Green iftars, and sustainable ways Muslims can approach the holy month of Ramadan.

The holiest month of the Islamic year, Ramadan, occurs in a new month every year because the Muslim calendar follows the lunar cycle, not the sun. This Ramadan, many Muslims are looking at a new dimension of the month: our impact on the earth.

This is particularly important as we learn more about the effects of climate change, dwindling resources and, most importantly, decreasing access to fresh water around the world, which is a growing concern in many Muslim communities and countries.

Muslims believe that God has asked them to abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan. In addition to fasting, Muslims around the world aspire to attain spiritual contentment and come closer to God through increased prayer, meditation, helping others and self-reflection.

While fasting is the most well known aspect of the month, it is also a time to be more aware of the universal principles of mercy, compassion and respect for the Earth that our faith teaches.

In the Quran, God states that he has placed humanity as a “vicegerent on Earth” (2:30). Accordingly, Muslims believe that humans are called to protect, cherish, care for and respect the Earth and all of God’s creation within it. This theme was echoed in the life of the Prophet Muhammad. In one of his famous sayings, he states that even if the end of the world comes when you are in the middle of planting a tree, you should continue to plant it.

Sustainable iftars and mosques

During Ramadan, Muslims in the United States have been finding ways to make Ramadan more “green”, or environmentally sustainable, and reduce their impact on the earth. Nightly iftars, when Muslims break the fast, play an especially important role in this.

Throughout Ramadan Muslims gather for community iftars every night, with larger gatherings usually held at local mosques, sometimes with hundreds of individuals in attendance. Many Muslims have begun holding “Green Iftars,” also referred to as “Zero Trash Iftars”, which provide an alternative to discarding hundreds of pieces of disposable plates, cups, utensils and even food. Groups that implement the practice of “Green Iftars” make use of reusable or recyclable materials and aim to avoid any waste.

Some mosques, like Dar Al Hijrah and Adams Center, both located in Northern Virginia, educate their congregates on the importance of environmental sustainability and have set up recycling programmes to educate their members.

Other Muslims take a more personal route, striving to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily lives. Many individuals follow the Prophet’s advice that Muslims should only fill one-third of their stomachs with food, with one-third reserved for liquid and the final one-third for air, minimising the amount they consume.

Many also make conscious efforts to conserve water to the last drop, especially during the ritual ablution (called wudu) that Muslims perform before prayer. The conservation of water is a recurring theme within Islamic teachings.

In addition to avoiding wasteful practices regarding food and water, many Muslims also take stock of material possessions, reflecting on what is really needed and how our consumption patterns affect the world around us.

The Prophet emphasised to his followers that the act of giving up food and drink loses its significance without personal evaluation. Essentially, Muslims are encouraged to reflect on this question: what is the point of the physical act of fasting if our actions and words go unchanged?

While there are many higher values that Muslims strive to adhere to in their daily lives, the values of environmental consciousness and stewardship are particularly relevant during this month.

Now is the time for us to encourage ourselves, and those around us, to be the best possible stewards of the earth and to live as individuals who are compassionate and respectful toward the diverse and beautiful aspects of God’s creation. As humans, we are responsible for the world around us and we have a duty to strive to make the changes we wish to see.

If all of us, regardless of our faith tradition, were able to take stock of our personal connection with nature, and our consumption patterns, surely the world would be a different and much better place.

This article was written in 2012 by Ryan Strom, then the Communications Manager for Green Muslims, a DC-based organisation that seeks “to provide a unique and organic source of environmental leadership, inspiration, awareness, and direct action within Muslim communities.” 

Update by Green Prophet editors 2023: this calendar from Green Muslims in 2022 lists some ideas for each day of the month. Not much has changed in the world with what we can do, since then. A few we pulled out:

• Green your investment portfolio – invest in companies that create renewable energy, for instance.
• Plant a vegetable garden, or start a community garden.
• Join your mosque’s green team or start one.
• Eat less
• Look for more natural home cleaning projects.

