الأثر البيئي للتحول من استخدام الأكياس البلاستيكية إلى الأكياس القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام

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تُعتبر الأكياس البلاستيكية من أشدّ أنواع النفايات الصلبة ضرراً. حيث إنها السبب الرئيسي لانسداد المسطحات المائية، ومسبباً للإخلال بالنظم البيئية الطبيعية، وتلوث التربة، ونفوق الحيوانات والطيور. تتحلل الأكياس البلاستيكية إلى جزيئات بلاستيكية دقيقة، وتلوّث مصادر المياه وتدخل للسلسلة الغذائية عبر الحيوانات البحرية للإنسان.

يتم استهلاك أكثر من 5 تريليون كيس بلاستيكي حول العالم سنوياً وهذا يعطي فكرة واضحة عن حجم الخطر المحدق بالبيئة والصحة العامة. ولكن ماهي البدائل المتوفرة للأكياس البلاستيكية؟

يُعدّ استخدام الأكياس البلاستيكية القابلة للتحلل، والقطنية والقنبيّة والورقية من الحلول الممكنة للحدّ من التلوث البلاستيكي، وتقدم الأكياس القطنية – القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام والتحلل الحيوي – حلاً دائماً ومستداماً لمواجهة المشاكل البيئية المتفاقمة. وتعتبر هذه الأكياس خياراً ممتازاً لتكرار الاستخدام على المدى الطويل في التسوق اليومي لأي مستهلك واعي بيئياً.

في هذه المقالة، سنتناول إمكانية التحول من استخدام الأكياس البلاستيكية إلى الأكياس القطنية القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام ودورها في حماية البيئة.

an eco-conscious woman carrying a reusable cotton bag

ما هي الأكياس القطنية القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام؟

إن المادة الخام الأساسية لإنتاج هذه الأكياس هي عبارة عن ألياف من القطن الطبيعي، تتكون من السليلوز شديد القوة مما يمنح هذه الأكياس المتانة والصلابة. وتتوفر هذه الحقائب بأشكال وأحجام متنوعة، ابتداءاً من حقائب التسوق الخفيفة إلى حقائب القماش المتينة. ومن الأنواع الشائعة لهذه الحقائب: حقائب التسوق القطنية، والحقائب العضوية، والحقائب القطنية المعاد تدويرها.

الفوائد البيئية لاستخدام الأكياس القطنية القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام

تقليل البصمة البيئية

بالعادة فإننا نستخدم الأكياس البلاستيكية مرة واحدة فقط قبل أن نرميها وتجد طريقها لمكب النفايات حيث تتحلل إلى جزيئات بلاستيكية دقيقة تبقى لمئات السنين وتلوّث الهواء والماء والتربة إلى الغذاء. من ناحية أُخرى، فإنه بإمكاننا استخدام الأكياس القطنية القابلة للتحول البيئي وإعادة الاستخدام لسنوات عديده، ومن ثمّ نقوم بإعادة استخدامها لمسح الغبار أو أكياس للتخزين أو قطع قماش للتنظيف وما إلى ذلك الكثير من الاستخدامات. فإن هذا الكيس بنهاية عمره الافتراضي، يتحلل إلى سماد عضوي في غضون بضعة أشهر دون التسبب بأي ضررٍ للبيئة.

تقليل الاعتماد على الوقود الاحفوري

يحتاج إنتاج الأكياس البلاستيكية استخدام الوقود الاحفوري والمواد البتروكيماوية، وهذا يُلحق الضرر بالبيئة الطبيعية المحيطة. وبالحقيقة فإن المواد البلاستيكية تساهم بتغير المناخ طوال دورة حياتها. وعلى عكس ذلك، فإن الأكياس القطنية العضوية خالية تماماً من الكيماويات وتساهم بتعزيز الزراعة المستدامة والأخلاقية.

قابلة لإعادة الاستخدام بلا حدود وذات متانة عالية

تُصمم الأكياس البلاستيكية للاستخدام لمرة واحدة بالأساس مما يجعلها قابلة للتمزق بسهولة ويصعُب إصلاحها أو حتى إعادة استخدامها لأغراض أُخرى. بالمقابل، فإن الاكياس القطنية مصممة على أن تُستخدم مئات المرات على مدار سنين طويلة، وكما يمكن غسلها واصلاحها بسهولة وايضاً إعادة استخدامها وتدويرها كذلك. ينسجم استخدام هذه الأكياس تماماً مع توجهات الموضة العالمية الصديقة للبيئة، وتتوفر بخيارات عضوية، أو معاد تدويرها من مصادر تجارية عادلة. وتمتاز هذه الحقائب بقدرتها على حمل الأوزان الثقيلة دون أن تتمزق، وتستخدم بالسفر والتسوق على نطاقٍ واسع. وحالياً تقوم العديد من الشركات – في الأسواق العالمية مثل الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وأوروبا وآسيا – إلى جذب المهتمين بالبيئة من خلال تخصيص الحقائب القطنية كأدوات إعلانية وتسويقية لعلاماتها التجارية.

cotton tote bags

وقبل الختام، لا بُدّ لنا من كلمة تحذيرية

يعتمد الأثر البيئي لاستخدام أكياس القطن على سلوكك، ولضمان الاستخدام المستدام لهذه الأكياس، إتّبع النصائح التالية:

  1. اشترِ حقائب التسوق القماشية بكميات كبيرة لتوفير التكاليف.
  2. أعد استخدامها لمئات المرات على مدار سنين طويلة.
  3. تجنب تجميع أو تكديسها الحقائب القطنية.
  4. اغسل الأكياس القطنية بالماء البارد وأتركها تجف بالهواء.
  5. تستطيع إصلاح الحقيبة القطنية عن طريق الخياطة البسيطة في حال تلفها أو تمزقها.
  6. لا تضعها في حاوية إعادة التدوير أو القمامة، بل قم بقصها واستخدامها كقطعٍ قماشية للتنظيف.

الخاتمة

يُعتبر استخدام الأكياس القطنية في حياتك اليومية وسيلة بسيطة وحقاً فعّالة لمواجهة أزمات البلاستيك المتفاقمة. حيث تقدم الأكياس القطنية حلاً جذاباً للمستهلكين الباحثين عن بدائل مستدامة للأكياس البلاستيكية، تصرف الآن وقم بالتخلص من البلاستيك واستخدم الأكياس القطنية القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام والتحلل الحيوي لإحداث تغيّر ملموس وإيجابي في البيئة.

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.

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الاستخدام المسؤول للموارد الطبيعية لترتيب منزلك

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تنظيف المنزل هو روتين يجب القيام به بانتظام بحيث يؤهل إمكانية العيش في بيئة مريحة.  يمكن لبعض الطرق المستخدمة لتنظيف المنازل أن تؤثر سلبًيا على البيئة بطرق مختلفة. لمنع ذلك  يمكنك اتباع طرق صديقة للبيئة. يمكنك التعرف علي من ٦ طرق المسماة بالطرق الخضراء لترتيب منزلك:

green-ways-tidy-home

منتجات التنظيف المحضرة في المنزل

منتجات التنظيف منزلية الصنع بمكونات طبيعية مثل عصير الليمون والخل الأبيض وصودا الخبز وزيت الزيتون مثالية لتنظيف منزلك لأنها لا تؤثر سلبًا على البيئة. هذه منتجات آمنة وصديقة للبيئة  ويمكن استخدامها لأغراض مختلفة مثل تنظيف المطبخ والنوافذ والحمام.

إذا كنت تريد التخلص من الحشرات والمخلوقات البكتيرية التي تظهر على الأسطح ، يمكنك التفكير في طرق صديقة للبيئة للقيام بذلك. على سبيل المثال، المدن التي تتمتع بالجمال مدينة سياتل الامريكية التي تتمتع بمناخ دافئ ومحيطي وصيف جاف نسبيا. يمكن للحشرات والمواد الأخرى أن تزدهر في هذا المناخ ، لذا من الضروري إلى إيجاد طرق خضراء صديقة للبيئة للقضاء عليها. طرق العلاج الأخرى التي تستخدم فيها مواد كيميائية يمكن أن تكون خطرة على البيئة، والحيوانات الأليفة، وكذلك على البشر. لذلك يجب علينا دائمًا إعطاء الأولوية لسلامتنا وسلامة البيئة المحيطة بنا.

التجنب من استخدام المنظفات التي تساهم في التلوث

الخيار الآخر للتنظيف  للمنزل الذي لا يؤثر سلبيا على البيئة هو مراعاة المنظفات التي لا تسبب تلوث الهواء. على سبيل المثال ، بدلاً من تنظيف الأرضيات  بمكنسة كهربائية، من الأفضل استخدام المكنسة اليدوية. قد يستغرق ذلك وقتًا طويلاً ، ولكنه أفضل بكثير لبيه خالية من تلوث الهواء.

