World Environment Magazine, Issue 12

MAGAZINE

WORLDENVIRONMENT.TV

12No 12 / W

INTER2014

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ORLD ENVIRONMENT M

AGAZINE

BOTSWANA & ZIMBABWEFrom the Okavango Delta to the Victoria FallsA Journey Like no Other

Gas & Global Energy A Sustainable System

Climate ChangeThe Consequence of

Human Actions

Bwala Five FiveGhana: Picking Waste

for a Living


Climate ChangeThe Consequence of

Human Actions

Bwala Five FiveGhana: Picking Waste

for a Living

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WORLD ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINE is available online at www.worldenvironment.tv

WORLD ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINE’s policy is to use papers that are wood free, renewable,recyclable and from sustainable sources. In addition, all waste is sent for recycling.

Chairman, Andrea Tucci, [email protected]. Editorial Director, Cathy Chami Tyan, [email protected] Editorial Project Coordinator, Mona Samari, [email protected]

Editing, Laetitia Chattat Concept & Design, RAIDY | www.raidy.com Photography,Blue Gold of Lebanon, Diego Fernandez Gabaldon, Jouzour Loubnan, Laetitia Tyan, Olivier Ervyn, Mada Association, WE Group,

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Subscriptions, [email protected], P.O.Box 1396 Beit Mery, Lebanon Printing, RAIDY | www.raidy.com Publisher, World Environment Group

Copyright, The articles become part of the magazine’s archives. Further publishings on other issues must be authorized by the editor following the author’sconsent

ISSN 17379229

CONTENTS4... ContributorsThe People whoMade this Issue

6... ForewordCathy Chami Tyan

8... BookReviewsThe Books we Loveto Read

10... Short News

Green Economy

38... NewTechnologyDynamicComposting

44... ReforestationUntapped Spaces

Water

48... LaunchingCeremony of“BLUE GOLD”The Water as aNational WealthA Call for UnityBetween theLebanese People onUnifying Socio - EconomicOptions

Eco-Living

144...Marijuana: Addictive orMedicinal?Conceptions andMisconceptions ofMarijuana Use

148... WorldChampionTwice in a RowGold Medalist atHeart

Biodiversity

156...Celebrationof theInternational Dayof BiodiversityMerging the Arts &Sciences to RaiseAwareness on theImportance of CulturalLandscapes

159...Agenda

160...URL page

Climate Change

12... The ArabSpring andthe Environment

20... ClimateChangeThe Consequence ofHuman Actions

Energy

28... Looking atLebanon’sElectricity CrisisThrough a GenderLensHow Power CutsAffect Women’sLives in Lebanon

34... Gas & GlobalEnergy A SustainableSystem

Waste Management

56 ... Bwala FiveFiveGhana: PickingWaste for a Living

70... From Trash toArtAn ArtisticRepresentation ofHistory & FameThrough the Tapes ofErika Simmons

Around the Worldin Photos

81... Aerial Darfur

Ecotourism

106... Botswana &ZimbabweFrom the OkavangoDelta to the VictoriaFalls a Journey Likeno Other

126... Ecotourism in LebanonTrends,Developments &MissedOpportunities

132... BoliviaTourismGoes Green

BotswanaPhotography Laetitia Tyan

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Zeina Ghossoub el-Aswadstarted her carreer as a clinical dietitian twentyyears ago, she has since trained as a wellnessexecutive and life coach. She guidesindividuals, publishes books and numerousarticles, gives seminars and lectures, appearson national and international television shows,owns and operates a premier wellness center,

and is completing her doctoral studies in counseling. She is amember of the International Coaching Federation and is becominga master’s wellness coach. She is the highest credentialed coach inthe Middle East and is affiliated with world renowned coaches likeDr. Cathy Greenberg. She brings years of experience and a wealthof unsurpassed knowledge in wellness coaching.

Mona SamariOriginally Tunisian, and born in London, Monacomes from a human rights and environmentprotection background, with over ten yearsexperience as a campaigns andcommunications professional. Over the years,Mona has worked on a number of human rightcampaigns with a special focus on access to

information, freedom of expression and whistleblowerprotection. As part of the International Partnership Group forAzerbaijan, Mona worked on the release of imprisoned Azerijournalist Eynulla Fattulayev, who was awarded the 2012UNESCO Press Freedom Prize. More recently, Monaestablished the Middle East Office of ARTICLE 19 in Tunisia andorganized workshops for journalists in rural areas of Tunisia onhow to guarantee freedom of expression in the new constitution.In addition to human rights work, Mona has been working onmajor marine conservation campaigns since 2007, with aspecial focus on commercial endangered species conservationin European waters and more recently, Antarctic oceanconservation campaigns. Mona was also involved in the launchof the Arab Youth Climate Movement in 2012. In her spare time,Mona curates art exhibitions in London.

CONTRIBUTORSSherine Boueizis a dynamic international professional with akeen interest in Wellbeing and a passion forNature. A Psychologist by background, she hasworked for multinationals in the United Kingdomand in the Middle East on various CorporateCommunications projects, such as CorporateSocial Responsibility and development. She is

also devoted to activities involving health and relaxation therapies,like TaijiQuan or Natural treatments, all with the aim of improvingthe quality of life.

Laetitia Tyan Born in 2001 Laetitia is the youngestcontributor to World Environment Magazine.Since a very young age Laetitia has traveledwith family and friends to the wildestdestinations. She has developed a passionfor photography. During her last trip toBotswana and Zimbabwe she took amazing

photos of a unique destination and captured moments ofwildlife at its best.

Diego Fernandez Gabaldonis a humanitarian worker with the UnitedNations World Food Programme (WFP)currently based in Nairobi, Kenya. He hasserved in Darfur, Sudan (2004 - 2007), WestTimor, Indonesia (2008), Afghanistan (2010 –2011) and Kenya (2011). While living incommunities devastated by tragedy, Diego

gathered images of the day-to-day life of Darfurians, WestTimorese and Afghans, capturing their beauty, resilience andhumanity. Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Diego is aneconomist by profession, and worked with the SpanishEmbassies in Iraq and Thailand, before joining WFP. Diego’s pictures can be found at: www.diegofgphoto.net

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Laetitia Chattatwas born in Lebanon and brought up inAustralia. She moved back to Lebanon in2009. At age 16 she won the prestigiousBest delegate award, in the GlobalClassrooms Model United Nation in theUnited Nations Headquarters, New York City.She is studying International Law. With an

experience in book editing, she recently joined WorldEnvironment Magazine as copy writer and writer.

Mariejoe J. RaidyGrowing up in a region known for politicalupheaval and uncertainty, MarieJoeadvocates for doing business in the MENAregion in a way that is environmentallyresponsible and ethically driven. As Partner inRaidy Printing Group, she spearheaded aneffort to adopt innovative, eco-friendly printing

techniques while maintaining their leading position in HighQuality Security Printing, Publications Printing, Packaging andCommercial Printing. Mariejoe has also partnered with CreativeLounges, a Branding and New Media Agency operating fromEurope to the world, and has also helped them become a greencompany while growing their portfolio in the MENA region.Working with the American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce,she helped create the “Better Business Group” in Beirut, whichencourages Lebanese individuals and corporations to adhere toa code of business ethics. MarieJoe is also head of the Communication Committee in theLebanese League of Women in Business, a Network Hub of theMENA Businesswomen’s Network, and Child of Lebanon, anNGO for the protection of Children in Lebanon.

Nathalie Rosa Bucheris a freelance journalist and world traveler,of French and German origins. She has sether bags in Lebanon and has becomepassionate about Lebanese culture andway of life. She is also a keen believer inthe urgent need of renewable energy. Sheis currently collaborating with MIRROS

Communication & Media Services on many topics amongstthem environment and socio-economy.

Olivier ErvynOlivier Ervyn (b.1970) is a Belgiandocumentary photographer. Based inBrussels, he has travelled extensively in WestAfrica to document the life of poor andexcluded individuals. The Ghana series ispart of a wider project to show extent towhich some take risks to earn a living. He is

currently working on two other projects, one on African churchesin Europe and the other on new forms of poverty in richeconomies.

Elsa Sattoutis an assistant Professor in the faculty ofNatural and Applied Sciences- NotreDame University, Louaize-Lebanon.A multi-disciplinary developmentprofessional and a teacher serving thecommunity in two thematic areasbiodiversity conservation and

sustainable development. She has served the worldcommunities at national, regional and global levels throughInternational and National Environmental Governancesand NGOS on issues relevant to the conservation ofbiodiversity and sustainability. She believes in the role ofenvironmental education (EE) in building better societiescaring for the earth and in the importance of merging artsand sciences to better relay the messages to thecommunities and to infuse them in societies. Inspired tostrengthen the role of the communities especially womenin EE for a greater participation in biodiversity conservationin the Arab World.

Martin Zollerlived in Bolivia from 1994 to 2006. Afteralmost two years of living in Beirut(2008/2009), in 2011, he moved back toSouth America with his wife and is happyto call it his home. Together they giveseminars about the power of intuition andmeditations. Zoller is author of five books,

many articles in magazines and newspapers and hosted TVShows in Germany and Bolivia. He also does psychicconsultations for individuals, corporations and politicalparties/individuals. Since 2013, he and his wife organizetours to Bolivia and Peru.

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Winter 2014

FOREWORD

On the 8th of November, a week before the Warsaw ClimateChange Conference, Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. Itwas one of the most intense tropical storms to ever make landfallanywhere in the world. It brought torrential rain, sustained windsof over 195mph and a storm surge of up to 30 feet thatdevastated coastal areas leaving behind countless dead andmillions of people affected, including hundreds of thousandswho have been forced from their homes.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expressed“scientists’ confidence that climate is warming and thathumans are responsible for at least half of the increase intemperatures since the 1950s”. Natural resources are beingused extensively for construction, industries, transport, andconsumption has increased enormously, creating mountains ofwaste. Changes in land use pattern, deforestation, landclearing, agriculture, and other activities have all led to a rise inthe emission of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, the Climate Change Vulnerability Index, stated thatclimate change “may pose a serious obstacle to sustainableeconomic growth in the world’s most commercially importantcities”. Cities, such as Dhaka, Mumbai, Manila, Kolkata,Bangkok were ranked as “highly vulnerable to the impacts ofclimate change, by evaluating their risk of exposure to extremeclimate events, the sensitivity of their populations to thatexposure and the adaptive capacity of governments to respondto the challenge.” At WE Magazine, we work not only to show you the beauty ofour vast environment, but also to inform you, in hope that as acommunity we can recognize that positive human action canlead to unimaginable results.I dedicate this issue to those who died in the Philippines and tothe millions of people who suffer everyday from Climate Change.To avoid more human made disasters, and because we allcontribute in our daily lives to this change I call each one of us toact: consume less, save energy, protect natural resources,generate less waste, recycle and reuse, use less paper and givea thought to the number of trees we use each day. Ultimately, It is a call for governments to encouragesustainable development by preserving our natural resources,protecting our forests, planting more, and using newrenewable and clean energies. - Cathy Chami Tyan, Chief editor

“To waste, to destroyour natural resources,to skin and exhaustthe land instead ofusing it so as toincrease itsusefulness, will resultin undermining in thedays of our childrenthe very prosperitywhich we ought byright to hand down tothem amplified anddeveloped.” - Theodore Roosevelt

WORLD ENVIRONMENT.TV

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Improving GlobalEnvironmentalGovernanceBest Practices for Architecture andAgencyBy Norichika Kanie, Steinar Andresen,Peter M. Haas

The book covers a wide range ofissues pertaining to environmentalgovernance including trans-boundary air pollution, marinepollution, biodiversity and ozonedepletion. It also examinespartnerships as a hybrid case ofemerging modes of environmentalgovernance. These partnerships area recent form of actor configurationthat warrant attention for dealing withglobal environmental threats in orderto better understand the full potentialof actor configurations in theabsence of state involvement.

The Energy of NationsRisk Blindness and the Road toRenaissanceBy Jeremy Leggett

Jeremy Leggett gives a personaltestimony of the dangers oftenignored and incompletelymisunderstood - a journey throughthe human mind, theinstitutionalization of denial, and thereasons civilizations fail. It is also anaccount of tantalizing hope, becausemobilizing renewables andredeploying energy funding cansoften the crash of moderncapitalism and set us on a road torenaissance.

BOOKREVIEWSSocial and EconomicBenefits of ProtectedAreas An Assessment GuideEdited by Marianne Kettunen,Patrick Ten Brink

This book offers a comprehensiveintroduction to the socio-economicbenefits of PAs and PA networks andprovides step-by-step practicalguidance on identifying, assessingand valuing the various ecosystemservices and related benefitsprovided by PAs. It also aims toimprove the communication of PAbenefits to different stakeholders andthe general public. It is shown thatidentifying and valuing the socio-economic benefits of PAs can bebeneficial for several reasons.Demonstrating socio-economicimportance of a protected site cansignificantly increase political andstakeholder support for the site andresolve conflicts between differentinterest groups.

RoutledgeInternationalHandbook of Social andEnvironmentalChangeBy Stewart Lockie, David A.Sonnenfeld, Dana R. Fisher

The Routledge InternationalHandbook of Social andEnvironmental Change reviews themajor ways in which social scientistsare conceptualizing more integratedperspectives on society and nature,from the global to local levels. Thechapters in this volume, byinternational experts from a variety ofdisciplines, explore the challenges,contradictions and consequences ofsocial–ecological change, along withthe uncertainties and governancedilemmas they create.

Corporate SocialResponsibility,Entrepreneurship,and InnovationBy Kenneth Amaeshi, Paul Nnodim,Osuji Onyeka

This book contributes to thetheorization of CSR by presentingthe meaning of CSR in a clear anddistinct manner, giving the ongoingCSR debate a new directionanchored on a firm economicphilosophy. It reinforces the view offirms as social institutions as well aseconomic actors, establishing CSRas a form of justice rather thanphilanthropy. Articulating CSR asprivate governance of corporateexternalities, for the first time, thisbook provides researchers with anew paradigm to translateknowledge into action and offersreflective managers an alternativeframework in which to explore theircorporate strategies and decisions.

Culture, Architectureand NatureAn Ecological Design Retrospective

By Sim Van Der Ryn

With an introductory chapter andfurther recommended reading foreach decade, this book is keyreading for any architect or designertoday practising today, and studentswill find a wealth of knowledge withwhich to support their studies. Theauthor’s beautiful illustrations,painted in a corresponding timescaleto the chapters, offer further insightinto the way he understands thechallenges of humanity’sstewardship of our planet.

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The UN Climate Change Conference inWarsaw ended keeping governmentson track towards a universal climateagreement in 2015 and includingsignificant new decisions that will cutemissions from deforestation and onloss and damage. “Warsaw has set a pathway forgovernments to work on a draft text ofa new universal climate agreement so itappears on the table at the next UNClimate change conference in Peru.In the context of 2015, countriesdecided to initiate or intensify domesticpreparation for their intended nationalcontributions towards that agreement,which will come into force from 2020.Parties ready to do this will submit clearand transparent plans well in advanceof COP 21, in Paris, and by the firstquarter of 2015. Countries also resolved to close thepre-2020 ambition gap by intensifyingtechnical work and more frequentengagement of Ministers. The conference also decided toestablish an international mechanismto provide most vulnerable populationswith better protection against loss anddamage caused by extreme weatherevents and slow onset events such asrising sea levels.In addition, governments providedmore clarity on mobilizing finance tosupport developing country actions tocurb emissions and adapt to climatechange. This includes requestingdeveloped countries to preparebiennial submissions on their updatedstrategies and approaches for scalingup finance between 2014 and 2020. The Warsaw meeting also resulted inconcrete announcements of

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S UN CLIMATE CHANGECONFERENCE INWARSAW KEEPSGOVERNMENTS ONTRACK TOWARDS 2015CLIMATE AGREEMENT

forthcoming contributions of publicclimate finance to support developingnation action, including from Norway,the UK, EU, US, Republic of Korea,Japan, Sweden, Germany and Finland. Meanwhile, the Green Climate FundBoard is to commence its initialresource mobilization process as soonas possible and developed countrieswere asked for ambitious, timelycontributions by COP 20, in December,next year, to enable an effectiveoperationalization. The agreements included a significantset of decisions on ways to helpdeveloping countries reducegreenhouse gas emissions fromdeforestation and the degradation offorests, which account for around onefifth of all human-generated emissions.The Warsaw Framework for REDD+ isbacked by pledges of 280 milliondollars financing from the US, Norwayand the UK. In Warsaw, a milestone was passedafter 48 of the poorest countries of theworld finalized a comprehensive set ofplans to deal with the inevitable impactsof climate change. With these plans,the countries can better assess theimmediate impacts of climate changeand what they need in the way ofsupport to become more resilient.Developed countries, including Austria,Belgium, Finland, France, Germany,Norway, Sweden, Switzerland havealso paid or pledged over 100 milliondollars to add to the Adaptation Fund,which has now started to fund nationalprojects. Governments completed work on theClimate Technology Centre andNetwork (CTCN) so that it canimmediately respond to requests fromdeveloping countries for advice andassistance on the transfer oftechnology. The CTCN is open forbusiness and is encouragingdeveloping countries to set up focalpoints to accelerate the transfer oftechnology.


