Keeping Public Trains on Track

Transportation

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July 28, 2010

A new research project aims to create an early warning system to save lives of people who take the train.

Trains are one of favourite means of public transportation. See how Europe does it. Trains are fast, affordable and in the right country, they run on time. But as new tracks are laid down, new hazards emerge. A new research project looks to predict future disasters so that trains will continue to rule the public transportation track.

Thousands of people around the world have died in train wrecks caused by natural disasters. In 2004, the tsunami in Southeast Asia derailed a Sri Lankan train, killing 1,700 people. But with modern advances, these tragedies can be avoided — and a Tel Aviv University researcher, working in collaboration with teams from seven countries, is leading the way.

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The Middle East Can Only Drool Over Tesla's Electric Sports Roadsters

Transportation

Maurice Picow

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July 28, 2010

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The Middle East Can Only Drool Over Tesla's Electric Sports Roadsters

Tesla Model S Coupe: Expensive bang for your bucks. The Middle East can only drool for now.

Tesla electric sports roadsters floated a successful IPO stock offering and are now tearing down the roads in European countries like Turkey, Hong Kong, Japan, and Canada. Still considered to be an expensive recreational toy due to its high price (beginning at US $ 100,000) the car is nevertheless being bought by well-to-do people who love fast cars; especially ones that go from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.7 seconds, according to tests run by Tesla. The car was recently featured in the SPEC Smart Products Ecosystem Connections news site, reporting that Tesla has sold more than 1,200 of these roadsters to customers in 28 countries.

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Vegetarians Hit the Streets of Jordan Wearing Lettuce

Health

Arwa Aburawa

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July 28, 2010

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Vegetarians Hit the Streets of Jordan Wearing Lettuce

A Muslim woman makes an uncharacteristic stand for vegetarianism on the conservative streets of Amman, Jordan.

Last Sunday in the bustling streets of Amman in Jordan, a young Muslim women wearing a hijab and a suit of lettuce made a stand for vegetarianism. Amina Tariq, who is a member of the animal rights group PETA: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, held up a sign playfully stating ‘Let Vegetarianism Grow on You’ which explains why she was covered from her neck down to her toes in lettuce.

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IBM Transfer IT Know-how to Water Conservation in Israel

Green Tech and Gadgets

Matt Khoury

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July 28, 2010

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IBM to create new flow models and smart grid water solutions based on Israeli high-tech expertise.

Scientists at IBM’s research facility in Haifa will launce a number of pilot programs both in Israel, the US and China that will use algorithms developed for the IT world to detect water leaks and ever predict possible pipe bursts, the Jerusalem Post is reporting.

Pnina Vortman, senior manager and Smarter Planet Solutions leader with IBM told the paper that they have developed a number of algorithms that could be used to prevent water loss from broken pipes, streamline maintenance and reduce general water loss.

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Kamil Crater Discovered in Egypt

Travel

Tafline Laylin

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July 27, 2010

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One of the most pristine crater sites in the world, Kamil teaches us to respect nature’s superiority over our lives.

With its wealth of whale fossils trapped within what was once the Tethys sea, and the River Nile, now subdued but previously an angry god that rose and fell at will, affecting millions of people, Egypt offers an important reminder that we are subject to nature’s rules. When the rains don’t come, we struggle to grow food. When the rain comes in a fury, we lose our crops; we lose our homes. But when the next meteorite makes contact with the earth, we will be ready for it, thanks to one of the world’s best preserved craters recently discovered in the Sahara desert.

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Azouri Brothers Eco-Tower Planned for Tel Aviv

Cities

Tafline Laylin

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July 27, 2010

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Azouri Brothers Eco-Tower Planned for Tel Aviv

The First Phase of Tel Aviv’s first “Green” high rise to be completed in January [image via emporis.com]

Although the Middle Eastern sustainable development agenda lags behind the western world, several recent developments and innovations demonstrate that we can keep pace. Studied Impact in Dubai has designed a renewable power plant that is fit for living, and So’ Eco is spreading their green building skills,married with social equality, throughout Syria, Lebanon, and Tunisia.

These initiatives reflect a willingness to join the global commitment to restore environmental damage while drawing urban dwellers back to the earth. Does the Azouri brothers’ eco-tower in Tel Aviv express Israel’s maturing eco-consciousness?

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The Toxic Touch of Beauty Products – 7 Chemicals to Avoid

Design

Naomi Ben-David

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July 27, 2010

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The Toxic Touch of Beauty Products – 7 Chemicals to Avoid

Do you keep an eye an the ingredients in your beauty products? Well maybe it’s time you did. Image via dreamglow pumpkincat210

Have you ever read the ingredients on the back of your beauty products? It is fairly common practice to check the ingredients of food, so why is it that the same doesn’t apply to cosmetics? After all, it does go on our skin on a daily basis.

