A World of Green Muslims

NYTimes: When the Uprooted Put Down Roots

arwafreelance — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:20:08 +0000

Khadija Musame, above right, with a customer from Somalia at the New Roots Farm stand in San Diego.

SAN DIEGO — At the Saturday farmer’s market in City Heights, a major portal for refugees, Khadija Musame, a Somali, arranges her freshly picked pumpkin leaves and lablab beans amid a United Nations of produce, including water spinach grown by a Cambodian refugee and amaranth, a grain harvested by Sarah Salie, who fled rebels in Liberia. Eaten with a touch of lemon by Africans, and coveted by Southeast Asians for soups, this crop is always a sell-out.

Among the regular customers at the New Roots farm stand are Congolese women in flowing dresses, Somali Muslims in headscarves, Latino men wearing broad-brimmed hats and Burundian mothers in brightly patterned textiles who walk home balancing boxes of produce on their heads.

New Roots, with 85 growers from 12 countries, is one of more than 50 community farms dedicated to refugee agriculture, an entrepreneurial movement spreading across the country. American agriculture has historically been forged by newcomers, like the Scandinavians who helped settle the Great Plains; today’s growers are more likely to be rural subsistence farmers from Africa and Asia, resettled in and around cities from New York, Burlington, Vt., and Lowell, Mass., to Minneapolis, Phoenix and San Diego.

With language and cultural hurdles, and the need to gain access to land, financing and marketing, farm ownership for refugees can be very difficult. Programs like New Roots, which provide training in soil, irrigation techniques and climate, “help refugees make the leap from community gardens to independent farms,” said Hugh Joseph, an assistant professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts, which advises 28 “incubator” farms representing hundreds of small-scale producers.

Cameroonian peanut plants are growing at Drew Gardensin the Bronx, chronicled on the Facebook page of Angela Nogue, a refugee farmer. Near Phoenix, a successful goat meat farm and store was begun by Ibrahim Sawara Dahab, an ethnic Sudanese from Somalia. “In America, you need experience, and my experience was goats,” he said.

For full article go to NYTimes.com

:: By PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN / Published: October 9, 2011

:: Image via Sandy Huffaker for The New York Times

Connecting young Americans — of all kinds — with the outdoors

arwafreelance — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:02:31 +0000

This story originally appeared in Wilderness Magazine

“I love nature!” proclaims Halima, a 14-year-old girl shrouded in the traditional Muslim headscarf. Halima is one of a 120-plus crowd participating in a Seattle youth listening session for President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative.

Launched in April 2010, the initiative aims to reconnect Americans to the great outdoors and engage citizens in developing a 21st century strategy to protect our natural landscape. In particular, the president asked that “special attention be given to bringing young Americans into the conversation.”

At the Seattle session, youth break into small groups to talk about the question: “What can we do to support and encourage young people’s involvement in nature and getting connected to the outdoors?” The school auditorium is abuzz with the exchange of ideas. Youth report back to the larger group that we need more outdoor education in schools, field trips to national parks, better transportation, and increased job opportunities.

Halima, who attends the Islamic School of Seattle, suggests that more role models and youth leaders are needed. She got turned on to nature through a school field trip to Olympic National Park.

Will Shafroth, deputy assistant secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, says of the AGO sessions, “We heard countless wonderful stories and received innovative recommendations from young people across the country about the need for education and better access to outdoor resources.”

In recent years, a burgeoning movement has emerged to reconnect kids to nature, propelled by Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods, the Children & Nature Network, and “No Child Left Inside” campaigns.

“Evidence shows children are smarter, more cooperative, happier, and healthier when they have free, unstructured play in the outdoors,” reports Cheryl Charles, president and CEO of C&NN. “Good things are beginning to bubble up. We founded the Children & Nature Network to reverse the trend, to bring children and nature back together in their everyday lives for their healthy development and well-being, and we’re seeing momentum build with more than 70 groups in 40 states.”

C&NN’s Natural Leaders is part of the growing cadre of young people whose mission is to reconnect youth and nature. In June 2010, C&NN’s Natural Leaders joined more than 500 young people in New York’s Central Park to launch a youth-driven Outdoor Nationmovement. Doubling as an AGO youth listening session, the summit provided a platform for young people to share their priorities and ideas to reconnect kids to nature.