إستخدم الماء للتنظيف

يمكنك أيضًا استخدام الماء النظيف فقط عند تنظيف بلاط الأرضيات و السيراميك. إذا لم يكن هناك بقع ترابية على البلاط ، يمكنك ببساطة مسحها باستخدام الماء النظيف وتجنب المنظفات الكيميائية والمكونات الصناعية الأخرى لتأثيرها السلبي على البيئة المحيطة مما قد تنتج منها مشاكل صحية في حالة تعرضها للجسم .

إستخدم الصودا لتنظيف السجاد

عندما تكون سجادتك متسخة ، يمكن أن يكون مظهرها غير لايق ، ويمكن أن تنتج أيضًا رائحة كريهة منها. في هذه الحالة يمكنك استخدام صودا الخبز لتنظيف السجادة، وهي خيار مثالي لأنها خالية من المواد الكيميائية السامة. يمكن للصودا أيضًا أن تجعل سجادتك تبدو وكأنها جديدة.

إستخدم الماء المغلي للتنظيف

عند تنظيف الأسطح من مخلفات الزيت مثل طاولات المطبخ والأحواض ، يمكنك استخدام الماء المغلي لأنه الماء المغلي يمكن أن يذيب الأوساخ حتى تتمكن من مسحها بقطعة قماش نظيفة. يمكن أن يساعد استخدام الماء المغلي أيضًا على حل الرواسب التي تساهم في سد نظام الصرف في المطبخ فبدلاً من استخدام المواد الكيميائية التي يمكن أن تكون سامة وتتسبب تأثير سلبي على البيئة.

تنظيف الهواء الداخلي بشكل طبيعي

من الممكن تنظيف الهواء الداخلي بشكل طبيعي عن طريق فتح النوافذ قدر الإمكان. هذا الخيار آمن بدلاً من استخدام معطرات هواء اصطناعية التي يمكن أن تؤثر على البيئة. ولكن يجب عليك أولاً التحقق من عدم وجود رياح قوية يمكن التي من الممكن تنشر جزيئات الغبار داخل المنزل. فتح النافذة سيسمح بنشر ضوء الشمس ونسيم الهواء في منزلك مما قد يجعل منزلك منتعشًا وذلك قد يساهم يمنك الأمراض نظرًا لمدى فائدة ضوء الشمس والهواء الطبيعي.

تكتسب الاهتمامات البيئية اعترافًا متزايدًا في جميع المجالات حول العالم ، لذلك يجب أن نقوم بدورنا تجاه لتأمين بيئة أفضل دورك أيضًا. يمكنك القيام بذلك من خلال اعتماد طرق خضراء لترتيب منزلك. هذه الطرق نظيفة وصديقة للبيئة.

ترجمة:

محمد عدنان النخلي- مهندس كيميائي- مهتم في تفكك البوليميرات إلى موادها الأولية وتحويلها إلى مواد مفيدة، وتقليل المخلفات البلاستيكية في البيئة.

الطرق المتبعه لتخفيف آثار العواصف الرمليه والترابيه

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sandstorm-arabiaالعواصف الرملية والترابية تتسبب في آثار سلبية كبيرة على المجتمع والاقتصاد والبيئة في النطاق المحلي والإقليمي والعالمي. هناك ثلاثة عوامل رئيسية مسؤولة عن توليد العواصف الرملية والترابية – الرياح القوية، وعدم وجود الغطاء النباتي وعدم سقوط الأمطار. المخاطر البيئية والصحية لهذه العواصف لا يمكن التخلص منها  بشكل دائم، ولكن يمكن الحد من الاثار الناتجة من خلال اتخاذ التدابير المناسبة.

مع ارتفاع مستوي الغبار، فإنه يقلل من مدى الرؤية الأفقية التي يمكن أن تؤثرعلي حياة الإنسان بطرق عديدة. حيث ان هذه الجزيئات العالقة تحتوي أيضا علي الملوثات والبكتيريا وحبوب اللقاح التي تسبب تأثيرات سلبية على الصحة مثل الحساسية وأمراض الجهاز التنفسي. كما يحمل الغبار الملوثات التي يحملها الهواء مثل السموم والمعادن الثقيلة والملح والكبريت، والمبيدات الحشرية وغيرها و التي تسبب تأثيرات صحية كبيرة علي الانسان مستنشق الغبار الملوث. الغبار يمكن أن يؤدي الي تآكل المباني وغيرها من البنية التحتية المبنية حيث انه يحتوي علي الكثير من المعادن التقيله والجزيئات الحمضية كما أنه يحتوي على مستوى عال من الأملاح، وخاصة في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي.

التأثيرات البيئية والصحية

سوء نوعية الهواء – ويرجع ذلك إلى زيادة في احمال الملوثات ودرجات خطيرة من الجسيمات العالقة في الهواء والتي تستنشق اثناء العواصف الرملية والترابية.

زيادة في المخاطر البيئية المتصلة  كالنقل والبناء والصحة.
ترسب الغبار على الاراضي الزراعية يمكن أن يسبب جفاف الأوراق وتؤخر نمو النباتات وتسبب أضرارا بالمحاصيل.

يسبب جزيئات الغبار العالقة في الماء عرقلة تغلغل ضوء الشمس في قاع البحر، وبالتالي يؤثر على دورة الحياة البحرية.

الآثار الاجتماعية

سوء الحالة الصحية نتيجة استنشاق الجزيئات العالقة والملوثات الموجودة بالغبار.

حوادث الطرق وأخطار الطيران بسبب سوء الرؤية الافقية.

تقيد وتأخير لمواعيد الهبوط والإقلاع من الرحلات الجوية وحركة السفن

زيادة في الإجهادات المرتبطة بتلف المحاصيل الزراعية.

الآثار الاقتصادية

الأضرار التي لحقت الهياكل الخرسانية والطرق وحمامات السباحة الخ بسبب ترسب الغبار

التكاليف المرتبطة تنظيف الغبار المتسلل داخل المنزل والمباني وتنظيف المركبات

تكلفة إزالة الرمال من الطرق والمباني

التكاليف المرتبطة بالحوادث، خسارة مادية أو تأخير في الرحلات الجوية، تأخير في حركة المركبات،

التكاليف المرتبطة بتنظيف اجزاء البنية التحتية مثل خطوط الأنابيب المدفونة بسبب الرمال والغبار النفط خلال العواصف

الحد من تأثير العواصف الرملية والترابية

يمكن الحد من الآثارالمرتبطة بالعواصف الرملية والترابية باستخدام عدد من تدابير الصحة والسلامة واستراتيجيات الرقابة البيئية.

العواصف الرملية والترابية على نطاق واسع عموما من الظواهر الطبيعية وأنه غير منطقي لاتخاذ الاجراءات لتلافي ومنع حدوثها ومع ذلك، يمكن أن تؤخذ تدابير الرقابة للحد من آثاره.

عملية انبعاثات الغبار على نطاق ضيق بسبب الأنشطة البشرية يمكن الحد منها باستخدام الطرق الميكانيكية المؤقتة مثل حاجز خرساني، التغطية للمكان، او طبقة مانعه للانتشار علي طريق الحزام الشجري الخ

اساليب السيطره المناسبة من عوامل رفع الغبار مثل زيادة الغطاء النباتي كلما كان ذلك ممكنا.حيث  أنه يساعد في استقرار التربة والكثبان الرملية ومصدات الرياح تعتبر نموذج لذلك.

استخدام الطبيعة ممثله في النباتات والأشجار يمكن أن يقلل من سرعة الرياح والرمال و الانجرافات الحادثه للتربه نتيجة شدة الرياح.

تنفيذ المباني بشكل جيد واختبار اماكن التسريب والتهوية خلال انشاء المبني.

الطرق المتبعه لتخفيف آثار العواصف الرمليه والترابيه

اتخاذ تدابير حذرية اضافية للفئة السكانية الضعيفة مثل الأطفال وكبار السن والمرضى.

استخدام أقنعة الغبار – أقنعة الغبار التي لها المرشحات المساعدة علي تصفية الجسيمات الصغيرة والملوثات. وبالتالي، يجب استخدام القناع خلال العواصف الترابية. وضع منشفة مبللة أو الأنسجة على الأنف والفم وشرب الكثير من السوائل.

تنظيف الوجه، والأنف والفم في كثير من الأحيان لمنع أي غبار يدخل إلى الرئتين ويجب الاستنشاق ببعض الماء عن طريق الأنف لتنظيف الأنف من جزيئات الغبار.

