Israel Celebrates “Earth Day” Today Only Tomorrow, With Lights Out, Beach Cleaning, Concerts and Green Awards

April 22, 2009 - 9:13 AM by Karin Kloosterman · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, Environment 

yuvel-chen hedgehog hedgehogs tel aviv israel photo
(Photographer Yuval Chen spent almost two years snapping shots of hedgehogs in Tel Aviv’s urban landscape. For more see ISRAELITY).

Celebrated since 1970, Israel is for the first time celebrating Earth Day nationally. They didn’t put their lights out for an hour a few weeks ago to mark Earth Hour (there was a big football game after all), but plan to mark Earth Day, today, with full respect. Take note that other Middle Eastern countries like Jordan did mark Earth Hour.

With most Earth Day events held in Israel tomorrow, on April 23, reports Haaretz, lights out will be the central event, where cities such as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will turn their lights out from 8 to 9 pm in a bid to raise awareness about energy conservation.

A concert at Rabin Square featuring the Balkan Beat Box and more will celebrate Earth Day, and rumor has it the event will be powered by human cyclists and biodeisel, in a similar style to last year’s Earth Event as Karen reported.

Israel joins other cities around the world who will turn their lights off for the green cause. The United Nations has ruled that the event be marked worldwide. Read more

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Hanging out the laundry

April 3, 2009 - 7:44 AM by Jessica · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, Israeliness, Life 

Another day, another clothesline of fresh laundry. It’s not even a clothesline, really, what I have in my garden. Just a metal rack that is so ubiquitous in these parts. Why? Well, I suppose because on a hot day, wet clothing dries in about an hour, sometimes less. And there’s nothing that smells like fresh, line-dried clothing. Moreover, it’s environmentally responsible and on a cold day, if you don’t have a dryer, then even a winter sun is warmer than a frigid Israeli apartment. Not to worry, I have a dryer.

But I do love walking down the streets of my neighborhood and keeping an eye out for clotheslines full of fresh laundry. Seeing the personal garments of strangers hung out to dry never fails to amuse, and I’m especially fond of hair salons that hang out their towels as well, although I wouldn’t want to get my hair washed at a hairdresser that uses stiff, sun-dried towels. Same goes for underwear; who wants stiff panties?

A small selection of local clothesracks…
clotheslinemany2
clothesline-undies1
clothesline-parking1

Tags: , ,

 

© 2009 ISRAELITY | Site by illuminea | Sitemap