“Many kids haven’t been out in nature,” observes Saul Weisberg, executive director of North Cascades Institute, a conservation organization focused on education. “They have never seen a starry night sky or felt the warmth of a campfire. They don’t have a strong tradition of public lands. The idea that this [land] belongs to you is a really powerful idea.”

Giving young people an opportunity to make that positive connection to the natural world could provide another societal benefit: citizen commitment to protecting the environment. “It’s just common sense that people will fight to protect a place only if they have had a chance to get to love it,” contends Doug Walker, the new chairman of The Wilderness Society’s Governing Council. “We are trying to promote enjoyment of the natural treasures that each American inherits.”

Studies by Louise Chawla and by Nancy Wells and Kristi Lekies have documented the link between a child’s exposure to the natural world and his inclination to protect the environment as an adult.

To blend recreation and stewardship, The Wilderness Society and a number of partners in the North Cascades have created several innovative programs. “For example, we’ve been working with a youth rock climbing team that climbed mostly indoors, to get them outside,” says Peter Dykstra, Pacific Northwest regional director. “They do trail maintenance and invasive species removal projects in areas that lead to rock climbing crags. The kids learn about nature and how to take care of our public lands, and at the end of a hard day’s work, they get to climb. It gives them a sense of ownership of the land, and we hope once they grow up they’ll pass this experience and a love for the land on to their children.”

An important theme in this youth movement is diversity. According to U.S. Forest Service data, 97 percent of federal public land users are Caucasian. Yet by 2042, over half of America’s population will be of Hispanic, African, or Asian descent. This growing population is largely missing out on nature play and all of its benefits.

A YMCA program called B.O.L.D uses wilderness experiences to bring together youngsters from different backgrounds to explore their emotional intelligence and develop self-awareness and decision-making skills. Expeditions include an “Olympic Coastal Hiking & Goofing Off” trip, where they can fish, build driftwood forts, and play the game camouflage. “A big piece that has been lost for young boys is learning how to play and goof off in the outdoors,” says Andrew Jay, director of B.O.L.D. at the Seattle Y. “B.O.L.D.’s focus on ‘play’ strikes an emotional chord with young boys.”

Mickey Fearn, an African-American and a deputy director of the National Park Service, shares at the Seattle AGO listening session that when he was young, playgrounds and the woods were children’s sacred places. That’s no longer true, he says. “Young people, particularly kids of color, have a small home range. If they don’t have the experience or context to calculate the return on investment of being in nature, then they won’t get out,” Fearn explains. “We need to break that cycle.

“If we don’t,” Fearn continues, “we run the risk that people of color won’t see themselves as part of the environment.” And if the majority of America’s population doesn’t have experience in nature or understand the benefits of wilderness, the National Wilderness Preservation System and other protected lands could be in jeopardy.

“It’s also important that young people of color feel that our national parks and forests are as open to them as to white Americans,” says Frank Peterman in The Wilderness Society’s Atlanta office. An African-American, Peterman has worked for years to engage blacks in public lands matters and took the lead in creating “Keeping It Wild,” which organizes outdoor activities in Georgia. He also has worked with students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Carolinas.

An Asian-American girl, after having a chance to canoe on North Cascades National Park’s Ross Lake, thanks to an North Cascades Institute program called North Cascades Wild, said it was an experience that finally made her feel like a U.S. citizen.

Kara Palmer is a freelance writer who lives in Seattle and enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors with her husband and two children.

photos:
Youth canoeing in Washington state. Courtesy North Cascades Initiative.
Youth-to-Wilderness program, sponsored by YMCA and The Wilderness Society, organized this Appalachian Trail hike in Maryland. Courtesy YMCA B.O.L.D.
A young girl enjoying her Youth-to-Wilderness experience on the Appalachian Trail. Photo by Neil Shader.
A young man and woman mark their visit to the Appalachian Trail. Courtesy Neil Shader.

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SISTERS: Saving Water An Islamic duty of care

arwafreelance — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:10:11 +0000

Image by Isolino via Flickr

Arwa Aburawa looks at the very stuff of life – water – and why Muslims should be working to preserve every drop.

