Thank you for visiting the website for Madeleine Charney, Reference Services
Librarian at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I
serve as Library Liaison to the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional
Planning and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. My areas of interest include
permaculture design and the preservation of small farms in New England.

A powerpoint presentation about the Green Apprenticeship program with links to Alumni projects.

This is my categorized list of links to People and Resources that have information and experience to share about strawbale and natural building, domes, Ecovillage, green technology, acts of charity, education…the sort of things Green Apprentice students, alumni and their friends would like to have access to.

Index (click title to jump to content below)

· jbee.backpackit.com/pub/314356 Aaron Padwee, GA Fall 2002 constructed the GA neighborhood’s first compost toilet. Here is a stage by stage album.

· flickr.com/photos/hanan_cohen/tags/kibbutzlotan/ from our friend Hanan Cohen

· flickr.com/photos/scottfox/tags/kibbutzlotan from GA Alumna Scott Fox

· picasaweb.google.com/kibbutzlotan/ bustan neighborhood dome construction

· picasaweb.google.com/ciclotan Green Apprenticeship Bustan Neighborhood, Yattir lime workshop photos (I opened this because I can’t access the other picacasaweb account, sorry for the confusion)

· s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff285/ciclotan/ domes, green apprenticeship, bird reserve hide construction

· Olga, our GA alumna from Poland and master rocket oven builder posted pictures of recent oven building workshop on the blog olaczka.blogspot.com/

· Nitzan has been renovating and building and plastering with earth and bricks from Sinai to Beit Hashita (stabilized earth compressed bricks with Architect/builder David Renov) and Neve Eitan and much more: http://picasaweb.google.com/nitzani31030

Slideshow of Lotan’s new Ecokef compost toilets picasaweb.google.com/ciclotan/KibbutzLotanCenterForCreativeEcologyEcokefEducationParkCompostToilets

GA Alumnae Blogs

Dalia Bali Cohen, GA Winter 2006-7 chanclaceloz.blogspot.com

Sheer, GA Fall 2007 gladbird.blogspot.com

Katie, GA Fall 2007 tokatie.blogspot.com

RefuGAs Merav, Maya, Dalia and more yeshmeain.carmi.org.il

Aaron Padwee, jbee.backpackit.com/pub/314356

Madeleine Charney (GA 2002) is a librarian at UMass Amherst – contact her if you need a green librarian scholarworks.umass.edu/charney_madeleine/

JP – long time friend and sculpture/songwriter’s weblog for Lotan Mud Folk: GA Joe at www.facebook.com

GA Alumnae Projects

Ariel Kiken, GA from 2005, is involved in an NGO called www.growingpower.org. Here is what she wrote (Nov 2007):
As for me, I am back in Chicago, where I grew up.  I  am doing an internship with the organization Growing Power.  We have gardens across the city and collaborate with some school, churches, and the city to promote urban gardens and composting and help people implement those practices in their communities.  We also have an after school program with 30 high school kids who are …how should i put it, less than enthusiastic about farming and dirt and vegetables in general, so it is a challenge and very interesting.

Wadi El Na’am – Medwed – Bustan L’Shalom Health Clinic, featured in the book Design Like You Give A Damn

proxied.changemakers.net/journal/300606/displayhousing1.cfm?entryID=102 –

www.bustan.org/2006/08/medwed_clinic_featured_in_desi.html

Articles

Present Tense magazine about modern Zionists www.presentensemagazine.org/mag/?page_id=137

Life in a GA dome by Sheera and Ryan www.kibbutzlotan.com/blog/?p=31

GA neighborhood and CfCE greenprophet.com/2008/02/03/geodesic-strawbale/

ESRA magazine article about CfCE and youth coexistence program with Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) www.esramag.com/Dynamic.asp?p=4&cid=9547

JNF-KKL foreign press visit to Arava and Lotan www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1201471501181

The Jerusalem Post feature on Kibbutz Lotan 27 June 28, 2008

The green oasis By YOCHEVED MIRIAM RUSSO If you had to choose just one word to describe Kibbutz Lotan, vibrant would do it.

The Jerusalem Post article May 29, 2008 By YOCHEVED MIRIAM RUSSO Veterans Alex and Inda Cicelsky –25 years in Israel and Lotan

United Nations IRIN article on renewable energy in Israel – and reference to Lotan eco-homes: www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77303

Items

Kibbutz Lotan celebrates 25 years wupj.org/Publications/Newsletter.asp?ContentID=134#KIBBUTZ

29 February 2008 WUPJ on Green Apprenticeship and Living Routes www.esramag.com/Dynamic.asp?p=4&cid=9547

New York Times on Kibbutz tourism

Massage, Not Work, on the Kibbutz in Israel

Tourists/visitors that have written about Lotan

Lots to Say About the Desert! – Tracey Fishbein

tracyfishbein.blogspot.com/2008/03/lots-to-say-about-desert.html

Want to make Israel engaging and exciting? Give your students 3D … By Torah Aura PBB Editor : Meeting “Captain Compost” at Kibbutz Lotan reveals a whole set of truths about reclaiming the Negev. He shows the truth that halutzim are still there today, just like in the time of the poetess Rachel (who has another great story too … tapbb.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/want-to-make-israel-engaging-and-excitinggive-your-students-3d-glasses/

Birdwatchers

Kibbutz Lotan and environs Bird Photo Gallery by Daniele Occhiato www.pbase.com/dophoto/lotan

Urban answers to Low Impact Lifestyles

http://transitionculture.org Transition Culture – a permaculture project that began with Rob Hopkins in Totnes England http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/ is now an evolving exploration into the head, heart and hands of energy descent (that is: how can we get ourselves, our towns and cities ready for a future with much less fossil fuel). In this website is the wisdom of John Croft (of the GAIA Trust of Western Australia) on how to plan successful projects: http://transitionculture.org/2007/02/21/john-crofts-dragon-dreaming-presentations/

www.noimpactman.typepad.com this website is a MUST not only for urbanites but for all: common sense reduction of materials and services. I believe that this family is finding that Less Is More and that they have only increased the quality of their lives by choosing to choose. I find this fascinating reading and I have learned many valuable lessons. I suggest at some point ending up here noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2007/03/if_im_dead_tomo.html for the “rules of the game”.

The Movement for Israeli Urbanism seeks to engage the entire urban community in making cities function for its inhabitants.

INTBAU - The International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism is a world wide organization dedicated to the support of traditional building, the maintenance of local character and the creation of better places to live.   We are creating an active network of individuals and institutions who design, make, maintain, study or enjoy traditional building, architecture and places.

Domes

If I was stuck on a desert island with only one website, I would consider this one: www.desertdomes.com . Thank you Tara for all your assistance.

www.naturalspacesdomes.com/super_lok.htm these folks have developed a truly elegant hub and plate system. This page also shows the double strut system that allows lots of insulation, like the dome at Gyrufu Hungary

These photos are from the Sapporo Dome House construction project. Every stage construction is photographed and documented from concrete foundation forming through carpentry and insulation to final formal photo66.249.91.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=www.infosnow.ne.jp/~konitan/koujihoukoku/x300ank2/domehouse_top.html

This site has a concise dome construction history and description including Bucky: www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Geodesic-Dome.html

How to build a geodesic dome from cardboard www.monkeyc.org/dome/index.html

Dutch and English dome site with great photos of construction of 8.5 meter bucky bamboo dome (with link to Lotan)

Dome videos www.truveo.com/tag/Geodesic%20dome

Domes in Israel:

Small dome homes www.dome4home.com/gallery.html

Bamboo

deboerarchitects.com/

Strawbale and Natural Building – beauty and wonderful people

Mark Piepkorn www.potkettleblack.com

The place where strawbale and alternative building folk worldwide meet – The Last Straw Journal www.strawhomes.com . I highly recommend subscribing. So does Mike Kaplin, Matts Myhrman,Judy Knox, David Eisenberg, Bill & Athena Steen, Mark Peipkorn, Kelly Lerner…join the club!

A really good Google map of strawbale and other eco-friendly building like the one you are talking about already on a cool site: www.naturalhomes.org . The webmaster Oliver Swann is from England, his wife is from Russia, and they have land in Poland. The web site has a great catalogue of straw-bale and natural buildings, and is really well-rounded globally.

Strawbale Math and Technical issues

www.strobouw.nl/technical/sbrvalue.html on line R value calculations for strawbales.

www.dachverband-lehm.de/de/05_wissen/05-4_wissen_glossar.htm# A Multilingual Terminology Glossary for Clay/ Earth construction for translation from/ into english, french, spain, russian, german

Strawbale Construction Australia

www.glassford.com.au John and Susan Glassford’s Huff and Puff Construction in Austrailia – this is where I dream to go and learn.

Strawbale Construction (and Natural Building) USA

State Strawbale Organizations

www.coloradostrawbale.org

www.peaceweavers.com or call 607-776

www.peaceweavers.com/bws/

Laura Bartels
GreenWeaver Inc.
P.O. Box 912, Carbondale, CO 81623
Ph 970-379-6779, Fax 970-963-0905
laura@greenweaverinc.com
www.greenweaverinc.com

Deanne Bednar

www.freewebs.com/strawbalestudio/

Janine Bjornson

www.greenhomebuilding.com/ask_the_experts.htm#Janine

Dan Chiras

www.chelseagreen.com/authors/DanielDChiras

Carole Crews

carolecrews.com/

Aaron Dennis

www.tugleywood.com

Sam Droege

www.discoverlife.org/who/CV/Droege,_Sam.html

David Eisenberg

www.dcat.net

Ianto Evans

www.cobcottage.com

Ben Falk

www.wholesystemsdesign.com

Chris Fox

www.foxnaturalbuilding.com

Pete Fust

www.grisb.org/publications/pub22.htm

Sarah Highland

www.theithacajournal.com/news/stories/20040713/localnews/831753.html

Mark Hoberecht

www.harvestbuild.com

Josh Jackson

www.yestermorrow.org/instructors/jackson.htm

Joe Jenkins

josephjenkins.com/publishing.html

Sun Ray Kelly

www.sunraykelley.com

Tim Owen-Kennedy

www.vitalsystems.net/about.htm

Doni Kiffmeyer

www.okokok.org

Sigi Koko

www.buildnaturally.com

Paul Lacinski

www.chelseagreen.com/2000/items/seriousstrawbale

Mark Lakeman

activistarchitect.blogspot.com/2005/11/mark-lakeman-communitecture-and-city.html

Satomi and Tom Lander

www.landerland.com

Sarah Machtey

www.sageearth.com

Jim Merkel

www.simplicityforum.org/speakersbureau-jmerkel.html

Frank Meyer

www.thangmaker.com

Darren Molnar-Port

www.natresnet.org/conference/2008/bios.aspx#DMolnar-Port

Ed Raduazo

www.cobbuildersforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16

Jaki and Rob Roy

www.cordwoodmasonry.com

Clark Sanders

americancity.org/magazine/article/grass-house-hainer/

Tim Schlitzer

www.foodroutes.org

Ben Simpson

www.yourgrowingplaces.com

Catherine Wanek

www.strawbalecentral.com

deboerarchitects.com

Darrel DeBoer

1835 Pacific Ave.

Alameda CA 94501

510-865-3669

Fax 510-865-7022

Darrel@DeBoerArchitects.com

www.furbishco.com Furbish Company delivers state of the art, innovative building systems – systems that enhance comfort and health, lower utility bills, increase asset value, and restore the natural systems that support us. • Living Roofs , • Solar/Geothermal Radiant HVAC , • Living Wall Biofilters , • Strawbale Walls & Lime Stuccos , • Vegetated Retaining Walls

Kelly Lerner, Architect and Strawbale builder in China

One World Design 509-838-8812

www.one-world-design.com

www.naturalremodeling.com

Hi all,

Here’s the count from China:

SB houses built through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency

(ADRA) project (1998-2004):

606 homes plus 3 schools.

SB houses built outside of ADRA’s project (with ADRA’s or One World

Design’s technical support):

2003: 30 homes

2004: 10 homes

2005: one dormitory, 44 straw bale houses in Benxi

2006: 1 home, plus 2 dormitories

So, in China, as far as we know, there are 691 SB homes, plus 3 SB

schools, plus 3 SB dormitories.

I’m currently reviewing a blueprints for five small strawbale houses

and one strawbale school that will be distributed by the Heilongjiang

Provincial Department of Rural Construction throughout the province.

It’s a BIG governmental seal of approval for the SB technique. It will

be interesting to see what independent building activity they spur. By

2010, I’d love to be able to say that I don’t know how many SB houses

there are in China because SB construction is growing so quickly.

Bale On,

Kelly

In the age of global warming, it’s cool to be green.

Book: Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House

Straw Bale Houses from start to finish…

Red Feather educates and empowers American Indian nations to create sustainable solutions to the severe housing crisis within reservation communities. While focusing public attention on the intergenerational poverty and acute community development problems that plague American Indian reservations, Red Feather teaches affordable, replicable and sustainable approaches to home construction. Red Feather organizes volunteers, and, alongside tribal members, builds desperately needed homes. The Straw Bale section includes a dynamic step by step building animation. www.redfeather.org/programsStrawBaleConst.php

strawbalehouse.com/strawbale.html Bob Bolles, California

The Ecovillage at Ithaca has a number of strawbale houses. You can view the construction of the duplex, the finished Nolan home and the finished O home as well as the materials, products, designers and builders.

Wayne Bingham is teacher, architect and friend. His designs are in my opinion are optimal in efficient design – material use and maintenance. Fortunately for all of us his books share his knowledge and guidance. home.comcast.net/~wjbingham/index.htm Did I mention that his photography skills are spectacular?

Cob hobbit house at Earthaven, NC thinkorthwim.com/2007/08/31/rod-rylanders-hobbit-house/

Tugley Wood Timberframing
6301 Searsburg Road
Trumansburg , NY 14886
607 387 3602 www.tugleywood.com

www.imagegypsy.com/sbvltl.htm Women build STRAW BALE HERMITAGE Away from the buzz of building at scattered sites around the heart of Lama Foundation in New Mexico this summer, a small, but lofty, straw bale structure was being quietly constructed on a remote ledge of mountain slope. A group of women from around the globe spent seven weeks learning not just building technique, but how to work in silence..to be mindful of the amazing variety of color in a single rock; a cool breeze on a hot, sweaty neck; the resounding thud of a pick striking hard, clay soil; a crow chiding the effort from its burned Ponderosa perch.

Life in a GA dome on Lotan www.kibbutzlotan.com/blog/?p=31

Strawbale Construction Denmark

www.sbi.dk/byggeteknik/konstruktioner/serlige-konstruktioner/halmhuse/halmhuse Danish book on SB houses and testing

www.strawbalehomes.com Terra Sol Eco Homes, Bruce Glenn, 1044 Water St PNB 231, Port Townsend Washington

Strawbale Construction South Africa

www.ecodesignarchitects.co.za Andy Horn’s eco-design (sb) in Cape Town, South Aftrica

Strawbale Design & Construction Canada

www.archnet-homes.com for architect builder Rod Malay. Click Services, then Straw. Each house has a step by step photo journal with many important details exhibited. The Architectural Plans are for a SB house, details included.

Ship Harbor Project

www.ecobuildings.net/index.php Jorg Ostrowski, M. Arch. (M.I.T.), B. Arch. (Toronto), Helen Ostrowski, B. S. Arch. (U.S.T.)
28 years in “Real World” professional Green Building practice, new & retrofit, 4 residential/commercial Demonstration Projects completed in Alberta / Calgary Canada

Straw Bale Houses from start to finish…

orilliastrawbale.blogspot.com/ Oro Medonte, Ontario, Canada

Strawbale Design & Construction UK

Can strawbales stand up in the rain? As the folk in the UK like Chug www.strawbale-building.co.uk . See the long project list in pictures and step by step projects including this loadbearing thatched African Hut and Privacy Wall.

