Because of the Japan nuclear crisis, set in motion by a 9.0 Richter Scale earthquake last week, world trade markets have been reeling, setting off unstable prices in foreign currencies, insurance markets, and nuclear technologies. The quake which has either killed or left unaccounted for some 15,000 people, could put millions more in peril should the nuclear situation deteriorate.

As I’ve said before – there is no insurance against nuclear reactors: you can buy insurance for your homes, you can buy it for your cars (there are tons of places online nowadays for cheap car insurance quotes), but there is no insurance to protect us against a nuclear disaster.

The world witnessed what happened at Chernobyl in the Ukraine in the 80s, and those of us who are older, saw the US disaster at Three Mile Island (links to Wikipedia). I implore all Mideast Youth bloggers and readers to push for reforms that stops the proliferation of nuclear energy development, for weapons and for power. As a child of the 70s, I grew up with fears that the Russian President Mikhail Gorbochev would nuke America and Canada (during the Cold War). And some say the world came “that close” to a full on nuclear war back then.

Countries like Turkey, Israel, Iran, Egypt and Jordan are far too unstable, politically and geologically, for nuclear energy of any kind. As we see news of the tragedy in Japan unfold, countries like Australia are offering uranium to the United Arab Emirates. The thought that such an unstable Middle East is pursuing nuclear energy with enthusiasm and no shame gives me nightmares.

Do we want to build a world that answers all our materialistic greed in the here and now?

Or one that our grandchildren will prosper in?

As the Arab world moves into the realm of a potential renaissance, please rethink the issue of nuclear, and can all existing programs that are on the table. If Japan – one of the world’s leaders in earthquake technologies, and like the Swiss – very organized – can’t keep its nuclear facilities in check, I only hazard to guess how idiotic it would be to build a nuclear plant in the midst of uprisings and fault lines. For more reading, Rola, over on Green Prophet gives a very good argument why the Middle East can’t risk investing in nuclear.

The rest? Making it work and keeping the romance alive. This can be tough sometimes when your love interest has strong environmental ideals, but those who are in it for the long haul will find ways to adapt their courting strategies to their beloved’s green ideologies.

So how do you woo an environmentalist? Here are 5 romantic gift ideas that are also good to the planet:

1) Potted flowers (or plants) over bouquets. Cut flowers are pretty, but they only last a few days and are kind of an eco-waste. Why not give your sweetheart a potted flower, plant, or set of herbs that will have him/her thinking about you for longer than just a few days? In the Middle East, cyclamens are now in season and come in beautiful colors. If flowers are not your love interest’s thing, you can give them a potted mint plant so that they think of you every time they put fresh mint in their tea.

2) Anything handmade. Handmade cards, handmade jam, handmade frames… you name – you will get much more credit for something that is handmade (since it is both sweet and requires fewer carbon emissions). Get in touch with your creative side.

3) Anything handmade… made by a local artisan. If you’ve tried and tried and still can’t make anything handmade yourself, it’s okay to rely on a local artisan’s handcrafting skills. The internet has made locating these handcrafters easier than ever, and one good place to start is the popular website, Etsy.

4) Organic chocolate. If Valentine’s Day teaches us anything, it is that chocolate has become one of the main symbols of love. Containing phenylethylamine (aka the “love chemical”), the consumption of chocolate is said to be linked to the release of certain love hormones. You can’t really go wrong with chocolate. But to score extra green points, make sure that it is organic, fair trade, and as local as possible.

5) Time. Time is one of our most finite resources, and anyone who is concerned with conserving limited natural resources should appreciate the gift of time. Make time to have special experiences together, or just hang out and strengthen your bond. Sometimes the best gifts are free.

This post is by Karen Chernick from Green Prophet

And those of you that are already involved with someone may be planning (hopefully not too frantically) for your Valentine’s Day eve. It’s hard to plan a Valentine’s Day evening or date that isn’t too cheesy since the holiday of love tends to take romance over the top. Chocolates are a cliche (and, frankly, not healthy or locally produced in most cases), flowers are overdone (and have a negative effect on the environment, unless you’re giving your sweetheart a potted flower plant), and red and pink streamers are not for everyone.

Not to be the Grinch that stole Valentine’s Day, but there are other options out there – especially if you take a unique Middle Eastern approach to your date.