The truth is, that even if you do read the ingredients, those long chemical names probably don’t mean that much to you, but the cosmetics industry is filled with chemicals so there are a few items you should keep in mind to avoid.

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Kristiane Backer – An Eco-Muslim

Arwa Aburawa

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July 27, 2010

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“For me green living is part and parcel of being a good Muslim- it’s a spiritual requirement.”

Kristiane Backer has undergone various transformations in her life but none as big as the move from a rock and roll lifestyle as MTV reporter, interviewing the Rolling Stones and Lenny Kravitz, to an Eco-Muslimah promoting the green message of Islam.

A fateful meeting with famous cricketer Imran Khan at the pinnacle of her success in the late ’90s, drew her attention to Islam and also the realization that something was missing in her life. Inspired by the message of the Qur’an, travel to Muslim countries and the beauty of Sufi poetry, she decided to become a Muslim. Kristiane, who recently launched a campaign which highlights the Prophet’s respect for the environment, took time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions about what it means to be an Eco-Muslimah.

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An AcousticEye to Diagnose and Stop Leaky Pipes From Within

Green Tech and Gadgets

Karin Kloosterman

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July 27, 2010

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Rusted, blocked or leaky pipes? An AcousticEye can see inside pipes for swift repair.

What drives an engineer to spend sleepless nights devising solutions to life’s twisted problems? Engineer Tal Pechter, CEO at AcousticEye, transformed his kitchen into a laboratory and his body into a test specimen in his quest for a method to detect holes and blockages in pipes. His obsession evolved from his work at two seemingly unrelated places – Israel Aircraft Industries and prior to that, a sleep apnea startup.

Focused on ‘tubes’ in both jobs, Pechter was convinced that there had to be better methods to locate leaks and blockages in airplane pipes and blockages in a person’s airways, than those currently in use. In fact, there are far more similarities between Pechter’s two jobs than one might think. For example, systems within an aircraft, built with tubes and pipes, parallel the respiratory tract, circulatory and digestive systems in the human body.

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Green Prophet Flies To “The Ornithological Society of Kuwait”

Lifestyle

Moshe Terdiman

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July 27, 2010

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Green Prophet Flies To “The Ornithological Society of Kuwait”

A weekly Green Prophet series that looks at the Arabic “green” blogosphere and online communities.

After looking at a personal environmental blog from Lebanon , at a Syrian environmental blog that raises environmental awareness among the Syrian public, and at a personal Iraqi environmental blog, we are flying this time to Iraq’s neighbor, Kuwait. Here, we will take a little break from environmental blogs and review a unique environmental forum, which is all about birds.

Called “The Ornithological Society of Kuwait’s Forum,” this site is dedicated to birds only, and is administered by the Ornithological Society of Kuwait. It is written in Arabic and has been active since January 2008.

According to its website, the aims of the Ornithological Society of Kuwait include “bird studying, protecting, watching, and identifying for all the free flying birds in Kuwait; establish and run bird reserves in important bird areas and liaise with government officials; publish a bilingual full annual bird report to include all sightings of birds and the status of their habitat; educate the public by lectures and meetings; publish flyers, posters to educate the public for the protection of birds; and establish a library to include most important birding books and magazines.” If you’re a birder, this site is for you.

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Israel Cleantech Intelligence: Green Hi-Rises and 7 More Headlines

Green Tech and Gadgets

Lisa Damast

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July 27, 2010

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Israel Cleantech Intelligence: Green Hi-Rises and 7 More Headlines

Tel Aviv’s first green hi-rise, Ohio-Israel partnership, Volkswagon and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech and the environment. Image via [nivs].

During the week of July 20, 2010, “wind prediction” company, Pentalum raised $9 million. Tensions between Israel and Lebanon over natural gas in the Mediterranean heated up and Rosetta Green and Seambiotic are partnering to develop improved algal strains for the biofuel industry. For these stories and more, see this week’s headlines below.

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Zolaykha Sherzad Resurrects Traditional Afghan Crafts Via Modern Fashion Design

Design

Karen Chernick

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July 27, 2010

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Zolaykha Sherzad revives Afghan artistic culture and trains women with her Zarif Design company in Kabul.

Fashion can be environmentally friendly in a few ways. Green-ifying your outfit can be as simple as obtaining it from your local second-hand store, or using eco-friendly detergents and cold water to wash it. Alternatively, it can mean that your clothes are made from organic and sustainably produced materials, or that the designer who made your clothes created them out of recycled fabrics (a la Ziad Ghanem). For Zolaykha Sherzad, fashion is a local, handmade (and therefore low carbon-emission) endeavor and this can be seen in her Zarif Design company in Kabul, Afghanistan.

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Dubai for birders

Travel

Tafline Laylin

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July 26, 2010

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More than a playground for the rich, Dubai’s Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary protects a wild selection of birds

Dubai. The very word evokes a sense of plastic dread: tall, extravagant buildings shimmering in the sharp sun, the tallest buildings, the trendiest, and one of the worst environmental offenders we can think of.