Cumbria UK SB classroom. It’s a highly innovative project, not only in the choice of materials being used in the construction (straw walls, used car tyre foundations, sheeps wool insulation, timber frames, floors and walkways and an oak shingle roof), but in the approach being taken to getting it built. Construction – Amazon Nails www.strawfootprint.org/galleries/timeline/timeline.html

Lime Technology’s hydraulic lime render and plaster has been specified for Europe’s largest timber framed, straw clad building: the ecoDepot in York. A replacement to one of City of York Council’s existing buildings, it is a national exemplar of sustainable construction with real-time performance monitoring. www.limetechnology.co.uk/pages/project.php?page_id=66 utilizes www.modcell.co.uk/ModCell/ModCell_home.html ModCell is a sustainable, prefabricated straw bale and hemp cladding panel designed for use in residential, educational and commercial projects. This innovative, offsite-manufactured cladding system can be quickly and efficiently installed, creating buildings with thermal performance up to 3 times higher than the current building regulations require.

www.homegrownhome.co.uk/01_welcome.htm

Carol gave an excellent talk at ECOBUILD in London last week.

In addition to building a strawbale house (another is planned) she has carried out quite a lot of research and monitoring . I think she would be happy to share this with GSBN members. She has been writing a Masters thesis on this as part of her studies at CAT

Contact details

Carol Atkinson:

E: carol@homegrownhome.co.uk

T: 01430 410662 M: 07930 212804

Postal address (for all correspondence)

Barmby Grange, Carr Lane, Eastrington, Goole, East Yorkshire, DN14 7QN

Strawbale Registry, Design & Construction France

A few months ago the non-for-profit organization ‘EMPREINTE’ (which means print, as in footprint) and The French Straw Building Network have started an on line database to register French SB buildings

So far 239 buildings have been registered (5% are Nebraska).

The details are on www.habitat-ecologique.org/paille1.php

Yannick Lebret’s website of SB buildings. It is in French with some of the pages in English. You don’t need English to understand the his compellation of selected strawbale houses worldwide www.grossebotte.com/Chantiers.htm

Strawbale Registry, Design & Construction Germany

Gernot Minke and Kassel university research and development into straw bale, earth brick, green roofs… buy his books www.asl.uni-kassel.de/~feb/galerie/galerie.html

Strawbale Registry, Design & Construction Austria

GrAT/Gruppe Angepasste Technologie – Center for Alternative Technology of the University of Vienna have developed the S-House www.s-house.at/presentations.htm – an showcase SB house with unique recycled plastic screw for exterior wood cladding.

Okodorf (Ecovilllage) Sieben Linden has spectacular SB buildings. This video clip from CNN showcases some of their work.

Strawbale details, Design & Construction Spain

I know of a lime and rice-hull floor mix…the call “clascalita” and they use it in layers of 10-15 cm thick as an insulation layer of floor. It is made of 1 part cement: 1 part Lime (either type): 8 parts rice hulls.

Has anyone ever used something similar? With what results?

Rikki Nitzkin

Aulás, Lleida, España

rikkinitzkin@earthlink.net

(0034)657 33 51 62

www.casasdepaja.com (Red de Construcción con Balas de Paja)

Strawbale details, Design & Construction Italy

Stefano Soldati’s two story house in Italy, north of Venice www.laboa.org/index%20gb.html and La Boa Permaculture Center. Great step by step photos

Strawbale Construction Education

www.StrawBale.com/lesson1-af.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson2-al.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson3-aq.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson4-ar.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson5-aw.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson6-ap.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson7-aj.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson8-bw.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson9-bs.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson10-ba.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson11-br.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson12-bl.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson13-bq.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson14-bb.html

www.StrawBale.com/lesson15-bw.html

Strawbale: New Zealand

www.ausbale.org and www.earthbuilding.co.nz for details on natural building in this country.

These four are the AUSBALE reps for NZ.

North Island

Graeme North (Architect in Warkworth) www.ecodesign.co.nz/

Iain Redfern (Designer in Whangarei) www.adobesouth.co.nz/

South Island

Peter Olorenshaw (Architect in Nelson) petero@tasman.net

Sarah Johnston (Designer in Geraldine) sarahjohnston@ihug.co.nz SOL Design, Ltd.

50a Connolly Street, Geraldine New Zealand, 03 693 7369

Strawbale: China

www.worldhabitatawards.org/winners-and-finalists/project-details.cfm?lang=00&theProjectID=292 An innovative straw-bale construction method is being used in northern China to build houses and other public buildings using waste rice straw. To date over 600 houses have been completed and the benefits of the programme include significantly reduced coal consumption and CO2 emissions, affordable warmth and less respiratory disease for residents, much greater resistance to earthquakes and savings of precious top-soils due to reduced brick production.

Ms Kelly Lerner- Emailklerner@one-world-design.com Website www.one-world-design.com

Strawbale: Japan

The Japan Straw Bale House Association has photos of many straw bale structures in Japan.

www.japanstraw.com/index/main/main.html

For my research, the architect Ifve worked with most is Prof. Goichi OIWA.

www.slowdesign.net/index.html

He is assisted by Hideto OSHIMA.

blog.goo.ne.jp/wara-styl/

There are photos of some Japanese strawbale projects in my blog. However, the blog is written for friends and family, and not meant to describe strawbale construction in Japan.

holzhueter.blogspot.com/

Kindest regards,

Kyle

Strawbale: Israel

Rina Bas’s eco-spa development at Zukim in the Arava Region. Goldie, a lotan eco-volunteer working on the GA domes summer 2007 is the lead builder: www.arava.co.il/~rinatbas/index.html

Strawbale Domes worldwide

The Kassel Germany music dome is written up by Frank from Australia www.strawtec.com.au/print.php?id=21 when he went to see Gernot Minke’s amazing straw bale and earth brick research and development work www.asl.uni-kassel.de/~feb/galerie/bilderseiten/34.html www.asl.uni-kassel.de/~feb/galerie/galerie.html

Danny is planning a strawbale dome – www.humanetainit.com/site/EN/Eco-lifestyle/A-good-house/pnCurrent:1/

Danish SB dome with mussel shell exterior www.bsbhuse.dk (click building course for photos)

Modular Strawbale systems, products, projects

www.modcell.co.uk/ModCell/Product_home.html ModCell is a sustainable, prefabricated straw bale and hemp cladding panel designed for use in residential, educational and commercial projects. This innovative, offsite-manufactured cladding system can be quickly and efficiently installed, creating buildings with thermal performance up to 3 times higher than the current building regulations require.

Lightweight Concrete

www.geocities.com/flyingconcrete/otherformsys.htm

Cob

www.housealive.org/ is a cob building business in South Oregon of Coenraad and James. Great photos. Love the big pig oven!

Oriol Ballin’s cob solar oven

Adobe Bricks

Alon Ben Tzvi is an earth brick and lime plaster master in Mitzpe Ramon Israel www.ramon-eco-center.com

Earthbag construction

In the Bahamas – The Sand Castle. Designed and built by Steve Kemble & Carol Escott www.earthbagbuilding.com/projects/sandcastle.htm

Kaki and Doni’s website with the Honey House and Alison K.’s www.okokok.org

Apartments Integrating insulation, solar heating and electricity

Rolf Disch of Freiburg Germany has designed and built apartments that produce more energy than they consume http://www.rolfdisch.de/project.asp?sid=336986892 http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/Germany/FreiburgsSolarSiedlung.html

Living Roof

www.furbishco.com Furbish Company delivers state of the art, innovative building systems – systems that enhance comfort and health, lower utility bills, increase asset value, and restore the natural systems that support us. • Living Roofs , • Solar/Geothermal Radiant HVAC , • Living Wall Biofilters , • Strawbale Walls & Lime Stuccos , • Vegetated Retaining Walls

Living Wall Biofilters

www.naturaire.com

www.furbishco.com Furbish Company delivers state of the art, innovative building systems – systems that enhance comfort and health, lower utility bills, increase asset value, and restore the natural systems that support us. • Living Roofs , • Solar/Geothermal Radiant HVAC , • Living Wall Biofilters , • Strawbale Walls & Lime Stuccos , • Vegetated Retaining Walls

HVAC

www.peswiki.com The community-built resource that focuses on alternative, clean, practical, renewable energy solutions. http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Home_Generation:Air_Conditioning

Earth Plaster, Education and Art

Women teaching women to be creative with earth and natural materials www.mudgirls.ca

Alon Ben Tzvi is an earth brick and lime plaster master in Mitzpe Ramon Israel www.ramon-eco-center.com

Tadlekt or Tadlakt or Talelakt

Tadlekt is an ancient plastering technique using lime dust that produces a hard waterproof surface, the plaster is painstakingly polished to make it as hard as marble, painted with egg whites, and finished with black soap. The end result is that the walls reflect the light, yet also seem to glow from within.

www.grina.de/modules/galerie/thumbnails.php?album=5

www.budwell.com/index.php?id=file06 british plasterers – amazing.

www.okhra.com the instructor is Jamal Daddis in French

www.muralsplus.com/discus/messages/1209/52478.html?1147088469 discussion on the technique

www.mikewye.co.uk/mikeprices.htm#Tadelakt materials, photos and workshops

www.riadzinoun.com/tadelakt-stage-anglais.html series on application

Pigments

www.ocres-de-france.com/index_e.php

www.sinopia.com/ internet store for pigments

www.pigmentim.co.il Israeli supplier of pigments and linseed oil, Tel Aviv

Lime Plasters (and a bit of hemp)

In website www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/quliplwa.html there is a 12 minute video clip www.der.org/films/qudad.html about Qudad, a lime waterproofing material, can be found on religious and secular buildings and archaeological sites all over Yemen.

Casein paint and lime wash waterproofing www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/arbu1.html

Dr. Norbert Hoepfer has been running some lime plaster workshops in Israel in 2008. http://sites.google.com/site/netiv7/

One of these days I’ll get to a lime course. One of the Global Straw Bale Network members writes:

1. The best source of information on lime is www.buildinglimesforum.org.uk

2. Worth subscribing to their journal. There is a fantastic article in

the latest issue Vol 14 by Becky Little and Tom Morton

called “Mixing it with Lime and Clay”. Maybe Tom Morton would send you a copy of the article if you ask. Contact him through his excellent web site. Download the info he has on unfired earth buildings www.arc-architects.com

3. Hemp is the answer , Hemp-lime plasters/renders solve all problems. Doesn’t shrink or crack, copes admirably with moisture, etc. etc

4. I finished writing a guide to hemp-lime construction which should be published in April 2008 published by BRE/HIS Press.

5. Hemp web sites www.hemplime.org.uk , www.limetechnology.co.uk/pages/hemcrete.php

Tom Woolley woolley.tom@virgin.net

Some really creative folk in UK have taken chopped hemp and lime and used it for wall cavity fill www.hemplime.org.uk and projects designed by www.modece.com . The case study of a home (BRE) and the Suffolk Housing society’s findings can be downloaded from www.suffolkhousing.org

Paints and Coatings for Cob, Earth Plasters

Casein paint and lime wash waterproofing www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/arbu1.html

www.tierrafino.com/clay_products Netherlands

www.rawstrawchicago.com

this is an Australian list of natural and non-toxic paints and finishes for wood and mud bricks. www.rainforestinfo.org.au/good_wood/ntox_trs.htm

Eco-Education Centers, Institutions & Journals

www.lostvalley.org/

www.journeytoforever.org

www.gobabeb.org and in Namibia which work in ecosystem research, teacher training and appropriate technology development with an emphasis on adobe, rammed earth and www.gobabeb.org/degreee sustainable energy.

www.byexample.com/ Patrick and Mel have a impressive website about their Arizona sustainable living farm – solar panels, geo domes, gardens and more.

www.sunseed.org.uk/ Sunseed Desert Technology in Southern Spain aims to develop, demonstrate and communicate accessible, low-tech methods of sustainability in a semi-arid environment. It is a small eco-center and farm run mostly by volunteers. Sarah Ouellette, lotan-volunteer from Canada (summer 2008) worked there and recommends it. See her photos of Sunseed.

סאנסיד, חווה של טכנולוגיה בת קיימא למדבר, בדרום ספרד. מכוון לפתח, להציג ולהדגים שיטות וטכנולוגיה LOW-TECH של מערכות מים, בישול, חשמל ועוד. החווה מופעל על ידי מתנדבים. שרה, מתנדבת בלוטן מקנדה (קיץ 2008) עבדה שם וממליצה על המקום בחום. צילומים שלה של המקום Sunseed.

I can make some basic sense of the website of Rocamare Educació Ambiental Girona, Catalunya www.rocamare.com. Their programs for elementary and high school are presented in educator’s terms www.rocamare.com/taller_d.htm . Apparently they designed and built Oriol Ballin’s cob solar oven

This is not an eco-center but an ecology education journal: Green Theory & Praxis: The Journal of Ecopedagogy. This peer-reviewed journal is dedicated to interdisciplinary research at the transformative nexus of ecological politics and culture, critical theory/pedagogy, ecocriticism and sustainability education. Papers and reviews are accepted on an ongoing basis.
greentheoryandpraxis.ecopedagogy.org/index.php/journal/issue/current.

Buy a book and plant a tree www.ecolibris.net .

EcoVillages Worldwide

The Danish EcoVillage network http://losnet.dk

www.oneplanetliving.com/

Prairie’s Edge Ecovillage, Manitoba, Canada – www.prairiesedge.tk/ – small off grid community with a huge solar oven.

Take a video tour of The Farm in Tennessee current.com/watch/12013640 www.thefarm.org

Take a short video tour of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Missouri current.com/items/77149982_dancing_rabbit_ecovillage www.dancingrabbit.org

The Los Angeles Ecovillage, Permaculture Education www.laecovillage.org. A very active community.

La Comune Di Bagnaia is a small communal farm - a big loving family sized Ecovillage near Sienna in Tuscany, Italy. They make wine and olive oil, jams and cheese, have tourist accommodations and you can WWOOF with them. Their outreach work includes a/ preserving and performing traditional songs and dances at a yearly festival they hold as well as traveling to other communities b/ running a Palestinian-Israeli peace camp with the coexistence NGO “Windows”. They are the recipients of two prestigious awards: the Global Ecovillage Network – Europe EcoVillage Excellence Award 2008 and “Best Food in Europe – 2007” by the Cicelsky children. www.mappaecovillaggi.it/article5892.htm www.ecovillaggi.it/rive/bagnaia/informazioni.html

the medieval village of Torri Superiore which is now a thriving Ecovillage www.torri-superiore.org

The members of Sieben Linden, an intentional community and Ecovillage in Germany, have become experts in strawbale design and construction (as well as organic gardening and sustainable infrastructure systems). Last year’s European Strawbale association’s meeting was held there. Following the successful completion of Strawpolis – currently the largest (three story) strawbale apartment building in Europe, they are currently constructing two new multi-family apartments. The detailing and quality of their SB buildings is exemplary. And they are really good, honest and embracing people. I recently spent a week there and simple felt at home. They welcome volunteers. For more information see their website http://www.siebenlinden.de/english0000.html

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/06/30/pleitgen.germany.gg.eco.village.cnn

Damanhur is, well, I’m not sure how to define this expansive Northern Italian community which creatively combines of art, spirituality, environmental responsibility and social engagement. I have yet to visit there – but I have good friends who live there and friends who have made the pilgrimage have returned impressed and inspired. Their underground “Temples of Humanity” are the pull for worldwide tourists. Personally I hope to get there someday to see their energy conserving infrastructure, vernacular retrofits of buildings, organic gardens and tree houses – and eating great Italian food. Their website is www.damanhur.org

The Ecovillage online newsletter www.ecovillagenews.org that you can subscribe to. Check out Ecovillage Resources for books and web videos.