Explore the great and romantic outdoors. The Middle East may not be home the stereotypical romantic locales of Paris or Rome, but it has beautiful spots to visit nonetheless. Lebanon and Israel have Mediterranean coastlines, Egypt is blessed with the Nile River, and Jordan and Syria have an abundance of national parks. An outdoor picnic in any such outdoor settings would surely set your date apart from the (overdone) norm.

If your date is not a fan of eating outdoors, though, there are other things you can do outside. You can go for a romantic walk or bike ride (both Beirut and Tel Aviv currently have sea-side bike paths), or spend an evening at an eco-tourist destination. Think an eco-tourist guesthouse is the opposite of romantic? Think again – candle-lit rooms, delicious fresh food and stunning locations often characterize these spots.

Enjoy a meal that is considerate towards both your date and the environment. One thing that Valentine’s Day has gotten right (despite the fact that it is usually done over-the-top) is a romantic, delicious meal. Making a romantic meal doesn’t mean that your fillets have to be heart-shaped, or that your cake has to be dyed red or pink, though. Delicious, considerate food that requires time and thought to prepare is at least equally (if not much more) romantic.

Consider preparing an eco-considerate local and organic meal, sourced from the best that the Middle East has to offer. Try cooking something more daring than your usual fare, whether it be homemade Baba Ghanoush or a hearty Jerusalem artichoke soup. (Word to the wise: check to see if your date has any eco-dietary restrictions or allergies first.)

(This post was written by Green Prophet’s Karen Chernick to help spread the green message throughout the Middle East)

As people consider the idea of Billionaires for Peace, it is only natural to be somewhat skeptical, and to wonder if it could really work. After all, those among us who are fortunate enough to possess great wealth are often very busy, and are inclined to pursue business and humanitarian efforts in their own private and individualistic ways. Why would they agree to join forces in common purpose with others of their stature? And why would they even consider undertaking such a monumental effort as Middle East peace, including a revitalization of the entire region?

Let’s look at several seemingly unrelated facts and see if they could point to something more than meets the eye. Several years ago, Warren Buffett purchased an Israeli company, Iscar Metalworking Company, from Stef Wertheimer, making Mr. Wertheimer one of the wealthiest businessmen in Israel. One of Mr. Wertheimer’s passions and specialties is to build industrial zones in Israel and beyond, where Jews and Arabs can work together, and he advocates passionately on behalf of a Marshall Plan for the Middle East. Warren Buffett is good friends with Bill Gates, and they have combined their resources, as part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to promote health care in Africa and education in America. In addition, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have also launched a worldwide campaign to persuade some very wealthy people to agree to donate most of their wealth during their lifetimes, which bespeaks a desire, and even a need, among the wealthy, to leave behind a legacy that is worthy of their efforts, and that they can be proud of. Warren Buffett has stated publicly that he is impressed with some of the many achievements of Israel, and it is also the case that Bill Gate’s Microsoft division in Israel has been responsible for some very important innovations for Microsoft. At the same time, businessmen like Munib al Masri, a Palestinian multi-billionaire who employs some 60,000 workers, are very interested in developing the West Bank economically, building the requisite institutions, and creating a Palestinian State, a state which is peaceful, prosperous, and free, and which is not overwhelmed by extremism of one sort or another. In addition, the Saudi leadership, as evidenced by King Abdullah’s recent pronouncements, is very concerned about the prospect of a nuclear Iran.

Now, how do these seemingly unrelated facts add up? Let’s see if we can put these pieces together, at least theoretically for now, in a way that gives credence to the idea of Billionaires for Peace. Suppose, for example, that Warren Buffett and Bill Gates can be persuaded to put Middle East peace under their umbrella of good works. After all, both of them have had positive dealings with Israel, and may be inclined to partner with her in this regard. In addition, Middle East peace could help the U.S. as well. The U.S. has spent over one trillion dollars in the region, and has suffered the deaths of thousands of her brave soldiers, and still, there is little progress in sight in the Middle East, and little hope for peace and stability in that troubled region. As patriotic Americans, and as philanthropists who have chosen to make a profound difference in the world, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates may be moved to help, and may choose to partner with Stef Wertheimer to build an industrial zone in the West Bank, which would create hundreds of thousands of jobs. Saudi investment may also come into play, as the Gulf States undertake to bring some semblance of peace and stability to the region, at least in part to protect their own vital interests.

