Category Archives: Pollution

The Rapid Degradation of Wadi Gaza

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In recent years, environmental crisis has worsened in the Palestine, Gaza Strip in particular, with solid waste, sewage and air pollution being the major issues. The key reason for environmental degradation in the Gaza Strip has been the difficult economic situation and an unending Israeli blockade. Wadi Gaza (or the Gaza Valley) which is located in the middle of Gaza Strip has been transformed from being the most substantial natural ecosystems in Palestine to the most deteriorated regions. Wadi Gaza can be described as one of the largest natural wetlands in Palestine with a length of 105 km. This area has … Continue reading →

Sand and Dust Storms: Impacts and Mitigation

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Sand and dust storms cause significant negative impacts on society, economy and environment at local, regional and global scale.  There are three key factors responsible for the generation of sand and dust storms – strong wind, lack of vegetation and absence of rainfall. The environmental and health hazards of such storms cannot be reduced permanently, however its impact can be reduced by taking appropriate measures. As the dust cloud rises, it reduces the horizontal visibility which can impact human life in many ways. The fine suspended particles also contain contaminants, bacteria, pollens, which cause negative health impacts such as allergies and respiratory diseases. Dust also … Continue reading →

احراق الغاز و هدره

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من المعروف أن إحراق الغاز وهدره يرتبطان بعملية استخراج النفط الخام في حقول النفط. أن آبار النفط الحديثة تكون قادرة لاستعادة كل من غاز آبار النفط والنفط الخام ، وعليه  فإن الغاز يشكل مورد إضافي لحقل النفط. تلجأ الكثير من شركات النفط المنتجة في العالم إلى حرق الغاز المصاحب لحقول النفط بكميات كبيرة محاولةً تعظيم أرباحها، واستخدمت في سبيل ذلك أرخص السبل للتخلص من الغاز الطبيعي الذي لا تريده. وتحرق شركات النفط الغاز المصاحب لأن النفط ينتج في مناطق نائية بعيدة عن المراكز الاقتصادية والسكانية ويحتاج نقله والاستفادة منه استثمارات كبيرة لا توفرها أسواق الطاقة. ونظراً لكون شركات النفط تركز … Continue reading →

Strategic Water Management in the 21st Century

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The global water crisis in the 21st century is related to many economic, political, and social factors. A lot of people believe that the main reason behind the crisis lies in poor strategic water management and not in the lack of resources. It is estimated that in a few years almost half of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas, such as MENA, where inhabitants will struggle to gain access to clean water. Saving the Environment It is no secret that the environmental pollution is affecting every aspect of our lives. But when it comes to water resources, the … Continue reading →

7 Reasons Why You Should Choose Zero Valent Iron Powder

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Zero Valent Iron, also abbreviated as ZVI, is widely used for soil remediation and groundwater remediation. It is used as a reductant by degrading a variety contaminants found in the environment. A variety of other similar sites benefit from this powder’s characteristics, e.g. mine water drainage. This bulk reducing agent comes in various grades which influence the method of injection into any site. These methods of injection include: Direct Push Injection Method Hydraulic Fracturing and Injection Pneumatic Fracturing and Injection Injection Wells The above injection methods all come with various advantages and disadvantages, both dependent on the ZVI particle size … Continue reading →

النفايات البلاستيكية معضلة العصر

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يبدو أن المجتمع الدولي قرر أن يتبني إستراتيجة موجهة لمكافحة التلوث البلاستيكي بعد أن وصل التلوث بالمواد البلاستيكية الى مستوى الخطر وصار معضلة عصرية يهدد النظام البيئي لكوكب الأرض، ذلك ما تشير إليه الشعارات المتلاحقة التي رفعتها المنظمات الإقليمية والدولية لتدفع بإتجاه صحوة الضمير العالمي، وتوحيد قوى العمل الدولي لبناء إستراتيجية عالمية لموجهة تصاعد خطر التلوث البلاستيكي، وتتمثل تلك الشعارات في الشعار الذي رفعته شبكة يوم الأرض العالمية «إنهاء التلوث البلاستيكي» ليكون عنوان لفعاليات «يوم الأرض العالمي» في 22 ابريل 2018، والشعار الذي رفعته المنظمة الإقليمية لحماية البيئة البحرية «المخلفات البلاستيكية خطر يهدد البيئة البحرية» عنوان لفعاليات يوم البيئة الإقليمي … Continue reading →

The Problem of Plastic Pollution in the UAE and Possible Solutions

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Plastic pollution is a serious global issue. The United Nations Environment programme highlights that each day, “the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes”. Annually, this translates into some 19-23 million tons of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems and pollutes lakes, rivers and seas. According to data collected by Greenpeace, the MENA region has the world’s highest per capita plastic footprint. On average, “residents in MENA contribute more than 6 kg of plastic waste to the surrounding marine environment every year, as per World Bank report estimates, published in … Continue reading →

The Menace of Marine Litter

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Marine litter, long a neglected topic, has started to garner some attention. Marine litter is composed of a diverse mix of items from various sources and so a one-size fits all solution is unlikely to be effective. Abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), shipping wastes, plastic packaging (bottles, caps, bags, etc.) and plastic manufacturing pellets are amongst the most common and persistent items found. Comparing the feasibility and the financial case for recovery versus prevention for each of these groups reveals a worrying gap in our attempts to deal with the problem. Scale of the Problem Abandoned, lost and discarded fishing … Continue reading →

Sustainable Agriculture: Perspectives for Jordan Valley

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Sustainable agriculture development is one of the most important pillars of the EcoPeace Middle East’s Jordan Valley Master Plan as it provides livelihood and prosperity for all the people in the valley. The strategic agricultural objective for the study area is improving water use and irrigation efficiencies and economic outputs per unit of water used, and meanwhile stabilize, or even reduce the total water demands for the agricultural sector in the Jordan Valley. This will require adequate tariff policies on water used for irrigation, including enforcement, to stimulate more efficient use of water through for instance greenhouse drip irrigation. These … Continue reading →

Why Automakers Should Be Cautious Of Future EU Policies On PHEV?

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Suppose the EURO ambitions of attaining zero emission for all new cars by 2035 become a reality? Shall all the big auto brands trying to position themselves as leaders in PHEV stand the CO2 and nitrogen dioxide emission tests? It’s very simple for any automaker to rivet a PHEV emblem at the rear of their new models. But with the roadmap already drafted for up to 2040, the leading automakers planning for mass production of plug-in hybrid vehicles should be cautious. EU policies on emission rates are real. When time for the enforcement of these policies shall come knocking, just … Continue reading →

The Environmental Impacts of Industrialization

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Everything we do, from the food we eat to the electricity we use, affects the world around us — but it wasn’t always that way. The Industrial Revolution changed the way that we created everything, from food and energy to sanitation and manufacturing technologies, apart from the way we study. Amount of  “do my paper” messages from students to experts did not decrease even at that time. How has industrialization impacted the environment, and what can we do in the future to reduce these environmental impacts? The Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution started sometime in the middle of the 1700s, when … Continue reading →

7 Ways to Tackle Litter Problem in Jordan

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In the recent past, Amman was among the cleanest cities in the world. These days, like many other countries, Jordan experiences littering of all waste types in its public areas, which has serious impacts on the environment, the economy, the aesthetic appearance of the regions that experience littering, and the public health. The “Invisible Trash” Littering which has become a national scourge is omnipresent in Jordan. Drive along any road in Jordan and you will see all types of  litter, including cans, cigarette butts, plastic bags, tissues, sandwich wrappers, and old tyres. To outline the problem, an observational study was carried … Continue reading →