About 500 bodies wait submerged in a Philippine ferry –– ironically named the Princess of the Stars –– until divers and authorities feel it is safe to proceed. The ferry capsized en route to Manila in June after being hit by a typhoon, killing an estimated 750 people. Only 56 people survived the accident, while […]
Any place that has wastewater treatment plants, must deal with the issue of sludge – all of the solids left over after the sewage is treated. Sewage treatment consists of a number of stages. Stage I, where the solids are flocculated (encouraged to glom together) and settled out of the stream. Stage II, where the […]
The other day I was showering and when I stepped out of the shower I found that my house had showered with me. Hair had gotten stuck in the drain and backed up the water forcing it to exit out all over my floor! It was a nightmare. (These things usually happen right before company […]
There are few environmental topics in the Middle East more controversial than the proposed Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal to revive the Dead Sea, which has the potential to cause lasting damage to the composition of the sea’s ecosystem. The multinational organization Friends of the Earth Middle East (FEME), who are working to build a peace […]
Are you sick of that sick taste from water bottles? It’s great to refill your bottles again and again, but they end up tasting bad. For water storage it is better to use glass bottles rather than plastic bottles. They can be used repeatedly without the aftertaste caused when repeatedly using plastic bottles. Just be […]
Shari Arison, Israel’s wealthiest citizen, took advantage of the International Water Congress in Vienna to formally announce Miya. The new company aims to make a profit on cutting back water losses. Miya says one third of the world’s drinking water is lost through leaky pipes. CEO Booky Oren, a former chair of Israel’s national water […]
From September 20-27, a delegation of European environmental journalists, policy makers (ie World Bank and EU parliament), energy and climate change specialists, and activism leaders are coming to the Middle East to explore Israel’s environmental issues, policies, and clean technology. The whirlwind tour will take these leaders to Hiria (Tel Aviv’s rehabilitating garbage dump); they […]
Sophie Ohana is an Eco-Mum! Growing up on an organic farm in England instilled in Sophie a passion for all things green, a passion which she later transported to Israel.
This interview features Eyal Hadas, managing director and head of renewable energy at Cukierman & Co. Investment House Ltd. (CIH) in Tel Aviv. We met Eyal at a renewable energy conference at Tel Aviv University several months ago (when Al Gore was in town and Karen photo-ed him in his cowboy boots), and were impressed […]
Prof. Alon Tal of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for Environmental Protection from Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. The award, which is being granted to 12 recipients, recognizes the honorees for their work on behalf of safeguarding Israel’s environment and is being granted as part of the country’s 60th […]
Stay tuned for our future eco-tour of Dubai, but in the meantime let’s take a look at some green goings-on in Dubai. Because we’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover that very interesting things are happening over there. For starters, the Dubai government recently issued a requirement that all buildings in the emirate be constructed with […]
Can environmental professionals from Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority help solve the epic water battles in California? How similar are the issues of water scarcity and political conflict in the Middle East to those in the Western United States? Can recent examples of successful conflict resolution and cooperation for environmental gains in the Middle East provide valuable lessons […]
Literally, postal. It was quite a pleasant surprise when we found out that in 1975 Israel came out with stamps encouraging civillians to protect their environment. Not only was the message beautiful, but the stamps were pretty darn good looking too. Designed by Israeli artist and sculptor Eliezer Weishoff (whose monuments and other creations are […]
Zalul, the non-profit marine NGO, has released it’s 2008 State of the Sea Report. Yesterday a press conference was held at Cafe Masada in Tel Aviv with over 20 members of the press gathering to hear the latest news about the state of Israel’s Mediterranean Sea. This year was a wake-up call to the public and […]
Over the past few months, we’ve seen a lot of Prophecies about eco-tourism all over the Middle East. There are dozens of eco-travel options in Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Egypt, and Yemen. There is also, however, a very special opportunity for eco-tourism right here within our own borders – and those of our neighbors. Since […]