Eventually, although this may be a stretch, even Hamas in Gaza may come to believe that it is in its best interest to join in on job creation, as prosperity begins to take hold in the West Bank, and as the people of Gaza begin demanding their fair share. As such, Hamas may feel the pressure to moderate its views, and to accept the three conditions of the Quartet, namely: to recognize Israel, to accept previous agreements with Israel, and to renounce violence. Once this is accomplished, another industrial zone could be developed between Israel and Gaza, which would also create some 250,000 jobs. In fact, Stef Wertheimer had developed the plans for such a project in Rafah, and scrapped those plans just as the second Intifada broke out in the year 2000. The idea of Hamas moderating its views and embracing an industrial zone may seem absurd at first blush, but we should keep in mind that George Mitchell, the Middle East Envoy, was able to negotiate something along these lines with the IRA, a group that used to be no less fanatic than Hamas, as part of the peace deal in Northern Ireland. And in fact, George Mitchell had also used the promise of economic development, including investments of 1.5 billion dollars, to promote the peace talks in Ireland. As Middle East Envoy, he has come to conclusion that economic development could play a major role in the search for Middle East peace as well.

Granted, a lot of this remains wishful thinking at best, but the stars may be aligning in just the right way, so that business and political leaders of diverse backgrounds may be willing to come together in such a fashion. There are hints, today, of an alignment between the self-interest of some of the key players in the Middle East, and the best interests of the region as a whole. There is the potential, at least hypothetically, to identify a mosaic of mutual self-interest in the Middle East, and to use that reality to build a strategic/economic alliance between the Arab States, Israel, and the U.S. Many of the key players in the region actually need one another for a change. In the example cited above, we can envision Americans, Israelis, Saudis, and Palestinians coming together in common purpose to join in on a regional effort to promote peace and stability. They may ultimately decide to join forces in this fashion, not because they necessarily love one another, but because doing so may be the only way to stave off some very common existential threats. In short, they need one another.

Billionaires for Peace is not about launching one particular project or another. It is about inspiring a select few visionaries with a Vision of Hope for the Middle East, and harnessing the energy and synergy which result to launch a movement for change in the region, and beyond. It is about creating a nexus between the peace community and the business community, because when it comes to Middle East peace, the diplomats will need all the help they can get. In the new global economy, business, at least to some extent, will be the new language of diplomacy. The ingredients that will be required to make it happen are not so difficult to determine: a vision which inspires a sense of hope, a few doors opened here and there, a good measure of extreme salesmanship, and the willingness of a select few to take on the seemingly impossible challenge of peace. Exactly how things will play out is almost impossible to predict. But given where we seem to be heading, it is at least worth a try, and may end up being one of the only ways to actually move forward.

As you can imagine, we will need all the help we can get. If you would like to help, as an equal partner, or if you would like to get more information, please visit us at www.sellingavisionofhope.org

Everything is politics in this damn “holy” land and the roots of this monstrous fire go deep back in history even earlier than 1930s, before the zionists occupied Haifa and the Carmel Reserve and evacuate the natives.

Out of the 61,000 Palestinian Arabs who used to call Haifa home, only 3,566 Palestinians were allowed to stay. The remaining population were in constant fear on their lives and properties, and many of them witnessed the looting of their homes and possessions by the Zionists.

In 1901, the Jewish National Fund JNF was established to facilitate the establishment of the zionist state on the rubbles of Palestine, and this is precisely what happened during the following 27 years. In the Early 1930s the JNF with the help of the British occupation, started its “ambitious” project of foresting the (Amiri) Governmental land that was taken from the Ottoman empire and they introduced a new kind of trees that is alien to Palestine which is the European oriented pine tree. In the early 1930s some 1,6 million pine trees were planted in the Palestinian Crmel hills. Pursuant to occupying Palestine and and over the past 60 years, some 65 million pine trees were planted on the Palestinian stolen land. This “ambitious” project of foresting was to cover the demolished villages and to change the topographic and historic features of Palestine to suit the zionist reenvention of history and lie of “the land without people to the people without land”. Some 61 villages were completely demolished in the Carmel only and to cover the zionist crimes, a huge foresting project was needed to cover the rubbles of the devastated native villages. No matter if the trees suit the Palestinian climate or not, the most important is to uproot the original vineyards and olive trees, to omit the original Palestine completely. However, a semi-desert land can’t stand European-style trees and 60% of the trees didnt survive which turned them into a typical fire trap.