Imagine waking up to find that water, which normally flows freely out of your tap, had become a scarce and precious commodity. That it had become too important to use to flush the toilet or to flow down the drain as you brush your teeth- too precious to waste on that daily morning shower. Would you see water differently? Would you be using it more sparingly and showing more concern about waste? Of course you would, it would only be natural and yet a famous hadith reported by Ibn Majah states that the Prophet Muhammad r told us to not to waste water even if it is abundant. But sadly, when it is abundant we take advantage of it, we forget its vital importance to our health and survival and, ultimately, we waste it.

Water, Wudhu and Wellbeing

As the sustainer of life, water plays an important role in all cultures and faiths across the world. In Islam, however, it is held up as a sign of God’s existence and one of his greatest creations. We are reminded in the Qur’an, “We made from water every living thing,” (Al- Anbiyaa:30) and “Who has created the heavens and the earth, and Who sends you down water from the sky?”(Al -Naml:60) . The word water or Ma’ is mentioned in the Qur’an sixty times and paradise is repeatedly described as a lush garden with flowing rivers. Through our daily prayers and the purification of wudhu, water is also aligned to one of the core tenants of Islam.

For the rest of the article go to SISTERS magazine.

Green Prophet: ‘Eco-Hijabs’ On The Rise, What Muslim Fashion Bloggers Have To Contribute

arwafreelance — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:47:39 +0000

What is an Eco-Hijab?
An ‘eco-hijab’ is a contemporary coined term used to describe the relationship between ecologically driven Muslims, and the Arabic word for the Muslim dress sense: hijab, meaning ‘barrier, covering or veil’. This eco-hijab fuses Muslims’ ‘green’ values with with their visual identity of modest clothing, for example organic hijabs made from bamboo.

As a lifelong eco-hijabi* I too advocate greener living by adopting the 3 R’s: Recycle, Reuse and Reduce, and upcyling my own headscarves (hijab/tichel) – more on that later! Another term I personally use is ‘eco-Muslimness’ whereby a person may not necessarily be a hardcore Muslim environmentalist, but tries to follows the Muslim principles of moderation, environmental welfare and waste-reduction.

See Green Prophet for the full article by Zaufishan.

Muzlimbuzz: Sofiah Jamil- A Green Muslim Talks Environmental Ethics

arwafreelance — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:26:58 +0000

A green activist with amazing bushy hair, Sofiah Jamil tells us about environmental ethics, how Muslims should be at the forefront of green initiatives and many more. Read on!

Muzlimbuzz: First of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Sofiah Jamil: Professionally, I am an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University. I co-lead 2 programmes in the Centre – Climate change and Environmental Security; and Energy Security. I also volunteer as a Board Member for the Young Association of Muslim Professionals. I will be pursuing a PhD next year inshaAllah at the Australian National University with the topic of muslim environmental initiatives – a case study of Indonesia. Socially, I love walking (FittFlops is the best footwear ever!), dancing, playing squash and badminton, watching rugby and arts performances… amongst other things.

Muzlimbuzz: Have you always been a ‘green’ person? Or was there an ‘a-ha!’ moment while growing up when you thought the Earth needed a bit more attention?

Sofiah: Experiences at various points of my life made me more aware about the environment. In secondary school, I was a girl guide so camping brought me closer to nature. I did my undergraduate studies in Australia, where the environmental movement and consciousness is so much more apparent than in Singapore (some students even walk barefoot to University in the summer!).

In 2009, I had the opportunity to the part of the pioneer batch in the Study of the United States Institute forthe Environment – a 6 week programme in the US to learn about the environmental movement there. The programme was hosted by the East West Center, and we spent time in Hawaii, California and Washington D.C. While learning about the environmental movement in the US, the 20 participants (from Singapore, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji) shared their experiences and knowledge on various disciplines relating to the environment.

I was particularly impressed with the Pacific Islanders, who were so rooted to their land and in tune with Mother Nature. It made me reflect about us in Singapore, where not only have we lost more than 90% of our natural habitat due to urbanisation, but we are constantly changing the landscape, and in some instances demolishing areas of historical and cultural significance for the sake of certain marks of “economic progress”.

