Story By Katharina Hoeftmann Ciobotaru Thousands of white pelicans came to Israel over the weekend for a stopover on their annual trek to warmer climates. About 50,000 pelicans migrate through Israel from mid-August to November to get to their winter quarters in Africa. They stay in the country for a short time before flying into the… […]
By Katharina Hoeftmann Ciobotaru According to research by Haaretz newspaper, some experts at the Environment Ministry believe that sea levels in the country will rise by up to one meter by 2050 due to climate change. So far, the Israeli government has largely ignored this issue. Researchers at the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institution… […]
An Ecological Village or ecovillage is defined as a community with the goal of becoming more socially, culturally, economically and ecologically sustainable. These villages strive to produce the least possible negative impact on the natural environment through intentional design and ways of living. Clil, Adama, and Kadita are some of larger villages located in the… […]
Tel Aviv University researchers have uncovered why locusts form destructive swarms. Known as the eighth of ten plagues that hit Egypt when the Israelites were enslaved in the book of Exodus, swarms of locusts have destroyed crops and caused famines. In search of the answer to what causes the normally harmless and solitary insects to… […]
Despite Israel’s newly announced dedication to counteract climate change, its implementation is questionable. A new plan, proposed by the Environmental Protection Ministry focuses on the afforestation of street trees and has set a 2.5 billion shekel budget to plant 450,000 trees in 100 cities over the next 20 years. The aim is to provide shade… […]
âI canât really save the Dead Sea. Yeah, Iâm not a doctor, itâs dying. I canât save it, but I can help preserve it through art. Because something dying doesnât mean itâs dead yet. Thereâs new life being formed here. Itâs still a very, very significant place.â This starts the quest of Ari Leon Fruchter,… […]
The Ministry of Health has launched the Green Pass, which is essentially an approval card for people who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19. The pass, while some question its legality, is, for now, allowing some limited cultural events to take place. After about a year of the economic shutdown, there is a… […]
The worst oil spill to date has marred at least 40% of Israelâs coastline. About sixteen towns over 106 miles situated along the Mediterranean Sea have been impacted by an undocumented oil spill that released dozens of tons of oil into the sea. Since last Wednesday, black tar is washing up along the shorelines, and… […]
After only a couple of months of a wet winter, Israelâs typically neutral-colored landscapes burst into color during February, known as the month when the wildflowers bloom across forests and fields. The third national lockdown ended in perfect timing to witness natureâs cycle, as Israelis flowed to their favorite spots to seek and find the… […]
With ongoing public unrest about how big business is harming the environment, Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel is starting to take a stronger public stand to ensure Israel becomes sustainable, and that the precious resources of our environment are indeed protected. Known oil company, Noble Energy, which was acquired by US-based Chevron in October 2020,… […]
Itâs no secret that water is in short supply and large demand in Israel. While the country placed itself on the map for water desalination and drip irrigation as resource-saving hacks, climate change, and population growth are quickly creating an undeniable truth â the water is drying up. Despite having cultivated much of its desert… […]
At least 10% of fruit rots on trees because there arenât enough people to pick it. For farmers who work year-round on their fields, harvest season often requires not only the need to pick fruit quickly for minimal waste, but also to hire workers, provide housing and insurance, healthcare, and transportation, making for an extra… […]
With at least 26 collaborating organizations, 12,000 people attending via the Facebook event, and over 100 locations on the cleanup list, Israel is planning to turn up to clean up this Friday, October 30. The coalition of organizations includes The Coalition of the Mediterranean People, Life and Environment, Coastal Authorities Organization, EcoOcean. The groups have… […]
Should public waters on private land be open to the Israeli public? This is a major question that has risen since early summer 2020, when a group of protestors reigned upon Kibbutz Nir David to demand public access to the freshwater Asi River running through it in an ongoing campaign called Free the Asi. Nir… […]
Each year, about 40% of beehives collapse, causing millions of bees to die. Compared to a 3% mortality rate at its lowest, today, decades later, the bee mortality rate stands at 35%. Most of the hive collapse happens on commercial bee farms, where there is less manpower and expertise in how to mindfully manage a… […]
The Sea of Galilee, or the Kinneret, has reached its full capacity thanks to the abundant rainfall and the lack of human intervention in the last few months. The Northern lake is overflowing its banks at 15.5 centimeters above the red line, a level which hasnât been seen since the early 1990s. With a full… […]
Instead of buses screeching by, birds chirp loudly as a wakeup call in the urban center of Tel Aviv. Wild pigs roam the hills of Haifa, and families of ibex walk the Eilat promenade. As humansâ nest inside their manmade homes, animals seem to be returning to their most natural state, wandering through streets once… […]
Tu Bâshvat is the annual birthday of the trees in the Jewish calendar. The harvest holiday is commonly celebrated by gathering for a feast, eating fruits and nuts, and planting trees. This year, in the wake of rising concerns and the dire need for environmental attention, perhaps the birthday of the trees is the perfect… […]