In the Carmel Heights, the zionists built the beautiful colony of Little-Switzerland on the rubbles of the Palestinian village of Balad-Elsheikh and millions of “Swiss” pine trees were imported to ommit the massacre of Balad-Elsheikh to be resulted in Little-Switzerland, however, Little-Switzerland is burning now to reveal the rubbles of Palestine…. After the fire, the pine-tree dies and cant grow again, but the Olive trees are deep rooted that no matter how much you burn them, still there are interns to split the soil and cpome again like the phoenix.
Every summer (unlike the countries of the region) there is a series of wildfires in the occupied Palestine starting from Bir-Sheva in the South up to the Upper Galilee Heights in the north, and all of these are in the invented zionist forsts. Little-Swizerland has been burnt in the current wildfire that no Switerland cant stand the Palestinian middle eastern climate, and likewise, the Middle East will not stand zionist Russian or Etheopean colonizers !!!

A Palestinian Myth ( which is a kind of prophesy) says that Palestine will be invaded by the huge army of Yajouj -a kind of the Armageddonists myths- This army would drink all of the Sea of Galilee (which is Taiberias Lake)…. and it seems that this prophesy has come true:

The “green” zionists, at the time they pretend to be “environment lovers” and as they repeat their lies of “making the desert bloom”, they are actually devastating Palestine and drying the area; The invaders have drained and dried up the Hula lake completely through which tens of rare animals, insects and plants have become instinct. The zionists lied that they would “turn the swamp into a paradise” but they were actually concerned about clearing the border area and probably to invest in the “firtile” land of the lake. Foury years later, the zionist government admited finally that their “ambitious” project was a total failure and desasterious to the ecological balance.

The zionists are depleting The Lake of Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee) gradually as it is more than 5 meters below its regional level and tens of meters back off its shores. To save the loss, the zionists had cut off the River Jordan from feeding the Dead Sea, and accordingly the Dead Sea is dying and dried to shrink rapidly into smaller and smaller area !!!

To quench their thirst for water, the zionists (Yajouj) draw 80% of the Palestinian underground water in the occupied West Bank (against the international law, if there is any international law) … as the zionist settler consumes at least 7 times of water than the native Palestinian !!

In its recent report, the World Bank said Israel and Jewish settlers consume up to 90 percent of the water resource in the West Bank while the Palestinians consume the remaining part.

The per capita share of water in the Jewish settlements ranges between 640 and 1,480 cubic meters annually while the Palestinian per capita does not exceed 156 cubic meters, the report said.

In addition to draining the water of the Golan Heights and depriving the natives from using even the rain water, the “green” zionists have (drank) depleted Lake Ram completely this year.

Does Yajouj sound like Yehud = jew? The prophesy of drying the region has become true !!

Do you still believe the zionist  “greens” ???

Sami, the bedouin.

Fashion and the natural world don’t always go hand in hand (unless you’re lucky enough to come across some whimsical banana-shaped pumps by designers such as Kobi Levi). Usually haute couture is the anti-natural, with silhouettes that combat the shapes that we were born with and materials (such as fur) that require the destruction of something natural. Yet in an attempt to come up with a national garment for Israelis, fashion designers decided to center their inspiration on the natural. Namely, on Israel’s only fresh water lake, the Sea of Galilee which is now severely depleted.

Displayed in a garment design contest/fashion show in Tiberias (a city that is located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee) during the last few days of Sukkot, a recent Jewish holiday, the designers demonstrated that the natural is a powerful source of inspiration. The designers were also calling attention to the fact that the lake is in serious trouble in need of a serious makeover.

The Sea of Galilee is Israel’s largest fresh water reservoir and is a major source for Israeli water consumption. The water levels have steadily declined over recent years, due to years of drought, and now the levels are so low that there is danger that the lake may become salt water.

Liraz Rubin, one of the fashion designers whose work was displayed in the show, said that “my design is inspired by the lake, where the fish want to live but the water is getting scarce and the lake is sad. You can see in the design itself that the fishermen can hardly find any fish. It’s a cry to save the Sea of Galilee and its fish.”

