Here’s a video produced by my pal Nitsana, on a new wind power company, Sovna, working to collect the wind blowing between and around skyscrapers:
Matteo's Vegan Dinner in Brooklyn is Animal-Friendly but People-phobic
While in Israel, I often read about the hip food scene in Brooklyn, New York. From home picklers to small-scale cheese artisans and onto creative butchers, the borough seems to be bursting with local and environmentally friendly food innovators. So on a visit home in mid-March, I sampled the scene by paying $40 for a four-course meal in the home-cum-underground restaurant of vegan chef Matteo Silverman.
Two friends and I got to his spacious loft, where Matteo, young, smiling, and quiet in a white chef coat, greeted us and led us to one of two dining tables set up in view of his small but meticulously organized home kitchen. In action since 2003, Matteo has received high accolades including this review.
Syria and Jordan's Wihdeh Dam Will Cut Israel's Water Needs Out of the Picture
Little publicity appears to have been made in Israel regarding a proposed joint project between Jordan and Syria to construct a dam across the Yarmouk River.
The dam, known as the Wihdeh Dam, will be built on that part of the Yarmouk that is shared by the two countries before it reaches an area now under Israeli sovereignty.
One of the Jordan river’s main tributaries, the Yarmouk’s waters are shared by Syria and Jordan for a 40 km stretch which is also part of the boundary between the two countries, before it reaches the part of Golan Heights which is now under Israeli sovereignty where it then forms the boundary between Israel and Jordan. It is a tributary of the Jordan River.
The river at present provides Jordan with an annual water supply of 135,000 cm. Upon completion, a reservoir created by damming the river will result in a storage capacity of 220,000 cm.
The project was originally planned back in the spring of 1999 and is said to have connection with the 1994 peace agreement with Israel, when Jordan was allotted an annual amount of water as part of the peace agreement between the two countries.
It has been refuted by the Jordanian government that Israel objects to this plan, which will curtail the Yarmuk’s flow and deprive Israel of much of the Yarmuk’s flow
NewDealDesign’s Gadi Amit Designs Charge Spots For Better Place Electric Cars
A little industrial design can make a product go a long way. Take the design of Apple computers, iPhones and accessories. Discriminating consumers often purchase these products for the “look and feel” and not necessarily the technology that makes them tick.
With experience working for the US-based frogdesign firm, and now major clients, some looking to go green, from the computer industry, such as Dell, HP, and Samsung, the Israeli industrial designer Gadi Amit, 46, is running a tight and successful ship at the American design firm he founded: NewDealDesign, based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Fast Company and BusinessWeek consider Amit’s industrial design firm to be a top 10 in America, and in consumer electronics, he’s an easy top five.
Recently partnered with Shai Agassi, the founder of the electric car company Better Place, Amit took on the role of designing Better Place’s electric car charging ports. San Francisco and Hawaii have already committed to test-driving the project, and in Israel says Amit, who is an old friend of Agassi, the NewDealDesign recharge stations are already on the streets.
The first ones were inaugurated last December. “We’re moving forward – moving very fast and the project is very tangible. It’s real and it’s happening,” Amit tells ISRAEL21c.
“My contribution is to make sure the product is cost-effective, user-friendly and has a significant signature, one that’s playing well with the urban setting.”
Al Qaeda Terrorist Drop-Out, And Champion Skier, Builds "Green" Ski Slopes On Sand Dunes In Qatar
Have those people in the Gulf Emirate state of Qatar gone mad? Or have they simply gotten a case of heat stroke while smoking their nargilas in Qatar’s normally 50+ Celsius heat?
Well, it appears that neither is the case as plans are being made to develop a giant refrigerated ski slope on the sand dunes by using a combination of carbon friendly solar energy and nuclear power.
The idea is being promoted by A.F. Ool, a Sudanese nuclear energy scientist who just happens to have a passion for snow skiing as well.
