Environmental Justice in the 21st Century: A Case Study

By | | ,
3 Comments

The world has changed a lot since the environmental justice movement first began, and while we’ve made progress in some areas, we still face many of the same struggles. The environmental justice movement asserts that everyone has the right to equal environmental protection. It also promotes equal access to the decision-making processes that affect having a healthy environment. While we’ve made some strides towards these goals, but certain groups, including people of color and low-income people, are still disproportionately affected by poor environmental conditions and hazards.

social-justice

Warren County’s Quest for Environmental Justice

Warren County, North Carolina is often referred to as the birthplace of the environmental justice movement. The movement started to take root in the early 80s when the state government device to dump 6,000 truckloads of soil contaminated with toxic PCBs in the county, dismissing concerns that the contaminants from the soil could impact drinking water supplies. When the trucks started to arrive, residents and their allies protested and stopped the trucks. Over six weeks of nonviolent protests, more than 500 people were arrested.

In the end, the people of Warren County weren’t able to stop the government from dumping the contaminated soil in the landfill sited in the county. The event, however, received national attention and laid the foundations for the environmental justice movement. While the Warren County protests weren’t the first protests of their kind, they were the first to capture such widespread attention.

The event led to several studies which confirmed the existence of environmental injustice and discrimination. In 1983, a study by the U.S. General Accounting Office found that three of the four hazardous waste landfills in Region 4, which consists of eight states, were sited in predominately African American communities. In 1987, the Commission of Racial Justice of the United Church of Christ published a report that found that race was the strongest variable for predicting the location of toxic waste sites. In 1990, the EPA created the Office of Environmental Equity, which later became the Office of Environmental Justice, within the agency. Other environmental groups also began incorporating environmental justice work into their activities.

Current State of Environmental Justice

Despite the progress that has been made, environmental injustice continues to be a significant issue. In 2018, an EPA study found that people in poverty and non-white people are more likely to be exposed to fine particulate matter, a known carcinogen. Other recent studies have also found evidence of environmental injustice, and climate change is expected to have a disproportionate impact on low-income people. Recent events, such as the protests at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline and the slow recovery of Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Maria and Irma, have emphasized that environmental injustice is still an issue.

In many ways, environmental justice is the same today as it was in the early 80s. While we have made some progress, there are still lots of barriers to achieving the movement’s goals.

One change is that the movement has grown from small groups within the affected communities to having a role within large non-profits, government agencies and other institutions. Environmental justice advocates today must know not just how to work on a community level but also how to advocate within the context of large organizations and government agencies.

Environmental justice advocates also have some new tools available to them. The internet is a potentially valuable tool. Social media provides a new avenue for getting the message out. Anyone can now sign up for a free social media account and share their thoughts with the world. The internet also makes it easier for people to get informed about environmental issues, although low-income people are still less likely to have reliable internet access.

Food for Thought

Although the environmental justice movement has made some progress since it began, there’s still a long way to go before we achieve environmental justice for all. It’s important that everyone takes an interest in this issue and gets involved so that we can protect the environment and make sure everyone has access to a safe, healthy place to live.

هل ستستطيع تونس الإيفاء بمساهماتها لخفض الانبعاثات من الغازات الدفيئة

By | | , ,
2 Comments

أظهرت الفيضانات الأخيرة التي عصفت بعدد من المحافظات التونسية أن تأثيرات التغيرات المناخيّة أضحت ملموسة أكثر من أي وقت مضى ، وهو ما أسال الكثير من الحبر حول مدى التزام تونس بمساهماتها  الوطنية المحددة لكبح جماح هذه الظاهرة التي أرقت العالم. وضعت تونس، وهي رابع دولة عربية قدّمت مساهماتها المعتزمة المحددة وطنيًّا في مجال خفض الانبعاثات من الغازات الدفيئة ، تغيّر المناخ في مرتبة متقدّمة على جدول أعمالها السياسي والاقتصادي باعتبارها  البلد الأول في المنطقة الذي ضمّن دستوره الوطني الجديد إقرارًا بتغيّر المناخ تفرض من خلاله الدولة  الحق في “بيئة سليمة ومتوازنة و المساهمة في سلامة المناخ بكافة السبل المتاحة”. كما تضمّن  المخطط الخماسي للتنمية للفترة 2016-2020 محورًا خاصًّا بتعزيز مقومات الاقتصاد الأخضر.

من ناحية أخرى ، تبدي تونس  نيّتها العمل بجد  لخفض كثافة انبعاثاتها الكربونية بنسبة 13 في المئة بحلول سنة 2030. هذا ومن المنتظر أن تزداد حصّة الطاقة المتجدّدة في إنتاج الكهرباء لديها إلى 14 في المئة بحلول سنة 2020، و30 في المئة بحلول سنة 2030.

في المقابل، يشكّك عدد من خبراء البيئة في جديّة توجه تونس نحو الانتقال إلى مصادر الطاقة النظيفة والآمنة نظرًا للكم الهائل من التحديات القائمة ذات الصلة بالجوانب القانونية والاجتماعية والتمويل والتنفيذ.

و أبرز الخبير البيئي عبد العزيز دبار في تصريح لموقع ” إيكومينا ” أنّ وزارة البيئة ولجنة الطاقة في البرلمان تمضيان قدما لتنفيذ برنامج للطاقة النووية مستقدمة من روسيا دون أية توضيحات حول سبل الحماية من آثارها الجانبية، خصوصًا أنّ هذه الطاقة دقيقة للغاية و مضارها  أكثر من منافعها بالنسبة لبلد مثل تونس، وفق تعبيره.

من جهته ، يعتبر الناشط الجمعياتي فؤاد كريم أنّ الحوافز التي تُقدّمها الدولة للمواطنين غير كافية لتعويض مصادر الطاقة التقليدية بأخرى أكثر مراعاة للبيئة ، وهو ما يجعل نسق  الانتقال الطاقي بطيئا.

وشدّد فؤاد كريم على أنّ الأرقام التي تقدمها السلطات الحكومية تبقى صعبة التحقيق  إذا لم يقع تطبيق استراتيجية محكمة لتحقيق الأمن الطاقي للبلاد وتنويع مصادر الطاقة والإنصاف الطاقي و الحوكمة والتنمية المستدامة.

