A team of researchers from the University of Haifa have stumbled upon a rare desert plant living in Israel’s mountainous Negev desert, which can irrigate itself. The plant, the desert rhubarb, Rheum palaestinum, was first classified by a local Israeli botanist about 70 years ago. It has adapted to harsh desert climates by developing specially […]
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According to Haaretz, the Israeli army has decided to limit its activities in the Hermon Mountain nature preserve in the country’s North to give local animals and flowers a break. We’ve written on these pages about the IDF’s bleak environmental record and its previous attempts to go green.
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The global contest for the Seven New Wonders of the World is not the only reason the Dead Sea is making news this week. Last Saturday, Israeli Vice Premier Silvan Shalom announced that the World Bank agreed to finance a $1.25 billion feasibility study on the Red-Dead Canal plan. The plan, a joint venture supported […]
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Although the Palestinian Authority had previously opposed nominating the salty lake that borders the West Bank, Israel and Jordan as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, Haaretz reports that as of today, the PA is on board. The New Seven Wonders is an international Internet voting competition that seeks to raise environmental […]
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It could change the way companies make and distribute renewable energy technologies: We reported about the International Renewable Agency that convened in Sharm, Egypt this month. Today we get the news that the Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, the world’s first carbon-neutral, will house the new Agency known as IRENA. According to a press release issued […]
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Built from plastic bottles the de Rothschild heir sails his boat to show plastic island and marine pollution. David de Rothschild is no ordinary person; and certainly no ordinary adventurer. And his next adventure is something probably only the very rich could dream to do: The son of Britain’s Evelyn de Rothschild of the famous […]
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With so much concern over global warming and the future of our planet, the idea of eco tourism is becoming more of an “in thing” to do. Whether it be something really adventurous, like the treks to the north and south poles by David de Rothschild (as well as his planned voyage in a boat […]
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German industrial giant Siemens is now involved in talks to purchase the Israeli Solel Solar Energy Ltd., according to an article published in Globes, Israel’s leading business paper. Solel, a global leader in building solar thermal fields, was partially invested in by a UK energy company, Ecofin about 18 months ago. But it now appears […]
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Plastic bags are evil. They are not biodegradable, pollute our landfills, pollute our waterways, convince fish and ducks that they’re food… it’s pretty well established that they’re just bad news. While activists encourage consumers to try using fewer bags, or sometimes try to ban the use of plastic bags entirely, the truth is that these […]
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Alfa, Lebanon’s chief mobile phone service company, is now operating on solar energy to power its transmission network. The company recently installed its fifth solar powered station in the Hourata Reserve, and the station’s new solar powered generator is expected to be in full power by next month. Alfa, a state owned communications company, managed […]
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Al Gore may have given us a frightening picture of climate change and our future, but now new research suggests that even his predictions could be too modest, after an Israeli scientist discovered that cracks in the earth are emitting unrecorded greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This is the first time this phenomenon has been […]
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One of America’s most enduring gifts to the Middle East is the suburban indoor shopping mall. Israel’s first was the Ayalon Center outside of Tel Aviv (1986). Istanbul saw the Atakoy Mall go up in 1987. Jordan’s pioneer was Amman’s Abdoun Mall in 2001 (Picture from virtualtourist.com), and Beirut‘s ABC Mall opened its doors in […]
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Recent political turmoil in the Islamic Republic of Iran, is only part of the problems facing this country of more than 70 million. The country’s fragile eco-cycle is also at risk, much of this due to developmental aspects which have been occurring in many parts of county, while environmental issues have taken a back seat. […]
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Although Israel and Jordan have not come to a joint stance on the Red-Dead Canal, Haaretz’s tenacious environmental reporter Zafrir Rinat reported Sunday that the two nations have banned the use of chicken manure as fertilizer in an effort to cut down a population of houseflies that thrives on manure and makes life miserable for […]
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Those of you who have been to Egypt’s eastern Sinai coast can vouch that even though the area is quite lovely, it’s also quite dry – from a freshwater standpoint. An American desalination company, Energy Recovery Inc (NASDAQ: ERII), is now changing this fact by installing a very unique desalination plant in Sharem al Shiekh […]
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