Ecovillage-Radio

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ecovillage-Radio is a new creative endeavor.

The goal is to promote Ecovillages and related topics such as: local foods, food security, seed saving, cooperatives, natural building techniques, renewable energy solutions, etc.

From the internet: Zajezka is 14 years old community in rural area of central Slovakia. The countryside is characterized by small “clusters” of traditional farms with fields, meadows and forests between them. There are 45 adults (with 25 children) who moved here or have rented houses living mixed within 150 original inhabitants. We cooperate as “good neighbours” despite the countryside and distances limits our everyday meetings. We run community school, common food shopping, we renovate centre of the village, common houses, we prepare workshops, manage separated waste collection etc. There is also big amount of mutual help during private houses renovation or building. Each “project” has different people involved, but some of the common activities are coordinated by NGO. It supports local development and promotion of sustainable lifestyle in general. The NGO also owns or rents several buildings – community house for volunteers and guests, seminar house, community centre, school and 2 houses for rent.  As we are the only community of this type in Slovakia we are natural meeting point of people who are inspired by ideas of Ecovillage living. We organize or host 30 workshops of different types per year and welcome hundreds of visitors. www.zajezka.sk

Ecovillage in the News

Ecologist Magazine Ecovillages: A model life?
Laura Sevier, Mike Henderson & Nritijuna Naidu 03/06/2008 http://www.theecologist.org/pages/archive_detail.asp?open=y&content_id=1854#36878

Greywater Treatment Systems (constructed wetland)

Greywater (waste water with no urine or feces) needs to get to the ground as quickly as possible. It needs no pre-treatment or storage as long as there are no sediment solids or fats that need to be removed so not to clog the system. Urine can be diverted as used as a fertilizer when mixed 1-12 with water. Sewage water (with feces) must be treated before used for irrigation.

California Graywater guide and legislation (1995, 45 pages). There is no storage or pre-treatment stipulated by the state. www.owue.water.ca.gov/docs/graywater_guide_book.pdf

frogs.org.au/frogwatch/greywater.php In depth summary of designing a home sized constructed wetlands for greywater

Kilian Water. Dutch engineer who has made the most interesting compact, biological solutions in Denmark the last years: www.kilianwater.com/kl/sider/kontakt/frame.html

EcoSanRes Introduction to Graywater Managment

esa.un.org/iys/docs/san_lib_docs/ESR4web%5B1%5D.pdf

and other publications and posters www.ecosanres.org/news-publications.htm

World Health Organization’s Guidelines for the safe use of wastwater, excreta and greywater. Volume 4: Excreta and greywater use in agriculture

whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2006/9241546859_eng.pdf

The EcoWaters projects has published books of plans for constructed compost toilet and greywater systems for different environments www.compostingtoiletbook.com/products.html#CTSBook

Compost toilets, sawdust toilets

Slideshow of Lotan’s new Ecokef compost toilets picasaweb.google.com/ciclotan/KibbutzLotanCenterForCreativeEcologyEcokefEducationParkCompostToilets

www.compostingtoiletbook.com/ the website for one of our most useful books. Many of details for our composting toilets were gleaned from here. The EcoWaters projects has published books of plans for constructed compost toilet and greywater systems for different environments www.compostingtoiletbook.com/products.html#CTSBook

The Humanure Handbook 2nd Edition – J C Jenkins (it can be downloaded from weblife.org/humanure/default.html )

The Swedish Sanitation organization EcoSanRes: Peter Morgan’s book Toilets That Make Compost

Low-cost, sanitary toilets that produce valuable compost for crops in an African context . Spectacular! www.ecosanres.org/pdf_files/ToiletsThatMakeCompost.pdf (114 pages, with many photos in color)

Research website and links list of urine diversion and composting toilets and associated systems www.novaquatis.eawag.ch/links/index_EN

The Enviro Loo evaporates the liquids and allows the solids to slowly compost www.eloo.co.za/ . There a few working units in Israel.

Plans for a super simple sawdust toilet on a 5 gallon / 20 liter pail ersson.sustainabilitylane.com/sawdust.htm

World Health Organization: A Guide to the Development of on-Site Sanitation, © WHO, 1992, 229 pages. This guide contains information on deciding what type of sanitation system is appropriate (see decision flow chart on electronic page 156), designs and management including education of users and maintenance.

www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/hygiene/envsan/onsitesan.pdf

Compost

What makes composting work is that the bins are large, you layer your scraps and yard waste, the material is kept moist and that you have 3 of them.

1. Large – up to 1 meter (3 feet) by 1 meter by 1 meter. The larger they are, the thinner the layers of food scrap.

2. spread your food scraps (in composting everything from nature is kosher)thin – large things like whole fruit will take much longer to decompose than chopped up scraps.

3. spread at least as much yard waste like leaves on top of the scraps. Grass clippings can be used in moderation. You can use straw too. Use a lot, especially if the leaves are dried.

4. you need 3 bins. #1 to use until it gets filled up. When its full go to bin #2. Store your leaves in bin #3 until it is empty from putting leaves in #1 and #2. Now empty #1 (you’ll notice that the volume has decreased by 70% and its ready for use) and start over again.

The photo of what I mean is here www.cityfarmer.org/homecompost4.html

Plans:

extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06957.htm I approve of the Wire-mesh holding unit (easy, for us lazy folk) and Wood and wire three-bin turning unit(the best way to go – a fun wood building project with the kids. You can recycle wooden pallets, shelves, doors). The plans for the uncreative are here 64.73.46.101/refuse_recycling/documents/BuildaWoodCompostBin.pdf but i would put on 3 lids (too heavy for the kids to open. Hmm, that would keep the raccoons out wouldn’t it…

In www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/composting/additional_bins.html you can see the komp 200. I have one of those. My 2 other bins are stacked car tires.

In suburbia looks count. A sturdy and good looking compost bin will hold up to all the criticism. If it smells its because its too wet, too dense (like leave out the grass clippings, your ratio of scraps to leaves is too high – add more leaves and spread out the scraps better. Do it right and there’s no reason to mix the bin. Just let the FBI do its job. Fungus, bacteria and invertebrates.

Methane Digesters

www.arti-india.org/content/view/46/43/ methane digesters made from plastic water tanks in India.

Large scale cow manure plug flow digesters in the USA www.andgardigester.com/

Making flush toilets less evil

If you are going to use fresh water to wash your poop and pee, this sink atop the water closet is a good idea. www.sinkpositive.com/video.html

Disaster Relief Technology

www.shelterbox.org Rotary International: Our solution to disasters is the ShelterBox – a tough, green plastic box containing a 10-person tent and ancillary equipment designed to enable a family of up to 10 people survive for at least six months. A good cause to support!

The term SODIS stands for Solar Disinfectant (www.thewaterschool.org or www.SODIS.ch), and basically all that must be done is that water must be placed in clear plastic bottles under the sun’s direct rays for one day (two days when it is cloudy) in order for the sun’s Ultra Violet rays to “do its work” in clearing out the harmful bacteria, ecoli and viruses. It works thirty latitudinal degrees to the north and south of the equator (which includes all of Africa), where the sun’s ultra-violet rays beam most strongly.
Sewage Treatment

www.biolytix.com/index.php Australian, contained humus filters for household use.

Monolithic Domes

dftw.org/downloads.html Monolithic ecoshell domes in Indonesia – Domes for the World

Books on-line

www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library.html from the rolling environmental NGO www.journeytoforever.org . Many spectacular resources and Elder Knowledge available here – so don’t open if you don’t have hours of reading time.

Earth, cob ovens, rocket ovens

www.innerexplorations.com/simpletext/oven.htm mass oven with rocket stove chimney

weblife.org/video/weblife.org_video_01.mp4

The Aga Khan Planning, Building and Construction programs have done spectacular thinkgs in Pakistan and India. This document on improved stoves (saves wood, reduces smoke in buildings) is a brilliant document based on observation and excellent development work. Kudos to

Biomass cooking stoves www.bioenergylists.org/

Links to a variety of backpacking stoves zenstoves.net/LinksGeneral-DIY.htm#SolarStoves

intotheborderlands.blogspot.com/2008/01/homemade-wood-gasifier-stove-revisited.html with photographs of a tin can oven.

Rocket oven resource solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Rocket_stove with simple barrel stove diagram and photographs.

Solar Ovens and Cooking

www.solarcooking.org The Solar Cooking and information homepage of Solar Cooking International. The organization is spectacular and openly shares valuable and detailed information. They combine technology and supporting basic human rights: Solar ovens have been saving lives in Darfur. www.solarcookers.org/programs/iridimi.html and the effectivity of the program has been researched . it is presented in a document www.solarcookers.org/programs/chad_evaluation.pdf and SUGGESTED VIEWING presentation www.solarcookers.org/programs/chad_powerpoint.pdf

www.solaroven.com is an organization in Illinois that constructs small and village sized solar ovens. The household units sell in the US for around $280. They work internationally and are partnered with Rotary.

Oriol Ballin’s cob solar oven

Many solar oven plans solarcooking.org/plans/default.htm

Solar Power, PV, Wind

www.sundanzer.com efficient 12v refrigeration

Hanan Levi, the wind turbine builder and solar electric bike, shares his knowledge and world resources to the Hebrew speaking world il-windpower.saymoo.org/blog/ il-windpower.saymoo.org

Purchase your solar radio and windup lights from www.freeplayenergy.com/products and support their work to bring sustainable energy and lighting to the poor around the world www.freeplayenergy.com/aid-and-development

Get and education and great advice from folks like engineer Jeffrey Yago at www.backwoodshome.com . Use the author search to see all of his articles that range from solar refrigerator reviews to insulation. His articles are detailed and cover all the details for putting solar panels on your house and car including wiring diagrams. His latest project is a basic course on energy .

One of the central issues in converting the electrical grid to a hybrid system using solar and wind power is the base load issue: how to supply the minimum needed (usually late at night-early in the morning) when solar is not available, solar produced energy can not be stored and wind is variable. Here is an Australian article that discusses the issues (and basically states that wind powered base loads will take many-thousands of turbines) http://www.cana.net.au/documents/Diesendorf_TheBaseLoadFallacy_FS16.pdf, an article to help you audit your home’s base load http://www.pureenergyaudits.com/docs/AC06_Baseload_TPM_09_HO.pdf and how to turn

your refrigerator from the biggest electricity user to one of the lowest

A fridge that takes only 0.1 kWh a day? http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/chest_fridge.pdf Note: this guy got his power from solar panels and batteries. Similar savings can be realized by doing the same thing and plugging it into the regular home electric supply.

Solar Heating – Air

Take a bunch of aluminum cans, paint them black and put them in a box to heat your room www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRZvAAqzXIw

This is the US car repair dude version blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/04/26/almost-free-garage-heat-just-drink-a-lot-of-soda/

And this is the brilliant Hungarian version replete with locking element between cans napenergia.freeweb.hu/gyak/szp/sztgyi.htm

Religious organizations and Environmental Action

www.allianceforsustainability.net/ in Minnesota

The mission of our network, Congregations Caring for Creation, is to promote the active care of creation as integral to spiritual life and social justice in Minnesota communities of faith.

Jewish online media

www.jstandard.com/ The New Jersey Jewish Standard newspaper

Eco-Science projects

www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1991/dump.html lab experiment shows bacterial breakdown of organic materials in landfills and nature.

www.skidmore.edu/~jthomas/lifestyleproject/jgearticle.pdf student (we’re all students) lifestyle change and evaluation for resource reduction. Can be adjusted for families and communities.

www.funsci.com/fun3_en/exper1/exper1.htm science experiments on
environmental education and biology

Mobile, smart, ecohousing

www.studio804.com – Studio 804 is a design/build program at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Design that provides a broad range of architectural services, typically resulting in a new residence.   During this final exercise, the students collaborate to bring a housing design to fruition that provides architectural solutions with an emphasis on affordable homes.

Elder knowledge, quotes, poetry

www.sa-naturecenter.org/conservation/quotes.html

a good song, people together The First Day of My Life , in love.

Elders tell the truth about the future – and it ain’t pretty

David Sheen interviews Derrick Jensen on the world economic and environmental systems and why personal sustainability is just not enough. www.davidsheen.com/words/jensen.htm

Landfills and Garbage

traumwerk.stanford.edu:3455/GarbologyOnline/admin/download.html?attachid=64554 to download the CV of the Garbage Project, William L. Rathje
Professor Emeritus, University of Arizona; Consulting Professor, Stanford University

the Garbage Project website traumwerk.stanford.edu:3455/GarbologyOnline/Home

www.pastfoundation.org/2006Garbology/index.htm Students at Metro High School in Columbus, Ohio have teamed with the PAST Foundation and the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) to establish a high school garbage program. The program is inspired and guided by the work of Dr. William Rathje, who founded the Garbage Project in the early 1970s, and has subsequently excavated more than twenty landfills in North America. The Garbage Project studies modern refuse using well-established archaeological techniques.

The red meat issue www.ralphmag.org/AY/garbology-two.html from — From Rubbish:
The Archeology of Garbage, William Rathje and Cullen Murphy. ©2001 (University of Arizona Press)

Carbon Dioxide, Greenhouse Global Warming, Peak Oil and all that jazz

peakoildebunked.blogspot.com/ I agree (today) that there is no foreseeable end to fossil fuel – in particular since increasing price is not affecting demand. This site goes well into many reasons why the end in fossil fuels is no where in sight – and why that is very, very bad for us and lots of other species.

petroleum.berkeley.edu/papers/patzek/PublishedEDS2005.pdf Ethanol from Corn: at 1 gal. of fossil fuel for 1 gallon of corn ethanol (and all the other environmental concerns) – why bother?

From Kelly Lerner (of SB-China fame) [airplane flight] Credits from Native Energy www.nativeenergy.com OR $$ to support strawbale construction in some other part of the world – Pakistan or Mexico or China. See www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-210-2383135-523,00.html

for an interesting discussion of environmentalists and air travel

Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center – Frequently Asked Global Change Questions

cdiac.ornl.gov/pns/faq.html

with a smile:

www.cheatneutral.com/ This site is designed to highlight some of the issues surrounding carbon offsetting

www.theyesmen.org Impersonating big-time criminals in order to publicly humiliate them. Targets are leaders and big corporations who put profits ahead of everything else.

Website which says that peak oil needs to be dealt with by green cities and construction in general – many of our favorites illustrate the article eclipsenow.blogspot.com/2007/06/relocalize.html

Energy Efficient – Green Building primer

For Perth (32 degrees south) – good illustrations and text on passive solar. The section on insulation is not good: the R values listed in figure 11 do not include the thickness of the materials www.rise.org.au/info/Tech/house/index.html .

Ben Gurion University Desert Research website – click Building in the Desert for excellent and concise articles on building passive buildings in the desert. There are interactive illustrations of cooling towers, a video of special windows and an interactive
Building Thermal Simulation. Top notch work! להדמייה תרמית של בניין אתר בניה במדבר

How Green is Your Project – Design Tools

The CLEAR program is a huge repository of information relating to every aspect of a building’s design with the intent to construct low energy use buildings. The homepage is www.learn.londonmet.ac.uk/packages/clear/index.html . I suggest clicking a lot. There are many interactive calculators like a solar path tool, comparing energy use in various cities depending on type of envelope (walls and roof). I use the site map www.learn.londonmet.ac.uk/packages/clear/about/tree.html

How Green is Your Project - Evaluation Tools (LCA, Energy use, Embodied Energy)

www.ecospecifier.org/knowledge_base/technical_guides/calculating_impacts

download of Bath university Embodied energy and embodied carbon summary people.bath.ac.uk/cj219/

www.usablebuildings.co.uk/ check publications

Project Design and Management Tools

Gantt chart – a progress timeline http://ganttproject.biz/download.php (download for free).

