Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.
All air conditioners release water. That's Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it's basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!
As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability
Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.
If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It's vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.
Jerusalem celebrates Gag Eden, a play on words for Gan Eden or the Hebrew word for paradise. It is a 3-day green roofs festival in the heart of the city
This is not a festival about rooftops. It is a festival about the possibility of reinventing the city itself. Gad Eden is about adding the ground space that is in such shortage, and to dream up a reality of abundance for all of us. This year, we are celebrating the new rooftops that joined the city center on top of the art schools, and the brave decision of the Jerusalem Municipality, which together with us implemented the program for tapping into the potential of urban rooftops.
Video of Gag Eden, 2021:
Thanks to this initiative, in the upcoming years, one million meters of rooftop wilderness will be transformed into valuable green havens.
Muslim women in East Jerusalem learn the art of beekeeping (via Haaretz)
And above all, Gag Eden is celebrating the fact that we are no longer alone, lone madmen on the roof – but a part of a growing and optimistic movement of people from all sectors, religions, sexes, and genders that come together to create the spaces we are missing, the realms of healing that the city and we need.
Join us for three days in which we will make and get to know the city we deserve.
Israel has an uneven contribution to the cultivated meat market. This means growing real meat with live cells, but circumventing animal suffering. It’s meat in a lab, if you will. Impossible Burgers is “meat” made from pea protein that just tastes like a whole lot of coconut oil. Cultivated meat is the real thing but made in a lab. No animals need to be slaughtered for lab meat. In Israel think Aleph Farms, Steakholder Foods,Super Meat, Believer Meats, and now BioBetter.
BioBetter just sent Green Prophet an announcement that it has opened its food-grade pilot facility to grow raw materials for the expanding cultivated meat market. The company has pioneered a unique protein manufacturing platform using tobacco plants as self-sustained, animal-free bioreactors.
They tell Green Prophet: “BioBetter is going to market raw materials, the growth factors, ingredients that are needed in the cultivated meat production process. We are not making bioreactors. Also, we are not making actual meat, we produce growth factors in tobacco plants that function like bioreactors for the cultivated meat industry.”
Currently cultivated meat production processes are relatively expensive, making it a challenge to scale up and reach price parity with animal-based counterparts: “Cultivated meat is still very expensive in comparison to conventional meat and the key is to reduce the growth medium costs to a minimum,” explains Amit Yaari, the CEO of BioBetter.
Companies like Israel’s Aleph Farms have introduced small steaks but the cost is hundreds to thousands of dollars to produce meat in a lab. BioBetter could help Aleph Farms make steaks faster and at less cost.
BioBetter makes raw materials for the cultivated meat market“Our target is to reduce the production cost of growth factors, including insulin, a key part of the growth
medium, to $1 per gram which is a 100-fold less than the going rate today,” notes Yaari.
BioBetter has achieved five impressive milestones in just the past year:
1. Production scale-up/building pilot plan
2. Commercial scale cultivation of insulin- and FGF-expressing tobacco plants
3. Reaching GF expression levels that enable a significant reduction of production costs
4. Significant regulatory progresses and advances with the Israel Ministry of Health
5. Collaboration with leading cultivated meat companies
BioBetter’s technology is a new purpose for the traditionally shunned tobacco plants, transforming them
into bioreactors for the production of growth factors for meat. Tobacco plants are typically used to make vaccines.
Growth factors for cell growth play a key role in the proliferation and differentiation of cultured meat cells, allowing for the formation of authentic and well-structured muscle tissue. Designed for both environmental safety and efficiency, these bioreactors will be grown in a large- scale, net house cultivation system. The plants are carefully engineered to prevent the escape of any transgenic material.
They are induced to express growth factors only when chemically triggered, and the company exclusively uses non-food, non-feed tobacco plants to eliminate any risk of inadvertent consumption or cross-contamination of food crops.
Sustainability at the core?
Tobacco plants produce growth hormones for molecular farms or cultivated meat
While the science talk may inspire the common sense sustainability folk to just return to actual farming or hunting, “Our commitment to sustainability shines through in every facet of our operations,” says Yaari. “We plan to use recycled and low-quality water for irrigation, minimize nitrogen fertilizer use, and reduce emissions and environmental impact.
The newly established pilot plant has the capacity to process 100kg of tobacco plant-derived GFs
daily. Constructed in adherence to the highest quality standards, the facility meets all regulatory
requirements for production of food-grade growth factors, including FGF2 and insulin. It currently is
progressing through essential stages of securing approval from the Ministry of Health for food
manufacturing licensing. The company is committed to scalability, adhering to ISO2200 and HACCP
standards.
Meat proteins are grown with the help of tobacco plants
BioBetter also made breakthroughs in the cultivation of bovine insulin-expressing plants. Several
thousand square meters of FGF2-expressing tobacco plants are already thriving in northern Israel.
It’s the first time growth factor sources have been successfully planted in large net-houses, in four
locations, and with a fruitful harvest obtained in its first season.
Plans are underway to cultivate more FGF2 and insulin-expressing plants, with commercial roll-out projected for 2024.
The 250 million USD global cultivated meat sector is poised for substantial growth, yet its realization hinges upon a significant supply of growth factors. The most significant challenge of the cultivated meat industry is to produce and scale up at the right cost,” notes Aviv Oren, Director of Business Engagement and Innovation, the Good Food
Institute, Israel. “BioBetter’s technology, which is based on molecular farming of food-grade growth
factors in the required quantities and costs for industrial production, is a pivotal addition that has
the potential to accelerate this industry.”
In 2022, BioBetter secured 10 million USD in an A-round investment led by Jerusalem Venture
Partners (JVP). The company also is an active member of the Israeli Cultivated Meat Consortium,
which unites academic institutions, large companies, and start-ups to collaboratively advance the
field of cultivated meat.
Blue crabs have invaded Tunisia and have become a viable product for fishers in this North African region. Can Italy love their new blue crabs too?
The invasive blue crabs that made their way to Tunisia from the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal were not welcome at first but since have turned into a new export. Another species of blue crab that originated in America is causing its share of problems for fisherman right now in Italy.