و كشفت الحكومة التونسية ، في مارس/ آذار الماضي ، عن معالم خطة لاستثمار 5 مليارات دولار في قطاع الطاقة، بما فيها الطاقة البديلة، بحلول 2020 لتلبية احتياجات البلاد المتزايدة، لا سيما في ظل تراجع إنتاج النفط والغاز في السنوات الأخيرة باعتبارهما المحرك الأساسي لإنتاج الكهرباء.

كما شرعت تونس منذ عدة سنوات في تقليص الاقتصاد القائم على الكربون تدريجيا في خطوة التخفيف من انبعاثات غازات الدفيئة، لكن عدم وجود هيئة توجيهية لسياسة التعامل مع المناخ وضعف الموازنة المرصودة   لاتخاذ تدابير ” حقيقية ” تتعلق بالتخفيف والتكيف ، يهدد هذه المساعي بصورة جدية.

تواجه تونس خيارات مهمة  لسد احتياجاتها المستقبلية من الطاقة بطريقة مستدامة ماليا وبيئيا ، والكرة الآن في ملعب صنّاع القرار لرسم استراتيجية واضحة تجسد كل الشعارات الرنانة التي تتردد في المحافل الدولية.

النفايات مصدر

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

القراءة المتوالية في بحث وتوصيف اختصاصات ومسؤوليات المجالس البلدية ومعالجة القواعد القانونية المنظمة لها أثارت اهتمام المتابعين لما جرى نشره من موضوعات في صفحتنا على الانستغرام، وان ذلك الاهتمام يدعم الاهداف والمقاصد التي تبنيناها في تبصير المجتمع بقضايا المجالس البلدية واختصاصاتها كمنصة مهمة تجسد في جوهر مهامها قيمة مجتمعية، وينبغي ان تكون فاعلة في صون الحقوق والمصالح الاجتماعية بمختلف اتجاهاتها المعيشية والاسكانية والاجتماعية والاقتصادية والبيئية والحضرية.

plastic problem

الاهتمام الذي لمسناه من المتابعين لهذه الموضوعات يجسد الصحوة الاجتماعية في الاهتمام بكفاءة العضو البلدي واختيار الانسب الذي يحقق مصالح المجتمع، كما ان معالجاتنا لمشكلة النفايات والاهمية الاستراتيجية للمجالس البلدية في ايجاد الحلول العملية في الحد من تصاعد هذه المشكلة البيئية ذات البعد الصحي والاجتماعي اثره الفعلي في تحفيز شخصية ضليعة في قضايا معالجة النفايات وطرق التخلص منها والحد من اضرارها في طرح المرئيات القيمة في شأن مخاطر النفايات وجوانب الخلل في آليات العمل للحد من مخاطرها الاجتماعية والصحية والبيئية.

الحوار في شأن المعضلات المحيطة بواقع النفايات وتعثر الاجراءات العملية التي تستجيب لمتطبات المرحلة المرتبطة بواقع مشكلة مكب النفايات في عسكر الذي وفق التقارير الفنية من المفترض ينتهي عمره الافتراضي في الفترة القريبة، ما يتسبب في حدوث مشكلة بيئية تشابه ما هو حاصل في دولة عربية، ذلك ما اشار اليه محدثنا وقال مشكلة المخلفات المنزلية وبشكل خاص العضوية منها صارت مصدر خطر حقيقي على صحة وحياة الانسان بسبب تلوث المحيط البيئي للانسان بالروائح الكريهة والادخنة المتصاعدة من المخلفات المنزلية التي يجري حرقها يدويا دون الالتزام بالمعايير البيئية والاشتراطات الصحية، وتسبب ذلك في تراجع الحركة السياحية في البلد المذكور والتسبب في الخسائر المالية التي يجري جنيها من السياحة، ويرى ان ذلك يلقي بمسؤولياته على المجتمع في الحرص على اختيار الكفاءات لعضوية المجالس البلدية التي تتميز بقدراتها في دعم مشاريع الدولة لمعالجة المشكلة والحد من مخاطرها الاجتماعية والبيئية.

الحديث في مشكلة النفايات والمخلفات المنزلية والملاحظات والمخرجات والمقترحات التي ابداها محدثنا ويرى ضرورة الاخذ بها لتجاوز المخاطر الصحية والبيئية المحدقة، عاد بنا الى مشكلة المخلفات المنزلية عام 2016 التي انتشرت في الشوارع والطرقات، وحالة الارباك والارتباك في اتخاذ الاجراءات الادارية والفنية والعجز في محاصرة ما عرف بمشكلة القمامة.

الحالة التي شهدناها دفعتنا مسؤولياتنا المهنية والاجتماعية في اعداد سلسلة من المقالات بلغ عددهم (13) مقالا جرى نشرهما في صحيفة الوسط في الفترة من 07 يوليو 2016م – العدد: 5053 واختتمنا السلسلة بمقال (أزمة النفايات… مراجعات نقدية) جرى نشره في 10 نوفمبر 2016م – العدد: 5179، وبينا في سياقهم معضلة النفايات والحل الذي ينبغي اعتماده، وبالارتكاز على ذلك نرى ضرورة العمل على مراجعة المواقف والارتكاز على معايير الكفاءة لا الولاءات في اختيار الممثل الذي يمكن ان يساهم في تقديم المفيد في تغيير الحالة والارتقاء بالمشاريع التنموية التي تطرحها الحكومة وذلك بما يساهم في انجاز الاهداف الوطنية للتنمية المستدامة.

The Environmental Risks of Improper Medicine Disposal

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

With more people leaning on prescription medication to fix their diseases and ailments, it becomes an issue when they don’t know how to properly dispose of it. During 2015-2016, it was proven that just under half of the population of America had used prescription drugs in the past 30 days.

Many people tend to just forget about their prescription medication which leaves it available for children to find accidentally. However, others will casually throw away their drugs or flush them. The result of this can have an awful impact on the environment. This is why we must understand how to correctly dispose of unused medicines and the importance behind it.

medicine-disposal

Disruption of our ecosystem

When disposed of incorrectly, medicines can cause a terrible disruption of our ecosystem. When thrown away or simply flushed, your medicine doesn’t end there, in fact, it travels into our ecosystem and does some irreversible damage. These drugs end up in our coastal ecosystems and all of those nasty little chemicals that once helped us are hurting others.