In this website is the wisdom of John Croft (of the GAIA Trust of Western Australia) on how to plan successful projects: http://transitionculture.org/2007/02/21/john-crofts-dragon-dreaming-presentations/

Creating Successful Masterplans: a guide for clients (like folks planning whole cities) www.cabe.org.uk/AssetLibrary/8021.pdf

www.usablebuildings.co.uk/ check publications. This Bordass fellow is a spec on Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) which is not what many architects and builders like to hear about.

Teaching tools – making it interactive – architecture…

How places work – a teacher’s guide www.cabe.org.uk/AssetLibrary/8843.pdf

Materials and process calculation tools, conversion tables

www.engineeringtoolbox.com Tools and basic information for design, engineering and construction (conversion factors, specific heat of materials, pipe sizes in inches and metric…)

Economics / Complementary Currencies

See Prof. Margrit Kennedy (who lives at the Lebensgarten EV in Germany) presentations on economics available on the internet http://www.margritkennedy.de/index.php?modus=PRE&inc=UEB&lang=EN.

Why Do We Need Monetary Innovation?

Three common Misconceptions – Three threatening Results – Three possible Solutions. Download PDF-Document (13 MB)

Complementary Currencies

Complementary Currencies and the Chiemgauer project. Download PDF-Document (460 kb)

Financial Stability

A case for complementary currencies. Download PDF-Document (664 kb)

An additional reading, that I first read in a compellation of resources for the Global Ecovillage network is “The Path to Living Economies which gives a good social backdrop to the shear economics that Margrit deals with.

Recommended places to visit in Israel

www.rishlakish.com/ (Hebrew website) is a family run organic olive press in Zippori. The press is in a strawbale enclosed renovated chicken shed. This is a jewel of a farm replete with composting toilets, green roof overhanging the entrance porch, greywater treatment system and café for something light to eat (open Wednesday-Saturday 9:00-19:00, on Friday closed from 15:00). Note: the long wall (towards the west) is earth plaster coated with egg whites in 2006 – a test to control rain splash damage to the wall.

Merav Carmi (Green Apprentice, Winter 2006-7) produces an Exchange Market in Moshav Nahalal, Meshek (farm) 72, that is held every last Saturday of the month from 10:00-16:00. There is a 10 shekel entrance fee for adults over 18. Give what you have – take what you need. The extras go to charity and recycling. If interested in joining the mailing list, write to: merav@carmi.org.il. Merav runs a shop for handmade and recycled house wares and artwork called the Tzemach Bar gallery. The site is becoming a permaculture garden. For details, contact Merav: 054-4401918

Alon Ben Tzvi is an earth brick and lime plaster master in Mitzpe Ramon www.ramon-eco-center.com

Mariam’s Bint Hamidbar (Daughters of the Desert). Mariam makes traditional Bedouin soaps, oils and cosmetics and has a garden filled with desert herbs. Her work has been supported by Bustan L’Shalom and some of our Green Apprentice sessions have included work days with her.

Photos: www.flickr.com/photos/telsheva_desertmedicine

www.israelseen.com Israel Seen is a labor of love that is a portal to the other side of Israel. We provide content from a wonderful array of innovative, interesting, and dynamic Israelis. Our content is rich in vision, compassion, education and understanding of the human condition. We probe the depths of our psyche, soul and physical presence seeking out the questions and answers necessary to make the world a better place to live.

List of organic farms and educational initiatives in Israel http://www.hava.co.il

Permaculture, natural building, organic gardening courses in Israel

http://www.hava.co.il/hava1/courses/courses.aspx

Making a Difference – Tikun Olam = Transforming the World

I have had the honor of getting to know Dr. Lucy Steinitz. She took her family out of the USA and has settled (for now) in Namibia to address the dark plague of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Her work has been in particular with creating communities of assistance and support for those living with the disease, and making sure that the orphans, so many of them, have a future. She writes:

In a world dominated by AIDS:

The reality of HIV-related illness and death continues to overshadow almost everything we do. Globally, a child under 15 dies of an AIDS-related illness every minute of every day.  And sadly, Namibia still has one of the highest rates of infection in the world (close to 20%) with life-expectancy now at 42 years from the height of 61 when we came to Namibia almost ten years ago.  Most alarming is the spiralling increase in orphans who – if they reach adulthood at all – face the triple threats of poverty, hunger and the likelihood that they, too, will become infected and die from AIDS.

Is it all bad news?  Not at all.  This year Namibia exceeded the World Health Organization’s targets for the number of HIV-patients on anti-retroviral medication (we’re at 33,000), and the number of orphans receiving government-sponsored care-and-support (55,000). While in both cases this represents only a fraction of what is needed, it’s far better than a few years ago.  And this week, one organization that Lucy co-founded, the Church Alliance for Orphans, was granted over one million US dollars over three years from the US government to reach children-in-need through local faith-based groups, while another organization she co-founded, Yelula (which means “lift-up” in Oshiwambo) was awarded over 2 million Euros over the same period to promote self-empowerment, treatment and income-generating programs for people living with HIV and their families.

Now here is an important question: Did you ever notice how individual stars shine their brightest on a really dark night, where there is no moon?  Once your eyes adjust, these small lights are enough to help you find your way in the blackness.  That’s often how we think of the seven young Namibians who most brighten our lives. I’m referring specifically to the “Saving Remnant” group of older orphans whom we help support at Tertiary level – at the University of Namibia and the Polytechnic.  You can see them on the attached photo (we were celebrating the end of the academic year in Swakopmund), including Lucas Mahoni at the far right (see Namibia Stories #194) who studies mechanical engineering and will move into our home after Sergio leaves in January.

What you can do:

Once again, our biggest priorities for next year remain the Orphans’ Emergency Fund for young children in dire need and the Saving Remnant Program to help the best and brightest of these orphans become the leaders of tomorrow. For both, we have US-based tax-deductible conduits (outside the USA, let us know if you need information):

· For the Orphans’ Emergency Fund:  c/o American Jewish World Service , 45 West 36^th Street  /  New York, NY 10018.  (Note:  Make the check out to the American Jewish World Service, with Orphans’ Emergency Fund on the memo-line).

· For the Saving Remnant Program:  c/o  Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers   -   Controller’s Office   P.O. BOX 305   -  Maryknoll, NY  10545-0302   ( Note: State that the donation is for the “Saving Remnant Fund/ Catholic AIDS Action – Namibia”)

Lucy’s updates are read world-wide: they are some of the most meaningful stories of humanity that I have ever read. Write to her, applaud her and her colleague’s work, and ask to be put on her mailing list.

Lucy Y. Steinitz & Bernd Kiekebusch
P.O. Box 86266, Windhoek, Namibia
lucy@steinitz.org
BerndLucy@iway.na
Tel/fax:  (264) – 61- 250-267

Kibbutz Lotan staff consulted in the design and managed the construction of the Medwed Wadi El Naam Health Clinic for the Bedouins living near Ramat Hovav which was recognized in the book Design Like You Give a Damn bustan.org/2006/08/medwed_clinic_featured_in_desi.html

Purchase your solar radio and windup lights from www.freeplayenergy.com/products and support their work to bring sustainable energy and lighting to the poor around the world www.freeplayenergy.com/aid-and-development

Saving Seeds

www.growseed.org/isc.html this from the home of wheat – diversity and sharing of this most basic resource.

Simple Food

Bread: noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2007/05/making_bread.html

Yoghurt or Yogurt: (read the comments too): noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2007/03/do_a_dance_for_.html

On-line eco education videos

In May 2008 we were fortunate to host film producer and director Louis Fox on Lotan. He’s a great guy who has given us all great gifts: creating inspirational, humoristic and educational films that focus on essential issues and solutions. And he’s giving us this material for free – so lets share it! His films, in particular Store Wars (organic vegetables saving the universe) and The Story of Stuff are screened as part of our Green Apprenticeship Permaculture and Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) program.

www.storyofstuff.com : a twenty minute video about consumerism and its environmental impact.  We recommend viewing this resource as a precursor to a Sukkot or Tu B’shvat activity on human interaction with our world and each other.

I suggest these two holidays because of the Agro-Eco-Spiritual-Moral content embedded in the celebration’s themes, rituals and symbols. During Sukkot, an autumn harvest festival, we live in temporary, disposable shelters. Tu B’shvat is a New Year celebration in the early spring which in modern times includes planting of trees. The themes of use, renewal bounty can be found in other religions’ festivals and national holidays – look at their theme, rituals and symbols and what they mean for us today:

Questions:

1/ Does my purchasing of products and services effect the environment?  How?

2/ As a Jew (or member of other belief system) what responsibility do I have?  As a citizen of the globe what responsibility do I have? What guidance does Judaism (…)offer me in fulfilling obligations?

3/ What choices are available to me if I want to reduce my impact on the environment?

4/ how could the themes/rituals/symbols of the holiday evolve to reflect on our modern condition and outlook?

Greats Lists

www.50waystohelp.com/ 50 ways to just use less stuff.

www.ricoclime.com/rico_links2.html Links on permaculture, India and more from Richard Rico Zook

Bibliography

Buy a book and plant a tree www.ecolibris.net .

Bioclimatic Design in Arid Zones

Konya, A. Design Primer for Hot Climates. The Architectural Press Ltd., London, 1980.

ISBN 0 85139 140 0 Allan Konya.

The book has good illustrations and photographs of general passive building techniques and a section on hazards (termites), heat transfer basics and plant list. The bibliography is annotated.

Butti, K., Perlin, J. Golden Thread; 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY, 1980.

ISBN 0-442-24005-8 Ken Butti and John Perlin

The history of passive solar architecture and technology from Roman villas to solar homes of the 1950s-70s. A simple and brilliant hollow (double layer) solar collector for heating air on a Texas school is on page 215

Olgyay, V. Design With Climate: Bioclimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism. Princeton University Press, 1963.

Victor Olygyay with Aladar Olgyay

The father of bioclimatic architecture books. Design considerations for each climate region are in the final chapters.

Scalise, J. (Ed.) Earth Integrated Architecutre: An Alternative Method for Creating Livable Environments With An Emphasis on Arid Regions. College of Architecure, Arizona State University, 1975.

A full overview of climate, engineering and design for Pheonix Arizona. A reference to solar (ammonia) absorption air conditioning. I wonder what lessons they have learned and if a new issue has been published.

Givoni, B. Man, Climate & Architecture. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY, 1969.

The bible.

William McDonough, Michael Braungart Cradle to Cradle North Point Press, NY 2002. Changing the technology of producing goods and services so that they in themselves “grow like trees”. The first half of the book is a very good overture to most of the issues that pertain to sustainability.

Videos

That we have

Videos

That I have not seen

thenextindustrialrevolution.org/ the story of the work and vision of architect William McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart who wrote Cradle to Cradle

Dear Israel LR-PJ&E Fall students,

Welcome to Israel, to the Heat and Humidity and Beauty of the Elah Valley. Please extend my personal regards to your hosts at the Eco-Arts project and Enjoy!

I don’t want to take away from the spiritual and group-building experience of the coming week. So please continue reading when you have 10-15 minutes to read about Land Use and Environmental Issues.

Context –

It is not trivial that you are where you are and that the opportunity for creating an Eco/Arts based community exists. Communal life in Israel is a protected and regulated by law. We’ll look more deeply into the structure of this legal system and its implications (for Israel and EcoVillages worldwide) later on when you are on Lotan. The issues in the law pertain to interior structures and relationship with the government. Government means in particular the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) which administrates LAND USE in Israel. One of the cardinal issues that you will be confronted with every place you visit during this semester will be “who owns the land” and “what is permitted to do on it”. Please remember to ask these questions – they are intrinsic to understanding the planning and sustainability of projects. You can start with the Eco-Art’s dance studio!

With that introduction here are two articles in this week’s Israeli press that could be titled “They giveth – they taketh away”.

The first is about the ILA and GIVING – using land for large scale solar panel parks (like the ones we want to build in the Arava).

The second is about the ILA and TAKING – destroying the remaining sand dunes ecosystem in the Israeli Arava (15 minutes south of Lotan) by mining them for sand for the construction industry.

See you soon,

Alex

This is MIDEASTENVIRONET – The Middle East Environmental Network

Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:30:54 -0400

From: Stuart Schoenfeld <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>

Subject: Lands Admininstration to go green with renewable energy Haaretz

Lands Admininstration to go green with renewable energy Haaretz

By Avi Bar-Eli, TheMarker Correspondent

Renewable energy in Israel is receiving a major boost: The Israel Lands

Administration (ILA) will grant a partial, or even full exemption from leasing

fees for land used for generating ‘green’ electricity.

The full exemption will apply to land allocated for renewable energy projects,

such as wind turbines or solar panels, in areas near the northern and Gaza

borders – so-called confrontation-line regions. For regions in the periphery

defined as National Priority A, the fees will be only 31% of the regular

amount, and 51% in areas defined as National Priority B.

The decision is not just lip service to environmental causes, but will have a

significant monetary effect for the state, as the state coffers will now be

forfeiting millions of shekels a year. However, the reduced rates may alter the

calculations and make more investments in renewable energy in the periphery

worthwhile.

The move will have particular importance for the solar energy projects planned

for the Negev and Arava deserts in the south, most of which are in areas of

national priority. It will also have significant effects on

electricity-generating projects along the northern border, many of which are

based on pumping water up to elevated reservoirs at night when electricity is

cheap, and then using the water to generate electricity during peak hours by

letting it flow downward and turn generating turbines. Electra has planned such

a project near Manara in the north at an investment of NIS 1 billion.

The decisions were reached in a meeting this week between National

Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, his director general Yechezkel

(Chezie) Kugler, ILA Director General Yaron Bibi and other ILA officials. The

ILA agreed in principle to Ben-Eliezer’s request to join the effort to provide

incentives for renewable energy projects, despite the loss of revenue involved.

The ILA’s governing council will be asked to officially approve the list of

benefits next week.

Only a month ago, the council decided to charge the full fees – 91% of the value

of the land – for such renewable energy projects, a decision met with shock from

all sides involved in the energy sector and other parts of the government. The

decision had huge financial implications for such energy projects, particularly

for solar and wind plants that demand large tracts of land. As a result,

Ben-Eliezer asked to reconsider the decision.

Installing solar panel arrays or wind turbines on buildings will also be

exempted from the ILA’s land usage fees, as long as the total annual power

generated is no larger than the amount of electricity used by the owners. This

is particularly good news for moshavim and kibbutzim, many of whom are in the

process of signing huge contracts to install large solar arrays on the roofs of

their houses and other buildings, in an effort to provide incentives for the

communities to become self-sufficient in terms of energy.

In addition, the ILA decided a month ago to consider only 10% of agricultural

land used for renewable energy projects as industrial land, which carries

higher fees.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1016348.html

*****************************************************************

This is MIDEASTENVIRONET – The Middle East Environmental Network

Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:31:36 -0400

From: Stuart Schoenfeld <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>

Subject: A world in a grain of sand Haaretz

A world in a grain of sand Haaretz

By Amir Zohar

The good gerbil and the bad gerbil are two species of small rodents that are

engaged in a struggle for survival in the sands around Samar, a kibbutz in the

Arava desert. The good gerbil lives in the natural sands of Samar and Kibbutz

Elifaz, in the estuary of the Timna Rift, and is content with little – a few

leaves saturated in water, and golden dunes. The bad gerbil is the

materialistic one. It likes large quantities of leaves, and when they are

available, due to human intervention, its brutal character comes to the fore:

It forces the good gerbil out of the “cultured” dunes into those on the

margins.

