8 Indoor Plants That Improve Air Quality And Health

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Indoor plants are wonderful for beautifying homes, offices, and other indoor settings. Furthermore, many can enhance air quality by removing harmful chemicals. In turn, people’s health can be improved. In this article, we’ll look at eight plants that can turn your indoor space into a haven of cleaner air and optimal well-being.

But first, let’s briefly explore the impact of poor air quality on health.

indoor plants that will improve indoor air quality

The Impact of Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality on Health

Indoor and outdoor air quality significantly affects health. Poor indoor air, often from dust, mold, toxins, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can lead to respiratory issues like asthma and allergies. Long-term exposure may even contribute to chronic conditions such as lung cancer or cardiovascular disease.

Outside, pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone harm the respiratory system. High levels of these pollutants correlate with increased hospital visits for respiratory infections and exacerbated asthma symptoms.

And at the ESMO 2022 Presidential Symposium, Professor Charles Swanton demonstrated how the particles in the air that contribute to climate change also negatively impact lung cells. In fact, the Lancet Commission on pollution and health states that air pollution causes up to 29% of all lung cancer deaths.

(Incidentally, you may be interested in learning about immunotherapy for lung cancer, which is a therapy that utilizes substances to suppress or stimulate the immune system in order to help the body fight cancer and other diseases.)

Also, recent studies show a connection between air pollution exposure during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes, including low birth weight. Children exposed to polluted air also risk developing developmental disorders.

Understanding these impacts emphasizes the importance of maintaining good air quality both at home and in our environment to support overall well-being. At home, indoor plants that are known to improve air quality can undoubtedly help.

1. Peace Lily

The Peace Lily, with its unique white flowers and aesthetic charm, is well-known for being one of the best air-purifying plants around. It can remove common harsh toxins found in the home, such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene, and ammonia. The lily absorbs these toxins through their leaves. The toxins then travel down to the root and are broken down into the soil.

Furthermore, the Peace Lily helps to reduce the appearance of mold spores in the home. Again, the spores are absorbed through its leaves and then circulated to the plant’s roots and turned into food.

2. Boston Fern

The Boston Fern is a popular houseplant known for its lush, arching fronds. Its feathery leaves make it an attractive choice for indoor decoration. Plus, it is prized for its air-purifying properties. This indoor plant can remove xylene, formaldehyde, and toluene from the air.

Easy to care for (with regular watering and misting), the Boston Fern adds both beauty and health benefits to any indoor space.

3. Areca Palm

The Areca Palm, also known as the Butterfly Palm, is a vibrant indoor plant with long, graceful fronds that fan out elegantly. It enjoys bright, indirect light and consistent moisture without waterlogging.

This palm not only adds tropical flair to interiors. It also improves air quality by removing toxins like xylene, formaldehyde, and toluene from the atmosphere – just like the Boston Fern.

Easy to maintain (with occasional pruning and regular watering), the Areca Palm brings a touch of nature indoors while promoting a healthier living environment.

indoor plants in home

4. Snake Plant

The Snake Plant, which is also often known as Mother-in-law’s Tongue, features tall, stiff, sword-like leaves with vibrant green bands and yellow edges. Its sleek, vertical growth creates a striking architectural look that stands out in any indoor setting.

Renowned for its robustness and ability to thrive in most environments, the Snake Plant makes an excellent air purifier. It removes a variety of toxins from the air, including xylene, toluene, formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene.

5. Devil’s Ivy

Devil’s Ivy, also known as Pothos, has beautiful heart-shaped leaves with vibrant green and yellow variegation. Its trailing vines cascade gracefully, making it ideal for hanging baskets or shelves. This lush plant brings a lively touch to any space.

Of course, it is also a great air purifier for the home or office. It is able to remove toxins like benzene and formaldehyde.

6. Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera boasts thick, fleshy, green leaves that fan out from a central base. The leaves are often edged with soft spikes and have a gel-like interior. Its compact, rosette form adds a striking and sculptural element to any room.

You’re probably aware of Aloe Vera’s medicinal properties, but were you aware that the plant is also an excellent air purifier? It can remove benzene, formaldehyde, and other harmful chemicals from the air.

Plus, it’s a low-maintenance plant, as it requires minimal watering. So, it’s a good option for those who are new to looking after houseplants.

7. Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums display vibrant, multi-petaled blooms in an array of colors like yellow, pink, and red. Their lush flowers range from daisy-like forms to pompom shapes.

While chrysanthemums aren’t as easy to grow as Aloe Vera and some of the other indoor plants mentioned in this article, they are sure to add color to any home or office. Furthermore, it can filter numerous toxins, including benzene and ammonia.

8. Weeping Fig

The Weeping Fig features slender, arching branches adorned with glossy, oval-shaped leaves. Its lush canopy creates an elegant drooping effect, giving it a graceful appearance. This versatile plant enhances any space with its vibrant green foliage and delicate form.

And it is effective at purifying the air from toxins that are commonly found in adhesives and nail polishes. It can remove chemicals like toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde; and thus, create a healthier indoor environment.

Also, the Weeping Fig can be grown both indoors and outdoors.

The Bottom Line

As we have seen, bringing indoor plants into your home isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s also about creating a healthier living environment.

Whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or a beginner, there’s a perfect green companion out there for you that will make your space cleaner and more vibrant every day.

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.

sustainable home building trends

1. Solar Panels Don’t Work in Winter

This comes from black-or-white thinking: believing that solar panels will do a great job in the summer and absolutely nothing in the winter.

Actually, though, solar panels collect solar energy in every season. Yes, you’ll get more solar power when the hours of daylight are longer. But you’ll still be able to supplement your non-solar energy supply in the winter.

2. Solar Power Requires Direct Sunlight

If you live in a region that doesn’t get a whole lot of direct sunlight, you might believe that solar panels won’t work for you.

But solar panels don’t need direct sunlight to work. While full sun is obviously better, any solar power company will tell you that solar panels still store solar energy when the weather is overcast.

3. Solar Energy is Expensive

Many people know that solar power can help you save money in the long run, but a common reason why people don’t install solar panels is that they think the initial investment is too expensive.

However, finance options are available for most solar panel installations, so you don’t have to pay all the money upfront. Plus, the rising popularity of this energy form means it’s never been more affordable.

weatherization strategies for solar panels

4. Solar Power Can’t Be Stored

Some people also assume that solar energy can’t be stored, or that if it can, it doesn’t last long and needs to be used instantly.

However, you can actually store solar energy in any situation, regardless of the temperature or climate. If you want, you could even sell your stored solar energy to the grid or store it in batteries to use later.

Actual Setbacks of Solar Power

Now the myths have been busted, it’s worth knowing about the actual setbacks of solar power.

First, you need a substantial installation area, typically on your home’s roof. While solar panels are becoming more attractive, you might still consider them an eyesore.

Second, the energy production is intermittent. As we highlighted, solar panels store energy in all weathers and seasons. But you’ll still get more solar power if you live in a region that sees long hours of sunlight compared to a region that’s usually overcast.

And finally, even though solar panels are becoming more affordable and can be financed with a loan, they’re still going to require some sort of investment upfront.

how to power a shed with solar energy

Is Solar Power Worth It?

Solar power is worth it if you want to reduce your overall spend on energy in the long run. They’re a sustainable, renewable solution, but they’re not for everyone.

It’s worth speaking to your local solar panel installers and learning about the benefits of solar power in your region before making the investment.

Hydrogen Economy for Arab Countries: Perspectives

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Arab world is facing major sustainability challenges in achieving social, economic and environmental goals. Hydrogen economy can help Arab governments, companies, and citizens to save billions of dollars each year from reduced energy bills and sustainable waste management, while at the same time reducing carbon footprints – a win-win solution.

Extremely arid climate, acute water scarcity, high energy consumption and polluting oil and gas industry present a unique challenge in Arab countries. Almost one-fifth of the Arab population is dependent on non-commercial fuels for different energy uses. All sectors of the economy — residential, commercial, transport, service and agriculture — demands modern energy services.

hydrogen economy

Gaseous emissions from the exploration and burning of fossil fuels is heavily polluting the atmosphere in the Arab world. Waste management has emerged as a major environmental issue with mountains of wastes accumulating in big cities across the Arab world. Compared to other countries, Arab countries are experiencing higher emissions of oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds.

Hydrogen is the Future

Hydrogen can be produced efficiently and may be used as a source of electricity, heat, transportation fuel, specialty chemicals, industrial production and even for drinking water production. Green hydrogen has tremendous potential to generate clean energy which can be off-grid and decentralized or can fed directly into the existing utility grid.

The surplus heat is a by-product in fuel cells during electricity production, and which can be used for industrial application or district heating. Water is an invaluable product of hydrogen production process in fuel cells and can act as a game-changer for arid countries of the Arab world which are facing severe water shortages.

The energy future of the world lies in hydrogen, fuel cells and batteries for electric mobility on the road, on rails, in the air, and on the water. Climate change is taking a threatening and menacing turn and urgent steps are needed to tackle it. New and innovative transportation solutions are required to fight the climate change in the form of electric vehicles.

The Promise of Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles

Electric engines in any vehicle are powered by electricity from batteries or fuel cells, produced by conversion of clean and environmental-friendly hydrogen (and oxygen from the air) in fuel cells, directly onboard the vehicle. After approximately 500 km and more, the hydrogen tank is filled up at a hydrogen filling station, and the journey can be continued. There are significant advantages over the charging time of battery-powered electric vehicles (cars, lorries, buses, trains, boats, ships, or aircrafts). Even batteries can be charged at home or at charging stations in the city within hours.

Urban electric transportation solutions will help to avoid air pollution, in addition to conservation of fast-depleting fossil fuels. In the coming years, we urgently need to set-up the course for the introduction and market launch of different electric vehicles, and as the pre-requisite, the infrastructure in form of hydrogen filling stations for clean and affordable hydrogen gas, or electric charger stations, all over the Arab world.

The fight against climate change

How to escape the climate disaster and how to build a clean and affordable energy infrastructure? The solution is mass deployment of clean energies, CO²-free and low-carbon fuels, especially hydrogen and fuel cells.

Today the world is more active in climate protection than ever before. Air, water and soil, must be protected, any resource consumption should significantly be reduced, and all type of wastes should be reutilized. People need clean, affordable energy worldwide, and Arab world is no exception.

More than 40 percent of the Arab population in rural and urban poor areas do not have adequate access to energy services. It is also noted that almost one-fifth of the Arab population relies on non-commercial fuels for different energy uses.

