The leader of the Atid Yarok (“green future”) environmental group in the Merkaz Hamagshimim community center in Jerusalem is leaving. Now Atid Yarok must have a new leader, or the group will fade away. The initiatives of Atid Yarok have included the Jerusalem of Green project, which James reported on last February; and perhaps the […]
Israelis are notorious for their love of gadgets. Well, at least Israeli men are. And Israeli kids. It’s a pretty true stereotype that Israeli elementary schoolers had their own cell phones way before cellphones were widespread in the US. Hand an Israeli kid pretty much any electronic gadget and they’ll figure it out in less […]
Compost plays an important role in this Green Prophet’s life as has been written about in previous posts, and over the years I’ve become somewhat of an advocate. I must have spoken with hundreds of people on the topic and have convinced a good many to at least try composting in their backyards, both in […]
This prophet just made the flight from Tel Aviv to his childhood home of New Jersey. After a year of observing Israel and it’s eco-consciousness (and at times lack thereof), I was eager to see how the Garden State measured up to its nick name. I couldn’t help but compare my observations in New Jersey […]
As the population of Amman, capital of Jordan increases, so does the amount of trash produced per day. The most recent estimate is that over the summer, the amount of garbage produced daily in Amman will increase to 750 tons. In an effort to stem the tide, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) in cooperation with […]
There are so many wonderful things that you can do with odd household throw-aways. Be creative and think outside the box, or INSIDE the box in some cases… Cereal boxes can make stylish and colorful bookmarks. Use empty tissue boxes to store extra plastic bags. Ever find that your chips get crushed? Pop them into […]
This Prophet recently got the chance to travel to New York City, and was a little bit apprehensive about the green-ness factor of the Big Apple. For a city so notorious for its chic blacks and greys, we figured that a fairly untrendy color like green wouldn’t be too popular. We were wrong. Apparently green […]
This week, our Green Prophet in Focus series gets up close and personal with resident Prophet Michael Green. Once a music journalist (he stands true to vinyl) and environmental activist in Bristol, UK, Michael has since brought his green wisdom to Israel. In addition to his position here as Prophet-in-residence, Michael is a journalist for […]
One of the best ways to reduce your waste is to reuse it. If you want to get rid of something, perhaps there is someone else out there that would treasure your rejects. When reading the news keep your eyes open for community events which give such opportunities. None in your neighborhood? Organize one! It […]
We are undeniably in the thick of beach season. Deeply tanned French tourists with gold colored sandals and other stylish accessories line the beaches, the smell of sunscreen is in the air, and the plywood percussion of matkot (paddle ball) is the reigning summer symphony. Unfortunately, all of this beachy goodness comes with a whole […]
Next week, fans of eco-art in Jerusalem won’t have to travel all the way to the eco-arts village in the Ella Valley for a fix. Instead, some of Israel’s finest eco-art will be on exhibition in the heart of Jerusalem on August 12th, in the Merkaz Hamagshimim community center (located near Emek Refaim, and where […]
Last week we talked with Jesse Fox, urban planning expert and Treehugger veteran. This week’s Prophet in Focus is James Murray-White, a composting environmentalist with the eye of a filmmaker and the soul of a poet. James grew up in a green village outside Cambridge, UK, and has donned the roles of both actor and […]
Last week in Haaretz, Naamah Lanski reported on the new green police in town. They’re about a meter tall, can’t read or write yet, and you better not throw away plastic bottles (or any other recyclables), leave lights on, or even pack lunches in plastic bags around them. That’s right. Israel’s kindergartens are going green. […]
Clever design, whether environmentally friendly or not, is something that everyone can appreciate. Who doesn’t love a passport case made out of map shower curtains, or a pencil sharpener that looks like an alligator? But we think that environmentally friendly design is almost always clever by default, because it reuses existing materials in creative and […]
Fall is the season when Israelis take to the trails. Hiking is more than a pastime here—it’s practically a national sport. With the kids out of school, the long days stretching into golden evenings, and the lure of mountains, wadis, and streams, families, soldiers, and groups of friends lace up their boots and head outdoors.