The Callinectes Sapidus, the blue crab, the Atlantic blue crab, or the Maryland blue crab is threatening Italy’s clam-farming and fishing industries. The Italian government has allocated about $3 million USD to fund the capture of as many blue crabs as possible.
At the same time, the blue crab is the fifth most popular crab in the world market. It is especially sought out in the Asian, United States and Australian markets where it is featured on the menus of many restaurants.
According to Nature, the blue crab in Italy was first observed in the Mediterranean Sea in 1949, where it was probably transported in the ballast waters of transoceanic ships.
“The colonisation took some time, it is a slow process,” says Gianluca Sarà, marine ecologist at the University of Palermo. Before invading the Po River Delta, Atlantic blue crabs have been spotted in other locations in Italy. Established populations were first detected in 2014 in the lagoon of Lesina and Varano, in Apulia.
Climate change is suspected to be one of the reasons the blue crab was able to slide into Italy from the Adriatic Sea. Researchers are now looking on how their colonisation will impact other aquatic sea life and shores.
Blue crab catch in Tunisia
Invasive species like the Portunus segnis from the Indian Ocean or Callinectes Sapidus, the Atlantic blue crab, lived in ecosystems that that developed over thousands, maybe millions of years. The Suez Canal changed this separation between seas fast and is the reason why the Mediterranean is over-run with jellyfish every summer, making it impossible to swim in places like Israel and Lebanon for fear of getting stung during the hottest times of the year.
Two blue crabs invade. Let’s get those crabs straight
Portunus segnis, is the scientific name for the African blue swimming crab. It is a crustacean, and a swimming crab belonging to the family Portunidae. It is native to the western Indian Ocean, but invaded the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal in Egypt. In 2015 it invaded the Gulf of Gabes, in southern Tunisia. Now the country has dozens of crab-processing plants. “At first fishers wanted this species to disappear, but now they are asking the authorities for regulations to protect it,” says one fisherman.
Another invasive blue crab, the one invading Italy currently is Callinectes sapidus, the Atlantic blue crab, or regionally known in the US as the Maryland blue crab. It is a species of crab native to the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and it is now introduced internationally. It is also known as the Chesapeake blue crab.
Global shipping industry to blame for invaders
According to The Revelator, “global shipping is moving invasive species around the world.”
They report that “in July 2021 federal agents in New Orleans abruptly ordered the 600-foot cargo ship Pan Jasmine to leave US waters. The ship, which had sailed from India, was preparing to offload goods when inspectors noticed fresh sawdust on the cargo deck and discovered non-native beetles and ants boring into wooden packaging materials. The unwelcome insects included an Asian longhorn beetle, a species that was introduced into New York 25 years ago, where it has killed thousands of trees and cost $500 million in control efforts.
“The crew of beetles aboard the Pan Jasmine is not an isolated incident. That same month bee experts north of Seattle were scouring forest edges for Asian giant hornet nests. These new arrivals, famously known as “murder hornets,” first turned up in the Pacific Northwest in 2019, also likely via cargo ship. The two-inch hornets threaten crops, bee farms and wild plants by preying on native bees. Officials discovered and destroyed three nests.
“And this past autumn Pennsylvania officials urged residents to be on the lookout for spotted lanternflies, handsome, broad-winged natives of Asia discovered in 2014 and now present in at least nine eastern states. Believed to have arrived with a shipment of stone from China, the lanternfly voraciously consumes plants and foliage, threatening everything from oak trees to vineyards.”
Can world governments agree on necessary preventative measures?
Redress winner Nils Hauser worked with Timberland to upcycle waste into iconic fashion pieces. All in the name of a circular economy and beating fast fashion.
Leading fashion brands know that the good old days of fast fashion are changing. They can no longer produce low cost gear without considering a good wage, ecologically sourced raw materials, eco shipping and handling and a vision for the products end of life. Companies like Shein may still have a lead in the market but consumers, even young ones, are catching on that upcycled or recycled clothes are where at its at.
Heralding this mission and driving big brands forward is Redress, a Hong Kong-headquartered environmental NGO accelerating the change to a circular fashion industry. They work with big brands and young designers to envision and change the fashion industry in every part of its cycle from cradle to cradle. Their focus is on Asia where most fast fashion is produced by people in deplorable conditions.
They recently announced the winners of the Redress Design Award 2023.
Nils Hauser from German upcycles materials from Timberland to make new fashion
Winning first prize Nils Hauser from Germany got a chance to work on a sustainable design collaboration out of VF Corporation’s Tokyo Design Collective with the Timberland design team for the brand’s Spring 2025 apparel collection.
Hauser out-designed eight other emerging designers from Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, and the USA, following a nine-month educational competition that attracted applications from 46 countries and regions.
“Collaborating with a world-leading brand like Timberland and bringing my sustainable fashion ideas into the mainstream and large-scale fashion market whilst working with Timberland’s expert team is a designer’s dream,” said Hauser. “Designers have solutions, and we know that by working together we can make change,” he said.
Change is much needed. Fashion, we know, is one of the world’s most polluting industries. Approximately 100 billion apparel items are sold per year, representing a 50% increase since 2006, with the majority of clothing being landfilled or burned within one year of production. Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned.
A Nils Hauser moodboard that inspired his creations for Redress and Timberland
Meanwhile, 80 percent of a product’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage.
“Design decisions made at the drawing board can change the world,” said Redress Founder, Christina Dean. “Fashion needs to reinvent itself to become more circular. Floods and fires are continuing. Our Redress Design Award Finalists are fashion’s fire-fighters. Making sustainability and circularity an industry norm feels like a far-off dream, but it’s worth fighting for if we want to reduce fashion’s negative environmental impacts.”
The finalists designed waste out of fashion with the circular design techniques of zero-waste, upcycling, and reconstruction. They explored textile waste streams for their design materials, from manufacturing waste and consumer castoffs to the more imaginative reuse of turbans, tents, and bedsheets.
Their bold designs and sourcing methods represent creative and innovative solutions to increase current circularity achievements, which presently see less than one percent of clothing being recycled back into clothing.