“Growing up as a young skier in a nomadic tribe in the deepest desert of Sudan, it was always hard to find places to practice my ski jumping. Now, Thanks be to God, we have the technology to power our dreams,” says Ool who plans to harness the nuclear energy power from Tehran to fuel his dreams.
Dr. Ool’s own background is about as unique as the project itself. Coming from a remote Bedouin village in the heart of Sudan, he learned how to ski when visiting the French Alps. From there, the story gets even more bizarre when he was recruited by Al Qaeda and wound in a terrorist training camp, where they taught him the basics of nuclear technology.
India's Tata Nano Could Change the Mobility of Millions
Green Prophet first met Gal Luft, an Israeli-American lobbyist and alternative energy educator in Washington for the Set America Free Coalition, when Karin covered a profile of Luft on ISRAEL21c. Today, Luft talks about the launch of India’s Tata Nano, the cheapest car in the world and one that could change the entire industry, he says.
But first, a little more on Luft: he advises American senators and presidents on how America can end its dangerous dance with foreign oil. Growing up in Haifa, Israel where he was born, and later South Africa, Luft became all too aware of how oil is used as a weapon for war.
Newsweek Magazine has called Luft a “tireless and independent advocate of energy security,” while Esquire Magazine bestowed upon him the title of one of America’s Best and Brightest, in 2007. He is the most hated man in several U.S. cities, including Detroit.
Here are his thoughts on the new Tata Nano:
It’s 2 feet shorter than a Mini Cooper, presents an almost cartoonish appearance and weighs less than the four passengers it seats.
But for the 350-million-plus middle class of India, the just-launched Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car at $2,000, is a cause for exhilaration. And for the first 100,000 lucky customers drawn via lottery, it’s a dream come true.
A century after Henry Ford put America on wheels with the Model T, the affordable Tata Nano is doing the same to the less privileged of the world. What is now dismissed by many as a “toy car” could soon reveal itself to be the mouse that roared, one of the most transformational consumer products of the century.
Roughly 100,000 Indians lose their lives on the road every year, seven times the rate of the developed world. In a country where it is not uncommon to see entire families overflowing a rickshaw or women in saris sitting side-saddle on a bike with small children on their laps, moving one’s family from an unsafe bike into a plastic capsule is a sensible $2,000 investment.
We Stand Corrected: Daniel Pourkesali From the Persian Gulf Organization On The Importance of Names
Reporting on a story about the coral monitoring stations in the Persian Gulf, Green Prophet mistakenly labeled the major Middle East waterway the Arabian Gulf. A reader wrote us asking for a correction on the name which has deep historical and new political roots. Today we interview Daniel M. Pourkesali, an Iranian-American who is working to preserve the heritage of the Persian Gulf.
Tell us a little about you, who you are, where you come from, where you live now and what you do.
I live in Northern Virginia near Washington, DC working as a Manufacturing Electrical Engineer for an Aerospace company specializing in development and production of flight dynamics, engineering and control systems.
I was born in Babol, a city in the Mazandaran Province in Northern Iran and grew up in Tehran where I attended Andisheh Don Bosco School. I moved to the United States in 1978 to pursue my higher education in field of Aeronautics. I currently serve as the U.S. chapter President for the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention (CASMII) and hold membership in Persian Gulf Online, National Iranian American Council (NIAC), Iran Heritage organizations.
Tell us about the name preservation project you are part of and what this organization does.
Persian Gulf Organization (PGO) is made of many volunteer individuals across the globe dedicated to the defense and preservation of the historic name of the Persian Gulf through monitoring of electronic and other published media and news articles.
Why are names important to preserve from an environmental point of view?
Elias Messinas Builds On Green Education From Israel and Practice in Greece
There’s a phenomenon that’s hit the world, and Israel is no exception: designers, restaurants, grocery stores, companies and architects “in the green know” are talking about sustainability.