إغلاق الأبواب والنوافذ بإحكام، وسحب جميع الستائر مع وضع المناشف المبللة على الثقوب الصغيرة التي قد تكون مصدر لتسريب الغبار في النوافذ المستديرة

التقليل من الأنشطة في الهواء الطلق والبقاء داخل المنزل.

ترجمه:

هبة احمد مسلم – دكتور الهندسة البيئية. باحث في الشئون البيئية. معهد الدراسات والبحوث البيئية– جامعه عين شمس. مدرس التحكم في البيئة والطاقه داخل المباني.

للتواصل عبر hebamosalam2000@gmail.com

British Coal as a Warning for the Global Energy Transition

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The history of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain is often portrayed as a linear path of technological progress and economic expansion. Yet this narrative conceals structural costs that, in light of today’s energy transition challenges, deserve rigorous re-examination. The rise of coal in the 18th and 19th centuries formed the energy backbone of modern industrialization, enabling unprecedented growth in production, urbanization, and trade. However, this transformation came with deep and lasting social, environmental, and economic damages, some of whose underlying mechanisms risk being replicated today in the global energy transition, characterized by a heavy reliance on critical minerals whose demand is expected to triple by 2030 and quadruple by 2040. Drawing lessons from this historical period is therefore not an academic exercise, but a strategic necessity.

a coal mine in the United Kingdom

The development of coal in Great Britain was built on intensive exploitation of both natural and human resources, in a context where regulatory frameworks were almost non-existent. Coal mines, particularly in northern England and Wales, relied on a large workforce that included women and children, operating under extremely dangerous and poorly regulated conditions [1]. Accidents were frequent, and occupational diseases, especially respiratory illnesses, developed without recognition or compensation. This situation reflected an economic logic in which maximizing production took precedence over any social consideration, a dynamic that can still be observed today in certain supply chains of strategic raw materials [2].

From an environmental perspective, the massive use of coal profoundly altered British ecosystems. Coal combustion generated high levels of air pollution, particularly in major industrial cities such as London, where smog episodes reached critical levels as early as the 19th century [3]. Beyond air pollution, however, the impacts on water resources were especially significant. Mining activities led to the contamination of groundwater with heavy metals and acids resulting from mine drainage, a phenomenon known as acid mine drainage [4]. Rivers located near mining basins were heavily degraded, affecting aquatic biodiversity as well as domestic and agricultural water uses [5]. This water pollution persisted long after mining activities ceased, illustrating the long-term nature of environmental damage associated with coal.

Moreover, while coal gradually replaced wood as the primary energy source, it paradoxically contributed to maintaining significant pressure on forest resources. Before the widespread adoption of coal, wood was extensively used for heating and metallurgy, already leading to substantial deforestation in Great Britain [6]. The introduction of coal reduced this direct dependence, but the industrial growth it enabled increased demand for wood in other sectors, particularly construction, railway infrastructure (railway sleepers), and structural supports within mines themselves [7]. Thus, coal did not eliminate pressure on forests; rather, it transformed and indirectly amplified it.

Economically, coal-based industrialization generated rapid growth but in a deeply unequal manner. The benefits were largely captured by mine owners and industrialists, while mining regions remained dependent on a single-sector economy, vulnerable to demand fluctuations and structural crises [8]. This lack of economic diversification had long-lasting consequences, as demonstrated by the difficulties faced by coal regions during their reconversion in the 20th century. This model of development—based on extracting and exporting raw resources without significant local value addition—bears striking similarities to the current situation of many resource-rich countries supplying critical minerals [9].

Governance in the coal sector during the 19th century was also marked by a lack of transparency and accountability. Working conditions, environmental impacts, and financial flows largely escaped public oversight, and the first regulatory measures were only introduced after major scandals and significant social mobilization [10]. This delayed response highlights the importance of establishing robust governance frameworks from the early stages of development of any strategic sector in order to avoid irreversible human and environmental costs.

In the current context of the energy transition, these historical lessons are particularly relevant. Low-carbon technologies such as batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels rely on specific materials whose extraction and processing are concentrated in a limited number of countries. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements have become strategic resources, and their demand is expected to grow exponentially in the coming decades [11]. This dynamic creates a clear risk of reproducing the imbalances observed during the Industrial Revolution, particularly in terms of economic dependency, environmental degradation, and human rights violations.

benefits of sustainable wood

Early signs of these risks are already visible. In certain regions of Africa and Latin America, cobalt and lithium extraction is associated with precarious working conditions, conflicts over water use, and significant impacts on local ecosystems [12]. Lithium extraction, in particular, requires large quantities of water, which can compete with the needs of local populations and agricultural activities [13]. These tensions echo the water-related conflicts observed in British mining regions during the 19th century, albeit in a different technological and geographical context.

In response to these challenges, it is essential to frame the energy transition not merely as a technological shift, but as a systemic transformation of production and governance models. Principles such as respect for human rights, environmental protection, equitable benefit sharing, financial responsibility, transparency, and international cooperation must be embedded from the outset in the design of critical mineral value chains. This includes developing binding international standards, implementing traceability mechanisms, strengthening institutional capacities in producing countries, and promoting local value addition.

It is also necessary to reduce pressure on primary extraction by advancing circular economy strategies, particularly through material recycling and optimization of resource use. Unlike coal, which was consumed irreversibly, critical minerals offer significant potential for reuse, which must be fully leveraged to limit the environmental and social impacts of their extraction [14]. This approach requires substantial investment in research and development, as well as in waste collection and processing infrastructure.

Finally, international cooperation plays a central role in the success of this transition. Critical mineral value chains are global, and their governance cannot be effectively ensured at the national level alone. Multilateral initiatives are needed to harmonize standards, share best practices, and prevent resource-related conflicts. The history of coal demonstrates that a lack of coordination can lead to destructive competition dynamics, whereas a collaborative approach can foster a more just and sustainable transition.

Bottom Line

The British Industrial Revolution provides a powerful historical precedent for today’s energy transition. It demonstrates that the choice of resources and technologies alone is insufficient to ensure sustainable development, and that the conditions under which they are exploited are equally decisive. As the world embarks on an unprecedented energy transformation, it is essential not to repeat the mistakes of the past. This requires constant vigilance, strong political will, and the ability to integrate social, environmental, and economic dimensions into a coherent long-term vision.

References

[1] International Energy Agency – The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions, IEA, 2021.
[2] The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective – Allen, R. C. (2009). Oxford University Press.
[3] Younger, P. L. (2001). Mine water pollution in Scotland. Science of the Total Environment.
[4] Acid mine drainage – Akcil & Koldas (2006), Journal of Cleaner Production.
[5] Blowes, D. W. et al. (2014). The geochemistry of acid mine drainage. Treatise on Geochemistry.
[6] Gray, N. F. (1997). Environmental impact of mining. Environmental Geology.
[7] Lottermoser, B. G. (2010). Mine Wastes: Characterization, Treatment and Environmental Impacts. Springer.
[8] Halliday, S. (1999). The Great Stink of London. Sutton Publishing.
[9] The Industrial Revolution in Britain – Berg, M. (1994). Routledge.
[10] Perlin, J. (2005). A Forest Journey: The Role of Wood in the Development of Civilization.
[11] The Condition of the Working Class in England – Engels, F. (1845).
[12] Mines Act – UK Parliament Archives.
[13] World Bank – World Bank (2020).
[14] United Nations Environment Programme – UNEP (2022).

The Impact of Climate Change on Public Health

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Anthropogenic climate change is adversely affecting our health which is becoming more severe with each passing year. As per conservative estimates, climate change causes more than 150,000 additional deaths per year. Climate change is threatening public health in general. The population of developing countries, arid regions, coastal areas, mountains and Polar regions are the most exposed to experiencing negative health effects associated with climate change. Children and elderly, especially in poor countries, are the most vulnerable groups.

Useful Resource: 8 Majors If You Want to Help the Public

climate-change-public-health

Heat Wave

Researches confirm that the average temperature will increase in the Middle East up to 2°C by 2050; therefore, the frequency of heat waves will rise. Rising summer temperatures will increase morbidity and mortality caused by cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases. For example, more than 70,000 additional deaths were recorded during the heat wave that affected Europe in the summer of 2003. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to intense heat is linked with fainting, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and kidney stones.

Greenhouse gases affects the ozone layer causing ozone thinning and decreasing in absorption of harmful rays, which means increasing the concentration of UV rays reaching Earth, and thus an increased risk of skin diseases, skin damage, sun burns and skin cancer.