MAGAZINE

CLIMATE CHANGE

Magazine

The Arab Spring andthe Environment ..............................12

By Nathalie Rosa Bucher

Climate Change................................20

By Laetitia Chattat

“Saving the world requires savingdemocracy. That requires well-informed citizens. Conservation,environment, poverty, community,education, family, health,economy- these combine to makeone quest: liberty and justice forall. Whether one's specialemphasis is global warming orchild welfare, the cause is thesame cause. And justice comesfrom the same place being humancomes from: compassion.” - Carl Safina, The View from LazyPoint: A Natural Year in anUnnatural World

The Arab Spring andthe Environment

ByNathalie Rosa Bucher

❮

The Seeds of the ArabRevolutions

The underlying causes of the ArabSpring, viewed by some as an event,by others as an ongoing process and– often in the Arab world – dismissedas a misnomer, were invisible tosome: “Like everyone else, we didn’tsee it coming,” Eric Goldsteincommences his article Before theArab Spring, the Unseen Thaw,published in January 2012 on theHuman Rights Watch website. When looking at what caused theArab Spring, as AbdolrezaAbbassian, a senior economist at theU.N. Food and AgricultureOrganization put it, “I know that‘many factors’ is not an eye-catchinganswer to the question. However, it isthe most accurate.” In their comprehensive report, TheArab Spring and Climate Change,Francesco Femia and Caitlin Werrellbased at the Center for Climate andSecurity, however, state that beyonda humanitarian outlook a more well-rounded assessment is necessary ofthe dynamics of opposition in thecountry [Syria], including the possiblesocial, environmental, and climaticdrivers of unrest, will helppolicymakers and opinion leadersfashion more responsible actions.” “This political unrest has beenreferred to as the “Arab Spring” andalthough the Arab Spring has beenreferred to in the Western media as apredominantly politically-motivateduprising against autocraticincumbent regimes, there wereimportant socio-economicunderpinnings to the uprising,”Professor Joan Harrigan, a politicaleconomist and a professor at theSchool of Oriental and AfricanStudies (SOAS) at the University ofLondon, writes in her paper, DidFood Prices Plant the Seeds of theArab Spring? published in 2012.

This political unresthas been referred toas the “ArabSpring” andalthough the ArabSpring has beenreferred to in theWestern media as apredominantlypolitically-motivated uprisingagainst autocraticincumbent regimes,there wereimportant socio-economicunderpinnings tothe uprising.

“One such important factor wasincreasing food prices in manycountries of the MENA region. Theresult of rising food prices, along withother socio-economic factors, suchas high levels of unemployment,especially amongst educated youth,was a steady increase in the cost ofliving and an erosion of livingstandards.” In fields such as demographics,economics, sociology, agrarianstudies, disaster risk science andclimatology, issues like watershortages, drought, rural exodus,and soaring unemployment haveindeed been highlighted, possibleconsequences pointed out andreported on. While in some cases thiswas under-documented, in manyothers, including for example, thecase of Syria, Egypt and Tunisia, itwas well documented, refuting theunderstanding that the uprisingscame out of the blue. Among the events or multiple triggersthat contributed to the so-called ArabSpring were for example the strikes inthe mining area of Gafsa in 2008 and2011, and youth protests in Tunisia in2005, as well as the above-mentioned crippling droughts in Syriaand food riots in Egypt.

Green Change?

For Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, theExecutive Director of the Institute forPolicy Research & Development(IPRD) in London, the currentproblem lies in the fact that thepolitical changes brought about bythe Arab Spring were largelycosmetic. “Scratch beneath thesurface, and one finds the samedeadly combination ofenvironmental, energy and economiccrises.” He agrees with Femia andWerrell, and considers climatechange as the key issue. “Droughts exacerbated by global


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the overall population, and the ruralpopulation is projected to decline bynearly half a percentage pointbetween 2010 and 2015. Whiledrought and environmentaldegradation are not the onlycontributing factors, substantial ruraldislocation within such a short periodof time has significantconsequences.”Given that environmental issues wereamong the triggers of the ArabSpring, it is important to look at theeffects these popular uprisings hadon the environment, in how farenvironmental issues have gainedincreased significance, and whetherthe succeeding, democratically

warming in key food-basket regionshave already led to a 10-20 per centdrop in rice yields over the pastdecade. Last year, four-fifths of theUS experienced a heat wave, therewere prolonged droughts in Russiaand Africa, a lighter monsoon in Indiaand floods in Pakistan – extremeweather events that were likely linkedto climate change afflicting theworld’s major food basket regions,”he commented in The Guardian inMarch 2013. According to Ahmed,the Arab Spring is merely a taste ofthings to come.It is therefore not surprising, that theuprising in Syria started in the ruraltown of Dera’a, rather than the

capital city. The devastating impact ofprolonged drought on agriculturallivelihoods drove an estimated50,000 Syrian families to migratefrom rural areas to cities in 2010alone, Michael Werz and MaxHoffman, write in their contribution toArab Spring and Climate Change. “In2002 more than 30 percent ofSyrians were employed in theagricultural sector; by 2010agricultural workers represented lessthan 15 percent of Syria’s overallworkforce.”The authors point at similar trendshaving occurred in Northern Africa.“Tunisia saw its rural population beginto decline in 2010, despite growth in

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elected governments haveintroduced new measures or policiesto address the panoply ofenvironmental issues their countriesare faced with and mechanisms tomonitor and ensure implementation.

Tunisia

The case of Ksibet el Mediouni in theBay of Monastir, Tunisia, is a pertinentcase. Surrounded by a treatmentplant in the north and one in the southof the town, Ksibet el Mediouni has,over the last 20 years, literally beenturned into a toxic wasteland. “It’s averitable ecological disaster,” writesTunisian journalist Nadia Akari. As aresult of decades of pollution,diseases – predominantly respiratoryand dermatological – have spreadamong the 10 000 inhabitants andfor years, nobody has dared to stepinto the sea or eat anything that cameout of it. A massive toxic spill in 2006 causedan ecological and health disaster, asthe air became impossible to inhale.As a result of the incident,demonstrations were held, withformer dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Alistill in power. A new toxic spill occurred on the 14and 15 September 2013. In order todenounce the severity of theproblem, and the fact that after yearsof lobbying, the plants had not beenshut down, Ksibet el Mediouni calledfor a general strike and inhabitantswent on a peaceful protest on 18September 2013. Suggested sites for new treatmentplants brought forward by theMinistry of Environment andSustainable Development have so farbeen rejected. The town’s inhabitantspointed out that the problem wouldmerely be postponed and shifted.The ministry, having recognized theseverity of the problem has set adeadline for late October, to come up

with a solution and hasacknowledged that a radical solutionwas necessary for the problem and isworking in partnership with civilsociety. The case of Ksibet el Mediounihighlights some of the worstecological problems inherited fromthe Ben Ali era and showcases howextended civil liberties haveempowered local populations tohave a say in finding a solution.Whether this solution will set aprecedent for post-revolutionaryTunisia, will be sustainable, leading toan improvement of livelihoods and afull regeneration of the sea habitat,needs to be seen. Other problems that have plaguedTunisia over the past two years havebeen rampant wildfires in 2011 andagain in 2013, and waste. “Severalsectors of the environment havebeen placed in danger in Tunisia,following the January 14thRevolution,” reported Sean Haleyfrom the Tunisian capital in August2011. Numerous strikes anddemonstrations that ensued theousting of Ben Ali caused greatdisruption in waste collection,industrial waste management andtrash piling up or being illegallydumped. Djerba’s municipality is leading theway in combating waste and hasembarked on a selective wastecollection program, which consists ofthe selective collection of packagingwaste and biowaste. The treatmentfacilities consist of a compost plantand a sorting centre for thepackaging waste. A civic amenitycentre is in the planning process.Tunisia’s government, whichintroduced environmental legislationin the mid-1980s but failed tointroduce large-scale alternativeenergy projects, has signed anagreement with the German Ministryof Economic Cooperation this year

Climate Change

❮

Droughtsexacerbated byglobal warming in keyfood-basket regionshave already led to a10-20 per cent dropin rice yields over thepast decade.

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that aims at growing the country’sgreen economy. The agreementfocuses on alternative energyprojects, which should aid thecountry in reducing its dependencyon gas and fossil fuels and alsocreate green jobs.

Egypt

According to Ahmed, Egypt’s oilproduction peaked in 1996, andsince then has declined by around26%. “Having moved from completefood self-sufficiency since the 1960s,to excessive dependence on importssubsidized by oil revenues (nowimporting 75% of its wheat), decliningoil revenues have increasinglyimpacted food and fuel subsidies. Ashigh food prices are generallyunderpinned by high oil prices –because energy accounts for over athird of the costs of grain production– this has further contributed tosurging global food prices.”“Food price hikes have coincidedwith devastating climate changeimpacts in the form of extremeweather in key food-basket regions.Since 2010, we have seen droughtsand heat-waves in the US, Russia,and China, leading to a dramatic fallin wheat yields, on which Egypt isheavily dependent. The subsequentdoubling of global wheat pricesbetween June 2010 and February2011 directly affected millions ofEgyptians, who already spend about40% of their income on food.That helped trigger the events thatled to the fall of Hosni Mubarak in2011 – but the same configuration offactors is worsening.” Ahmedcontends that Post-Mubarak, Egyptstill faces the same challenges, whichhave worsened under theBrotherhood’s mismanagement. Inthe long term, the country also facesa growing demographic crisis.Currently at 84 million, the population

is projected to increase to anestimated 100 million after about adecade.As a community developmentpractitioner, solid wastemanagement expert, andconsultant, Dr. Laila Iskandar’sportfolio and experience guaranteethat she should be Egypt’s mostqualified and competent Minister ofEnvironment, argues Cairo-basedjournalist Louise Sarant.Given her background in wastemanagement, environmentalactivists, conservationists and themedia have expressed great hopesthat Dr. Iskander will improve thecountry’s waste problem and thestate of environmental awareness.There is growing hope that changewill finally see the implementation ofgreen policy, along the Red Seacoast, along the Nile River andthroughout the Arab world’s largestcountry. It will take strong efforts fromactivists and environmental leadersto effect that change however,Joseph Mayton commented in theEcologist, in the wake of Mubarak’sousting.The Minister is convinced that thebiggest challenge ahead is to solvesolid waste management issues,and insists that this cannot be donewithout an efficient collaborationbetween the government, privateinstitutions, and civil society.Not surprising, given her trackrecord, she has proposed aninitiative in August 2013 that wouldsee the separation of waste athousehold level: glass, plastic andorganic waste. Improved wastedisposal methods would offermanufacturing material and provideunemployed youth with jobopportunities.Besides working on raising citizens’awareness regarding separatingtheir waste, the ministry has beenorganizing an awareness campaign

with different authorities including civilsociety organizations, media outlets,houses of worship and schools. The initiative also involves closingdown exposed garbage dumpsters,which exist within residential areas.According to the Ministry, each ton ofgarbage collected offers seven“green” job opportunities. Thesuccess of the initiative would see theemployment of youth. Among the concerns raised byyoung Egyptian environmentalactivists, is the fact that the ministrycan’t enforce laws, according toLaura Tabet, co-founder of Nawaya.At present, it is not an executive bodyand still is a Ministry of State forEnvironmental Affairs but should bechanged to the Egyptian Ministry ofEnvironment.“It does not have its own budget, it’snot really independent, it’s only aconsultancy bureau from within thecabinet of ministers. But it needs tobecome as strong as the Interior orFinance Ministries, because there areso many missed opportunities inwater and waste recycling that won’tbe considered without a competentand powerful Ministry ofEnvironment,” Walid Mansouradviser at Mena regional advisoryprogram, GIZ (German Society forInternational Cooperation), toldSarant.Given the significance environmentaltriggers played in bringing about theArab Spring, new administrationsand lawmakers ought to make it theirpriority to tackle these pressingissues. As the examples of Egyptand Tunisia highlight, all approacheswill require competent and visionarykey figures such as Egypt’s Ministerof Environment, adequate operatingbudgets as well as the involvementof all stakeholders, notably civilsociety, to stand a chance ofsuccess, ensure sustainability – andguarantee stability.

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Climate Change

Since 2010, we have seen droughts andheat-waves in the US, Russia, and China,leading to a dramatic fall in wheat yields, onwhich Egypt is heavily dependent. Thesubsequent doubling of global wheatprices between June 2010 and February2011 directly affected millions of Egyptians,who already spend about 40% of theirincome on food.

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Climate ChangeThe Consequence of Human Actions

By Laetitia Chattat

“As human beings, we are vulnerable to confusing theunprecedented with the improbable. In our everyday experience, ifsomething has never happened before, we are generally safe inassuming it is not going to happen in the future, but the exceptionscan kill you and climate change is one of those exceptions.” Al Gore

Climate change used to beconsidered a problem for futuregenerations to worry about, but ithas been greatly underestimated.Many around the world believe that itis nothing but the continuousevolution of the world. Unfortunately,a new report released by the UnitedNations’ climate panel shows detailsregarding recent research. Thesedetails state that 95% of globalwarming is due to human action. There is ongoing proof of thedestructive force of global warmingand climate change. Within the lasttwo decades natural disasters havemore than doubled. According toCNN.com International, the Tsunamithat hit Sumatra coast in the IndianOcean on the 26th of December,2004, left a death toll of 169 752with 127 294 people listed asmissing, in more than 11 countries.Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleansand the Gulf of Mexico in August2005, and was a category 5hurricane. The winds rose to 280km/h and there were 1833 fatalities.So many more have rocked theworld, the most recent beingTyphoon Haiyan (known as TyphoonYolanda), that struck the Philippines.It was a category 5 Super Typhoonand took a total of 5260 lives.Moreover, 1.9 million people wereleft homeless, 575 378 now wait infront of evacuation centers,2.5million are in dire need of food, 70to 80 percent of the area affectedwas destroyed in the storm’s pathand 281 091 homes weredestroyed. If this isn't a wake up call,I don't know what is.

The west has started to realize thatthis isn’t going to merely go away.After the destruction of TyphoonHaiyan, the internationalcommunity is becoming moreaware of what’s to come. NaderevSano, a Filipino delegate gave aheart-wrenching plea to the annualUnited Nations Climate Conventionin Warsaw, in November of thisyear. Sano, who became globallyknown, went on a hunger strike tohave the voices of his people heard.His tearful speech, spoke of thedirect effect of human actions,climate and natural disasters. “Toanyone who continues to deny thereality that is climate change, I dareyou to get off your ivory tower andaway from the comfort of yourarmchair,” Sano proclaimed. ThePhilippines lie in a natural disasterprone area of the world, and hasnaturally adapted, but the currentwater temperatures are thewarmest in the world and continueto rise as we speak. The rise ofwater temperatures is just the tip ofthe iceberg, temperatures ingeneral are rising, with no sign ofstopping. The warning signals ofour actions are evident, the currentweather situation, such as floods inIreland, the United Kingdom, NewZealand and Lebanon are the worstthese countries have seen in over30 years or more. The United Nations report onClimate change shows, that thepause over the last 15 years is tooshort to have any long term, positiveeffects. The panel continues bystating that ongoing greenhouse gas

Climate Change

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Laguna de Bay,Philippines:November 8,2013 TyphoonHaiyan anequivalentcategory 5hurricane,endangering 25million Filipinos inits path as itunleashed its fury.The one of thebiggest to ever hitland according toscientists.