A Glance at Basic Principles

  1. Water is life, energy and a fuel
  2. Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen
  3. Water changes its state into hydrogen and oxygen and then back to water
  4. Nothing is lost in the world. Everything only changes its status and can be used over and over again: from the solid to the liquid state to the gaseous state This is the hydrologic and hydrogen circle.
  5. Our energy is utilized in the form of oil, gas, coal, or wood; all are hydro-carbon elements and compounds.
  6. Take away the carbon and use only the hydrogen as C02-free energy for universal use

Sustainable urban development

Clean energy, urban transport, urban planning and clean air solutions are important component of climate change mitigation. If these sectors work together, plan at an early stage and develop themselves on the basis of hydrogen and fuel cells, we will see the emergence of sustainable communities in cities of the Arab world.

The architecture of buildings will change significantly, and construction will be simplified with decentralized fuel cells in buildings producing on-site electricity and heat to meet the energy requirements. Thus, buildings will no longer depend on large centralized power plants for their power and heating requirements.

New transport concepts, based on electric vehicles, will make life easier for us, in the form of good health, fast mobility, clean air, less noise pollution and conservation of natural resources. We will experience clean air, no noise and absence of vibration from a car’s internal combustion engine or diesel generators which generate electricity in addition to many buildings.

Futuristic waste management

The production of hydrogen via gasification technologies, by means of the steam refurbishment of all biomass waste, will completely solve the major problem of waste disposal in the Middle East which are currently struggling to manage municipal and industrial wastes. Municipal waste, industrial waste and other wastes are subjected to an advanced thermal conversion process resulting in the production of high calorific value synthesis gas and valuable mineral.

Conclusion

The people of the Arab world should know about the latest solutions and innovations to make a smooth transition to low-carbon economy and hydrogen-based economy.

Note: The full report on Hydrogen Economy for Arab Countries can be obtained by sending an email to info@clean-energy-bonn.org

Water-Energy Nexus in the Arab Countries

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Amongst the most important inter-dependencies in the Arab countries is the water-energy nexus, where all the socio-economic development sectors rely on the sustainable provision of these two resources. In addition to their central and strategic importance to the region, these two resources are strongly interrelated and becoming increasingly inextricably linked as the water scarcity in the region increases.

In the water value chain, energy is required in all segments; energy is used in almost every stage of the water cycle: extracting groundwater, feeding desalination plants with its raw sea/brackish waters and producing freshwater, pumping, conveying, and distributing freshwater, collecting wastewater and treatment and reuse.  In other words, without energy, mainly in the form of electricity, water availability, delivery systems, and human welfare will not function.

water energy nexus

 

It is estimated that in most of the Arab countries, the water cycle demands at least 15% of national electricity consumption and it is continuously on the rise. On the other hand, though less in intensity, water is also needed for energy production through hydroelectric schemes (hydropower) and through desalination (Co-generation Power Desalting Plants (CPDP)), for electricity generation and for cooling purposes, and for energy exploration, production, refining and enhanced oil recovery processes, in addition to many other applications.

The scarcity of freshwater in the region promoted and intensified the technology of desalination and combined co-production of electricity and water, especially in the GCC countries. Desalination, particularly CPDPs, is an energy-intensive process. Given the large market size and the strategic role of desalination in the Arab region, the installation of new capacities will increase the overall energy consumption.

As energy production is mainly based on fossil-fuels and this source is limited, it is clear that development of renewable energies to power desalination plants is needed. Meanwhile, to address concerns about carbon emissions, Arab governments should link any future expansion in desalination capacity to investments in abundantly available renewable energy.

water-energy-nexus

Water-energy nexus in the UAE should be resilient and adaptive

There is an urgent need for cooperation among the Arab countries to enhance coordination and investment in R&D in desalination and treatment technologies. Acquiring and localizing these technologies will help in reducing their cost, increasing their reliability as a water source, increasing their added value to the countries’ economies, and in reducing their environmental impacts. Special attention should be paid to renewable and environmentally safe energy sources, of which the most important is solar, which can have enormous potential as most of the Arab region is located within the “sun belt” of the world.

Despite the strong relation, the water-energy nexus and their interrelation has not been fully addressed or considered in the planning and management of both resources in many Arab countries. However, with increasing water scarcity, many Arab countries have started to realize the growing importance of the nexus and it has now become a focal point of interest, both in terms of problem definition and in searching for trans-disciplinary and trans-sectoral solutions.

There is an obvious scarcity of scientific research and studies in the field of water-energy nexus and the interdependencies between these two resources and their mutual values, which is leading to a knowledge gap on the nexus in the region.  Moreover, with climate change deeply embedded within the water-energy nexus issue, scientific research on the nexus needs to be associated with the future impacts of climate change.

Research institutes and universities need to be encouraged to direct their academic and research programs towards understanding the nexus and their interdependencies and inter-linkages. Without the availability of such researches and studies, the nexus challenges cannot be faced and solved effectively, nor can these challenges be converted into opportunities in issues such as increasing water and energy use efficiency, informing technology choices, increasing water and energy policy coherence, and examining the water-energy security nexus.

References

  1. Siddiqi, A., and Anadon, L. D. 2011. The water-energy nexus in Middle East and North Afirca. Energy policy (2011) doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.04.023.
  2. Khatib, H. 2010. The Water and Energy Nexus in the Arab Region. League of Arab States, Cairo.
  3. Haering, M., and Hamhaber, J. 2011. A double burden? Reflections on the Water-energy-nexus in the MENA region. In: Proceedings of the of the First Amman-Cologne Symposium 2011, The Water and Energy Nexus. Institute of Technology and resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, 2011, p. 7-9.

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:

1. Do Frequent Deep Cleans

Don’t like deep cleaning? You’re not alone. It’s not exactly a dream to get down on your knees and scrub at the dust behind the toilet. However, if you own a home, frequent deep cleanings are one of the best things you can do. Each time you clean thoroughly, you remove germs, dust, bacteria, and skin cells. This reduces the chance of sickness and allergies. It also helps you notice and track small problems that can turn into huge structural problems down the line, such as leaks or cracks.

At a minimum, you should do a deep cleaning once per month. This includes the refrigerator, carpets, microwaves, bathrooms, and beds. Clean around the baseboards, sweep under appliances, and clear out your dryer vents. Don’t forget about your refrigerator coils; if they get too dusty, it can make your fridge die faster. Too busy? Hate cleaning? Hire a cleaning service to make your home neat and clean; it’s a little bit of a splurge, but it can help you head off bigger, more expensive issues in the future. Check out the Spring Cleaning Checklist.

Don’t forget to check out the top eco-friendly ways for cleaning your home.

2. Buy High-Quality Furniture

One of the best things you can do for your home is to invest in high-quality furniture. Sure, they’re more expensive than pieces from IKEA or Target, but the higher price tag comes with some serious benefits. High-quality furniture uses top-of-the-line materials and excellent construction, which means that it looks better and lasts longer.

Of course, it’s not always easy to shell out thousands of dollars for furniture. When that’s the case, it’s a good idea to prioritize. What items do you use daily? What pieces are most visible? For many people, the highest-priority items are the sofa, bed, dining table, and TV stand. You use them every day, so it’s worth your money to buy pieces that will be comfortable and sturdy for years to come.

The TV stand, on the other hand, is the focal point of your living area. It also needs to support your TV, which is one of the more expensive appliances in your home. In the article “Modern TV Stand Guide: 12 Consoles You’ll Covet!”, Kevin Sykes says that a TV stand is not a purchase you’ll want to skimp on. A TV stand is usually something people plan on having for a long time, so investing in a quality stand will save you the hassle of replacing it earlier than you planned.

Once you’ve invested in these high-quality priority pieces, you can move on to the rest of the furniture in your house, including:

  • Dressers
  • Kitchen cabinets
  • Fixtures like toilets, towers, and tubs

3. Take Care of Crucial Home Maintenance

Home maintenance is easy to forget about, especially if you’re not mechanically minded. If you ignore these tasks, however, they can lead to shorter lifetimes for your expensive equipment and structures. Some of the most important tasks to tackle are:

  • Drain your water heater each year to remove sediment
  • Remove leaves from the gutters
  • Keep window wells clean and dry
  • Balance and clean your garage door opener
  • Remove insect and mice nests
  • Inspect HVAC filters
  • Check water pressure

4. Install Ceiling Fans

A humble ceiling fan can have big benefits for your house — and your heating bills. Fans increase the air circulation in the house, which means that the hot or cool air from your heaters or AC units is dispersed more effectively. As a result, you can usually set your thermostat a little lower in the winter and use less AC in the summer.

Why does a couple of degrees matter? Over time, the use of fans can add up to big cost savings, especially if you live in an area with extreme temperature swings. Plus, you’ll reduce the environmental footprint of your home and enjoy a more comfortable atmosphere.

Chances are, you’re planning to live in your home for many years. By making these wise green decisions, you can save money and head off expensive repairs.

High Efficiency Irrigation Systems for Home Gardens, Shrubs and Trees

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Climate change is bringing longer and more severe droughts and floods. Water supplies are limited in many areas and water costs are rising. Many families, communities and even countries are at risk. More efficient irrigation systems can make the most of limited water supplies. Over the last 40 years I have been testing and refining strategies for plant establishment in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of North America with rainfall as low as 7.5 cm in a good year. Many of these systems can prove useful for home gardens, and growing shrubs and trees in arid lands.

My quest began back in the 1980s when I started searching around the world for low technology irrigation techniques suitable for arid sites. I also interviewed everyone who visited the Dry Lands Research Institute where I worked. I found out about several little known but very effective traditional systems that were in use, but not being studied by scientists because they were seen as primitive. In the years since then I have managed to test and refine most of these systems. What I have learned can benefit home and small market gardeners working in areas where water is increasingly costly or in short supply.

Irrigation demand is related to water needed for metabolic functions drawn from soil moisture in the root zone. Moisture stress in plants develops as a result of the interaction of limited rainfall, evaporation, wind, plant growth (transpiration), and air and soil temperatures. Low relative humidity (often <10%) and high desert wind speeds can lead to very rapid water losses from soils and plants. Many native plant species are adapted to drought once they get past the first few months or years. They may not grow, but they will hang on, waiting for the first big rain.

Shelters

Sheltering plants with plastic tree shelters, rocks, rock walls, sun shades, or dried plant materials can reduce plant water demand and improve survival and growth. Solid wall tree shelters might seem suicidal in very hot deserts, but in most cases they dramatically improved survival in my studies. With ground surface temperatures that may approach (70°C) and with wind and sandblast shelters can reduce stress and plant water demand. And often important, they reduce grazing by domestic and wild animals. The increased air temperatures in desert shelters have generally not been a problem but some species are more sensitive than others.

high efficiency irrigation system

The key to minimizing water use is getting water to the root zone quickly and efficiently with no surface runoff, surface wetting and loss to evaporation. Moist soil can facilitate root extension and development of a large root system.

tree shelters for irrigation

Rainwater Harvesting

Capturing and utilizing any rain that falls is also essential. This clean salt free water can help offset long term salt buildup from irrigation with high mineral content surface or well water. Surface shaping of microcatchments, swales, pitting, imprinting, and installing straw bundles vertically in holes or trenches can improve movement of surface water into the soil if significant rains occur. However, if precipitation is light the mulch may intercept much of the rain before it reaches the soil. Bath water and dishwashing water can be used in most systems if they are kept free of harmful materials. My parents used this water for their gardens for more than 30 years.

