With its lavish six-star hotels and glitterati reputation, Dubai has quickly risen to fame as a tourist paradise. But now that fame might be heading towards infamy, as sewage including excrement and the contents of septic tanks has been pouring onto Dubai’s tourist-filled beaches. Doctors are warning bathers that they run the risk of contracting […]
We’ve seen that environmentally conscious tourism is becoming more than a buzz word, what with government initiatives stepping in, and the various alternatives in eco-tourism that Israel now offers–including Kazakh yurts! Australian-born tour guide Zel Lederman customizes personal tours for groups and families with Israel Travel Company: Israel Off the Beaten Track, including tours with […]
You first heard it here on Green Prophet a few months ago – the Israeli Ministry of Tourism is spearheading initiatives to promote eco-friendly, green bicycle tourism. You may also remember that it announced in August that it would be allocating 100 million shekels towards developing the field (which, ahem, is not the number that […]
A little out of place, a yurt in the Israeli desert offers a neat eco-treat. Feeling jaded from all the holidays in this country, we decided to retreat to the desert for Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest). And this was no ordinary retreat: arriving into Moshav Dekel, in the Eshkol region of the Negev […]
Sunday’s New York Times featured an environmental article (“Extreme Approaches Toward Living a Green Life”) with an interesting twist. After describing what many everyday Americans, such as fellow green bloggers Sharon Astyk (of Casaubon’s Book) and Colin Beavan (of No Impact Man), do in their daily lives to alleviate their negative impact on the environment […]
Although Palestinian environmental activism is clearly on the rise, Palestinians still face a myriad of environmental and social challenges. These issues often have both ecological and political aspects; the current water shortage, for instance, is influenced both by global climate change and Israel’s policies in the West Bank. This past year, a team of four […]
If you choose to live in the heart of the Negev desert – or any desert for that matter – chances are, you’re pretty in touch with nature. Because you’re surrounded by it. There just aren’t any of the modern distractions that many of us know and love, like movies, frozen yogurt stands, etc. But […]
He’s a tour guide, educator and environmentalist. Meet Jared Goldfarb, who has a unique take on eco-tourism, and ways to lighten your travels in Israel. Whether you’re just visiting for a few days, or live here, Jared offers some advice for the thoughtful — and curious –– traveller. Tell us a little about what you do? […]
If you don’t know what a yurt is, have no fear. Most people don’t (including yours truly). But yurts, with their portability, suitability for nature trips, and simple low-tech structures are highly suitable for eco-tourism – so they definitely deserve our attention. And it certainly is exciting that yurts are entering the Israeli tourism scene. […]
Israel’s tourism industry has made some serious changes recently. The Ministry of Tourism announced a few months ago that it was going ‘green’ for 2009, stating that it had a plan that included “environment-sensitive planning and development; preservation of the cultural and social heritage; developing tourism and new jobs in agricultural areas and the periphery […]
As the Green Prophet archives will tell you, Israel is no stranger to environmentally friendly tourism. Not only is there a variety of ecologically minded guesthouses all of the country (including a vegetarian paradise in the Galilee), but the Israeli Ministry of Tourism has announced that it is going green. Part of this initiative has […]
Bicycles are becoming trendy here in Israel, and as a result the government has been spearheading initiatives to promote this eco-friendly, congestion-fighting trend. What’s more, bicycle tourism is becoming increasingly popular as well, as bikers savor the open green spaces that Israel has to offer. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism has just announced that the government […]
Over the past few months, we’ve seen a lot of Prophecies about eco-tourism all over the Middle East. There are dozens of eco-travel options in Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Egypt, and Yemen. There is also, however, a very special opportunity for eco-tourism right here within our own borders – and those of our neighbors. Since […]
Buckle your (cyber) seatbelts and prep your imaginary passports, because this week we’re continuing our green journey. After eco touring other Middle Eastern countries – such as Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Egypt, and Israel – we’re off to pay a green visit to Yemen. Yemen, like other countries in the region, has a variety of […]
“Make sure to place your organic waste in the buckets outside and please use our shampoo and soap when you shower so chemicals don’t enter or gray water system,” my hostess explained to my family as we first arrived in Amirim. I immediately felt at home. We’ve been covering lots of eco-tourism tips and organic […]