The medication begins to dissolve and seep out dangerous chemicals which soon end up in our waterways. This then leads to our beautiful aquatic animals becoming unwell and being impacted negatively. That is why it is so important to dispose of your medication correctly.

For example, when exposed to beta-blockers, shellfish can face advanced negative side effects like stunted growth, lack of cellular integrity, and disrupted endocrine systems. The bottom line is that your pharmaceutical waste can continue to cause negative disruption of our ecosystem. It is time to properly dispose of your medication and we can tell you exactly how to do that.

Drug traces in our drinking water

The water from our taps at home isn’t as refreshing as drinking from a fresh spring, and studies have proved that it isn’t as pure either. In saying that, the water that is provided through our taps is generally clean and safe, but is it really as clean as we are led to believe?

Studies have always shown that there are harmful substances in our drinking water, but there are also some more hidden nasties that we just aren’t told about. Experts in water quality are now becoming concerned about the fact that there may be another form of water pollution arising. That form of pollution being from chemicals from medications and prescription drugs that are getting into our waterways due to improper disposal.

clean-water-for-home

It is highly important to dispose of your medicines safely or we may face more water pollution in the years to come.

How to safely dispose of medicines

Now we have reached the most important part, how to safely dispose of your medicines. Firstly, it is always important to mix your substances with another entirely unpalatable substance (coffee grounds, cat litter, etc.) so that on the off chance that someone finds them, they cannot be used.

Next, you will need to place the mixture of your drugs and unpalatable substance into a safe and sealed plastic bag.  Then all you need to do is throw it in the trash. When disposing of your empty pill bottle or medication packaging, you must scratch off all the information on the front to make it unreadable. For needles or injectable medications, always use sharps disposal containers to prevent injury and contamination. These containers are designed to safely hold used sharps and should never be thrown loosely into the trash.

The way you choose to dispose of your expired medicines could potentially save many animals’ lives and also the lives of children that may accidentally find your medication. It’s time to make a positive impact on our environment, it isn’t hard to properly dispose of your medicines.

How Home Lighting Affects Your Daily Life

By | | ,
7 Comments

In the days to come, all aspects of our lives will be optimized and digitized, including light and the manner in which we relate to it. Both artificial and natural light has an effect on all life on earth. It does more than act as a source of vitamin D for humans. It enables sight, affects mood and improves overall well-being. If you experiment with light, you can change the manner in which you experience your home. The following are five ways on how home lighting can affect your daily life.

eco-friendly home improvements to increase home value

1. Regulating the circadian rhythm

Light plays a significant role in regulating the human circadian rhythm, also known as the body clock. It is one of the natural biorhythms of the body. The body clock does not work in agreement with the artificial clock. It is a little bit slower.

On an average, the body clock runs for 24 hours and 30 minutes, meaning that humans are naturally included to sleep and wake up thirty minutes later every day. When the body is exposed to bright light in the evening, the sleep cycle is delayed, and this makes us prefer sleeping later. This can hurt health. Due to spending many hours at work, you may not get enough sleep during the work week, and you will sleep longer during the weekends. Sleeping longer during the weekends can compensate for lack of rest.

However, it may reset a later circadian rhythm in the coming week, making you feel groggy. If you expose yourself to the appropriate quality of light at the same time every day and night, your natural body clock can synchronize with artificial clocks. It is advisable to have a dim light in the bedroom since it has a soothing and drowsy effect that prepares the body to sleep.

In environments like a retirement community, where routines and lighting can be thoughtfully planned, it’s often easier to support these healthy rhythms—helping residents maintain more consistent sleep patterns and overall well-being.

2. Concentration and productivity

The place where we need to stimulate our minds such as offices and schools are usually brightly lit. However, fluorescent lights are most often used in these places since they are energy efficient and cost effective. Spending many hours in harsh artificial light can make you feel edgy and uneasy.

For this reason, use warmer lights to make your home more soothing for activities like reading. You can also use warmer garage lighting since it can be more comfortable on the eyes when you are working on something for a long period.

3. Emotions

The lights we are exposed to throughout the day greatly affect our emotions. You may have realized that natural light coming through the windows has a great calming effect. Lack of lighting, on the other hand, can be depressing.

sustainable ways of home decoration

4. Eyes

Both artificial and natural lighting can strain or even damage the eyes. Spending many hours in areas that are brightly lit may cause tiredness and headaches. Adjust the lights in your home to avoid this strain.

5. Decision making

Under bright lights, emotions are experienced powerfully. The effect that bright light has on the emotional system may be the result of the body perceiving light as heat, and the perception of heat may trigger the emotions. Dimming the lights can help reduce emotionality as you make everyday decisions.

Final Words

Light affects the way to live on a daily basis. Humans and animals have always used the sun and the amount of light at different times of the day to regulate their body clock. This is natural and the body does it automatically. You can use lighting to create a family hub in your home, encourage guests to sit in a particular area or assist with the transition from day to night.

المخاطر البيئية لمرادم النفايات في دولة الكويت

By | | ,
2 Comments

دولة الكويت هي احدى دول الخليج العربي الغني بموارده الطبيعية, وهي كذلك من أعلى الدول نسبة في توليد النفايات الصلبة مقارنة بعدد السكان, حيث ينتج الفرد الواحد – في الكويت-  يوميا حوالي 1.4 كيلوغرام من النفايات. اضافة الى ذلك مازالت الطرق البدائية هي المستعملة في التخلص من النفايات الصلبة. و المدهش اكثر هو أنه على الرغم من صغر مساحة دولة الكويت الا انه يوجد عدد كبير من المرادم  المنتشرة بكثرة. هناك 18 عشرة موقعا لردم النفايات, 14 منها مغلقة, و 4 مواقع مازالت مستعملة.

