How Many Discs Will Save Abu Dhabi’s Coral Reefs? We have a long history of worrying about the Middle East’s coral reefs. These “rainforests of the sea” – so named because of their extraordinary biodiversity – are at risk of melting if CO2 levels continue to rise. They also face relentless jeopardy from development projects […]
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Too many artificial islands imperil endangered species, coral reefs, and humans too? If Bahrain’s endangered dugong and turtle populations had a voice, surely they would use it to cry out against the Durrat artificial islands. The fishermen are shouting because they’re running out of fish. Even members of parliament are grumbling that land reclamation renders […]
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Bahrain government supports initiatives to bring business back to the families. Defying globalization and thinking locally? Explore what’s happening in this Middle East island kingdom. Mohammed Jaffar is a 19-year-old street vendor in Muharraq, Bahrain, who sells a variety of locally grown greens and fruits. He is made popular among customers by local eggs produced […]
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How can the polluting oil tar sand oil extraction – here Opti Canada’s operations – be better than offshore drilling? The Gulf of Mexico oil “leak” is a gusher pouring as much as 3.4 million gallons of oil into the waters every day, scientists estimate in a NY Times story. It’s below the surface what […]
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Aerofarms’ stackable vertical farm uses mist to grow crops in areas where land is non-arable, like in the United Arab Emirates. Vertical farming, where crops are raised in skyscrapers or on stacked layers may be the best way to feed water poor countries with non-arable land – like many of those in the Middle East. […]
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The tragedy of it all- why should they have to suffer? A Russian oil dump in Egypt raises more red flags in Middle East about oil spills and drilling practices. The giant Gulf of Mexco oil spill is now more than two weeks old and although intensive efforts are being made to “cap” the well, […]
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At the MENASOL conference in Cairo last week, MENA Cleantech’s Samer Zureikat cited this 11th century scientist, Ibn al-Haytham, as one of the forefathers of solar technology. (Image via orientpix.com) I was sitting behind Samer Zureikat, the CEO of MENA Cleantech, at the MENASOL solar energy conference in Cairo last week when one of the […]
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Golden-pink apricots are in season now in the Middle East. Preserve some as chutney for year-round enjoyment. Do you like chutney? Cooking your own seasonal (and preferably organic) fruit, you can enjoy locavore preserves that you won’t find in any supermarket. And you choose the sweetness and chili heat of your chutney according to your […]
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Honey, was that you moving, or should we take that as a sign for an earthquake? Image via Ryedo Grrrrrrrrrebit! This may seem a bit far fetched, but a scientific study carried out in the Journal of Zoology regarding the behavior of animals prior to the occurrence of a serious earthquake has found that some […]
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The UN’s Security Council pushes for a nuclear-free Middle East, a good idea for people and the environment. Image via davidsommerfeld. What Happens to the Environment in a Nuclear Middle East as well as on the dangers of building nuclear reactors in countries like Jordan and Egypt are articles we’ve delved into in the past. […]
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Rooftop solar panels like these are SBY’s most popular product and will power up Israel and Italy. In one of the largest deals ever for Israel’s local solar energy market, SBY Solutions Ltd an Israeli based solar energy company, plans to purchase more than $35 million worth of solar panels from the Chinese Suntech Power […]
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Up close and personal. Karin gets a “sniff” of sewage pipe pouring into the Jordan River. This folks, is the source of the lower Jordan River. Green Prophet’s Karin and I received a real lesson in reality about the health of the Jordan River, at the Jordan River Media Tour sponsored by the Friends of the […]
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Slow Food people and chefs like Moshe Basson know that eating slow can reduce stress. New study shows how stress affects health, diet and fat reserves. Image via macbeck Few people would say that they lead stress-free lives. It starts with the pressure to fit in at school, then you need to wear the right […]
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From garbage dump to municipal park. The impressions of Alexandria I shared in a recent post were largely negative, so here I’ll present a happier picture: a green oasis in Cairo built upon a former garbage dump. The photos are mine; the background information comes mainly from touregypt.net.
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Tractors carving up the face of a hill in preparation for the new town. (Photo credit: Green Prophet) About a half hour’s drive north of Ramallah, construction has begun on the first planned Palestinian city. Surrounded by sleepy hilltop villages and terraced olive orchards, Rawabi, which means “hills” Arabic, is being marketed as a green and […]
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