Gone are the days when a soup company can paint a “recyclable” logo on a tin can and call itself environmentally friendly.
Like in America, Israelis too have evolved the important concept of sustainability, where green practices are woven through the entire fabric of a product, building or community.
Sustainability has no hard and fast rules, but works on logic, and aims to create a balance and harmony between what us humans create, and the environment we live in.
In the area of green architecture, there are about 20 architects scattered throughout Israel who envision sustainable building, where for example, buildings could create more energy than they consume. Some architects like Joseph Cory of Geotectura in Haifa develop futuristic and conceptual projects, and others like Gil Peled in Jerusalem, work to “green” old buildings from the inside out.
One of the most experienced in the green architecture field in Israel is the 44-year-old Greek-Israeli architect and consultant Elias Messinas, a veteran to the field who divides his time between Israel and Greece. His philosophies and practices are impacting green construction everywhere. He believes that educating a community about eco-issues is just as important as creating a green habitat to live inside.
Yoko Ono Greens the Passover Atmosphere at the Ecosphere Festival in Israel
With Passover coming up so soon many of us are preparing in a variety of ways, whether it be purging our homes of every last remaining bread crumb or learning how to make that special family haroset recipe.
But when the cleaning is done, the seder dinner is eaten, and the afikoman is found – then what? What do you do for the rest of the holiday, other than try to find new ways to make matzah more edible?
A variety of Israeli environmental organizations – such as the Jewish National Fund, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, the Ministry of the Environment, the Parks Authority, “Adam Teva VaDin”, the Council for a Beautiful Israel, Life & Environment, Greenpeace, and the Heschel Center – have all joined forces to bring us Ecosphere.
So what is Ecosphere?
Ecosphere is the first green festival in Israel for art and the environment, and it will take place in the open, natural surroundings at the foot of the artist’s village of Ein Hod. It will be held from Sunday, April 12th to Tuesday, April 14th from 10am-5pm.
Ecosphere will offer a variety of content, activities, and theater for families and children in the Eco Park – including activities about existence, environmental preservation, the importance of forest and trees, animals, waste, global warming, organic garbage and compost.
There will be creativity workshops, children’s plays, short films about green issues, meetings with environmentalists, guided nature walks, and other activities in open areas and the Carmel beach area.
Angel's Tips for “Making” Your Clothes Friendly to the Environment
Israel is only just catching on to the eco clothing trend, and for the environmentally conscious it can be a gut-wrenching, guilt-inducing dilemma just to go clothes shopping.
So I’ve compiled a list of different eco clothing options.
Firstly, there’s the Internet, and ordering of organic clothes from shops like Edun and Made online. However there is a set back involved here: either the shops won’t ship to the Middle East or Israel, or they ship by air.
So you may be buying organic clothing, but you’re negating any green good you’ve done by having it flown to you and emitting tons of carbon emissions.
Looking at eco friendly clothing options closer to home leaves you with Israeli organic clothing manufacturers, second hand clothing or making your own clothes.
The Israeli organic clothing industry is only just starting to take off, with shops such as Tinok Yarok, Cotton, and Delta Galil now offering a green line, however the choice is still limited.
Buying second hand or vintage in Israel is a much easier affair (see my last post on vintage shopping here). Not only can you find a WIZO Bigdia in nearly every town but a large selection of other shops are popping up all the time.
Not to mention the growing trend for collectors to start their own business by doing house sales.
Middle East Countries Partner With Europe on Water Through EMWIS
(Countries along the Mediterranean Sea basin)
Water policy people will like to know about this initiative: Most countries in what is known as the Mediterranean Sea basin have agreed to form a combined group to deal with issues dealing with water reserves for the region.
Based on the Mediterranean Water Charter, adopted in Rome in 1992, the EMWIS is a partnership between 10 Mediterranean member countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey) in partnership with the 27 EU member states.
The purpose is to enable the exchange of information and know-how in a rationalized manner and make this information available to all participating countries.
