Israel Environment's posts with tag: kinneret
- The water level in the Sea of Galilee, Israel’s largest reservoir and freshwater source, has dropped by six centimeters (2.36 inches) over the Passover holiday, the Water Authority announced.
In July the level is expected to drop below the “Black Line,” the absolute lower limit below which no more water can be pumped from the lake.
- Experts predict Israel to experience a drought of potentially unprecedented proportions because of a relatively dry winter that follows on the heels of several dry years. The Black Line is met when water levels drop to a point so low that the openings of the pumps are exposed and further pumping becomes simply impossible.
The truth is that the Kinneret is drying up from the activities of the "peacemakers." I should know. In 1994, I interviewed the chief Israeli negotiator of the Water Treaty between Jordan and Israel. Back then I was the Israeli correspondent for a London company called the Gemini News Service. Thanks to them, my work was published widely throughout Third World newspapers. I noticed a newspaper quote about the water negotiations from Yaacov Tsemach of the national water company, Tahal. It caught my eye because a Yaacov Tsemach was my really good, longtime army buddy. I admired his sharp wit and, a rarity among Israelis, great sense of humor. So I called Tahal and to my total delight, it was my buddy on the line.
We arranged to meet and got along like old times. He was assistant to the chief negotiator of the water sections of the then-building, Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty. I asked if I could interview the negotiator and he said he'd put in a good word for me. Well, a good word from Yaacov did the trick. If I agreed to keep the negotiator's name anonymous, he would meet with me within the week.
We met at a Tel Aviv restaurant and he began, like all good bureaucrats, handing me graphs and surveys. In retrospect, I've wondered why I brought out so many sources, but the truth must be, the rest of the media were selling "peace" and I was looking where they chose not to enter. The bar graphs showed a lot of blue above the "red" line of the lake over 30 odd years before the Treaty,**** then it sunk after the proposed "peace" agreement. I, naturally, asked what happened.
The negotiator ordered a drink, then shortly after, another. And he became teary.
"I sure hope our leaders know what they're doing," he said. "Because if they're wrong, the Kinneret will disappear in a generation. Within twenty years, it will be nearly useless for our water needs."
I asked what he meant. He then gave me the title of my Gemini article, "Giving Away Dream Water."
"The government is going to give away 50 million cubic meters of lake water a year and they ordered me to find it. I'm giving away dream water."
The negotiator told me where he went looking for the water. "There are brackish streams on the west of the lake. We'll give that away. We'll dam the Yarmuk and give that water away. But it was supposed to flow into the system anyway. There is no water to give away. Not even 5 million cubic meters. The government is so anxious to sign the Treaty with Jordan that it's accepting all their arguments. The truth is the Kinneret is our lake. They have no claim on it."
The seriousness of the man's dilemma became more obvious as I walked him to his car. "You think 50 million cubic meters is nothing. And it is in one year, provided it's replenished the following year. But 50 million compounded year after year will suck the lake dry in one generation, after staying stable for millennia. Just don't write that I killed our lake."
And still, the writers from Israel report on dry winters and hot springs as the cause of the upcoming disaster. One of the real killers of the lake is currently President of the State. Remember him with deep emotion when your tap runs dry. ***** On October 26, 1994, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Prime Minister Abdul-Salam Majali signed the Treaty of Peace between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the second peace treaty Israel has signed since its independence.
February 7, '08
'Water is Not Everywhere and Not All Drops for Drinking (IsraelNN.com) Israel's dwindling water resources are leaving the country with less drinkable water because of ground contamination, the Water Authority's Hydraulic Service has warned. The water in the Coastal Aquifer already is below standards for drinking, it said. Both the Kinneret and the larger underground aquifer system have been severely depleted because of less than average rain the past several years and growing water consumption. Last year, the rainfall reached near the average but came only after an early winter drought that caused an unusual decrease in the level of the Kinneret because of farmer's needs for irrigation. The Kinneret now is slightly more than 3.5 meters below the desirable level, one of the lowest levels ever for this time of year. Light rain is expected Thursday night and Friday morning in the north, but dry weather is forecast for all of Israel on the Sabbath and Monday. However, more rain is expected by next Monday or Tuesday.
