Page 705 – Green Prophet

Coming Soon: A Wall of Skyscrapers Between Tel Aviv and Jaffa?

Cities

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June 3, 2009

Coming Soon: A Wall of Skyscrapers Between Tel Aviv and Jaffa?

A year after a municipal planning committee decided to put plans for a row of skyscrapers near Jaffa on hold, the plans are back on track. A new policy document formulated by a Tel Aviv planning committee calls for the construction of a row of very tall buildings in the south of the city, some within a stone’s throw of ancient Jaffa.

The city also has plans for a series of new highways that will crisscross the area, in addition to the first line of the Tel Aviv light rail. However, residents of the area are less than enthusiastic about the idea, claiming that the new buildings will be out of scale with the existing character of the area.

A year ago, in response to protests by the residents, a district planning committee instructed the city to formulate a coherent policy for the entire area. Residents had argued that the city was promoting the buildings one by one, without a comprehensive master plan.

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Adam Teva V’Din and Zalul Push the Plastic Bag Bill

Lifestyle

Marcus Sopher

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June 3, 2009

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Adam Teva V’Din and Zalul Push the Plastic Bag Bill

Every day, Israeli stores and supermarkets give away 14 million plastic bags, which is more than twice the size of Israel’s entire population.

While plastic bags may be handy for bringing back food from the shuk or transporting a cold beverage down to the beach, the question is, why do plastic bags have to be a necessity in Israel? Plastic bags require energy and raw materials to produce, they cost businesses money, and they are difficult to dispose of.

In the US, one can dispose of plastic bags at limited locations like Whole Foods markets, but in Israel there is no real way to dispose of the bags. The best case scenario is that the bag is thrown away in a garbage can, in which case it decomposes over many years in a landfill. This reduces landfill space, and causes the plastic to leach toxic chemicals into the soil upon decomposing.

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Rabbi Julian joins with other faiths to 'Love God, Heal Earth'

James Murray-White

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June 3, 2009

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Rabbi Julian joins with other faiths to 'Love God, Heal Earth'

Twenty years, ago, Sally Bingham went to her local bishop and announced that she wanted to be ordained so that she could become the world’s first priest for the environment.

She was received with some skepticism. Undeterred, she embarked on almost a decade of study and became an Episcopalian minister in 1998. She went on to found Interfaith Power and Light (what a great name for an organization). Today IPL has some 2000 affiliated congregations in 26 states of the US.

In her recent book “Love God, Heal the Earth”, Bingham has brought together 21 leading voices speaking out about the about the religious duty to protect the environment. All are doers in the field, not just thinkers. Some are inspirational leaders. There a couple each of Muslims, Buddhists and Jews, and 15 Christians of all stripes and persuasions.

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Sustainable Design Seminar Starting at the Israeli Design Center Next Week

Design

Karen Chernick

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June 3, 2009

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Sustainable Design Seminar Starting at the Israeli Design Center Next Week

Sustainable Israeli Designer, Adital Ella

Sustainable design is popping up all over Israel, and we’ve tried to cover as many of these designers as possible. Our survey of ten sustainable Israeli designers who reduce, reuse, and recycle covers tons of green, innovative, and aesthetic projects ranging from rubber tire handbags (that are surprisingly chic) to old suitcases-turned-shelving units.

So we were very happy to find out about a Sustainable Design Seminar starting at the Israeli Design Center in Holon next week, because that means that not only is the trend continuing, but it’s hitting the mainstream as well.

The five session seminar will be lead by Adital Ella and Yair Engel, both of whom are sustainable designers and experts in the field of sustainable design and industry. The seminar, which will conduct one class per week beginning on Tuesday June 9, is intended for designers, students, and those interested in the field of sustainability.

The program of the seminar is as follows:

The Concept of Sustainable Design: An introductory lecture about the history, importance, and significance of sustainable design in a world of production and consumption. The first session will also include an introduction to the concept of cradle to cradle.