مرادم النفايات في الكويت هي خطر محدق بالبيئة وصحة المجتمع.  واضافة الى ان تكديس النفايات الصلبة يحمل كارثة بيئية نتيجة للردم الخاطئ لتلك النفايات. والذي يتسبب في انبعاثات غازات سامة وروائح كريهة وربما نشوب بعض الحرائق التي تؤثر سلبا على البيئة وكذلك الحياة الصحية للساكنين بالقرب من مواقع مرادم النفايات. 

landfill in kuwait

مرادم النفايات

تبلغ مساحة دولة الكويت 17,820 كيلومتر مربع, ومنها 18 متر مربع تستعمل مكب ومردم للنفايات الصلبة. حيث تستقبل المرادم كافة أنواع النفايات سواء نفايات الصرف الصحي او النفايات الصناعية او مخلفات المنازل والانشاءات. وفي الحقيقة فان حواي 90 في المئة من النفايات المنتجة تجد طريقها في المكبات المنتشرة للردم بطرق بدائية بدون فرز للنفايات في ظل ما تخفيه هذه النفايات من ملوثات و أبخرة سامة تهدد صحة الأنسان وتسبب في حدوث الكوارث البيئية.

والجدير بالذكر انه قد تم اغلاق عدد من المرادم لمدة تجاوزت العشرين سنة وذلك لأسباب عديدة منهامنها اعمال الصيانة, عدم اختيار المكان المناسب لردم النفايات وقربها من المناطق السكنية, اختيار المرادم العشوائي وعدم وجود الضوابط التي تحدد بموجبها نوعية وكمية النفايات مما يساعد على تخمر النفايات وتولد وتصاعد للأبخرة السامة. وتشمل هذه أماكن مكبات النفايات في منطقة الصليبية, كبد, القرين, الشعيبة, وغرب اليرموك والوفرة.

كما ذكرنا ان اغلب النفايات المنتشرة في المرادم تدخل في نطاق النفايات الخطرة من المواد الكيميائية والنفايات السائلة التي تؤدي الى التلوث المباشر للتربة والمياه الجوفية وتضاعف من المخاطر الصحية على حياة السكان.

ويعد مردم جليب الشيوخ و الصليبية والقرين من اكبر المرادم للنفايات الصلبة في بلدية الكويت. على سبيل المثال يستحوذ مردم القرين على مساحة تبلغ 1 كيلومتر مربع, وقد كان يستخدم لردم مخلفات البناء والنفايات المنزلية وغيرها لسنوات عديدة ما بين عام  ال 1975 ال 1985 وقد قدر حجم النفايات المدفونة في مردم القرين الى خمسة ملايين متر مكعب من النفايات.

أما مردم الصليبية فقد استقبل حوالي اكثر من 500 طن من النفايات يوميا مآبين العام 1970 الى 2000م على مساحة شملت 3 كيلومتر مربع. ويعد جليب الشيوخ من اكبر مرادم النفايات في الكويت ويغطي مساحة 6 كيلومتر مربع, قد كان مردم للنفايات المنزلية والصناعية ما بين العام 1970 و 1993 وقد قدر حجم النفايات المردومة فيه حوالي 20 مليون متر مكعب.

ومع مرور السنوات بدأت مشاكل المرادم في الكويت بالظهور نتيجة للنمو السكاني والتوسع العمراني والحاجة لبناء شبكات الطرق, وللأسف لعدم التعامل السليم والادارة  الجيدة للمرادم وضعف الخبرات للعمال البلدية فقد تفاقم الأمر سوء من انتشار للغازات السامة وتلوث للمياه الجوفية. ونتيجة لذلك أغلقت العديد من المرادم على الرغم من ان بعضها لم تستوفي القدرة الاستيعابية لها, ولكن بسبب عدم مطابقة المواصفات والشروط البيئية التي يتم استخدامها لمواقع ردم النفايات.

الخلاصة

الهدف من هذا المقال هو دق ناقوس الخطر مع كمية المرادم العشوائية الموجودة في دولة الكويت, والتي جميعها مخالفة لمعايير الاشتراطات البيئية والصحية وعدم تطبيق الاساليب الحديثة في معالجة النفايات لصلبة وضعف الادارة والرقابية في معالجة هذه القضية الخطيرة التي تؤثر على حياة وصحة مئات الألوف من السكان في دولة الكويت.

ترجمة

إيمان عبدالله أمان

Clean Energy Resources in Jordan

By | | ,
1 Comment

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is heavily dependent on oil imports from neighbouring countries to meet its energy requirements. The huge cost associated with energy imports is creating huge financial burden on the national economy. In 2022, the peak electricity load in Jordan was 4,010 MW, compared to 3,370 MW in 2021. Therefore, the provision of reliable and clean energy supply is playing a crucial role in Jordan’s economic growth.

The country has established the necessary policies and regulations to support renewables, including solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind development. In 2007, the Government unveiled an Energy Master Plan for the development of the energy sector, requiring an investment of more than $3 billion between the year 2007 and 2020. The share of renewables in Jordan energy mix rose from 0.7% in 2014 to over 13% in 2019, making Jordan a regional front-runner in renewable energy.

The updated Master Strategy for the Energy Sector 2020-2030 highlights the need for a sustainable energy supply, diversification of energy mix, reduced dependence on imported energy carriers. The strategy targets a 31% share for renewables in total power generation capacity and 14% of the total energy mix by 2030. Concerted efforts are underway to remove barriers to exploitation of renewable energy, particularly wind, solar and biomass.

In 2022, the installed renewable energy capacity in Jordan reached 2.6 GW. The largest electricity generating technology in Jordan in 2022 was natural gas, generating some 74.42% of electricity, down from 78.94% in 2021. The technology with the biggest increase in electricity generation in 2022 was Solar PV at 17.52%, up from 11.25% in 2021.

Renewable Energy Scenario

Jordan has been a pioneer in renewable energy promotion in the Middle East with its first wind power pilot project in Al-Ibrahemiya as early as 1988. Systematic monitoring of the technological developments and implementation/execution of demonstration and pilot projects has been the hallmark of Jordan’s foray into clean energy sector. However, renewable energy remains largely untapped due to high cost associated with non-conventional energy resources.