Natural Disasters and Changing Rainfall Patterns

Rising sea levels will result in relocation of residents of coastal areas which will in turn lead to an increase in the risk of health and psychological disorders.

Climate change affects the basis of health, namely adequate water and food resources; Water scarcity and quality deterioration affects health and hygiene negatively, since both will increase the risk of diseases, especially diarrhea, besides, water scarcity leads to serious health consequences such as drought and famine. Researches indicate that water scarcity will cause a 50% decrease in the basic food production in African countries by 2020, which in turn will increase the prevalence of malnutrition.

Hurricanes, floods and wildfires cause pollution of freshwater sources and increase the risk of water-borne diseases outbreak, as they create conditions favorable to insect vectors, such as mosquitoes and flies, additionally, environmental disaster are known to disturb one basic pillar of health, namely :adequate shelter, the destruction of homes and exposure of people to infectious diseases, such as cholera and dysentery to name two, in addition to placing pressures on social and economic systems that sustain health, which can contribute to poverty and conflict.

Vector-borne Diseases

Disease control is vital for both the health and economic growth of developing countries. Climate change hinders the of elimination of transmission disease, by favoring severe thermo-allergic reactions and deadly disease vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, flies, rodents, snails as well as the shifting in the geographic distribution of these disease vectors. Many dangerous infectious diseases are sensitive to temperature, humidity and rainfall, namely cholera.

Examples of deadly diseases favored by changing of climate, includes malaria and dengue. Climate change affects the geographical distribution and intensity of malaria transmission by favoring its vector “Anopheles” misquotes. The incubation period of the malaria parasite is 26 days at 25 °C, but it is reduced to 13 days at 26 °C.

Observations show an increase of malaria transmission in Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Likewise, heavy rainfall and high temperatures leads to an increase in the transmission of dengue fever. By 2080, an estimated 2.5 billion more people will be at risk of contracting dengue fever worldwide.

Air Pollution

The changing climate is affecting the basic requirements for maintaining health — including clean air. Changing wind patterns contributes to transfer of dust, pollen, bacteria, mold, allergens cause’s respiratory infections and airborne diseases. Intense heat is expected to increase this burden due to the continued rising in temperature.

Moreover, rising temperatures and increasing in ground-level ozone is intensifying the rate and severity of asthma attacks, and causes irritation of the eyes and nose, cough, bronchitis and respiratory infections. In 1998 a scientific study conducted in Riyadh concluded that the dust sandstorms are a major source of respiratory diseases.

Response and Adaptation

The contribution of Arab countries to climate change mitigation is minimal; hence Arab world is facing its significant impacts, especially health threats consequences. Therefore, Middle East nations should take adaptation measures to reduce the health consequences associated with climate change and need to adopt an integrated approach to minimize its devastating effects. Some of the plausible solutions are as follows:

  • Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by switching to renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, adoption of green building, trees planting, biodiversity protection and integrated sustainable management of land, water and waste.
  • Reduction in vehicles usage by promoting public transportation, cycling and walking. These actions are needed to reduce the emission of carbon, and to bring many health benefits, such as reducing air pollution.
  • Preparing a resilience plan and risk mapping showing vulnerable areas such as arid lands, and crowded cities.
  • Research to assess climate change impact on health in the Arab world.
  • Capacity building and development of health systems and their adaptation to respond to climate change.
  • Increasing public awareness about climate change threats to human health.
  • Facilitating access to information and knowledge and experience exchanging about the disease and the effects of climate change.
  • Ensuring climate justice to the victims of environmental degradation.

Arabic References

  1. Nuwayhid , faith , Joseph Raine , Rima Habib . ” Lethal diseases in a changing environment . ” Afedmag.com. Arab Forum for Environment & Development , Apr. 2010. Web. 10 May 2014
  2. Health: fears of the impact of climate change on neglected tropical diseases . ” Humanitarian news company , 2012.

English References

  1. Based on data from the United Kingdom Government Met Office. HadCRUT3 annual time series, Hadley Research Centre, 2008.
  2. Robine JM et al. Death toll exceeded 70,000 in Europe during the summer of2003. Les Comptes Rendus / Série Biologies, 2008, 331:171-78.
  3. Arnell NW. Climate change and global water resources: SRES emissions and socio-economic scenarios. Global Environmental Change – Human and Policy Dimensions, 2004, 14:31-52.
  4. Climate change 2007. Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Geneva, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007 (Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
  5. Zhou XN et al. Potential impact of climate change on schistosomiasis transmission in China. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2008, 78:188-194.
  6. Hales S et al. Potential effect of population and climate changes on global distribution of dengue fever: an empirical model. The Lancet, 2002, 360:830-834.
  7. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2000/
  8. World Health Organization, Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs117/en//.
  9. Maine CDC, Lyme Disease Surveillance Report – Maine 2008, http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/ddc/epi/publications/2008-Lyme-disease-Surveillance-Report.pdf.
  10. Supinda Bunyavanich et al., “The Impact of Climate Change on Child Health,” Ambulatory Pediatrics 3 (2003): 44-52.
  11. Center for Health and the Global Environment, Climate Change and Health in New Mexico, Harvard Medical School 2009.
  12. Jonathan A. Patz, “Impact of regional climate change on human health,” Nature 438 (2005): 310-317.
  13. R.S. Kovats et al., “The effect of temperature on food poisoning: a time-series analysis of salmonellosis in ten European countries,” Epidemiology and Infection 132 (2004): 443-453.
  14. David Wood, “Effect of Child and Family Poverty on Child Health in the United States,” Pediatrics 112 (2003): 707-711.
  15. Paul R. Epstein, “Climate change and Human Health,” New England Journal of Preventative Medicine 353 (2005): 1433-1436.

5 Eco-Friendly Habits That Reduce Fly Problems in Stables and Small Farms

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There are over 100,000 stable flies produced in a single pound of wet manure if the conditions are right. This staggering number illustrates why a proactive approach is the only way to keep your animals comfortable. When you focus on these five sustainable habits, you reduce the need for harsh chemicals while achieving better long-term results for your herd.

horses in a stable being bothered by flies

Daily Manure Management Routines

The most impactful habit any stable owner can adopt is a rigorous manure removal schedule. Flies require moist organic matter to lay their eggs, and a fresh pile of manure is the perfect nursery. By cleaning stalls and high-traffic paddock areas at least twice daily, you break the breeding cycle before the larvae have a chance to develop.

It is not enough to just move the waste away from the stall door. True fly control requires composting the manure far from the barn or hauling it off-site entirely.

If you keep your compost pile managed correctly, the internal heat generated by the breakdown process will actually kill fly larvae rather than sustain them. Consistency in this area alone can reduce your fly population by more than half without a single drop of spray.

Maintaining Dry Bedding Environments

Wet spots in a stall are a beacon for stable flies and houseflies alike. Moisture from urine or spilled water creates the anaerobic conditions that flies crave for reproduction. Transitioning to highly absorbent materials like wood shavings or sawdust bedding can significantly lower the moisture levels compared to traditional straw.

Keeping the floor bone dry requires more than just picking up the visible waste. You must strip the wet spots down to the base and allow the area to air out before re-bedding. This habit prevents the “fermenting” smell that attracts flies from miles away.

Strategic use of a natural fly spray for horses provides an added layer of protection during turnout without introducing synthetic toxins into the soil. These botanical options work by masking the scents that flies use to track their targets.

Improving Site Drainage Around Barns

Standing water is often overlooked in fly control, but it is a major contributor to the overall problem. Leaky hoses, overflowing troughs, and poorly graded entrances create mud holes that harbor larvae. Stable flies, in particular, love the mixture of mud and organic debris found at the edges of poorly drained paddocks.

Improving your drainage might involve regrading specific areas or installing gravel pads under water troughs to prevent muck from forming. It is also helpful to check your gutters and downspouts regularly to ensure rainwater is being diverted away from the barn interior. A dry perimeter is a hostile perimeter for a fly.

Planting Fly Repellent Vegetation

Nature has its own ways of keeping insects at bay, and you can leverage this by landscaping with intent. Certain plants contain natural oils that flies find repulsive. By placing these near barn entrances or around the perimeter of the arena, you create a soft biological barrier.

These plants are generally easy to maintain and provide a pleasant aroma for humans while offending the local fly population:

  • Catnip contains nepetalactone, which is more repellent than many synthetic alternatives
  • Peppermint and spearmint thrive in damp areas while blocking insect sensory receptors
  • Lavender provides a calming scent for horses while actively deterring flies

Integrating botanical species like catnip and mint into your farm design is a permanent, self-sustaining way to lower pest pressure. Unlike a misting system, these plants do not require electricity or refills to keep working season after season.