I guess the ‘a-ha!’ moment for me was when I put two of my research interests together – contemporary Muslim World issues and environmental issues. I felt there was gap to fill here. Not only does the Earth need more attention, but it needs more attention from Muslims, because the bulk of us aren’t doing anything about it. I find this so ironic given the fact that Islam has many principles related to the environment, yet most Muslims have not applied them to their own lives.There are some groups of green Muslims around the world doing their part, but we have a long way to go in gaining a critical mass.

Muzlimbuzz: What are the issues that you’re most passionate about?

1) Making environmental concerns relevant to the lay-man person. i.e. ensuring sustainable development while addressing poverty/ meeting “bread and butter” issues.

2) Addressing Careless and Excessive Consumption

3) Transforming inter-faith dialogue to inter-faith action via having various communities working together to save their shared environment.

4) Comparing various environmental issues/solutions across different Muslim communities and regions, and how we learn from one another and work better as an Ummah.

Muzlimbuzz: Being a Muslim and a green activist, how do you think your faith has actually motivated or assisted you in this field?

Sofiah: Islam provides the fundamentals of environmental ethics. This is contrary to the belief that some might have that the environmental movement is a “western” concept, and hence there’s so much more that Muslims can do in addressing environmental issues. I think being environmentally friendly is not only part of an Islamic way of life, but it will also help address the gross mis-representations of Muslims in recent years. Rather than being insular and inward-looking, addressing environmental issues would demonstrate that Muslims are a progressive lot who are in-tuned with contemporary global concerns.

Source: Project ME: Muslims & The Environment

Muzlimbuzz: What are some of the green initiatives that we can join or implement on our own here in Singapore?

Sofiah: There’s so much out already — from bringing your own bag, mug or bottle, to switching off your electrical appliances when not in use to religiously keeping with the 3Rs principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). I don’t think there is a lack of awareness on this, as its largely been in our face in the media, schools and campaigns. Its just really whether we bother to take it on, and keep with it for the long run.

As Muslims, we can perhaps make the following resolutions for the Hijrah new year (1433H). Youth would be the most exposed and wired to environmental issues and initiatives. However, translating this awareness effectively into action requires more effort, particularly at the household level. It would come to naught for youth to come home, bursting at their seams with ideas of how to be more eco-friendly, but unable to have the active support of their family to do so. Parents can do more by increasing their own knowledge on the significance of environmental practices – both secular and Islamic perspectives – and thereby encourage their children to put their ideas into action. Many things can be done at the household level, and but can only be successful if everyone makes the effort and serve to constantly remind each other of how simple acts can make a difference. Here are some tips:-

Ensure that your thrash is separated for recycling, and making sure those items go to the appropriate recycling bins or “karanguni” man.
Make healthier choices when grocery shopping and buy local (or regional) where possible.
Cook healthier and make your kids love their veggies!
Have a family outing in a park or nature reserve rather than in a shopping mall.
Investing in energy and water saving appliances
What can also be implemented at the individual level is to consciously make the effort to minimize the use of water when we take our ablution before prayers. This is inherently a practice that has been documented in Hadith/Sunnah (where you should only use what you need even if taking water from a flowing river). This would make a big difference in water consumption of the community as a whole.

Its great to see the numerous weekly activities hosted by Singapore’s Muslim community organisations, which facilitate personal and community development. And the events often increase in the lead up to religious festivities and thereby enhance community bonds. However,one of the things that bugs me when I go for a seminar/talk organised by community organisations (usually on Saturdays or weekday evenings) is that more often than not, the reception always uses styrofoam and plastic utensils. That’s A LOT of non-biodegradable thrash containing harmful chemicals to the environment.

As a community, we can make the first step by making more informed choices when planning events. There are caterers that have recognised the adverse environmental impacts of such disposable utensils and thus offer the option of using biodegradable utensils. It is good for consumers to ask for this option, if it is not stated. While some caterers might charge an extra couple of dollars per pax for using biodegradable options, this is a small price to pay to avoid the high costs of environmental degradation.

