In biblical accounts, the Jordan River Valley is closely associated with a healthy, lush and functioning ecosystem. Today, the River’s trickling water and disappearance of more than half of its species are hardly in-keeping with this image. But who keeps an eye on the disappearance of the River’s species? We welcome a founding member of Friends of the Earth Middle East, in the Amman office, who has devoted the last 25 years to conservation efforts in the Jordan Valley.

Photo credits: Shai Pilosof
The “Syrian Demoiselle”  (Calopteryx syriaca) is a Damesfly which used to be widespread along the Jordan’s shores. Today it can only be found in a few sites of the Rivers’ banks.

Often, water savings happen during the most mundane of daily tasks: taking a shower, washing dishes, brushing teeth. Changing the way that we do these routine activities can have a big impact on the environment. Currently, you probably don’t devote a lot of thought to flushing the toilet. But 30% of household water is used in toilets, so your flushing habits have a lot of potential for water savings. As part of our project to rehabilitate the Jordan River, Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) has researched how the correct use of double flush toilets can save water.

In Response to the French Parliament’s Report on the Policies of Water Allocation in the West Bank, Friends of the Earth Middle East calls on the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority to Negotiate a New Water Accord

On December 22nd, FoEME led a “hazard tour” in the vicinity of 4 Palestinian villages of Wadi Fukin, Batir, Hussan and Nahalin. This area with its many springs developed a unique system of irrigated terraced agriculture based on canals bringing spring waters to pools for irrigating the terraced agricultural fields. The participants of this tour were Palestinian mayors and residents, together with activists from the Good Water Neighbors (GWN) partnering community in Israel and FoEME staff members. GPS data was used to document the status of various environmental threats.

This week, all over the world, Christians are celebrating the Epiphany, also known as the Feast of Theophany. While the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches mainly celebrate the visit of the Biblical Magi to baby Jesus in Bethlehem, the Eastern Orthodox Christian churches celebrate the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan.

Photo Credit: Copyright Eddie Gerald/ Pixmedia. This stunning photograph is part of FoEME‘s Jordan River Photography Exhibition, to learn more about when and where to see the exhibition click here.

Friends of the Earth Middle East wishes all our readers a very Happy New Year!

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Youth Camps

December marked the conclusion of a series of Ecobuilding Youth Camps hosted in Sharhabil ben Hassneh Ecopark as part of the Good Water Neighbors project. The youth camps aimed to develop skills that empower youth to build “ecofacilities” which they will construct in their own communities in the coming year, teaching them to reduce their environmental impact while also catering to their needs, and promoting mutually beneficial relationships with all elements of the local ecology.

The series of camps allowed participants to interact with youth from across the region. Youth were able to understand more about their neighboring people and communities and the common challenges they face. Participants also had the chance to learn about FoEME’s rehabilitation and restoration efforts in the Sharhabil ben Hassneh Ecopark and about the problems facing the Jordan River and the Dead Sea and how Sharhabil ben Hassneh Ecopark serves as a model for the region.

This month marked the launch of a new regional study at FoEME  aiming to identify the economic benefits associated with rehabilitating the Lower Jordan River. The study, undertaken cooperatively by leading Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli economists will examine the economic benefits that rehabilitation will provide to the regional economies through increased access, recreational benefits, and ecosystem services. 

With the end of the fiscal year upon us, you may need to squeeze in your tax-deductible donations before heading off to that New Year’s party…you can make an online donation right now which is US tax-deductible and help start the new year in a green way by helping build FoEME’s three EcoParks!

This is the fourth blog of a series of blogs, which explore issues of water demand management in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, looking at water saving options in the domestic and agricultural sector. This entry about domestic water demand management in Israel was written by Josef Wenninger,FoEME intern at the Tel Aviv office.

In 2010, FoEME conducted an analysis to identify opportunities to conserve water resources in Israel. It estimates the water savings from a range of different policies. The study estimates the costs of each water-saving measure and primarily addresses demand management measures, as these represent the cheapest, technologically easiest, and most environmentally beneficial means of living within a strict water budget.

Share The Holiday Spirit With FoEME!!

By giving a FoEME gift to someone you love this holiday season, you can help build FoEME’s three EcoParks!

Here’s how it works:

You make a US tax-deductible donation through our website→ FoEME sends a handsome gift card by email → FoEME develops its EcoParks in Jordan, Palestine, and Israel → You’ve made a tax-deductible contribution, helped the people and environment here, and given a great gift to a loved one!!!