Towards a Waste-Free Ramadan Iftar

In the holy month of Ramadan, Iftar or breaking of fast becomes our main attention. The Iftars are either taken at home alone or with the family and relatives or at Iftar buffets at hotels and restaurants. The other option usually for the bachelors and less privileged people are to open the fast at mosques and at community centers whereby the iftar and dinner is provided for free organized by the rich, philanthropists, charitable organizations and mosque committees. Disrespect to Food It is a common sight that at Iftar, people do not respect the food and drinks that are provided … Continue reading

Top 7 Benefits of Recycling Used Coffee Grounds

As coffee lovers, we use multiple devices and brewing methods to get coffee in the way we desire. These machines and tools such as a moka pot, a bean to cup machine, or even a prosumer barista model coffee machine. All these methods result in large amounts of used coffee grounds that will usually end in the garbage. However, you can benefit from used coffee grounds in more ways than one. From using it as a compost or a natural cleaner, the options are endless. Here are remarkable and easy ways for recycling used coffee grounds and save the environment. … Continue reading

Know About Zero Waste Kitchens and Energy-Efficient Cooking

Food is the single largest source of waste. Worldwide, we throw away about a third of our food. More food ends up in landfills than plastic or paper. The enormous amount of wasted food depends on our cooking and eating habits. Generally, it is easy to be sitting at home, in front of your television, consuming whatever you want then throwing every‑thing in the trash. But have we ever thought, where does the garbage go? Zero Waste Kitchens Given that most of the domestic waste originates in the kitchen, a green home should definitely include a zero waste kitchen. Zero … Continue reading

Everything You Should Know About Hydroponic Farming

Locally grown vegetables and salad greens are becoming increasingly common in the market places of Bahrain, thanks to modern agricultural practices such as hydroponic farming. Bahrain is now taking definite steps towards being self-sustaining with certain food items that frequent our dinner table. By adopting the alternative agricultural practices, Bahrain is actively tackling the issue of food security. Commercial hydroponic farming facilities are well established in Bahrain with a highly promising and very green future. Hydroponic farms are successfully operating in Bahrain even in the summer months when the daytime temperatures are 40-50oC and nighttime temperatures are 30-35oC outside of the greenhouses. One … Continue reading

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Gene Editing Technologies

The use of biotechnology to genetically modify living organisms has garnered worldwide attention, as the application of biotechnology is linked to critical health, environmental, and commercial issues. One of the life sciences categories is molecular biology, which approaches the genetic information stored in DNA from a novel perspective. Gene editing is a technique that aims to extract specific genes carrying desirable traits from an organism (human, plant, animal, or microbe) and artificially attach them to the genes of another organism to transfer that desired trait to the receiving organism. Biotechnology differs from traditional hybridization in that it transfers genes at … Continue reading

5 Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Coffee Drinking Habits

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, among water and tea. The potent drink is so popular that some people are unable to function without a strong cup of joe before they start their day. If you’re an avid coffee enthusiast, there are things you can do to make the experience even more satisfying. There’s nothing more rewarding than enjoying your morning brew with the knowledge that you aren’t doing any more harm to the environment. You can help save the world by adopting these sustainable and eco-friendly coffee drinking habits: 1. Brew Your Own Coffee … Continue reading

How MENA is Rediscovering its Vegan Heritage

Keen followers of green-related news will have noticed an increased trend in veganism when it comes to the GCC and MENA. Gulf News highlighted the 250% increase in vegan supermarket options across the region in one November analysis, and more and more families are looking at options for their families to enjoy a more environmentally friendly and health conscious diet. This is, of course, not news to the region. Veganism has been around longer in the MENA than perhaps in any other part of the world, and eco-friendly eaters and businesses across the Gulf are taking note and helping natives to rediscover that … Continue reading

هل تغليف الغذاء يهدد الصحة؟

أغلب سكان المدن يفضلون شراء الأطعمة المُغلّفة الجاهزة لتوفرها وسهولة الحصول عليها، وذلك لكثرة مشاغلهم.  وإن تغليف الطعام يلعب دوراً هاماً في الحفاظ على جودته وصحته ومدة صلاحيته وقد يقلل من إهدار الغذاء. إلا أن كيماويات مواد التغليف قد تلوث الطعام وتسبب أمراضاً خطيرة. هناك مجموعة من الكيماويات تسمى اختصاراً (PFAS) لا تذوب في الماء ولا في الدهون ولا تلتصق بالطعام وتستخدم في مئات المنتجات بما في ذلك تغليف الاطعمة. وقد ثبت ارتباطها بأمراض خطيرة بسبب تراكمها في جسم الإنسان الذي يتناولها يومياً مع الماء والغذاء ولا يستطيع الجسم التخلص منها بالسرعة الكافية. لذلك وجدت هذه الكيماويات في الدم والبول … Continue reading

Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture in Gaza: Perspectives

There are multiple constraints which limit the development of more sustainable and resilient urban agriculture in the Gaza Strip (and the West Bank). Current urban development policies, land use classification systems and planning have ignored to recognise urban agriculture as a land use category and urban development strategy. Furthermore, there is still a lack of research on participatory urban agricultural development, improved production techniques, urban policies and strategies related to agricultural land use. Policy and institutional reform initiatives will be significant to enhance the potential of urban agriculture for food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable urbanisation. Agricultural Land Availability and … Continue reading