Muslim community organisations can lead the way by adopting this and other environmental practices in their activities and work processes. The Singapore Environmental Council has provided a range of ways of doing this with its “Eco-Office” campaign - http://www.ecooffice.com.sg/

Muzlimbuzz: For someone who has never been introduced to or heard of the green movement, how would you summarise what it is all about?

Contrary to popular belief, the green movement is not made up of tree huggers. Its a movement that embraces everyone who cares about social responsibility and how our actions, especially in terms of consumption, has an impact on the environment. We appreciate the intrinsic and long-term value of what nature offers to us, way beyond any monetary/economic measurement.

Muzlimbuzz: A lot of the ‘complaints’ that people make with regards to having a green lifestyle is the fact that it’s expensive, or too difficult to implement in our society? Is that a myth? What would you say to that?

Sofiah: I have a few points to make on the perception that its “expensive”.

Firstly, with the rise of capitalism and consumerism, we have for the longest time grossly under-priced the good and services that we enjoy. For every relatively cheap t-shirt we buy, it’s possible that someone in a developing country nearby is working long hours with little pay to produce it. The system has externalised the costs of production, so that consumers will buy more at lower costs. The question is, do we really need to buy more than what we need, just because it is cheap?

Secondly, yes, some “green” products may seem to be a bit more expensive, but that’s because consumers are not demanding for it enough. Going green, does take some effort because it changes the way we do certain things that we have taken for granted. To go back to the example of using biodegradable utensils during events, if all events adopted this practice, caterers would have no use for styrofoam utensils anymore, even though its the cheapest option for them. If we demand for more environmentally ethical products (and healthier food options), producers will meet them, because the customer is always right Don’t want to pay for biodegradable cups? Then use old fashioned glasses, loh!

On the issue of food, what items in the market are expensive? Meat. Because producing meat requires immense resources – water to produce the grain to feed the cattle, transport costs and sanitation measures, etc… ( and not to mention high carbon emissions — in the form of methane). Reducing meat consumption in our diet would be one way of making it inexpensive, and thus goes back to the role that mothers and wives play at the household level in making informed choices when deciding on meals. I’m not saying don’t eat meat at all, but just reducing it and substituting with other healthier options. These small steps can over time make a difference.

Green Prophet: Green Muslims Top ‘Muslim 500′ List

arwafreelance — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:13:39 +0000

Green Muslims have been nominated as some of the most influential Muslim leaders of 2011

While Green Prophet works on its own top green leaders of 2011, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre had released a list of the 500 most prominent Muslims of the past year. The annual publication highlights the 500 most influential Muslims of the year- which includes several Muslim environmentalists. The Green Grand Mufti of Egypt, Sheikh Ali Goma’a as well as Fazlun Khalid, who I interviewed last yearwere both included on the list.

The Green Grand Mufti of Egypt is a progressive and influential faith leader across the world who has issued statements and fatwas regarding the environment. He has highlighted the role that faith can play in confronting the ecological crisis by providing moral ways and principles for dealing with the current environmental problems. According to Moshe Terdman, a writer at Green Prophet:

Sheikh Ali Gomaa has been outspoken on environmental sustainability. On November 2, 2009, on his speech at the Alliance of Religions and Conservation conference at Windsor Castle, Sheikh Ali Gomaa said that “it is a religious duty to safeguard our environment and advocate the importance of preserving it. Pollution and global warming pose an even greater threat than war and the fight to preserve the environment could be the most positive way of bringing humanity together.”

I was lucky enough to meet Fazlun Khalid last year and interview him for Green Prophet. Khalid is the founder of the first green Islamic organisation, the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences. He has written books on the green ethics of Islam, Green Guides for Muslims and was also involved in a unique project to stop destructive fishing practices in Zanzibar by informing the local who were Muslims of their duty of protect nature.

Other influential green Muslims include Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, an Islamic Studies professor at George Washington University, who was one of the first to research the religious commitment towards the natural environment and has lectured widely on historical perspective of Islamic environmentalism.Nasheed Mohamed, who is the president of the Maldives and is known as one of most environmentally conscious leaders on the world stage, was also part of the Muslim 500. The Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Sa’id Aal Sa’id was given a honourable mention for his work protecting the Arabian Oryx and Dimaaniyat Islands which is the breeding ground of several migratory birds and sea turtles.

