Mark Boyle, otherwise known as the “moneyless man,” says that the Middle East’s emphasis on caring and sharing should make adopting a “freeconomic” lifestyle easier than in the West. 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 […]
I am a fanatical ‘thrifter,’ an unstoppable charity shop consumer; the best bit about shopping in this way is that all the guilt of buying too many clothes is eradicated because they are second hand. Instead of being a part of the disposable fashion industry, I am reusing loved clothes as well as donating my […]
With nectar now readily available year-round, Israeli bees are increasing their honey production. Israel may be a desert, going six months of the year without rain, but local bee populations are thriving and honey production rising thanks to a new flowering tree brought over from Australia. It’s not a good time for honeybee populations worldwide. […]
Eat delicious organic goat cheese and feel good about helping the handicapped at Rom Farm in the Galilee. Most organic farms have, at the very least, an environmental conscience. Many of them believe that not only is organic farming more traditional and more delicious, but better for the planet (and therefore very important). Not all […]
An Australian family of five goes on a 5-month worldwide eco-tour. Their adventure begins at Kibbutz Lotan in Israel as GoEco volunteers for 5 weeks. Read about the Wood-Auster family experience, told by dad Arron. My wife Amy and I (Arron) made a decision to pull our family out of the day-to-day suburban world in […]
A visit to Israel’s Goats with the Wind organic farm is delicious and not at all baa-d for the environment. With the summer months upon us, some of you may be looking for an alternative activity to beach volleyball, matkot and tanning in the sun. For those of you living in or visiting Israel this summer […]
Amman’s Souq al Balad Farmer’s Market is the place to go for organic and local produce (and some other fun stuff, too). The warm weather sweeping across the Middle East must be putting people in the mood to pay more attention to their produce and spend time shopping outdoors, because farmer’s markets are popping up […]
Traditional organic agriculture and gorgeous historic architecture come together at Tel Aviv’s restored Turkish train station. The historic Turkish train station between Neve Tsedek and Jaffa in Tel Aviv, which in its former glory operated trains from Jaffa to Jerusalem, has laid in ruins for decades. Over the past few years, though, the Tel Aviv […]
Beduin coffee in Israel. Consumption is on the rise, and in demand is the sustainable, fair trade, organic variety.
When most of us think about retirement homes, we think about sad, isolated places with TVs turned to the highest possible volume, very few visitors, and a faint smell of old soup. Not so in Neveh Amit in the Jerusalem area, where the residents are energetic and environmentally conscious. The residents/gardeners (aged 75 to 100) […]
At the Jericho Date Company Bedouin sheep, not pesticides, keep the weeds at bay. This story is written by Ronley Konwiser, a new farmer working the land. The Jericho Date Company maintains a date plantation of 320 date palms that is in the Judean desert, adjacent to Jericho and within plain view of the Dead […]
Advertising itself as Israel’s first food-focused conference, “Mazon Le-Machshava” or food for thought, opens in the Tel Aviv port next Thursday, November 19. In addition to a Top Chef-style cookdown to produce the tastiest meal with the lowest carbon footprint, the conference also promises conversations about farming, energy and water. It taps into a growing trend […]
Feb, 2020 update: This business is no longer viable. But we kept the story in our archives for you to enjoy. And perhaps make the next idea of this kind work. If you’ve been reading from the United States about the organic olive oils, vegetables and honey coming out of the Middle East, you’ll be […]
If you are in the California area this winter and you care about food issues, consider heading to Hazon‘s annual food conference, from December 24-27. This is the same group running the sustainable food tour coming up in Israel. This Jewish food seminar looks at the ethics of animal slaughter, sustainable Israeli and Palestinian farming […]
Plant pathologist Norman Borlaug, 95, died this Saturday, raising questions about the legacy of industrial food in the Third World. In 1970, Borlaug received a Nobel Peace Prize for averting famine through bringing fertilizers, pesticides and new plant strains to countries like India, Mexico and Pakistan. But environmentalists argue that his plant engineering only delayed […]