Drip systems are well developed, well studied, and work well in some cases, but they require regulated water pressure, careful filtration, and regular maintenance. Buried drip is often better, moving water deeper in the soil, but harder to monitor and repair. Drip emitters are easily blocked with sediment and salt and several insect species devote their lives to plugging the emitters. Many animals (including coyotes (wild dogs), rabbits, and other animals will chew on the tubing even when they don’t have water in them. I sometimes think that’s why it is often called spaghetti tubing. In one of my studies of animal repellents to protect young plants from grazing all the tubing was snipped while the plants were untouched. I should have put repellent on the drip tubing as well!

Irrigation systems you may never have heard of —but might consider

The following systems have worked well over many years of experience in a wide range of soil types and plant species. Most were discovered in traditional cultures around the world. All use much less water than the best conventional techniques and are suitable for both gardens, farms and reforestation. The best alternatives include:

1. Deep Pipe Irrigation

Deep pipe irrigation is a very effective yet little known irrigation method using an open vertical or near vertical pipe (plastic, conduit, bamboo with the web punched out, waxed cardboard tube, a bundle of sticks, a hole filled with pebbles or…) to deliver irrigation water to the root zone of shrubs and trees. I learned of this from contacts in India. Deep pipes are much more efficient than surface drip or conventional surface irrigation because they limit evaporation. My studies showed that plants developed a much larger root volume better adapted to survive if irrigation is interrupted or stopped. Plants started on deep pipes also grew faster after rare summer rains.

Deep pipe irrigation can be used with low quality water. It is possible to set up with simple materials and hand tools without extensive support systems (pressurized filtered water is not needed). The deep pipes provide better water use efficiency thanks to reduced evaporation. They also limit weed growth and competition. For hand watering a 4-5 cm diameter pipe is placed vertically in the soil 35-30 cm deep near the seedling. A few 3-5 mm holes should be spaced down one side of the pipe, and oriented to face the plant to facilitate early root growth. A cover is needed to keep out lizards and animals. This can be a rock or cap, but screen makes it easier to water. For a few pipes you can cut screens by hand, but for larger projects screens can be cut by a screen fabricator. They can be glued or wired to the pipes.

Deep pipes enable water to be applied quickly and efficiently to seedlings with no runoff even on steep slopes. This can be done by hand from a water jug or from a hose to a truck water tank. Placing the deep pipe on the upslope side of the plant protects it from slumping and burial. Pipes can be left in place or removed after a few seasons and reused. A new market has emerged with very nice but costly deep pipes.

Deep pipes are also be used with an intermittent flow drip or tube water delivery system. For me a 1.25 cm plastic pipe vertically placed pipe 25-50 cm deep worked with drip emitters placed in the pipe. This provides the benefits of buried drip systems, but is more easily maintained and repaired.

2. Olla (buried clay pot, pitcher) irrigation

The most efficient system of all uses a buried, unglazed terra cotta clay pot filled with water to provide a steady supply of water to plants growing nearby. This was first described 2000 years ago in a handbook written in China for people with too little land and too little water. Water seeps out through the walls of the buried pot at a rate that is in part determined by the water use by the plant. The controlled water delivery from buried clay pot irrigation provides plants with a steady water supply even during periods with very high temperatures, low humidity, and desiccating winds. The controlled water delivery is also helpful in coarse sand or gravel soils that drain too quickly and in salty soils. This steady moisture content in the soil also makes buried clay pot irrigation a good method for use with direct seeding and cuttings.

innovative irrigation system

Buried clay pot irrigation allows soil amendments to be placed where they will benefit crop plants rather than weeds. In a study in Kenya clay pots cut water use 97% and increased yield 40% compared to surface irrigation. The precise water application also minimizes weed growth. A study in India showed that the dry weight of weeds in crops using buried clay pot irrigation was only 13% of the weed weight for controls using basin irrigation. In one of my studies weeds weighed only 23 kg/ha contrasted with 6,700 kg/ha for an adjacent surface irrigated plot.

Clay pot irrigation has worked well in areas affected by salinity or where only saline water is available for irrigation. In one study tomato yield was actually higher with slightly salty water. Clay pots are valuable for many problem sites in gardens, market farms, landscaping and revegetation. They work very well for plants that develop mold or rot easily if the leaves or stems get wetted. The buried clay pots can be filled by hand or connected to a pipe network or reservoir.

Buried clay pot irrigation is very effective for irrigating cuttings in the nursery or in the field. In the nursery a sealed clay pot is placed within a larger pot with the drain left open. The space between pots is filled with sand or a soil mix. The interior pot is filled with water and maintains moisture in the soil. The outer clay pot allows for good aeration and helps cool the container. Ideal for willows (Salix), cottonwoods (Populus), and some plants that are harder to grow from cuttings.

The primary disadvantage is the cost of commercial ollas in the US (GrowOya is an example). Local potters can provide comparable clay pots at much lower cost. This could be a new market for Jordanian potters. The pores of the pots clog over time with calcium and organic matter. They can be cleaned by scrubbing and soaking in water with vinegar added. Traditional users sometimes cleaned them by putting them back in the fire.

commercial ollas

3. Porous clay pipe

Porous clay pipe works much like buried clay pots, but can have a few more weeds. The appropriate depth for burying the porous clay pipe depends on the properties of the clay pipe (clay content, organic material, firing temperature, firing duration) and the properties of the soil (texture, structure, density, porosity, soil organic matter), and the applied hydraulic pressure (if any). Porous clay pipe is buried in a level or slightly sloping trench at a depth of 20 to 40 cm for medium to fine-textured soils with rows of plants about 1 m apart. Porous clay pipes are often 10-15 cm in diameter with joints that fit together well and are sealed to prevent root entry and uneven water distribution. They are usually laid end to end with a watertight slip joint, cemented joint, or plastic or rubber connectors. Rubber connectors make it easier for the pipe system to be dismantled, cleaned, and moved.

Pipe placement in row crops has typically been done either directly under each row or between rows, but pipe grids have also been used. Because they wet a larger surface area than porous capsules or pitchers, the water delivery is less precise. The water is spread along a continuous horizontal band in the soil, and this is well suited to closely spaced row crops such as carrots and other vegetables. It has also worked well for apple orchards.

Porous clay pipe is demand-responsive with very high-water use efficiency. Experiments with buried clay pipes found that water consumption for turnip, okra, and eggplant using porous clay pipes was 80%, 81%, and 83% more water-use efficient than traditional flood irrigation. The crop yield also increased. Drawbacks include lack of suppliers, weight, effort to install challenge of cleaning.

4. Wick irrigation

One of the lesser known methods of irrigation uses a wick to conduct water to plants. I was first introduced to this very efficient form of irrigation in a paper from India, where wicks were used in conjunction with buried clay pot irrigation. Wicks can be either a gravity flow (fast) or capillary flow (slow) wick. Capillary flow occurs when the adhesion to the walls is stronger than the cohesive forces between the liquid molecules. This enables the water to rise up into the wick. Wick material must be tested, some materials are much better than others. Hang one end of the wick in colored water and measure the capillary rise. Water will rise in some wicks as much as 50 cm. For a gravity flow test simply lay out the wick and attach to the reservoir.

high efficiency irrigation system

Solid braid nylon or polyester wick work best. Cotton can be used but is more likely to grow algae. A wick can be set up as a free flow system with only gravity pressure or as a capillary feed with water carried up and along a wick at very low rates for longer term watering from a reservoir. Wicks may prove useful for deep watering with minimal water use and high efficiency. A wick might help tie roots from the surface to to groundwater at 2-4 meters depth.

Much more needs to be done to develop better wick systems and to more fully evaluate the most appropriate uses of capillary and gravity fed wicks. The flow rate can be adjusted with a clamp on the wick just below the reservoir. A multiple wick arrangement could be used to develop a root pattern that would improve wind-firmness. Wicks could also be incorporated in a pressurized network. Wicks may also be very effective in establishing cuttings and in helping riparian plants reach groundwater. Wicks can also be used to water house plants when you must leave for a few days.

Which is best? It depends. Try them.

One of the advantages of these systems is their robust nature and low cost. Match irrigation to the need. I used to use deep pipes on many of my restoration projects. Today I rely on buried clay pots in my garden beds and for plants in landscape pots. They work so well!

Further reading

Bainbridge, D. A. 2023. Deep-root strategies for propagating and planting seedlings for arid sites. Tree Planter’s Notes. 66(1):87-92.

Bainbridge, D. A. 2021. Wick irrigation. Agroforestry Action Network. May. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlsE4s0Fy90

Bainbridge, D. A. 2015. Gardening with Less Water. Storey Press/Hachette.

Bainbridge, D. A. 2006. Deep pipe irrigation. Overstory Agroforestry Journal #175. 6 p.

Bainbridge, D. A. 2001. Irrigation and surface mulch effects on transplant establishment. Native Plants Journal 2(1):25-29.

Bainbridge, D. A. 2001. Buried clay pot irrigation. Agricultural Water Management.  48(2):79-88.

Edwards. F. E., D. A. Bainbridge, T. Zink and M. F. Allen. 2000. Rainfall catchments improve survival of container transplants at Mojave Desert site. Restoration Ecology 18(2):100-103.

Bainbridge, D. A. 1996. Vertical mulch for soil improvement. Restoration and Management Notes 14(1):72.

Bainbridge, D. A., M. Fidelibus and R. F. MacAller. 1995. Techniques for plant establishment in arid ecosystems. Restoration and Management Notes 13(2):198-202.

Bainbridge, D. A. 1994. Tree shelters improve establishment on dry sites. Treeplanter’s Notes. Winter 45(1):13-16.

Bordas, J. and G. Mathieu. 1931. Résultats de deux années d’irrigation souterraine. Annales Agronomique. 1:186-194.

Kefa C. C., E. C. Kipkorir, J. Kwonyike, P. C. Kubowon, and H. K. Ndambiri. 2013. Comparison of water use savings and crop yields for clay pot and furrow irrigation methods in Lake Bogoria, Kenya. Journal of Natural Sciences Research. 3(8):34-39.

Lancaster, B. 2024. Turn scarcity into abundance. www.harvestingrainwater.com

Shi, S. H. 1974. On Fan Sheng-Chih Shu. Science Press, Beijing. Info on ollas in fragments of an ancient farm handbook 80BC.

Shiek’h, M. T. and B. H. Shah. 1983. Establishment of vegetation with pitcher irrigation. Pakistan Journal of Forestry. 33(2):75-81.