Utilizing Physical Barriers and Fans

Physical exclusion is the most reliable way to keep flies off your horses. This includes high-quality fly masks, sheets, and boots that prevent the insects from ever reaching the skin. In the barn, installing fine-mesh screens on windows and using heavy-duty strip curtains at doorways can keep the interior a “fly-free” sanctuary.

The power of a simple box fan should never be underestimated in a stable setting. Flies are weak fliers and struggle to navigate in winds over 5 miles per hour.

By mounting fans in stalls and grooming bays, you create a non-toxic protective zone. This also helps keep your horses cool during the peak of summer heat, which reduces the stress that often leads to a weakened immune system.

The dark interior of a well-shaded barn is another natural deterrent. Flies generally prefer bright, sunny areas for activity. Keeping your barn interior relatively dim during the hottest parts of the day can encourage flies to stay outside, where they are less of a nuisance to your stabled horses.

Sustainable Fly Prevention Strategies

Transitioning away from heavy chemical use requires a change in mindset. You are no longer trying to kill every fly on the property; you are managing the environment so they choose to be elsewhere. These daily habits build a foundation of health and cleanliness that benefits every animal on the farm.

When these habits become part of your standard operating procedure, you will notice a significant decrease in tail swishing, stomping, and head shaking. It is a long-game approach that pays off in calmer horses and a more pleasant working environment for you.

To learn more about running your operations in an eco-friendly way, stick around on our site and see the other environmental coverage we’ve put together.

How to Prepare Your Home for Loved Ones with Disability

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Preparing a home for living with a disability is not as easy as you think. It requires various considerations to ensure mobility and safety. It is always important to consider the condition of your loved one before setting up your home.

Experts recommend different tips for preparing your home for living with a disability. It is also worth investing a little bit on some features of your home such as lighting, doors, acoustic, floor and aesthetics. These features need specific refinement to make your home more accessible and friendly for people with disabilities.

Below are a few ways to prepare your home for loved ones with disability:

home-remodeling-for-disabled

Plan

Do your research before remodelling or preparing midlands care home for people with disabilities. Consider the condition of the person before the remodelling process. Getting it right is essential as it saves you money and prevents headaches! Take your time. Think it over and over again.

Invest on door and door handles

Remote controlled doors are the best for people with limited hand mobility. Change your doorknobs to handles for easy twisting. You may also consider installing Smart powered doors on most used rooms in the house. Make sure that the door handle is still fully operational in case of a power cut.

The doorways should be 36 inches wide or larger for easy wheelchair mobility.  In addition, it is also essential to include a small peephole on bathroom doors to keep you talking with the person using the toilet.

Allow sufficient lighting

Lighting is vital for safety and comfort. Make sure that hallways, stairwells and other parts of your home are well-lighted for safety purposes. Light switches should be within comfortable reach. Visually impaired individuals need the right level to help them see well.

Sufficient lighting can prevent accidents such as tripping and falling, which is a concern for the elderly. It also allows the carer to respond quickly if accidents occur.

Get an expert to check the acoustics

Noise can bring discomfort to people with dementia and other types of neurological illness. Extreme noise levels may trigger the condition resulting in panic attacks, anxiety, high blood pressure, confusion and increased heart rate.

Sound insulation is an effective way to block noise and also prevent disturbance. A quiet room allows a person with a disability to stay calm and relax while agitated. Get professional help to work on the acoustics in your home to achieve a calming environment. A quiet environment can reduce stress and improve the interpretation of the stimulus in the environment.

Choose the right material for the floor

Hardwood floor is more comfortable to navigate and can even increase the market value of your property. Choose a flooring material that is smooth, firm and relatively non-porous for the wheelchair to transition seamlessly and to prevent slipping, tripping or falling.

bathroom-remodeling-for-disabled

Vinyl or laminate flooring is amongst the best choices because it is not too expensive. If you prefer the ceramic or stone tiles in your kitchen or bathroom, make sure that it is slip-resistant.

Stairs and Lifts Adaptation

Stairlifts, floor lifts and stair climbers are a few adaptations that you can integrate into your stairs to ensure safety and improved mobility. The specifications and features of the stairs and lifts should depend on the physical needs and type of disability. It would be best if you get an expert to inspect your home before doing the stair and lift installation.

The quality of stairs and stairlifts for the disabled should be emphasised to avoid pain, stiffness and other discomforts, which can prevent the person from manoeuvring effectively.

Integrate technology

Smart home technology is a significant advantage for household members with disabilities. It makes them feel less dependent on carers and allows them to move around comfortably. Smartphones, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, motion sensor and voice activation are a smart technology that you should consider for your home. These tools are now available and can be installed easily.

Ensure accessibility

Look for ways to make daily routines easier and more comfortable. Consider the design and height of the furniture to alleviate mobility issues. It is worth hiring an interior designer with expertise in designing homes for the disabled to make sure that everything is in place.

People with disabilities need to feel less dependent on their carers. Delah from Maidforyou stated that ‘improving the features of your home to meet the physical needs of your loved ones with a disability is a way of showing love and care for them’.

Remember to always consider the nature of disability before remodelling your home. Thinking it through allows you to view other possibilities and ways to make their daily life easier and more convenient.

Lastly, get professional help! They are equipped with the most updated tools and knowledge in preparing a home for living with a disability.

Why a Solar Pond Heater is Essential for Cold-Weather Pond Care

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Winter has a habit of turning a calm, attractive pond into a far more demanding system. A pond that seemed balanced in autumn can become vulnerable once temperatures fall, ice begins to form, and snow reduces light at the surface. For homeowners with ornamental ponds, koi keepers, estate managers, and landowners responsible for fish health, cold-weather pond care is not just about keeping the water looking neat. It’s about protecting water quality and giving the pond a safer chance of making it through the season intact.

That’s where a solar pond heater plays an important role in winter pond management. In most cold-weather setups, the goal isn’t to warm the entire pond. It’s to maintain an opening in the ice so the pond keeps exchanging gases with the atmosphere. That becomes especially important when fish are overwintering, and organic matter on the pond floor is still decomposing beneath the surface.

solar-powered pond heater

Why Winter Ponds Run Into Trouble

A frozen pond looks peaceful from the bank, but below the surface, the situation is more complicated. As leaves, sludge, fish waste, and plant debris break down, they consume oxygen. At the same time, ice and snow reduce both gas exchange and light penetration. Oxygen enters water partly through direct exchange with the atmosphere, and turbulence helps that process. When the surface becomes sealed, that exchange stops.

This is one reason winter fish kills occur. Oxygen depletion under snow-covered ice is one of the leading causes of winter pond losses, especially where ponds carry a heavy organic load. Oxygen can decline steadily under prolonged ice cover, particularly when snow blocks sunlight and limits photosynthesis.

The problem, then, isn’t simply cold water. Cold water can actually hold oxygen well. The real issue starts when the pond becomes sealed over, oxygen use continues below the surface, and waste gases can’t vent efficiently.

What a Solar Pond Heater Really Does

The term “pond heater” gives the wrong impression. Many people picture a device that keeps the whole pond comfortably warm through winter. In practice, winter pond equipment solves a more focused problem. The purpose is to preserve a patch of open water and reduce the risk of full surface lockup.

That opening matters more than many pond owners realize. Smaller ponds often need help maintaining an open hole in the ice to support gas exchange. That’s the practical value of a solar pond heater in cold-weather pond care. It helps the pond keep breathing.

Why Fish and Water Quality Depend on That Opening

Once a pond is closed over, the whole winter balance changes. Fish continue to respire. Microbial activity continues. Organic matter continues to decompose. If the pond entered winter carrying too many leaves, too much muck, or excess nutrient-rich sediment, the pressure on dissolved oxygen rises even further.

That’s why fall cleanup still matters. Excess nutrients contribute to algal growth, and when algae and organic matter decompose, they consume oxygen. In winter, that demand becomes more severe because the pond has fewer natural ways to recover beneath the ice.

A solar pond heater doesn’t replace good pond housekeeping, but it becomes an important safeguard once freezing weather arrives. It helps reduce the likelihood of a pond being sealed off for weeks, during which oxygen levels gradually fall, and harmful gases accumulate under the ice. For ponds with koi, goldfish, or stocked fish, that’s not a minor detail. It’s a meaningful part of protecting the system.

Where a Solar Pond Heater Makes the Most Sense

Not every pond needs the same winter setup. Size, depth, fish load, local climate, sunlight exposure, and the amount of organic matter in the water all shape the right approach. Still, several situations make a solar-powered pond heater particularly useful.