: See the full list here.

:: Originally published at GreenProphet and written by Arwa Aburawa

Green Prophet: Green Tours To Palestine (PHOTOS)

arwafreelance — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:09:24 +0000

The Siraj Centre is offering walk and bike tours across the West Bank as well as an environmental-focused trip in 2012

The ‘Environment and Occupation Trip 2012′ tour will explore issues such as freedom of access to water and sanitation in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. It will also be looking at deforestation issues and the tense relationship between Israeli settlers in the West Bank and Palestinians with regards to waste and pollution. The programme highlights includes visiting the city of Jericho, learning about the falling water levels of the Dead Sea and exploring permaculture projects in the region.

The tour which runs from 24 February – 5 March 2012, will arrange meetings with grassroots-level campaigners, politicians and experts on water and the environment. It will cost $2,400 with the price including meals, double room accommodation, reading materials and payment for all activities and transportation. To register your interest you need to get fill out an application and deposit $400. For more details get in touch with drea@globalexchange.org.

Organisers at Global Exchange are hoping to make the group taking part in the trip as diverse as possible in terms of race, age and life experiences. As such, they are strongly urging people of colour to apply. In some cases, a limited number of partial scholarships are available for low-income applicants.

Palestine is slowly building a reputation as a great location for eco-tourism. Fellow Green Prophet writer Sarah Irving has complied a list of Palestinian guesthouses where visitors can eat great food, meet new people and support organisations campaigning on everything from Bedouins, women’s right, environmental conservation, community arts and culture.

The Friends of the Earth Middle East (FOEME) Eco-Centre at Al-Auja, a Palestinian village in the Jordan Valley, was also recently expanded to include a guesthouse. As well as getting a taste of Palestinian hospitality, the centre helps educate visitors about the environmental problems facing the region.

All images via Guillaume Paumier/flickr

:: Originally published at Green Prophet and written by Arwa Aburawa

Green Farming and Islam: Permaculture in Jordan

arwafreelance — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:02:10 +0000

Jordanian Nadia Lawton, a permaculture teacher tells Green Prophet why she believes permaculture could be the region’s silver green bullet.

“Permaculture made total common sense to me,” insists Nadia Lawton, “it also fitted with my life ethics a a Muslim.” While the first part of Nadia’s statement may not be considered unique, her remark about Islam is. Permaculture is defined as the design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems that have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems. It basically looks at growing in a holistic framework which promotes sustainability, the conservation of resources and biodiversity. It is also generally promoted by atheist Westerners- so as a Jordanian born-Muslim, Nadia Lawton does not exactly fit the mould. I caught up with her to talk about the importance of permaculture in the Middle East, the role of Islam and overcoming barriers.

Back in September 2011, Jordan hosted the tenth International Permaculture Conference. The week-long events were coordinated by Nadia Lawton, who along with her husband Geoff Lawton, is a permaculture teacher eager to spread the word about the advantages of permaculture in the Middle East. Indeed, when I got in touch with her she was on her way home from teaching a Permaculture Design Course in Tarim, Yemen (yes, the very same conflict-ridden Yemen hitting the headlines). She informed me that there were plans to partner their Permaculture Research Institute with Sheikh Habib Umar’s Dara Mustafa Institute and set up a new small 1 hectare permaculture school farm and a 16 hectare farm permaculture college.

“This is a very exciting new project of ours that could influence the whole Muslim world,” she remarked. “We are also working on a direct translation (of permaculture information) not only into Arabic but also to include Islamic text references to the holy Qu’ran and hadiths.” For Nadia Lawton, faith plays an central role in her dedication to permaculture and she insists that Muslims should all have permaculture values. She also adds this belief will soon be verified by Islamic scholars of the highest respect .

Nadia Lawton is also the founder of the Jordan Valley Permaculture project in Jordan which was completed in 2011. Located in a harsh desert environment, it demonstrates how permaculture principles can work even in the harshest Middle Eastern climate. “We always wanted to have a demonstration site and education centre to help local people… It has become part of my life work to set this project up so people can live in peace with the environment and each other.”