Siyal, A., A. A. E. Babiker and D. A. Bainbridge. 2024. Subsurface porous clay pipe irrigation: A sustainable solution for agriculture in Arid Regions. Academia Journal of Agricultural Research. DOI 10.15413/ajar.2024.101 (in press).

السلامة الإحيائية في تونس .. في انتظار صدور القانون

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تخطط وزارة الزراعة الأمريكية، وفق تقرير صدر في نهاية فبراير 2017، إلى زيادة صادراتها من فول الصويا إلى تونس “لتلبية الطلب المتزايد منه في قطاع الصناعة”، وهو منتج في غالبيته العظمى معدل وراثيا. ونظرا لافتقاد تونس في الوقت الحالي لأي تشريع وطني بشأن الكائنات المعدلة وراثيا، فمن المتوقع أن تزداد واردات هذا المحصول حتى أفق عام 2025.

وفي خضم النقاش الحاصل حول الهندسة الجينية لا يعلم التونسيون الكثير حولها، فقد كشفت دراسة شملت عينة من 2000 شخص من بينهم 16 شركة صناعية و94 فلاحا و100 شخصية فاعلة في عدة قطاعات و18 جمعية، وعرضت نتائجها خلال أيام التنوع البيولوجي سنة 2015 أن 89 بالمائة من التونسيين لا يمتلكون معارف حول الكائنات المعدلة جينيا.

biosafety in tunisia

ولا تبدو المعلومات حول الكائنات المحورة جينيا في تونس واضحة أو دقيقة وإلى حين المصادقة على مشروع قانون يتعلق بالسلامة الإحيائية، فإن هذا القطاع يشهد إلى حد الآن فراغا قانونيا يفسر حالة الضبابية التي تلف المعلومات حوله. فنحن لا نعرف حتى هل أن المنتجات التي تحتوي، أو مستخلصة، من الكائنات المحورة جينيا عرفت طريقها إلى بلادنا وهل دخلت إلى أسواقنا أو تسللت إلى حقولنا بعد؟

قد لا يمكن الحسم في هذا التساؤل، لكن إمكانية حصول ذلك واردة جدا. فبالنظر إلى تبعية بلادنا إلى الخارج، فإن تونس تستورد النسبة الأكبر من البذور، على غرار بذور الخضار التي تستورد 95 بالمائة منها. وأغلب هذه البذور مصدرها شركة مونسانتو العالمية التي تشتغل في تونس، والتي تسوق حسب ما ثبت المنتجات التي تحتوي على الكائنات المحورة وراثيا، ما يعني أنه من المحتمل إن لم يكن من المؤكد أن هذه المنتجات قد دخلت بلادنا خاصة وأن ممارسات المافيا التي كانت سائدة في قطاع الاستيراد قبل عام 2011 لم تسمح بأي معلومات حول هذا الموضوع.

ولا تزال مسألة السلامة الإحيائية في تونس تشكو من فراغ قانوني، فمشروع القانون الوطني الأول من نوعه والوحيد المتعلق بالسلامة الإحيائية والذي شرع في إعداده منذ سنة 2005 لم ير النور بعد ولم تتم إلى غاية اليوم إحالته على مجلس نواب الشعب التونسي للمصادقة عليه. وتبرز أهمية مشروع هذا القانون في توفير إطار وطني فعال للتعامل مع القضايا والالتزامات الدولية للسلامة الإحيائية،  المتمثلة أساسا في بروتوكول قرطاجنة التابع لاتفاقية التنوع البيولوجي، وهو اتفاق دولي، كانت قد صادقت عليه تونس عام 2002، يهدف إلى حماية التنوع البيولوجي من المخاطر المحتملة التي تشكلها الكائنات الحية المعدلة وراثيا الناتجة عن التكنولوجيا الحيوية الحديثة.

وتقر وزارة البيئة بوجود فراغ قانوني في مجال نظام السلامة الإحيائية وتعترف بغياب التنظيم وهيكلة الخدمات المختلفة التي يمكن أن تساهم في التحكم في سلسلة الكائنات المحورة جينيا.

ويشير تقرير لدائرة المحاسبات حول منظومة البذور والشتلات، كان قد صدر في منتصف الشهر الثاني من سنة 2016، إلى الفراغ الحاصل على مستوى الإطار التشريعي والقانوني، حيث لاحظ غياب هذا الإطار القانوني لإنتاج البذور والشتلات المحورة جينيا والتي يتطلب استغلالها الأخذ بعين الاعتبار جملة من المحاذير بهدف اجتناب المخاطر المحتملة على المستوى الصحي والبيئي. كما لاحظ أيضا غياب إطار تشريعي خاص بالبذور والشتلات البيولوجية.

ماهي الكائنات الحية المعدلة وراثيا / المحورة جينيا، وما هي استعمالاتها ؟

يعرف نك فاندرغراف، رئيس دائرة وقاية المزروعات في منظمة الأغذية والزراعة وسكرتير الاتفاقية الدولية لوقاية المزروعات، الكائنات الحية المعدلة وراثيا بأنها “كائنات حية فيها تركيبة جديدة من المواد الوراثية التي تم الحصول عليها جراء استخدام الهندسة الوراثية، فهي إذن عبارة عن مجموعة فرعية انبثقت عن الكائنات المعدلة وراثيا.

وتستعمل تقنيات التكنولوجيا الحيوية في مجالات عديدة كالصيدلة والطب، إلا أن ما أثار الجدل في العالم فعلا هو استخدامها في الأغذية والزراعة. فالبذور المحورة وراثيا وشتلات النباتات والأنسجة المزروعة هي بمثابة أجزاء حية من النباتات، ولذلك تُعرف باسم الكائنات الحية المعدلة وراثيا.

إذ بالنسبة للزراعة، استهدفت المحاصيل المحورة جينيا أولا فول الصويا والذرة والقطن وبذور اللفت ثم انتشرت في جميع الخضروات والفاكهة. وقد تم تسجيل ما يقرب من 300 حالة من الإفراج المتعمد للكائنات المعدلة وراثيا في البيئة في الاتحاد الأوروبي، بين عامي 1991 و1994.

وقد بدأ بيع الأغذية المعدلة وراثيا في الأسواق عام 1994 عندما قام مونسانتو بتسويق نوع من الطماطم المتأخر النضج. كما تركز أغلب التعديلات الوراثية خاصة على المحاصيل ذات الطلب العالي من المزارعين مثل فول الصويا، والذرة، وزيت بذور القطن.

ينقسم الباحثون والعلماء إلى مؤيد ومعارض للمنتجات المعدلة جينيا. فهي وإن أثبتت عدة فوائد أبرزها حسب المؤيدين زيادة الإنتاجية والقضاء على الجوع، فقد برزت مخاوف بشأن انعكاساتها على البيئة وإلحاقها الضرر بالتنوع البيولوجي.

مونسانتو والخطر الداهم

قد لا يبالغ الباحث الأميركي وليام انغداهل حين شبه البذور المعدلة وراثيا بأسلحة الدمار الشامل واعتبرها نوعا من الأسلحة البيولوجية التي تستخدمها الولايات المتحدة الأميركية ضمن خططها الجيوسياسية للسيطرة على موارد الطاقة في العالم. فشركة مونسانتو الأمريكية والتي تحتكر نحو 70 بالمائة من صناعة الحبوب تسيطر على سوق البذور العالمية وبالتالي في الإنتاج الزراعي للبلدان التي تتعامل معها.

هذه الشركة وهي واحدة من الشركات المتعددة الجنسيات التي تعمل في مجال التكنولوجيا الحيوية الزراعية، إذ أنها أكبر منتج للبذور،العادية والمعدلة جينيا، يطلق عليها الناشطون للمنتجات الزراعية المعدلة وراثيا لقب “الشيطان”.

ففي أكتوبر من عام 2016 بدأ ناشطون محاكمة شعبية وفقا لصحيفة “ديلي ميل” لشركة مونسانتو، متهمين شركة البذور الأمريكية العملاقة بانتهاك حقوق الإنسان، وارتكاب جريمة “إبادة بيئية”. إلا أنها استطاعت الحصول على حماية قانونية من الكونجرس الأمريكي يسمح لها، وللشركات المماثلة، بزراعة منتجاتها وبيعها حتى وإن كانت تواجه قضايا قانونية تتعلق بأضرار هذه المنتجات صحيا وبيئيا.

وقد ثارت ضدها احتجاجات في ماي 2013 في أكثر من خمسين بلدا في أنحاء متفرّقة من العالم احتجاجا على منتجاتها من الكيماويات والبذور الزراعية المعدلة وراثيا، لاعتقادهم بأنها تضر بصحة الإنسان والبيئة. لاقت الدعوات إلى الاحتجاج استجابة في مصر أيضا، التي تستورد منها الذرة. كما رفضت الكويت شحنة من هذا المنتج للاشتباه لاحتوائه على الكائنات المعدلة وراثيا. وفي البيرو التي تقع في أمريكا اللاتينية تم منع استيراد كافة المحاصيل المعدلة وراثيا لمدة عقد كامل حتى تتضح أضرارها على السلامة، كما قامت المجر بحرق ألف فدان من المحاصيل التي ثبت أنها ملوثة بالحبوب المعدلة وراثيا الخاصة بمونساتو.

وقد انخرطت في انتقادها منظمات بيئية مثل منظمة السلام الأخضر (غرينبيس) وبحسب ما صرحت به المنظمة أن المعلومات الحالية عن الكائنات المعدلة وراثيا هي فقط معلومات سطحية وما خفي كان أعظم. لا يمكن لأحد  في الوقت الراهن أن يقدر حجم التأثيرات الناتجة تجاه الطبيعة والحيوانات على المدى الطويل، حيث يمكنها أن تؤدي إلى حدوث طفرات جينية ومن الممكن أن يكون لها آثار جسيمة على التنوع البيولوجي. وسيظل تنوع النباتات والحيوانات رهين بعض الشركات الكبيرة التي تنتج وتوزع المحاصيل المعدلة وراثيا.

الزراعة البيولوجية أو العضوية والمستدامة … جزء من الحل رغم محدوديتها

يعرف البعض الزراعة البيولوجية باسم الزراعة العضوية أيضا، فالمصطلحين يمكن أن يؤديا إلى المعنى نفسه، حيث إن الأخير يشير إلى نظام زراعي خال من الأسمدة الكيمائية والمواد الضارة بالصحة العامة، بالإضافة إلى عدم وجود أي استخدام للسلالات المعدلة وراثيا.