Small Ornamental Ponds and Koi Ponds

Smaller ponds are less forgiving than larger bodies of water. They have less water volume to absorb sudden changes, and water quality issues can worsen more quickly when the surface freezes. If the pond contains koi or other fish, maintaining open water for gas exchange becomes a practical form of winter protection rather than a decorative extra.

Remote or Off-Grid Ponds

Some ponds are simply too far from buildings or existing infrastructure for electric winter equipment to be convenient. In those cases, solar becomes a more flexible option. It suits decorative landscape ponds, garden ponds, and remote estate water features where electric installation would be a nuisance or an unnecessary expense.

Ponds With a History of Winter Stress

If a pond has shown late-winter odor problems, heavy ice cover, sluggish fish, or past fish losses, that’s not random bad luck. It’s a warning sign. Ponds with a history of winter stress usually need a more deliberate seasonal setup, and maintaining an opening in the ice is often part of that.

Ponds Managed for Fish Health, Not Just Appearance

A decorative pond without fish may tolerate more seasonal fluctuation. A pond holding valuable koi or managed fish stock is another matter entirely. Once fish health enters the equation, oxygen and gas exchange take center stage.

A Heater Works Best as Part of a Winter System

The most effective winter pond care is rarely about one device doing all the heavy lifting. It’s usually about reducing risk from several directions at once.

That starts before freeze-up. Removing leaves, trimming dead plant material, and reducing organic buildup all improve the pond’s winter outlook. Dissolved oxygen is one of the most important indicators of pond health, and poor water quality affects fish long before obvious signs appear from the shoreline.

A winter plan may also involve adjusting surface movement, reducing feeding before temperatures crash, and checking whether other equipment should be repositioned or shut down for the season. In larger or deeper ponds, owners may also need to think carefully about how heating, circulation, and oxygenation work together. Decorative fountains, aerating fountains, and bottom-diffused systems don’t perform the same role in winter, and treating them as interchangeable creates avoidable problems.

The Smarter Way to Think About Winter Pond Care

Cold-weather pond care isn’t about making a pond feel warm. It’s about preventing winter from turning that pond into a sealed, stagnant system. When a pond remains open enough to exchange gases, it’s in a far better position to carry fish safely through the season and emerge in better condition once temperatures rise.

That’s why a solar pond heater is such a practical part of a winter pond strategy. In the right setting, it helps maintain open water, supports safer overwintering conditions, and gives pond owners a more reliable way to manage one of the season’s biggest risks. Not flashy, not gimmicky, just sensible pond stewardship when the weather turns serious.

The Islamic Perspectives on Environment Protection

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Environment protection is an important aspect of Islam. Being stewards of the Earth, it is the responsibility of Muslims to care for the environment in a proactive manner. There is a definite purpose behind the creation of different species, be it plants or animals. Muslims are encouraged to reflect on the relationship between living organisms and their environment and to maintain the ecological balance created by Allah. Protection of the environment is essential to Islamic beliefs and mankind has the responsibility to ensure safe custody of the environment.

Islam_Environment_Protection

Environment Protection and Resource Conservation

The Islamic perspective on environment protection reflects a positive image about Islam and how it embraces every single matter the humans face on earth. The Islamic attitude towards environment and natural resource conservation is not only based on prohibition of over-exploitation but also on sustainable development.

The Holy Quran says:

“It is He who has appointed you viceroys in the earth … that He may try you in what He has given you.” (Surah 6:165)

“O children of Adam! … eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.” (Surah 7:31)

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged the planting of trees and the cultivation of agriculture which are considered as good acts. This is illustrated in the following traditions: Narrated by Anas bin Malik (RA) that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said: “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.”‏ (Bukhari).

Islam is against the cutting or destruction of plants and trees unnecessarily as is evident in the following Hadith: Abdullah ibn Habashi reported that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “He who cuts a lote-tree [without justification], Allah will send him to Hellfire.” (Abu Dawud). The lote-tree grows in the desert and is very much needed in an area which has scarce vegetation. The devastation caused by deforestation in many countries causes soil erosion and kills many of the biodiversity of the earth.

The approach of Islam towards the use of natural resources was brilliantly put forward by the Fourth Caliph Hazrat Ali ibn Abi-Talib (RA) who said “Partake of it gladly so long as you are the benefactor, not a despoiler; a cultivator, not a destroyer. All human beings as well as animals and wildlife enjoy the right to share Earth’s resources. Man’s abuse of any resource is prohibited as the juristic principle says ‘What leads to the prohibited is itself prohibited”.

When Abu Musa (RA) was sent to Al-Basrah as the new governor, he addressed the people saying: “I was sent to you by ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) in order to teach you the Book of your Lord [i.e. the Qur’an], the Sunnah [of your Prophet], and to clean your streets.” Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) forbade that a person relieve himself in a water source or on a path or in a place of shade or in the burrow of a leaving creature.  These values highlight Islam’s stress on avoiding pollution of critical resources and importance of cleanliness.

Spreading Environmental Awareness

There are various ways which you can raise environmental awareness in your personal and professional circles. The popularization of social networking among young generation makes it easier and attractive to spread environmental awareness using Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc. A simple and effective method which I use is the distribution of qr codes (Quick Response Codes) in my college campus.

Another great idea would be to start your own school, college or workplace campaign for planting trees. Students, faculty members and co-workers can be motivated to donate a nominal amount of money towards plantation campaign. Keeping plants around your home, school or workplace is not only aesthetic and decorative but also keep you healthy and improve indoor air quality.

According to Hazrat Jabir (RA) reported that Prophet Muhammad [S.A.W] said: “No Muslim, who plants a shoot, except that whatever is eaten or stolen from it, or anyone obtains the least thing from it, is considered [like paying] alms giving on his behalf until the Day of Judgement.” (Muslim)

Conclusion

Environmental awareness and protection of natural resources is an integral part of Islamic beliefs. As viceroys of Allah on this earth, we have to utilize natural resources in a sustainable manner in order to ensure that Allah’s Bounties to continue. The principle of conservation is beautifully illustrated by the rule which says that while making ablutions (wudu) we should be abstemious in the use of water even if we have a river at our disposal.

As humans, we are keepers of all creation, including soil, air, water, animals and trees. A major objective of the Quran , Islamic teachings and Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) traditions is to build and maintain a healthy and clean environment which is devoid of any source of pollution and misuse.

Is Green AI the Answer to Climate Change?

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making strides in various fields, and its application in addressing climate change has been gaining attention in recent years. Green AI is a branch of AI that has recently come to light and it aims to reduce the environmental impact of technology and mitigate climate change. We surely need this the most considering where the world is headed now.

uses of green AI

It is important to note in the very beginning that to enjoy the best use of Artificial Intelligence today, you do require reliable internet connectivity at all times, and what better way to go than Ziply Internet? With stable internet speed, you begin using AI tools without any hindrance.

Nevertheless, if you are also a little unaware about Green AI then you have certainly made your way to the right page. Here, we have put together everything you need to know about Green AI and whether it is the answer to climate change.

What is Green AI?

Green AI refers to the use of AI technologies to reduce the environmental impact of human activities.

It involves designing and developing algorithms, models, and systems that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. The goal of Green AI is to optimize energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote sustainable practices.

Allow us to elaborate a little more on what Green AI’s applications and benefits are, and how it is surely a need of the hour for the world.

Green AI applications

Green AI has numerous applications across various industries and how it is taking over the technology world, for the better.

1. Energy Optimization

Green AI can help optimize energy consumption in buildings, transportation, and other systems. Smart energy management systems that use AI algorithms can detect and respond to changes in energy demand, thereby reducing waste and carbon emissions.

2. Agriculture

AI-based systems can improve crop yield, reduce water usage, and optimize fertilizer use. This is important in the reduction of the environmental impact of agriculture and promotes rather sustainable farming practices.

3. Recycling

Green AI can help automate and optimize the recycling process, thereby reducing waste and promoting circular economy practices.

4. Smart Cities

Green AI can help optimize traffic flow, reduce energy consumption, and improve waste management in cities. This can help reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable urban development.

Benefits of Green AI

Green AI has been showing its benefits that can significantly help mitigate climate change and promote sustainability. Here’s how!

1. Reduced Energy Consumption

Green AI can help reduce energy consumption by optimizing systems and processes, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Sustainable Practices

Green AI can promote sustainable practices by optimizing resource use, promoting circular economy practices, and reducing waste.

artificial-intelligence-environment-protection

Artificial Intelligence can provide invaluable assistance in environment protection and resource conservation

3. Improved Efficiency

Green AI can improve efficiency in various systems and processes, thereby reducing the environmental impact of human activities.

