems.
According to the University of Georgia, a well-tended, fruitful garden can supply a family with a variety of nutritious, healthful fresh vegetables. Gardening can be a rewarding hobby, and a way to improve physical fitness. Fresh garden vegetables can supplement quality fresh, frozen or canned vegetables of bought food at the local market, or supermarket.
A food composter that is rolled by kids as a game
Composting is nature’s way of recycling. Many cities around the world encourage citizens to compost and provide the infrastructure for individual or municipal composting. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency composting is one of the most powerful actions one can take to reduce trash, address climate change, and build healthy soil. By turning food scraps and yard trim into compost, we transform our waste streams into a beneficial, value-added soil amendment and use it to protect the environment and create resilient communities.
Having a composter at home involves minimal effort, equipment, expense, and expertise and can be fun. You benefit by building healthier soil, preventing soil erosion, conserving water, and improving plant growth in your garden and yard. If you wish to compost but you lack the space, it is possible to join local municipal or community composting programs. It is worth finding out and start composting!
A more moderate weather, may also change our psychology, and make us more contemplative and aware of nature around us. Perhaps this will make us also more attuned to the surrounding ecology and more sensitive to our daily routine. To be more balanced, more accommodating to other people, and perhaps running our lives with more intention. Be more present and appreciative of the ‘now’, enjoy, respect, and honor the ‘now’ and the good that it has inherently, even if we are obliged to deal with a crisis or a problem. Because, like the climate crisis, every crisis has its inherent solution built-in its DNA. This is where we need to focus and find the positive in the negative.
Obviously, there is a lot more to be done to address the climate crisis. But, walking on the moon took one first step. Walking the talk, will lead to more appetite for more, and more initiatives will be born. Once we are in the ‘solution’ – rather than the ‘problem’ – mindset, the rest will follow. Once we tackle the low-hanging fruits, it is easy to come up with more solutions. Solutions that do not require investing in expensive and complicated technologies. The solutions are simple, and inherent in us. We don’t need more to solve the crisis.
So, join me in closing this year with the right foot(print) and the right attitude for our lives, our loved-ones and for the planet.
——————–
Elias Messinas a Yale-educated architect, urban planner and author, creator of ECOWEEK and Senior Lecturer at the Design Faculty of HIT, where he teaches sustainable design and coordinates the EU Horizon program SINCERE, which aims to optimize the carbon footprint of cultural heritage buildings, through innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective restoration materials and practices, energy harvesting, ICT tools and socially innovative approaches. www.ecoama.com and www.ecoweek.org
Muslim women learn how to raise bees using the biodynamic method.
Beekeepers are setting up hives in a neighborhood near you, but most will just be part of the conventional system which use the same tools that may have contributed to the decline of bees in the first place. Biodynamic beekeepers are different, using a more nature-centered approach: they oppose moving hives for pollination, mass harvesting honey, and killing and replacing the queen every year. They open the hive when the moon is right, and use natural medicine like chamomile tea to treat the hives.
I first learned about biodynamic beekeeping in Israel from Yossi Oud, who studied the Rudolf Steiner methods of beekeeping via German colleagues.
With 24,000 species of bees in the world, Israel is home to about 1,300 species, compared to a total of 600 species in a country as large as Canada, says Oud, an Israeli beekeeper and teacher who works with biodynamic beekeeping methods. He says Israel is unusually rich in bee species, and this is due in part to the country’s plant diversity. I took a course with him and visited his biodynamic hives on the roof of Tel Aviv’s mall, Dizengoff Center, and at his bee farm outside Jerusalem.
“Israel is the land of milk and honeybees, and a special area and hotspot for animals, plants and bees,” says Oud. “Of the 1,300 species of bees in Israel, 8 of them are social bees,” he tells Green Prophet.
The local bee for the most part, which is the Syrian bee, is extinct, he notes. This is an aggressive bee which has been replaced by an imported Italian bee which is now common in wild hives, urban hives and in commercial hives. The Italian bees were brought to Israel in the 1930s to support the vineyards, he says.