وتثمن منظمة الأغذية والزراعة للأمم المتحدة الفوائد البيئية من الزراعة العضوية وتعتبرها بمثابة نظام يعتمد على إدارة النظام الايكولوجي بدلا من المدخلات الزراعية الخارجية. كما تعتبر المنظمة أن التنوع البيولوجي عنصرا أساسيا وضروريا للأمن الغذائي والتغذية، حيث تشكل الآلاف من الأنواع المترابطة فيما بينها شبكة حيوية من التنوع البيولوجي داخل النظم الإيكولوجية التي يعتمد عليها إنتاج العالم من الأغذية.

وعليه فإنه لا شك بأن الزراعة تعتبر من أكثر الأنشطة الإنسانية المعتمدة على البيئة، ومن هنا فإن استدامة الزراعة هو أمر ضروري بالنظر إلى علاقته المباشرة بحماية البيئة والحفاظ على توازنها. ولعل هذا ما تسعى بعض الجمعيات في تونس إلى نشر الوعي حوله. إذ يؤكد عضو بالجمعية التونسية للزراعة المستدامة عبد الحميد عمامي “أنه لا يمكن بناء نظم بيئية مستدامة بالاعتماد على البذور الهجينة أو المعدلة وراثيا .

ويؤكد قائلا “إن البحث عن بذورنا المحلية الأصيلة بذور الآباء والأجداد في مواجهة طوفان البذور المعدلة وراثيا والمهجنة هي أولوية”. وقد أطلقت الجمعية” قافلة البذور”للبحث عن هاته البذور في ربوع البلاد بغية المحافظة عليها ومحاولة إكثارها،  فحسب رأيه “إن المحافظة على هاته البذور هي قضية على قدر كبير من الأهمية بالنسبة للفلاحين وللتنوع البيولوجي وللصحة وسلامة أرضنا، خاصة بالنظر إلى خطر التغيرات المناخية الكبيرة القادمة التي تهدد بلادنا”.

هذا ما تفطن إليه كذلك أنور البوبكري، وهو صاحب مجمع فلاحي عائلي أطلق عليه إسم “الصحراء الخضراء” من منطقة منزل الحبيب من ولاية قابس بالجنوب الشرقي التونسي، كان قد تم تكريم مشروعه خلال حضوره محادثات الأمم المتحدة حول المناخ في مراكش بالمغرب سنة 2016، حيث بين أن حرصه على استعمال البذور والشتلات المحلية الأصيلة يعود إلى وعيه بقدرتها على تحمل آثار التغيرات المناخية والتأقلم معها.

ويضيف قوله بأن “استعمال البذور الأصلية هي أسلم لي ولحقلي ولا أثق في البذور المستوردة مهما كان مأتاها” وفي سؤاله من أين يحصل على البذور الأصلية التي يستعملها، قال “إن عائلته تتوارثها جيلا بعد جيل من خلال محافظتهم على عادة تميز الفلاحين هناك وهي أن يأكل الفلاح ثلث محصوله ويبيع ثلثه، ويعيد استثمار الثلث الأخير في أرضه”.

ورغم أهميتها لا تبدو الاجتهادات الفردية أو مجهودات المجتمع المدني كافية، ويبقى للدولة الدور الأبرز في إيجاد الحلول اللازمة وفي مقدمتها ضبط الإطار القانوني الذي يسهم في الحفاظ على البيئة واستدامة سلامتها.

قانون السلامة الإحيائية في تونس، الحل الذي لم يكتمل بعد  

يستخدم مصطلح السلامة الإحيائية لوصف تلك الجهود التي تهدف لتقليل وإزالة الأخطار المحتملة والناتجة عن التكنولوجيا الحيوية ومنتجاتها، المتمثلة خاصة في الكائنات المعدلة وراثيا. إلا أنه وفي مشروع القانون المتعلق بالسلامة الإحيائية في تونس، تشير هزار بلي، رئيسة مصلحة بإدارة الإدارة  العامة  للبيئة وجودة الحياة بوزارة البيئة والشؤون المحلية، إلى أنه تمت إضافة الأنواع الغازية الدخيلة والأنواع المرضية إلى جانب الكائنات المحورة جينيا حتى يكون القانون أشمل ويعنى بالعناصر التي تحمل مخاطر على صحة الإنسان وصحة البيئة.

وفي مسودة مشروع القانون التي نشرت على بوابة غرفة تبادل المعلومات حول السلامة الإحيائية، تم تعريف الكائن المرضي بأنه “كل كائن أو أيضه أو نفاياته قادر على أن يسبب المرض للإنسان أو الحيوان أو النبات”.

كما يعرف الأصناف الدخيلة الغازية بوصفها “تلك الأنواع الدخيلة التي تهدد النظام الايكولوجي ومواطن الأنواع الأصلية وتسبب آثارا اقتصادية وإيكولوجية و/أو صحية سلبية”.

هذا وتعرف أطر السلامة الإحيائية الوطنية بأنها نظام يشتمل على آليات قانونية وفنية وإدارية يتم وضعها للتأكد من السلامة في الأبحاث والتطوير واستخدام واستيراد أو تسويق الكائنات المعدلة وراثيا. ولذلك يبين حاتم بن بلقاسم، رئيس مصلحة بإدارة الإدارة العامة للبيئة وجودة الحياة بوزارة البيئة والشؤون المحلية، أن الإطار القانوني ضروري حتى تشتغل باقي المنظومة مبرزا ضرورة توفر الإجراءات المصاحبة لضمان تطبيق القانون وهي عبارة عن تهيئة أرضية اشتغاله المتمثلة أساسا في التأكد من توفر القدرات التقنية والبشرية.

وبخصوص المرحلة التي وصل إليها إعداد مشروع هذا القانون، يفيد حاتم بن بلقاسم أن المشروع قد خرج من الإطار الفني على مستوى وزارة البيئة والآن بصدد طرح استشارة حوله لجمع الآراء من قبل الوزارات الأخرى ذات العلاقة، حتى يتم فيما بعد إحالته إلى مجلس نواب الشعب للمصادقة عليه.

وفي حالة إرساله إلى المجلس، فلا أحد يملك فكرة كم من الوقت سيستغرق البت فيه والمصادقة عليه، فذلك يعتمد على ترتيبه على سلم أولويات البرلمان التونسي خاصة أن الملف البيئي ككل لا يشكل أولوية لدى النخبة السياسية في تونس وفي البرامج الانتخابية للأحزاب السياسية عند تنافسها في الانتخابات البرلمانية وحتى الرئاسية، فلئن اتفقت على العموميات كضرورة الحفاظ على محيط صحي ونظيف، فهي تقريبا لا تغوص كفاية في تفاصيل تنفيذ برامجها البيئية والتي تتمحور غالبا حول المواضيع التي لها علاقة بإشكاليات التلوث والنفايات. أما فيما يخص السلامة الإحيائية، فلا نلاحظ نقاشا عاما بالقدر الكافي حوله رغم أن الموضوع ليس جديدا. فقد بين حاتم بن بلقاسم أن فكرة السلامة الإحيائية في تونس تعود إلى سنة 1993 الذي يمثل تاريخ مصادقة تونس على اتفاقية التنوع البيولوجي.

وتجدر الإشارة إلى أنه في ظل غياب الإطار القانوني فلا يوجد تقارير عن تقييم المخاطر أو ما شابه، كما لا تتوفر قاعدة بيانات مفتوحة تحتوي معطيات دقيقة في هذا المجال.

رغم تقدم الإعداد لمشروع القانون المتعلق بالسلامة الإحيائية، فهو يسير ببطئ وسط تزايد التهديدات المختلفة على البيئة في بلادنا ومن بينها التغيرات المناخية. ومع انشغال الطبقة السياسية في المشاكل الاقتصادية والاجتماعية التي تطغو على الساحة منذ 2011، فإن البيئة والمسائل التي تتعلق بها تبدو على الأرجح مؤجلة، في حين أن إقرار هذا القانون وتفعيله قد يحمي تونس من آفات بيئية عديدة كان التدخل للوقاية منها غير متاح لمجرد عدم وجود تشريع ينظم المجال.

Go Big! The Challenge of Large Scale Restoration of the Badiya

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The badiya[i] is a region of desert, semi-desert and steppe covering 500,000 square kilometers (200,000 square miles) of the Middle East, including parts of Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.[ii] It accounts for 85% of the land area of Jordan[iii] and 55% of Syria.[iv] To the south it borders and merges into the Arabian Desert.[v] Much of the Badiya has become severely degraded by historic misuse over hundreds of years.[vi] Trees were cut and used for buildings, but more intensively for firewood and making charcoal. This pressure and centuries of overgrazing by herds of thousands of camels, goats, and sheep has left the ground barren in many areas.[vii] This hastens erosion, speeds runoff and flood damage, and enables sand and dust to blow in the wind. The smooth dry surfaces make it hard for plants to germinate and grow.

badiya restoration

The situation in Jordan’s Badia (spelled without the y) is typical, but even as the crises deepen opportunities remain. They include increasing food production, adding more renewable biofuels and solar energy, increasing water capture, and protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Ecological restoration on the scale needed here is rarely talked about or done, but the need becomes greater year after year, with new extremes from climate change and added challenges of refugees from conflict and climate change.

Food

Jordan produces only 100,000 tons of wheat a year with yields of just a ton per hectare. To meet the national demand for wheat, Jordan imports more than a million tons a year at a cost of US$250 per ton in 2024. In contrast, the ancient Nabateans used a wheat variety that may have produced 3.5 tons/ha with floodwater farming in the Negev.[viii] By growing more wheat and barley more money could stay in Jordan, reducing hunger risk, vulnerability to outside events affecting the global wheat market, and creating jobs. Investing in training and support for home gardens would also be valuable.[ix]

Energy

Jordan also relies on imports of fossil fuels. In 2014 imports met more than ninety percent of Jordan’s energy demand at a cost of 40% of the country’s budget.[x] Progress has been made since then and in 2024 almost a third of the electricity is now from renewable sources, both solar and wind.[xi]

Energy costs remain high and villages and families with low income could benefit from locally produced biofuels. The restoration of olives, vines, shrubs and trees can result in more local, renewable biofuel from prunings. Extensive planting of retam and other preferred fuel shrubs and trees could provide needed fuel for homes. Mobile kilns could produce high quality charcoal from shrub wood and pruning. Biofuels could also provide locally sourced energy for microgrid powerplants. Energy supplies from passive solar building design, solar water heating, and photovoltaic systems could also provide the energy needed to reach energy balance for Jordanian families.

