Inspired by the Arab Spring this past summer, Israelis from a rainbow of different ethnicities, political leanings and backgrounds banded together to form a protest movement unlike any in recent history. Their tent cities influenced the Occupy Movement in the world. As the Arab spring spawned protests by the disenchanted across the Middle East, Israelis […]
When this mannequin free falls, low-carbon-footprint chairs with “human” form are made. Israeli designer Ezri Tarazi, the head of the Industrial Design Department at Israel’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, is no stranger to sustainable design. Some of his previous projects include eye glass frames made from wood, and home furnishings created from upcycled […]
Meet Karin at the WATEC conference this week in Tel Aviv. It happens every two years, and this week delegations from all corners of the planet are expected to converge in Tel Aviv, Israel for the two-day water conference and expo called WATEC. I interviewed Booky Oren this year, the conference chair, about what to […]
If you live in a crazy polluted Middle East city, carbon monoxide pollution is the opiate of the masses, according to new study. I dream about living in a car-less city like Vauban. But my love affair with the Middle East keeps me dreaming. Rampant with air pollution, every fall cities like Cairo get covered […]
What is a friendlier urban environment – dense constructed areas dotted with large, open public areas, or a slightly less dense urban environment infused with nature? Living in a city is better for the environment than living in the suburbs. Denser living allows for a lower carbon footprint since people can walk (or bike commute) […]
Hipcycle, a new online marketplace for upcycled products, shows mainstreamers that upcycling can be hip. Shopping local and sustainable is always best, but when you can’t find locally made, sustainably made, or upcycled products around – sometimes the internet is the best way to go. Online marketplaces such as Etsy, Mideast ecostore Ekotribe, or the […]
Studio Ubico has upcycled found wooden pieces back into their original form, a tree. Studio Ubico, an upcycling and environmentally conscious design studio working in Tel Aviv, joins the ranks of other sustainable designers who are trying to make good use out of materials that are already sourced (instead of going out and taking more […]
Green It is Tel Aviv’s new one-stop-shop for green urban living. As the ecological movement becomes mainstream, more and more businesses cater to the green lifestyle. We’ve seen this trend develop in the Middle East, with eco-friendly shops popping up in Beirut, fair trade shops in Masdar City, and even specialty stores focusing on one […]
Israeli bikers are hoping that the new year brings them greater cycling convenience and safety. The Israel Bike Association isn’t a quiet or a shy bunch – they make their opinions about the importance of urban cycling known through naked protests and the like. Which is why it is not surprising that they protested the […]
The protest at its height : nearly 400,000 people jam into Kikar Medinah in Tel Aviv Israel’s seven week housing and economic protests against high housing prices and the rising cost of living in general is finally coming to an end with the dismantling of numerous ‘tent cities’ in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other locations […]
The sting operation “Weeds in the Underbrush” uncovered a cartel of tree-trimmers in Israel. It’s really quite common to see the entire tops of trees lobbed off, and sitting by the side of the road in Tel Aviv, and other cities in Israel. It makes one sad, especially since it’s often done in the summer […]
Locals and holiday makers who love the beautiful Gordon Beach will have to leave their bikinis at home. Contaminated waters off Gordon Beach and Charles Clore Beach in Tel Aviv are stinking up plans to get the summer fun started. Leaked sewage has forced the municipality to shut down the beaches, and signs have been […]
Thanks to Tel-O-Fun, now Tel Aviv urbanites with the tiniest of apartments can bike around without the storage hassle. Despite widespread announcements that it would open its city-wide bike sharing service in April, Tel Aviv’s Tel-O-Fun finally got kick started in May (but, to its credit, in a bigger way than originally intended). 150 stations […]
Three times the size of NYC’s Central Park: Say hello to the New Ariel Sharon Eco Park in Israel. Turning a mountain sized garbage mound into a state of the art national park is now fast on its way to becoming reality outside Tel Aviv. What was formerly (and still) known by many as the […]
Tel Aviv’s architecture weekend takes note of green spaces and green issues. For the past decade or so, Tel Aviv has been undergoing a type of ‘renaissance’ and as a result it is considered one of the hippest tourism destinations in the Middle East. Alongside its architectural facelift and infusion of stylishness, though, the city […]