With high population growth rate, increase in industrial and commercial activities, high cost of imported energy fuels and higher GHGs emissions, supply of cheap and clean energy resources has become a challenge for the Government. Consequently, the need for implementing energy efficiency measures and exploring renewable energy technologies has emerged as a national priority.

Wind energy is feasible mainly in areas overlooking the Jordan Valley and Wadi Araba. Solar energy potential is also high since many parts of the country experience 300 to 320 days of full sunshine throughout the year. Biomass energy potential is also attractive in the form of urban wastes, organic industrial wastes and animal manure. With rapid technological advancements, other sources such as waste-to-energy, hydro power and geothermal energy are also realistic options.

Presently, Jordan has 1MW biogas plant that utilizes methane from biochemical decomposition of organic waste for electricity production. Expansions are underway to increase the total capacity to 5 MW. There are 2 MW wind farms at Hofa and Al‐Ibrahimiyah in the north working successfully. Moreover, there is an area of 1.35 million m2 of installed solar water heaters panels in Jordan, and a 150 KWh of installed photovoltaic power. In addition, there are 25 solar water heaters factories in Jordan which produce 4000 solar water heater annually.

Future plans include three wind parks with a total capacity of 125‐150 MW, and a hybrid Solar Power Plants (CSP) with a capacity of 100‐250 MW. 60% of the wind turbine parts in the wind parks are supposed to be provided by local wind turbine manufacturers. Meanwhile, private consortiums are looking to establish photovoltaic and concentrated solar power plants in the Ma’an area.

The €10-million ‘Capacity Building in Wind Energy and Concentrated Solar Power’ project, funded by the European Union, will support Jordan’s National Energy Research Centre (NERC) to steer and facilitate the implementation of the Jordanian government’s Renewable Energy Strategy 2007-2020 by installing a wind testing facility, as well as a pilot Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant.

Investment in Clean Energy

Jordan has tremendous wind, solar and biomass energy potential which can only be realized by large-scale investments. This transition from conventional fuels to renewable energy resources will require capital investments, technology transfer and human resources development, through a package of investments estimated at US $ 1.4 – 2.2 billion. The investment package includes Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) deals for wind energy with a total capacity of 660 MW and solar energy plants of 600 MW. This will be paralleled with the reduction of energy produced from oil from 58% currently to 40% in 2020. The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MOPIC) is actively seeking support for renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives through continuous cooperation with international partners and donors.

The best prospects for electricity generation in Jordan are as Independent Power Producers (IPPs).  This creates tremendous opportunities for foreign investors interested in investing in electricity generation ventures. Keeping in view the renewed interest in renewable energy, there is a huge potential for international technology companies to enter the Jordan market.  There is very good demand for wind energy equipment, solar power units and waste-to-energy systems which can be capitalized by technology providers and investment groups.

Government Initiatives

The government has also established a new Energy Fund to support the infrastructure development of new renewable energy facilities. In addition the government is seeking to provide tax incentives to remove the barriers for the comprehensive use of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in the Jordanian market.

The strategy will be supported by a “Renewable Energy Law” which includes regulations and incentives for renewable energy production from investments in areas designated to be utilized to build renewable energy facilities. The law provides investors with a lot of incentives including 100 percent exemption from income tax for 10 years.

Private companies with renewable energy projects will now be able to negotiate directly with the Energy Ministry as part of a series of changes to the sector. Investments in renewable energy will be quicker as part of sweeping changes included in the recently endorsed Renewable Energy Law.

One of the major components of the legislation allows local and international companies to bypass a competitive bidding process and negotiate with the ministry directly to establish renewable energy projects. Also under the law, the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) will be obligated to purchase any and all electricity produced by renewable energy power plants. The law will also allow citizens with solar power or wind turbines to sell electricity back to their electricity provider.

Conclusion

There has been significant progress in the implementation of clean energy systems in Jordan, with active support from the government and increasing awareness among the local population. In the recent past, Jordan has witnessed a surge in initiatives to generate power from renewable resources with financial and technical backing from the government, international agencies and foreign donors.  Jordan has the potential to become a regional energy hub characterised by political as well as economic stability.  The already accomplished projects and studies in this field has provided Jordan with scientific and practical experience, qualifying it for entering a new phase of renewable energy development by means of cooperation between local institutions and foreign companies.

Environmental Education: Key to a Better Future

By | | , ,
9 Comments

Tomorrow’s leaders need to be equipped for tomorrow’s challenges, and we must adequately prepare our children for the future they will inherit. As climate change is being felt across the globe and its long-term catastrophic impacts have never been so scientifically clear, environmental education is the key to a better future. In an era where more and more children are disconnected from nature, we should recognize the importance of making a real investment in environmental education and outdoor learning. Studies have shown environmental education engages students in learning, raising test scores, and encouraging youth to pursue career in environmental and natural resources. And not only that: environmental education can help children perform better in social studies, science, language, arts, and mathematics.

steps in environmental education

Engagement at Different Levels

The secret to environmental education is to act at different levels, engaging the entire school and addressing students, teachers, parents, administrators and all members of the schools community. Eventually, it will link up all the participants within the community. The components of this initiative depend on interaction and participation, with teachers undertaking a guiding role by encouraging students to discover solutions on their own.

At first, students should determine and check the extent of their use of natural resources in the school. Through this, they evaluate their efforts in the field of environmental management.

As a second step, children should set up and run Eco Clubs. Eco Clubs provide an opportunity to students to participate in environmental projects and activities. They also serve as a forum through which the students share environmental problems, along with the school staff, parents and the community surrounding the school, in order to work on finding solutions, and promote a positive environmental behaviour. In this component the schools can implement internal and external projects, such as introducing efficient methods of irrigation, lowering the volume of waste, reducing the consumption of electricity and water and trying to reduce air pollution.

The third step focuses on organizing training courses for teachers and releasing educational resources in different themes and curricula, helping them to teach environmental concepts in innovative ways and through various educational materials, such as environmental friendly games. This will help teachers to adapt and to provide students with information about different habitats, biodiversity, climate change and other issues faced at the local level, as well as faced by the planet on a global level.