Water

Jordan faces increasing problems with water shortages.[xii] What little rain that falls is precious and as the Nabateans intensive water harvesting is essential. Rainwater capture can provide water for families, crops, restoration efforts, improved grazing, and recharge groundwater. Soil surface shaping and other water harvesting techniques are essential for the restoration of ecosystems, trees, shrubs and crops.[xiii] Water harvesting and ecosystem recovery will also reduce the risk from flash floods.[xiv]

Soil surface modification with pitting is one of the most important options for soil surface modification.[xv] Pitting improves water infiltration and retention, reduces evaporation, and increases surface storage and the time available for infiltration to occur.[xvi],[xvii] Pitting can double absorption rates.[xviii] Water run-off and soil erosion on bare areas can be minimized with sufficient pitting. Pitting within the higher areas of the watershed traps runoff on the slopes for increased forage production and can reduce flash floods, gully and stream erosion.[xix]

Water demand for growing food in home gardens can be reduced by using buried clay pot irrigation.[xx] In a study in Kenya the buried clay pot system used only 3% as much water as furrow irrigation and the fresh fruit tomato yields was 43% larger.[xxi] Dish water and bathwater can be used for growing food (tree crops, vines) or shrub wood for fuel.

Biodiversity

The government goals for protecting biodiversity are encouraging.[xxii] Jordan is committed to study its biodiversity to conserve its natural resources and ensure the sustainable use of its resources.[xxiii] The result of applying these principles at a large scale in several areas will demonstrate the potential for recovery and improvement of Jordan’s ecosystems.

water management in petra

The strategies developed and used in Ancient Petra can be helpful in restoring biodiversity on the badia barren lands in Jordan and badiya across the Middle East. Shaping the soil surface for water harvesting with fencing to manage grazing has demonstrated that some areas still have seed banks to aid recovery. The revival of the traditional use of the hima system of use rights can foster recovery of ecosystems by better managing grazing pressure. (Figure 3) Ecotourism also benefits from greater biodiversity and ecosystem recovery.

Community Participation

Listening to and working closely with farmers (both men and women) can make a big difference in the adoption of more productive methods. In Burkina Faso technical training that included women led to adoption of water harvesting pit planting (zai) on 86% of the farms. ICARDA and the Jordanian National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) developed a community-based watershed rehabilitation approach that effectively rehabilitates degraded rangelands in upland-watershed areas with mechanized micro water harvesting and the planting native shrub seedlings.[xxiv] This also enhances localized downstream-watershed wheat and barley production.

Joint resources management and community empowerment ensure the long-term sustainability of the integrated watershed approach.[xxv] Research was carried out at the Badia Research Site close to Al-Majidyya village in the Middle Badia of Jordan, to help increase understanding socio-ecological dynamics including the long-term impact of rehabilitation on surface runoff and soil erosion.

badiya restoration

Economic Return on Investment

The investment in restoration has potentially large benefits. Funding now going to other countries for food and energy can be retained. Water and soil will be conserved. Restoration of the degraded Badia areas will decrease annual surface runoff from an average of 23.5 to 19.1 mm/year and soil erosion rate from 3.3 to 1.3 tons/ha.[xxvi] With time, restoration can return rangeland water and sediment dynamics toward the baselines of 16.9 mm/year runoff rates and 0.85 ton/ha/year soil loss. With contour pitting, revegetation and terracing the water capture and erosion reduction will be even greater.

The present value and management cost estimate for a 109,000 ha Badia project was 10.1 million $JD.[xxvii] The benefits for the grazing community were predominant, but there were also social, environmental and economic benefits for Jordan and the world. The present value benefits of large scale restoration over 25 years were calculated at 25 million $JD to the grazers,138 million to Jordanian society, and 152 to global society with a discount rate of 7%. The benefits of large scale revegetation also include keeping 307,500 cubic meters of sediment from being deposited in the King Talal Dam. Revegetation would also reduce the risk of flash flood damage to infrastructure and, particularly flood risk for tourist sites like Petra.[xxviii]

Implentation

Experience around the world has made it clear that soil pitting is the most cost effective treatment for degraded lands. Pits capture water and provide safe sites for seeds, water and protection for seedlings. Soil pitting should also make it possible to grow grapes, olives, grains, and other crops in more areas of the Badia.

Zai

One of the most successful techniques for the rehabilitation of severely degraded land is the improved traditional planting pit or zai.[xxix]. This traditional technique was improved in the early 1980’s by Yacouba Sawadogo, a farmer in the Yatenga region of Burkina Faso.[xxx] He increased the diameter and the depth of the traditional pits and put manure in them during the dry season. By concentrating water and soil fertility in one spot, millet and sorghum grew well and survived dry spells. The pits are about 20-30 cm deep and are filled with organic matter. This attracts termites which dig channels and thus improve soil structure so that more water can infiltrate and be held in the soil.[xxxi] By digesting the organic matter, the termites make nutrients more easily available to plants.

badiya restoration

Preparing zai takes 50 person days per hectare in Burkina Faso.[xxxii] If labor is hired at 3 euro day the cost would be 150 euro ha. Tens of thousands of hectares of degraded land have been brought back into production in the Sahel with zai pits, often in combination with other improved traditional techniques such as contour ridges and stone lines. Ousseni Zorome, the Regional Director at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning created a zai school. The use of zai has spread from its humble beginning in Burkina Faso.[xxxiii] Sorghum yield without zai, 125 kg/ha, with zai plus manure 500 kg/ha. The zai have spread rapidly because they make a harvest possible even in years of low rainfall (300-400 kg/ha of millet) and with high yield possible in good years (1,500-2,000 kg/ha). In some areas the groundwater recharge in the pits led to water table rise of up to 5 m.

Zai are also used for environmental restoration and tree planting. Thanks to zai more trees on farmers‘ fields than 15-20 years ago in Yatenga province. One farmer remembered that he had nine trees on his barren fields in 1983, but 2000 trees in 1999, and he is not an exception. Zai can be very effective in restoration and revegetation. It takes no more than a hoe and a trained worker. Labor cost is not insignificant – but it can provide big rewards.

 

Pitting is relatively easy to do with hand labor and is less noticeable in a restoration project because the pattern can be varied easily and the checkerboard patterns that can develop with mechanical treatments can be avoided. Hand pitting is best done as a communal activity so progress is clearly visible. A team of people working their way down slope can pit a large area in a day. Providing training and high quality tools for hand pitting would provide great returns. Farmers and families would benefit from the best possible hand tools. McLeod tools ($80 US), indestructible large field hoes ($100 US) and the best 3 gallon watering cans from France ($50 US) can all improve productivity. Where possible the hand tools could be made by local blacksmiths.

The zai have substantially improved food security at family level and at the same time have improved the environment. This innovation has spread across country and cultural boundaries. Other traditional water harvesting practices may also be of interest.[xxxiv]

Camel Pitter

A wide variety of pitting plows have been developed and used. Australia’s Kimseed Camel Pitter has been available for several decades. It can be pulled by a truck, jeep or camel. The Camel Pitter includes seed metering devices. Kimseed (https://kimseed.com.au/product/kimseed-camel-pitter-disc-revegetation-seeder). A similar plow can be made in a local fabrication shop. A Kimseed Camel pitter dragged at 8 km with 2 discs 1 meter apart running 8 hrs day can treat 6.4 ha day for 300 days a year would treat almost 2,000 ha.

 

A fleet of 4×4 trucks or utility vehicles with simple disc pitters could treat many hectares every year. Maintenance is simple and can be performed at any shop. Seed sources would need to be identified. Seed collection would be needed and if insufficient seed was found it could be grown out to get more seeds. A series of local nurseries would be able to produce the needed seedlings.

Vallerani  System

The Vallerani system of soil pitting is very effective but more costly. (https://nardigroup.com/en/vallerani-system/). Each Vallerani plow can treat 20 ha per day, digging 5.720 micro basins. The larger tractors required and the Delphi plows are more complex and would require more maintenance and technical support. Each tractor (John Deere 6140 or equivalent), might cost US$100-150,000. The Delphi pitter plow from Nardi might cost about $40,000. Ultimately treatment costs might be on the order of US$100 ha plus the cost of seedlings.

Big Goals

The challenge of the Badia is to treat tens of thousands of hectares a year. To make this progress possible all forms of water harvesting will be needed, from zai to the Vallerani system. This would benefit from investment in training in schools and communities across the Badia for all these techniques. Every village would benefit from better hand tools for making pits and contour trenches. Areas further from villages might be treated with Camel pitter seeders towed by 4×4 pickup trucks. Areas with appropriate soils and slopes the Vallerani pitter plow towed by a 150 hp tractor could be used. Treating only 10 to 20 percent of an area with pitting strips on the contour should be enough to dramatically improve establishment and trigger recovery. (figure 8 ) Soil pitting and seeding should be done before the most favorable seed establishment period.

water restoration

The restoration and revegetation goal could be 200,000 ha year from the full range of soil pitting techniques. Six teams with 3 Vallerani plows would provide drivers, fuel and equipment to communities. With eighteen Vallerani pitters 360 ha of badia could receive the highest level of treatment every day, or 130,000 ha a year. 30 Camel pitters and trucks could treat 57,000 ha, and hand pitting could add another 20,000 hectares of zai.

The project would also benefit from six regional nurseries to collect, process and store seeds and to grow out seedlings. Seedlings for planting in treated areas would include: oaks, pistachio trees, junipers and other native trees and shrubs, grapes, olives, retam, and berries. Vegetable starts for home gardens could also be prepared and distributed with information on the most efficient irrigation systems.[xxxv] Training on creating rainwater catchments, cistern building, PV installation and rainwater treatment for drinking water would also be desirable. Overall cost for this scale of project, including labor, would be on the order of $20 million dollars a year for 20 years. This would be offset by savings on wheat and energy imports, reduced flood damage, and additional tourism revenue.

[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Desert

[ii] Suttie, J. M. S. G. Reynolds and C. Batello. 2005. Grasslands of the World. FAO. p.453.

[iii] The Hashemite Fund for Development of Jordan Badia. www.badiafund.gov.jo.

[iv] FAO. 2015. The rangelands of the Syrian Arab Republic.

[v] Harris, N. and S. Parker. 2003. Atlas of the World’s Deserts. Taylor & Francis. p. 49.

[vi] ICARDA. nd. Recovering the Degraded Soils of the Badia in Jordan. https://www.icarda.org/research/innovations/recovering-degraded-soils-badia-jordan.

[vii] Al Karadsheh, E., S. Akroush and S. Mazahreh. 2012. Land Degradation in Jordan—Review of Knowledge Resources. OASIS Country Report 1. ICARDA.

[viii] Ashkenazi, E., Y. Avni and G. Avni. 2012. A Comprehensive characterization of ancient desert agricultural systems in the Negev Highlands of Israel. Journal of Arid Environments. 86:55-64.

[ix] Ffolliott. P. F. 1998. Multiple Benefits of arid land agroforestry home hardens and riparian ecosystems. Paper presented at the North American Conference On Enterprise Development Through Agroforestry: Farming the Agroforest for Specialty Products (Minneapolis, MN, October 4(7):41-46. https://nfs.unl.edu/documents/SpecialtyForest/Ffolliott.pdf

[x] Energy Information Agency. 2014. Jordan: Energy Sector Highlights. https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/JOR

[xi] na. 2024. Jordan – Renewable Energy. Country Commercial Guide. https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/jordan-renewable-energy

[xii] Rawashdeh, S. 2024. Impact of hydropolitics: Addressing water scarcity in Jordan. The Jordan Times. March 14. https://jordantimes.com/news/local/impact-hydropolitics-addressing-water-scarcity-jordan#google_vignette

[xiii] Bainbridge, D. A. 2007. A Guide to Desert and Dryland Restoration. Island Press, Washington DC.