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Doha's Stars of Science TV Show to Include Environmental Projects

Lifestyle

Maurice Picow

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June 2, 2009

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Doha's Stars of Science TV Show to Include Environmental Projects

The Doha based Stars of Science television program got underway May 30 on 17 Arabic speaking TV channels, it was announced by Doha TV.

The program originally had more than 5,600 applicants, of which 100 were selected to vie for the 16 positions to be aired on the program.

Of these, 3 are environmentally related and include Sarah al Samak’s ‘Canito’ which is a combination garbage and recycle bin that will give people incentives to recycle their wastes.

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The Israel Conference in LA to Spark Deal Flow Between Israel Clean Tech and California

Business

Karin Kloosterman

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June 2, 2009

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The Israel Conference in LA to Spark Deal Flow Between Israel Clean Tech and California

On June 4 in Los Angeles, the Israel Conference will spotlight Israeli clean tech, medical tech, high tech and more. Investors coming to the event represent about $20 billion in funds.

“Many Los Angeles and California business leaders and entrepreneurs will have their first opportunity to see first what Israeli companies, technologists and investors can bring to their enterprises,” noted Sharona Justman, conference co-chair and managing director of STEP Strategy Advisors, an acquisitions advisory and strategic planning firm.

“There are tremendous synergies in the technology communities in Israel and California and we expect this conference to ignite deals.”

Just 2 weeks ago, investors from California were in Israel scoping out opportunities in the clean tech arena.

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Emirate-Built Sanaya Amman Towers To Be Jordan's Tallest and First "Green" Building

Cities

Maurice Picow

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June 1, 2009

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Emirate-Built Sanaya Amman Towers To Be Jordan's Tallest and First "Green" Building

Jordan’s capital city, Amman, will soon have a spectacular landmark: the Sanaya Twin Towers, which will tower more than 200 meters over the city and will be the country’s tallest landmark.

The project, which means starlight in Arabic, comes with a $300 million pricetag. It was begun in July, 2008, and has required the removal of 225,000 cubic meters of earth to erect the building’s massive foundations.

The excavation part of the project will be completed by mid-summer, 2009, and it will be Jordan’s first large eco-building project.

The buildings will combine energy efficient glass, sensor lights, central air conditioning, an waste management that is expected to save operating costs by as much as $2 million each year.

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Sunday And Ormat Build Largest Solar Roof in the Middle East

Tech

Green Prophet

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June 1, 2009

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Sunday And Ormat Build Largest Solar Roof in the Middle East

Sunday Energy, a solar energy service provider in Israel, and Ormat Technologies, one of the world’s largest geothermal power solutions companies, recently announced they will build a 1MWp photovoltaic solar installation on the roof of Ormat’s factory in Yavne, Israel.

Once complete, the 16,000 square meter installation will be the largest PV roof in the Middle East and will generate over NIS 60 million from solar energy sales over the next 20 years.

The project will cost approximately NIS 20 million to construct and is expected to be completed by the first half of 2010.

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UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Declared in Syria and Lebanon

Travel

Karen Chernick

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June 1, 2009

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UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Declared in Syria and Lebanon

Jabal Moussa, Jordan

So we all know that the Middle East is biospherically fascinating, but at the ongoing meeting of the UN International Coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere last Tuesday, UNESCO took notice as well, adding more Middle Eastern sites to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

In fact, for the first time, a site in Syria was declared.

So what is a Biosphere Reserve? Biosphere reserves are sites recognized under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, which innovate and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development. They are of course under national sovereign jurisdiction, yet share their experience and ideas nationally, regionally and internationally within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. There are 531 sites worldwide in 105 countries.

The new Middle Eastern Biosphere Reserves are:

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A Virtual Graduation Speech to the Class of 2099 at Tel Aviv University

Lifestyle

Green Prophet Guest

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June 1, 2009

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A Virtual Graduation Speech to the Class of 2099 at Tel Aviv University

“Forget Sunscreen, Be Resouceful”

Good afternoon, Class of 2099:

I can’t be here in person to address you, since I passed into oblivion long ago. But as a member of a U.S. graduating class of 1971 at a small college in Boston, I wanted to leave you with a brief message — from the past to the future — about global warming and climate change.