“The balance of terror between these two guys reflects the thesis that I proved

in my research,” says Roi Talbi, a zoologist and expert in desert animals who

is a member of Kibbutz Samar. “Wherever there was human intervention in nature,

be it in the form of pumping sewage or farming, I found that the bad gerbil

overcame the good gerbil and multiplied. Where there was a natural balance, the

presence of the bad gerbil declined and the good gerbil multiplied. The

conclusion is that the bad gerbil is incapable of living in the harsh

conditions of true nature in the desert. In an analogy to our economy, the bad

gerbil is like the last of the entrepreneurs, who needs state assistance in

every privatization.”

The struggle for survival being waged by rodents in burrows is a perfect

metaphor for the bureaucratic wrangling underway directly above them.

Government ministries, environmental organizations, scientists, Arava residents

and their supporters from around the country are all battling, either to

preserve the sand of the last great sea of dunes in the Arava, or to sell it to

real-estate developers in Eilat.

Advertisement

The construction industry in Eilat currently has three significant sources for

fine, high-quality natural sand: Mishor Rotem near Dimona, the Samar sands and

the sands of the northern Arava (which were transferred to Jordan in the peace

treaty with that country). Another source of sand is a quarry that has been dug

near Eilat – cheaper sand, at NIS 20 a ton, but of inferior quality. Excavating

and transporting a ton of sand from Dimona to Eilat costs NIS 75, but the

high-quality sand from Samar and Jordan can be had for only NIS 60 a ton. The

result is that the Samar site, which is about 40 kilometers from Eilat, is

preferred by the Israel Lands Administration (ILA), the National Infrastructure

Ministry and the developers; whereas the environmentalists and the local

residents want this dune to be left alone.

The Samar site lies east of the date groves of two kibbutzim, Samar and Elifaz,

on the Israel-Jordan border. It once extended across about seven square

kilometers, but after allocations of land for farming and sand quarrying,

barely 2.5 square kilometers remain, in a narrow strip divided into three

parts: the northern segment, which has been declared a nature reserve; the

central segment, which the greens also want declared a nature reserve, but

which is designated for quarrying; and the southern segment, of which half has

been annihilated in the wake of quarrying in recent years, and whose other half

the ILA also wants to turn into a sand quarry.

“The streams in the southern Arava do not flow south to the sea, but eastward,”

says geologist Dr. Hanan Ginat of Kibbutz Samar, explaining how the dunes were

formed. “In the past, the sand arrived from the Timna Valley in floods, as

alluvium that included pebbles, fine sand and clay. The fine sand, the only

type that is good for construction, was heaped into dunes by the wind that did

the sorting and carried it from the mouth of the stream.”

But nature is now less able to renew the sand reserves in the Arava. “There are

far fewer floods, in part because of global warming,” Ginat says. “And, in

addition, the kibbutzim, Samar and Elifaz, planted huge date groves in the

middle of the area, which also block the diminished flow of sand from the Timna

Rift. The result is that the alluvial path has changed and now bypasses the area

of the dunes.”

Ginat launched the struggle to save the dunes in 1997. It has not always been

successful, because the ILA, with the authorization of government planning

departments, constantly cut into the sands. The worst affected was the southern

segment, constituting about a fifth of the total, which was completely leveled.

“What is left for us to propose is that they continue to quarry at the existing

site, but in depth,” Ginat says. “A study I conducted there, together with the

geologist Dr. Amir Eidelman, proved that there is still good sand – albeit of a

slightly lower quality – beneath the quarried area. The fact is that when the

contractor was unable to quarry in the other segments, he simply dug deep into

the existing site, even though he was forbidden to do so, proving the soundness

of our thesis. But the ILA and the Infrastructure Ministry simply do not want to

engage in artificial sorting, because it is expensive for the entrepreneurs.

They want the ready-made dunes, in which the wind has already done the sorting

naturally. Their demand is contrary to all the principles of sustainable

development, which also consider the needs of future generations.”

Not all the sand goes for construction. Farmers in the northern Arava also use

sand, and in even larger quantities, as a base for their hothouses. The

relative shortage of sand has not yet given rise to huge thefts and violent

struggles for control between criminals, as it has in the coastal plain region.

But here it is precisely state authorities – the ILA and the Infrastructure

Ministry – that are behind the initiative to expand the quarrying, for the

financial benefit of contractors in Eilat and farmers of the Arava, but at the

expense of rare natural resources.

In this connection, the ILA spokeswoman, Ortal Tzabar, notes that the increasing

demand for sand generated a wave of thefts, which led the ILA to step up its

plan. However, a request for concrete information about the thefts went

unanswered. In the meantime, a tender to quarry sands at Samar issued in May by

the ILA and the Infrastructure Ministry infuriated the Interior Ministry.

Officials there maintained that it was wrong to issue the tender before a

number of conditions, decided on by professional bodies in January 2007, were

met. “The ILA asked for a year to carry out the obligations,” the Interior

Ministry spokeswoman, Sabine Haddad, said. “But although more than a year and a

half has passed, we have not yet received information on the subject.”

The ILA, which was quick to issue a statement to the press on the success of the

tender and the interest taken in it by more than 20 contractors, says it was

surprised by the Interior Ministry’s reaction. According to the ILA, the tender

was based on an authorized plan for the territory and on an additional

authorization by the committee on planning principles, which discussed the plan

to build a rail line to Eilat. The Interior Ministry reacted to this curtly:

“Our response stands.”

The ILA position is that the state must supply the sand needed for construction

in Eilat, amounting to about 160,000 tons a year, and the needs of the farmers

in the northern Arava, who, the ILA estimates, will need some 10 million tons

of sand in the coming decade to re-layer the hothouses. As for the conditions

laid down by the professional team (digging in depth at the existing site and

examining the request for the area to be declared a nature reserve), the ILA

stated: “The Nature and Parks Authority obligated itself to execute drilling

that would make possible laboratory tests of the subterranean material, but did

not do so … According to geological advice we received, the subterranean

material is inferior to the material of the sand dunes … In addition, deep

digging is not suitable for the future route of Israel Railways … Regarding

the nature reserve, the ILA will consider its position if and when the plan is

submitted to the planning committees.”

Beyond the conflict with the Interior Ministry, the ILA position is not

consistent with the facts, at least as they are described by the established

green organizations. “We never gave the ILA a commitment to execute a

subterranean sand quality examination,” says Guy Alon, the director of the

Eilat District of the Nature and Parks Authority. “The authority actually

offered its help to the ILA in this regard, because it is important for us to

preserve the territories, but our offer was rejected.”

Alon, who is in charge of law enforcement against the sand thieves, together

with the ILA, adds: “I am not aware of sand thefts in our region, which extends

north from Eilat to Kilometer 101, nor have I heard of thefts north of our

district. I don’t understand the ILA’s urgency – on top of which the primary

momentum of building in Eilat is already over. Half the city was built without

a grain of sand from Samar, which means that good solutions exist.”

The director of the Southern District of the Society for the Protection of

Nature in Israel (SPNI), Shai Technai, discerns a disparity in the approach of

the residents of the southern Arava, who are against quarrying – “because their

economy is based on date groves” – and the farmers of the northern Arava, who

are in favor of sand quarrying at Samar “in order to reduce transportation

costs.”

Nature and Parks Authority official Alon: “We are not against quarrying, and the

authorized plan also permits it, but before doing damage, let’s first please

exhaust all the alternatives.” The SPNI is also unable to fathom the ILA’s

moves; its legal adviser has written to the ILA asking for explanations, but

has yet to receive replies. The head of the Hevel Eilot Regional Council, Udi

Gat, fired off a furious letter to the new ILA director general, Yaron Bibi. “I

want to lodge a sharp protest against the tender,” he wrote earlier this month.

After listing the violations of the professional body’s decisions, he

concluded: “I want to demand the immediate annulment of the tender, or at least

its suspension.”

Roi Talbi, who is leading the struggle against the ILA, was born in Rishon

Letzion to a traditionalist Yemenite family; photographs of his grandparents

hang on the wall above his computer in his trailer at Samar. He arrived in the

kibbutz 13 years ago as part of a Nahal paramilitary brigade group made up of

former members of SPNI trekking groups. (He is the only one of the group still

living in the kibbutz.) After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology, he did

his M.A., on the ecology of the sands, at the Institute for Desert Research at

Midreshet Sde Boker in the Negev. He now teaches at the Arava Institute for

Environmental Studies in Kibbutz Ketura and also works as a packer of the

area’s majhoul dates.

Talbi’s pet subject is the Persian haloxylon, a plant that constitutes the axis

of the natural food chain in the Samar region. In the course of drilling during

his research, he found small reservoirs of groundwater at a depth of six meters.

“That is the haloxylon’s source of life. It is a protected plant that exists

only in the Arava sands,” he explains. “This bush, which has roots going 10

meters deep, gray branches and thin, fleshy leaves, is the host for a whole

population of creatures: rodents, birds, insects and rabbits – all of them

vegetarians that eat its leaves and fruit. But lizards eat the insects and

snakes eat the lizards. The large predators – mammals such as foxes, sand cats

(now extinct), wolves and hyenas that arrive from afar, prey on whatever is

available to them on the surface.

“The Arava,” he continues, “is considered one of the 10 hottest and driest

deserts in the world, and it also suffers from a high level of radiation

because of its characteristic whiteness. So during the day in the summer, the

animals burrow into the sand, which is insulating and airy. But in the evening,

a whole show of animals gets underway here,” he says, visibly enjoying the

memory of his experiences in the field.

“The Samar animals like extremes. They live only in the sands, with wind, and

they dislike water and vegetation. The proof is that when water is introduced

from an artificial source, such as sewage in the northern segment, where there

is more vegetation, the bad animals from the Arava and the Negev go there and

displace the Samar animals. This is what is happening in the northern nature

reserve, because of its proximity to farmland.

“In fact,” Talbi notes, “if I apply my desert thesis in full, then I am also

against growing the wonderful majhoul dates, which sell in Europe for a euro

each. True, I myself work with them and make a living from them, but maybe I

should be kicked out of the kibbutz because I am angry at the damage the grove

is causing to the zoology of the dunes.”

Talbi’s struggle has the professional and social backing of geologist Hanan

Ginat, who has lived in Samar since 1979, when he, too, arrived there as part

of a Nahal group. Ginat, married and the father of five children, was born in

Jerusalem’s Katamon neighborhood, and together with his son Amir took part in

the initiative of fans of the Hapoel Jerusalem soccer team, who last season

established Hapoel Katamon as an alternative team.

After obtaining an undergraduate degree in education and teaching, he switched

to geology for his master’s. He did the research for his Ph.D., which he

obtained from Ben Gurion University of the Negev, in the Arava, “at a time when

there were still floods here, which there no longer are, and dunes, which have

now stopped wandering because of the lack of rain.” He now leads SPNI training

courses and serves as the scientific director of the Dead Sea and Arava Science

Center. A book, “Geology of the Negev,” which he co-authored with the

researchers Ezra Zilberman and Yoav Avni, will soon be published. In charge of

its production is Dr. Amir Eidelman, a member of the executive board of SPNI

and a geological adviser to ILA.

“When the ILA wanted the land, we drew up a report together and suggested to

them that they dig deep in the existing area,” Ginat says. “Eidelman even

brought a tractor from Eilat, with which we dug a pit and proved that the deep

sand is just as good. How come he is suddenly working as a geological adviser

to the ILA and changing his opinion completely? This is a salient conflict of

interest.”

Eidelman, for his part, says: “I started to advise the ILA 15 years ago, and it

has nothing to do with my being a member of the executive board, on which I

serve on a volunteer basis. In the report with Ginat, the subterranean sand

sample was higher than the usual criterion for construction sand (9-15 percent,

as compared to 3-5 percent). Still, it was clear to us that this sand could be

exploited, and it was exploited, even though it is not the best. The report I

have now conveyed to the ILA is based on the examination from that time and on

a recent examination, and the results are specified in the documents of the

tender. In the report for the tender I informed the contractors that only 30

percent is above ground and 70 percent is below ground.”

Then why start a new site instead of going deeper with the existing excavation?

“Because of the opposition of the planning committees, since the area is

designated for farming, and the objection of the drainage authorities to the

creation of pits in the area.”

Earlier this month, the ILA conducted a tour for contractors at Samar. Talbi and

his friends had created a presentation and circulated a petition in the weeks

before the visit, and about 50 demonstrators showed up in the broiling midday

heat of the Arava with posters and whistles to greet the 20 candidates for the

tender and the representatives of the ILA, headed by Dr. Amir Eidelman.

Talbi: “The truth is that it is hard to get Arava residents actively involved.

Most of the demonstrators were not from the kibbutzim, but from all over the

country. Not all the locals even signed the petition. We got most of the

reactions from the north and center of the country – maybe the northerners are

more developed when it comes to this issue.”

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1016203.html

Jewish World Watch (JWW)
16944 Ventura Blvd. Suite 1
Encino, CA 91316
818-501-1836

info@jewishworldwatch.org

Solar Cookers International

1919 21st Street #101
Sacramento, CA 95811, U.S.A. 
T: +1 (916) 455-4499
F: +1 (916) 455-4498
info@solarcookers.org

April 23, 2008, Hai (18) Nissan 5768

Dear Friends,

As Jewish Environmental activists and educators, we have been following your work and others in Africa to bring solar cooking to those in need.  We applaud your activities and encourage visitors and students to support JWW and Solar Cookers International’s efforts.  This is particularly relevant during this Pesach/Passover week when we are all attuned to the Holiday’s themes of freedom and self determination.  Part of the tour in our eco-center includes brewing tea in a solar oven – while adjusting the oven’s direction toward the sun visitors are told the story of how solar ovens save lives of Darfur refugees, and our appreciation of efforts made by your organizations.

Utilization of solar cooking is a component of our 10 week Green Apprenticeship (GA) program.  Students use the CooKit model (sent to us by Solar Cookers to support our education work) that is used in Chad (as well as permanent box and reflector models that they construct).  The weekly (and this evening’s "kosher for Pesach") pot-luck dinner will have many items cooked in solar ovens.  We will also be reviewing the Iridmi report posted by Solar Cookers: most of our graduates become involved in social action activities and this project and report convey in a professional way the challenges and systematic approach in technology transfer and social interaction to achieve success.

In my opinion the webpage Iridimi refugee camp, Chad | Darfur refugees

 http://www.solarcookers.org/programs/iridimi.html is one of the best resources I have ever seen on the internet. In addition to the general information and images, inclusion of the

• PowerPoint Presentation (pdf)
• Frequently asked questions (pdf) (doc)
• August 2006 Solar Cooker Review
• October 2007 audio interview with Iridimi project evaluator and SCI board member Gabriele Simbriger-Williams
• October 2007 project evaluation (pdf)

makes it a powerful education tool and worthy of recognition by the media (this is being bcc’d to Israeli internet reviewers as well).

We incorporate talking about the realities of refugees in Africa while making solar ovens with students – youth visiting for day visits as well as GA.   To improve the program I have a few questions:

1. Students are keen on hearing what is going on "today". Obviously the tragedy continues.  Specifically though is there a 2008 report on the continued use of the solar cookers in camps that have production facilities? I did not find one in either of your websites or in the site of the Darfur Alert Coalition.

2. What does it take to be a JWW Supporting Organization of the Solar Cooker Project?  Can schools, youth organizations and synagogues in Israel, Canada and Europe join as well as the US organizations listed?

