Sunday, October 28, 2018

Industrial Air Pollution Drops Significantly Over the Past Year

Tree n the shape of lungs
Since 2012, there has been a reduction in emissions, ranging from 8% to 62%, largely due to restrictions placed by the Israeli government, following the 2011 Clean Air Law. An increase in the use of natural gas instead of coal (to produce electricity) is also a contributing factor.

A significant reduction in emissions in key parts of the nation has gone a long way in reducing pollution.

Emissions of carcinogenic pollutants have decreased by 44% since 2012.

Meanwhile, offshore emissions from natural gas fields are expected to drop by 98% in early 2019, due to the construction of pollution-reducing facilities.

While air pollution was the focus of the report, it also mentioned that the quantity of seeping into the Mediterranean Sea dropped by 96%.

Israel's Environmental Protection Minister stated that the country will continue focusing on methods to reduce emissions by implementing various programs his ministry created.

Read more about it here.

Off to enjoy some fresh air at the beach, till next time!

J

Monday, October 15, 2018

Only Environmentally Friendly Vehicles in Israel by 2030

Israelis will no longer be able to buy new gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles after 2030, the Energy Ministry Yuval Steinitz announced, unveiling a plan to replace them with electric cars and trucks that run on natural gas.

The challenge will be creating an initial "critical mass" of cars that will move the local industry away from gasoline and diesel engines.

"We are already encouraging by funding charging stations, more than 2,000 new charging stations around the country," Steinitz told Reuters.

The government, he said, will also "reduce taxation on electric cars to almost zero, so they are going to be much cheaper".

The electric vehicle campaign is part of a broader plan to completely wean Israel off gasoline, diesel, and coal. Israel in recent years discovered huge deposits of natural gas, a cleaner-burning fossil fuel, and it is converting its power stations accordingly.

The plan was released a day after a U.N. report on climate change called for major changes in the way humankind uses energy.

The tipping point is expected around 2025, when, according to the ministry's target, there will be about 177,000 electric cars on the road in Israel. Today there are just a few dozens.

After that, it will become easier and cheaper to own electric cars, so the ministry expects their number to jump to nearly 1.5 million by 2030.

"From 2030 we won't allow anymore the import of diesel or gasoline cars to Israel," Steinitz said.

All new cars will be electric. Buses and trucks will be either electric or run on compressed natural gas.

"We are forcing companies to bring electric cars to Israel and for oil and gasoline companies to shift to charging stations in their gasoline or petrol stations," he said.

The government is expected to approve the plan by the end of the year.

Source: Devdiscourse

Thursday, October 4, 2018

The Most Vegan Army In The World

One of Israel's most prominent combat units has the highest number of vegan soldiers.

And, its most senior vegan officer, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Aviv Kochavi is in the running to become the next IDF Chief of Staff. If selected, he'll become the first vegan in Israeli history to hold that position.

Veganism is on the rise in Israel, with as many as 5% of Israelis living the vegan lifestyle. Israeli soldiers are no exception, with 10,000 vegans currently serving in the IDF.

The IDF started providing vegan soldiers with leather-free boots and wool-free berets, along with a food allowance to buy their own vegan meals in 2014. In 2015, the IDF introduced vegan rations in its own meal service. And in 2017, vegan rations were made available for combat soldiers.

At the present time, there are many vegan options for meals and desserts in army mess halls. IDF cooks are also trained in vegan options, and they are provided guidance from nutritionists.

Some soldiers have still found the options inadequate, so in all likelihood, there will soon be even more accommodations for burgeoning vegan population in the IDF.

Read more about it here.

Off to enjoy a vegan meal of my own, too bad I don't have a specialized chef and nutritionist on hand! Till next time!

J