4. Significant Cost Reduction

Green AI can help reduce costs associated with energy consumption, waste management, and resource use, thereby promoting sustainability and economic growth.

Challenges of Green AI

Everything comes with some challenges, too, right? So does the Green AI! These challenges that need addressing include the following.

  • Data Quality

Green AI relies on accurate and reliable data to make informed decisions. However, data quality can be a challenge, particularly in developing countries with limited data infrastructure.

  • Privacy and Security

Green AI systems may collect and store sensitive data, such as energy consumption and transportation patterns. Ensuring the privacy and security of this data is crucial.

  • Limited Expertise

Green AI requires specialized expertise in both AI and environmental science. Nevertheless, there is a significant lack of expertise in this field currently.

So… Is Green AI the Answer to Climate Change?

There is no denying that there is great potential in Green AI to promote sustainability while mitigating the hovering climate change.  However, it is important to understand that we cannot entirely depend on this technology to pull us out of these crises, and instead be regarded with a complementary approach.

For addressing the climate crises the world is in right now, a holistic approach is required.

Ramadan and climate change crisis

There is no doubt that Green AI can help in optimizing technological solutions, but it cannot replace policy interventions and individual actions entirely. Therefore, we must all realize our impending role in the climate crisis.

Concluding Thoughts

Green AI has enormous potential to promote sustainability and alleviate climate change. However, it is not a standalone solution and should be viewed as a complementary approach to other mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Geothermal Energy for Greenhouse Agriculture: Lessons from the Netherlands for MENA

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The Middle East and North Africa region faces a paradox at the heart of its food future. With more than 70% of the region’s food needs met by imports, climate change accelerating water stress, and over half the population living in countries classified as water-scarce, the case for local food production has never been stronger. Yet conventional open-field agriculture in MENA is brutally water-intensive and increasingly unviable as temperatures rise.

Controlled-environment agriculture, and high-tech greenhouses in particular, is widely seen as part of the answer. Greenhouses can cut water consumption by up to 90% compared to open-field farming, enable year-round production, and shrink the food miles attached to imported produce. But there is a catch that often gets overlooked in regional discussions: greenhouses themselves are energy-intensive. In hot climates, cooling them is the challenge; in cooler ones, heating is. Either way, the energy source matters enormously to the sustainability case.

This is where the Netherlands offers MENA a quietly fascinating model worth studying.

A greenhouse powered by geothermal energy

The Dutch Greenhouse Industry’s Quiet Energy Transition

The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter despite being smaller than many MENA cities. Its Westland region, a dense cluster of greenhouse horticulture west of Rotterdam, has become a global benchmark for productivity per hectare. For decades, that productivity ran on natural gas, with greenhouses among the largest industrial gas consumers in the country.

Over the past fifteen years, that has been changing. Dutch growers have been steadily transitioning to geothermal heat, drawing warm water from aquifers two to three kilometres underground to heat their greenhouses. The model is collaborative: rather than each grower drilling their own well, clusters of horticultural businesses share infrastructure, splitting the capital cost and sharing the heat through transmission grids.

The scale is striking. Projects like Trias Westland connect more than fifty horticultural companies to a single geothermal source. The Vogelaer geothermal project, currently being expanded, will supply heat to nineteen new customers through underground transport pipelines installed via directional drilling. These are not pilot projects. They are operational infrastructure delivering renewable heat to commercial growers at industrial scale.

One Dutch company, VB, has been responsible for designing and building roughly 80% of these above-ground geothermal installations across the country. Their portfolio illustrates how mature the model has become, ranging from individual greenhouse installations to multi-grower regional grids.

Why This Matters For MENA?

The instinctive reaction is to ask whether geothermal energy is even relevant in a region people associate with oil and sun. It is more relevant than most realise.

MENA has substantial geothermal potential, particularly along the East African Rift system extending into the Red Sea, in parts of western Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, and Iran. The Yemeni and Iranian geothermal resources are well-documented, and several MENA countries have begun preliminary geothermal mapping. The temperatures needed for greenhouse heating are also far lower than those required for electricity generation, meaning lower-grade geothermal resources, which are more widespread, can still be valuable.

But the more immediately transferable lesson is not about heating. It is about the structural model: shared infrastructure across clusters of agricultural producers.

In MENA, where high-tech greenhouse projects are increasingly clustered (think of agritech zones in the UAE, Saudi Arabia’s NEOM food strategy, Qatar’s post-blockade self-sufficiency push, or Morocco’s expanding controlled-environment sector), the question of who pays for and operates shared sustainable energy infrastructure is unresolved. The Dutch experience shows that cooperative geothermal grids serving multiple growers are technically feasible and commercially viable, provided the cluster is dense enough to justify the capital investment.

The same logic could apply to other shared sustainable energy sources in MENA: solar thermal cooling networks, waste heat from desalination plants feeding into greenhouse climate systems, or shared cogeneration facilities. The Westland model is really a model of cooperative infrastructure, and that is exportable.

greenhouse-design-ideas

What a Dutch Greenhouse Looks Like in a Hot Climate

The other lesson MENA can take from Dutch greenhouse builders is technical. Companies like VB have been exporting their turnkey greenhouse expertise to climates very different from the Netherlands, including a 31.5-hectare high-tech greenhouse in Querétaro, Mexico, equipped with full climate control, pipe rail systems, cultivation piping, and CO2 dosing. Mexican high-altitude conditions are not identical to Gulf summers, but the engineering principles for managing extreme conditions translate well: insulation, evaporative cooling, screening, and integrated climate management.

For MENA decision-makers evaluating greenhouse investments, this is worth noting. The Dutch turnkey model, where a single contractor designs, builds, and equips a complete greenhouse with climate and energy systems integrated from day one, produces facilities that perform reliably from delivery. That contrasts with the more common regional pattern of stitching together imported components from multiple suppliers, which often results in underperformance.

Recommendations for MENA Policymakers and Investors

A few practical takeaways emerge from the Dutch experience.

  • Cluster planning matters more than individual projects: Sustainable energy infrastructure for greenhouses becomes economically viable at the cluster level, not the single-farm level. MENA agritech zones should be designed with shared energy infrastructure in mind from the outset.
  • Geothermal resource mapping deserves more attention: Even modest geothermal resources can heat or, with absorption chillers, help cool greenhouses. National geothermal surveys focused on agricultural applications would be a useful investment for several MENA countries.
  • Knowledge transfer beats technology import: The Dutch advantage is not a secret technology. It is decades of operational know-how. MENA universities, research institutes, and government agencies should pursue active partnerships with Dutch counterparts, including Wageningen University and established greenhouse builders, rather than relying on one-off equipment purchases.
  • Long-term financing models need to evolve: Geothermal infrastructure has high upfront costs and long payback periods. The Dutch model relies on cooperative structures, government-backed insurance for drilling risk, and long-term offtake agreements among growers. MENA financiers and policymakers should study these structures.

A Greener MENA Through Smarter Greenhouses

Food security in MENA cannot be solved by greenhouses alone, but greenhouses, done well, can be a meaningful part of the response. The Dutch experience shows that the technology and the cooperative models exist, are mature, and are exportable. The opportunity for MENA is to learn from a region that has spent decades refining sustainable greenhouse horticulture, and to adapt those lessons to local conditions rather than reinvent them.

The future of food in MENA may well be greener, quite literally, if the region’s planners look carefully at what has been quietly built in the Dutch Westland.

Solid Waste Management in the Mediterranean – Challenges, and Success Stories

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Solid waste management in the Mediterranean region represents one of the most complex and pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century, shaped by a unique combination of demographic pressures, economic disparities, tourism intensity, and fragile ecosystems. The Mediterranean basin, home to over 500 million people and one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, generates rapidly increasing volumes of municipal solid waste (MSW), while facing persistent structural deficiencies in collection, treatment, and disposal systems. These challenges are particularly acute in the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries, where institutional, financial, and technical limitations hinder progress toward sustainable waste management systems.

a landfill in the Mediterranean region

Scale of the Problem

The scale of the problem is reflected in both terrestrial and marine environments. Municipal solid waste generation has been steadily increasing across the region, driven by urbanization, changing consumption patterns, and seasonal tourism peaks, with some coastal areas experiencing population surges of several hundred percent during summer months. According to regional assessments, waste generation in the MENA countries exceeds 200 million tonnes annually, with significant disparities between northern EU countries and southern neighbors in terms of management performance [1,2]. While European Union countries have made progress through regulatory frameworks such as the Waste Framework Directive and Circular Economy Action Plan, many southern Mediterranean countries still rely heavily on landfilling and open dumping as primary disposal methods [3].

