Global Voices Online » Environment

Bangladesh, India: Tipaimukh Dam And Farakka Barrage

Rezwan — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:59:54 +0000

Habib Siddiqui highlights the disastrous effect of the Farakka Barrage in India on Bangladesh and opines that if the Tipaimukh Dam is built for the hydroelectricity project, this will become another deathtrap like the Farakka Barrage.

Czech Republic: World's first triple hybrid bus

Vilhelm Konnander — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:08:21 +0000

The Reference Frame tells about the first ever serially manufactured triple hybrid bus, made in the Czech city of Pilsen - otherwise famous for its beer.

Saudi Arabia: Enjoying The Outdoor Life In Aramco

Ayesha Saldanha — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:42:10 +0000

Natasha Burge has just moved: “The dogs are SO happy with their daily two hour walks on the miles and miles of hiking trails here, through grassy fields surrounded by trees and flowers.” Where is she? Saudi Arabia!

Dominica: Not Happy

Janine Mendes-Franco — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:20:17 +0000

Steve's Dominica is “not Happy” about “The recently released ‘Happy Planet Index' report”, which seems to have forgotten about the Caribbean.

Trinidad & Tobago: Alutrint Accounts

Janine Mendes-Franco — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:16:34 +0000

“We badly want to see…what the State has spent on Alutrint, what it will spend, and what it will gain”: A Trinidad and Tobago-based anti-smelter blog is concerned that “the citizens of the Republic will be paying Alutrint’s costs…this will amount to tens of billions of dollars, not even taking into account severe health and ecological costs.”

Israel: Keeping Cool in the Jerusalem Heat

Maya Norton — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:49:44 +0000

Jerusalemite offers tips for how to stay cool in the summer heat. They include: “If your skin is any lighter than the fuul on your hummus (not a scientific gauge), and you're going to be outside for awhile, put on some sunscreen. If your skin turns to bacon, you may run into trouble with some locals who have issues with that particular meat.”

Japan: Amano elected as IAEA chief, some doubts

Scilla Alecci — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:20:03 +0000

Lawyer and blogger raymiyatake expresses his doubts [ja] over the election of Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano as director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). First, he says, Amano was supported by only 23 nations out of 35. Second, he points out the difficult situation that the Agency is dealing with, at present, and the “unfairness” of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which should be applied also to the five members already recognized as possessing nuclear power. Lastly, he suggests that instead of promoting a “pacific use” of nuclear energy, this should be replaced with clean energy sources (such as the geothermal or the aeolian ones).

India: Rain In Mumbai

Rezwan — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:22:04 +0000

Charukesi at A Time To Reflect posts some pictures of rain soaked Mumbai. She comments: “I love the rains in Bombay, the clogged roads, the wet clothes, the potholes, the frogs and warts and all.”

Kyrgyzstan: UNESCO shields environment

Adil Nurmakov — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:45:12 +0000

Elena reports that Sulamain-Too, the Sacred Mountain, has become the Kyrgyzstan’s first site to be inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Kazakhstan: Manshuk Mametova Lake

Adil Nurmakov — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:41:37 +0000

Jackara presents a photopost about the magnificent glacier lake high in the mountains near Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan.

Israel: The Joys of Urban Gardening in Jerusalem

Maya Norton — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:20:02 +0000

IzzyBee reflects on the joy of her urban garden. “In my Jerusalem patio… bougainvillea blooms in shades of magenta, crimson, and pale orange. We planted an olive tree, a cypress, a lime tree, jasmine, honeysuckle, red geraniums, climbing roses, morning glory, hydrangea, purple daisies, basil, mint, and lemon verbena. Everything thrives.”

Iran: Desert in photos

Hamid Tehrani — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:55:36 +0000

Darvish, a leading Iranian green blogger, shares Yann Arthus-Bertrand's photos on desert. The blogger calls the photographer an artist who sees the beauty of desert.

Barbados: Flame of the Forest

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:29:45 +0000

my rustic bajan garden is thrilled that it's Flamboyant season!

Dubai: Stylish Workers

Amira Al Hussaini — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:09:14 +0000

Life in Dubai posts a photograph of workers in the heat, wearing straw hats and comments: “I came across this gang of labourers this morning, looking very stylish in their straw hats.”

Pakistan: The Real Problem

Rezwan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:08:11 +0000

Talkhaba points to the water shortage problem in some provinces of Pakistan and criticizes the bickering between the political parties representing provinces, who blamed each other.