Tacloban City,Leyte,Philippines: Supertyphoon Yolanda orHaiyan destroyedcountless homes,flooded cities andtowns and left morethan a 4,000 Filipinosdead and 1,100missing after hittingthe country onNovember 8, 2013.

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emission will further the warming andtransformation among all perspectivesof climate change. To restrain thecurrent outcome, it will require“substantial and sustained reductionsof greenhouse gas emissions”. The

result of a weeklong worth ofnegotiations, is a summary forpolicymakers on the physical scienceof global warming. The report is knownas the IPCC, which is there “to providethe world with a clear scientific view on

"To anyone who continues todeny the reality that is climatechange, I dare you to get offyour ivory tower and awayfrom the comfort of youarmchair. I dare you to go tothe islands of the Pacific, theislands of the Caribbean andthe islands of the Indian oceanand see the impacts of risingsea levels; to the mountainousregions of the Himalayas andthe Andes to see communitiesconfronting glacial floods, tothe Arctic where communitiesgrapple with the fast dwindlingpolar ice caps, to the largedeltas of the Mekong, theGanges, the Amazon, and theNile where lives andlivelihoods are drowned, to thehills of Central America thatconfronts similar monstroushurricanes, to the vastsavannas of Africa whereclimate change has likewisebecome a matter of life anddeath as food and waterbecomes scarce. Not to forgetthe massive hurricanes in theGulf of Mexico and the easternseaboard of North America.And if that is not enough, youmay want to pay a visit to thePhilippines right now.The science has given us apicture that has become muchmore in focus. The IPCC reporton climate change andextreme events underscoredthe risks associated withchanges in the patterns as wellas frequency of extremeweather events. Science tellsus that simply, climate changewill mean more intense tropicalstorms. As the Earth warms up,that would include the oceans.The energy that is stored in thewaters off the Philippines willincrease the intensity oftyphoons and the trend wenow see is that moredestructive storms will be thenew norm." PhilippinesRepresentative, Yeb Sano's,Speech at the climate ChangeConference in Warsaw


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nuclear energy programme.Furthermore, the United Statesgovernment is constricting emissionstandards for coal generators. On theother hand, Japan has revealed they itwill be reducing their carbon target as

Climate Change

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the current state of knowledge inclimate change and its potentialenvironmental and socio-economicimpacts”. The IPCC reads that sincethe 1950s, many of the changes in theclimate system are “unprecedented

over decades to millennia”.The actions of the internationalcommunity are mixed. China iscontinuing to reduce its carbonfootprint by their low-carbon zonesand their ever expanding low-carbon

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a result of phasing out of low-carbonnuclear after the Fukishima disaster.Also, across the world, Australia’snew rightwing government hasdisregarded the Labor coalition’sflagship carbon tax.Global warming and climate change

are ongoing issues that can’t bedealt with lightly. Nothing is going toget done, unless we come togetheras a united international communityand take drastic measures. It is timewe take action, or we will not have aworld, and it will be the consequence

of our own hands. We are either thetype of people who stick our headsin the sand and pretend like nothingis happening, or we take thenecessary actions and start creatinga brighter future. What type ofperson are you?

Tacloban City,Leyte,November 16,2013: A total of393 cadavers, inblack bags,were laid in amass gravenearby a publiccemetery in thenorthern part ofthe city in theaftermath oftyphoon HaiyanOnly 10-15percent of thebodies wereidentified.

ENERGY

Magazine

Looking at Lebanon’sElectricity Crisis Through aGender Lens.........................................28


Gas & Global Energy ....................34

By Sherine Bouez

"Our dependence on fossil fuelsamounts to global pyromania, andthe only fire extinguisher we haveat our disposal is renewableenergy."– Hermann Scheer.

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Energy

It may seem like an unlikelycontender but in 2009 even theVatican listed the washingmachine as one of the keycontributing factors towomen’s liberation. Hours ofhard labor washing piles ofclothes outsourced to amachine, which at the push ofa button, does it all in less thanan hour. That’s assuming thereis enough electricity for evenjust one load…

ByNathalie Rosa Bucher

Looking atLebanon’sElectricity CrisisThrough aGender LensHow Power CutsAffect Women’sLives in Lebanon

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Women who are housewives, theymay wait two, three, four hours, to dotheir washing,” Aïcha Mouchref,researcher for MADA Associationexplains the situation women in thenorth of Lebanon face. “The problemin Akkar is that whenever there is‘leftover electricity’ (in the country) itgoes there but it can at times just runfor 15 or 20 minutes. Imagine you juststarted your load and have an entirefamily’s dirty washing piled up on thefloor and it cuts, a few minutes intothe cycle… With small kids, of whomthere are plenty, it’s even worse.” Families in Lebanon’s northern regionhave on average 6.1 memberscompared to a national average of4.8 and domestic workers are rarelypart of the equation. The averagenumber of children in Akkar is thehighest in the country: 4 versus 2.6children for Lebanon as a whole.Given different gender roles, womendon’t experience the lack of electricityand power cuts in the same way astheir husbands, male relatives orneighbors do. Though it has not beenconsidered previously, Mouchrefdeems the approach of applying agender-lens to the country’selectricity crisis useful. Sabah Baassiri from Saida readilyadmits that even though her fouradult children have all moved out,electricity costs for her and herhusband have increased a lot overthe years and that this leads to somehard choices around expenses. “I’vebeen wanting to renovate my kitchenfor years… There are many otherthings we have to compromise on,like trips to Beirut but we don’tcompromise on food,” she says. Monthly electricity bills amount to$820, which includes a $500contribution to a shared generator,which provides an additional 20-


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Energy

Ampere. “People who own agenerator constantly increase theirprices, often at random,” Baassirisays. As a result of these powerrelations, conflict frequently eruptseither between neighbors orspouses. Baassiri knows of caseswhere husbands tell their wives when(not) to use electricity, to do laundryand iron when it’s cheaper to do so,which usually leads to tension. Askedhow women are affected by powercuts, she said that women had towait to do laundry, to vacuum, cleanand other chores. “It makes your lifeharder and it really limits yourchoices.”Rania runs a small restaurant inLehfed, which is open from 7am to7pm. She rarely has more than fourhours of electricity and needs tospend at least LL5000 on agenerator per day, in order to run hermachines and keep the fridges cool.The family needs another ‘motor’ tocover electricity needs at home. Daily power cuts significantly stuntand burden Lebanon’s economy andchallenge its citizens. According toAmerican University of Beirut (AUB)based Assistant Professor LeilaDagher and her co-author, TalarYacoubian, relaxing the presentelectric capacity shortages should bemade a national priority, in view of itspotentially positive effect on theeconomy. The two argue that growthprospects are being hampered byintensive electricity outages andheavy technical losses. “Investing innew capacity to relax the electricitysupply constraints and reducing thelosses can further stimulateeconomic growth. In addition, anynew capacity coming online willimmensely increase the supplyefficiency, especially that it will bereplacing the older less efficient

backup generators. It is critical tomeet energy demand if we want tosustain the current growthmomentum,” their article, The causalrelationship between energyconsumption and economic growthin Lebanon published in EnergyPolicy in 2012, states. The impact that lengthy electricitycuts have on children and schools,the elderly and sick, the health caresystem, the agricultural sector andlocal businesses in Akkar, where cutsfrequently last more than 12 hours, isfar worse than in Saida, Lehfed orother parts of the country. “Six to twelve children in smallhouses is quite the norm,” Mouchrefstates. For the researcher, electricityis a basic need. “Electricité du Libansupplies most Akkari villages withelectricity but not all houses areconnected to the electricity grid.”While the over-arching issue at stakefor Mouchref is poverty – transport iscostly, which makes it difficult attimes impossible to reach schools,clinics or health dispensaries in Akkar– sub-standard electricity lines andminimal supplies have been thecause of frequent conflict. “Road blocks for electricity – 10 to 15per season – mainly in summer arequite normal,” Mouchref highlights.“And there are plenty of illegalconnections. Nobody knows whatyou’re doing, it’s a case of ‘Tom &Jerry’ or how much can I steal fromyou, how much can we steal. It’s verycommon and the government haslittle control over it.”An issue that is often overlooked,when considering the energy crisis isthe very basic human need tocommunicate, to stay in touch bymeans of radio, TV or mobile phone.“TV is a basic need, it’s the only wayof keeping in touch and the only

Women who arehousewives, maywait two, three, fourhours, to do theirwashing.

In 2009 the Vaticanlisted the washingmachine as one ofthe key contributingfactors to women’sliberation.

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Syrian refugees, in their homes andsupport up to 10 people. This addspressure and increases livelihoodvulnerability of these households. Asked what a mere $50 saved onmotor expenses could do to suchvulnerable households, the researcherunderlines that it would make a hugedifference. “It could allow for betterhealth care for women, pre and postnatal care and better nutrition forchildren.”The ripple effect of poverty isstaggering and has long-termconsequences that are often hard toremedy. “The LL 70.000 to coverannual public school fees, have to bepaid upfront. As a result, registration isoften delayed until after harvest time,which means that students startschool late and are at adisadvantage.”“Some parents put lots of emphasison educating both boys and girls, butseeing that there is little money, theyoften tend to spend it on the boys. Ifthere is money to send all kids toschool, boys often go to privateschool but girls to public school.”One positive effect of this conservativeapproach is that girls kept at hometend to study more than their malepeers and obtain better results.

entertainment available (in Akkar),”Mouchref argues. At this point, it alsoinvolves Internet/3G access.When it comes to electricity supplies,Akkar indeed lags far behind the restof Lebanon. The cost for motors is inconstant fluctuation, making itimpossible to budget ahead.Furthermore, the lack of reliable,affordable electricity supplies has adisastrous effect on water supplies.“How do you run a water pumpwithout electricity?” Georges Khalil,mayor of Chadra probes. “We havethree wells in Chadra but we need300 kilowatt to make them work.”People get by not with the help of thegovernment but their own ingenioussolutions and those who can supportthose who can’t foot motor bills. “Iknow a guy who covers for nine otherpeople. They don’t even knowsomeone else covers for them andwho it is,” Khalil says. Families that have up to 10 childrenhave to get by on $500 a month ofwhich $100 goes towards electricity.“With that monthly budget peoplecan hardly cover basic needs such asfood, ensure they get sufficientnutrients,” explains Mouchref wholived in Upper Akkar for five years.Many Akkari families have welcome

Given differentgender roles,women don’texperience thelack of electricityand power cuts inthe same way astheir husbands,male relatives orneighbors do.

Pho

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Cou

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of M

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A A

ssso

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Energy

With 83 Charter members and 43 Associate members in 83countries, the International Gas Union (IGU) envisions being themost influential, effective and independent non-profit organizationserving as the spokesperson for the gas industry worldwide.Jerome Ferrier, IGU President, Director of Total, and President ofthe Association Francaise du Gaz (AFG), advocates natural gas asan integral part of a sustainable global energy system, andexplains that the role of the IGU is to advocate gas as an essentialcomponent of a sustainable global energy system, and topromote the political, technical and economic progress of the gasindustry. Mr.Ferrier tells us more about the IGU, and its plans forthe Middle East.

SherineBouez: How is gas differentto renewable energy?Jérôme Ferrier: Natural gas does notpose a threat to renewable energy,they can actually be used hand inhand. The produce of gas fields, thatis bound to run out, is not arenewable energy as is the case of allfossil energies. The differencebetween gas and other fossilenergies lies in the fact that naturalgas is the fossil energy that emits theleast CO2 when it is burnt in powerplants (50% less than carbon and30% less than fuel oil). This is why itis recognized as the cleanest of allfossil energies.

S.B.: How does the IGU work withNGOs and contribute to introducingelectricity to new areas?J.F.: The IGU works primarily with

BySherine Bouez


international organizations, includingthe UNFCCC (United NationsFramework of Convention onClimate Change) and the UNIDO(United Nations for IndustrialDevelopment Organization) to focuson the intrinsic qualities of naturalgas, as part of the solution forenergetic transition. An eventaddressing gas was devised duringthe COP19 in Warsaw, as has beenthe case since COP15 inCopenhagen. The aim is to keep anopen dialogue with environmentalNGOs to raise awareness on howgas can be renewable energy’s best‘ally’.Similarly, the IGU supports theapproach of the Deputy SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations,Kandeh Yukmella, in his energyaccess to all initiative, lead by the

Jerome Ferrier is anengineer with more than30 years experience inthe field of natural gas,production andmarketing, namely inAfrica and Europe.Since 1995, he has hadthe successive titles ofGeneral Director ofSouthwest Gas,President of Total Gasand Power for theSouthern zone of LatinAmerica, as well asGroup Representative inArgentina. Furthermore,he was a specialconsultant to thepresident of Total Gasand Power, director ofsecurity of Total Group,and a consultant forforeign commerce ofFrance since 2005.As President of AFG,he was elected thePresident ofInternational Gas Unionfor the 3 years 2012-2015.


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United Nations. We believe thatemerging countries that have gasreserves should devote part of theirproduction to the domestic marketaimed at gas power plants, in aneffort to supply electricity todisadvantaged areas.

S.B.: What can you tell us aboutunconventional gas?J.F.: Unconventional gas (shalegas, tight gas, coal bed methane,hydrate gas) is first and foremostnatural gas like conventional gas,however it is produced in complexgeological structures. Thisnecessitates the implementation ofprocesses such as hydraulicfracturing, where the use ofchemical products is necessary tomobilize gas in the rock.Conventional gas reserves havealready witnessed 130 years ofproduction, enough to point to thefact that, like the AIE, we haveentered “the golden age of gas”. Atthe current global production rate,unconventional gas would havealready represented 130 years ofadditional production. Theseunconventional gas, andparticularly shale gas, are nowmajor players in countries such asthe USA or China that willeventually become the two top gasconsumers in the world.

S.B.: Could potential gas reservesin Lebanon, and more generally inthe oriental Mediterranean, beused for export?J.F.: If as we hope Mediterraneangas reserves prove to besignificant, this would obviously bean export project in the form ofLiquefied Natural Gas (LNG) worth

thinking through; potential gasconsumption of nearby countriessuch as Lebanon or Cyprus alonewill not suffice to justify the costlydevelopment of these reserves.

S.B.: What is the main objective ofthe December conference inLebanon and how can it add valueto the Middle East region?J.F.: It is the remit of organizers toanswer this, however my own take isthat it constitutes an important stepin raising awareness about theimportant role natural gas is boundto play in the region. Even if part ofthe quantities produced might bededicated to domestic markets thatcan only have a limited prospectivegrowth, the bigger part of productionwill have to be exported in the form ofLNG in order to ensure anacceptable return on investments forthe costly considerations thissupposes.

S.B.: What are the key messages ofthe IGU magazine?J.F.: It is a bi-yearly magazine thatsupports and draws attention to themain events taking place in thecourse of each semester, in light ofthe unfolding of the respectivePresidency. Along with the website,the magazine constitutes anessential link between the leadingteam and both the adherents from83 countries of accredited members,and 43 big size gas companies asassociate members. More than 126members of IGU are associationsand corporations of the gas industryrepresenting over 95% of the globalgas market. The magazine outlinesour ongoing plans and hopes for abetter future.

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Magazine

New Technology...............................38

By Sherine Bouez

Reforestation.......................................44

By Sherine Bouez

"We need to be prepared for ninebillion people on this planet, as weall deserve a decent and securelife. By being creative, the worldcan reduce greenhouse gasemissions while creating jobs,promoting economic growth andensuring better living standards.Where there is a will, there is away!"- H.E. Mr. Marcin Korolec, Ministerof the Environment of Poland andPresident Designate of COP 19and CMP 9

GREEN ECONOMYENVIRONMENT & BUSINESS

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With a Team of 36 engineersand technicians, ZiadAbichaker, Chief ExecutiveOfficer and Founder of CedarEnvironmental L.L.C., heads aResearch and Developmentfacility for environmentaltechnologies in Abou Mizan,Lebanon. Home to the dynamiccomposting technology, thecompany specializes inbuilding Municipal RecyclingFacilities (MRF) for therecycling of municipal solidwaste.