The final step should be to connect students to environmental causes and issues, and identify solutions through the provision of field trips. Additionally, such trips can be associated with the educational curriculum as they offer direct learning method. This helps boosting the understanding of various concepts by the students, and increasing the chance of using multiple senses such as eyesight, hearing, etc., which helps to raise their capacity to understand what they have learned. The success and engagement of schools to take on the environment field trips is great and extensive and it represents a set full of amazing adventures of exploration and knowledge.

Undoubtedly, the final and greatest outcome is to educate our children on the importance of becoming good environmental citizens.

environmental education in Middle East

Environmental Education Challenges in the Middle East

The Middle East region faces difficult natural conditions, and it is clear that steep population growth, poverty and the consequent degradation of natural ecosystems make it a priority when it comes to environmental awareness and sustainability goals. One of the biggest challenges is certainly the lack of awareness.

Most countries are blessed with high levels of education, with a large portion of the population pursuing secondary and higher education. Unfortunately however, human development and wealth are not always synonym with high environmental awareness and interest in sustainability issues… Jordan and Lebanon, for example, have their primary focus in tourism, which mostly contributes to their GDPs.

An interesting survey conducted in the Sultanate of Oman revealed that the environmental awareness of the Omani public was related to education level but also to gender and age. Males were found to have a higher level of knowledge about environmental issues than females. Males were also more environmentally concerned and tended to engage in more environmental behaviours than females. Younger and more educated respondents tended to be more knowledgeable and concerned about the environment than older and less educated respondents.

Another challenge that countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar are faced with, is trying to reduce their consumption patterns. Even though awareness levels seem to be higher than in other countries, these nations are notorious for their unsustainable consumption rates. For instance, KSA and the UAE’s water consumption have reached 265 and 550 liters per capita per day respectively, which significantly exceeds the world’s average.

sustainable schools initiative

Eco Clubs provide an opportunity to students to participate in environmental projects and activities.

Participation of Emirati Youth

Educating the UAE youth and preparing them to lead the country’s sustainable future is the first goal in the UAE national environmental awareness strategy and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment encourages the youth to innovate and be part of global environmental efforts.

Recently the UAE has taken a major step including environmental education in all schools: back in November Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, announced that awareness of climate change and how to help save the environment will be taught in classrooms across the country.

Under plans to tweak schools’ curriculum to include learning on sustainability, school children will also be shown how to take energy-saving measures. These include schoolchildren of all ages, including in private sector schools, learning the importance of turning off lights and air-conditioning when not in use, and how to use less water. Each pupil will also be encouraged to spread the message to their family and friends.

As a consequence to all these efforts taken by the government, I observed an increase in the numbers of Emirati volunteers participating in our programs: we’ve usually had a majority of Indians and Europeans taking part in our tree planting events or in the anti-pollution awareness drives, but lately large groups of young Emiratis have come forward to participate actively in all our programs and we continue to receive many emails asking to become long term volunteers. This is one of the biggest achievements we could wish for the UAE.

Eco-Friendly Design Trends To Create A Sustainable Home

By | | , ,
1 Comment

48% of consumers are ready to change their shopping and lifestyle habits to save the environment. As more and more people begin to prioritize sustainable living, interior design trends are evolving to meet this increasing demand. Using eco-friendly materials, replacing old appliances, and incorporating a minimalist aesthetic are some key ways you can be conscious, mindful, and eco-friendly about your home design.

Use eco-friendly materials

Eco-friendly design materials can help create a stylish, sustainable home that minimizes your carbon footprint. Recycled metal, for example, is typically used to create eco-friendly furniture, lighting fixtures, and art sculptures. Steel, in particular, can be used to establish a modern, industrial look while being durable and non-toxic (it can also be recycled an infinite number of times).

Eco-Friendly Design Trends

Alternatively, bamboo is a sustainable alternative to wood; it has a range of interior uses from furniture and flooring to utensils. Unlike wood, bamboo requires less pesticides and fertilizers to grow and harvest and takes just three to four months to reach maturity.

Replace old home appliances

Older home appliances are typically less energy-efficient than newer models designed with sustainability in mind. A still-functioning older appliance that’s seen better days will generally require more energy to run, in turn driving up your power bill and carbon footprint. Replacing old appliances with new, energy-efficient models is often therefore kinder to the planet.

hvac-air-filter

For example, old refrigerators typically use around 33% more energy than newer, sustainable models. In this case, a replacement would also save you over $140 in energy costs over five years. Just be sure to dispose of any old appliances responsibly. Consider recycling, selling, or giving away old appliances that are still in working condition.

Go minimalist

More than simply just being on-trend, creating a clean and simple minimalist home can help you live a more sustainable lifestyle as less resources are required. For example, multi-use furniture like nesting tables, coffee tables that double as seating, shelving that functions as room dividers, and daybeds lets you reuse and repurpose pieces as needed. With multi-use furniture, you don’t need as much furniture as you otherwise would, which in turn helps conserve natural resources.

benefits of marble

Creating a sustainable home can help save the environment and lower your carbon footprint. By using eco-friendly materials, replacing old appliances, and incorporating minimalist design, you can easily create a stylish and greener home.

How Loving the Environment Radiate a More Beautiful You?

By | | , ,
6 Comments

Everyone is striving to exhibit beauty on the outside by donning expensive clothing, hairstyles, makeup, jewelry, and anything else that could add an extra touch of elegance. But, did you know that there is a deeper beauty than the external beauty we run after? Radiance is an aspect of beauty that resonates from the inside. It’s not about having a perfect face, body, or image. Radiance is more awe-inspiring than the regular beauty everyone is chasing after. It’s actually the light that shines from our hearts.

So, how can one experience this magnificent form of beauty? Here are a few ways you can love the environment and radiate a more beautiful you.

Be Mindful of Mother Earth

There is overwhelming evidence that being mindful loving the environment can help people reconnect with nature and appreciate every gift that the earth has to offer. Actually, many people suffer deeply without even knowing it. They tend to cover up their suffering by being absorbed in busy lifestyles. The truth is; they are simply alienated from Mother Nature.

The practice of mindfulness enables you to touch Mother Earth within your body and help you heal. So, as the people heal, the earth heals as well. This insight can be practiced by anybody and the overall enlightenment goes a long way in ensuring collective awakening. Everyone should be aware that the earth and its inhabitants are endangered.