3. We have had challenges in finding a "friendly" glue for binding the aluminum to the [recycled] cardboard. In the Iridmi presentation (slide 21) it states that "Gum Arabic is a product from Acacia senegalensis, a tree indigenous to Chad.  The gum makes excellent glue when dissolved in tepid water" We have many acacia trees.  Who can be contacted to learn about the process of extracting the material (sap?) to produce the glue used in Chad?

4. We are particularly fond of building with earth.  I’m sure that a version similar to Oriol Ballin’s cob solar oven will be incorporated in our Green Apprenticeship neighborhood where students live in domes constructed by covering a simple steel geodesic frame with straw bales and earth plaster. Oriol – did you build this oven at the Rocamare Environmental Education center in Catalunya?  Do you have performance data / improvement suggestions to share?

We will be adding the links to http://solarcookers.org/, http://solarcooking.org/  and www.jewishworldwatch.org to our websites.

Thank you again for your work!

Alex

BCC: Eco-Alumni of Center for Creative Ecology, eco-colleagues

Alex Cicelsky

Center for Creative Ecology

a not-for-profit education institute supported by

Amuta Tzel Hatamar, Israel tax exempt no. 580347029

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Here is a great article about Rob Hopkins and the birth and life of Transition Towns and some links, in both he generously shares tons of information. If a community does take up the initiative much support is out there for the wonderful work that this is!

This month’s Ecologist magazine is one of the best editions yet. It contains a superb piece called ‘Power On’ which offers a refreshingly frank assessment of the UK’s energy situation in the light of peak oil and climate change which is essential reading (I’ll link to it when an online version becomes available). It also has a long piece about Transition Initiatives which presents the whole approach in a very positive way. The Ecologist have kindly given us permission to reproduce this article below; Local Hero: Rob Hopkins, Transition Town Totnes. By Ed Hamer. From creating its own currency to relearning lost arts, now one man is helping a community respond to the threat of peak oil.
Totnes is a town rapidly re-branding itself. Renowned as the alternative capital of Britain’s greenest county, the town’s name traditionally conjures images of crystal healing, new age culture, beards and sandals. It may come as a surprise then, that this dreamy pastoral backwater is the location for what has been dubbed ‘the most significant and potentially ground-breaking social experiment of our time’.
Transition Town Totnes, as it has more recently become known, is the first initiative of its kind in the UK attempting to reduce the carbon footprint of an entire community in a way that is imaginative, fun and engaging. Over the next 12– 18 months the project will develop a community-led Energy Descent Action Plan setting out an achievable timetable for reducing the town’s dependency on fossil fuels.
On first impressions you may be forgiven for thinking that Transition Town Totnes is an idealistic proposal reminiscent of the utopian sixties counterculture. You may also believe that our inevitable transition to an oil-free society cannot possibly be cultivated at community level, but instead must be led by industry or government. If this is the case, you will certainly not have attended one of the many talks given across the UK over the past year by the man behind Transition Culture, Rob Hopkins.
Rob is not your average Bohemian Totnesian. He also disarmingly humble considering what he’s achieved since moving here just two years ago. We meet on a drizzly Devonshire afternoon in the Field Kitchen of Riverford organic farm a handful of miles to the west of the town. Rob grins broadly as we sit down with a glass of local Luscombe ginger ale.
‘We came here a few weeks ago for my wedding reception’ he tells me, ‘We held the ceremony at a youth hostel near Totnes, which we all got to by going up the river on a boat’. Eccentric, perhaps; you get the impression however that Rob is the kind of chap who simply lives what he breathes; low impact living.
Rob’s conviction is rooted in the idea that ‘A town simply using much less energy and resources than at present could, if properly planned for and designed, be a more resilient, more abundant and more pleasurable place to live’. His passion is inspired by a pioneering approach which has applied the principles of permaculture design to the inevitability of the peak oil crisis.
The term ‘permaculture’ was developed by Australian ecologists Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970’s, to describe the practice of observing natural ecosystems to identify remedies to man-made problems. Originally applied to agricultural systems (permanent agriculture) the concept was soon adapted to energy efficiency, building design and resource sustainability.
Rob’s first introduction to permaculture came while travelling in India in the early nineties. On returning to the UK he enrolled on a two week permaculture design course after seeing Bill Molllison give a talk in Stroud. ‘I remember being blown away by the realisation that permaculture actually provides us with a toolkit for earth repair. The course and the talk had a big influence on my degree in urban planning at Bristol and has inspired my work ever since’.
Following his graduation Rob moved, with his young family, to Ireland where he began teaching permaculture and pioneered the Practical Sustainability course at Kinsale Further Education College. The course quickly evolved to become the first two-year full time permaculture course in the world. It was while teaching at the college in Kinsale that Rob and his students were introduced to the uncomfortable realities of Peak Oil.
‘The Transition Towns initiative was motivated by my initial sense of shock after first watching the DVD The End of Suburbia and a lecture at the college by Colin Campbell, who wrote The Coming Oil Crisis’ explains Rob. ’We were amazed to discover that no-one anywhere had really been thinking about it that much. Being a permaculture course our immediate response was “right then, what shall we do about it?”’.
Together with his students on the course Rob set about applying the permaculture principles of energy efficiency, resource substitution and redesign on a scale never attempted before. Dividing themselves into working groups they set out to construct an Energy Descent Plan detailing the practical steps required to wean Kinsale from its dependency on fossil fuels.
‘The Kinsale Plan was really a prototype. It wasn’t until after we had published it that the consequences of what we had created began to sink in. People from all over the world were contacting us saying “this is incredible”. I think it shocked a lot of people into realising how desperately unprepared we are to face the challenges ahead’.
Over this period Rob also took personal steps to reduce his own ecological footprint by designing and building his family home. With the help of volunteers, using entirely renewable and locally sourced materials, he constructed the first new-build cob house in Ireland for over 100 years.
The project was followed by thousands of people via an online photo-blog and hailed for demonstrating that affordable rural housing could be provided with minimal building-miles. Tragically however, the house was deliberately destroyed by fire just three months before it was completed.
Such a traumatic incident obviously influenced Robs decision to leave Ireland. However, the wave of community support which followed the fire took him and his family by surprise and inspired a new beginning for the seeds of Transition Culture.
In choosing Totnes as the new home for Energy Descent, Rob recognised the potential offered by town’s unique blend of progressive and alternative culture. ‘What we were looking at developing here in Totnes was a much more thorough and deeper version of what we piloted in Kinsale. Totnes also differs from Kinsale in that the community has been involved throughout the process from the very beginning’.
In line with his unique permaculture approach Rob spent his first year in the town simply observing and raising awareness within the community through a series of film screenings and discussions. ‘The way we showed the films and held discussions was carefully structured, we were fully aware that we couldn’t simply tell someone to watch The End of Suburbia at home, by themselves, and expect them to suddenly start growing carrots the next day’ he laughs.
In September 2006 the project was finally launched with: ‘The official unleashing of Transition Town Totnes’. There followed a series of Open Space events where the community was invited to volunteer their skills and enthusiasm. Within six months working groups had been established to focus on the primary aspects of Transition culture; from energy and healthcare to economics and the arts.
‘Unlocking the collective genius of the community’ is how Rob sees the early stages of Transition. ‘One of the first things we did was to consult the town’s older generations, to ask for their experience and advice on how the town used to function with minimal oil dependency. It is important to remember that this concept is not new, as recently as the second World War Totnes was almost entirely self-sufficient out of necessity’.
As the individual working groups gained momentum, the town began to attract enquiries from communities across the globe wanting to initiate the Transition process in their own villages, towns and cities. ’We didn’t have a template for what we were doing in Totnes’ recalls Rob, ‘so when people started asking us how to actually start the process we had to sit down and think about what we had done’.
The Twelve Steps to Transition was borne as a result, and has since been adopted as a blueprint for Transition Culture.’ The Twelve Steps are really not prescriptive but instead intended as a rough guide, all the different communities who are doing this are interpreting them in their own way, but people seem to find them useful as a starting point’ says Rob.
Undoubtedly the single most ambitious venture to date has been the launch of the town’s independent currency earlier this year. The Totnes Pound was launched in March to emphasise the importance of re-localisation and to encourage people to attribute a value to the local economy. Following a trial period where 300 notes were distributed into circulation, 10,000 one pound notes have now been printed and are accepted by more than seventy businesses throughout the town.
‘The Totnes Pound has really grasped the imagination of the community’ says Rob with boundless enthusiasm, ‘I think it is essential that projects such as this have solid manifestations which people can relate to. It provokes discussion but also sets the framework for a post-industrial society in which local currencies are inevitable’.
Rob is currently working on a book for publication in the spring entitled ‘Small is Inevitable’. Designed as a comprehensive template to the Transition phenomenon Rob uses the book to explore what he calls the ‘Head, Heart and Hands of Energy Descent’.
In an engaging and accessible manner Rob describes the Head as the concepts of peak oil, outlining the arguments for and against localisation and historical examples from a pre-oil dependent society. The Heart refers to the enthusiasm and motivation which already exists within communities and how this can be focused to facilitate change. The Hands are what Rob refers to as ‘the great reskilling’, the practical steps which communities must take to become self-sufficient in food, energy and materials.
‘What the book is really saying is that this change from the grassroots is happening whether you accept it or not, this isn’t a process which comes along with all the answers, it is a process which is about getting people thinking about the right questions’.
Rob’s work has attracted personal commendations from the most unlikely of quarters. In July this year the town’s Conservative MP Anthony Steen used his monthly newspaper column to highlight the importance of the Totnes model and the dangers of complacency regarding peak oil. ‘Rob is clearly very driven by his passion’ says Mr Steen, ‘he has set a precedent which has achieved an enormous amount in a very short time, we are all just waiting to see where it will go from here’.
It is undeniable that Rob’s passion is the catalyst which has sown the seeds of Transition culture, and that he is seen by many as the figurehead of the movement. Although aware of his growing profile Rob remains firmly grounded by more than a decade of working directly with the soil. ‘I seem to be able to inspire others with the way I speak about energy descent’ he says modestly, ‘I prefer to see my role as a promoter of Transition Culture as a positive response to peak oil’.
Transition, it seems, has arrived at a time of change. As Rob points out: ‘The potential of this time is immense and the scale of the challenge is unique, the tools of lobbying, campaigning and protesting are no longer sufficient, Transition effectively provides us with new tools to face new challenges’.
In the last twelve months alone, twenty new Transition initiatives have sprung up across the UK from cities the size of Bristol to tiny rural hamlets. A further ninety are undergoing the initial stages and Rob receives at least two new enquiries every week.
When I ask Rob if the Transition initiative has an ultimate goal or a destination, he hesitates slightly before offering one of his infectiously enthusiastic smiles ‘There are 1000 towns and cities in the UK, 10, 000 villages and twice as many hamlets. Ultimately I have a faith that the ingenuity and resourcefulness that got us up to the top of this peak in the first has the potential to take Transition to every single one of these communities’.
And with that I notice that the rain outside has stopped, the sun is shining and the world suddenly seems a lot brighter.
Copyright: The Ecologist Magazine. Many thanks for permission to reproduce here. Appears in the latest (November) edition.

From: Lucy Steinitz  - HIV/AIES community support in Africa
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Subject: Namibia #211 – How Zimbabweans are coping

Lucy Y. Steinitz & Bernd Kiekebusch
P.O. Box 86266,  Windhoek, Namibia
Lucy (at) steinitz.net

Tel/fax:  (264) – 61- 250-267

There are 11 messages totalling 1010 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Winning bids for Red-Dead studies to be announced later this month  Jordan
     Times
  2. Group of NGOs will push Arab League to adopt uniform policy on climate
     change  Daily Star
  3. Jordan sends fuel prices soaring as part of effort to phase out costly
     subsidies  Daily Star
  4. Environment Ministry fund to protect environment, spur economic growth
     Jordan Times
  5. Programme to revive deteriorating badia ecosystem  Jordan Times
  6. Energy-efficient practices to save cut hospital costs Jordan Times
  7. Work starts on $22bn carbon-neutral city in Abu Dhabi  Arrab Environment
     Monitor
  8. Recycle your city campaign in Saudi Arabia  Arab Environment Monitor
  9. Stay off this list  Haaretz
 10. Clearing the pine tree’s name  Haaretz
 11. Scooter-maker Piaggio set to begin electric car sales in one month
     Haaretz

———————————————————————-

Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:09:50 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Winning bids for Red-Dead studies to be announced later this month  Jordan Times

Winning bids for Red-Dead studies to be announced later this month  Jordan Times
Feb 15/08
By Hana Namrouqa

AMMAN – The winning bids for the Red-Dead Water Conveyance Project feasibility
study and environmental assessment will be announced later this month and the
studies will be under way by early March, a senior water official said
Thursday.

“The concerned parties will study offers of pre-qualified companies next week
and will then announce the winning bids,” Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed
Abu Saud told reporters yesterday during a press conference on the project’s
developments.

Early next month, the government, represented by the Ministry of Planning and
International Cooperation, will sign the implementation agreement with the
World Bank, according to Abu Saud.

A total of six companies from the US, Germany, Canada, France and Italy were
pre-qualified to carry out the feasibility study in cooperation with local
consultants. Four other firms from the US, the Netherlands, Italy and the UK
were short-listed for conducting the environmental assessment.

“The two projects will take two years to complete at a cost of $15 million.
Based on the results, we will continue with the technical studies and float
tenders for designing the project,” Abu Saud said.

The $2-4 billion Red-Dead Canal project is part of international efforts to save
the Dead Sea, which has been dropping at the rate of one metre per year, largely
due to the diversion of water from the Jordan River for agricultural and
industrial use.

During the past 20 years alone, it has plunged more than 30 metres, with experts
warning that it could dry up within 50 years.

Due to the water level drop, the sea’s surface area has shrunk by about 33 per
cent over the last 55 years with an average annual inflow decrease from 1,200
million cubic metres (mcm) to around 250mcm of water.

“The project is a regional venture that mainly focuses on salvaging the
shrinking Dead Sea, which is considered a world heritage site. Therefore,
several international donors have shown interest in supporting the project,”
Abu Saud said.

The minister added that the environment-focused project seeks to pump one
billion cubic metres annually with the aim of raising the water levels from 408
to 315 metres below sea level.

Responding to environmentalists concerned that pumping water to the Dead Sea
could change its unique ecosystem, Abu Saud said the volume of annual pumping
to the Dead Sea will be controlled and calculated, highlighting that upcoming
studies will reveal whether the project is economically and environmentally
feasible.

The project, which will alleviate the pressure on renewable and nonrenewable
water resources in the region by providing about 850mcm of potable water
annually, entails the construction of a 200-kilometre canal from Aqaba on the
Red Sea to the Dead Sea.

The canal, to be built along the border with Israel in Wadi Araba, will generate
electricity as water will be drawn from the Red Sea, 170 metres above sea level,
and then released into the Dead Sea, which lies 400 metres below sea level.

Additional advantages in the secondary stage will include a hydroelectric
power-generating project and a desalination plant expected to produce 850mcm of
potable water to be divided between Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian
Authority.
http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=5700

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:10:24 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Group of NGOs will push Arab League to adopt uniform policy on climate change  Daily Star

Group of NGOs will push Arab League to adopt uniform policy on climate change
Daily Star
By Michael Bluhm
Tuesday, February 12, 2008

BEIRUT: The Arab Climate Network will take its first step this week in creating
a united Arab policy on climate change, as network co-founder Wael Hmaidan
leaves for Jordan to talk with environmental non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) about joining the network. Hmaidan, the executive director of NGO
IndyAct, will travel from Morocco to Bahrain during the coming six months to
get regional NGOs – and their countries’ governments – on board with the
platform backed by environmental groups worldwide to fight the effects of
climate change, he told The Daily Star on Monday.