December 21, 2007  Waterless Car Wash + Polish
Smile. You’ve just freed yourself from that dreaded hose and bucket.
Smile again. You’ve just conserved water and eliminated runoff pollution. Driveway washing uses up to 100 gallons of water which then drain into | How do you make a fuel efficient car even more Green? James Dudra would answer, "Waterless carwash." Eco Touch waterless carwash was launched by Dudra, a 25-year old entrepreneur from Portsmouth, NH, in March of this year, but the history behind the product is far more extensive. And the product is more than just waterless, it's also non-toxic and biodegradable, yet still provides a sparkling finish that any car lover would take pride in. "Eco Touch brings consumers a new method of car cleaning that's not only green but also effective," states Dudra. "Imagine conserving 80 gallons of water while getting a shiny car and avoiding the risks of a petroleum-based product."
For Dudra, it all started back in college while spending a semester abroad in drought-stricken Sydney, Australia. James learned how cars are cleaned ‘down-under’, without using water. With the U.S. facing pending water restrictions of their own, he decided it was time to make people everywhere aware of this easy and eco-friendly way to care for their vehicles. James set to work and created his own waterless car wash formula, and enlisted the help of friend Anne Ruozzi, who happened to be in transition between jobs. Together, they began working day and night getting the word out on Eco Touch’s Waterless Car Wash + Polish. "Eco Touch brings consumers a new method of car cleaning that's not only green but also effective," states Dudra. "Imagine conserving 80 gallons of water while getting a shiny car and avoiding the risks of a petroleum-based product." Of course, even environmentally conscious consumers who chose to buy hybrid and other fuel efficient vehicles may not realize the environmental impact of washing their car with typical cleaning products. According to the International Car Wash Association, the average driveway carwash uses 80-140 gallons of water. The chemical-infested runoff water seeps into the ground and infiltrates water sources, adversely affecting both human and aquatic life. In contrast, Eco Touch's waterless wash blends a water-base with plant-derived soaps and surfactants to create a completely organic formula. By August 2007, Eco Touch had already been featured in many prominent media outlets such as National Geographic, Treehugger.com, Green Car Magazine, and LA Car. Word of this small company spread quickly and Eco Touch began adding key retailers all over the country. For more information on Ecotouch, visit their website at www.ecotouch.net or stop by and visit them at the Waste Management Inc. sponsored Going Green Expo in Boston. The event will be held on February 2nd and 3rd at the Bayside Expo Center, and will be the third green event of its kind hosted by Going Green Magazine. With hundreds of Green exhibitors and dozens of Green workshops, the Boston expo promises to attract an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 consumers. For more information on Going Green Energy & Living Expos visit www.goinggreenexpos.com or call: 603-491-6177.
Sponsors of the Boston show are still signing on and include Waste Management, groSolar, Andersen Renewal, Boston Green Realty, Ben & Jerry’s, and Dragin Geothermal. Collaborating Partners are the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, MyEnergyStar, EPA Region 1, and Event Video Productions. Media Partners for the Expo include the Boston Phoenix Media Group, WFX Radio, the River, WCRB Classical, The Frank, and WOKQ. For an up-to-date listing of Sponsors and Exhibitors for the Boston Expo go to www.GoingGreenExpos/BostonSponsors.html elopment and investment company, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It will be the majority investor in the project and has provided initial financing. "By selecting a novel means of processing a wide range of we are opening up a new platform to expand biodiesel production in the UK and ultimately internationally."
--Ing Giuseppe Simeone, Chairman, GoG
The new £30 million (USD$59.7 million) facility is set to manufacture 30,000 tons of biodiesel per year within 12 months of plant commissioning. The facility will utilize a multiple range of feedstocks, which include fats, greases and non-edible animal fats within a clean production environment. "By selecting a novel means of processing a wide range of feed stocks of fats and oils, we are opening up a new platform to expand biodiesel production in the UK and ultimately internationally," said Ing Giuseppe Simeone, Chairman of GoG.
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