Because there is such a wide diversity of plants in Israel, he stresses, this is reflected by the large range of bee species. It all goes together.
Natural and urban beehives on the roof of Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Center
What makes the honey bee different from other bees is the honey stomach which creates honey and which is also 95% of their diet, says Oud, noting that people and honeybees have had a strong connection for thousands of years as seen in cave art in France that depicts a kind of bee agriculture. Bees were also domesticated in ancient Egypt.
Honey is a magical elixir. Mystical even. And our love for it goes way back to the earliest signs of advanced civilization, he notes.
Urban beekeepers collecting honeybee honey in Jaffa, Israel. Image by Karin Kloosterman for Green Prophet
Bees and Islam
ystically, all major world religions have a connection to bees, and Islam is no exception: “In the Quran, Chapter 16 is named after the bees” says Oud who is Jewish but who works with Muslim and Christian Palestinians to help them learn the trade of beekeeping in a project called Bees for Peace.
Why is there an entire chapter on the bees in the Quran, The Bee?
Islam and the bees: Be like a bee
Within the chapter, two verses cover the essence of the honeybee:
And your Lord inspired the bee: build homes in mountains and trees, and in (the hives) they build for you.
Then eat from all the fruits, following the design of your Lord, precisely.
The Bee (Arabic: النحل; an-nahl) is the 16th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur’an with 128 verses. It is named after the honey bees mentioned in verse 68, and contains a comparison of the industry and adaptability of honey bees with the industry of man.
An-Nahl, Chapter 16 (verses 68 to 69) talks about a variety of topics, but Allah, according to Muslims, specifically chose the title The Bee to catch the attention of the readers. Bees are said to be Allah’s miracles; the way they function and how they behave, are to be held as an example.
Yossi Oud teaching a biodynamic beekeeping class, Tel Aviv
According to some Islamic traditions, everyone needs a sheep and bees to ensure prosperity for the coming year.
In Judaism, the bee is not kosher but you can eat its honey, which is a rare ruling as you can’t drink milk from a non-kosher animal such as a camel. Deborah (Dvora in Hebrew), who was a prophet, is also associated with bees. Dvora means bee in Hebrew.
In the Bible, honey is mentioned 61 times and its meaning is often linked with prosperity and abundance. In the third chapter of Exodus, when God called Moses to lead the slaves out of Egypt, he called him to lead them to a land that will flow with milk and honey. This is the land of modern day Israel.
In the Song of Songs of the Old Testament (4:11-16): “Your lips, my beloved and (promised) bride, drip honey as the honeycomb; Honey and milk are under your tongue, And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.”
Honey is a ritual food eaten during the Hebrew holiday called Rosh Hashanah, which celebrates the Jewish New Year. “May you have a sweet year,” is a common blessing as people eat apples dipped in honey.
A natural hive made from mud for the bees
What is biodynamic beekeeping?
To further the understanding of biodynamic beekeeping, we are to view the colony as one creature, explains Oud. What does the hive know? For most of us it’s a mystery but we do know that each worker female lives about 6 weeks, there is one queen and a small percentage of male drones.
The biodynamic queen lives for 6 or 7 years, and the worker bee has about 16 jobs, among which is making propolis, the immune system of the hive, which is collected from tree resin, says Oud.
Ayelet at Kibbutz Nir Galim sells beekeeping gear and supplies for urban beekeepers in Israel.
The job of the male drones? While they might look like loafers who can’t even feed themselves, male bees bring genetic diversity from one hive to another on their travels,, says Oud. They mate with the the new emergent queen once a year in the spring when she flies out of the hive, and the rest of the colony follows her in a swarm to establish a new colony.. And that is how bees give birth, according to biodynamic beekeeping. The old queen stays in the hive and raises her new brood after the rest have left.