The network’s plans for 2008 will focus largely on getting the Arab League to
sign on to plans for cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions and developing renewable
energy, at an extraordinary league session at the end of the year dedicated to
development and economic issues, he added.

Hmaidan and the NGOs will face considerable obstacles in making Arabs
environmentally friendly, with many Arab countries explicitly reluctant to
reduce the world’s dependence on oil. A 2006 study ranked Saudi Arabia as the
nation with the world’s worst policies and positions on climate change, Hmaidan
said.

Saudi Arabia was "one of the most destructive countries" during negotiations
over the Kyoto Protocol, as the Saudis proposed linking implementation of
emissions cuts to compensation for countries which extract fossil fuels.

"It’s worse than the US," he said. "If you look at who’s hindering a serious
climate agreement, it’s Saudi Arabia.

"What they’re not ready to accept is the loss of political power they will face
if the world will not be addicted to their oil," Hmaidan added.

Aside from political and economic concerns, the fledgling network also wants to
make Arab people, not just NGOs and bureaucrats, aware of the importance of
climate issues, Hmaidan said.

For example, the United Arab Emirates leaves the world’s largest carbon
footprint, consuming more natural resources per capita than any other nation,
according to a 2004 report by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.

Aside from the damage being done by people here to the environment, the region
also stands to suffer greatly form the expected effects of climate change,
Hmaidan said. The Middle East scarce water supply could well dry up further and
strike a blow to the agricultural sector, he added.

"It’s going to have a very big effect on the Middle East," said Layla
al-Zubaidi, director of the Middle East office of the Heinrich Boll Foundation,
which is paying for some of the network’s travel expenses. "There’s going to be
less water, really severe consequences."

"What we would like to accomplish is raising awareness in the Arab public," said
Zubaidi, adding that many organizations are projecting water use for coming
years based on resources that might not be there.

Against that bleak backdrop, the NGOs of the Arab Climate Network will endeavor
to have the Arab League endorse policies such as stabilizing greenhouse-gas
emissions by 2015 and cutting them by 50-80 percent by 2050, Hmaidan said.

These goals tie in to the latest round of global negotiations in climate change,
known as the Bali accord. In Bali, nations agreed to draft a text of a climate
agreement by 2009, which would come into effect if enough nations ratify the
deal by 2012.

Bali is "our last chance to actually have a global commitment to solving climate
change," Hmaidan said. "If by 2012 we don’t get a treaty, we’ll not be able to
stabilize greenhouse-gas emissions by 2015. We need to stabilize greenhouse
gases by 2015 … to avoid catastrophic impacts. We still have time to avoid
catastrophic climate-change impacts."

Hmaidan helped establish the Arab Climate Network with the idea that Arab NGOs,
pushing a unified agenda, can have greater influence on their governments than
each NGO working alone and independently, he said. In addition, if the network
of NGOs convince Arab League to adopt their agenda for Bali, that would add 23
countries to those supporting the treaty and enhance its chances for
acceptance, he added.

"What we’ve realized is that to really influence the Arab League’s position on
climate change, we can’t work alone," Hmaidan said. "We need the policy of the
Arab world to change, to make sure that they adopt or push the right content."

"There aren’t enough NGOs working on climate change," he added. "In Africa there
are more people working on climate policy than in the Arab world."

Some 10 NGOs have expressed an interest in the network, and Hmaidan hopes to
approach 30 to 40 Arab NGOs during the next six months, he said.

In addition to raising awareness of climate issues and lobbying governments, the
network also aims to share expertise on the issues with Arab civil society and
civil servants, he added.

With those statistics and facts, the network hopes to get the Arab League at
least to accept responsibility for addressing climate change.

The Kyoto Protocol gave developing nations such as Arab countries a free pass,
requiring emissions cuts only for developed nations. The network, however,
wants Arab states to acknowledge their role in climate change, in order that
they could then move to cut emissions, tax fossil fuels or encourage other
developing nations to lessen their carbon footprints, Hmaidan added.

The network’s policy prescription relies on renewable energy sources – such as
solar and wind power – to replace much of the power generated by fossil fuels,
while rejecting nuclear energy and carbon-capture and storage technology, he
said. For example, solar technology could meet all of the world’s energy needs
if it covered 1 percent of the Arab world’s deserts – about 500 kilometers by
500 kilometers, Hmaidan said.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=88884

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——————————

Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:11:59 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Jordan sends fuel prices soaring as part of effort to phase out costly subsidies  Daily Star

Jordan sends fuel prices soaring as part of effort to phase out costly subsidies
 Daily Star
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Saturday, February 09, 2008

AMMAN: The Jordanian government on Friday announced an immediate increase in
fuel prices, some of which will jump 76 percent, as Amman phases out subsidies.
In a statement it said domestic fuel and kerosene prices had been raised by 76.1
percent from Friday with gasoline prices climbing 3 percent, 9 percent and 33
percent depending on quality.

As a temporary winter measure, Amman will maintain a subsidy on bottled gas
until April 1 although the price has been increased by 53 percent, from 4.25 to
6.50 dinars ($9.15 ).

Economists expect that from April the price will jump to around 10 dinars.

Last month Prime Minister Nader Dahabi said during the budget debate that to
alleviate problems faced by Jordanians, salaries would be increased and
backdated to January 1.

This covered salaries for all public-sector employees, civilians and military,
as well as those on pensions, with direct financial help going to the poorest
workers in the private sector.

"These increases are between $63 to $70 a month for the public sector, and with
a range of $150 to $220 a month for those families whose annual income is
$1,000 or less," a government minister, not wishing to be named, told AFP at
the time.

Some families have to survive on part-time work, paid at a lower rate than the
minimum monthly wage of $155 for full-time employment.

The increases and other measures will reach some 60 percent of Jordan’s
population of 5.8 million.

MPs and political parties, particularly the influential opposition Islamic
Action Front, had been warning against rising prices which they said could
"constitute a real catastrophe."  They have also warned that price freedom
would "lead to social tensions that will be difficult to control."

Jordanians still have memories of violent riots in April 1989 that broke out in
the south after a rise in prices, that resulted in 12 deaths. Other riots
erupted in 1996 after bread prices rose, although there were no casualties then
and the situation was quickly brought under control.

Jordan has seen a series of sit-ins and demonstrations against the
liberalization of fuel prices.

The country used to be fully dependent on neighboring Iraq for its fuel supplies
which Baghdad supplied at a preferential price. But since the US-led invasion of
2003, Amman has had to buy its supplies at the market rate.

As a result, the kingdom has already increased fuel prices five times, and the
latest budget has freed prices for the commodity, ending an era of government
subsidies.

In another measure to help the poorest sector the government has decided to
exempt 13 basic necessities from tax, including milk, the price of which has
jumped 40 percent. – AFP
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=3&article_id=88813

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:12:41 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Environment Ministry fund to protect environment, spur economic growth  Jordan Times

Environment Ministry fund to protect environment, spur economic growth  Jordan
Times
By Hana Namrouqa

AMMAN – The establishment of the Environment Protection Fund is underway and it
is expected to start financing environment-friendly projects later this year,
Minister of Environment Khalid Irani said on Tuesday.

The new initiative will benefit private sector projects that comply with
environmental regulations and support entrepreneurs with environment-friendly
projects, Irani said, adding that the fund’s draft regulations will be ready by
next month.

The minister made his remarks yesterday during the signing of a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) between the ministry and the USAID-funded Sustainable
Achievement of Business Expansion and Quality Program (SABEQ) concerning
programmes that protect the environmental and boost the Kingdom’s economic
growth.

Irani said the MoU will help the ministry bring its organisational performance,
inspections and licensing procedures up to international standards.

“The ministry and SABEQ are finalising regulations governing environmental
activities and future projects in the country to improve the environment and
achieve economic growth,” Irani told reporters.

Through the fund, the ministry will not only receive applications, but propose
environment-friendly economic ventures as well, Irani noted.

The fund’s board of directors will include representatives from the private and
public sectors in order to ensure transparency, the minister said, adding that
it will be financed through the earnings of projects of selling carbon dioxide
to industrial countries.

Such projects include the Greater Amman Municipality’s biogas project at the
Ruseifa landfill, the Aqaba Thermal Station, the Samra Electric Power
Generating Company and a project that will sell carbon dioxide generated from
the Rihab Electricity Generating Plant in Mafraq to a US company.

These projects along with others are expected to generate 100 million euros in
the next five years, the minister pointed out, noting that 15 per cent of the
profits will be channelled back into the fund.

USAID/SABEQ Programme Chief Rodrigo Ortiz said establishing the fund sends a
message to industries that compliance to environment regulations is important
for Jordan.

Meanwhile, USAID Mission Director Jay Knott said the MoU will continue USAID’s
support to improve the Kingdom’s environment and contribute to sustainable
development.

SABEQ is a five-year broad economic development initiative implemented by
international and Jordanian partner firms.
http://www.jordantimes.com/index.php?news=5651

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:17:03 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Programme to revive deteriorating badia ecosystem  Jordan Times

Programme to revive deteriorating badia ecosystem  Jordan Times
By Hana Namrouqa

The initiative seeks to protect and support biological diversity in the badia
and revitalise plants, animals and soil (Photo courtesy of the Ministry of
Environment)

AMMAN – Agriculture and environment experts as well local residents on Wednesday
discussed future projects to be implemented in the badia to improve its
deteriorating ecosystem and enhance local living standards.

Participants also held a workshop to discuss means to support badia cattle
breeding, all part of the Badia Wildlife Rehabilitation Programme.

The programme is a national initiative, implemented by the Ministry of
Environment and the Hashemite Fund for Badia Development (HFBD), which seeks to
protect and support biological diversity in the badia and revitalise plants,
animals and soil.

The programme also looks to develop and implement socio-economic projects that
secure badia cattle breeders a sustainable source of income and conserve water
to improve pastures.

The initiative will be financed through the United Nations Compensation
Committee.

Following the 1991 Gulf War, the Kingdom’s water, environment, wildlife, marine
life and agriculture sustained damages. Consequently, the country presented the
incurred damages to the committee in 1998, which decided in 2005 to grant $160.5
million in compensation and $1.4 million to tackle the salinity of the Kingdom’s
underground water basins.

Minister of Environment Khalid Irani said the programme mainly focuses on
returning the badia’s ecosystem to its status before 1990 and tackles the
negative consequences of random grazing and wildlife deterioration.

“Regaining natural elements of the badia cannot be achieved without linking it
to improving the living standards of cattle breeders and badia residents,
therefore several projects will target improving living standards,” Irani said
yesterday in his opening address at the event.

Meanwhile, HFBD adviser Sharifa Zein Bint Naser highlighted the importance of
the workshop in identifying mechanisms to develop the cattle industry in the
badia.

“Livestock notably contributes to the country’s development process. It is vital
to enhance the production of this sector, improve pastures and to prevent random
grazing,” Sharifa Zein said yesterday at the workshop.

Residents of the northern, central and southern badia rely on cattle breeding,
necessitating the formation of a national plan that includes income-generating
projects, she added.
http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=5684

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:18:11 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Energy-efficient practices to save cut hospital costs Jordan Times

Energy-efficient practices to save cut hospital costs Jordan Times

AMMAN (JT) – Several private hospitals recently received training on how to cut
energy and water costs in an effort to concentrate funding on medical treatment
and staff.

The workshops, which were organised by USAID-funded Sustainable Achievement of
Business and Expansion Program (SABEQ), focused on increasing awareness and
understanding of the role Research and Development (R&D) can play in lowering
operational costs and improving hospital services.

In an introductory workshop held on Tuesday targeting several private hospitals,
USAID/SABEQ and private sector firm Energy Management Services (EMS) presented
ideas on how R&D can be applied to hospital daily services.

Workshop facilitators trained participants in methodology to assist institutions
to become energy and water efficient and environment-friendly.

The methods include energy and water audits to determine where changes can be
made to reduce energy and water use in order to lower operational costs.

The workshop suggested measures such as switching to energy efficient lights and
better water management practices, which use considerably less energy and water.

Energy and water audits previously conducted on hospitals showed that health
providers could save 15 per cent on energy and water bills with adapted
systems, according to SABEQ. The new systems also have a payback period ranging
between 1-2 years, they added.

At the closing of the workshop, participants completed a questionnaire regarding
current energy and water consumption of their hospitals. Depending on the
information, around four hospitals will be selected and provided with a
detailed auditing service conducted by EMS, through SABEQ.

R&D support is one of USAID/SABEQ’s priorities, with the purpose of encouraging
and supporting innovation and job creation.

“R&D is important because it enables companies to solve their technical
problems, develop new products, new techniques and processes,” SABEQ R&D sector
lead Isam Mustafa noted.

“To be more competitive in both national and international markets, it is time
that Jordanian establishments consider R&D a major part of business
operations,” Mustafa added.

SABEQ is a five-year broad economic development initiative implemented by
international and Jordanian partner firms. By supporting improvements in the
business environment and providing assistance to expand innovation and
productivity in Jordanian businesses, it supports the Kingdom’s economic
growth.
http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=5704

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:21:08 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Work starts on $22bn carbon-neutral city in Abu Dhabi  Arrab Environment Monitor

Work starts on $22bn carbon-neutral city in Abu Dhabi  Arrab Environment Monitor
Source: Financial Times  February 10 2008
 By Simeon Kerr in Dubai

Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy initiative, Masdar, has laid the cornerstone of its
carbon-neutral, waste-free city, saying it will invest $22bn in the hope that
the project becomes a blueprint for sustainable development around the world.

Oil-rich Abu Dhabi said it was committing $15bn (€10.3bn, £7.7bn) into a broad
range of alternative energy projects beyond Masdar City, such as solar and
hydrogen power plants and solar panel manufacturing sites.

Foster & Partners architects will design the car-free city, housing 50,000
residents by 2016. Masdar’s research institute, founded in partnership with the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will be located in the 6.5 sq km
development that aims to turn into an alternative energy cluster for 1,500
­businesses.

“Masdar City will become the world’s hub for future energy,” said Sultan
al-Jaber, Masdar’s chief executive. “By taking sustainable development and
living to a new level, it will lead the world in understanding how all future
cities should be built.”

The UAE capital is seeking to meet rising utilities demand while also developing
expertise in renewable energy that will safeguard the emirate’s influence in the
energy business once oil runs out. The city aims to address the inefficient
water use, round-the-clock air conditioning and car-obsessed culture, which
have combined to give the UAE one of the world’s worst environmental records.

By blending waste management with renewable technologies such as solar and wind
power, Masdar says the city will use 75 per cent less electricity and less than
half the amount of water of conventional cities, saving the equivalent of $2bn
in oil costs over 25 years.

The city will need “virtually no landfill” for waste.

To maximise energy efficiency, the city’s narrow thoroughfares will draw on the
traditional architecture of the old walled towns of the Middle East. Carbon
emissions saved by these techniques will then be monetised through carbon
credits under the Kyoto Protocol’s clean development mechanism.
posted by Batir Wardam
http://www.arabenvironment.net/archive/2008/2/466634.html

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:21:22 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Recycle your city campaign in Saudi Arabia  Arab Environment Monitor

Recycle your city campaign in Saudi Arabia  Arab Environment Monitor
Lulwa Shalhoub, Arab News  Monday 11.2.2008

JEDDAH — People in Saudi Arabia are not yet familiar with the three-curved-arrow
logo that indicates that a plastic or paper container can be recycled, a recent
poll by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) employees showed.