New TechnologyDynamic Composting

By Sherine Bouez

Sherine Bouez: What is your visionand what are your accreditations?Ziad Abichaker: Our vision is tobring decentralization to the wastemanagement sector. The old thinkingwas to view waste as a problem, nota resource, to take it as far away fromthe community as possible andminimize its impact and volume bycompacting it and burying it. Weview waste as a valuable raw materialwhich can be remanufactured tomake useful products. By bringing itto local communities, we are creating


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jobs, while producing good qualityfertilizers from the organic portion ofthe waste and valuable plasticproducts from the recyclable part.

S.B.: What is your strategy?Z.A.: The strategy is to assemble upto 10 major municipalities together in acluster and build a recycling plant to

serve them in a way that none of thesemunicipalities has to transport itswaste across more than 10-15 KM.The aim of the company is to divertas much waste as possible from thelandfill and not resort to incinerationof any portion of the waste. Thesolutions we come up with areopportunities to transform this wasteinto higher value products. Forexample, one of the technologies wehave developed to this avail is thefollowing: An enzymatic and bacterialpreparation mixed with the organicwaste accelerates the fermentationprocess of the organic waste, henceaccelerating their degradation intocompost. The dynamic compostingreaction is odorless and completelydestroys any pathogens in the waste,hence we were able to bring it closerto residential communities, whilesaving municipalities huge expenseson daily waste transportation.It is a constant uphill battle as this is apublic sector file par excellence.There is an urgent need for dealingwith the garbage issue. Take forinstance landfills that lie critically closeto residential communities. On acommunal level everyone is wellaware that if we don’t deal withgarbage very soon it will be too late.

S.B.: How do you work withinvestors?Z.A.: I do not take on financialpartners, projects can be self-financed or bank loans are used. As amatter of philosophy, we prefer loans.We don’t accept donations in orderto keep our independence, as longas financial decisions are concerned.We also reserve the right to take onprojects or reject them. For innovativeprojects we used soft loans fromBanque du Liban through asponsored program called Kafalat.We get a loan, build, own, andoperate the recycling facility. The

municipality subscribes to the facilitybuilt on a household basis, so acertain amount per house is paidmonthly to recycle the garbagegenerated daily. We pay back theloan from that monthly fee, and fromselling fertilizers and recyclablematerials recuperated from thesorting of the waste.

S.B.: How do you go by choosingwhich technologies to develop?Z.A.: We only choose to developtechnologies that are commerciallyfeasible and/or viable. Before scalingthe project up we make sure it hasthe potential to be commercializedprior to applying for bank loans.Since we make our own machinerylike the composting drums, conveyorbelts, plastic shredders, etc., thesolution is fully localized, it is thereforevery affordable.

S.B.: What are your upcomingprojects?Z.A.: One of our projects is toproduce plastic panels or Ecoboardsmade entirely from plastic bags andother plastic scrap that are notrecycled, by mainstream plasticrecycling industries. These boardsare used to make bus stops,advertising panels with photovoltaicLED lighting, prefab houses, solarwater heaters, or conveyor belts. Ecoboard panels are waterproof, rustproof, with a life span of 500 years.They are machinable like steel andwood. We have just delivered a newportable toilet made out of 91,000plastic bags transformed intoecoboard for the Barouk CedarReserve in Lebanon.

S.B.: How would you define yourapproach?Z.A.: We approach waste from aresourceful perspective rather than aproblem, as I mentioned earlier. You

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Green Economy

can extract a lot of value fromdiscarded things. By changing yourperspective of the problem, you areusing it to make valuable and durableend products.Another example of waste as aresource approach, is thetransformation via composting of theorganic materials into a certified-for-organic-agriculture fertilizer.Imported certified fertilizers range inprice from 400$ to 600$ per ton,however the local fertilizer wedeveloped from compostingslaughterhouse waste brought downthe price to 180$ per ton! It obviouslyenticed many farmers to get certifiedorganic. After making locally certifiedfertilizers using a local certifyingagency named Libancert, thenumber of certified for organicagriculture farmers in Lebanon wentfrom 90 to 600 farmers. Still, thisnumber is not enough becauseorganic is being marketed for high

end consumers. We aim toencourage more farmers to switch toorganic so the supply of organicallycertified goods increases, hencecompetition also increases, pricesdrop down and can be afforded by awider spectrum of consumers.

S.B.: What can you tell us aboutresearch and development inLebanon?Z.A.: Imported solutions are not anoption, as foreign technologies don’talways work on local problems. Weneed to raise awareness about theneed for research and developmentas we can’t always get solutions offthe shelf.

S.B.: What are your current andongoing projects?Z.A.: We want to build the biggestrecycling plant in the Middle East thatsends zero waste to the landfill. So ifwe process 100 tons of garbage perday we will ‘throw nothing’.We also want to have more recyclingplants in more communities inLebanon. At the moment what wehave are mainly mini-plants servingone or two villages in the South ofLebanon, the slaughter housetechnology in Beirut, and a plant thatserves about 80 villages in Jbeil.

S.B.: What is driving you to do allthis?Z.A.: Most importantly what drives usis solution providing rather than justraising awareness, since the latterincreases anyways as the problemsgrow! Wastewater, medical waste,industrial waste, construction ordebris waste are all issues that needto be dealt with. Municipalities have asay but not necessarily the financialand technical means. When Legalframeworks change to allow theprivate sector to offer its best talent totackle these problems, then we willsee improvement in all waste sectors.

Environment & Business

We want to build thebiggest recyclingplant in the MiddleEast that sends zerowaste to the landfill.So if we process100 tons of garbageper day we will‘throw nothing’.

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BySherine Bouez


MAGAZINE

Having identified an untapped space for growth, Raoul Nehme,President of Jouzour Loubnan, focuses on high mountains andarid regions in his mission to participate in the restoration ofwoodland in Lebanon. He started his mission in 2007, by talkingabout his project in professional circles and social gatherings,putting together a small team of committed volunteers andestablishing a partnership with the Faculty of Sciences of SaintJoseph University.

ReforestationUntapped Spaces

Over 160,000 trees have beenplanted, and the Jouzour Loubnanteam has found ways to involveprivate, corporate and socialcontributors. His strategicbackground comes in handy,whereby ‘thinking before acting onwhat to do and where to go’ is key intaking up this ambitious program thatmight well cost millions of US dollars,but Nehme is relentlessly on a mission!Also noteworthy is that Nehme is theGeneral Manager of BLC Bank, a firmthat has sustainable developmentand corporate citizenship at the heartof its business model.

Sherine Bouez: How did you startthe project on the ground?Raoul Nehme: We decided to startwith a very small test of 100 trees tosee which species would survive at

these very high elevations. Thefollowing year only 2 species weredoing well. This second year werefined our plantation protocol withthe support of the Faculty ofSciences of Saint Joseph University.We then went for 2,000 trees as anextension of the test, and to check ifwe knew how to handle largerquantities. We reached 10,452 treesthe third year, purposefully choosingthe number of kilometers inLebanon! It was then more aboutour capacity to handle even largervolumes at a national scale.Last year-end counted 115,000trees in regions includingKfardebian, Chabrouh, Ainata,Ehmej, Ehden, Bted3i, Shlifa, etc.Some of the trees planted includedLebanese Cedars, Juniper excelsa(Lezzab), Pine, Carob, Wild Almond,

Oak, Wild Prune, Walnut, Chestnuttrees, and several other nativeLebanese trees.

S.B.: How are you addressing thesustainability of this elaborateprogram?R.N.: Sustainability is based on ourthorough follow up program thatincludes irrigation, maintenance anda guardianship system over a periodof three years. It comes at a cost,

ARE YOU…

A MOTIVATED SPIRIT?You can give a hand in thepublic plantation campaignsregularly updated onwww.jouzourloubnan.com.

A COMPANY MANAGER ORCOMMUNICATIONSADVISOR?You can organize aplantation campaign for youremployees and their familieswith us as part of oursuccessful track record ofcorporate events to date.

though in the past couple of years welooked into finding protocols to cutthese charges and identify theoptimal way of doing so. Several localfactors impact cost, which hastypically been of 11 to 14 U.S. dollarsper seedling. For instance, in manycountries reforestation plans don’tinvolve irrigation, but in Lebanon theyhave not survived without it, as it alldepends on the region, exposure,type of seeds, species, etc.

However, of equal importance forsustainability is the empowerment oflocal communities and involvement ofyounger generations, to maintain theprojects on the long run and benefitfrom them. Our unique woodlands areamongst our most vital habitats inrelation to biodiversity, climate change,desertification, soil water infiltration,and socio-economic development,rendering our reforestation amultifaceted challenge. ❮

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S.B.: What type of research backsup your plans for growth?R.N.: To develop a number ofprotocols will take years and is part ofour research and developmentapproach. Lebanon hasmicroclimates that do not alwaysmake it easy to extrapolate foreignstudies. Our Laboratory works on theconservation of seeds and onplantation protocol, called theLaboratory for Seed Conservationand Germination (LSCG) at SaintJoseph University’s Faculty ofSciences, financed by JouzourLoubnan to provide scientific support

and consultancy. Many seeds will notgrow when planted. For example,with oak all it takes is one seed as theprobability of germination is high, butthis is not the case for all trees. Herelies the importance of the Laboratory,as reforestation involves dozens ofplant species to be able to rebuildsustainable ecosystems.Lately, we have sent colleagues toTurkey to learn how to germinateJuniperus excelsa or ‘lezzab’, andto the United States to researchasexual reproduction. Theseprograms were financedby Lebanon Reforestation Initiative

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ARE YOU…

A REAL ESTATEDEVELOPER?You can join ourcomprehensive developerprogram carefully devisedfor you, and promote yourgreen image in yourmarketing & sales strategies.

A SOCIAL ACTIVIST?You can contribute in shiftingperceptions and influencingthe evolution of regulations,legal frameworks, andsustainability related to ourwoodland heritage.

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Green Economy

(LRI), a project funded by the UnitedStates Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID), andimplemented by the United StatesForest Service (USFS). In addition,we very closely follow all researchdone in this field through ourcollaboration with numerous localand international institutions.

S.B.: How is your reforestationvision financed?R.N.: At the moment, we are mainlyreceiving funds from Lebanese privateindividuals and companies. Althoughwe already count several sponsors

today, we need to be able to raisefunds from international donors,similar to the ones we obtained fromUSAID. We must appoint full time,specialized people dedicated to thisundertaking, as all of us at JouzourLoubnan are volunteers with full timejobs!What is important is a regular sourceof funding, as trees need care to grow,they need to be nurtured, and mostimportantly they need to be sustainedfor future generations - I believe this isa possible challenge! Still, in the last 40years, our 20% forest coverage inLebanon has dropped by 40% to

12%: Successful reforestationnormally falls under the remit of theState, not that of NGOs, although thelatter can always lend a helping hand.However, governments have notbeen able so far to take charge ofreforestation. As far as we are concerned, wecontinue our efforts and our nextcampaign will include the Italian,Spanish and French contingents ofthe UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army inEbl El Saki. In addition, the ItalianAmbassador to Lebanon, H.E.Giuseppe Morabito, has accepted topatron our 2014 Gala dinner.

Environment & Business

Under the patronage of President Michel Suleiman Civic Influence Hub (CIH) organized, and in anunprecedented initiative at both the social and economic levels in Lebanon, the launching ceremonyof the project BLUE GOLD; a five-year plan for the management of the water sector in Lebanon. Morethan a thousand figures including decision makers, politicians and economic authorities, academics,experts and journalists as well as civic society organizations, UN agencies, ambassadors, municipalunions and trade unions representatives participated in this huge event, which was held on TuesdayDecember 10, 2013 at the Phoenicia Hotel.

By Gabriella PorelliBy Nathalie Rosa Bucher

Launching Ceremony of “BLUE GOLD”The Water as a National WealthA Call for Unity Between the Lebanese People on Unifying Socio - Economic Options

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The ceremony was presented by themedia anchorwoman Ildico Elia, whogave details about the BLUE GOLDproject, built on hard scientific factsand studies, which could change theface of Lebanon. The project hasdrawn support from a large numberof prominent players in the publicsector, civic institutions and privatesector. These companies supportand endorse the concept and itsimplementation process. With thesupport of more than 40 experts inthe water sector who workedtogether for more than 1 year, theCivic Influence Hub, a lobbying groupwith a mission to exert civic pressure,ensured that the project takes nopolitical or sectarian influence. This

hub aims to present a new vision andnumerous initiatives about socialpolitics in order to pressure thedecision makers in light of theunifying economic concept.” The Executive Director of CIH, Mr.Ziad Sayegh, talked about a newapproach to create an efficientcooperation philosophy at a criticalmoment where divisions areincreasing. He explained the threepriorities of the lobbying group thatinclude unifying Lebanese aroundunifying socioeconomic project andleveraging the civic society’sstructure and fostering partnershipsbetween the public and privatesectors. Dr. Asaad Rizk praised the unifying

economy concept hoping to createan influential lobby that gathers allnational components through CIH,because it is the economy, whichbrings back the light on theprominence of the wasted nationalwealth, and the common intereststhat unite the Lebanese, to overcometheir differences and contradictions. From his side, Eng. Fahd Saccalexplained the strategic goals anddimensions of BLUE GOLD, he said:“We chose water because it is themost vital element in life, and theaverage rainfall and snow in Lebanonis the highest compared with itssurroundings in the Middle East. Theobjectives of the project are tointroduce a new concept

transforming our surplus of waterfrom a consumption need to anational economic wealth and tounite all the Lebanese under thetheme of water and finally provide anintegrated plan to manage thisresource.” In his turn, Eng. Elie Gebrayel notedthe steps to make this initiative asuccess: “We are determined not tofail, but our bet is to convince thedecision makers to give priority to thenational wealth.” He explained that:“CIH is driving a communicationcampaign with the legislative andexecutive authorities, and we are onthe brink of completing a draft law tocreate “the National Water Council”which we propose as a new mode ofinteraction between the private andpublic sectors.” Mrs. Wafaa Saab spoke about thesocioeconomic impact of theinitiative and said: “Water is not like oiland gas, and doesn’t require us tosearch for it, it is visible, and is foundon a wide geographical area; peoplefrom different affiliations andcommunities gather where there iswater. She considered that “BLUEGOLD has substantialsocioeconomic impact thatconcerns all the Lebanese in allsectors and at all levels; more than3,000 jobs will be created in the firstphase in addition to 400,000seasonal jobs, while encouragingpeople to stay in their communities.” Speaking about the initiative’sconcept, Mr. Farid Chehab said: “Weused as Lebanese to blaming othersand to hold them responsible forwhat happens to us and we havelost faith in making a difference andaccomplishing achievements andtaking decisions, so we focus at CIHon creating awareness amongstLebanese about the unifyingeconomy concept, and as an initialstep, we work on forming a favorable

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public opinion supportive for theBLUE GOLD project.” For his part, Mr. Hachem Koussacalled on participants to support theproject, as he spoke about the vitalimportance of water and explainedthat the BLUE GOLD Project wasdesigned to be the most importantnational project, a beautiful dreamcome true. He called on behalf ofCIH, the Lebanese to be activemembers of the lobbying network,which is in the process of creation,and join the group in supporting theProject as advisors or supporterswhile endorsing its communicationscampaigns.” Mrs Naila Kettaneh Kunigk urged allLebanese to vote for BLUE GOLD onwww.bluegoldlebanon.com andSMS 1329, and stressed thatopinions of the people must beheard, because their votes areessential in the Public Affairs sceneand are vital to create the NationalWater Council. BLUE GOLD is an initiative aiming tohighlight the importance of water inLebanon, as not a mere commoditybut a national wealth able to leveragethe national economy substantially.The project aims as a first step, tocreate the National Water Council bycommunicating with decision makersand provide an opportunity toLebanese to make their voices heardby collecting a million votes andpresent it for Parliamentary voting.The water resources are a powerelement to CIH as it is a subject thatunites the Lebanese people fromdifferent segments and doesn’t knowlimits or sectarian segregation ortargeting a limited area in Lebanon. Inthis line, the gift of CIH to theceremony participants was the BLUEGOLD book that contains a detailedexplanation about the project andexecutional mechanisms and benefitfrom the water wealth of Lebanon.