Bees give so much sweetness in life and health as well, but they can be credited for bringing people together in the Middle East when politicians fail. Oud has started a number of educational programs in Israel including Bees for Peace where he teaches Muslim woman how to be urban beekeepers. is your honey real or fake? “When people learn to work for the bees’ welfare, much sensitivity and gentleness is developed, and that could translate into our daily life. In this way the bees teach us to act for society, to live in co-existence, let go of stigmas, and help us get closer to ourselves, others, the land and the world,” says Oud.
Oud started Bees for Peace to join hearts and create cooperation between Christians, Muslims and Jews, Palestinians, Israelis and Jordanians. The initiative helps build bridges through the bio-dynamic bee keeping method in multiple constellations – amongst kids in schools, through courses and activities for adults coming from different sectors and cultures and in diverse joint initiatives.
Biodynamic is a term developed inside the teachings of anthroposophy, developed by the spiritualist and educator Rudolph Steiner from Austria in the early 1900s. There is dozens of Steiner schools in Israel, also known as Waldorf Schools, and Oud comes from that education system as an educator and teacher. There is even a biodynamic farm in Egypt called Sekem.
Bees for Peace emphasizes empowerment of women from “traditional houses” (whether Muslim, religious Jewish or other disempowered populations), who usually don’t go out of the house to work. They learn the art of beekeeping on their rooftop or from their garden and can make a small income from honey, beauty products, or other products derived from the wax of the hive.
The conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon has made it difficult for women in northern communities to tend their hives. Many hives have died says Oud, and I spoke with one Muslim woman who says she misses her hives like her family. She was staying at a hotel in Nazareth, unable to live in her village in the north as its constantly being bombarded by missiles.
The Marj Ibn Amer Almond project in the Jezreel Valley trained Israeli and Palestinian women to grow bees by the biodynamic method, in order to increase the number of bee hives in the area, to enhance the women’s involvement in the almond agriculture and to increase the almond yield, especially in light of the decreasing numbers of bees in the area and in the world.
The project was carried out by the El-Hukayer organization, an NGO dedicated to socio-economic development within Palestinian society in Israel.
Palestinian beekeepers on a roof in Jerusalem. Honey women, via Haaretz
Tlmei Achva is an educational agricultural farm in the city of Lod, for Muslim-Jewish kids and teenagers, secular and religious, where they work and grow bees together.
There is an urban beekeeping farming project in the city center of Jerusalem.
There is a biodynamic beekeeping course at Ecome center and in the city of Jericho, West Bank. The NGO works to empower Ethiopian women through growing bees and building traditional Ethiopian bee hives.
The Honey Women of East Jerusalem is a project in collaboration with the Sinsila Center and the Mosella Association.
Have a swarm? Call SOS for the Bees. Locals who find a swarm or an unwanted hive should not use poison to kill them.
SOS for the Bees is a volunteer-run group that collects swarms and re-homes hives. In Hebrew, it is Magen D’vorim Adom. You can call Yossi Oud and his team of volunteers will run to collect the bees.
Abu Dhabi’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is lated to produce 40 terawatt-hours of electricity every year now that its fourth and final reactor has started running, announced the state-owned Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC). The reactor was built by Korea.
The nuclear plant will generate 25 percent of the electricity needs of the hot, desert Gulf state, where everyone has their air-conditioning firing at full blast most of the year. The air con needs are nearly the equivalent of New Zealand’s annual consumption, the ENEC said.
The nuclear power plant will power the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world’s biggest oil producers, and Emirates Steel and Emirates Global Aluminium, ENEC said.
Barakah, which means “blessing” in Arabic. It started operations in 2020.
Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan hailed Barakah’s completion as a “significant step on the journey towards net zero”.
“We will continue to prioritise energy security and sustainability for the benefit of our nation and our people today and tomorrow,” he said on X.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the plant “will have to be disassembled at the end of its useful life, in around 60 to 80 years”.
The UAE was built on oil and is one of the largest oil producers in the OPEC cartel.
Last year, it hosted the COP28 UN climate talks which resulted in an agreement to “transition away” from fossil fuels. Not all environmentalists agree that nuclear energy is clean energy die to the risks.
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