Mindfulness boils down to simple everyday life activities like taking a cup of tea. Your life can be totally transformed if you truly devote your attention to it. Enjoy the tea by slowly savoring it. Be fully present in the cup instead of being carried away by life’s sorrows, fears, work, past, or even your future. Be available for life.

True Beauty is Reflected in the Soul

The true beauty of a woman is reflected in the soul. The caring that she seamlessly gives and the passion she shows both emanate from deep within. These are the inner qualities of a woman that make her radiant. Compassion, kindness, love, and decency are just some of the qualities that the soul produces.

So, why is there so much emphasis on the outside look? Women are harshly judged on how they look regardless of their age. There is always something that is wrong and needs to be fixed, and many women fall to the unrealistic expectations marketed to them by the world. It’s a continuous cycle of change, and when you manage to change one, you’ll be told there is something else you need to fix to become even more attractive. So, women are often shut off from their true selves and waste their time and energy chasing empty demands.

How Nature Impacts Our Well-being

Research indicates that our environment can improve or worsen our stress levels, which by extension impacts our bodies. Anything you see, hear, or experience at any time is changing not just your mood, but the way your immune, nervous, and endocrine systems work. Stressful situations can cause you to feel sad, anxious, or helpless, which in turn elevate your blood pressure, muscle tension, and heart rate.

A pleasing environment, on the other hand, reverses all that. Humans often find nature pleasing, and that’s why you should spend more time with Mother Nature. Even simple viewing of nature scenes will reduce anger, stress, and fear and enhance a pleasant feeling. Nature has a way of reducing mortality and improving the overall well being.

Caring For The Environment Brings Out Your Inner Beauty

The earth is naturally endowed with beauty. You may not live close to forests or parks, but a mere act of bringing a plant home can create unmatched beauty to your home. By creating beauty in your environment, it reflects on your true beauty that glows from within. Furthermore, Mother Nature brings a whole pack of healing effects. For instance, fragrant jasmine is believed to attract more love and wealth to your home while every plant helps purify the air around your home.

Don’t get overly frustrated when you wake up one morning and don’t feel on top of the game. Once in a while, life will bring its fair share of frustrations and that should stop you from walking out with your head high. Look straight in the mirror and focus on what you truly love. Spending time thinking about the positive gifts of life reinforces the beauty attributes and help them radiate out into the world.

Recommended Reading: The Future of Dermatological Testing

The Role of Water Treatment in Environmental Sustainability

By | | , ,
4 Comments

Water scarcity is one of the largest threats facing humanity today due to constant water shortages being experienced all over the world. Only a small percentage of the world’s water (about 3%) is fit for human consumption with two percent of this amount present in glaciers and ice caps. The United Nations has given water due prominence by making it one of its millennium development goals. Such is the importance of water that governments have started developing new technologies and projects to cushion its effects on the world population. These initiatives include desalination, rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment and water location transfers.

water-pollution

What is water treatment?

It is the process of eliminating harmful contaminants from water so that it can be safe for human and animal consumption. In order to make sure that excellent water is obtained and sanitation quality is observed, the process is divided into several phases. A rudimentary breakdown of the phases is as follows:

Preliminary phase: large filters are used to remove big inorganic solid materials like metal, paper and plastic.

  • Elimination of silt and grit that is abrasive to machinery.
  • Primary sedimentation to remove solid organic material.
  • Sludge phase where microorganisms are used to dissolve organic solids and the resulting biomass is decanted.

Tertiary treatment phase: where chemical (chlorine) is used to remove harmful pathogens. The resulting product is fresh water that is fit for human consumption.

Water treatment helps us achieve environmental sustainability in the following ways:

1. Reduction of Waste

Water treatment reduces the volume of waste that is released into the ecosystem. When wastewater is treated, the quantity of waste that is released into the environment is cut down significantly resulting into overall improvement in the environment’s status. By cutting down environmental pollution, water treatment helps to reduce health hazards that emanate from a polluted environment.

There is reduction of water wastage that is induced by water pollution. Water treatment has a financial benefit in that it trims down the amount of money that is used by a country to rehabilitate a polluted environment.

2. Production of energy

As described above, there is use of microorganisms (bacteria) in the sludge phase to breakdown organic matter and produce a large quantity of biomass. In this process the organic matter is mixed with the bacteria, enclosed in bio-digesters and subjected to medium range temperatures of about 35 degrees C. Biogas is produced during this process. Methane constitutes a high percentage of biogas and can be used for generating energy to power the water treatment complex. If the energy produced is of significant quantities it can be injected into a country’s national electricity grid.

The advantage of this green energy cannot be overstated since it decreases the over reliance on non-renewable sources of energy like petroleum, coal, wood and charcoal. This will reduce the carbon footprint of a country and its expenditure on meeting its energy needs. Case studies in various countries have established that an efficient water treatment plant can produce forty percent of the total energy that is required to run the plant.

Biogas can also be used for domestic cooking fuel, for generation of electricity and heat energy for homes and for powering vehicles.

3. Source of clean water

As mentioned before, the water resources in the world are dwindling at an alarming rate. The available water resources will not be able to sustain the projected population increase in the coming years.

Wastewater treatment will ensure there will be a balance between water supply and demand. Through filtration of harmful contaminants from wastewater and giving out hygienic and safe water, there will be adequate supply for everyone. Homefixplanet.com offers the best solutions for water treatment systems. The lurking fear of harmful water supply, drought and water shortage will be a thing of the past if water is recycled.

4. Production of fertilizer

The biomass that is produced from the sludge phase is decanted and dried: this turns it into organic fertilizer. The current trend in the world is to use less of chemical (inorganic) fertilizer for farming. This is because scientific studies have shown residual presence of these chemicals in harvested crops has long term effects on the consumer.

The other deterrent aspect of chemical fertilizers is eutrophication that results when used fertilizer is leached into water bodies. Eutrophication is the exponential increase in aquatic life (due to leached chemical fertilizer) at levels that cannot be sustained by water ecosystems. Use of organic fertilizers does not result into eutrophication because their level of leaching is negligible due to their slow process of biodegradation and absorption into the soil.

