Coming for a 5 month internship, learn more about the students and people from the ecological and organic farm, Hava ve Adam (Adam and Eve) Ecological Farm outside Modi’in, Israel. They grow their own food, use compost toilets, sleep in geodesic domes. The whole nine yards.
Egypt Fines Russia for Cleaning Oil Bilge in Red Sea
The tragedy of it all- why should they have to suffer? A Russian oil dump in Egypt raises more red flags in Middle East about oil spills and drilling practices.
The giant Gulf of Mexco oil spill is now more than two weeks old and although intensive efforts are being made to “cap” the well, it is still spewing 5,000 barrels of oil (950,000 liters) per day into the Gulf. The three companies being held responsible are British Petroleum BP (who drilled the well), Transocean (who own the equipment, including the drilling platform), and Halliburton (who serviced the well, including making safety inspections). The environmental damage already done is feared to even surpass the giant oil spill on Spain’s ‘Coast of Death’ in 2002, and the Exxon Valdez in Alaska.
Now the Xinhua News Agency reports that the Egyptian Environment Ministry decided to a Russian ship after it dumped its oil waste into the Red Sea, causing an oil slick that stretched over 1 km off the coastal city of Ras Ghareb in eastern Egypt. An Egyptian chopper spotted the vessel in April. It hoisted the flag of Russia while it was dumping oil waste into the sea water. An Egyptian court has decided to seize the vessel until the fine is paid, the report added.
Celebrate Shavuot at Vertigo Eco-Arts Village, A Great Alternative to All That Cheese
Celebrate an alternative and dance-themed Shavuot at Vertigo Dance Company’s Eco-Arts Village. [image via: avinatan]
If you’re a vegetarian (or a vegawarian), Shavuot may be one of your favorite holidays. During Shavuot you traditionally eat dairy (and lots of it), so the main meal is a vegetarian.
But if you’re lactose intolerant, that’s no fun at all. Luckily, there’s more to Shavuot than eating a lot of cheese (and cheesecake). For the third year in a row, the Vertigo Eco-Arts Village will be hosting a special two-day Shavuot Hagiga event packed with yoga, dance performances, a Shavuot picnic, Tikkun Shavuot (the traditional study of excerpts from the beginning and end of the 24 books of the Jewish Tanakh), Tai Chi, and workshops.
Masdar City: A Diversion from the Crucible of Climate Change
Built on the profits of oil, should Masdar hold the mantle of energy leadership for the world? Yosef asks.
According to the Masdar City website, the undertaking is intended to be Abu Dhabi’s “multi-faceted response to the challenges facing a sustainable future.” The city, intended to house 50,000 residents in a kind of technosphere designed to invoke a time-venerated Arab city. The enterprise is aimed at making Abu Dhabi “a global leader and hub for the research of renewable energy and sustainable technology.”
While initiatives aimed at advancing a sustainable future are to be applauded, there is something disturbingly off about the context in which the Abu Dhabi oil state seeks to claim the mantle of energy leadership and sustainable practice.
Solar Power Plants in Italy and the US, Built by China and Israel?
Suntech, the world’s biggest maker of polysilicon solar-power modules from China looks to pair up with Israel Electric Corp on solar-power plants. Image via Suntech
Catalysed by the World Expo in Shanghai perhaps, the previous solar deal between Heliofocus and Sanhua, and/or linked to the $35 million deal between Suntech and Israel’s SBY Israel and China may be aligning on the solar front. Bloomberg business news is reporting that economic ties could get a whole lot warmer between China and Israel: Suntech, the world’s largest crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules is expected to join Israel’s government-owned electric company Israel Electric Corp to develop solar projects and innovative technologies to boost solar panel efficiency. Israel Electric’s senior VP Yakov Hain said that the two groups are looking to coordinate research to develop solar technologies, and to collaborate on the design and construction of power plants – utilizing existing technology.
As business with the EU weakens, Israel looks to the East and hopes to attract Chinese investment.
Calling all Young Architects and Grad Students to Join ECOWEEK 2010
Young Israeli and Palestinian Architects Are Invited to Join World Renowned Architects for a Week of Green Building Lectures, Site Visits, and Workshops.
With cooperation from Friends of the Earth Middle East, Hebron Polytechnic, and the Porter School for Environmental Studies (among many others), the International Non-Profit Organization ECOWEEK has announced that from July 25th to August 1st, young architectural professionals and graduate students in Israel and Palestine will be able to flex their green building muscles. Joined by other international students and led by renowned architects from around the world, participants will have the enviable opportunity to learn about the best green practices in the field.
MENA Cleantech Sees 'Existential Need' for CSP in Middle East and North Africa
At the MENASOL conference in Cairo last week, MENA Cleantech’s Samer Zureikat cited this 11th century scientist, Ibn al-Haytham, as one of the forefathers of solar technology. (Image via orientpix.com)
I was sitting behind Samer Zureikat, the CEO of MENA Cleantech, at the MENASOL solar energy conference in Cairo last week when one of the speakers declared that CSP (concentrating solar power) is not economically competitive for large-scale generation of electricity. It was clear that Zureikat disagreed: He shook his head from side to side in disbelief and began chuckling.
Later he would admit that he is indeed “obsessed” with CSP, and explained that he prefers to use the active form “concentrating” instead of the passive “concentrated” – “because that’s what you’re actually doing.”
