10 Ways to Create an Eco-friendly Skincare Routine

One of the imperative parts of our day includes following a beauty schedule. Self-grooming and beauty routines tend to become like second nature to us. Therefore, it is important to form habits while being mindful of the environment. Forming an environmentally-sound beauty routine might not be your top priority. However, the global cosmetics industry itself is negligent of its impact on the environment as it continues to produce about 120 billion units of packaging annually. If you’ve been worried about such statistics, we wonder if you’d like to move forward and make your beauty routine as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as … Continue reading

Ecotourism Industry in the Middle East

Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing segments in the global tourism industry and the Middle East is no exception. The ecotourism industry, catalyzed by advancements in transportation and information technology, has brought hitherto unknown geographical landscapes into public limelight, thus bringing tourists to pristine natural locations across the Middle East. Middle East has also been witnessing growing popularity of ecotourism among native and expatriate populations. Some of the Middle East nations popular with ecotourists include Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt, Oman and Tunisia. Due to its sunny climate, unique landscape, distinct culture and rich history, the region offers wealth of … Continue reading

Role of Artificial Intelligence in Environmental Sustainability

In recent years, the environmental issues have triggered debates, discussions, awareness programs and public outrage that have catapulted interest in new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence finds application in a wide array of environmental sectors, including natural resource conservation, wildlife protection, energy management, clean energy, waste management, pollution control and agriculture. Artificial Intelligence (also known as AI) is considered to be the biggest game-changer in the global economy. With its gradual increase in scope and application, it is estimated that by 2030, AI will contribute up to 15.7 trillion of the global economy which is more than the … Continue reading

Environmental Research in Arab World: Perspectives

The Arab world is facing many environmental pressures ranging from challenges in resource management and water scarcity to air pollution and climate change, which all require serious scientific environmental research. Arab nations contribute 1.7 percent of the total value of budgets embarked for environmental research worldwide. Leaders in Environmental Research Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Tunisia are the most active research countries in general science and environmental research. Scientific research has increased in the last ten years, with Egypt leading the Arab world, followed by Saudi Arabia for both the number and rate of publications produced. Egypt has contributed at … Continue reading

Environmental Best Practices in the Cement Industry

Worldwide, cement production  has almost tripled during the last 15 years, mainly on account of high population growth rate, rapid urbanization, increasing industrialization and large-scale infrastructural development. The growth of cement industry in MENA is marked by factors that are directly connected with sustainability, energy efficiency and raw material supply. Although the factors differ from country to country and cannot be generalized, there are major concerns regarding shortage of raw materials, GHG emissions, dependence on fossil fuels and lack of investment in technological innovations. For the cement sector, key points for an environment-friendly industry are use of alternative raw materials … Continue reading

Building a Plastic Bottle Village From Rubbish

This is an inspiring true story that demonstrates a solution to the rubbish problem, especially discarded plastic bottles, plaguing our planet! We hope it will encourage and inspire other visionaries to take similar actions around the world! Robert Bezeau moved to the tropical paradise of Bocas del Toro, Panama, after he grew tired of the cold weather in his home country of Canada. He loved Panama, but at the same time, he was dismayed by the rubbish removal left behind by more than 100,000 tourists visiting the area every year. While he walked the beaches, he began collecting discarded plastic … Continue reading

Environmental Initiatives in Middle East – Challenges and Remedies

Environmental protection has become an increasingly important item on the social and economic policy agenda of Middle East nations. As I read last week’s piece titled “Environmental Impacts of Plastic Bags” I was struck by the succinct summary of the main problems with the ongoing use of plastic bags and how their effects can be felt in many ways, some widely publicized and others not. The article prompted a series of reflections upon other environmental initiatives emerging in the Middle East and North Africa, especially in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In this article, I wish to share my … Continue reading

التوصيل الأخضر والتسوق المستدام: دراسة حالة في الإمارات العربية المتحدة

في عصر يتصدر فيه الوعي البيئي قائمة القضايا العالمية، يتساءل المستهلكون بشكل متزايد عن استدامة توصيل المنتجات ويبحثون عن طرق لجعل عادات التسوق لديهم أكثر مسؤولية بيئيًا. يتناول هذا المقال مختلف جوانب استدامة توصيل المنتجات ويقدم رؤى حول كيف يمكن للأفراد المساهمة في جعل كوكب الأرض أخضرًا أكثر من خلال اختياراتهم في التسوق. التأثير البيئي لوسائل توصيل المنتجات التقليدية تعتمد وسائل توصيل المنتجات التقليدية، التي تعتمد غالبًا على مركبات تعمل بالوقود الأحفوري وتعتمد بشكل كبير على التعبئة والتغليف الزائد، بشكل كبير على تدهور البيئة. يعتبر قطاع النقل مساهمًا رئيسيًا في انبعاثات غازات الاحتباس الحراري، حيث تنبعث شاحنات وفانات التوصيل ملوثات … Continue reading

Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes in Qatar – A Survey

Measuring environmental knowledge, opinion and attitude is of paramount importance to the academics and policymakers for developing better policies for human well-being and protection of ecosystems. Self-reporting attitudes and behaviours are one of the ways to measure. A first-of-its-kind national opinion survey on environmental issues was conducted in 2016 in a series of three surveys including ten socio-demographic questions in each survey. The survey covered a wide range of topics from climate change to government policies to urbanization to food. The results show a large number of people are deeply aware of the local and global environmental problems. Overall, the … Continue reading

Why Cities in the Middle East Need More Trees?

In 2016, The Nature Conservancy, one of the largest environmental NGOs in the United States, released a report entitled “Planting Healthy Air” that examines the role planting trees in urban areas plays in reducing pollution and extreme heat. As the report indicates, the population of city dwellers globally is increasing, as is the number of deaths associated with exposure to pollution and intense heat waves. The authors of the report argue that urban forestation projects are one of the most cost effective means to reduce particulate matter in the air and cool temperatures in the world’s largest cities. Urban forestation … Continue reading

Eco-Friendly Initiatives for Sustainable Commercial Plumbing

Voices like those at Coastal Commercial Services, Inc. are spreading the word about the importance of ecologically friendly business practices. One area people can learn more about is how commercial plumbing can meet ecological standards. Now is the time when all domestic units can be outfitted with eco-friendly plumbing. Here are some initiatives that could be helpful: Smart Water Efficiency Water efficiency just may be the diamond standard for sustainable commercial plumbing. Water-efficient fixtures are part of how we make low-flow toilets, urinals, and faucets that don’t leak or run. Advanced technologies like dual-flush mechanisms and smart sensors optimize water … Continue reading

Environmental Allergies – Common Causes and Remedies

In recent years, anthropogenic climate change has led to proliferation of environment-related diseases. The allergies caused by environmental factors are a major health problem for tens of millions of people all over the world. Environmental allergies involve an immune response to something in your surroundings, including home, workplace and outdoor. In contrast to food allergies, environmental allergies are an immune overreaction to triggers you come into contact in the daily life. Many people with perennial allergies also show signs of mood disorders and anxiety. BetterHelp has more information on how to find a free therapist online. The most common environmental allergens … Continue reading