And yet, Dubai’s 3900 sq km hosts a plethora of migratory birds traveling between Africa and Asia, as well as various year-round species. We’ve always thought of this particular emirate as a wealthy wasteland, but can it actually support a healthy variety of wildlife as well?

Dubai is surprisingly diverse, according to Wildlife Extra. Its mountains, off shore islands, and rocky outcrops, as well as the mangrove swamps, tidal wetlands, lagoons, mud flats, and desert scrub all support an equally impressive array of birds.

Among them are gleaming kingfishers, predatory eagles, bee-eaters and owls. And in winter, it’s possible to travel just outside of the city glut to view flocks of salmon-colored flamingos with their black-tipped beaks.

Dubai’s sanctuary for birds

Part of the 10 km tidal creek that flows from the Gulf and Dubai city was set aside as the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and includes nutrient rich tidal mud flats and lagoons, along which mangrove saplings were planted in 1993. Sheikh Mohammed established the sanctuary and continues to be responsible for its management.

Saudi Arabian mangrove forests — *Mangrove forests can help mitigate climate change*

They take their management seriously here. Police patrol the area to ensure that visitors do not disturb the wildlife and visitors are required to apply for a permit 3 days before their visit in order to enter. These measures allow conservation managers to maintain the sanctuary’s ecological integrity.

Plan ahead, get your permit

But the trouble is worth it. Against the backdrop of the infamous skyline, parents can take their children on a peaceful outing, get fresh air, and teach their children about the spunky life of birds. There is the Spoonbill, whose long beak resembles a spoon, and who favors lakes, marshes, swamps and mud flats. Or the Purple sunbird so named for the racy splash of color on its rump.

So if you’re heading to Dubai and want to escape the rat race, head for the sanctuary, winter is best, and immerse yourself in the flighty world of our feathered friends.

More Wildlife News:

Turkey Helps Syria Revive “Thoth” – The Northern Bald Ibis

Nature Iraq’s Conservation in A Combat Zone

What Tagged Hawksbill Turtles From Qatar Tell Us

Freekeh recipes for a new taste of the old farik grain

Health

Miriam Kresh

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July 26, 2010

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Freekeh recipes for a new taste of the old farik grain

Folks seeking new taste sensations are going wild over the flavor of freekah, frikeh (Arabic: فريكة‎) or farik, an Arabic smoked green wheat – a staple in the Middle East for thousands of years.

Where wheat grows in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, people set aside part of the harvest to make freekeh. Its young wheat is gathered before the grain matures. Dried and briefly toasted over open fire, the freekeh grain gains a smoky, almost-sweet flavor and a greenish-gold color. It also delivers a powerful supply of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Modern chefs in Israel and the States are now discovering dozens of ways to highlight this traditional slow food‘s unique flavor in cooked dishes and salads.

The Atlantic‘s Nomi Abeliovich gives a recipe for freekah and sweet potato salad.

The Lebanese-cuisine blog, Taste of Beirut, shares a vegetarian recipe for squash stuffed with freekah, bell peppers, and spices.

The site also features a mouth-watering recipe for lamb with freekah and tomato sauce.These recipes are in the spirit of traditional Lebanese flavors.

And here’s an original freekah pilaf from the Harmonious Belly blog – freekah from the Western point of view.

If pure freekeh is too smoky for your taste, try mixing it with rice, as Sarah of the Foodbridge blog did: Farik with Rice.

Look for freekeh in ethnic Arab stores, health food stores, and your local shuk. Try combining it with cooked root vegetables, as salad. Or as a stuffing for vegetables or meat, instead of rice. Or even as a hot breakfast cereal with chopped dried fruit and nuts.

Just remember that 1 cup of the smoky-flavored grain needs 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water to cook thoroughly and still be a little chewy, as for pilaf. 3to 4 cups are needed for the freekeh to burst open and become soft, as for hot cereal.

More on traditional Middle Eastern food from Green Prophet:

Israeli "Wind Prediction" Company Pentalum Raises $9 Million

Green Tech and Gadgets

Matt Khoury

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July 26, 2010

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One of the main problems both in planning and running a wind farm is knowing where the wind will come from and how strong it will be. Pentalum thinks they have the solution.

Pentalum Technologies Ltd have raised an additional $9 million from three venture capital fund, the Israeli business daily Globes is reporting.

The company has developed what they call a SpiDARTM: “a revolutionary, cost effective, patent pending, Lidar system, for remote sensing of wind.

“The system targets all three main wind farm applications: wind resource assessment, wind farm operation optimization and wind forecasting.”

LIDAR stands for light detection and ranging and the technology is used for establishing the range as well as other information of a target by using laser pulses.

When used in the wind power industry to measure the oncoming horizontal winds the system proactively adjust the blades to both increase power and to protect the rotor from damaged caused by excessive winds.

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