A defining characteristic of solid waste management in the Mediterranean is the stark north–south divide. In EU Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Italy, and France, waste collection coverage approaches 100%, and recycling rates have improved significantly, reaching over 40% in some cases. In contrast, in several countries of North Africa and the Middle East, collection rates remain uneven, particularly in rural areas, and more than 50% of collected waste is disposed of in uncontrolled dumpsites [1,4]. This disparity reflects differences in governance, financial capacity, and technological infrastructure. The European Environment Agency highlights that integrated waste management systems-combining prevention, recycling, recovery, and controlled disposal have been key to improving performance in EU member states [3].

One of the most visible and alarming consequences of inadequate waste management in the Mediterranean is marine litter. The Mediterranean Sea is often described as one of the most polluted seas in the world due to its semi-enclosed nature, limited water exchange, and high anthropogenic pressure. It is estimated that around 730 tonnes of plastic waste enter the Mediterranean Sea every day, with plastics accounting for up to 95–100% of floating litter [2,5]. Annual plastic leakage into the sea is estimated at approximately 229,000 tonnes, highlighting the magnitude of land-based waste mismanagement [5,6]. These figures underscore the strong link between terrestrial solid waste management systems and marine pollution.

The sources of marine litter are diverse but largely originate from land-based activities, including inadequate waste collection, illegal dumping, and poor landfill management. Coastal tourism plays a significant role, as seasonal increases in population generate large quantities of waste that often exceed local management capacities. In addition, rivers act as major conduits, transporting waste from inland areas to coastal zones. The Horizon 2020 Mediterranean Report emphasizes that ineffective solid waste management practices such as open dumping, uncontrolled landfills, and lack of recycling infrastructure are primary drivers of marine litter [7]. Scientific studies confirm that plastic waste distribution in the Mediterranean is influenced by coastal density, hydrodynamics, and human activities [6].

Challenges to Overcome

Institutional and governance challenges are central to the region’s waste management problems. While many Mediterranean countries have adopted legislative frameworks aligned with international conventions and EU standards, implementation remains inconsistent. Weak enforcement, limited coordination among institutions, and insufficient monitoring systems hinder effective policy execution. In southern Mediterranean countries, responsibilities for waste management are often fragmented between national, regional, and municipal authorities, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in service delivery. Reports by ESCWA and UNDP highlight the need for stronger governance structures, improved regulatory enforcement, and better data collection systems to support decision-making [4,8].

Financial constraints represent another major barrier. Waste management systems require substantial investments in infrastructure, including collection fleets, sorting facilities, recycling plants, and sanitary landfills. However, many municipalities in the Mediterranean region lack the financial resources to develop and maintain such systems. Cost recovery mechanisms, such as user fees and extended producer responsibility schemes, are often underdeveloped or poorly implemented. As a result, waste management services are frequently underfunded, leading to inadequate coverage and poor service quality. The World Bank estimates that improving waste management systems in the region would require significant increases in investment, particularly in treatment and recycling infrastructure [1].

The informal sector also plays a significant role in solid waste management in many MENA countries, particularly in North Africa. Informal waste pickers contribute to recycling by recovering valuable materials such as plastics, metals, and paper. While this activity provides livelihoods for thousands of people, it is often associated with unsafe working conditions and lacks formal recognition. Integrating the informal sector into formal waste management systems presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Successful examples from countries such as Algeria and Egypt demonstrate that formalization and support of informal recyclers can improve recycling rates while enhancing social inclusion [9].

gaza-garbage

Another critical challenge is the limited development of recycling and recovery systems. Despite the high potential for resource recovery, recycling rates in many Mediterranean countries remain low, often below 10% in southern regions. Organic waste, which constitutes a large fraction of municipal waste (up to 50–60%), is rarely valorized through composting or anaerobic digestion. Instead, it is typically disposed of in landfills, where it contributes to methane emissions and environmental pollution. In contrast, EU countries have increasingly adopted circular economy approaches, promoting waste prevention, recycling, and energy recovery. Policy instruments such as landfill taxes, recycling targets, and producer responsibility schemes have proven effective in driving improvements [3,10].

Tourism adds another layer of complexity to solid waste management in the Mediterranean. The region attracts more than 300 million tourists annually, generating large quantities of waste in coastal areas and islands. Seasonal fluctuations in population can overwhelm local waste management systems, leading to increased littering, illegal dumping, and environmental degradation. Small islands are particularly vulnerable due to limited land availability and infrastructure. Initiatives such as “Zero Waste in the Mediterranean” emphasize the need for targeted strategies, including waste reduction, improved logistics, and behavioral change [11].

Climate change and environmental sustainability are closely linked to solid waste management in the Mediterranean. Improper waste disposal contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane from landfills and carbon dioxide from open burning. At the same time, climate change exacerbates waste management challenges by increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, which can damage infrastructure and disrupt services. Integrating waste management into climate policies and promoting low-carbon solutions are essential for achieving sustainable development goals [2,10].

Success Stories

Despite these challenges, there are significant opportunities for improving solid waste management in the MENA region. The transition toward a circular economy offers a promising pathway, focusing on waste prevention, resource efficiency, and recycling. A large proportion of waste generated in the region could be diverted from landfills through improved systems and investments in modern infrastructure [1,10]. Regional cooperation also plays a crucial role. Initiatives under UNEP/MAP, the Barcelona Convention, and EU-funded programs such as Horizon 2020 facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building. The Marine Litter Regional Plan represents a pioneering legally binding framework for addressing marine litter [5].

Technological innovation and digitalization are increasingly important in addressing waste challenges. Advances in sorting technologies, recycling systems, and waste-to-energy solutions provide new opportunities for improving efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. Digital tools for waste tracking and data management enhance transparency and governance. However, these solutions must be accompanied by strong institutional frameworks and public engagement to be effective [3].

In the Mediterranean context, Algeria has undertaken several significant and positive steps to improve solid waste management through a progressive and structured approach led by the Ministry of Environment and Quality of Life and supported operationally by the Agence Nationale des Déchets. This dynamic has been further strengthened by the adoption of Law 25-02, which marks an important evolution of the national legal framework by reinforcing principles of sustainable development, circular economy, and integrated waste management, while clarifying responsibilities across stakeholders and promoting better governance, traceability, and control of waste streams.

Within this framework, Algeria has consolidated its regulatory and institutional system through the implementation of integrated waste management strategies aligned with circular economy principles; accelerated the development and modernization of engineered landfill centers (CETs), contributing to the gradual elimination of uncontrolled dumpsites; established national planning tools, inventories, and technical guidelines to support local authorities; launched pilot projects for selective sorting and recycling, particularly in urban areas; promoted public awareness campaigns and environmental education programs aimed at encouraging waste reduction and citizen participation; reinforced international cooperation through regional initiatives such as UNEP/MAP and EU-funded programs; and progressively encouraged private sector participation to stimulate investment in recycling and resource recovery.

These combined efforts, supported by the legal consolidation brought by Law 25-02, reflect a tangible transition toward more sustainable, transparent, and structured waste management practices, positioning Algeria as a country actively engaged in improving environmental performance despite remaining challenges.

Conclusion

Solid waste management in the Mediterranean region is characterized by increasing waste generation, significant disparities between countries, and persistent environmental challenges, particularly marine litter. Addressing these issues requires integrated approaches combining policy reform, investment, technological innovation, and stakeholder engagement. By leveraging regional cooperation and adopting circular economy principles, Mediterranean countries can move toward more sustainable and resilient waste management systems.

References

[1] World Bank, 2022. Waste Management in the Middle East and North Africa. Washington, DC.

[2] UNEP/MAP, 2015. State of Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Athens.

[3] European Environment Agency (EEA), 2020. Waste Management in Europe: Indicators and Trends. Copenhagen.

[4] United Nations ESCWA, 2011. Compendium of Environment Statistics in the ESCWA Region. Beirut.

[5] UNEP/MAP, 2015. Marine Litter Assessment in the Mediterranean. Athens.

[6] Cózar, A., et al., 2015. Plastic Accumulation in the Mediterranean Sea. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0121762.

[7] European Environment Agency (EEA), 2014. Horizon 2020 Mediterranean Report. Copenhagen.

[8] UNDP, 2021. Waste Management in Arab States: Policy and Institutional Frameworks.

[9] Wilson, D.C., Velis, C., Cheeseman, C., 2006. Role of informal sector recycling in waste management in developing countries. Habitat International 30, 797–808.

[10] European Commission, 2020. Circular Economy Action Plan. Brussels.

[11] Zero Waste Europe, 2019. Zero Waste in the Mediterranean: Case Studies and Policy Recommendations.