For some of the judges, though, the focus was more on fashion and less on conservation. Yuval Kaspin, an Israeli celebrity designer and one of the judges, said that “in some of the designs the connection between the Sea and the garment was definitely discernible. The designs which caught our attention the most were those that indeed reminded us of the Sea, but did not ‘over-chew’ the concept for us.”

And if you’re sold on the concept of design and fashion inspired by nature, try on some jewelry to match – like a Hamsa, designed to ward off the evil eye.

We’d also like to see some fashion shows in other parts of the Middle East ‘designed’ to draw attention to the environment. Maybe from the eco-chicks from Naqa’a in Saudi Arabia?

:NTDTV

Read more about green fashion on the eco-blog Green Prophet
“New Dress A Day” Blog Takes Consumerism Out of the Fresh Fashion Equation
Are Kobi Levi’s Tongue Shoes Fit for Dancing?
EcoGir Flaunts Its Recycled Polyester Suits During New York Fashion Week

(This post has been written by Karen Chernick, from Green Prophet)

We may have our fair share of not-so-eco maniacs in the Middle East, but we also have a powerful body of concerned citizens who realize that the success with which we develop sustainable options in every aspect of life – agriculture, building, energy, fashion, and industry – will define our quality of said life for decades to come.

To veer away from reckless projects like the monster Burj, or the phony “Iceland” that has just opened up in the UAE, the Global Green Awards are accepting applications, for the fifth year, from creative, original, and positive people who have a sustainable vision. Greenwashers need not apply.

Although the annual Green Awards are well known, this will be the first year that the competition is open to projects throughout the globe in every category. Applications are currently being accepted until 22 October, 2010.

Some of the new categories include:

• Best Green Educational Project for demonstrated ability to influence behavior in learning environments towards a long term sustainable agenda.
• Best Green New Product Innovation to award organizations that have effectively incorporated sustainability in their bottom line through the creation of ‘green’ products.
• Best Green Use of Mobile Apps and Technologies celebrating those who have used the mobile platform to promote green and ethical purposes, now an even greater part of our lives.

“Like previous years, the judging panel…boasts of prominent names associated with environment and marketing such as Johan Eliasch, Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Chairman, HEAD; Freya Williams, MD/Planner, Ogilvy Earth; Nick Nuttall, Media Head, UNEP and Cheryl Hicks, Special Adviser on Sustainability for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD),” according to the organizers.

Steering the green ship

The competition will be judged by a “steering group” that is comprised of representatives from top environmental, communications, and marketing organizations. Their combined expertise will ensure that only projects that have achieved high standards in every facet of design and marketing receive recognition.

Steering group member Satinder Bindra, UNEP Director of Communications commented: “Making your voice heard and having an impact in the increasingly crowded and sometimes fatigue-laden world of environmental marketing requires persistence, creativity and the ability to take risks. Without it, I fear messages key to our very survival will not be noticed.”

The awards will be held 2nd December, 2010 at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, and will be co-hosted by Jo Wood and – a well-known “green” entrepreneur, and designer Wayne Hemingway.

So if you or someone you know has an entry that fits the above criteria, that is at once brilliant and socially responsible, and if you have a hefty green backbone, visit: www.greenawards.co.uk for more information.

More Good Green News from the Middle East:
The “Saudi Arabia” Of Renewable Energy</a
New Eilat-Eilot Clean Tech Center May Boost Solar And Wind Energy Projects
Under Highway Piezoelectric “Generators” Could Provide Power to Propel Electric Cars

This post was written by Tafline Laylin and is cross-posted at www.greenprophet.com

We come to believe the things we do in a variety of ways. Most of us are born into a certain worldview, a belief system, and we naturally accept as true the things we are taught at a young and tender age. It is certainly easier join in and play along than to defy conventional wisdom. Others come to believe in certain notions because they want those notions to be true. In other words, some people believe what they want to believe, and for some of them at least, the truth is just a side issue. And still in other cases, a person’s mind and imagination can be hijacked by people with a certain agenda or ulterior motive. In this case, a person could be persuaded to believe certain things, things he would not ordinarily come to believe, because he has been persuaded to do so by those who would manipulate his thinking for their own purposes. Suicide bombers are a case in point.