The post Sustainable Ramadan how-to guide appeared first on Green Prophet.

A Muslim’s diet is above ordinary – we are “meat-eating vegetarians” which means if it’s not organic or halal food (lawful in Islam), we practice temporary vegetarianism. Muslims are blessed with grocery stores and local markets therefore life in Britain does not require us to grow our own crops – although, if we did, that would be exciting and nurturing. As an eco-Muslim I have learned to grow my own tomatoes and other herbs, which, with a little know-how is a productive step to improving our lifestyle.

Muslims believe that God has created this planet in harmony, an equilibrium, where there is enough of every resource to provide for every living being. Even the food God provided for people is a “trust” that needs to be consumed in -keyword here- moderation.

But moderation is not our forte, not here in England anyway. We do not check food labels often enough to know what we’re putting into our bodies. We more often than not, opt for ordering out than eating in. A 2008 WRAP Food Waste report stated that British consumers throw away up to 30% of their food; our poor management of food may be a contributing factor. This is also surprising when compared to the current Middle Eastern protests that were spurred on due to the increasing food prices.

While some cannot afford basic green foods, we cannot afford to waste ours. This is why a Qur’anic reminder is set for Muslims:

“It is God Who causes gardens to grow, with trellises and without, and palm trees, and crops of different kinds of food, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety): eat of their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered…”

The line following this is our main focus: “Eat – But waste not by excess: for God does not love the wasters.” (Qur’an, 6:141) Thus, eco-Muslim Zaufishan from Green Prophet presents an Action Plan to follow-up the valuable 3R-Principle in eating: Reduce, Recycle, Reuse.

Action Plan

1. Do not waste any amount of food, even if it’s expired. If the food is uncooked add it to your compost heap. Crumble stale bread and unwanted nuts together for bird seed.
2. Only buy food that you need for that day or week and stick to a budget.
3. Plate a little less food for each person. Islamic tradition says to eat in thirds – 1/3 for food, 1/3 for water, and 1/3 for air, strongly implying to be able to move and breathe easily after a heavy meal! Store leftovers for the next day.
4. Recycle! Instead of spilling leftover drinks, water your plants. Use airtight lidded storage containers for snacks and reuse drinks bottles to cutback on surplus volumes of packaging.
5. Go green and save energy by eating together with family or friends. At a larger gathering you will actually use kitchen appliances fewer times and therefore less energy (power and electricity) than for every individual eating at different times.
6. Start a compost heap with peelings, skins, egg shells and worms!
7. Donate your extra fresh fruit and tinned foods regularly to charity. The miracle of donation is that there are no losers and you help others.
8. Join campaigns or faith groups during their food drives; fast during Ramadan, take part in Lent or embed yourself in Passover to learn the values and eco-traditions surrounding food.
9. Use your technology wisely for online grocery shopping – not ordering takeaways! And this takes us onto Top Tip Ten:
10. Eat more home-cooked food.

Do you have green food tips? Let us know in the comments section below.

Image:: Flickr

More on healthy eating:
Eating Real Food Can Save The Environment
Jordan Joins The Food Protests As Tunisian President Steps Down
Arab Protests Affect World Food Prices
Ten Tips To Avoid Food Waste On Passover

The post Green Deeds: Don’t Waste Food, Man (10 Tips) appeared first on Green Prophet.

The United Arab Emirates has been up to all manner of green things over the last couple of years. From solar-powered cash machines to plans to go plastic-free by 2013, and now they are hosting a unique sustainability camp on February 26, 2011. Rather than taking a narrow understanding of sustainability, the campaigners insist that sustainability is more than just being a tree hugger. The groups says that, “sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions.” As such, they’re inviting everyone from human rights groups, animals rights activists to compost makers and tree planters along to share their struggles and successes in becoming more sustainable.

The event, which will take place at Dubai Knowledge Village from 10 to 5pm, will consists of a collective art installation made on the day, discussions, debates and setting goals for a more sustainable UAE.