As the class of 2099 here at Tel Aviv University in Israel, you are about to enter the 22nd Century in a few more months, and you will bring with you not only your university experience but also your career expectations and personal anxieties as citizens living on a planet in the midst of a climate crisis.

I’m sure you’ve heard this term a lot in the past four years — “climate crisis” — but you should know that in my days as a student in the 1960s, we never used the phrase. Back then, we had not even heard of the term yet!

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Israeli University Honors Environmental Sculptor Dani Karavan

Cities

Maurice Picow

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May 31, 2009

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Israeli University Honors Environmental Sculptor Dani Karavan

Ben Gurion University of the Negev, one of Israel’s finest academic institutions, and one in which its environmental and alternative energy projects have received world-wide acclaim, honored six outstanding individuals with Honorary Doctoral degrees at the University’s 39th Annual Board of Governors Meeting at the Campus on May 25th.

One of these individuals, Dani Karavan, is one of Israel’s most outstanding environmental sculptors, who has won numerous awards for his monumental memorials which “blend into the environment” in which they are created.

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Jordan Real Estate Conference Stresses Green Construction Methods To Arab World

Cities

Maurice Picow

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May 31, 2009

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Jordan Real Estate Conference Stresses Green Construction Methods To Arab World

“Jordan needs to develop sustainable or ‘green’ construction practices based on traditional concepts with modern material and practices,” said Jordan’s Princess Sumaya, president of the Royal Scientific Society, at the opening of the two day Think Green 2 in Real Estate Development Conference in Amman on Tuesday, May 26.

The country has started with its groundbreaking on its 50 story LEEDS certified skyscraper, the Samaya Amman.

The conference was attended by corporate delegates from a number of Arab countries, as well as architects, contractors, designers, environmentalists was hosted for the purpose of promoting the use of more efficient and environmental friendly building construction methods, over more conventional ones used in Jordan and elsewhere up to now.

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Tigo Solar Energy Secures A $10 Million Investment

Business

Green Prophet

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May 30, 2009

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Following in the wake of a group of clean tech investors from California in Israel last week, Tigo Energy, a solar energy company in Israel raises $10m without even trying, according to Globes.

Tigo develops photovoltaic systems optimization solutions, squeezing more energy from your solar energy system; and the financing was secured by Israel Cleantech Ventures Funds.

Despite the economic downturn in the US, sending shockwaves around the world, there appears to be no declining interest in funding companies in the renewable and alternative energy fields. Israel clean technology companies are among those which remain very popular.

Tigo develops photovoltaic systems optimization solutions, and current investors, including the US venture capital funds Matrix Partners and OVP Venture Partners, participated in the round.

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What Happens To the Environment in a Nuclear Middle East?

Business

Maurice Picow

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May 30, 2009

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What Happens To the Environment in a Nuclear Middle East?

The second a nuclear bomb detonates, not only human life is vaporized at Ground Zero but so is every breath taken by “lesser” life forms, animal or plant.

A nuclear attack anywhere will make all the world’s conservation efforts (and past conflicts in the Middle East) look like child’s play, so as a Middle East-centric environment news site, we are concerned about last week’s nuclear bomb testing in North Korea, and Iran’s ambitions to obtain the bomb.

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Qatar and the UK Research On Recycling Plastic Waste

Tech

Green Prophet

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May 30, 2009

2

Qatar and the UK Research On Recycling Plastic Waste

Qatar, one of the largest polymer-producing countries in the Middle East region has new ambitions for recycling its plastic waste. Qatar University has paired up with The University of Sheffield, UK, to launch a new centre for the production of environmentally-friendly materials for local industries.

Called the Polymer Centre, according to the Sheffield Telegraph it will focus on recycling plastic waste in Qatar and will bring researchers from the two countries together for optimizing the mechanical properties of blends from plastic waste.

Dr Alma Hodzic, a senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, said: “The research carried out at the Centre will focus on recycling polymer waste in Qatar. The main target is to optimise the plastic products to withstand the high temperature prevalent here.”

::Sheffield Telegraph [image via inhabitat]

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