Fighting the Water Crisis in Lebanon:An Emergency for the Civil Influence Hub (Cih)

By Fadi Georges Comair

If Lebanon, like Turkey, represents a reservoir of water for the Near East,then over the past twenty years the country’s bluegold has become a minorfactor in the future development of the nation and an object of fiercecompetition between consumers and the government. The situation is dueto “specificities of the Land of the Cedars” regarding the management ofnatural resources, aging infrastructure and environmental degrade. Thefindings include the following:

• Quotidian problems in water distribution: Water cuts, leaks in waterdistribution networks, etc.

• Significant Waste: Lack of income for surface water storage, groundwaterrecharge nonexistent, etc.

• One billion, two hundred million m3 of water is lost in the Mediterraneanregion yearly.

• Increase of water pollution: Accidental and intentional contamination. • Diluted responsibility: More than a dozen public bodies (ministries and

others) are involved in the management. • Fragmented knowledge and insufficient skill: Absence of integrated

information systems about resources and their uses.• Bad management of demand and inefficiency of networks in all sectors:

Lack of organizational and human resources, ineffective government andstructural weaknesses.

• Unusable non-conventional water resources: REU, spring resurgencesand grey water.

• Excessive pumping of aquifers and unjustified energy spending:Groundwater drawdown, pollution, salinity and seawater intrusion.

• Insufficient customer management: Impossibility to ameliorate servicestandards, inequitable tariff system, inability of citizens to pay for services.

• Deficient budgeting: Incomplete and obsolete files, recovery problems,and malfeasances.

A shortage crisis in Lebanon in fact threatens its citizens as the saddiagnostic of the water system shows. If nothing is done in the short term, thehuman, economic and social development of the Land of the Cedars will bein peril.This danger is essential to the message of the Civic Influence Hub’s first whitepaper on the state of water resources in Lebanon that outlines, with an urgenttone, main levers of action that service both food and social security.

Water

BLUE GOLD has an integratedapproach where different Lebanesestakeholders will share theimplementation as they will be part ofthe initiative on a national scale. Theproject will have a role in theimprovement of water availability andquality in all areas of Lebanon. It alsoseeks to save funds especially in thewater domestic consumption area,in addition to creating jobs inLebanon and the possibility ofincreasing the individual incomes byproviding the opportunity for thecitizens and the private sector toinvest in the water sector, as well asstrengthening the foundations of theLebanese economy and growing thenational GDP.

Understanding Better theBlue Gold Project

Why the Blue Gold Project?Lebanon has a strategic water wealthwhich is the richest in the Middle Eastand the Arab world. However,Lebanon is located in an areathreatened by desertification from Iranto Cyprus, thus the importance of:a- Protecting Lebanon water wealthand invest it in an effective andtransparent manner, as it is animportant element of Lebanon’sstrategic security.b- Managing Lebanon water wealthin its strategic dimension as providedby in the international law andpreventing the waste of water thatmay lead to huge loses.c- Benefiting from Lebanon waterwealth so as to serve the Lebanesecitizens, who will be partners in thisproject, and enhancing thecooperation between the public andprivate sectors.

What is the Blue Gold Project?Blue gold is a national 5-year projectoptimizing the LebaneseGovernment water strategy. It is

The sole, rigorous attempt toprotect and better use bluegold in Lebanon, outlinesshort, medium and long-term visions in addition to aroadmap that indicates theessential pillars that need beerected to develop thesustainable use of theresource. Additionally, theCIH’s motion reinforces thesolidarity between thegovernment and privatesectors and attempts toimplicate civil society in thedurable preservation of ourhydro-heritage. We hopethat the CIH’s white paperwill help meet the challengesand find solutions to thequestions citizens andleaders continually ask.

• How can we limit theeffects of global change onwater resources inLebanon?

• How can we sustainablymanage the abundantwater resources that arewasted in theMediterranean?

• How can consumers beaccustomed to efficientlyuse water?

• How can the threat of awater war between thecountries bordering theJordan basin be kept atbay?

For together to achieve theprotection of waterresources in Lebanon, allleaders of the Country of theCedars should engage in acomprehensive globalprocess based on a strongwillingness to anchor waterpolicies.The consolidation ofintegrated watershedmanagement is essential forachieving the objectives ofthe CIH’s “Blue Gold”program and optimizing thefinancial means to supportsustainable infrastructureprojects.Investors need to assess thevalue of this initiative thataims to strengthen thesolidarity of citizens underthe motto “Together for goodwater status in Lebanon”.

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b- The cost of Blue Gold Project for(2015 / 2020) is equal to 5 billion dollars.This project will guarantee a surplus of500 million square meters for Lebanon. Itis funded by the private sector withcontrols that prevent monopoly andencourage the contribution of citizens aspartners, provided that the waterremains the property of the LebaneseState. This project will also ensure areturn of 23.5% for the Lebanese Stateand 12.5% for the private sector. BlueGold Project will reduce the annual waterbill paid by citizens from USD 700 toUSD 380. It only needs 16 dams insteadof 44, and will provide 3,000 jobopportunities.

How can we help with the execution ofBlue Gold Project?We can help by:

a- Establishing a National WaterCouncil that can operateindependently and effectively.b- Launching the work of thecommission established by theCouncil of Ministers for thepurpose of studying the law onwater issued in November 2012.c- Cooperating with theParliament’s Public Works, Waterand Energy Committee in order todiscuss and adopt Blue GoldProject.d- Establishing a watch dog tomonitor the implementation of theprojects.e- Getting the signature of onemillion Lebanese citizens on theBlue Gold Project as part of anintegrated advertising and mediacampaign.

based on an analysis of all thestudies done on the water sector,launching a new vision thattransforms water from a simplecommodity to a national wealth, andat the same time aims at fixingweaknesses therein and monitoringprojects and initiatives that fall withinthe strategy with the partnership ofthe Lebanese citizens.

What is the importance of the BlueGold project?a- The cost of the Lebanesegovernment’s water plan amountsto (2012 / 2020) amounts to 7.3billion Dollars. This plan is funded bythe government and through loansand after eight years, it will onlyguarantee balance between supplyand demand.

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

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Bwala Five Five..................................56

Photos & text by Olivier Ervyn

From Trash to Art.............................70

By Mariejoe J. Raidy

“There must be a reason whysome people can afford to livewell. They must have worked for it.I only feel angry when I see waste.When I see people throwing awaythings that we could use.”- Mother Teresa

Photos & text by Olivier Ervyn

Bwala Five FiveGhana: Picking Waste for a Living

Early morning at theKoforidua dumpsite.

With a GDP growth of 7.9% in2012, a democratic politicalenvironment and ambitiousdevelopment plans, Ghana isoften portrayed as the land ofall opportunities in WestAfrica. It ranks first in WestAfrica and fifth in Africa in the2012 World Bank ranking forbusiness, and is generallyregarded as one of the moststable states of the region andcontinent. However, despitepositive overall economicindicators, the country stillfaces numerous problems andnot everyone is benefittingfrom the country’s rapideconomic development.

Unemployment is one such problem.It is officially estimated at only 3% buta significant proportion of the labourmarket (around 43%) is engaged ininformal economic activities, withonly 8.5% of the working populationin formal sector employment. Bigvariations exist between urban andrural areas, with some sectors ofsociety more particularly at risk ofexclusion from the labour market,such as women and youth, whooften work as self-employed ordomestic employees, apprentices orunpaid family workers(1). The national poverty rate remains ❮


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The Bwala 55wastepickers comeequipped with nothingbut a 2-feet-long hookmade of a piece of bentconstruction steel.Having no protectionequipment available,some wear socks toprotect their hands.

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Georgina, 47, prefers workingon her own in the most remotesections of the dumpsite,where fire has cleared upmost of the waste. She suffersfrom breathing problems andis often too tired and unwell tocome to work .

Dominic, 18, and his sisterhave been picking wastewith their mother, Georgina,for several years. They livein the outskirts of Koforiduaand commute every day towork. Both would like to goto school but can’t affordnot to work.

high, with 30% of the populationliving on less than 1.25$ a day.Poverty in Ghana is a ruralphenomenon, with rural communitiesaccounting for more that 60% of thepoor(2). Inflation is also high, at around9% a year.Among the many groups of peoplehighly affected by poverty and therisk of unemployment, are the wastepickers. “Bwala Five Five” is thename given by local waste pickers tothe main dumpsite of Koforidua, atown of 130,000 inhabitants ineastern Ghana, 3 hours by roadfrom Accra. On a regular working day, about 15women and young children work atthe landfill. They arrive at dawn andspend the day sorting and collectingthe rubbish deposited by municipalgarbage trucks, picking anything ofvalue but focusing on plastic andmetal. The Bwala 55 wastepickers come

equipped with nothing but a 2-feet-long hook made of a piece of bentconstruction steel. Having noprotection equipment available, somewear socks to protect their hands.Electric cables are used to securetrousers and the day often starts by asearch for wearable shoes in themountain of garbage. Once ready,collecting and sorting can start. Somehead for the freshest waste, dumpedlate on the previous day, while otherprefer the most remote sections ofthe landfill, which are constantlysmoldering and covered in acridsmoke, but where metal is moreeasily visible and easier to collect.Anything that can be sold or recycledis picked. Old books, clothes, itemsof food are collected and set aside forfuture use. All pockets of all items ofclothing are checked, in case theycontain a few coins or anything ofvalue. However, the Bwala 55 maketheir money by collecting hard plastic

The Bwala 55workers are veryaware of the dangersof their occupation.Although the smallcommunity theymake up is ratherchanging andunstable, the oldermembers share theirexperience with theyounger ones and tryto keep activitiesmore or lessorganized.

Protective equipment is non-existent. Sometimes, a few pairs of shoes or trousers appear among the debris and everyone around triesthem on, hoping they will fit. Gloves are rare, though, so socks or strips of cloth are used to protect hands.

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A bad start to the day, with very little valuable pickings. On the bright side, Jacob, 12, was pleased with the pair of shoes he had just found.

Picking is an art… Tins of tomato paste, baby milk powder, coffee, condensed milk, oil, pilchards and corned beef are highly sought after.Soft drink cans have no resale value .

Kofi and Junior, trying to grabthe largest pieces of plastic asthey are falling out of the truck.

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(basins, cooking containers, plates,etc) and metal cans (instant coffee,tomato paste, etc), which they sell toa processing company. Pickers buildup their personal mountain of metaland plastic, along the main accessroad. When the processor’s truckcomes, a makeshift weighing systemis built, with scales hanging from asimple wooden frame. Prices vary alot from one month to the next butplastic usually brings in 50 pesewas akilo (0.25$) and metal 20 pesewas akilo (0.09$).The workers are mostly women andyoung children, with a few youngmale adults joining in from time totime. The work is physicallydemanding and often dangerous, asonly those who get very close to thegarbage truck as it dumps its loadcan grab the larger pieces of plastic.Kids in particular take risks, climbingon top of the unstable heaps of wasteor running after the speeding trucksto be first in the picking line. The maindanger, however, comes fromworking and, often, living in a highlytoxic and contaminated environment.Methane produced by rotting organicwaste feeds fires that seem to burnnight and day. Those who work in the“hot” sections, like Georgina, 47,complain of smoke-induced

The main danger,however, comesfrom working and,often, living in ahighly toxic andcontaminatedenvironment.Methane producedby rotting organicwaste feeds fires thatseem to burn nightand day.

Jonah, 22, waste picker

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Plastic bags and smog,the two symbols of theKoforidua dumpsite.

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breathing problems and of having tospend much of their limited earningson medical treatment.The Bwala 55 workers are very awareof the dangers of their occupation.Although the small community theymake up is rather changing andunstable, the older members sharetheir experience with the youngerones and try to keep activities moreor less organized. All waste pickersdream of finding a “good” jobsomewhere else but see that as aremote possibility. Jobs are scarce in

the region and the lack of availablecash makes it almost impossiblefor them to start a small businessor buy stock of any kind and sell itin the town’s marketplaces. Of thechildren who pick waste, none goto school. Worse, according torumours circulating in town, themunicipality is thinking aboutclosing the Bwala 55 site andopening a new and larger landfillsite, further away from the city, andto which waste pickers may not begiven access.

Sources(1) African Development Bank,Republic of Ghana countrystrategy paper 2012-2016, Feb2012(http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/documents/project-and-operations/ghana%20csp%20draft%20for%20comments.pdf)(2) Oxford Poverty and HumanDevelopment Initiative (OPHI),Country Briefing Ghana:Multidimensional Poverty Index(MPI) at a glance, July 2010(3) The World Bank, What a waste -A Global Review of Solid WasteManagement, Daniel Hoornweg andPerinazBhada-Tata, March 2012,No. 15

Jacob, 12, waste picker

Waste Management

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Municipal Wastein Africa and theWorld(3)

Municipal wastegeneration in sub-Saharan Africa isapproximately 62 milliontonnes per year, or 5% ofthe total wastegenerated globally. Percapita waste generation,though generally low inthe region, ranges from0.09 to 3.0 kg per personper day, with an averageof 0.65 kg/capita/day (vs2.2 kgs in OECDcountries and 1.1 in theMENA region).

Erika iri5 (pronounced “iris”) is a self-taught artist. Sheholds a degree in Russian from Washington University inSt. Louis. Much of her work focuses on data and memory,a post-modern response to pop-art, in a series entitled“Ghost in the Machine.” But she is a wild creature andwanders wherever her imagination leads. Previous clientsinclude: The Times, Oprah Magazine, MAXIM, LevisStrauss & Co., Hermes, and RayBan.

From Trash to ArtAn Artistic Representation of History & FameThrough the Tapes of Erika Simmons

Audrey Graceful

By Mariejoe J. Raidy

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Waste & Art

Mariejoe J. Raidy: The art piecesyou produce are made out ofrecycled tapes which are no longerin use today. Instead of throwing theold technology away, you decidedto look at them with a different eye,add your personal touch to them,turn them into an artistic mediumand recycle them into outstandingart pieces. Where and how did theinspiration come from?Erika Simmons: I started using thetapes as a medium because I amfascinated with data and howtechnology had evolved to capture amoment - be it on film, in music onthe tapes, or even recorded on sheetmusic. We are always trying to catchthat firefly in a bottle to re-tell a story.

The Birds

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MJ.R.: You are a self taught artistwith a Russian degree fromWashington University in St. Louis.Your work focuses on data andmemory, a post-modern responseto pop-art, through which yourepresent iconic figures from thetimes where 8mm film, VHS tapesand cassette tapes were still in use.From Jimi Hendrix, to AudreyGraceful, to the stars of Pulp Fictionand many more. You immortalize amoment in history through the eyesof your tapes. Where did thisinspiration come from and how wasit created?E.S.: The inspiration came fromreading a lot and trying to tell a storyof how we relate to technology andpop culture. I love that people canimagine holding these real objects intheir hands and remembering maybemaking mix-tapes or recording onold VHS tapes. It makes it verypersonal for the viewer and I get a lotof emails from people relating howtheir memories come right backwhen they see the artwork. ❮

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Waste & Art

Royale with Cheese

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Jimi Hendrix

Bob Dylan

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Waste & Art

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MJ.R.: In 2010, you collaboratedwith director Ethan Lader to helpproduce a music video for the song“Just the Way you are” by BrunoMars, a video which received over300 millions views on YouTube! Howwas this experience?E.S.: This experience was fantastic - Iwas very lucky to collaborate with ateam of very talented people who didamazing work. And the outpouringof fan support afterwards wasincredible. I am grateful to Ethan andBruno Mars as well, I’m very happywith how it turned out.

MJ.R.: You were recently honoredthe official Artist for 2013 GrammyAward. How does people’s positive

response and love for your art makeyou feel, knowing that you are anavant-gardist with yourexperimental medium, and beingone of the first people to venture in anew path makes it impossible toknow how the impact is going to bebeforehand? E.S.: Of course I’m honored thatpeople respond to what I make - itsthe dream of any artist to be able todo what you love and share it. Thebest part for me is exploring theunknown and sometimes thingswork and sometimes they don’t - butthat’s life. I could never sit at my deskand make the same thing over andover. People change and evolve andI hope that my art reflects that. ❮

John Lennon

Waste & Art

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The Clash

MJ.R.: Why tapes?E.S.: I like tapes as a mediumbecause they have so manyemotional connotations for peoplewho grew up at that time. And thereare rich metaphors (besides the coolphysical textures) to play with. I’m stilldiscovering new ways to use them.