Organised by BarCamp UAE, the event is modeled on the notion of Open Space Technology and so rather a rigid conference, the proceedings will be open and highly interactive. For example, the only way to register is to fill in a quick survey about your interests and concerns and then the answers are used to shape the event.

According to their twitter feed, the famed Green Sheikh who we interviewed on his views on going green in the Middle East may also be attending, so it’s definitely worth a look if you are in the country.

It sounds like a fun way to take part in the debate around sustainability in the UAE and as the organizers state: “We may not change the world in a day, but I believe that it’ll be a good start to set collective goals in which each of us including the organizations actively involved in the space learn, build and contribute towards continuous action in our community.”

:Image via Pedronet via flickr.

For more green news from the UAE see:

Pacific Green Inaugurates Masdar City’s Sustainable Palm Gates

Your Green Money Maker? Solar Powered ATM in Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates to be Plastic-Free by 2013

The post UAE to host Sustainability Camp appeared first on Green Prophet.

Want a reference book to living ethically? Want to know the truth about the costs of globalisation and profit-driven business practices on our health and society? Want to know what you can do to bring about change? This is the book for you.

Unlike the other books by Leo Hickman that I have reviewed (The Final Call and A Life Stripped Bare), the absence of the writer’s perspective and his interactions with others in A Good Life makes the book a bit harder to read.

It is much more about the theory of ethical living, about the origin of our food and what’s in it, power dynamics of globalisation, the costs to health, society and our environment of living unethically, and the different ways we can live more ethically.

I do like the way this book has been organised.  The eight chapters are broken into logical topics: Food and Drink, Home and Garden, Travel, You, Family, Community, Money and Work. At the end of each chapter there is a directory of related organisations, websites and magazines.

There are also ‘Explainer’ sections with a detailed explanation of terms like Toxic Chemicals, Fairtrade, Organic Food, Climate Change.

The ‘Dilemma’ boxes are useful throughout for exploring such questions as: do we need to wash our hair? Incineration or Landfill? Should I employ a cleaner?

The ‘Spotlight’ topics focus on our love affair with MDF, Trash Miles, Carbon Neutral, the rise of ‘unethical’ investments’, along with other highlighted issues.

It is well researched and packed full of useful information, including a section on further reading and resources, but it is text heavy and more a study of ethical living than an easily accessible practical guide.

I recommend A Good Life as a reference book, dipping into the different sections and accompanying directories when looking for something specific at a particular time.

A Good Life – The guide to ethical living, by Leo Hickman. Transworld Publishers (Eden Project Books).

This review was written by Louise Gethin of Bristol, UK.

More Book Reviews on Green Prophet:

Review of Leo Hickman’s ‘A Life Stripped Bare’

Living A Simpler, Deeper Life With ‘The Moneyless Man’

The post Book Review: Loving Leo Hickman’s ‘The Good Life’ appeared first on Green Prophet.

Frustrated and worried about the state of our environment, we chomp at the bits and engage in frothy conversations about irresponsible citizens and politicians, but few of us have enough nerve to let it all go: to let go of the cash, let go of the car, and all of the associated conveniences that defines modern life. But Mark Boyle did. For over a year he has lived in a caravan on an organic farm between Bristol and Bath, where he works in exchange for parking there.

He either grows or forages for food, gets around on a bicycle, presses mushrooms into a pulp for paper, and overall demonstrates that it is possible to live without money. Though penniless, Mark is a very rich man who has become an international inspiration. After James reviewed his book ‘The Moneyless Man – A Year of Freeconomic Living,’ we approached Mark with a few questions. Though he scarcely has enough time to make his nettle tea these days, he was kind enough to share his insights about the Middle East.

For the benefit of readers in the Middle East who may not be familiar with your lifestyle and philosophy, can you briefly describe what you set out to do when you sold your home and adopted a money-free life?