Regardless of how we come to believe the things we do, some beliefs make sense, and some do not. Many of us have come to believe things that make no sense, and that would be difficult to justify using rational thought. There are numerous example of false belief: the belief that God would have us kill one another in His name no less when it is precisely He who created us in the first place, the belief that there is any measure of “honor” in “honor killing,” the belief that holding on to yet another piece of land is more important than brokering a just and lasting peace, the belief that a weapon of mass destruction will bring security to a regime that is out of step with the will of its people, the belief that it is just dandy to keep running our economies on fossil fuels, the belief that our set of religious beliefs make us somehow superior to those of a different point of view, the belief that it is okay to keep women down even as we need them so desperately to lift us back up, and the list goes on and on…

We don’t have to be prophets to read the writing on the wall. The stubborn clinging to false belief is bringing us ever more closely to the edge of the abyss. Previously local problems, like water shortages, or climate change, are quickly becoming global problems. Environmental threats are growing exponentially. Political and economic instability in one country can easily wreak havoc in an entire region. Weapons of mass destruction in the wrong hands can be used to re-write the destiny of man. Religious discord, which has been around for thousands of years, takes on added dimensions in a world where technology has not kept pace with what is wise and prudent.

There was a time, not too long ago, when people used more of their common sense. Civilization has been around for some 10,000 years, yet we have been around as a species for some 2,000,000 years. Before there was religion, and politics, and technology, there were the cavemen, who had nothing to rely on but their common sense to survive yet another day. They hunted and gathered, and since no one really had much of anything, there was no real reason to kill or steal. It made more sense, in the hostile environment they found themselves, to help one another out, to “…treat others as you would have them treat you…” A movie on The Discovery Channel called The Rise of Man makes the point that The Golden Rule underscored the thinking of the cavemen.

To my mind, common sense is what we were given, by our Creator, to bring a semblance of order to our lives. People think of common sense in different ways: the wisdom of the common man, the wisdom born of shared experience, etc. I think of common sense as the intuitive wisdom to conform our thoughts and actions to universally shared truths and values. Don’t blow a circuit, it’s not all that complicated. The intuitive wisdom is the wisdom that comes from within. It’s inside you. Thoughts and actions because it is not enough to think straight, you have to act on what you know to be true. Truths and values; truths are the realities we perceive, values are the realities we aspire to. And why are these truths and values universal? Certain truths and values are so rational, so logical, and so self-evident, that they are universally perceived as true, and therefore universally accepted.

As an example, here are three universal truths; the big three so to speak: The Golden Rule, The Golden Mean, and The Greatest Good. I call these the 3-G’s for short. The Golden Rule tells us to treat one another as we would have them treat us. The Golden Mean tells us that truth is not an extremist position, but is to be found somewhere in the middle between two extremes. And The Greatest Good would have us do what brings the greatest happiness to the greatest number.

What if we could use our common sense, including the 3-G’s, to inspire in one another a sense of hope, and to bring a sense of order to this dangerous and often volatile world? What if The Golden Rule would have us treat each other well by Investing in one another to create jobs: jobs which grow our economies, jobs which protect the environment, and jobs which help to weaken the hold of extremist thinking? What if The Golden Mean would have us think straight by using our common sense as our Ideology? And what if The Greatest Good would have us maximize justice by organizing ourselves around a vision of Hope, a vision of peace, prosperity, and freedom? Put it all together, as Thomas Jefferson might have done, and the answer for world peace becomes not all that complicated, “We find this truth to be self-evident: Ideology plus Investment equals Hope, and with hope all things are possible, even the impossible dream of peace.

Yes, we find ourselves in troubling times. We sense that things are coming to a head, that history is playing itself out even as we speak. And we know that if things go wrong, they will go very wrong indeed. So what is the answer? What is the answer that could inspire a sense of hope in things to come?

Well, no one has the entire answer. That would be asking too much. But my sense is that at the heart of the matter is a need to re-think at least some of what we happen to believe, in favor of what makes more sense. We all believe in this or that. It makes us who we are. But it may be necessary, at this point in time, to filter our beliefs through the filter of common sense, to let go of some of our beliefs, in favor of something we can believe in even more. It may be necessary, in our time, to let go of who we are, so that we can discover an even better version of ourselves. It may be necessary to re-create ourselves in a new light, a light that shines as a beacon of hope, and that points to the realization of a Vision of Hope, a vision of Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom.