[xiv]Akasheh, T. S. 2017. The protection of Petra from flash floods. International Conference on Science and Technology in Archeaeology and Conservation At: Amman Jordan, May.

[xv] Bainbridge, D. A.. 1997. Soil pitting: a technique to improve arid land revegetation. Soil Ecology and Restoration Group, San Diego State University. Bulletin #1. San Diego, CA

[xvi] Schuman, G. E., F. Rauzi and G. S. Howard. 1987. Vegetation response to soil surface modification in mined land reclamation. Reclamation and Revegetation Research 6(1):49-54.

[xvii] Oliveira, C.A.S., R. J. Hanks, and U. Shani. 1987. Infiltration and runoff as affected by pitting, mulching and sprinkler irrigation. Irrigation Science 8(1):49-64.

[xviii] Vallentine, J. F. 1971. Range Development and Improvement. BYU Press, Provo, UT 545 p.

[xix] Larson, J. E. 1980. Revegetation Equipment Catalog. Prepared for the Vegetative Rehabilitation and Equipment Workshop (February). Equipment Development Center. Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture, Missoula, MT. p. 68.

[xx] Bainbridge, D. A. 2001. Buried clay pot irrigation. Agricultural Water Management. 48(2):79-88.

[xxi] Kefa C. C., E. C. Kipkorir, J. Kwonyike, P. C. Kubowon and H. K. Ndambiri. 2013. Comparison of water use savings and crop yields for clay pot and furrow irrigation methods in Lake Bogoria, Kenya. Journal of Natural Sciences Research. 3(8):34-39.

[xxii] El Shaer, H., F. F. Haddad and B. Salem. 2015. A Toolkit for Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Jordan. Amman, Jordan. IUCN.

[xxiii] Abboud, N. A. 2012. Preserving Biodiversity in Jordan. EcoMENA. October 15. https://www.ecomena.org/biodiversity-jordan/

[xxiv] Strengthening the resilience of rangeland watersheds in Jordan. https://www.icarda.org/research/innovations/strengthening-resilience-rangeland-watersheds-jordan

[xxv] na. Watershed Restoration in Badia Areas of Jordan. ICARDA. https://www.icarda.org/research/projects/watershed-restoration-badia-areas-jordan

[xxvi] Haddad, M., S. M. Strohmeier, K. Nouwakpo, O. Rimawi, M. Weltz and G. Sterk. 2022. Rangeland restoration in Jordan: Restoring vegetation cover by water harvesting measures,International Soil and Water Conservation Research. 10(4):610-622.

[xxvii] Myint, M. M. and V. Westerberg. 2014, An economic valuation of a large-scale rangeland restoration project through in Jordan. Report for the ELD Initiative by International Union for Conservation of Nature, Nairobi, Kenya. Available from: www.eld-initiative.org

[xxviii] Abdelal, Q., A. Al-Rawabdeh, K. Al Qudah, C. Hamarneh and N. Abu-Jaber. 2021. Hydrological assessment and management implications for the ancient Nabataean flood control system in Petra, Jordan. Journal of Hydrology. 601:126583.

[xxix] UNCCD Secretariat. 2005. Promotion of Traditional Knowledge. UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Bonn, Germany 79 p.

[xxx] na. Yacouba Sawadogo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yacouba_Sawadogo

[xxxi] Altieri, M. A. and P. Koohafkan. 2008. Enduring Farms: Climate Change, Smallholders and Traditional Farming Communities. Third World Network, Penang, Malaysia. pp. 58-59.

[xxxii] Kabore, D. and C. Reij. 2003. The Emergence and Spread of an Improved Traditional Soil and Water Conservation Practice in Burkina Faso. Presented at the InWEnt, IFPRI, NEPAD, CTA conference “Successes in African Agriculture”, Pretoria, SA. December 1-3, 2003.

[xxxiii] Belmin, R., H. SawadogoMore and M. N’Dienor. 2023. How the zaï technique is helping farmers adapt to climate change in the Sahel. Industries in Depth. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/08/zai-technique-sahel-farmers-adapt-climate-change/

[xxxiv] Mekdaschi, S, R. and H. Liniger. 2013. Water Harvesting: Guidelines to Good Practice. Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), Bern; Rainwater Harvesting Implementation Network (RAIN), Amsterdam; MetaMeta, Wageningen; The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Rome.

[xxxv] Bainbridge, D. A. 2015. Gardening with Less Water. Storey Press.

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 get to enjoy, particularly the two festivals of Eid, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. During these festivals, communities come together to enjoy good food and celebrations, giving small gifts to children and paying forward their Zakat to those less fortunate so others can take part in the festivities as well.

What is Qurbani?

As part of Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and the obligatory journey to Mecca includes the rite of Qurbani, in which an animal must be sacrificed in the name of Allah. Qurbani is based on the story of the Prophet Ibrahim, who willingly put forward his son Ismail for sacrifice in the name of Allah proving his dedication to the Almighty, who in turn replaced Ismail with a ram at the moment of sacrifice in reward for the Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion.

When Qurbani is performed, the animal is divided up into shares, of which a certain amount goes towards the family that paid for that animal and the remainder is sent to families who are struggling and unable to pay their own Qurbani. While different charities and Islamic organisations package and distribute their Qurbani shares in different ways, there are ways that could make the process cleaner and eco-friendlier for all. Follow the link for more information on the rules of Qurbani.

How to Have a Greener Qurbani?

For animal sacrifices to be made during Eidul Adha, livestock needs to be kept and cared for prior to the Qurbani taking place. Not only does this require plenty of resource in order to ensure the well-being and health of the animals to be sacrificed, but it can require a lot of space to provide comfortable habitats for the animals. While there isn’t much that can be done to reduce the amount of resource to keep a healthy livestock animal, there are methods that make the process greener.

eco-friendly-eidul-adha

For example, cows are one of the worst methane producers on the planet, this large amount of methane production affects our atmosphere, thickening the ozone layer and contributing to climate change. Keeping animals that produce less waste materials such as sheep, goats and camels can ensure the process is already less harmful to the surrounding areas and friendly to our earth.

Another process of Qurbani that can be quite harmful to the environment is how the meat is packaged for distribution. Traditionally meat was packed in large plastic bags that are then sealed for delivery. As plastic is another material that is extremely harmful on the environment, with large amounts ending up in the ocean, Qurbani organisations would do better to use recycled materials or biodegradable plastic that will naturally breakdown over time.

Finally, another way to enjoy a greener, eco-friendlier Qurbani is to use less resources during your own celebrations. Consider reusing the previous years’ decorations or give gifts that have use in day to day life like clothing or educational resources, rather than a trinket that will be thrown away. If every Muslim family around the world who can afford to contribute their Qurbani share were a little more conscientious about the resources they use and the waste they create, we can make a greener, happier world for all.

Biofuels in Jordan: Perspectives

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Jordan has good biofuels production potential in the form of crop residues, agro-industrial wastes and urban wastes. Biomass energy sector in Jordan is slowly, but steadily, developing. As per a recent World Bank report, the country is currently generating 3.5MW of power from biomass resources which represent 0.1% of the total energy demand in the country. However there is no available data on the amount of biofuels produced in Jordan. Jordan produces significant amount of biofuel feedstock in the form of lignocellulosic biomass, used cooking oil, animal tallow, agro-industrial wastes, industrial effluents etc. 

In Jordan, transportation sector alone is responsible of 51% of final energy consumption (MEMR, 2013) which makes it imperative on policy-makers to find alternative and renewable transportation fuels in the form of biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, algae fuels etc. However, allocation, development and implementation of alternative fuels go hand in hand with the preparation of adequate policies and targets by the local government. Some of the major driving forces for development of biofuel sector in Jordan include reduced climate change impacts and decreased reliance on imported fossil fuels.

Biofuels and Jordan's Renewable Energy Law

The Jordanian Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) law no. 13 of the year 2012 announced bioenergy as a renewable source of energy and only focused on using biomass feedstock in the production of electricity without mentioning production of biofuels from these sources. In addition the directive on Regulating the Activity of Industrial Fuel from Waste announced two definitions namely biofuel and industrial fuel. Biofuel is defined as a hydrocarbon material produced from all kinds of vegetable oil and/or animal fats and/or used vegetable oils or any other resources, whereas industrial fuel is defined as a liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon materials produced from industrial waste, domestic waste, plastic materials, medical waste, used tires and other high carbonaceous materials. These wastes are considered to be a non-renewable source and the produced oil or gas a non-renewable fuel, regardless of the technology used in its production.

Thus, the current Jordanian energy policy underline biofuels produced from waste resources as a non-renewable source of energy which in the result deprives biofuel sector from being able to benefit from the renewable energy law and tax redemption bylaw No. 13 for the year 2015. In addition bylaw No.13 for the year 2015 only mention exemptions on biomass energy systems which produce electricity, specifically biomethane to electricity and direct combustion of waste to electricity which completely contradicts the definition of the industrial fuel as biomethane can be produced from solid waste using anaerobic digestion process. In addition despite defining biodiesel as a renewable energy source its production systems and production inputs were not added under the exemption by law No. 13 for the year of 2015.

To conclude, policy-makers and urban planners are strongly urged to take these important points into consideration to harness the untapped biofuel potential thus catalyzing the development of biomass energy sector in Jordan. In addition, Jordan can explore the development of commercial energy crop plantations like Jatropha, Pongamia, sweet sorghum, algae farms etc on marginalized lands to spur the growth of biofuels sector.

References

  1. http://www.memr.gov.jo/
  2. The Little Green Data Book (2014), World Bank.
  3. The Regional Solid Waste Exchange of Information and Experience Network in Mashreq and Maghreb Countries – Sweep Net (2013). Country Report on Solid Waste Management in Jordan.
  4. Ahmad Al-Rousan, Anas Zyadin, Salah Azzam, Mohammed Hiary (2013) “Prospects of Synthetic Biodiesel Production from Various Bio-Wastes in Jordan” Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, 3, pp 217-223

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.

used coffee grounds

  1. سماد ذو نوعية جيدة للحديقة

للعلم فإن القهوة المطحونة تعتبر من مصادر النيتروجين المفيد للنباتات المُحبة للحموضة، بما في ذلك عدداً لا حصراً الخضروات والفواكه والأزهار، حيث أنه بالإمكان استخدامها مباشرة على أنواع من الأزاليات والورود والرودودندرون.