To raise awareness on environmental issues, a group of environmental activists
gathered recently to organize a campaign under the title “Recycle Your City”.

“Jeddah is a dirty city,” said Noura Al-Turki, a founding member of the
campaign. “We have sewage problems. Trash is everywhere. We have a problem in
waste management and so we need to solve these problems first before telling
people about recycling. Recycling seems very trivial to the local people
compared to better trash removal.”

Other founding members of the campaign are: Mariam Baydoun, Suhaila Baarma,
Anwar Abul Khair, Khaikha Bakerman, Moath Al-Dabbagh, Nuha Mahdi and Nour
Fityani. The drive gathered momentum after Al-Turki connected with an online
group of environmental activists led by Fityani to organize recycling program
at the JCCI under the aegis of its Environmental Committee. The members of the
drive are pushing for a municipal recycling program, including having special
bins for recyclables.

The awareness campaign is set to launch tomorrow with a speech by Jeddah Mayor
Adel Fakieh on recycling as a solution to the solid waste management.

The campaign aims to implement the program first through educating the public on
relevant matters to starting a recycling program, such as citizens separating
glass, plastic and cardboard from the rest of their trash. The first phase in
this process is for offices and schools to develop an internal system to
support the campaign, said Al-Turki, specifically mentioning recycling paper
waste.

“Usually organizations sign contracts with recycling companies. The problem is
that the employees at these organizations do not have necessary awareness to
put their paper waste in separate bins. What we do is we start the campaign
internally so the employees would start sorting their trash and use recycling
bins (for reclaimable paper),” Al-Turki said.

The reason for focusing initially on paper recycling is that paper is the most
common waste. Al-Turki said that the group is going for a high-impact recycling
program first. Later, other forms of recycling could be phased in. Recycling
programs in Europe, for example, provide separate bins for plastic, glass and
paper waste — and recycling is mandatory there: Citizens are subject to
municipal fines for not sorting out their garbage.

Al-Turki says that any recycling program would require government support and
advocacy. “We also need local support from the government, private companies
and recycling companies,” she said. “We need the local governments to put in
place the necessary infrastructure to have recyclables picked up from homes.”

The group members hope that this campaign does not pass off as a temporary
event. They aim to make it an active environmental movement. “The problem is
that there is no coordination between the different efforts in this field. Once
we are linked we could have a stronger voice and a better impact,” she said.

Those who are interested to participate in the campaign could send their
information to recycle@jcci.org.sa
posted by Batir Wardam
http://www.arabenvironment.net/archive/2008/2/466624.html

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:22:06 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Stay off this list  Haaretz

 Stay off this list  Haaretz
By Zafrir Rinat

Not far from Rosh Hanikra is a rather standard-looking slope that does not look
especially impressive or interesting, but it is home to a plant found nowhere
else in Israel.

This is the only place where the five-leaved sumac (Rhus pentaphylla) has
survived. All it would take to make it extinct is road work or waste dumping.
This site is not defined as a nature reserve, and the plant itself is not on
the list of legally protected species.

But now, the five-leaved sumac has a chance of winning more attention, and
perhaps protection as well: The first volume of "The Red List of Threatened
Species," documenting plants in Israel that are in danger of extinction, has
been completed.

It was initiated by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature, which publishes Red Lists of plants and
animals in danger of extinction and includes recommendations to save them. The
book, the first of two volumes, was written with help from experts and
plant-lovers Professor Avi Shmida and Dr. Gadi Pollak. The second volume is set
to be published soon.

Extinct via tractor

"A Red List is a key term in nature conservation," says Shmida. "This is the
national list of plants and animals that every country puts at the top of its
priorities for preservation."

According to the new list, nearly every fifth plant species in Israel is in
danger of extinction – 413 out of the 2,388 species of wild plants. Thirty-six
species are already extinct in Israel. Altogether, some 400 species exist at
less than 10 sites, and of them, 76 species, like the five-leaved sumac, can be
found at only one site. "A tractor can destroy a single site and make the plant
extinct in Israel," notes "The Red List."

Relative to its size, Israel is one of the richest countries in the world in
terms of plant and animal varieties, because of the different landscapes and
geographic regions. The high percentage of species in danger of extinction is
not surprising, given the population density, construction and environmental
pollution.

"Most of the species that are endangered or already extinct are from the valley
and the coastal plain regions, the places with the most extensive development
and agriculture," says Shmida. "There is a trio of founding botanists whom we
call ‘EIZAF’ (Alexander Eig, Michael Zohary and Naomi Feinbrun.) One of them,
Alexander Eig, described a rare plant in the Jezreel Valley called Bellevalia
warburgii. Today this plant is almost extinct."

The guiding rule for "The Red List" is that not everything that is beautiful, or
even currently protected by law, is necessarily in danger. Many plants in
critical danger are not on the list of legally protected plants. However, the
"Red List" does include species like narcissi and tulips, which can be found
widely in Israel and are not at risk. In the book’s introduction, Dr. Uzi Paz
notes that the plants included on the list of protected wildflowers do not face
extinction, but are in danger of being picked because of their beauty.

Dubious honor

"The Red List" determines the degree of danger that plants face based on
measures including rarity, vulnerability (the rate of disappearance of the
plant population or its ecosystem) and attractiveness (a plant that man has a
motive for exploiting). The measures are weighted on a scale of 1 to 10.

"This is an accessible and open book and it can serve the Nature and Parks
Authority as well as real estate industry members," notes Shmida. "If he wants
to build at a certain location and is told that there is a rare plant there, he
can open the book and prove this plant can be found in many other places."

One of the leading plants on "The Red List" is the Astragalus oocephalus. It has
earned a worrying score of 7.4 because it grows in only two locations, in an
ecosystem that is very vulnerable. Near it on the list is one of the most
popular plants among hikers, the coastal iris (Iris atropurpurea). It has won
this dubious honor even though it can be found at 51 sites. The reason for this
is that it grows on red loam and coarse sand hills in the coastal area, nearly
all of which are threatened by construction plans. Another major reason is that
the plant exists only in Israel. Another plant, Rothschild’s dock (Rumex
rothschildianus) is less attractive in appearance but is even rarer, and has
survived at a small number of sites in the coastal sands.

The common myrtle (Myrtus communis) is also on the list of endangered species.
The plant remains at 49 sites, and it is in danger of being cut down and picked
for the holiday of Sukkot, when it is used for ritual purposes.

The list also includes plants that exist in many other countries but are rare in
Israel. "The yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) is found in every canal in
Holland but it is very rare in Israel. It is customary internationally that
each country conserves the plants that are in its territory," explains Shmida,
addressing the 7.4 given to this iris.

However, some stories in this bleak book arouse hope. It includes plants
considered extinct that were recently rediscovered, such as the corn violet
(Legousia hybrida), which was discovered on the Maon Ridge near Hebron six
years ago by Dr. Oz Golan.

"The Red List" includes recommendations for conserving plants. Some of them,
like allocating large areas as nature reserves, will be difficult to implement
in a country that desperately needs lands for development. However, it also
contains recommendations that are simpler to carry out, including relocating
plants to more protected sites, reducing the presence of flocks of sheep and
goats, blocking entrance to all-terrain vehicles, fencing off particularly
vulnerable areas and forbidding the use of pesticides.

Israeli botanists would also rejoice at the establishment of relations with
neighboring countries like Syria and Lebanon. They hope to learn from their
colleagues there whether plants that are on the brink of extinction in Israel
have managed to survive just a few kilometers away.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/951552.html

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:24:10 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Clearing the pine tree’s name  Haaretz

 Clearing the pine tree’s name  Haaretz
By Eli Ashkenazi

A stunning carpet of hail covered the earth from Wednesday night through noon
the following day in the Kfar Hahoresh forest. A car stopped suddenly, and out
stepped four forestation experts.

They entered the wood, their eyes trained on the treetops – pines, oaks,
pistachios and cypresses – and then bent down to see the vegetation on the
ground – a carpet of cyclamens ready to bloom, mandrakes and various kinds of
grass. They gave every tree a thorough analysis. For them, this site is a
convincing argument against the bad name that pine forests have earned.

"While the man-made forest is still alive, the next forest is being formed
within it, and it is different from the mother forest in many respects," says
Dr. Yagil Osem, a plant researcher at the Volcani Institute. "This is an
intriguing story for afforestation, environment and science."

The first pine forests in Israel, particularly Jerusalem pine, were planted in
the 1930s.

"Initially, the afforestation enterprise saw man as the center, and its goals
were to provide for him," Osem explains. "It sought to rehabilitate landscapes
destroyed by over-exploitation, after trees had been chopped down, herds had
grazed and fires had raged. Those in charge of afforestation at that time had
socio-political considerations such as creating employment and recreation
sites, maintaining ownership, and even supporting the wood industry."

The destroyed landscapes left behind by the Ottoman Empire, combined with the
planters’ meager knowledge of local species such as the oak, turned the
afforestation enterprise toward the pine tree.

"That was a revolution," says Osem. "Suddenly they could set up a forest on
marginal lands. For the pioneers, who came from Europe and wanted some familiar
scenery, the pine needles were perfect, psychologically speaking."

However, over the years, the pine forests became the focus of attacks and scorn,
and the tree soon became identified with Jewish National Fund forests. The
monotonous pine landscape, which appeared to have been copied and pasted all
over the Galilee, the coast, the Jerusalem hills and the northern Negev, was
poorly received by nature lovers who wanted to see local species and groves
indigenous to the Land of Israel.

"Pine tree deserts" is how they angrily described these conifers, under which it
seemed like nothing would grow. Some even were happy to see that during the
Second Lebanon War, thousands of dunams were burned in the northern Galilee.
Critics said the pine forests did not allow the natural flora to renew itself,
and replaced it with an unnatural forest – conifers that were too close
together and too sensitive to fire, and which suppressed wild saplings to the
point of eliminating diversity.

The argument over the pine forests becomes even more intense regarding the
northern Negev.

"The ecological argument intensifies here," Osem says, "since the desert
afforestation is based largely on imported species, and this creates an extreme
environmental change. This is a confrontation between the classic ecological
viewpoint of preserving the natural desert environment and an act of
afforestation that is considered to be against nature. At the same time, some
consider this an important act in terms of settlement, encouraging tourism and
lowering local temperatures."

Osem says most of the pine forests in Israel come from seeds brought from the
western Mediterranean and North Africa. These seeds are not perfectly suited to
the longer summer, drier conditions and higher temperatures here, and this is
apparently one of the reasons why many of these forests have perished.

Massive renewal

However, a recent survey of vegetation underneath the pine trees, from the
northern Negev to the upper Galilee, indicate different conclusions, clearing
the name of the vilified pine. "The survey shows we are undergoing a massive
process of undergrowth renewal," Osem announces. "The claim of ‘pine deserts’
was correct for a certain period," he says. "Now, 50 or 60 years after that
massive tree planting [enterprise], we see the picture has changed."

Osem believes people feel put off by the pine trees because in the 1970s and
1980s, the forests were still young and too closely planted, and the
undergrowth was still repressed.

"Now the next generation of forest is beginning," he says. "It is local and
diversified. The first generation is about to end its life and the next
generation is beginning, through natural regeneration, trees that survived and
underwent selection. The forest is adapting itself to its surroundings."

Suheil Zidan, a JNF forestation expert, says: "Now, after 60 years of
afforestation, we see that the forest has improved the ground and pastures,
created green lungs, brought in new growth such as mushrooms, and expanded
diversity. No less important, it has also attracted day-trippers who would not
have reached those areas and enjoyed these archaeological sites, were it not
for the forests."

"Now we are seeing a process of selection through natural renewal," Osem says.
"Trees that survived the selection process spread their seeds. The forest thus
adapts itself to the region. The assumption is that after several generations,
the forest will have adapted to its environment. A generation for a pine is 80
to 100 years. The approach today is that the forest’s natural processes will
create the next forest, a diversified, local forest."

Sheli Ben-Yishai, the Nazareth region forester, cites the Balfour Forest, near
Migdal Ha’emek, and says, "This is a very old forest of Jerusalem pines; it was
planted by the British Mandate government’s afforestation department in the
1930s, by the founders of Kibbutz Ginegar. You can see the diversity that has
sprung up there."

As the tour of the Kfar Horesh forest continues, JNF employee Michael Weinberger
says: "In places where forests were planted on the remnants of natural groves,
we see that those remnants have begun to flourish."

Ben-Yishai points to a part of the forest where many pines died of an illness.
Next to the tree stumps he notes oak and pistachio saplings. "The
desertification claims are not correct," he says, as if he himself had been
defamed, not the pines.

It seems these four people are trying to return the pine to the pioneering role
it held during the heyday of the afforestation enterprise.

"In order to reach a diversified forest, which is what we are aiming at today,
we must start with a pioneering forest, a forest that grows quickly and creates
a canopy for undergrowth, which is the next generation of the forest," says
Zidan.

Bursting potential

Now that the forest is beginning to open up, they say, its potential – which had
been lying in wait, or brought in by animals – is bursting forth.

At the same time, Osem stresses that scientifically, there is still an argument
over the extent to which pine contributes to establishing undergrowth. "Some
papers show it encourages the development of the undergrowth, while others show
it curbs it," he says.

Nevertheless, all four agree that intervention is needed in order to create a
diversified forest. "Area management," they call it – the forest must be
thinned, trees must be pruned, partition lines created and grazing animals
brought in to cut down on grass, and thus also reduce the risk of fire.

The four discuss a tall oak among the pines. "It competes with them for light
and grows quickly," says Weinberger. "The pines have created a sleeve for it."

"I salute the generation that planted the forests," says Zidan. "Through their
actions, they left all the options in our hands, even the option of arguing."

Osem addresses the pines: "They left us all the options open," he says. "No
irreversible damage was created, and today we can take things in whatever
direction we wish."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/951553.html

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Date:    Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:24:15 -0500
From:    "Prof. Stuart Schoenfeld" <schoenfe@YORKU.CA>
Subject: Scooter-maker Piaggio set to begin electric car sales in one month  Haaretz

Scooter-maker Piaggio set to begin electric car sales in one month  Haaretz
By Daniel Schmil, TheMarker

Scooter maker Piaggio will be the first company to market an electric car in
Israel. Sales are set to begin in about a month, three years before the
expected launch of Shai Agassi’s electric car initiative. Figaro’s Porter model
is a small multipurpose van (MPV) that runs on an electric 12 or 14 horsepower
engine that can reach a maximum speed of 58 km/h.

These qualities, along with the vehicle’s short length of 3.37 meters, make it
suitable only for urban use. The car is able to run for 250 kilometers on a
full battery charge that takes just two hours. The battery can be charged with
normal home outlets.

The lightweight MPV will be the first to enjoy the tax breaks offered by the
green taxation commission. A spokesman for the company said the firm has won
approval in principle for a purchase tax rate of just 10% even before the green
tax law is passed in the Knesset, bringing the cost to consumers to NIS 120,000.

The Porter will be sold in Israel in five models including the passenger model
(with four seats), the closed commercial model with a payload capacity of 560
kg, and two open deck models, with or without a tipper bar, making them
suitable for light earthworks transport.

The gas-fueled model, with it’s 1.3-liter Daihatsu engine, will also be
introduced to Israel. Later this year Piaggio’s two-seater, 500 cc diesel
engine m500 model will also be hitting the market here. Its importer, Alon
Motors, says that the vehicle will run on 30 km per liter. Alon Motors is a
subsidiary of Alon Garages, which specializes in commercial vehicles. They
expect annual sales of these to reach 800 per year.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/951918.html

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End of MIDEASTENVIRONET Digest – 15 Feb 2008 to 16 Feb 2008 (#2008-13)
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