Working together in three languages, English, French, and Arabic, some of the EMWIS groups activities include the maintaining of data storage and sharing websites, annual committee meetings and conferences to discuss developments in water systems, including desalination and waste water reclamation.
Turkey Water Exports To Iraq Will Double Thanks To Biblical Rivers From "Garden of Eden"
Iraqi boys walk along the Euphrates River
New water cooperation could be a new beginning for tensions between Turkey and Iraq: Turkey has promised to give neighboring Iraq and Syria a larger share of water from both Tigress and Euphrates rivers; it was announced by Turkish President Abdullah Gul. Gul, on a state visit to Iraq, the first in 33 years by a Turkish head of state, said that his country will divert more water from these mighty rivers, both of which originate in Turkey.
Turkey undertook a massive project a few years back which included a series of dams on both rivers, to bring more water to its Anatolia region which was then affected by drought.This created several large reservoirs which seriously reduced to flow of the Tigress into Iraq and the Euphrates into Syria, both of which suffered from severe water shortages for both agriculture and human consumption.
Green Prophet of the Week: Avi Kuzi Is Israel's Animal Guardian Angel
Do Israeli animals in distress have a guardian angel?
If a young man named Avi Kuzi has anything to say about this, they certainly do! If any of you Green Prophet readers caught the article in last Friday’s Jerusalem Post, you must have been touched, as well as impressed by the tireless work of this guy who has done so much save and relieve the suffering of so many of this country’s furry and feathered friends.
Whether it has involved rappelling down a ten story elevator shaft to extract a stuck cat, hoisting a dehydrated and emaciated camel out of certain death in the Arava desert, or retrieving a lost monkey from a high eucalyptus tree, Kuzi has literally saved thousands of animals in his 15 year career as an animal rescuer.
Kuzi must have been endowed with his special gift at an early age, as he used to bring home sick and wounded animals and secretly nurse them back to health before releasing them later when they could fend for themselves.
His parents never let him have a dog or cat or his own, so he made up for this by temporarily “adopting” them while tending to their health problems.
Switzerland’s 2000 Watt Society And Swiss Energy-Saving Practices Introduced To Israel
Who would think that Switzerland and Israel have anything in common?
Switzerland brings to mind lush mountains, flowing streams and delicious chocolate. Israel has the well known (and personally loved) chocolad para but it doesn’t quite compare.
I guess it takes a diplomat to make the connection.
Monika Schmutz-Kirgöz, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Swiss Embassy, found ways to link Israel and Switzerland when she opened the international conference on “Green Architecture and Urban Sustainability: From Switzerland to Tel Aviv” at Tel Aviv University last week.
Apparently, the two nations have the same number of people, a lack of natural resources, and a strong R&D record. Also, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) has built an eco-building on their campus, as will TAU’s Porter School of Environmental Studies.
EcoBaladi Sprouts Organic Vegetables From the West Bank Valley of Thorns (Wadi Fuqin)
(Abu Ibrahim, 53, in a field of fava beans. Photo: Daniella Cheslow)
One of the most compelling parts of the West Bank is its Biblical landscape, shaped by the small villages and terraced farm plots that dot the rolling hillsides.
Yesterday, I saw that landscape up close on a visit to Wadi Fuqin (Valley of Thorns) a village of about 1,200 southwest of Jerusalem nestled in a valley under the brow of the apartment blocks of the neighboring Beitar Illit settlement. The 100 village farmers use old and new techniques to raise chemical-free vegetables for themselves, for Bethlehemites and for idealistic Jewish residents of neighboring Tzur Hadassah, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv through the EcoBaladi Web site.
Haaretz writer Ronit Vered recently waxed poetic about Wadi Fuqin here.
My host was Abu Ibrahim, 53, a school teacher who helps his 73-year-old father farm about 5 dunams (1.25 acres) on the valley floor. Abu Ibrahim has a wife and eight children.