ومثالاً على الفواكه والخضروات فإن السبانخ، التوت والطماطم يمكنها الاستفادة من بقايا القهوة المطحونة. والجزر أيضاً على سبيل المثال ممكن أن يكون أفضل بإضافة بقايا القهوة للتربة عند زراعته، حيث أنه يمنع عنه الآفات بالاضافة لانتاج جزراً ذو جودة عالية.

قم بإضافة بقايا القهوة بنفسك إذا كنت تقوم بالتسميد في منزلك لتحصل على سماد أفضل وأرخص.

تقترح بعض الدراسات الجديدة أن نقوم بحفظ القهوة لمدة 100 يوم قبل وضعها على النباتات واستخدامها كسماد، لأن القهوة المطحونة تحتوي على مستويات عالية من الكافيين وحمض الكلوروجينيك اللذان ممكن أن يكونا ساميّن على التربة والنبات. وبعد هذه المدة تكون مستوياتها قد انخفضت فتكون مفيدة للنباتات.

  1. الحفاظ على الرائحة الزكية في منزلك

لإزالة أي روائح غير مرغوب فيها في منزلك، يمكنك إعادة تدوير  القهوةوتحويلها إلى مزيل للعرق، وأيضاً ضعيها فيوعاء في الثلاجة أوعلى المنضدة لأنها تقوم بامتصاص الروائح غيرالمرغوب فيها والتي تنتج عن الطبخ أو تخزين الطعام.

معلومة مفيدة (إصنعها بنفسك): باستطاعتك استخدام القهوة المطحونة لزيادة فعالية الكشط بالمواد المستخدمة للتنظيف داخل المطبخ.

  1. قم بإنعاش منزلك باستخدام القهوة المطحونة

يمكن أن يكون تفل القهوة بديلاً عطريًا للزيوت العطرية الموجودة في الشموع. استخدمي تفل القهوة القديم لصنع شمعة معطرة ومنعشة واستمتعي برائحة القهوة.

يمكن أن تساعدك بقايا القهوة الرطبة على تقليل  الغبار أثناء تنظيف المدفأة، قومي برش بقايا القهوة الرطبة حول المدفأة وبعد ذلك تستطيعين أن تكنسي الرماد المخلوط مع بقايا القهوة لتخفيف مستوى الغبار الناتج عن الكنس.

  1. إستخدام تفل القهوة للعناية بالبشرة

يمكن لبقايا القهوة أن تكون مقشراً رائعاً للبشرة، استخدمي بقايا القهوة أثناء الاستحمام وفقط قومي غسلها بالماء بعد ذلك.

نصيحة من محترف: استخدم تفل القهوة كمقشر لكلبك – إن كنت تمتلك واحداً – بعد الاستحمام، فإن هذا يقوم بتحفيز جلد الكلب ويبقيه نظيفاً، لأنه يعمل على طرد العديد من الحشرات مثل النمل والبراغيث.

استخدمي تفل القهوة كقناع للوجه، لأن المواد المضادة للأكسدة الموجودة فيه تجعل بشرتك نضرة ومشرقة. تستطيعين القيام بذلك بعجن القهوة الدافئة والرطبة مع زيت جوز الهند غير المكرر وحليب اللوز الطبيعي، وزعي العجين على وجهك بحركة دائرية ثم إغسليه بالماء بعد 10 دقائق.

أفركي بقايا القهوة بين يديكِ لإزالة أي رائحة غير مرغوب فيها، هذه العملية مفيدة جداً بعد تقطيع البصل مثلاً، لأنه سيترك رائحة كريهة حتى بعد استخدام الصابون.

coffee waste recycling

  1. إبعاد وطرد النمل

قم برش بقايا القهوة المستعملة في زوايا المنزل من حيث يأتي النمل، وبما أن رائحة القهوة تزعج النمل وتعمل كمبيد طبيعي دون الإضرار به، فإنك لن تراه ثانية.

  1. قومي بصنع القهوة الممتعة مع أطفالك

يمكن استخدام تفل القهوة في  الفن والاشغال اليدويةكصبغة بسبب لون القهوة الزاهي. يمكن أن تكون مادة مثالية وآمنة للمشروعات اليدوية لأطفالك، هنالك العديد من الخيارات التي لا حصر لها لقضاء وقتاً ممتعاً مع أطفالك.

  1. قم بإعادة تدوير القهوة في المكتب

من المؤكد أن مكتبك يستهلك كمية من القهوة أكثرمن إعتقادك، لذا. فمن الممكن أن تكون نفايات القهوة في المكاتب مصدرًا مهماً لإعادة التدوير، وبما أن الشركات في ايامنا الحالية تعمل على الانتقال والتحول الى العمل الرقمي وتقليل العمل الورقي لتقليل النفايات الورقية فإنه ولربما أن تكون إعادة تدوير القهوة هي الخطوة القادمة في الشركات والمكاتب.

إن التخلص من بقايا القهوة المستعملة في النفايات ليس خيارًا جيدًا في الوقت الحاضر، حيث بدأت بعض الشركات في يومنا هذا بفصل بقايا القهوة المطحونة لتحويلها الى سماد.

وربما لن يكون تحويل القهوة لسماد هو الخيار الأمثل، حيث أنه بالإمكان إستخدامها بالعديد من الامور الأخرى، مثل قدرتها على الاحتراق وبالتالي توفير الدفء، لانها تأخذ وقتاً أطول بالاحتراق فتعطي مزيدا من الحرارة.

خاتمة

تعتبر القهوة المطحونة المستخدمة ذات قيمة كبيرة جدًا بحيث لا يمكن رميها في سلة المهملات، وانه من الواضح أن منتجات التحميص ليست مجرد نفايات، بل يمكن إعادة تدويرها واستخدامها كألعاب، ومبيدات حشرية ومقشرات وأيضاً سماد.

قم باستخدام بقايا القهوة لتحافظ على البيئة ولتكن من أصدقائها.

ترجمة: ماجدة هلسه

أردنية متعددة الإهتمامات، لديها من الخبرة ما يقارب السبعة وعشرون عاماً في مجال المالية والإدارة في المؤسسات المحلية والدولية، وتعمل ماجدة حالياً مع التعاون الدولي الالماني كموظفة مالية. ومع ذلك كله وعلى الصعيد التطوعي، فإن لديها شغفاً كبيراً بالترجمة في كافة المواضيع والمجالات، وقد بُني هذا الشغف بالخبرة الشخصية والعملية على مدى هذه السنين.

Note: The English version of the article is available at this link.

Role of Indigenous Knowledge & Innovation in Water Management

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Our ancestors have created astounding water management systems and applications that helped them combat the harsh climate and scarce natural resources in many parts of this universe. Read on to know how ancient civilizations used indigenous knowledge in water management, and how innovation and entrepreneurship can ward off the water crisis facing the entire MENA region.

The Golden Past

Within MENA and since the 4th century BCE, the strongest civilizations made it through arid and semis arid conditions mainly due to their robust water technologies and hydraulic engineering. In the 14th century, the deliberations of the great Tunis-born social scientist and scholar Ibn Khaldun indicated that resilient dynasties were supported by the establishment of cities. He also highlighted the provision of freshwater as one of the few critical requirements for anchoring cities and sustaining civilizations.

The Nabataeans

Petra, a 2,000-year-old capital of the Nabatean Kingdom (South of Jordan nowadays), contains invaluable evidence of such indigenous innovations. Using sophisticated water technology, the Nabataeans were able to ensure a continuous water supply throughout the year and simultaneously mitigate the dangerous effects of flashfloods. They focused on the deep understanding of all sources of water available and on adopting techniques to best monitor, harness, maintain, and utilize those resources. They balanced their reservoir water storage capacity with their pipeline system and utilized particle-settling basins to purify water for drinking purposes.

water-management-petra

The Nabataeans’ extensive understanding of their constraints and strengths allowed them to create a system that maximized water flow rates while minimizing leakage and supported a prosperous life for many years later.

Oman

Innovation is not about engineering and science only; water markets and decentralized management of water resources are important aspects in times when regulatory bodies and water user associations struggle to master. Oman enjoys one of the most ancient community-based water management schemes that was based on water rights, institutions, and markets.

Water prices were adjusted to respond to changes in demand and supply. Well established water rights, transparent management and allowing for water trading were major contributors to improved management of irrigation water back then.

The Future is Here

While the potential to innovate in the water sector is limitless, it is still under exploited in the MENA region. Information technology, data management, telecommunication, artificial intelligence, and many other tools create opportunities to innovate and contribute to robust water management solutions and to socioeconomic development.

In the MENA region, innovation and entrepreneurship have never been as central to development plans as they are today. Creating an enabling environment for tech startups that would attract investment, create jobs, and boost socioeconomic development is a common goal across the region.  As far as water is concerned, and despite the strategic significance of the sector, water innovations that could enter the market and find their way within and beyond the region are very few.

Most recently, the trending concepts of green growth and climate-smart solutions are reigniting the spark for more locally anchored water innovations to help alleviate both the economic and social stresses associated with water scarcity and poor management systems. In parallel, impact investing is becoming more popular, and today’s investors are searching for companies with a strong environment, social and governance (ESG) framework to invest in.

impact-investing

If one is to find a positive side for the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be the refocus it brought to local production and self-dependence. Whether in food, energy, or water; availability and affordability cannot be jeopardized. Since 2019, programs targeting innovations and startups in the food security and agri-tech domain have been expanding. Special innovation hubs, accelerators, incubators, and competitions were launched to support the water, energy, and food nexus with a strong link to climate change and social inclusion.

One example is the WE4F MENA Regional Innovation Hub which supports innovators with proven solutions tackling water and/or energy issues in urban or rural food production to scale up through multiple financial and non-financial tools. As such efforts gain more momentum, local needs started to emerge including up-skilling and knowledge management. Young graduates carry a relatively enough theoretical information about a single topic/specialty, yet most of those engineering, science and business graduates lack the practical skills and understanding of the nexus and the interconnectivity between water, food, energy, society, and environment. This led to the design of several upskilling and training programs to bridge the knowledge gap and introduce the young generation to the future.

A promising example of such upskilling modules is the one implemented through a partnership between The Sahara Forest Project and Al Hussein Technical University (HTU) in Jordan. This Upskilling Program for Female Engineers in Agritech and Food Security is being piloted on 30 young females from various Jordanian governorates that got selected based on an open application and preset criteria. The participating trainees are exposed to field training at The Sahara Forest Project in Aqaba, technical lectures and seminars by practitioners, mentorship by female leaders, and inspirational talks by market experts.

sahara forest project

The objective of such programs should not be to only help the unemployed youth find jobs but rather to widen their perspective to be able to create opportunities for themselves and for their peers and local communities. Re-anchoring the value of agriculture, water, energy, and nature is by itself a trigger for transformation in the future of work in the MENA region.