Please join us and leave your comments at www.sellingavisionofhope.org

Don’t dump to the sea! The Middle East can learn from America’s mistakes. This sign to protect oysters and fish, Apalachicola, Florida.

The good news is there is a World Ocean Day. Today. Of course, most eco activists know that every day is important for the Seven Seas, or more accurately our one great salty body of water, but UNESCO liked the idea and last year declared June 8, the day. Proposed on 8 June 1992 by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it had been unofficially celebrated every year since then as World Ocean Day.

World Water Day is an opportunity every year to honor the world’s ocean, to get the kids off their Wii’s and computers and celebrate what the oceans give us. It’s also a time to teach kids and even adults how to give back. Today, Green Prophet’s friend Andreas Weil (who swims with whales!), the founder of the ocean research and education center EcoOcean, gives us his 6 tips on how to do your part.

1. Clean Up Plastics
Materials made from plastic often end up in open spaces or in the ocean due to their light weight (carried by the wind and water). Plastic takes years until it naturally disintegrates or wears down. This type of waste can be deadly to sea turtles, cetaceans (such as dolphins) and various sea birds, killing them by suffocation. David de Rothschild and his crew on Plastiki are currently investigation the plastic island; but you can take action to stop the problem.

What you can do: Instead of using plastic bottled mineral water, use a filtering system like a Brita, or a more elaborate system that connects to your tap. For water storage, use glass bottles rather than plastic bottles. They can be re-used without the aftertaste caused when repeatedly using plastic bottles, and this also creates less waste, suggests Andreas.

Using a fabric bag or a multi-use box to wrap your school sandwich is preferable to using a plastic bag. Pack your grocery shopping in fabric bags or shopping baskets intended for re-use and not single-use plastic bags.

Use multi-use plastic utensils for picnics instead of single-use plastic utensils. You can also use biodegradable ones.

2. How to Stop Over-fishing Using Your Mouth
We now know that the food products from the sea, such as seafood and fish (and bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean), are under heavy pressure from over-fishing and pollution. Many species of fish and seafood are under threat of disappearing due to over-fishing.

What you can do:
Eat sustainable seafood where possible and/or try to cut down on fish and seafood. Try to avoid seafood and fish like lobster and tuna – these species are threatened by heavy declines worldwide.

A good way of getting healthy protein is through eating seitan, wheat gluten developed by the Japanese. There are many other healthy vegetarian options rich in protein.

3. Slowing Down Greenhouse Gases and Ocean Acidification
This is a biggie – The rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations on earth is a great threat to the oceans and ocean life. Since the oceans are in equilibrium with the atmosphere, excessive CO2 emissions will lead to decreased pH (more acidity) in the ocean, which will have a big impact on marine life (acid dissolves their outer shells).

For example, the process of skeleton formation in corals and other calcifying animals and plants is very sensitive to pH and these organisms will be severely damaged as seawater pH decreases. Global warming, which is also a result of increasing CO2 levels, has already been implicated in causing worldwide coral bleaching and death.

What you can do:
Reduce you carbon footprint. Use public transport where possible (see how these parents have organized a walking bus) and use your bicycle for shorter trips.

Try to avoid using a car or airplane.

Take the train (and enjoy the view).

4. Throw Less Chemicals Into the Sea
Many household cleaning products (the ones that are lethal to humans – look at the labels!), hygienic products and chemicals end up in the ocean. They are not cleaned out of the water properly at water treatment plants, and so many chemicals and common medicines have been found in the fish we eat.

What you can do:
Buy and use biodegradable products, including detergents, that naturally dissolve in nature. They are healthier for your family’s skin any way. Never flush unused paints or other chemicals down the drain or toilet. Don’t throw paints, solvents or other chemicals into your storm sewers. Guess where these chemicals go?

5. Stop Driving on the Beach
Yes it might be romantic, adventurous and fun, but driving on the beach, says Andreas, harms small animals like turtles, and plants.

What you can do:
Park at designated parking lots and enjoy a healthy stroll down to the beach, using your feet.

6. Get More Involved
It doesn’t matter where you live, whether it’s on the Mediterranean Sea in the Middle East, in Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, or in the middle of Kansas. We are all sustained by the world’s oceans.