MJ.R.: What’s next?E.S.: I’ll always make art with thetapes, but now I’m exploring artcreated out of old sheet music -where the designs reflect the moodand themes in the music. I’m alsoexperimenting with popped balloons- it might sound crazy but its lookingfantastic. I hope to share lots of newmarvelous work soon!

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Alan Turing

AROUND THE WORLDIN PHOTOSAERIAL DARFUR

Photos by Diego Fernandez Gabaldon

Kabkabiya, NorthDarfur, destination ofthousands ofInternally DisplacedPersons (IDPs) duringthe conflict.

Misfortune beset Sudan once again in 2003. The ill-fatedsuccession of events that developed in Darfur left thousands ofpeople dead and even more homeless. Families torn apart,orphaned children, the drama of malnutrition and the appallingundermining of human dignity and self-respect have been sincepart of day-to-day reality in Darfur. Diego Fernandez Gabaldon, is ahumanitarian worker with the United Nations World FoodProgramme (WFP) currently based in Nairobi, Kenya. Theseimages were taken while serving in Darfur between 2004 and 2007.

AERIAL DARFUR

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Darfur Crisis, 10 Years On

Darfur is a region in Sudan the size ofFrance. It is home to about 6 millionpeople from nearly 100 tribes. Somenomads, some farmers, and allMuslims. In 1989, General OmarBashir took control of Sudan bymilitary coup, which then allowedThe National Islamic Frontgovernment to inflame regionaltensions. In a struggle for politicalcontrol of the area, weapons pouredinto Darfur. Conflicts increasedbetween African farmers and manynomadic Arab tribes.In 2003, two Darfuri rebelmovements- the Sudan LiberationArmy (SLA) and the Justice andEquality Movement (JEM)- took uparms against the Sudanesegovernment, complaining about themarginalization of the area and thefailure to protect sedentary peoplefrom attacks by nomads. Thegovernment of Sudan responded byunleashing Arab militias known asJanjaweed, or “devils onhorseback”. Sudanese forces andJanjaweed militia attacked hundredsof villages throughout Darfur. Over400 villages were completelydestroyed and millions of civilianswere forced to flee their homes.In the ongoing genocide, Africanfarmers and others in Darfur arebeing systematically displaced andmurdered at the hands of theJanjaweed. The genocide in Darfurhas claimed 400,000 lives anddisplaced over 2,500,000 people.More than one hundred people ❮


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Kalma camp. Located nearNyala (South Darfur) witharound 100,000 estimatedresidents was one of thelargest IDP camps in Darfur.

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Day to daylife in Darfur.Competinglivelihoodsystemshave led toconflict overnaturalresourcesamongstpastorlistsand farmers.The conflictin Darfur hasbeen on-going since2004, andcontinuestoday.

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continue to die each day; fivethousand die every month. TheSudanese government disputesthese estimates and denies anyconnection with the Janjaweed. The Sudanese governmentappears unwilling to address thehuman rights crisis in the regionand has not taken the necessarysteps to restrict the activities of theJanjaweed. In June 2005, theInternational Criminal Court (ICC)took the first step in endingimpunity in Darfur by launchinginvestigations into human rightsviolations in Darfur. However, thegovernment of Sudan refused tocooperate with the investigations.On March 4, 2009 SudanesePresident Omar al Bashir, becamethe first sitting president to beindicted by ICC for directing acampaign of mass killing, rape,and pillage against civilians inDarfur. The arrest warrant forBashir follows arrest warrantsissued by the ICC for formerSudanese Minister of State for theInterior Ahmad Harun andJanjaweed militia leader AliKushayb. The government ofSudan has not surrendered eithersuspect to the ICC. Darfuris today continue to sufferand the innumerable problemsfacing Sudan cannot be resolveduntil peace is secured in Darfur.According to UN estimates, 2.7million Darfuris remain in internallydisplaced persons camps andover 4.7 million Darfuris rely onhumanitarian aid. Resolving theDarfur conflict is critical not just forthe people of Darfur, but also forthe future of Sudan and thestability of the entire region.

Around the World in Photos

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More than a decade after thestart of the Darfur conflict inSudan, over 2.4 million peoplestill live in camps. Some300,000 remain in campsacross the border in easternChad, reluctant to returnhome because of ongoinginsecurity, loss of propertyand fear of oppression. Theserefugees remain dependenton humanitarian aid forsurvival — but as the world’sattention gradually fades,thousands more Darfuris arefleeing new violence.

Around the World in Photos

Darfur villages. Due to thesecurity situation and poorroad conditions,humanitarian workers inDarfur relied on air travel todeliver assistance.

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TheInternationalRescueCommitteeaids 84,000Darfurirefugees inthree camps ineastern Chadand offersservices to33,000Chadians livingnearby. TheIRC runsschools, healthcenters andwater andsanitationprograms inthe camps.

Wadis(seasonalrivers) duringthe rainyseason. Theseseasonal riversmake travel inDarfur moredifficult androads becomeimpassable.

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A differentDarfur, SouthDarfur duringthe rainyseason.

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Roadconditions andinsecurity arethe mainchallenges totransportcommoditiesboth for tradersandhumanitarianagencies.

ECOTOURISM

Magazine

Botswana & Zimbabwe...........................................106

By Gabriella PorelliPhotos by Laetitia Tyan

Ecotourism in Lebanon..........................................126


Bolivia TourismGoes Green........................................132

By Martin Zoller

“We need the tonic ofwildness...At the same time thatwe are earnest to explore andlearn all things, we require that allthings be mysterious andunexplorable, that land and sea beindefinitely wild, unsurveyed andunfathomed by us becauseunfathomable. We can never haveenough of nature.” -Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or,Life in the Woods

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Ecotourism

A journey to the Okavango Delta –deep into Africa’s untouched interior– is like no other. Moving fromwetland to the Dryland – traversingthe meandering palm and papyrusfringed waterways, passing palm-fringed islands, and thick woodland,resplendent with lush vegetation, andrich in wildlife – reveals the manyfacets of this unique ecosystem. It isthe largest intact delta in the world. ❮

Being one of the of the mostsought after wildernessdestinations in the world, theOkavango Delta shows the wildAfrica of our dreams; the heart-stopping excitement of biggame viewing, the supremetranquility and serenity of anuntouched delta, and evocativescenes of extraordinary naturalbeauty.

Botswana &ZimbabweFrom the OkavangoDelta to the Victoria FallsA Journey Like no Other

By Gabriella PorelliPhotos by Laetitia Tyan

The Okavango Delta is situated deepwithin the Kalahari Basin, and is oftenreferred to as the ‘jewel’ of theKalahari.That the Okavango exists at all –deep within this thirstland – seemsremarkable. Shaped like a fan, theDelta is fed by the Okavango River,the third largest in southern Africa. Ithas been steadily developed over themillennia by millions of tonnes of sandcarried down the river from Angola.Swollen with floodwaters from thesummer rains, the Okavango Rivertravels from the Angolan highlands,crosses into Botswana at Mohemboin the Caprivi, then later spills over thevast, fan-shaped Delta. The timing ofthe floods is uncanny. Just as thewaters from Botswana’s summerrains disappear (April, May), thefloodwaters begin their journey –1300 kilometres of which is throughKalahari sands – revitalizing a vastand remarkably diverse ecosystem ofplant and animal life. ❮


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faults, and regularly experiences landmovements, tremors and minorquakes. By the time the waterreaches Maun, at the Delta’ssouthern fringes, its volume is afraction of what it was. As little as 2 to3 percent of the water reaches the

Thamalakane River in Maun, and over95 percent is lost to evapo-transpiration. Although, the flowdoesn't stop in Maun, it may continueeast to the Boteti River, to fill Lake Xauor the Makgadikgadi Pans, or drainwest to Lake River to fill Lake Ngami. ❮

The water’s flow, distribution anddrainage patterns are continuallychanging, principally due to tectonicactivity underground. As anextension of Africa’s Great Rift Valley,the Okavango is set within ageographically unstable area of

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The Okavango is aproposed World HeritageSite. Its long-termconservation is ensuredthrough government policyand regulations (thoughonly Moremi GameReserve has an officialprotected status), theefforts and initiatives ofcamps and lodges in itsconcessions, the recentlylaunched OkavangoDevelopmentManagement Plan(ODMP), and its status as aRamsar site under IUCN,an agreement that limits itsutilization anddevelopment.

There Are Three MainGeographical Areas

- The Panhandle- The Delta- The DrylandThe Panhandle begins at theOkavango’s northern reaches, atMohembo, extending down forapproximately 80 kilometres. Itscorridor-like shape is containedwithin two parallel faults in the Earth’scrust. Here the river runs deep andwide and the swamps are perenniallyflooded. The dominant vegetation isvast papyrus beds and large standsof phoenix palms. The main touristattractions of the Panhandle arefishing, birding and visiting thecolourful villages that line its westernfringes.At Seronga, the fan-shaped Deltaemerges, and the waters spill overthe Delta, rejuvenating the landscape and creating stunning mosaics ofchannels, lagoons, ox-bow lakes,flooded grasslands and thousandsupon thousands of islands of an ❮

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endless variety of shapes and sizes.Many of the smaller islands aregrandiose termitaria built by fungus-growing termites, one of 400 termitespecies in Africa, whose fantasticstructures are a source of refuge andfood for many animals.The Delta region of the Okavangocan vary in size from 15 000 squarekilometres during drier periods, to astaggering 22 000 square kilometresduring wetter periods. Its dominantplant species are Reeds, MokolwanePalms, Acacia, Sycamore Fig,Sausage Trees, Raintrees and AfricanMangosteen.At the Delta’s lower reaches, the

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perennial swamps give way toseasonal swamps and floodedgrasslands. To the southeast the thirdvegetation region becomes evident, asit changes to true the Dryland. Thereare three major land masses here: theMatsebi Ridge, Chief’s Island and theMoremi tongue. Here the vegetation ispredominantly Mophane, Acacia andScrub Bush. Moreover, the land isdotted with pans. It is to this regionthat large numbers of mammalsretreat during the dry winter months.Major tourist attractions in the Deltaand the Dryland areas are gameviewing, birding and boating, often inthe traditional mokoro. The diversityand numbers of animals and birdscan be staggering. A recent overviewof the Okavango records 122 speciesof mammals, 71 species of fish, 444species of birds, 64 species ofreptiles and 1300 species of floweringplants. A successful rhinoreintroduction programme in theOkavango now puts the population ofWhite Rhino at approximately 35, andBlack Rhino at 4. ❮

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Zimbawe: Victoria Falls aFascinating Place

Victoria Falls also known as "Mosi oa-Tunya" ("the smoke that thunders") ispositioned almost exactly half wayalong the mighty Zambezi River's, a2700 km journey from it's source tothe sea.Here the river plunges headlong intoa 100m vertical chasm spanning thefull one-and-a-half kilometre width ofthe river.

Creating the biggest curtain of fallingwater in the world and also one of theseven natural wonders of the world.The power of the falls is awesome,with the highest ever flow recordedwhen it reached more than 700 000cubic meters of water a minute. Thewater in the Gorges rose 18 metres(60 feet) above its normal flood level.This constant pounding by thecurrents of the mighty Zambezi has,over the millennium, cut through therock faults and fissures, and carved ❮

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Facts:

-The Zambezi is the fourthlongest river in Africa, thethree larger are the Nile,Congo, and Niger. -The Zambezi flows throughsix countries, Zambia,Angola, Namibia, Botswana,Zimbabwe and Mozambique.-Victoria Falls lies almostdirectly half way along theZambezi River in its 1677miles stretch from its sourceto the sea. -Victoria Falls isapproximately 5577 feet wideand varies in height from 262-304 feet, and when alldimensions are taken intoaccount along with flow rate itis considered to be thebiggest curtain of water in theworld.- Victoria Falls is one of theso-called seven naturalwonders of the world, theothers are: the GrandCanyon, the Great BarrierReef, the Harbour of Rio deJaneiro, Mount Everest, thePolar Aurora and the Paricutinvolcano. -Because of the spray ofVictoria Falls the Rain Forestat Victoria Falls is the onlyplace in the world where itrains 24 hours a day 7 days aweek. -Before being named ‘VictoriaFalls’ in 1855 by DavidLivingstone, the waterfall wasknown to the local tribesmenas the Mosi-oa-tunyatranslated as ‘Smoke thatThunders.’ -During a full moon it ispossible to see a ‘moonbow’at Victoria Falls at night, thisoccurs in the spray of the fallsfrom the light of the moon andappears in the same way as asolar rainbow in the day withthe same colours and shape. - Between September andDecember, and the river'sflow is at a safe enough level,it is possible to swim right tothe edge of the Victoria falls ina naturally formed poolknown as ‘the Devil’sswimming pool’. In this timethe natural rock wall preventsswimmers from being takenover the falls despite thecurrent.

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out not one but eight successiveprecipices. When our early ancestorsinhabited this area some 1.5 millionyears ago , they would have seen adifferent Victoria falls to the one wesee today.Being one of the greatest physicalspectacles in Africa, it stands toreason that it has attracted so muchinterest over time and therefore thearea is steeped in history andmystery.In November 1855, Dr DavidLivingstone was transported in acanoe by the local Makalolo peopleto the very edge of these falls.The sensitive Scotsman was sooverwhelmed by his first sight ofthese spectacular falls, that hemomentarily abandoned his scientificobservations and recorded:"It has never been seen before byEuropean eyes, but scenes sowonderful must have been gazedupon by angels in their flight".Loyally, the good missionary, whoseheart lies buried in Africa, named thisgreat wonder of the world afterVictoria, his British queen.


Ecotourism in LebanonTrends, Developments & Missed Opportunities

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Ecotourism first emerged in Lebanonin the mid-90s, when the countrywas still reeling from the 15-year civilwar. “Lebanese people did not knowtheir own country after all these yearsof war,” Serge Soued of LebaneseAdventure, a local Ecotourismoperator founded in 1997, explains. “The sector has witnessed greatdevelopments from 1996 until today,”Mark Aoun of Vamos Todos, anEcotourism club established in 2006,explains further. Aoun underlines therole of clubs as conduits for the

growth and popularity of Ecotourismin Lebanon. “At the beginning, itattracted Europeans who visitedLebanon to participate in Ecotourismactivities. Today however, Lebanesepeople have become much moreaware of it and enjoy Ecotourismevents. The many clubs have helpedthe expansion of Ecotourism inLebanon.”“Ecotourism was not well defined atthat time,” Soued says in retrospect.“All non-traditional tourism activitiesinvolving nature were put under the

Large posters showcasingLebanon’s rich heritagewelcome travelers arriving atRafic Hariri InternationalAirport. Roman archeologicalsites such as Baalbeck’smagnificent ruins, quaintfishing towns like Byblos orBatroun and Lebanesemountain villages featureprominently; most ofLebanon’s natural wondersand particularly Ecotourismdestinations, however, don’t.

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umbrella of Ecotourism. Outdoorsactivities became a trend and itcreated a new market. The good sideof it is that Lebanese peoplediscovered their country and becamemore aware of their natural heritage.” The price nature paid for these newdiscoveries was, and often still is,high. Soued concedes that this newmarket opened the way for many badpractices such as uncontrolled 4x4driving, skidoo, quad biking, andmore, undertaken disregarding thedamage this could cause to flora and

fauna and local populations. Asked to categorize ecotourists,Zeina Haddad, the Ministry ofTourism’s (MoT) head of grottosdepartment who has been taskedwith following sustainable tourismprojects at the MoT, replies that eco-tourists are a diverse mix of people,including Lebanese who havetravelled and deem Ecotourism astrendy. “It shifted over the years tobecome 60% locals, 30% foreignexpat and 10% tourists,” Souedreports.