“Our collaboration with Redress gives us the unique opportunity to directly connect with emerging fashion designers who have a passion for sustainability, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to usher in a new era of sustainability in fashion,” said Jeannie Renne-Malone, VP of Global Sustainability at VF Corporation. “VF remains committed to fostering a lower carbon future through implementing sustainable design principles, such as circular design, that minimise the industry’s environmental impact.”
Hauser now takes the previous winners’ baton from Redress Design Award 2022 winner, Federico Badini Confalonieri from Italy, 2021 winner Jessica Chang from Taiwan, and 2020 menswear winner Lê Ngọc Hà Thu from Vietnam, who each contributed towards sustainable capsules in collaboration with Timberland.
The 2023 Redress winner and ones to watch:
First Prize winner: Nils Hauser, Germany
Runner-Up Prize winner: Ruwanthi Gajadeera, Sri Lanka
Hong Kong Best Prize winner: Mandy Fong, Hong Kong
People’s Choice winner: Pavneet Kaur, India
The 2023 Redress prize?
The Redress Design Award first prize winner will join VF’s Timberland team to collaborate on a design project. They will also have the opportunity to work closely with the VF Corporation Sustainability & Responsibility team to ensure that materials and design strategies maximise sustainability, and will gain exciting insights from across the supply chain from sourcing to product development, while deepening their skills and understanding around sustainable production and marketing.
The first prize winner will also receive…
$6,400 USD to propel their sustainable fashion career
A high-performance lockstitch machine and an overlock sewing machine from JUKI
One year individual access to all areas of Bloomsbury Fashion Central, including the Fairchild Books Library and the Fashion Photography Archive
Want to fast-track your career at a sustainable fashion business school or qualify for a future Redress internship? Try the Redress online course.
A disability in children can be the biggest challenge in life. But there are natural, earth-centered approaches to healing such as yoga that when combined with traditional physio can have great outcomes.
When faced with the challenges of raising a child with disabilities, families often navigate a complex web of treatments, interventions, and therapies. Amidst this array of options, physiotherapy stands out as a powerful tool that can profoundly impact a child’s quality of life. It goes beyond just physical improvements; physiotherapy offers a transformative touch that can shape brighter futures for children with disabilities.
The Essence of Physiotherapy
At its core, physiotherapy focuses on enhancing and restoring functional movement. For children with disabilities, this can mean various things: developing the strength to sit independently, improving balance for confident walking, or refining motor skills to engage in play and daily activities. Through targeted exercises, techniques, and tools, physiotherapists work diligently to help children overcome physical barriers.
The Age of Adaptability
Children, with their innate adaptability, often respond remarkably well to physiotherapeutic interventions. Their young bodies and brains are highly plastic, allowing for significant improvements and adaptations. This plasticity, when combined with physiotherapy, creates a window of opportunity to mold and shape optimal physical outcomes.
Beyond Physical Milestones
Creating a well-balanced human being is the goal.
While the tangible milestones achieved through physiotherapy—like taking a first step or climbing a playground ladder—are cause for celebration, the intangible benefits can be even more significant. Children who can move more freely often experience boosts in confidence and self-esteem. Their world becomes less restrictive, opening doors to social interactions, academic opportunities, and a richer tapestry of life experiences.
Physiotherapy can also act as a foundation for other forms of therapy. For instance, a child who gains better control over their limbs might find it easier to engage in occupational or speech therapy. The synergy between different therapies amplifies the benefits for the child.
Building a Supportive Environment
Physiotherapists do not work in isolation. They often function as part of a larger team of caregivers, teachers, and other therapists. By understanding a child’s physical capabilities and limitations, they can guide families and educational institutions in creating supportive environments. This can include anything from recommending adaptive equipment to suggesting classroom setups that accommodate a child’s unique needs.
Furthermore, the bond between a physiotherapist and a child can be truly special. Through regular sessions, they become trusted figures in the child’s life, cheering on every achievement and offering support through every challenge.
Staying Updated and Informed
When planning and managing therapy, understanding NDIS pricing arrangements is essential. Familiarizing yourself with these arrangements ensures you can effectively budget and access the services your child needs without unexpected financial constraints.
The realm of physiotherapy is dynamic, with constant research unveiling better techniques, tools, and strategies. For parents, staying updated can make a significant difference. Joining support groups, attending workshops, and staying in touch with the child’s physiotherapist can provide insights into the latest advancements that might benefit the child.
For families residing in Australia, it’s paramount to ensure that the physiotherapist working with your child is registered with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Choosing an NDIS registered physiotherapist guarantees that the professional understands the intricacies of treating children with disabilities, offering a consistent standard of care and expertise.
Physiotherapy’s transformative touch is a beacon of hope for many families. Through the hands of skilled professionals, children with disabilities are offered a chance to unlock their full potential, paving the way for brighter, more fulfilling futures. Whether it’s the joy of a child taking confident strides or the subtle growth in their social interactions, the profound impact of physiotherapy resonates in every aspect of their lives.
Want to learn more about holistic approaches to disability? Be inspired by this man who travelled 100 miles in his wheelchair.
When Muslim pilgrims talked to sorcerers on their way to Mecca: Muslims used stones for warding off the evil eye. A pile of unusual magical objects was uncovered in Israel and believed to be used by sorcerers helping pilgrims on their way to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
You know about the Evil Eye and hamsa, hamsa, hamsa for keeping it away? It’s an old practice in the Middle East. Finding some sources to superstitions are the strange magical tools found along pilgrim routes and described by Israeli researchers in the Journal of Material Cultures in the Muslim World. The researchers found stones and sculptures, some broken, and guess these objects were used in magical rituals carried out in order to ward off the evil eye, to heal diseases and more.
According to the researchers, “This discovery reveals that people in the Early Ottoman Period—just as today—consulted popular sorcerers, alongside the formal belief in the official religion.”
Archeology site where camp with magical objects was found
Itamar Taxel of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Uzi Avner of the Dead Sea-Arava Science Center, and Nitzan Amitai-Preiss of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem were involved in the study that looked at the objects found in the Eilat region in the 1990s.
The group of objects is associated with rituals or ceremonies and comprises predominantly dozens of fragments of clay globular rattles, mostly similar to table tennis balls, containing small stones, that sound when the rattle was shaken. There were 2 miniature votive incense altars found, a small figurine of a naked woman or a goddess with raised hands, a characteristic feature of deities or priests; a few other figurines, and crystal pebbles.