Become a member of an environmental organization, Andreas suggests. Find other people or local groups that are working for a good cause (like protecting a beach from a housing development) and ask how you can support them. Get you children, parents and friends involved too.

::EcoOcean website (in English, Arabic and Hebrew)

Above image: Karin Kloosterman, for Green Prophet, 2010.

Where do we start? We could start with the West Bank of Palestine, and try to convince the powers that be, the political and business elite, as well as men and women on the ground, that a Hamas takeover in the West Bank would bring to an abrupt end their dream for a new, vibrant, and prosperous Palestine. What happened in Gaza is a case in point. And we would suggest, as diplomatically as we can, that it is perhaps Israel, as ironic as it may seem, which is best positioned to guarantee security, to stave off the threat posed by Hamas, and to help grow the economy even more. Could the offer of security, along with economic growth, within the parameters of the 2000 Camp David talks, be the basis of a peace deal between Israel and Palestine? And could Palestine be the first piece that gives birth to our mosaic?

And then we could approach Israel and suggest, ever so politely, that as strong as she is, she still needs help to meet the existential threat posed by a nuclear Iran. Even unilateral action by Israel, against the nuclear facilities in Iran, would need a wider base of support. If oil prices rise exponentially as a result of such an attack, or if terror abounds, Israel will surely need some backing from the U.S., the West, and large segments of the Arab world. Could Israel be persuaded to undertake a credible peace process in the West Bank of Palestine, as a way of gaining the credibility and support needed in her struggle with Iran? And could Israel be the second piece of our mosaic?

We could then move onward to Saudi Arabia, and suggest, ever so respectfully, that a nuclear Iran poses an existential threat to the Saudi leadership, especially as they contend with a restless Shiite minority, and a frustrated young generation without work. Could a credible peace process in the West Bank of Palestine be the impetus the Saudis need to make peace with Israel on the basis of the 2001 Arab Peace Plan? And could an agreement of this sort lead to a regional military/economic alliance, including Israel and the Arab states, by which these nations meet the security challenge posed by extremists in Iran, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, etc., and by which they undertake together to create good paying jobs; jobs which grow their respective economies, jobs which protect the environment, and jobs which help to weaken the hold of extremist thinking? Could Saudi capital and Israeli ingenuity be partnered together to revitalize the Middle East with good paying green jobs? Could oil profits be used to generate green profits? And could Saudi be the third piece of our mosaic?

And then we could pay a visit to Hamas, preferably in a crowded and public setting, and suggest, ever so cautiously, that the peace, prosperity, and freedom in the West Bank, may cause the people in Gaza to wonder, “Hey, where is our share?” Could Hamas be persuaded that a restless and weary citizenry could mean an existential threat to their rule? And could Hamas be persuaded to join in on job creation by allowing an industrial zone to be built between Israel and Gaza which would create some 200,000 jobs, and which could go a long way to solving the economic and environmental problems which have yet to be addressed, such as water shortages and the like? Could Hamas thereby legitimate its hold on power and compete legitimately with Fattah, on the basis of jobs, not terror. And could Hamas be the fourth piece of our mosaic?

It could be argued that we would be remiss in our duties if we don’t at least try to approach Iran. We could point out that in light of the anger of the people, and the economic downturn, and in light of a new economic/military cooperation between some of the Arab states and Israel, it may behoove the leaders in Iran to become part of the solution, instead of part of the problem, and to reorient their agenda in favor of job creation and environmental protection. In this way, Iran could still have its impact in the region, but in a way that empowers others to work with her, instead of plotting against her. And could Iran, thereby, become a fifth piece of our mosaic?

With the proper foundation, our mosaic would continue to grow in size and stature, as other Arab states join in, and become equal partners in this monumental effort to keep the peace, to grow the economies, and to unleash the potential of the people by blessing them with the gift of freedom. As time passes, the divergent and broken pieces of the Middle East will be held together not by love for one another, although that may come in due time, and not by a compulsion to do the right thing, although this too may come one day. The pieces of our mosaic will be held together by the cement of mutual self-interest. And there is no greater form of self-interest than the need to survive in the face of some very common threats, threats which threaten us all, such as extremist thinking, the lack of jobs, and a short supply of cool, clean, drinking water.

For more information, please visit us at www.sellingavisionofhope.org