In Aoun’s experience, “The bigmajority, if not all (eco-tourists), arewell-educated, 70% to 80% areyoung, and varying between 25 and45 years. Locals represent more than80% of the participants and theirpercentage increased a lot over theyears. As for the number offoreigners, it increases anddecreases in accordance with thesecurity situation.”Ecovillage, a pioneering effortsituated in the Chouf offers a placefor educational Ecotourism, and

Ecotourism is about unitingconservation, communities, andsustainable travel.

allows visitors to learn about theenvironment, organic agriculture andhealthy living in a pristine setting. “Wemake sure that our visitorsunderstand what sustainability andecology are through tours in thevillage and educational games,” co-founder Karim Al-Khatib explains.“We had 4,000 visitors of which2,000 were students in 2012.” Lebanese Adventure mainly focuseson nature activities, mixing thecultural aspects with fun. “Ouractivities are based on respect for

nature and protection as well asgiving support to local communitieswe visit,” Soued says. Nature programs geared at schools(white and green classes) featureamong Lebanese Adventure’s recentprojects. Over the years, it hasconducted tourism studies in Ehmejand Hammana, where the firstcanoeing site in the area waslaunched. “We were the firstcompany to introduce biking as ameans to visit villages in the Beka’a,”Soued adds. The company took part


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in designing sites such as Hima KfarZabad near Aanjar and Hima Ebel elSaqi in Nabatiye.“More than 6,000 people had theirfirst Ecotourism activity with us,”Aoun says referring to Vamos Todos.“We embarked on several projects,from forestation, to cleaning, andorganizing awareness campaigns.We usually organize weekly activities,with more than 50 persons attending.We are giving more attention toawareness campaigns and trying tosee what possible Ecotourism

Villagers can guide visitors, peoplewho are going to nature are receptiveto engaging and learning from localcommunities. We have to have theseconversations. And not always havean operator in between them.” Ecovillage’s Khatib suggests that theindustry may have developed in thewrong way. “The majority of Lebanese that live inLebanon don’t really like nature orthey do but in their own way. The market has developed by seeingmany new hiking groups, trails andhousing.”Nemer puts forward that Ecotourismneeds to be inclusive of all aspects ofeco-rural development, which shouldtake place in the different regions ofLebanon and ensure that localpeople are integrated. “The problemwith Ecotourism in Lebanon is thatthese small enterprises, are alloffering the same, they more or lessadapt nature to the Lebanese way,that’s not what’s meant byEcotourism.”The solution for Nemer lies in goingthrough the MoT, which should setup a charter and identify sites. Therewould need to be mechanisms toimplement, monitor and ensure thatthe communities are finally benefittingand not all the benefit goes tocompanies.In the absence of nationally bindingguidelines, operators have made uptheir own. The five guidelinesEcovillage follows include organicagriculture, people involved in theproject living on site, all constructionsto be entirely built using sustainablebuilding methods, producing andexclusively using renewable energy,an on-site wastewater treatmentfacility, and running an educationalprogram with visitors. “Visitors shouldleave the place with more knowledgeof nature, ecology and local culture,”Khatib explains.The three pillars on which Soued

qualifications in Lebanon need to beaddressed.” The International EcotourismSociety’s definition of Ecotourism is“Responsible travel to natural areasthat conserves the environment andimproves the well-being of localpeople. Ecotourism is about unitingconservation, communities, andsustainable travel. This means thatthose who implement and participatein Ecotourism activities should followthe following Ecotourism principles:- Minimize impact.- Build environmental and culturalawareness and respect.

- Provide positive experiences forboth visitors and hosts.

- Provide direct financial benefits forconservation.

- Provide financial benefits andempowerment for local people.

- Raise sensitivity to host countries’political, environmental, and socialclimate.

“In Lebanon Ecotourism means yougo out into nature, you do a smallhike and then you have something toeat. This is what Ecotourismtranslates to for most Lebanese andthis is mainly why Ecotourism is notadvancing too much,” entomologistand environmental expert Dr NabilNemer, who serves on thecommittees of two nature reservesand is involved in a project thatprovides support to Lebanon’snature reserves, points out. “Weneed to challenge the Lebanesementality – to eat in a restaurant in avillage that’s not Ecotourism.” “There is potential, given that the newgeneration of Lebanese do not like tobe in the cities, especially with highpollution and traffic jams. We needmore tranquility and nature. We can’tfind that anymore, neither in the citynor along the coast. The potential isclearly there but it needs to be guidedand not at the expense of villagersand nature.

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explains. Lebanon now has thisalternative lodging, you can stay inguesthouses and youth hostels,and even monasteries are open tovisitors.” Speaking of the MoT, Aoun arguesthat the ministry should supportprofessional Ecotourism and createa department to be in charge ofEcotourism in Lebanon. “TheMinistry of Tourism should regulatethe sector, I guess,” Soued argues.“A group of us (four Ecotourismoperators) proposed to the Ministryof Tourism to regulate this new kindof tourism but ... ”While Khatib feels that the MoTshould supervise and categorizewhich project and organization doesEcotourism and who does notcomply, Haddad is concernedabout the fact that there are moreoperators than ever before but notall offer what can be labeled asEcotourism. “Lebanon’s tourism has now to shiftfrom a tourism that is centered onancient sites to one that includes allthe neglected natural sites,” Nemersuggests. “There’s huge potentialbut I think it will also help in attractingpeople to come again. We have toselect our customers, noteverybody wants to be in Beirut, orin nightclubs. Ecotourism is a globaltrend. We need to advertise ournatural heritage!”Nearly two decades sinceEcotourism first took off in Lebanonand over a decade since Quebec, acomprehensive vision and strategyshould have emerged, ensuring allstakeholder interests are met. TheMoT should certainly be key inensuring that the opportunitiesEcotourism holds in Lebanon aretapped into and activities run in asustainable and equitable manner sothat the country’s natural heritage isprotected for future generations.


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rests his company’s core principlesare nature and protection of theenvironment, interpretation(explanation of what is visited) andbenefits for local communities. Lebanese Adventure has developedHammana as an adventuredestination, promoted Ehmej as adestination and worked with ruralcooperatives. “We’ve organizedmany activities with more than 50women associations in the country.These had a very positive impact,especially for women in remotevillages who get to help their familiesthis way.” Vamos Todos has alsoinitiated successful awareness andeducational initiatives. The approaches to andinterpretations of what Ecotourismentails may differ but there is broadconsensus about the need forguidelines. For Khatib, Ecotourismalso holds the potential to preserveLebanon’s natural heritage. “In our strategy it is one of our goalsto be leading in Ecotourism andsustainable tourism in the region,”says Haddad. “Lebanon has theresources to do that, it has naturereserves, biospheres, and protectedareas such as forests. Lebanon is asource of rich, green areas. Since2002, people are increasingly awareabout Ecotourism, responsible andrural tourism. They ask themselves:why not visit our home country?”Haddad argues that the EcotourismConference held in Quebec in 2002,the year of Ecotourism, was a turningpoint. “Many meetings were held,following up to Quebec in order towork on Ecotourism.” One of the recent efforts undertakenby the MoT is the GuesthouseDecree that aims at helping locals totransform their houses intoguesthouses. “Around the LebanonMountain Trail (LMT) alone there arearound 35 guest houses,” Haddad

The approaches to andinterpretations of whatEcotourism entails may differbut there is broad consensusabout the need for guidelines.For Khatib, Ecotourism alsoholds the potential to preserveLebanon’s natural heritage.

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We’veorganized manyactivities withmore than 50womenassociations inthe country.These had avery positiveimpact,especially forwomen inremote villageswho get to helptheir familiesthis way.

Altiplano

Since it’s independence from Spain, Bolivia became famous forit’s almost uncountable numbers of coups d’état. Political andeconomical stability was as unfruitful as growing papaya in thehighlands of the Bolivian Altiplano. These facts made it very hardfor both local and international investors, entrepreneurs andstartups to even think of alternative technologies, infrastructure ortourism as an opportunity in Bolivia.

Bolivia TourismGoes Green

ByMartin Zoller

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However, since Evo Morales came topower in 2005, things have changedin many aspects for the country.Whether you agree with his politics ornot, there has been much progressespecially in ecological tourism.Eco-Lodges, boutique travelagencies, organic food and holistichealth centers are popping up likemushrooms all around the country.I have been living and travelingthrough Bolivia for over 20 years. In allmy travels, I have never seen suchquick progress in such a small time.Within the last four to five years, anew vision has come to Bolivia.Without any doubt, Evo Morales, thefirst Indigenous President of Bolivia,helped to create this mentality. Whenhe came into power, he celebratedwith traditional indigenous ritualsinstead of the postcolonial tradition.He speaks a lot of PACHAMAMA ormother earth and respects the powerof nature and its energies. Over the last couple of weeks, mywife and I guided a group of 16tourists from Switzerland andGermany through the highlands ofBolivia and Peru. Our goal was toallow our “guests” to discoverBolivia’s old and new magic. Wetraveled on a “green” path,

respecting not only traditions butalso ecological rules. One of the highlights was a bike tourof the world famous “Death Road”or Camino de las Yungas. Startingfrom almost 4700 meters above sealevel, we biked down to 1200meters. The trip began in the cold,snow peaked mountains and endedin the tropical jungle. Besides thepumping adrenaline you get fromthe ride, you cannot help but feel theconnection to and devotion towardsnature and all its power.After finishing the trip down “DeathRoad,” (don’t worry, it is not as badas it sounds. The road is now closedfor public transport since a new,modern road was opened someyears ago) we got our first sightingof the largest lung of the world, theAmazonas. We did not have to waitlong before being introduced to thenext ecological surprise. Our guidesbrought us for lunch and a tour at“Senda Verde”.Senda Verde is a private foundation,supported by volunteers from allaround the world. The foundationtakes care of wild animals that wereinjured by humans or little puppiesand cubs whose parents were killedby hunters or in accidents.


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dna lacol ynaMstnemnrevog lanoitan

neerg gnitroppus eraekiL .tnempoleved

,seirtnuoc rehtosi msiruot s’aiviloB

eht tub ,gniworg llitsa ni gniog si yrtnuoc

evitisop yrevlarutan s’tI .noitceridegatireh larutluc dnadnuorg taerg a sreffo

)neerg( rehtruf rof.snoitarolpxe

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Crocodiles, monkeys, snakes andall kind of birds are living in thisparadise and receive a secondchance in life. In the restaurant there, you will findtwo kinds of menus:One lists food options and theother shows how much money ittakes to feed the animals for 3 daysor more. The first menu serves foryour own stomach; the secondgives you the chance to donatemoney that will be used to fill theanimal’s stomach. Back on the Altiplano, you feel likeyou are on a different planet butwith the same magic that radiatesfrom the Amazon. There you willfind a very well taken care ofcultural heritage, located at 4000meters above sea level, the worldfamous city of Tiwanaku. Pre-Incan

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ruins with two nice museums andseveral shops that sell indigenoushandmade crafts make this trip aunique experience. Each year, on the

solstice on June 21st, Shamans,Indians from tribes all around theworld, and tourists from all culturescome to take part in the festivities. On

that special night, people sleep intents, cook on open fires andcelebrate in music and dances frommany different cultural backgrounds.

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Tiwanaku can be reached fromBolivia’s “capital,” La Paz, by car inless than three hours. Bolivia actually has two capitals:

Sucre, the historical capital and LaPaz, the political capital. At thebeginning of his first legislative, EvoMorales made some efforts to bring

full power back to Sucre. Not far away from Tiwanaku, we findLake Titicaca (Spanish: LagoTiticaca). The lake has borders with ❮

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Bolivia and Peru. By volume ofwater, it is the largest lake in SouthAmerica. For Mysticals, the lake is avery special place. Its energy

attracts people from all around theworld who come to meditate andconnect to the magical energy ofthis unique spot.

Not more than 10 years ago, theBolivian side of the lake was still verypoorly developed. Comfortablehotels were very rare and the

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infrastructure was almostnonexistent. Today, things arecompletely different. Copacabana,the main town on the Bolivian side

of the lake, became a tourist friendlyplace. The indigenous people around thelake and on the islands close to the

main island organized themselves inlittle cooperation’s, offering healthyand ecological services. Upon visiting Moon Island (Isla de la ❮

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Luna) and Sun Island (Isla del Sol),you may be surprised by the Eco-Lodges found there. Their hosts,friendly indigenous locals, offerexcellent services, clean roomsand very good traditional food.One of these is the “Inca SamaEco Lodge” on Sun Island. This isa hidden gem in the middle ofnowhere. Once you are there youwill not want to leave.Close to Copacabana, we visitedartificial floating islands. Again,local families built them, sharingwork and income from tourism.They quickly learned that takingcare of mother earth not only givesthem a better future, but alsocreates an income by attractingtourists looking for healthy andecological tourism.

ECO-LIVINGENVIRONMENT & HEALTH

Magazine

Marijuana: Addictive orMedicinal?..........................................144

By Zeina Ghossoub El Asswad

World Champion Twice in a Row.................................................148

By Sherine Bouez

“What we are doing to the forestsof the world is but a mirrorreflection of what we are doing toourselves and to one another.” - Mahatma Gandhi

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If you have heard of drugs, then you have probablyheard of Marijuana. Marijuana is one of the mostwidely used drugs in the world. It comes from theplant, Cannabis Sativa and in its many forms, is alsoknown as Hashish. Marijuana's use has declined overthe past two to three decades, but recently its use hasseen a rise. Several factors contributed to this rise, including the perceived lack of risk, the ease ofpurchase, the ubiquitous presence worldwide, therelative ease of culturing it and its abundance. Ofcourse, its effects as a drug are what keep peoplehooked. This drug is usually smoked as a cigaretteroll, but it can also be mixed with food, smoked in apipe/ water pipe, or even brewed as a tea.

Eco-Living

ByZeina Ghossoub el Asswad

Marijuana: Addictive or Medicinal?Conceptions and Misconceptions ofMarijuana Use

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Marijuana Use Facts: *

- The Department of Health andHuman Services in the UnitedStates reported that the averageage of first-time users in 1999 was16.4 years. Recent studies showed that 6.5%of high school seniors smokeMarijuana on a daily basis. 23 % ofthem said they smoked in themonth prior to the survey and justover 36 % said they smoked withinthe previous year. Among 10thgraders, 3.5 % said they useMarijuana daily, 17 % smoked inthe previous month and 28 % in thepast year.

- Over the past 15 years, theconcentration level of THC(The main psychoactive substancein today’s Marijuana; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or “THC”)has more than doubled which mayexplain why we’ve seen a prettydramatic increase in admission toemergency rooms and treatmentprograms for Marijuana.

- About 1 in 6 teens will becomeaddicted to Marijuana.

- Marijuana has been shown to leadto heart irregularities, palpitationsand arrhythmias.

- People who don’t smokecigarettes but who use marijuanaregularly tend to have more healthproblems that keep them out ofwork (primarily due to respiratoryillnesses) than do non-smokers.

- Marijuana exposure at a youngage changes the trajectory of braindevelopment, especially in thefrontal cortex white matter.

- A study of 50,000 motorists foundthose who smoked Marijuanawithin three hours of driving hadtwice as many car accidents whencompared to those who weresober. In another study, a third ofdrivers who were fatally injuredtested positive for drugs, withMarijuana at the top of the list.

* By Vivian Diller, Ph.D.psychologist in private practice inNew York City, for the HuffingtonPost;“Teen Marijuana Use:How Concerned Should We Be?”


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The next obvious question is, whydoes it attract so many people, andhow does it affect us? SmokingMarijuana introduces a chemical intoour blood called THC. THC travels tothe brain and acts on receptorsknown as Cannabinoid receptors.There are chemicals in the brain thatare very similar to Marijuana whichstimulate this center. Marijuanaoverstimulates this receptor, which isfound in areas of the brain such asmemory, thinking, pleasure,concentration and coordination.Whereas the initial effect may beoverstimulating, the true effectcomes after, where studies haveshown that people who chronicallyabuse Marijuana are less satisfiedwith life. They have a higher rate offailure in school, work and life ingeneral. They tend to have poorerphysical health and more relationshipproblems. There are negativeconsequences on the structure andfunction of the brain, where allaspects of the areas mentionedabove are compromised anddegraded with time. It is shown thatIQ’s drop, memories fail and the

connections are lost in the brain. Asfar as the effect on health, Marijuanaraises the heart rate for about threehours after use. The increase can besignificant and dangerous. It also hasthe same negative effects on thelungs as cigarette smoking does,sometimes even worse. Marijuanaabuse can cause psychiatricproblems. It has also been linked tocyclic vomiting syndrome along withother gastrointestinal problems. Ithas been associated with certaincancers, some very aggressive suchas male testicular cancers. With all of this and the potential forabuse, is there really a place for it as atherapeutic or medicinal compound?Well, that is debatable. It has beenused for pain and nausea control inpatients with cancer and HIV/AIDS.However, there are no concretestudies to show its true benefits, thatis why it has not been regulated orlegalized yet, as other medical drugshave. The benefits, as far as researchis concerned, still do not outweighthe risks. Further, Marijuanaproduction is not controlled, thereforeeach batch or preparation can and

does produce a different mixturewhich cannot be accounted for.Adverse reactions may occur to theway it is prepared and with what it ismixed with. So doctors are naturallyweary of prescribing it. The bottom line is, Marijuana is a drug.It has measurable and predictableeffects on the brain and the bodywhich often leave people sick,debilitated and compromised. Is therea place for it as a formal treatment?The answer is maybe. So far, thatclaim cannot be made, yet the futurecould hold a different answer.Legalizing it or not is a question forcountries, governments and people,and that is an ongoing debate.