The examination of the clay used for the ceramic objects has shown that they came from Egypt.
This is the first time that such a large assemblage of ritual objects of this kind has been found, and it is even more unique at a temporary site and not a permanent settlement.
A magical sculpture endowed with properties then broken?
The magical objects were found next to the Pilgrimage Road (Darb al-Hajj, in Arabic) that led from Cairo, crossed the Sinai Peninsula, and continued in the region of Eilat to the town of Aqaba, and then crossed the Arabian Peninsula on the way to Hajj in Mecca and Medina. This route was in use from the first centuries after the rise of Islam, from the 7th century to the 19th century.
“The spot of these artifacts next to the camping site, and the comparison of the artifacts to those known in the Muslim world, as well as the fact that these artifacts were found together as a group, lead to the understanding that they were used in magical rituals,” the researchers announce, adding:
“The artifacts were found broken, and they may even have been purposely broken in the ceremonies. It seems that these rituals were carried out at the site by one or several people who specialized in popular magical ceremonies. From the literary sources, we know that there was a demand for magical rituals among people from different strands of society. Such rituals were carried out daily alongside the formal religious rituals—including in the Muslim world—and it is probable that the pilgrims making their way to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina were no exception,” they add.
The Darb el-Haj road will be part of tourism and educational activities in Israel showing how cultures past lived their lives in the Holy Land.
Israel, arguably the food-tech capital of the world, has come up with a new invention to supplement the alternative protein market: making a protein from black-eyed peas, also known as cowpea. The company says that the peas are gene-edited to make them easier for harvesting, but that the process does not fall into a GMO category. The company Better Pulse joins a long line of alternative meat and alternative plant-based solutions to feed a growing planet. We featured a recent round up of the top cultivated meat products from Israel (see Aleph Farms, Believer Meats) but what makes Better Pulse different is that it contains no meat protein at all but offers a reliable alternative for plant-based milk and yoghurts or any manufactured plant based protein product.
If you have ever read any modern criticism of agriculture (Michael Pollan, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Yuval Noa Harari), you will know that most of our food is derived from monocrops. While there may be hundreds of different grain types or bananas, we typically eat the same ones over and over again. It gets worse when you look at our staple crops where more than 51% of our caloric intake is sourced from just four staple crops—rice, soy, wheat, and corn.
These crops are threatened by global warming. We need to diversify what we eat and how we eat it. Arguably the best solution is for us all to return to the land and start regenerative farming and foraging, but likely only a handful in every community will do that. For alternatives, Better Pluse hopes to offer another protein-rich solution for food resiliency and food security.
Black-eyed peas plant are among the oldest cultivated crops which is also very tolerant to extremes in heat: “The looming effects of climate change on the resiliency of the protein supply chain, particularly soybeans, underscore the urgency of adopting Black-eyed peas as a solution,” says founder and CEO Alon Karpol, “Better Pulse’s enhanced Black-eyed peas genetics will fortify global food security, drastically reduce Black-eyed peas cultivation costs, and its protein will provide a sensory experience akin to various dairy products.
Unlike its soybean or green and pea counterparts, Better Seeds’ Black-eyed pea protein is distinguished by its white color and subtle aftertaste profile – characteristics that are essential for food ingredients.
Fresh black-eyed peas cultivated by Better Pulse.
The company has concluded a Proof-of-Concept phase where it achieved the production of over 70% protein, and integrated it into diverse food products. The company has special access to black-eyed peas genetics that are ready for mechanized harvesting, enabling cost cost-effective, and profitable cultivation beyond Africa, the primary region where black-eyed peas are grown today.
The initial financial backing for Better Pulse was provided by BetterSeeds, a portfolio company of Israel’s Smart-Agro Fund.
The alternative protein in food is worth an estimated $6.7 billion USD with an CAGR of 6.7%.
Keep your chocolate pure, fair trade and organic: a guide to eating chocolate the green way.
Chocolate is alternately portrayed as a sinful delight – damaging to your health and your waistline – or as a food with health benefits. So which is it? According to the Mayo Clinic website, a trusted health authority in the United States: “flavanols in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage implicated in heart disease. Flavanols also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function”
So there is something positive in the treat we love. But before we can answer the question, “Is chocolate friend or delicious foe?” we have to ask ourselves which chocolate we’re talking about. To do so, let’s take a short historical look.
Chocolate was first enjoyed as a drink by Mayan and Aztec cultures thousands of years ago, but the beverage they revered as magical was bitter pure chocolate. The Europeans adopted it, added a little honey or cane sugar, and it became a hit.
By 1868, Cadbury found a way to process it into a solid bar. Without many additives, it likely had many of the nutritious qualities that those ancient civilizations valued. However today’s Cadbury Dairy Milk has a lot of added ingredients, even though some of its bars may be certified as Fair Trade. It’s just full of other stuff.
Natural and artificial flavor – this could be anything. Unhealthy ingredients hide anonymously under these labels.
So while chocolate itself may have health giving properties, there are three problems with many of the products found in the marketplace today.
1. The percentage of chocolate may be quite low (nowhere near what the Mayans and Aztec were drinking). Look for the highest percentage.
2. Some of the additives may be harmful to your health.
3. Much of the chocolate on the market contains so much sugar that it negates whatever benefit you gain from the chocolate itself.
In Israel, for instance, the chocolate market has improved dramatically over the last twenty years. It’s now easy to find chocolate with 70 percent or 85% to 100% cocoa in supermarkets. Some brands contain no soy lecithin or other questionable ingredients. I would recommend these for health-conscious people.
Brands we tried recently and love and which can be ordered online include ChocoSoul from Toronto which we ate plenty of this past summer.
Chocosol from Toronto sets the stage for the world’s best chocolate
Think fair trade and organic too
In addition, many top quality chocolate shops now line the streets of main cities in Israel, and I imagine the same is true in other Middle East cities which likely both imports and give home to small chocolatiers. Ask them about their ingredients or follow your taste buds: The best tasting chocolate is made with the purest ingredients.
