RAMALLAH/ISTANBUL (Ma’an) — A Palestinian company producing Coca Cola products has won the international group’s first award for sustainable development in Africa and Eurasia. The National Beverage Company Coca Cola/Cappy received the top award at a ceremony in Istanbul last week, among 96 Coca Cola bottling partners operating the regions. “For more than 14 years, […]

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by JT | May 19,2012 | 23:00 AMMAN –– The government on Saturday announced it has floated tenders to attract offers for the Water Network Project that seeks to restructure and rehabilitate the water supply system in Zarqa Governorate that will be funded by the US Millennium Challenge Corporation grant. The Millennium Challenge Account-Jordan (MCA-Jordan), […]

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Maggie Hyde Thu, 17/05/2012 – 10:21 The shrinking Dead Sea may be topped off with water from the Red Sea, under a controversial 2005 World Bank project. Environmental and rights groups say there are significant adverse effects of transporting water from one salt-filled sea to the other, with even the bank’s internal inspection panel acknowledging […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 05/16/2012 02:48 The CIPA Plasticulture for a Green Planet Conference looks at agricultural plastics for farming. Agriculturalists worldwide need to capitalize on the increasingly sustainable plastics being developed for farming, industry officials agreed at a conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. This in light of the escalating food supply needs of an […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 05/16/2012 02:24 “Saving-Profiting” plan promises up to 20% discount on summer electricity bills to those who significantly reduce electricity consumption. The Public Utility Authority extended the registration period for a “Saving-Profiting” plan on Monday evening, which promises an up-to-20-percent discount on summer electricity bills to those who significantly reduce their electricity consumption, […]

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Jano Charbel Wed, 16/05/2012 Egypt’s extra-long staple cotton, acclaimed to be the world’s finest, has been in a state of rapid decline for the past 20 years. The production of Egyptian cotton is threatened with demise, along with the country’s textile industry, which had absorbed domestic cotton production. Often referred to as “white gold,” cotton […]

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Officials are encouraging thousands of Palestinian children to collect compost, visit recycling centers, plant trees in hopes that the young generation will learn good habits. By The Associated Press | May.16, 2012 Ramallah. In a society preoccupied with the struggle for independence from Israel, protecting the environment has often been sidelined – evidenced by the […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 05/14/2012 22:23 Experts recommend complete enclosure of Israel to prevent migration, in report on adaptation to climate change. To combat increased waves of illegal migration that will likely accompany climate change, Israel must secure its borders with impassable barriers, including “sea fences” along the Mediterranean and Red seas, experts have concluded. “The […]

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by Omar Obeidat | May 17,2012 | 22:48 AMMAN –– Oil shale is the “saviour” of Jordan’s economy, according to international oil expert Mamdouh Salameh, who warned that surging global oil prices may spark a larger financial problem for the Kingdom within few years. In a lecture at the Jordan Engineers Association on Wednesday evening, […]

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Tel Aviv’s ‘Houses From Within’ exhibit includes home with unique homes where residents are trying to implement urban agriculture techniques that protect the environment in the city. By Zafrir Rinat | May.15, 2012 All the plants in Yael Stav’s garden grow out of walls and fences. Stav, a product designer, transformed the family garden into […]

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By JOANNA PARASZCZUK 05/15/2012 03:25 Court fines hog growers NIS 80,000 each for pumping raw sewage into fields. Two pig farmers from the Western Galilee found themselves in the muck on Monday, when the Acre Magistrate’s Court fined them NIS 80,000 each for polluting local water supplies. Brothers Jaris and Wadia Haddid from the Western […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 05/18/2012 02:13 Foursome decides to call upon all Israelis, Masa fellows and alumni in particular, “to take to the streets, beaches and parks.” ‘ To Daniel Barnett, the rampant presence of smoldering cigarette butts on Israel’s street and beach-sides is an instant reminder of the ruin Israel’s residents are causing on a […]

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University of Haifa study seeks ways to copy the lasting success of a 1960s campaign against the picking of protected wildflowers. By Zafrir Rinat | May.17, 2012 | 4:49 AM Israel’s public campaign to prevent picking of wildflowers has long been considered one of the country’s greatest environmental victories, and was even named as the […]

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Environmental group says hikers have taken to renovating natural springs themselves, without permits, particularly beyond the Green Line. By Zafrir Rinat | May.15, 2012 | 10:49 AM The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is calling on authorities to put a stop to what it describes as a growing trend: private citizens […]

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Volume 17, No.170, May 2012 CONTENTS 5 Are Arabs ready for Rio? (editorial by Najib Saab) 14 War over natural resources in Southern Sudan (cover story 20 Upper Jordan River conflict 24 A green building for WHO in Amman 27 Dirty laundry Greenpeace report on toxic chemicals in brand clothes 28 Electronic waste in Jordan […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 05/16/2012 03:48 Agriculture exhibition showcases hundreds of new technologies ranging from water-converting drones to predatory mites. Mayer Fitoussi, CEO of AQUA Israel, envisions equipping unmanned aerial drones with systems that can both harvest water from the air and allow the vehicle to remain for six months in the sky without touching down. […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 05/13/2012 21:58 Cabinet approves Landau’s proposals to combat blackouts, including increased solar quota In the face of possible electricity blackouts at home this coming summer, Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan called on the government Sunday morning to cease supplying power to the Gaza Strip. Before deliberately cutting supplies to residents of Israel, […]

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Plan includes eliminating limitations imposed on the Israel Electric Corp. on using polluting heavy fuel oil for electricity generation. By Zvi Zrahiya | May.14, 2012 The cabinet approved a plan on Sunday to deal with the power shortages expected this summer, when demand for electricity is high. The plan includes eliminating limitations imposed on the […]

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Beirut, 14/5/2012 The Water Resources Science Program at the American University of Technology (AUT), in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute in Beirut and AFED, organizes a symposium on “Sustainable Water Strategies: a National, Regional and Global Perspective.” The event, under the patronage of Minister of Energy and Water Mr. Gebran Bassil, will be held on […]

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Health Ministry decides to reduce the number of pesticides permitted for use after studies show extended exposure causes neurological damage. By Zafrir Rinat | May.14, 2012 | 3:24 AM The interministerial committee coordinating pesticide use has decided to reduce the number of pesticides permitted for use. The Health Ministry, which is spearheading the committee’s efforts, […]

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