Emefcy Raises $5 million For Commercial "Green" Sewage Treatment Pilot Plant
Emefcy technology uses bacteria that can produce electricity from wastewater, such as this lagoon. Photo courtesy of Emefcy
Globes is reporting that Israeli sewage technology company Emefcy has raised $5 million for a commercial pilot. Founded in 2007 Eytan Levy and Ronen Shechter, Emefcy‘s main product, the MEGAWATTER system aids the management of wastewater by reducing energy consumption by applying microbial fuel cells. The cells feed on the wastewater and can produce electricity or hydrogen.
Israel Joins Prestigious OECD Economic Club. What Does That Mean for the Environment?
OECD Officials: Is Israel’s entry enough to ward off political adversaries? We hope it will advance clean tech and initiatives like Desertec into the Middle East. Israel is the only Middle East member.
Israel’s dynamic economy, especially in science, information technology (IT) and now clean technology has propelled it to ascend to one of the world’s most prestigious world economic bodies: the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the OECD) announces the organization’s own formal press release. In addition to Israel, Estonia and Slovenia are also being invited to join, which will bring the world economic body’s total country membership to 34. Considered as a “major diplomatic achievement” according to Haaretz the timing of Israel’s entry into the NGO “is what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is getting from the international community in return for starting proximity talks with the Palestinians.” But what does this mean for advancing clean tech, something Israel has become well-known for in recent years.
Get Your Organic Produce at Amman's Souq al Balad Farmer's Market
Amman’s Souq al Balad Farmer’s Market is the place to go for organic and local produce (and some other fun stuff, too).
The warm weather sweeping across the Middle East must be putting people in the mood to pay more attention to their produce and spend time shopping outdoors, because farmer’s markets are popping up everywhere. Just last week, an all-organic farmer’s market opened up at the historic Turkish train station in Tel Aviv and it looks like there’s another farmer’s market – Souq al Balad – going strong in Amman.
Operating every Saturday since April, the Souq al Balad Farmer’s Market in Amman will continue to operate every Saturday through June. It is held at the YWCA behind Le Royal Hotel at 3rd Circle, from 10am – 2pm.
The products sold at the market include organic and local produce, traditional pastries, baked goods, potted plants and flowers, hand-made soaps, traditional and innovative handicrafts (including the beautiful work of Rima Malallah’s Love on a Bike), fresh dairy, breads, olive oil, preserves, and more.
Join the Betacup Competition. Win $10,000 for Sustainable Coffee Cup Design
Betacup competition urges global participants to find a sustainable alternative to the wasteful, ubiquitous coffee cup. [image via: JcOlivera]
Even environmentalists with the best of intentions might struggle with always remembering to bring their reusable coffee cup from home. You know how it is – you leave home in a hurry in the morning, really need that cup of coffee from your favorite local spot to jolt you out of your morning stupor, and just as you’re about to order that double espresso americano (or whatever it is that gets you through the day) you remember that your reusable coffee cup is sitting on the kitchen counter. And then you have to make that decision: do I save my energy level for the day, or do I save the planet by using one less disposable coffee cup?
The Betacup competition hopes to generate sustainable coffee cup ideas so that you never have to make that decision ever again.
RECIPE: Apricot Chutney
Golden-pink apricots are in season now in the Middle East. Preserve some as chutney for year-round enjoyment.
Do you like chutney? Cooking your own seasonal (and preferably organic) fruit, you can enjoy locavore preserves that you won’t find in any supermarket. And you choose the sweetness and chili heat of your chutney according to your own taste. We’re enjoying the short apricot season now. Try this mild chutney, flavored with sweet spices rather than lots of fiery chilis and assertive onions.
Wind Turbines and 10 Israel-related Cleantech Headlines, Week of May 2, 2010
Israel’s wind plan, SolarEdge’s Italian partnership, drip irrigation and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech this past week.
During the week of May 2, 2010, SolarEdge announced that it’s expanding its operations to Italy in partnership with Albatech. Discussion of the impact Israeli drip technology can have in ending Africa’s hunger cycles continued and Israel is planning to install wind turbines to power street lighting. For these stories and more, check out this week’s 10 Israel-related cleantech headlines below.
Toads Could Predict Deadly Mideast Earthquakes Months in Advance
Honey, was that you moving, or should we take that as a sign for an earthquake? Image via Ryedo
Grrrrrrrrrebit! This may seem a bit far fetched, but a scientific study carried out in the Journal of Zoology regarding the behavior of animals prior to the occurrence of a serious earthquake has found that some animal species, especially toads, may be able to predict the occurrence of an earthquake in enough time for people to prepare for one. For years, scientists have been studying the behavior of various animals prior to earthquake occurrences; and the fact that much of the unusual behavior seen in animals before earthquakes is also seen in other situations, and also confuses the over all picture. But if true, this news might benefit the earthquake prone Middle East.
CSR in the Middle East
Help Sustainability Advisory Group hear the real deal about corporate responsibility and sustainability in the Middle East. [image via: Ben]
Environmental organizations are, of course, very important. But often big change comes from the big companies who have big power. Which is why it’s important not only to support green non-profits, but companies that are making environmentally-friendly strides as well. In preparation for the 7th Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Summit taking place in Dubai from May 30th – June 3rd 2010, Sustainability Advisory Group is conducting its second annual survey on executive views on corporate responsibility and sustainability in the Middle East.