I had realised the inherent and inevitable social and environmental consequences of using this tool we call money back in 2007, and I felt a huge hypocrisy in talking about the issues yet not living according to my beliefs. So, as Mahatma Gandhi once said, I decided to “be the change I wanted to see in the world.”

You once mentioned that a major challenge you experienced during your transition to the freeconomic lifestyle was adjusting to not being able to give people material gifts; you describe how the Irish in particular like to buy each other drinks as a sign of goodwill. In the Middle East, we don’t have many big drinkers, but we do have gifts! Can you say how your friends and family have adjusted to this new materialistic absence?

My friends and family have been fantastic, and even though at the start they most likely believed I had lost my mind, now they really believe in it also.

They, like more and more people, are becoming aware of the major issues we now face in the world, such as peak oil, resource depletion and a warming climate, and want to change. My parents now have gone vegetarian and my dad grows his own food in the summer, even though he had never even planted a seed until last year.

I think one of the most compelling aspects of your story, Mark, is that you studied economics and thus people tend to take you more seriously than the usual environmentalist. From an economic perspective, if the freeconomic movement were to take off and people worldwide adopted it, how would that disrupt the current economic machine? Is it possible to predict what would happen if huge chunks of society stopped using money for their daily transactions?

It would act in the same way the current market system current acts – supply and demand, and the market responding to a change in social values. It’s about evolution, not revolution, about transition and transformation. My educational and career background is in some ways very fortunate – if you want to find solutions to the flaws of the current system, you must first understand how it works.

While some people think that your new lifestyle is “radical,” I see that you have reclaimed your humanity, that what you are doing is completely natural. However, the reality is that most of us are completely removed from understanding what nature can offer and how to go about finding it. What sort of advice would you give to a person (in the Middle East) who senses the need to live more naturally but doesn’t have the skills?

There are two sets of skills. The secondary ones, such as wild food foraging, food growing, green woodworking, permaculture and so on. These can easily be learned – I am probably the least talented person you will ever meet, but even I can get by, and if I can then – trust me – anyone can!

What is harder to learn are the primary skills – a care for the planet, for humans, for animals and other species, and a desire to live as gently as possible.

It takes 2 mins to teach a person how to plant a seed, but it can take years to convince them of the importance of planting that seed.

Many countries here have serious water shortages and the desert is expanding, thus a freeconomic lifestyle seems particularly daunting. Can you hazard a guess about what you might do differently if you lived in a desert environment?

A warming climate is going to exacerbate this problem, so the first thing is to stop consuming. Without knowing the terrain there, it is impossible for me to say how I’d get my water.

We are beginning to catch up with the Western World in terms of developing recycling programs, organic agriculture, alternative energy sources and such, but we still have a long way to go. Mostly this has to do – I think – with the prevailing attitude that we are separate somehow from nature. What do you think?

The overriding root cause of almost every major issue in the world today is our disconnection from what we consume. Money has enabled us to have huge degrees of separation between the consumer and the consumed. Until we reconnect with Nature, nothing will change.

Many philosophers in the past have really influenced people into thinking we are separate from Nature. We’re as much part of it as a mosquito, or a drop of water, or a tree. It is not our playground.

And to follow up on that question, do you think that the Middle East and other countries have to go through the same process of enlightenment as you did before becoming completely fed up, or is there a way to put cultures on the fast-track to a major paradigm shift?

I’m not sure – sorry.

On the other hand, might Mother Nature make those decisions for us?

Yes.

From what you know of the Middle East and based on your experience, what kind of obstacles do you predict we would face in trying to adopt a freeconomic lifestyle, or something that closely approximates it?

I think it is more likely to get adopted over there than here, as your culture places a much greater emphasis on sharing, community, helping each other etc. already. The major challenge is to show people that living more simply isn’t just better for the environment, it makes them happier into the bargain.

You believe that people should have the right to live without money and plan to petition for the right to pay taxes in some other way, such as with labor. What does this process look like for you and what kind of help are you getting?

I can’t comment on this at the moment, but yes I do believe that people have the human right to live without money if they so wish.

