$8 million fine and 10 years jail for cutting a tree in Saudi Arabia?
The kingdom announced the launch of 'Let’s Make it Green' - a plan that seeks to plant 10 million trees across the country by April 2021. But cut one down and pay a heavy price.
Saudi Arabia
The Al Baydha Project: How Regenerative Agriculture Revived Green Life In A Saudi Arabian Desert
The Al Baydha project: a piece of Saudi Arabian desert is brought back to thriving life through ancient/innovative water conservation, and plenty of grit.
Maraya the biggest mirrored building in the world
Maraya contains a total of 9740 square metres of mirrors reflecting the vast and stunning desert surroundings of AlUla. The building set a Guinness World Record for being the largest mirrored building in the world in 2019 with its 26-metre-high theatre.
No kissing the kaaba at this year’s hajj
The year was 2014 and already Ebola was on everyone's minds. Mers and avian flu have scared off people from hajj, but covid-19 has closed Saudi's doors. This year a very modest, local hajj will take place.
Saudi Arabia building world’s largest green hydrogen plant at Neom
"This is a pivotal moment for the development of Neom and a key element in Saudi Vision 2030 contributing to the Kingdom’s clean energy and circular carbon economy strategy."
Saudi activist killed trying to stop mega city Neom
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Falcons on a plane. Check. Journalists silenced. Check. A new mega city on virgin turf near the sea with sparring robots and flying taxis? Check. He just tried to expel members of a local tribe there, and one activist […]
Neom is Saudi’s mega-green Gotham city
A rendering of Neom, an intentional futuristic city breaking ground on the Red Sea of Saudi Arabia. Where robots outnumber people. A $500 Billion desert dream, funded by oil money.
Sorry Greta, World to produce 120% more fossil fuels by 2030 – drastically at odds with warming limit
It’s kind of like the Shaggy song, even when he’s caught red handed: it wasn’t me. Greenhouse gas production from coal and oil are on the increase. No one is taking responsibility. We are in deep, deep trouble, new UN “Gap” report unveils today. So it’s time to wake up Middle East! The Production Gap […]
Saudi Arabia’s water depends on Japan desalination tech
Toray Industries of Japan tells Green prophet that its new technology called ROMEMBRA – a reverse osmosis (RO) tech will be working for Saudi Arabia to create even more desalinated water. Saudi Arabia is looking for desalination technology to help provide drinking water for its growing population. Remember we wrote about this plan to update […]
Saudi economy trashed by cheap oil
Despite the forecast of dire effects of global warming in the Middle East, oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia have continued to keep oil production at high levels. Located in one of hottest regions on earth, the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia has also expressed high interest in building nuclear power plants, despite being a country rich in solar energy potential. […]
Bizarre phenomenon about women mapped in Saudi Arabia
We’ve laughed and we’ve cried over stories in Saudi Arabia and women drivers. Let’s face it: what’s happening in Saudi Arabia is not about driving it’s about women’s rights. There is the No Woman No Drive video from a few years back. We’ve reported on Saudi Arabia holding the record for greatest number of deaths […]
Car drifter king goes to prison in Saudi Arabia
If you’ve never been to a Gulf-region country – be prepared to scratch your head over the deadly past-time called drifting. The idea is to take your cars out of their carports and then drive your car as fast as possible on the highway, slam on the breaks and then attempt to frighten onlookers and […]
NASA sees Mideast holiday lights from space
NASA scientists are using the Suomi NPP satellite to photograph the earth at night. They are studying natural phenomenon as well as light pollution. They found that manmade lights shine noticeably brighter during the holidays of Ramadan, Christmas and New Year. Some Middle Eastern cities shone more than 50% brighter during Ramadan. Find out how […]
Investing ethically in the Middle East
With several of the Middle East’s city-states becoming some of the world’s richest locations, it’s little surprise that an increasing number of people, particularly from the west and Far East, are looking at investment options in the region. Twinned with this however, is surge in investors looking for more ethical opportunities for their money. Trading […]
Green tourism the “next big thing” in Middle East
An exciting tourism project is set to promise a bright economic future for Saudi Arabia.
Saudi man’s charity fridge reduces food waste and helps the poor
A charitable man who wishes to remain anonymous recently installed a refrigerator outside of his home in Hail, Saudi Arabia. His neighbors can leave their excess food inside the refrigerator where it is kept fresh and clean. Needy people can then anonymously use this excess food without the shame of begging.
MERS means ride camels with masks, and pass on the camel burger?
About 500 people have died from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) believed to be transmitted by camels. And now Saudi Arabia is issuing a warning to camel handlers. This warning should go into effect for tourists who seek out the thrill of a camel ride as well.
Deadly MERS virus spreading fast out of Saudi Arabia, raising panic before Hajj
Deadly and debilitating viruses are no strangers to the Middle East; especially following the discovery of a SARS-like mystery virus in Saudi Arabia back in 2012. This virus, which since then has become known as the Corona or MERS virus (see photo above) has been said to be spreading fast in the Arabian Peninsula by bats […]
Saudi Arabia to grow world’s largest crescent-shaped Garden of Eden
Saudi Arabia is building the world’s largest botanical gardens on nearly 2.5 million square meters of desert land near Riyadh. A stellar environmental initiative to educate the public on climate change, or a tourism-boosting novelty? However you dice it, it’s amazing.
Say hello to healthier fast food delivery in the Middle East?
We love grandmothers and we love what they do, especially when they know how to cook well using traditional recipes. While we like to support the food and lifestyle of yore, we do not think that not everything fast is bad for you.
Experts at US-Arab Policy Conference debate Mideast’s future as global energy supplier
How relevant will OPEC be 10 years from now? Does the rapid expansion of new technologies like fracking threaten the future of eco-friendly energy alternatives such as wind and solar energy?
Peeing Habits of Saudi Men Revealed
Westerners may be confused about Middle Eastern customs and how people, men especially, use the ‘squat’ toilet. How we “go” impacts our environment: sit down toilets, and toilet paper consume more resources. Here is a guest post from the Sex and Saudi blog on how Saudi Arabians urinate.
Saudi Arrested for Offering “Free Hugs” (video)
With a plan to take to the streets with cuddles, the police decided it was better to arrest a Saudi man and his friend before their “plot” to give out free hugs began.
Sex in the Saudi Means Flirting with Arrest
As we’ve learned from this great No Woman, No Cry video by Hisham Fageeh, Saudi Arabian rules ban women from driving. This must drive them and their love interests crazy because provocative eye contact and inter-gender chat between strangers is also taboo. The religious police will arrest anyone caught violating these laws: flirters be warned.
“No Woman, No Drive” Video by Saudi Comedian Hisham Fageeh, With Lyrics
This is the best pro-women’s rights stuff we’ve seen out of Saudi Arabia, ever. Saudi comedian Hisham Fageeh has posted his excellent No Woman, No Drive video to bring attention to the plight of women in the Middle Eastern country.