Medical Marijuana Facts *

- Smoking cannabisintroduces a number ofpotential problems. Thecomplex makeup ofcannabis that containsabout 80 bioactivesubstances means that thedesired anticancer effectmay be lost because thesecompounds may interferewith each other. The heat ofthe burning destroys theuseful nature of itscompounds.

- Compounds derived fromMarijuana that do not causethe “high” associated withits THC ingredient- whenapplied alone, displayed a“diverse range oftherapeutic qualities” that“target and switch off”pathways that allow cancersto grow.

* By Dr. Wai Liu,oncologist at St. George’sUniversity of London,for the HuffingtonPost;“Marijuana CompoundsCan Kill Some Cancer Cells:Study”

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BySherine Bouez

World ChampionTwice in a RowGold Medalist at Heart

The wind blew throughthe leaves, a soothingsound that echoedthroughout the seasons,and through AvedisSeropian’s heart. Twoyears had passed sincethe last internationalTaijiquan competition,held in Wudang, China,where he had earned thetitle of Taijiquan WorldChampion.Chinese students execute Taiji Quan

in the morning in Shanghai

Eco-LivingEnvironment & Health

Inside our bodies ourorgans are tightly‘knit’, as if huggingone another. Theparts are creating thewhole. In fact, we aremuch more than thesum of our parts,since by creatinginternal harmony weare creating higherstates ofconsciousness andawareness. Similarly,the environment wasnaturally made ofwater hugging theearth, wind caressingthe trees, and a longchain of intertwinedelements. Now,artificial additionsresult in a state ofisolation, built out of steel.

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From branch to branch and up into awhirlwind, nature’s debris flew highand hit the ground, being shreddedalong the way into a million pieces.Nature’s perfect workings stood thetest of time. The revered Four Tigers,living Grand Masters and keepers ofthe Taijiquan ancestry throughout theworld, watched closely in Jiaozuoprovince, China, to assess hisperformances at the biggestTaijiquan competition to ever takeplace, the Taijiquan Exchange,before awarding him the Gold Medal.Avedis became second timeTaijiquan World Champion onAugust 19th, 2013 up against 3482

participants including countlessChinese schools of mastery,rendering him now eligible for the titleof Master in Internal Martial Arts.He stilled himself in this flowingbreeze, as if the surrounding chaosof the stadium did not reach him,did not even recognize him. Itpassed through him like the floatingmist of the Wudang Mountains,leaving his heart’s deep peace andsweet surrender intact.It was now beating to the rhythm ofthe sky, to the brightness of light, andto the waves of the ocean, slowlyturning into subtle movements thatlooked like a flying dance, a

celebration of life: A seamlessalternation between ultimategracefulness and bursting speed,honed through unwavering trainingand determination. His gazestretched to infinity as he lookedaway, far away beyond the crowdand roaring seats, and into theinfinite horizon, to tell the tale of hisheart’s longing with every inch of hisbeing.With 20, 000 eager eyes looking onfrom the stadium, Avedis was the onlyparticipant from Lebanon and auniquely self-trained expert. He arrivedwithout a coach or a team leader, andentered the individual performances of ❮

Chinese people practicing Tai-Ji inthe early morning, in Shanghai.

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Chen style Taiji and swordperformances Taiji Jian, where otherswere at an advantage with thepossibility for partneredperformances. Witnessing hisdexterity despite all odds and difficultymoving, the 19th generation holdersof the lineage included worldrenowned Chen Xiao Wang and ChenZheng Lei, with innumerable followers,both live and virtual on the web,intransigent gatekeepers of the

spread and alignment of Taijiquan withits purest essence of practice. For the brave at heart, Avedis left hismark, like an omen to the relentlesswarrior of peace, as he splashedback into the sunlight, and into thebustling crowd.

Sherine Bouez: What is Taijiquanto you?Avedis Seropian: Taiji quan is the artof adaptation in life. When an

obstacle is too big you could take aconscious decision to just be likewater, by finding a way around it.Consider a river’s course, the waterelement takes the shape ofabsolutely any obstacle andcontinues its journey. Whereas beinghard or rigid would mean breaking atthe impact of a blow. PracticingTaijiquan teaches you to endure,never to loose heart and to take everymoment as it comes.

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S.B.: What is the mastery of thepresent moment?A.S.: To be able to make peace withthe past, and focus on the presentmoment. When you are about toaccomplish a movement that lookseasy to the naked eye but is actuallydifficult to perform, the mindset is toput all your energy into it, do it, andphysically free yourself from itbecause there is another onehappening right afterwards. Similarly,

in life it might help to envision thepositive outcome in your mind, do it,and move on without lingering on it:that’s the philosophy that we cantake from Taiji.

S.B.: What is your mindset whenyou perform?A.S.: I say to myself that this is mylast and only time to perform. I haveto show for all the training I have donealone. Every moment is precious, a

mistake or even a slight hesitationcan happen in a split second,therefore this needs an unbendingintent. A warrior of peace has aninvincible resolve, a will that hedoesn’t allow anything to break. It is aclash of seconds, time versushumanbeing, rather than two wills likein combat: Am I going to be flawlessin these 4 minutes? It is aboutcondensing all the culminatingenergy of extensive training and ❮

Environment & Health

lifestyle into a crystallized momentlived. During these few preciousseconds after the jury’s go-aheadwhistle blow, that marks thebeginning, I live all the many times Iopened my posture to begin andleverage on them to be the best I canbe. So in this aloneness, I am with300 different Avedis Seropians!

S.B.: What is a practicalapplication of this in our life?A.S.: Taiji is a doorstep to a happyway of living, in a world of chaoswhere we tend to loose our center.Creating this eternal rootedness thatdoes not obey a certain world meansthat by practicing you will find in yourbody what you don’t find in the world.Living the experience of Taiji calmsyou down and helps you better copewith your daily life. Music, dancing,and other activities are also legitimatetools for growth like Taiji. Taiji or other,the expansion of our awareness is anessential evolution to experience thequality of living.

Taiji is a wheelacknowledgingthe cycles in aperson’s lifeand in Nature.To tune into acyclicalmindset is tobe more atease in our lifeand learn fromNature’swisdom toregenerateourselves andnurture our‘living space’.

Biodiversity

Celebration of the International Day of BiodiversityMerging the Arts & Sciences to Raise Awareness on the Importance of Cultural Landscapes

By Elsa Sattout

For the second year in a row, theinitiative launched by the Faculty ofNatural and Applied Sciences atNotre Dame University celebratedthe International Day for BiologicalDiversity. The day unfolded in aceremony, during wich the winnerswere announced and theexhibition of photos, designs, andposters related to culturallandscapes was open to view.

Raising awareness about biodiversityand understanding culturallandscapes, empowers communitiesto participate publically and protectthe natural and built environment .OnMay 22, every year the UN and therest of the world highlight theimportance on the International Dayfor Biological Diversity. Over theyears, the international communityhas noticed the important need topreserve natural and culturalheritage. To do this, the WorldHeritage Convention (WHC) wasdeveloped, after the First World War,the Rio Summit was a milestone,which witnessed the birth of theConvention on Biological Diversity(CBD), and WHC became the firstinternational legal instrument torecognize and protect CulturalLandscapes.

Cultural Landscapes &Diversity: Definitions &Snapshots

To understand how CulturalLandscapes and Biological diversityaffect our lives greatly, and constitute

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as an integral part of our social,cultural and economic growth, wemust first define them. “CulturalLandscapes”embrace a diversity ofmanifestations of the interactionbetween humankind and its naturalenvironment. “Biological diversity” isdefined as the variability among allliving organisms. The first “cultural landscapes” in theMediterranean region appearedmore than 9000 years ago in theMiddle East among the Neolithicsocieties. Landscape is defined asthe area of land as perceived,experienced and lived by people,therefore the selection for thearrangement,style and materials ofthe features reflect the distinctivelifestyle of societies. Landscapeencompasses visual properties of theenvironment including the naturaland built-up environment, in additionto physical and biological resources,either visually and non-visuallyidentified. Historically, the Mediterranean basinhas witnessed the world’s earliestdevelopment of social complexityand urbanism. For many centuries,agro-sylvo-pastoral practices havedominated the region. The spatialand temporal heterogeneity in thebasin results from the confrontationof numerous phylogenetic lines andcultures over time. Lately, new socio-cultural conditions are causing theabandonment of agricultural land andthe migration to urban areas. The world is currently experiencingchanges in its natural environment

A series of lectures ran from May-27, 2013. The topics included:- “Cultural Landscapes” by Dr. LeonTelvizian (Lebanese University); - “World Heritage Convention andCultural Landscapes” by Dr. Pierre-Marie Tricaud (ICOMOSInternational Expert, France); - “Wadi Qannoubine WorldHeritage Site” by Mrs. SamarKaram (Department of Antiquities-Ministry of Culture); - “Geopark As A Tool ForSustainable Management” by Mrs.Soumaya Ayadi-Maasri (AfricanGeoprak Network in Lebanon); and - “The Contested CulturalLandscape of a Lebanese BorderTown: Marja’ayoun” by Dr. ChristineMady. The winners are as follow:- Category I: Existing & PotentialWorld Heritage Sites1st Prize: Ms. Haneen Khadaj, Ms.Marianne Khalaf, and Ms. MarianneKortbani2nd Prize: Mr. Joseph Hajal and Mr.Naji Sadaka3rd Prize: Mr. Lateef Abboud andMr. Georges Mounayar- Category II: Impact ofConstruction Sector & RestorationPractices 1st Prize: Ms. Theresa Chidiac andMr. Elie Hobeika2nd Prize: Mr. George Hamoushand Mr. Michel Hamoush3rd Prize: Mr. Julien Merheb, Mr.Leba Zrour, Mr. Jonnhy Saber, andMr. Tony Sarkis- Design Competition1st Prize: Ms. Suzane Aboul Hesn2nd Prize: Ms. Carla Hage 3rd Prize: Ms. Gina Saleh- Photography Competition1st Prize: Mr. Tony Faysal2nd Prize: Mr. Majed Michael 3rd Prize: Ms. Jinane Abi Khalil❮

that were unheard of in historic times.Population growth and urbanizationare the major reasons for thealteration of both biotic and abioticecosystem properties, even atdistances from developed areas.These factors resulted in habitatfragmentation and rapid speciesdecline. Thus, urbanization is causinga drastic decline in the culturalidentity of the landscapes which wereformed over thousands of years ofhuman interaction with nature. Theprotection of cultural landscapes cancontribute to modern techniques of

sustainable land-use and canmaintain or enhance natural values inthe landscape including biologicaldiversity.

International Day ofBiodiversity 2013Competitions & Seminars:A Visionary Approach

The aim of this initiative was tocultivate participatory practices, andbring together students andlecturers, to work in union on aspecial theme through the sharing ofknowledge. It was centered on theimportance of protecting biologicaldiversity, within the context of theexisting close relationship betweenecological and social systems. Theinteraction between both thesesystems is what we term “CulturalLandscapes.” Cultural Landscapesembrace a diversity of manifestationsof the interaction betweenhumankind and its naturalenvironment, as defined by theUNESCO World HeritageConvention.One approach aimed at wideningstudents’ vision and strengtheningtheir problem-solving and criticalthinking skills, was through a postercompetition while adoptinginterdisciplinary and multidisciplinaryapproaches. Another concept was touse artistic expressions throughdesign and photographycompetitions to invite students tolearn more about the importance ofcultural landscapes and the role weplay in shaping our natural and builtenvironments. The competitionswere launched in November, 2012, inclose partnership with the Faculty ofArchitecture, Art & Design (FAAD)and the Faculty of Engineering (FE).Orientation sessions for thoseparticipating in the postercompetitions were held betweenJanuary and April, 2013.

Raising Awareness about biodiversityand understanding cultural landscapes,empowers communities to participatepublically and protect the natural andbuilt environment.One approach aimed at wideningstudents’ vision and strengthening theirproblem-solving and critical thinkingskills through a poster competition whileadopting interdisciplinary andmultidisciplinary approaches. On May 22, every year the UN and therest of the world highlight theimportance on the International Day forBiological Diversity Over the years, theinternational community has noticed theimportant need to preserve natural andcultural heritage.

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FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS

20/22 January 2014World Future Energy Summit www.worldfutureenergysummit.comAbu Dhabi, UAE

20/22 January 2014EcoWaste Conferencewww.ecowaste.ae Abu Dhabi, UAE

20/22 January 2014International Water Summitwww.iwsabudhabi.com Abu Dhabi , UAE

28/30 January 2014Green Building Expowww.greenbuildingexpo.orgDoha, Qatar

January

22 April 2014Green Mind Award www.greenmind.me Dubai, UAE

24/25 April 2014 Sustainable Brands Riowww.sustainablebrands.comRio de Janeiro, Brazil

April

2 February 2014World Wetlands Daywww.environment.gov.auAustralia

17/18 February 2014World CSR Day www.worldcsrday.comMumbai, India

25 February 2014Business Clean Up Daywww.cleanupaustraliaday.orgAustralia

February5/7 March 2014Smart Buildings - South-EastEuropean Exhibition on BuildingAutomation and ManagementSystems www.eea.europa.euSofia, Bulgaria

5/7 March 2014Save the Planet - WasteManagement, Recycling,Environmentwww.eea.europa.euSofia, Bulgaria

5/7 March 2014 10th Energy Efficiency &Renewable Energy Congress andExhibition for South-East Europewww.eea.europa.euSofia, Bulgaria

March

2/5 June 2014Sustainable Brands '14www.eea.europa.euSan Diego, CA, USA

3/6 June 2014International Water Forum, "Water,Ecology and Technology"www.ecwatech.comMoscow, Russia

23/27 June 2014Open Science Conference “FutureOceans – Research for MarineSustainability: Multiple Stressors,Drivers, Challenges and Solutions”www.imber.orgBergen, Norway

June17/20 May 2014 Climate Ride California 2014www.climateride.californiaCalifornia, USA

21/22 May 2014 Sustainable Brands Istanbulwww.eea.europa.euIstanbul, Turkey

22/23 May 2014 International Conference onRenewable Energy GasTechnology, Regatec 2014www.eea.europa.euSkåne, Sweden

28 May / 1 June 2013Health Care & EnvironmentalHealth Eventwww.thewellnessproject.meBeirut, Lebanon

May

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BLUE GOLDwww.bluegoldlebanon.comfacebook: bluegoldlebanon

BOTSWANA TOURISMORGANIZATIONwww.botswanatourism.co.bw

CEDAR ENVIRONMENTAL L.L.C.www.cedarenv.com

CREATIVE LOUNGESwww.creativelounges.com

DIEGO FERNANDEZ GABALDONPHOTOGRAPHYwww.diegofgphoto.net

ERIKA SIMMONSwww.iri5.com

INTERNATIONAL GAS UNION (IGU)www.igu.org

LEBANON MINISTRY OF TOURISMwww.mot.gov.lb

MADAwww.mada.org.lb

MARTIN ZOLLERwww.martinzoller.com

NDUwww.ndu.edu.lbwww.cbd.int

OLIVIER ERVYN www.olivierervyn.com

RAIDY PRINTING GROUPwww.raidy.com

SENDAVERDEwww.sendaverde.com

UNESCOwww.unesco.org

ZIMBABWE TOURISM AUTHORITY(ZTA)www.zimbabwetourismauthority.com

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MAGAZINE

World Environment Magazine, Issue 12

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