Any final words of wisdom?

Be the change you want to see in the world, whether you’re a minority of one or a majority of millions. Reconnect with your local environment and community. Surrender to the world and enter into the organic flow of giving and receive freely, and unconditionally.

Mark, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions. You are an inspiration to a great number of people who share your sentiments but lack your courage to embrace what has become the unknown for so many of us. We appreciate your leadership and vision, and wish you the best of luck with your endeavors.

More exclusive interviews with Green movers and shakers:

Meet An Eco-Muslimah

Solar Activist for Palestine

He Makes Green “Sheikh”

The post “The Moneyless Man” Talks to The Green Prophet About The Middle East appeared first on Green Prophet.

Make sure that you don’t have any drafts. Holes around windows can cause loss of much-needed heat, a little bit of electrical tape around your windows can make a BIG difference. Also, proper insulation is a great investment. While the initial price might be steep, what you save of electricity will cover it in the long run. If you can’t replace your windows for double paned, consider covering them, curtains, can do a great job.

Finally, make sure that your heating system is running efficiently. If you are going with a space heater, some models need less energy than others. If you have central, have a technician come at the beginning of the season. A small maintenance bill can save you the cost of replacing the whole unit!

Happy winter!

The post Winter Heating Tips appeared first on Green Prophet.

However, not all leaks are noticeable. You may have a small leak where the gas dissipates before you can smell it. The good news is that most gas suppliers offer a free yearly check. So call up your gas provider and ask them to send someone your way.

Also, make sure that the areas in your home that use gas – kitchen, heaters – are well ventilated. While natural gas is relatively clean, one byproduct is carbon monoxide. If you do not ventilate properly, your oxygen supply will be depleted.

The post Gas Leak? Think Safety appeared first on Green Prophet.

With summer coming on, beach enthusiasts must now begin to be on the lookout for swarms of jellyfish, otherwise known as “meduzot.”

The grey, blob-like masses appear every summer off the cost of Israel, Lebanon, and most other Mediterranean countries as well.

In fact the hypothesized “introduced species” that came to the Mediterranean Sea after the Suez Canal was built, have begun to become so prevalent off the Mediterranean coasts of Spain and other countries frequented by British holiday travelers, that the BBC and other British medias often give warning notices ot be on the lookout for the jellyfish, and what to do if stung by them.

Marine biologists studying the creatures, have been saying that the increasing numbers of jellyfish, and their size, are being attributed to a number of factors; including warming and increased salinity of the sea water, bringing them closer to shore, and over-fishing.

The jellyfish also are big fish eaters themselves, which put a further strain on the sea’s already critical ecological balance. Certain fish species, such as herring and sardines, who eat young jelly fish, have been decreasing in numbers, resulting in increases in jellyfish populations.

The jellyfish have been present in the Mediterranean for years, but seem to come towards Israeli beaches in a north and eastward direction from the northern Sinai coast and from the Suez Canal.

Whether they originated in the Red Sea or Gulf of Suez is not certain, however.

The simple organism’s sting is mostly harmless but can be quite painful and one does not necessarily need to be in close proximity to the jellyfish in order to be stung, as its venom is released into the waters as a sticky slime.

Israel’s Magan David Adom (MDA) suggests that bathers take a small bottle of vinegar to the beach with them, as this can help in alleviating the pain if stung by a jellyfish.

Salt water may also be used, but not fresh water. Some people also suggest urinating on the stings although not everyone would appreciate this advice.

The common practice of rubbing sand over the infected area actually worsens the pain, the MDA statement said.

After washing with vinegar, the infected area should be cleansed with water and soap. Ice in a plastic bag also helps relieve the symptoms of the sting, which although not lethal, can cause a powerful allergic reaction in some people.

[image via tata ata]

Read more on corals:
Corals Cope With Rising Sea Temperature By Eating High Protein Jellies
Corals Will Melt If CO2 Levels Double
New Research Ship To Paint Red Sea Green

The post Tips Against Jellyfish Invasion For Israel and Lebanon Coasts appeared first on Green Prophet.