Other brands of chocolate are available in health food stores. Many have the advantage of being organic and some of them labeled fair trade. Child slavery and other abuses are ongoing problems in the chocolate trade and should be taken into consideration when making your purchase.
The only way to identify chocolate that does not involve child slavery is to either buy one specifically labeled as such, or one that is on the Fairtrade International list.
Fair Trade Chocolate We Like:
Alter Eco sells organic chocolate that regenerates ecosystems, empowers farmers, and reverses climate change.
GiddyYo is crafting organic, plant-based, dark chocolate, coffee, superfoods and bodycare.
Belvas – the first organic chocolate factory in Europe and Belvas was named “Europe’s greenest micro-business” by the European Commission (EMAS award).
Camino is a Canadian brand of fair trade and organic food products, owned by La Siembra Co-operative, based in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Established in 1999, La Siembra Co-operative became the first registered importers of Fairtrade Certified cocoa and sugar in North America and today works with 25 producer co-ops, supporting more than 47,500 family farmers in 14 countries.
Chocolove is a chocolate manufacturer with headquarters and a manufacturing facility in Boulder, Colorado, founded in 1995 by entrepreneur Timothy Moley. The company produces all-natural and organic chocolate bars. Chocolove imports chocolate and cocoa butter from Belgium to produce its chocolate.
ChocoSol is rooted in Toronto’s St. Clair West neighbourhood of Regal Heights, where the team turns cacao into stone-ground dark chocolate, develops their growing Chocosoil project on the rooftop garden, and hosts behind-the-scenes tours and events in their Cacao Commons.
Have a favorite brand to share? Add to the list by submitting in comments or email us chocolate@greenprophet,com
Why is September 13th World Chocolate Day?
Raoul Dahl’s birthday is World Chocolate Day. His character Willy Wonka made chocolate more desirable than it ever was
World Chocolate Day is a yearly celebration that pays homage to one of the world’s most beloved treats: chocolate. This special date is celebrated every September 13th and is steeped in history, tradition, and, of course, lots of chocolate.
The idea started in 1995 when International Chocolate Day was established in France and this day changed to September 13th, the birthday of Roald Dahl, the children’s book author who wrote the iconic novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
A reticulated giraffe was born without spots at Brights Zoo in northeastern Tennessee at the end of July. The zoo is asking the public to cast their vote on what to name her.
A baby giraffe was born without spots last month. The birth took place at Brights Zoo in Tennessee. She is the only known solid-colored giraffe in in the world. And unlike her mother with regular markings, this unmarked giraffe is an anomaly. She is about 6 feet tall and is expected to grow to a height of about 15 feet. In other rare occasions sometimes the baby giraffes are born with brown spots. But a reticulated giraffe, one with no spots, is one-of-a-kind known to nature.
Zookeepers at the zoo say as far as giraffe experts say she is the only one in the world. There was one report in the 1970s in Japan of a giraffe born without spots.
A rare giraffe born without markings is now called Kipekee
The zoo reports that she had no problem integrating into the herd: “She was immediately accepted by the entire giraffe tower. They treat her as they see her no different than any other giraffe born here at the zoo.”
Obviously the zoo and its visitors are excited. The public was called on to vote on a possible name via the zoo Facebook page. The options and their meanings in Swahili were:
1. Kipekee – Unique
2. Firyali – Unusual or Extraordinary
3. Shakiri – She is most beautiful
4. Jamella – One of great beauty
And after Labour day in the US, the decision was made: she will be called Kipekee.
Want to help giraffes survive? Visit Safe Giraffes Now for fundraising campaigns.
An Antarctic research base, polluted. Pollution in Antarctic marine environments (clockwise from top right): Rubbish on the seafloor adjacent to Casey Station, resulting from historical waste disposal practices (photo Chris Patterson); an abandoned waste disposal site, close to the shoreline near the former Wilkes station, which is a source of contaminants into the local marine environment (photo Ian Snape); wastewater disposal into the sea is common practice at most Antarctic stations and is a source of pollution (photo J. Stark). Stark et al. & Australian Antarctic Division, CC-BY 4.0
If there is anywhere on earth we can consider pristine and pure, it must be remote locations like the Antarctic region. But it actually has a dirty secret, according to a new report issued this past summer in the PLOS One journal. Parts of the sea floor near Australia’s Casey research station may be as polluted as busy in-use harbors today, like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to researchers.
The contamination is likely to be widespread across Antarctica’s older research stations as well, announces Jonathan Stark, a marine ecologist at the Australian Antarctic Division in Hobart who was a co-author of the latest paper. “These contaminants accumulate over long time frames and don’t just go away,” he told Nature.
The The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launches an ozonesonde balloon.
In the new report Stark and his colleagues documented high concentrations of hydrocarbons — those are compounds found in fossil fuels — and they also reported heavy metals, such as lead, copper and zinc. Many of the samples they took were also full of polychlorinated biphenyls, which are highly carcinogenic chemical compounds that were common before being banned in 2001.
As part of the study, the researchers compared their samples with data from the World Harbour Project — which is an international collaboration to track pollution and the health of large urban waterways –– and to their shock they found that lead, copper and zinc were similar to those in Sydney Harbour and Rio de Janeiro over the last 20 years.
The old Casey rubbish tip. All rubbish tips on Australian stations were closed in 1985. Photo: Gavin Johnstone
The human ‘footprint’ and spatial extent of human activities and associated impacts in Antarctica, continues to grow as national Antarctic programs establish, expand, modernise and rebuild stations. There are currently 112 scientific research stations or national facilities established in Antarctica, including both year-round and summer only operations.
Many research stations have been operational for a long period of time, with 44 of them established prior to 1980; while a further 35 established between 1980 and 2000.
Prior to the 1980’s little attention was given to the environmental impacts of station activities, the scientists document in their report: waste and rubbish were disposed of by dumping into landfill sites, onto sea ice, or into the ocean. From the 1980’s onwards environmental management practices improved greatly, largely due to the introduction and ratification of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (known as the Madrid Protocol).
