Sheikha Mai Saves Bahrain's Architectural Heritage

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After her grandfather’s house was demolished, Sheikha Mai committed to preserving Bahrain’s venerable places Image by dunsky via flickr Though most of our architectural news depicts ongoing developments (like in Bahrain), the BBC series giving prominence to “heritage heroes” preserving more venerable developments, marinated in history, has steered our green news reel in a different […]

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Breastfeeding baby in Hijab

Breastfeeding a baby is not only good for the baby, but can go a long way to “greening” Islam. If you are breastfeeding a baby, some Muslim American bloggers recommend buying a special coverup. Here in the Middle East, modesty among religious Christians, Moslems, and Jews is often associated with inhibitions about nursing in public. […]

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Make Soothing, Sensual Rosewater

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The fragrance of roses is a Middle Eastern favorite for pastries and delights. This old-fashioned recipe shows how to make it yourself. In the Middle East, rose water scents pastries like Ma’amoul cookies, puddings, and clothes. It comes in tiny glass bottles if it’s concentrated, and in larger plastic bottles if it’s not so strong. […]

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BBC Series Celebrates UNESCO "Heritage Heroes"

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Finally environmental and cultural preservers, not destroyers, receive recognition [image by Brood_wich via flickr] UNESCO has ordained 890 world heritage sites around the world, one-third of which belong in the Middle East.  While admiring Seville, Spain during a trip roughly two years ago, HRH Sultan Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, from the country that is […]

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Tafline Laylin: From Tour Guide To Green Prophet

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Loving wild places gives us the impetus to protect them Before I started writing about green building and eco-tourism in Israel and the Middle East, I was a tour guide in North America.  For three years I taught foreigners about camping, ecology, geography, and history in National Parks throughout the lower 48, Alaska, and Canada.  […]

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Heat pumps and cleantech in Helsinki, Finland

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Other areas for business development, partnership and expertise? Processing forest product waste (which comes from the pulp and paper industry) –– in bio-diesel, Finland’s Neste has built the biggest renewable energy plant in Singapore for certified palm oil. And st1, another company, can efficiently create bio-ethanol from the food industry with end products going to farms as feedstock.

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Honey Is Bittersweet In The Middle East

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The Honey Council, Hive Thievery and Bee Ecology education in Arabic:  In Israel and Lebanon, honey is both a problem and a solution. Image via orinrobertjohn Archeologists have uncovered beehives in northern Israel that date back 3 000 years.  A courtyard in the  ancient city of Rehov was home to bees producing honey in at least […]

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