Some of us are already using air conditioner water in our homes. Saving water may not be critical in Canada, but it is in the Middle East. Saving water to save money and energy is not only a personal financial consideration, but a global issue, as natural resources belong to all of us.

Today I want to talk about water savings in washing machines. You can jump to the best water saving tips here.

Some older washing machines, you might not know, have an option of using half the amount of water, saving near 10 gallons or 30 liters of water a load. As an added bonus, clothes come out cleaner.

How do clothes get cleaner when using less water? It turns out that filling the drum of the machine is unnecessary. As long as the clothes are wet, the agitation does the job, and better. Loose water only gets in the way, and also creates a need for more detergent.

What’s more energy efficient, top or front loader washing machine?

The current water crisis around the globe makes this a good time to revisit the long-time debate of American immigrants to the Middle East over whether a top-loading Maytag with the door on top is preferable to a European front-loader.

The top-loader works by filling its large drum with water, and a central agitator spins to clean the clothes. Standard front-loaders don’t need an agitator, so more clothes can fit into the smaller drum. The clothes agitate as the drum in a front-loading machine moves back and forth, capitalizing on gravity.

Seven years ago, my then 15-year-old Maytag gave out a few days before Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish New Year), and I bought an Electra for a price comparable to a new Maytag motor. I’ve had only minor repairs so far, but it’s largely a matter of chance. They are supposed to last about five years.

Are the advantages of top-loaders worth the excess water and energy use?

Below I list the main reasons to use a top-loading American machine, typically a Maytag.

1. Maytags last longer. That may be true, but they are much more expensive. Parts and repairs also cost more. Of course, your smaller European machine will end up in a landfill faster.
2. More clothes can fit into the top-loader. I did not notice a big difference, because the Maytag’s agitator is large and requires clothes to be stacked loosely. A huge amount can fit in a standard front loader, especially when using a regular cycle.
3. The Maytag cycle is faster. This is true, and the switch to a front-loader requires a readjustment. But with planning you don’t need to sit and wait for laundry to finish—you can do other things. And the front-loader squeezes out more water so clothes dry faster, whether on the line or in a dryer. The length of the cycle also depends on whether you heat the water (see next point).
4. Top-loading Maytags are connected to both hot and cold water faucets, allowing you to save money and energy on sunny days if you have a solar water heater. However, detergents today are designed to work well with cold water. Using cold water also shortens the cycle of the front-loader significantly, and extends the life of the machine. Front-loading machines attach to the cold water faucet and heat water according to the cycle chosen.
5. Top-loaders are easier on the back, but a front-loader can be placed on a pedestal.

There are several major disadvantages to the Maytag:

• They don’t clean as well (but may put less stress on clothes for the same reason).
• They are too large for many Middle Eastern apartments, and may require being taken apart to fit through doors. They also require two faucets, not standard in Israeli laundry areas.
• They use twice as much water, more detergent, and more electricity (factoring out the heating of the water)
• Repairs and parts are expensive.
• Newer model front-loaders automatically adjust the water level, based on the amount of clothes.

Money and energy-saving laundry tips:

• Don’t wash it it if it’s not dirty. Use smocks and aprons to protect clothes.
• Always fill up the machine. Fill a front loader to the top, turning the drum to make more room. With a regular cycle (lower numbers) the machine can really be stuffed, as long as closing it doesn’t put stress on the door. Be gentle with the door as the hinges are a weak point, as are the knobs.
• Have enough clothes. If you are always doing a load because you run out of socks, buy more socks (or work out a system to keep them organized). You should have enough clothes to have something to wear when you are washing, plus something extra in case of emergency.
• Don’t have too many clothes. They tend to fall on the floor and require rewashing, and it’s harder to find what you need.
• Give family members their own distinctive towels. They are more likely to reuse them.
• When visiting friends offer to bring your own sheets, or a sleeping bag. Take the sheets you just took off the bed for changing.
• “Grey water” from the bath can be reused for laundry. Keep a couple of buckets in the shower and pour the used water into the machine through the opening for detergent while the water is running. I’ve noticed that my machine adds water to the first cycle in intervals. I add water until the water stops running, and try to be around for the second addition of water as well.
• Use a minimum of detergent. If your laundry smells like detergent after washing, you’re probably using too much. The extra soap also clogs up your machine.
• Hang laundry to dry.