For example, solid waste is now mostly exported from the continent. Historical practices have however, resulted in a legacy of environmental contamination. As most stations are located in coastal areas, this can lead to contamination of local marine environments, with sources including sewage and wastewater discharges, oil spills, and waste disposal sites.
While pollution of marine environments is likely to occur at all coastal stations to varying degrees, it is not well documented and has only been reported for a few stations in the Antarctic.
The researchers sum up: “Our understanding of the processes that affect contamination of the Antarctic coastal marine environment is relatively limited. For example, it is not known how long existing contamination will persist or if natural processes will attenuate and/or distribute contaminants beyond existing contaminated areas.
“Similarly, our understanding of the impacts of such contamination on marine benthic ecosystems adjacent to stations, and the significance of such impacts in local and regional contexts is limited. To begin to address such issues it is important to ascertain the nature and extent of contamination of marine ecosystems around Antarctic stations.”
Most of the stations are built on ice-free areas where most of the diversity of plant and animal life subside. Only about 1% of the Antarctic is ice-free so pollution these areas can have dire consequences for the nature there.
While each nation is responsible for the operations of their research stations, each country practices its responsibility differently. The researchers propose an action plan which includes at the very soonest upgrading wastewater treatment facilities.
Antarctic delivery service: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Argentine Antarctic Institute in Buenos Aires are using bacteria to remove hydrocarbons from soil around Argentina’s Carlini Base on King George Island. This is a similar approach to the use of fungus on a pristine island damaged by a US military base.
Does this issue move you? Check here on Wikipedia if your country has an Antarctic research base. If you want to get involved reach out to your federal governments or researchers in the universities working at these bases.
Ormat collects heat energy from the earth’s crust transforming it into electricity. Via Ormat.
Ormat Technologies (NYSE: ORA), a leading renewable energy company from Israel specializing in geothermal energy, rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange last week to celebrate its 20th year on the exchange.
Ormat’s CEO, Doron Blachar said: “We are honored to celebrate Ormat’s history as a publicly traded company by ringing the NYSE opening bell. As we reflect on 20 years of trading on the NYSE, I am proud of what we have accomplished, and am particularly proud of the Company’s continued growth in developing and providing geothermal, storage and other renewable resources across the globe.
Since Ormat began trading on the NYSE, the geothermal giant grew revenues from $219 million to over $700 million. They have expanded their portfolio from ten electricity generation and recovered energy projects to 42 complexes including 13 energy storage facilities. Some countries they operate in include the US, Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, Honduras, and Guadeloupe. They provide clean power to companies like eBay and their servers in Utah.
Their energy generating capacity increased from 343 MW to 1.28 GW across geothermal, energy storage, solar PV and recovered energy, which includes 170MW/298MWh of energy storage capacity.While Ormat has been publicly traded for nearly two decades, its long-term goal is to reach our goal of 1.9 to 2.0 GW portfolio by the end of 2025.
Founded in 1965 as a family business, Ormat has been in the business longer than most of us have been alive. The company owns, operates, designs, manufactures, and sells geothermal power plants primarily based on the Ormat Energy Converter – a power generation unit that converts low-, medium- and high-temperature heat into electricity. The Company has engineered, manufactured, and constructed power plants, which it currently owns or has installed for utilities and developers worldwide, totaling approximately 3,200 MW of gross capacity.
Ormat’s current total generating portfolio is 1,277 MW, comprised of a 1,107 MW geothermal and solar generation portfolio that is spread globally in the U.S., Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, Honduras, and Guadeloupe, and a 170 MW energy storage portfolio located in the US.
How does geothermal energy collection work?
Many areas of the world have heat generated from the earth’s core and crust that makes its way to near the surface of earth. In geothermal energy production, a production well is drilled into a known geothermal reservoir and from here water is heated and the steam turns turbines which then drive an electricity generator. Power is then stored or transmitted to power lines.
How can you tell if a food is probiotic and good for your guts? Green Prophet gives a general guide.
You may know all about the ecosystem of a pond or a woodland, but have you stopped to think about the ecosystem of your own gut? Sandor Katz did and wrote a whole book on fermented food. Your digestive tract is home to trillions of organisms. For good health, we need to maintain a proper balance between those that are beneficial and those that are harmful.
How do you know if your gut “ecosystem” is in optimal condition?
Well if you:
were born to parents with good gut flora
were born in a vaginal birth
had been exclusively breastfed for the first months of your life
have eaten primarily nutritious, toxin-free food
have seldom taken antibiotics, only when needed, and never for long periods of time
…then there’s a good chance your gut ecosystem is in balance.
Unfortunately, this describes practically no one in modern society (even if you like the Paleo Diet) which means we could all use a little help from our microbial friends. That’s where fermented foods come in.
What are some examples of fermented foods?
Before the advent of refrigeration, pickling was a much-needed way to save freshly harvested vegetables. Every country has its favorite pickled veggies – and the best source of information about local pickles is usually a grandmother. Some Middle Eastern favorites include pickled beets, pickled lemons, and dill pickles.
Preserved lemons, fermenting naturally, right. Preserved peppers, left
Before milk started to be routinely pasteurized, all dairy food had beneficial bacteria. Even today, some probiotic dairy foods are available. You can read here about natural, Slow Cheese in Europe. Many condiments also started their careers as fermented foods. One example is ketchup.
Closer to home, bright yellow “amba” – a mango sauce popular in Iraq and Israel and often drizzled on falafel – is another. Even soft drinks, such as ginger ale, which certainly aren’t healthy today, used to be healthy drinks brimming with beneficial bacteria.
How can you tell if it is probiotic?
Unfortunately, most, if not all, canned and bottled fermented foods you find in the supermarket are pasteurized. With nothing living in them, they can be stored for long periods. This is great for the manufacturer and retailer; but it means that these foods won’t help your gut ecosystem. These foods are technically “dead”.
Pickled vegetables (and fruit), will be probiotic if they are:
1. pickled without vinegar or oil.
2. unpasteurized.
What about yoghurt or kefir?
The modern process for making yogurt creates some confusion. The kind of yogurt found on your supermarket shelf is made from pasteurized milk; however probiotic bacteria are added to the milk to turn it into yogurt.