5. Disease prevention

Wastewater contains potentially harmful bacteria that can make consumers of water contract parasitic infections. Parasitic infestation occurs in people of all ages: toddlers and adults. The infection may range from mild to severe and even critical. It may affect your gastrointestinal tract, skin, body organs and blood.

wastewater-treatment-uae

Gastrointestinal tract infection is common in children of all ages and normally involves giardiasis, dysentery, cholera and gastroenteritis which are spread through contaminated water. This infections result into diarrhea. During water treatment, waste water is passed through filters that remove contaminants and destroy lethal microorganisms.

Water treatment therefore plays an essential function in removing pollutants from water (approximately ninety seven percent) that could be awfully harmful if consumed. There are no harmful bacteria that end up in the environment that would otherwise have damaging effects on animals, plants and people. Waste water also contains harmful chemicals which if released to the environment would destroy flora and fauna life forms.

6. Clean environment for recreation

Wastewater treatment ensures people will be able to enjoy water sports without having to worry about water pollution. Water from treatment plants can also be supplied to areas experiencing drought. Thus water treatment is an eco-friendly process that helps in reducing water wastage by recycling water that would otherwise have been deemed to be unsanitary and end up being disposed.

Final Words

The process of water treatment has many benefits and that makes it viable in the long and short-term answer to the water crisis bedeviling the world today which keeps on multiplying simultaneously with increase in world population.

Mathematical models project the world population to increase up to nine billion people in the next few years. This is bound to increase the volume of waste water that will be produced, making water treatment a critical aspect of environmental conservation and sustainability. Expanding wastewater treatment sector will produce large quantities of fresh water and help bring down the level of water scarcity.

Recommended Reading: 8 Careers That Can Help the World

Water Resource Management in GCC – Issues and Challenges

By | | , ,
5 Comments

GCC countries are suffering from a huge deficit in their water resources reaching more than 20 billion cubic meter, being met mainly by an intensive over-drafting of renewable and non-renewable groundwater resources for the agricultural sector, and by the extensive installation of highly expensive desalination plants for the municipal sector, and by reusing a small percentage of treated wastewater in the agricultural and municipal sector. Furthermore, conflict between the agricultural and domestic sectors on the limited water resources in the region are rising, and as a result, groundwater over-exploitation and mining is expected to continue in order to meet growing demand in these two sectors.

water management in GCC

If current population growth rates, water resources management approach, water use practices and patterns continue, annual water demand may reach more than 50 billion cubic meter (Bcm) by the year 2030.  With the anticipated future limited desalination capacity and wastewater reuse, this demand will have to be met mainly by further mining of groundwater reserves, with its negative impacts of fast depletion and loss of aquifer reserves and the deterioration of water quality and salinization of agricultural lands, of which these resources usefulness is questionable with the expected deterioration of their quality.

Under these circumstances, water will become an increasingly scarce commodity, and would become a limiting factor for further social, agricultural and industrial development, unless major review and shifts in the current policies of population and adopted food self-sufficiency are made, and an appropriate and drastic measures in water conservation are implemented.

A diagnosis of the water sector in Gulf Cooperation Council countries indicated that the main problems and critical issues in these countries are:

  1. Limitation of water resources and increasing water scarcity with time due to prevailing aridity, fast population growth, and agricultural policies;
  2. Inefficient water use in the agriculture (traditional irrigation practices), and municipal/domestic sectors (high per capita water use, high rates of unaccounted-for-water);
  3. Rising internal water allocation conflicts between the agricultural and municipal sector;
  4. Rapid depletion and groundwater quality deterioration due to their over-exploitation, with multiple impacts on agricultural productivity and ecosystems;
  5. Inferior quality of water services in large cities due to fast pace of urbanization; and
  6. Weak water institutions due to fragmentation of water authorities and lack of coordination and inadequate capacity development.

Currently, there are two main challenges of water resources management in the GCC countries. These are the unsustainable use of groundwater resources with its ramification on these countries socio-economic development, and the escalating urban water demands and its heavy burden on their national budget and negative impacts on the environment.

As the quality of groundwater deteriorates, either by over-exploitation or direct pollution, its uses diminish, thereby reducing groundwater supplies, increasing water shortages, and intensifying the problem of water scarcity in these countries. It is expected that the loss of groundwater resources will have dire consequences on the countries’ socio-economic development, increases health risks, and damages their environment and fragile ecosystem regimes.

Moreover, the development of many GCC countries is relying heavily on non-renewable fossil groundwater, and the issue of “sustainability” of non-renewable resources is problematic, and requires clear definition.

aquifer deterioration in mena

Sustainability of these resources need to be interpreted in a socio-economic rather than a physical context, implying that full considerations must be given not only to the immediate benefits and gains, but also to the “negative impacts” of development and to the question of “what comes after?” An “exit strategies” need to be identified, developed, and implemented by the time that the aquifer is seriously depleted. An exit strategy scenario must include balanced socio-economic choices on the use of aquifer storage reserves and on the transition to a subsequent less water-dependent economy, and the replacement water resource.

Despite their relatively enormous cost and heavy burden on the national budged, limited operational life (15-25 years), their dependence on depleting fossil fuel, and their negative environmental impacts on the surrounding air and marine environment, the Gulf nations are going ahead with desalination plant construction and expansion in order to meet the spiralling domestic water demands – a function of population and urbanization growth.

The rapid increase in urban water demands in the GCC can be explained by two factors, rapid population growth and the rise in per capita consumption; per capita average daily consumption in the domestic sector ranges between 300-750 liters, which ranks the highest in the world. This is due mainly to the reliance on the supply side of management with little attention given to the water demand management and the non-existence of price-signaling mechanism to consumers.

water conservation in Middle East

The other strategic issue is that, despite the current and anticipated future dependence of the GCC countries on desalination to meet its domestic/drinking water supply, desalination remains an imported technology for the GCC countries with limited directed R&D towards these technologies.

Furthermore, desalination industry have limited added value to the Gulf countries economies (e.g., localizing O&M, plant refurbishment, fabrication, manufacturing of Key Spare Parts, qualifying local labor to work in desalination industry, etc..).