What tips can you share for more efficient laundering?

The post How to save water and energy with your washing machine appeared first on Green Prophet.

A great tool for enabling more company transparency, companies are helping boost their bottom lines by using it is as a public forum to interact with customers, share exciting news about the company and create relationships for business development. Anyone from journalists and bloggers to CEOs of major companies are using it for business purposes. The classic examples of major companies using Twitter successfully are Dell, JetBlue and Zappos.

What about cleantech companies?

Here are ten tips that I along with fellow Twestival Jerusalem co-organizers and Social Media consultants, Charlie Kalech (@CharlieKalech) and Debra Askanase (@askdebra) suggest for companies to consider when planning their Twitter strategy and for ensuring maximizing its use.

1. Make a plan. Know what you want to accomplish (do you want to find customers? Raise awareness? Or connect to investor and analysts? Or something else?), and based on that determine what type of presence you want to have on Twitter. This includes whether you want your account to be under your own name (like Alltop’s @guykawasaki) or the brand name (like @mashable) or both.

2. Use Twhirl and TweetDeck. Twitter has an open API that has encouraged a slew of third-party applications. Two of them, Twhirl and TweetDeck are dynamic desktop clients that are considered to have the best interface for companies and to easily use for brand or topic monitoring and for keeping track of multiple conversations (though not multiple accounts yet). Use either for of them to keep better track of your posts (called tweets), people you follow tweets, tweets from others about your company and more.

3. Use search tools. You can find relevant people to follow [like Al Gore or David Suzuki] or be found by them by using tools such as Mr. Tweet (for information on your twitter statistics and recommendations of thought leaders to follow), Just Tweet It, (a search directory) and Twellow (also a search directory).

4. Become a thought leader with your tweets. Step into your expertise space [solar energy, carbon offsetting?] with knowledgeable tweets about clean tech and your specific industry from the latest news, blogs or conversations.

5. Be Human. Build relationships with key decision makers and others by not just including important information about your company but by also showing your human side by tweeting about things such as that you’re waiting at the gate for a flight somewhere, or have to pick up the kids or that you’re making dinner.

6. Gather and share information. Adding to the previous tip, much success in social media comes from becoming a resource and giving value to the community. In the case of your company and the industry, most of your tweets should include links to cleantech topics, industry news you hear, resources you discover and people you find interesting in cleantech. Don’t be afraid to retweet other tweets you found valuable, but always give people credit by starting the tweet with RT@____:

7. Respond to and retweet others comments. Taking the importance of retweeting further, responding to others’ tweets and retweeting them shows those people as well as others that you are listening and are actively interested in what they have to say.

8. Shorten links using tools such as TinyURL and bit.ly. Shortening links will give you more room to tweet and tools such as bit.ly also give you the ability to track the amount of hits the link gets, from where, and other Twitter mentions. These tools are built into third-party applications such as, Twhirl or Tweetdeck, or can be accessed on their own websites (i.e, http://bit.ly/).

9. Make your username as short as possible. Limiting it to the name of the company is good. The shorter it is, the easier it will be for people to remember it. It also makes it easier for others to retweet your information.

10. Include photos. Personal photos or photos of business activities, such as company meetings, can help make your company more real to your followers and enable them to understand it better. You can upload pictures and tweet about them using TwitPic.com or again, Twhirl, TweetDeck and other third-party applications.

This Green Prophet guest post is written by Lisa Damast, a co-organizer of the Jerusalem Twestival, which this year raised money for charity: water.

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