If it isn’t pasteurized a second time, it’ll have beneficial bacteria and will be labeled “bio”. Note that the fresher it is, the greater the quantity of more beneficial acidophilus and other bacteria it will carry.
Fermented foods not only taste wonderful, they’re also wonderfully healthy. They even look attractive pickling in their jars. Once they’re ready, they keep in the fridge for months. They’re a wonderful addition to any meal.
Aluminum could be a source of perfect fuel. This Canada produces aluminum with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world.
Summers are growing hotter, storms more violent, wildfires more frequent and ocean levels are rising. It is becoming increasingly obvious that burning fossil fuels containing millions of years worth of trapped carbon is altering our atmosphere and climate. Hydrogen is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. It’s abundant, clean burning and has a high mass energy density. With modification it can be used in heating, vehicle engines or fuel-cells as a replacement for carbon-based fuels such as natural gas (CH4) gasoline (C8H18) or diesel fuel (C12H23).
Hydrogen gas is endless and available and a green energy contributing to a carbon-free future. Storage tanks can be sent like drones.
Hydrogen doesn’t have the long-term environmental flaws of fossil fuels. But it is not yet a simple replacement for hydrocarbons. Extracting green or grey hydrogen takes a considerable amount of energy and geologic hydrogen hasn’t yet been found in commercial quantities.
Hydrogen also has a low volumetric energy density. This means even though one kilogram of hydrogen can provide two to three times the energy of one kilogram of diesel fuel, at standard atmospheric pressure a hydrogen fuel tank requires about 5000 times the volume of a diesel fuel tank in order to provide the same energy and range.
Pressurizing the hydrogen to about 10,000 pounds per square inch improves this so that hydrogen only requires about 7 times the volume of diesel fuel. This pressure is almost twice as high as that which imploded the Titan submersible underwater earlier this year while hunting for the Titantic wreckage.
It takes up to 63 kilowatt-hours to extract one kilogram of aluminium from its bauxite ore. Much of that energy remains trapped in the chemistry of Aluminium in the same way coal and gasoline trap the energy of ancient sunlight. In fact burning aluminium produces almost twice the energy of burning an equivalent mass of coal.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the energy embedded in a single soda can could power a 14 watt light bulb for 60 hours or a television for two hours. By tuning the particle size and chemistry, the energy embedded in this metal can be used to extract hydrogen from water.
Reza Kholghy
Reza Kholghy, PhD, is research chair in Particle Technology and Combustion Engineering at Carlton University in Ottawa Canada. Dr. Kholghy was kind enough to provide Green Prophet with some insight on this promising new technology.
GreenProphet (GP): How do you use aluminium to produce hydrogen?
Dr. Kholghy: Aluminium powder is mixed with water and combusts through a high temperature oxidation process. This way, Aluminium takes the oxygen molecule in water and turns into alumina (aluminium oxide) and releases the hydrogen in water molecules.
GP: What is the efficiency compared to other methods of recycling Aluminium?
A reactor in Carleton’s Energy and Particle Technology Laboratory that informed the construction of Kholghy’s reactor with GH Power.
Dr. Kholghy: This is not a method to recycle aluminium. By combusting it with water, we can get 100% yield, meaning that all of the aluminium will be converted to alumina and for every kg of Aluminium, roughly 1 kg of water is consumed releasing around 111 gr of hydrogen.
GP: What is the volume and mass energy density compared to hydrogen fuel cell technology?
Dr. Kholghy: The reactor is very compact, a 2 MW reactors only need a footprint of around 300 to 400 sq sq ft and cogenerate heat, hydrogen and alumina.
GP: Why weren’t we doing this 100 years ago?
Dr. Kholghy: This reaction has been used in a variety of application including green rocket propellant where Aluminium nanoparticles are used. However, the unique feature of our work is finding a way to burn large Aluminium particles
GP: What is the best scale for an Aluminium hydrogen generator? (car, house, utility…)
Dr. Kholghy: Utility, from 1 MegaWatt and higher.
GP: What would you tell someone who is sceptical?
Canada produces aluminum with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world.
Dr. Kholghy: This is just a pice of puzzle towards transitioning to zero carbon energy production. This technology offers off grid solutions for cogeneration of heat, hydrogen as well as valuable high purity alumina that is used in batteries.
GP: Are you working with other researchers or corporations?
Dr. Kholghy: We are working with a Company called GH Power to develop this technology.
GP: What is the next step?
Dr. Kholghy: Our industrial partner is working with us to demonstrate the full scale reactor.
GP: How are impurities removed?
Dr. Kholghy: For hydrogen generation, there is no need to remove impurities. We get similar hydrogen yield no matter if recycled Aluminium with low purity or high purity Aluminium is used. The purity of alumina is similar to the purity of the Aluminium fuel used and we have developed a proprietary process to remove impurities from the produced alumina if needed.
Large, flavorful tomatoes ripen in Odina Sattorova’s backyard greenhouse in Uzbekistan’s Ferghana Valley. Their perfect shape, rich colour and smooth texture – undeniable indicators of quality – are the result of many days of intensive work in the greenhouse. Odina, who has worked in greenhouses taking care of seedlings and helping harvest grapes since she was young, was used to this kind of hard work. Her family relied on agriculture to earn their living.
But this now 43-year-old woman farmer has learned that there are new “smart” farming techniques that reduce labour and markedly increase productivity and profitability. The facts speak for themselves. Today, Odina grows about 400 kilograms of tomatoes per week during the harvest season, whereas before, she hardly produced even 120 kilograms. Along with the quantity, the quality of the product has also improved. The fruits are consistently smooth, large and more flavorful than the previous ones.
Odina learned to utilize these transformative techniques through the project, “Smart Farming for the Future Generation”, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). With financial support from the Republic of Korea, this project was launched in 2021 in Uzbekistan and Viet Nam to introduce new growing methods and tools that decrease water consumption and labour, while increasing yields, crop quality and incomes.
Simple yet innovative farming technologies and techniques save natural resources while increasing incomes
The project introduced simple innovations in water management, pest control and greenhouse improvements, such as the use of a plastic shade net, instead of the traditional clay cover, on top of the greenhouse to keep it from overheating. The new plastic film is not only more durable but it also absorbs ultraviolet radiation and prevents condensation on the inside of the greenhouse.
