Category Archives: Environment

What You Need to Know About The Top Green Building Trends

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With green building movement sweeping across the world, innovative technologies are being developed to keep pace with increasing shift towards sustainability. In this article, we will provide an overview of the top green building trends from across the world. Integration of biodegradable, recycled, recyclable and renewable building materials in the construction of buildings is attracting great attention worldwide. Natural paints, recycled steel, cellular concrete, clay bricks, wood, bamboo etc. are getting huge popularity in construction of green buildings. Another interesting innovation is zero-energy building which utilizes solar cells/panels, wind micro-turbines, fuel cells and biofuels, among others, to meet electricity and … Continue reading →

10 Overconsumption Facts That Will Make You Rethink Your Purchasing Decisions

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In our consumer-driven society, it’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of buying and accumulating stuff. However, the consequences of our collective overconsumption are far-reaching and often hidden from view. Here are ten eye-opening facts about overconsumption that might make you pause before your next purchase: 1. The average American throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing each year This staggering amount of textile waste not only contributes to overflowing landfills but also represents a significant waste of resources used in producing these garments. Fast fashion has accelerated this trend, with clothes often being discarded after just a few … Continue reading →

Use of Sewage Sludge in Cement Industry

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The MENA region produces huge quantity of municipal wastewater which represents a serious problem due to its high treatment costs and risk to environment, human health and marine life. The per capita wastewater generation rate in the region is estimated at 80-200 litres per day. Sewage generation across the region is rising by an astonishing rate of 25 percent every year. Municipal wastewater treatment plants in MENA produce large amounts of sludge whose disposal is a cause of major concern. For example, Kuwait has 6 wastewater treatment plants, with combined capacity of treating 12,000m³ of municipal wastewater per day, which produce around … Continue reading →

Swapping To An Off-Grid Life: Essential Things to Know

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A sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle is something more people strive for every day. For some, the answer is to give up the ease of municipal life to go off the grid. While this route is certainly far from easy, the rewards of freedom and a more ethical footprint make the entire struggle worth it. The Freedom an Off-Grid Life Offers Most people who choose to go off-grid do so in pursuit of a dream or ideal. Moving away from modern conveniences and providing for oneself off the land offers a desirable lifestyle for the people who choose it. Living sustainably off the … Continue reading →

7 Easy Ways to Make Organic Liquid Fertilizer

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Many organic farmers struggle to find natural ways of enhancing their soil. While organic fertilizers are readily available, it makes more sense to produce them as only then can one be sure of the components used. When produced appropriately, homemade organic liquid fertilizers can be as good as their commercially made counterparts. There are different types of organic liquid fertilizer available. For instance, compost tea is a powerful fertilizer while coffee grounds are said to provide sufficient nitrogen to plants. A huge percentage of organic fertilizers are made from kitchen waste. However, there are many more things one can convert … Continue reading →

4 Myths About Solar Power, Debunked

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Solar power is more than just a trend—with the rising cost of living and climate change being two very real problems in today’s world, affordable, sustainable energy solutions are only becoming more popular. As with anything in life, solar power has its advantages and its disadvantages. But it’s important to separate the genuine setbacks of solar power from the false myths about this form of energy. This article debunks 4 of the most common myths you might hear about solar power. 1. Solar Panels Don’t Work in Winter This comes from black-or-white thinking: believing that solar panels will do a … Continue reading →

The Wisest Green Decisions You Can Make For Your Home

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When you own a home, it’s up to you to make decisions about everything from maintenance to furniture. With so many competing issues, it can be difficult to figure out how where to focus your energy — not to mention your dollars. By making thoughtful and wise green decisions for your home, you can keep it in top shape for decades besides protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. Environmental psychology may also play a key role in strengthening the relationship between between you and your surroundings. Read on for the wisest green decision you can make for your home: … Continue reading →

Working Towards a Greener Eid Al-Adha Qurbani

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In Islam, there are many basic acts that are expected by devout Muslims, also known as the Five Pillars of Islam. These include declaring your faith (Shahadah), performing daily ritual prayers (Salat), paying forward charity to those in need (Zakat), fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm) and undertaking the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). With each of these responsibilities, Muslims can feel closer to Allah and feel satisfied that they are living a responsible and good life according to the expectations of Islam. By taking part in these acts and showing their generosity, there are certain special occasions that Muslims … Continue reading →

أهم 7 فوائد لإعادة تدوير بقايا القهوة

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نحن كعشاق للقهوة نقوم باستخدام أجهزة ووسائل متعددة حتى نحصل على القهوة التي نرغب و نستلذ بها، هذه الأجهزة والأدوات مثل آلة صنع القهوة أو وعاء الموكا وصولاً للكوب أو حتى ماكينة الباريستا، كلها تؤدي بالمحصلة إلى إنتاج كميات كبيرة من بقايا القهوة والتي بالعادة تكون نهايتها القمامة. وبالرغم من ذلك، يمكننا الاستفادة من بقايا القهوة المطحونة بطرق متعددة، مثلاً كاستخدامها كسماد طبيعي أو مُنّظف، وهنالك عدة خيارات أخرى أيضاً. لذلك، فيمايلي وددنا أن نشارك بعض الطرق الرائعة والسهلة لإعادة تدوير بقايا القهوة لنحافظ على البيئة. سماد ذو نوعية جيدة للحديقة للعلم فإن القهوة المطحونة تعتبر من مصادر النيتروجين المفيد … Continue reading →

Algae-Powered Buildings: A Futuristic Invention

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In an environment where the carbon footprint is becoming increasingly large, we need to start developing sustainable solutions which can keep greenhouse gases at bay. It is estimated that the building industry contributes to almost 40% of all of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions! To put this into perspective, this consists to a whopping 90 megatons of emissions that are emitted annually in constructing new buildings and maintaining the infrastructure of pre-developed ones. It is time for us to take action! At EcoMENA, we believe in creating a sustainable future so that the building industry can thrive and support our future … Continue reading →

Paper Bag Boy’s Message to the World

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Abdul Muqeet, also known as the Paper Bag Boy, has risen from being just another ordinary student to an extra-ordinary environmentalist. Ten-year old Abdul Muqeet has demonstrated remarkable commitment to saving the environment in the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere, and has been a poster-boy for environmental campaigns in the Middle East. Here he shares his views on environment, recycling and public awareness. It is said that you should break your goals down into small steps which you can accomplish each day. Set a goal, and approach it in a simple and basic manner. When I started my environmental campaign couple of years … Continue reading →

5 Simple Ways You Can Help Stop Wildlife Poaching

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Poaching is defined as the unlawful capture, shooting, and killing of wildlife. It has already been performed for a variety of purposes, including seizing the territory for human benefit, but more frequently, this has been done for a variety of ludicrous reasons, such as the desire for rare species items like ivory, wool, body parts, leather, skeleton, or teeth. However, many wildlife organizations around the globe are creating Anti poaching laws and techniques, to help to save rare species. Many creatures are added to the brink of extinction list each year as a result of poaching and international wildlife violations. … Continue reading →