Of all the tools introduced by the project, Odina considers the drip irrigation system the most useful and effective one. The irrigation system includes a fertilization mechanism, which allows her to provide nutrients to the crops. The system also measures the salinity and acidity of the water and, most importantly, regulates its use, saving this valuable resource.
Water issues have always been crucial for Odina’s district of Uzbekistan. Being very near the border with Kyrgyzstan, this area has been highly dependent on water sources coming from this neighbouring country. Also located at an altitude of 677 metres above sea level, with steep and treeless terrains, digging wells is not a reliable option, as it is often too deep and expensive to do so.
In this setting, farmers used to rely on canals that brought water to the villages from the hills. Farmers would have to wait for her or his turn to use the water to irrigate their land.
Now the water is collected in a special water tank and then used as necessary, with the system irrigating greenhouses automatically. The uniform water supply of the drip irrigation system maintains the required humidity of the soil and the greenhouse as a whole. This is important because when there is too much water, excessive moisture creates a favorable environment for plant diseases.
“It is very convenient, saves me time and effort, and most importantly, saves water,” Odina explains of the drip irrigation system.
“Before, I did not know how important it is to keep a constant record of temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse. I did not know how to prevent the spread of various plant diseases, due to which we used to lose a significant part of the crop. I learned these and other useful things during the FAO trainings,” she says.
With these new skills and practices, Odina has grown her tomato business into a thriving small enterprise and receives two to three times her previous income.
New methods for green growth
Neighbours and guests who visit Odina’s farm immediately notice the improvements to the greenhouse, including the insect-proof mesh that covers all openings, the disinfectant foot mat at the entrance and the sticky traps for pests, all of which contribute to minimizing the use of pesticides.
“It is easier to prevent pests and diseases from entering the greenhouse than to deal with them later,” says Luciano Rovesti, an FAO Expert on Integrated Pest Management. “These are simple but important technological innovations that will greatly aid in reducing the incidence of pests, in the same way that the adoption of drip irrigation reduces the incidence of plant diseases.”
Digitalization is another important aspect of greenhouse management. The project is testing equipping greenhouses with sensors and software for measuring soil moisture, solar radiation, humidity and air temperature. This data is then displayed on the farmers’ mobile devices and allows them to remotely control the microclimate in greenhouses and irrigate in a timely manner.
For Odina’s family, the additional revenue from her flourishing backyard greenhouse is more than welcome. Odina, who has worked at home all her life, now wants to provide her daughters with the opportunities that come with higher education. She is saving the money she earns to pay for her daughters’ university fees. One is studying to be a doctor and the other to be a teacher – while her youngest daughter is preparing to enter university.
Odina’s is one of 40 greenhouses that FAO has modernized in the Andijan, Namangan and Ferghana regions of Uzbekistan. When farming becomes “smart” and incomes become sustainable, confidence in the future increases. This year the project aims to increase the number of optimized greenhouses and extend these sustainable practices even further.
This story was sent to Green Prophet via the FAO. Have good news to share? Send us a line at [email protected]
Tobacco sales are down in the United States and Canada but cannabis use, following full legalization of marijuana in countries like Canada is on the rise. Hoping to get into the business one of the world’s largest cigarette companies Phillip Morris has taking a sharp turn toward cannabis by buying the Israeli medical cannabis inhaler and dosage device Syqe. The deal is worth $650 million.
It was no surprise that this would happen as the company invested $20 million into the medical device company in 2016. Syqe was built to dose a more accurate amount of medicine than current inhalers and dispensers in the market.
Israel’s National Insurance Institute (NII) partnered with Syqe recently to fully cover medical marijuana treatments with a metered inhaler for victims of terrorism or criminal violence. Studies suggest that medical cannabis can be effective in certain people for treating anxiety and PTSD.
The US Federal Trade Commission’s latest report on cigarette sales and marketing shows that cigarette sales by the largest US cigarette companies fell to 190.2 billion in 2021, the first time cigarette sales have fallen below 200 billion and a drop of 70% from a high of 636.5 billion in 1981. The 6.7% drop from 2020 to 2021 shows that the long decline in cigarettes sales has resumed after a small upward blip in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The huge, continuing drop in cigarette sales reflects the enormous declines in smoking rates among both youth and adults in recent decades. It will pay off in improved health and countless lives saved for generations to come. So what’s a tobacco company to do? Cannabis of course.
According to the deal, Phillip Morris will invest $130 million to finance the process of obtaining the FDA approval for Syqe’s inhaler. The FDA is the American health authority, The Federal Drug Administration, which gives the seal of approval for medical devices and pharmaceuticals in the United States. If the process goes through Phillip Morris will acquire Syqe’s shares for $650 million.
This transaction would be run via Phillip Morris’ subsidiary Vectura, a UK company specializing in inhaler products to deliver medicines. If this deal works, it would be a first for the FDA agreeing to use raw cannabis as medicine.
Raphael Mechoulam, discoverer of THC, CBD in medicinal cannabis
Israel is the world’s first country to investigate the medicinal properties and chemistry of cannabis. Legendary cannabis research Prof. Raphael Mechoulam, while at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, was the first to isolate and name THC and CBD from a sample of hashish. He died this year at 92. I have personally interviewed him over the years.
Israeli-American physician Alan Shackelford, also pioneered cannabis as medicine in the United States. He consulted Mechoulam’s research on epilepsy and cannabis before dosing a child Charlotte Figi with THC and CBD in the US.
Israel has legalised cannabis for medical use but unlike Canada which has fully legalized cannabis for recreation and medicine, Israel has been slow to overcome that stage and has put a brake on what could have given Israel an edge in the market. Pioneering companies like Tikkun Olam (read our interview with them), original growers in Israel, have lost their market value from an overwhelming number of growers in the country. Its assets were up for auction recently and it merged with a Canadian real estate company. It is cheaper to grow cannabis elsewhere where there are fewer regulations and government hurdles.
Jerusalem celebrates Gag Eden, a play on words for Gan Eden or the Hebrew word for paradise. It is a 3-day green roofs festival in the heart of the city
bees