Nadia is optimistic about the future. Over the years, she states she has seen big changes with more people – from locals to royal families- taking permaculture seriously. In fact, Nadia says she is certain that Permaculture “holds all the answers for food, water and sustainable development [problems in the Middle East] and it fits perfectly with the culture.” So when I ask her what is holding the development of permaculture in the region, she replies that it is limited funding. “This means we have to work with what we have and show people what they can do with minimum funding, which is good. But we always want to do more, so we can help more people.”

:: Images via Craig Mackintosh.

:Originally published at Green Prophet and written by Arwa Aburawa

The Eco Muslim: 10 Things Every Eco-Mosque Should Have

arwafreelance — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:43:14 +0000

Developing some ideas from The Eco Muslim Green Mosque Guide, I have researched ten must-have features that really set off the “green” in a house of worship.

Here are the Top Ten Things every eco-mosque should have.

1) A Garden
No Eco-Mosque should be without a colourful flower patch, fruit trees and a vegetable plot. Any unused space outdoors can be fenced and converted into a garden, and indoors, pots and large containers can be used to grow herbs and spices.

A must-have: vegetable pots

Community gardens become a lifelong joy and children get a buzz, knowing they’re coming to the mosque to plant seeds and watch flowers grow.

And the best thing? No need to buy a bag of berries when Muslims can simply step outside to pick a fruit salad.

2) Solar panels
Solar panelling is a gift that keeps giving. Although they can eat up a fair portion of the mosque’s annual budget, once installed on the roof or as a chic outdoor ‘solar tree’, they potentially cut energy bills up to 50%, according to Energy Saving Trust (EST). My local mosque in Huddersfieldhas invested in several awesome solar panels and over in Turkey, a a village mosque in Büyükeceli is almost entirely powered by solar panels.

3) Renewable energy
Light: Natural lighting from large skylights reduces the dependency on electricity. It makes sense too: use more glass to save on building material costs. By creating this ‘greenhouse’ effect, a mosque has the best passive-heating and cooling system, plenty of light for an airy atmosphere, and a ready-made green roof.

Insulation: Using locally generated energy from ground heat pumps, an Eco-Mosque has an almost zero carbon footprint, like Cambridge Mosque that will use conservation technology for its thermal energy.

A must-have: Wind turbines in minarets

Wind turbines are a must in mosque minarets. The proposed eco-mosque in Norderstedt, Germany, will be one of the first to use its 22-metre towers with 1.5 metre glass rotor blades to each generate a third of the building’s electricity.

And if there isn’t space for a giant wind turbine, a hot alternative is therecycled bubble pods shown on Huffington Post - Marine Solar Cells - that harness both solar and wave power to increase energy capture.

4) Community Litter Clean-ups
Easy and free, nothing says “we care” like a street clean-up. Get 10 volunteers to spring clean the mosque each month, and take it outside. I take inspiration from ShINE Muslim Environmentalists in Sheffield who swept and picked up litter from their street and took garbage off residents for recycling. I’ve seen how dirty and littered streets put you off walking there, and criminality seems to be linked to rundown, polluted areas.

Recycling bins are therefore an easy way to direct people into action. Ringing up the local council for a green bin and hanging up a sign or two helps mosque-goers know what to do with their trash and food packaging. An Eco-Mosque would be a big supporter of keeping its local community, and the streets it’s on, welcoming, free of rubbish and clean

5) Eco-Islam workshops
The only way to get a message across is to be an example and DO. Eco-Mosques would hold educational seminars for adults to demonstrate how they can reduce waste and their carbon footprint at home. And clear, bold guides will help members maintain a healthy mosque environment. Members like to know what their mosque is doing, so by organising eco-Islamic workshops, the green spirit is being shared and celebrated.

6) Eco-Children Leaders
Taking the message to the little people is really important too as they are the next generation of Muslim leaders. School teachers can be invited to provide fun educational materials on science and health for mosque children, and more mature students can lead the younger in eco-projects such as gardening classes, recycling artwork and outdoor fitness activities.

A must-have: creative recycling projects

An Eco-Mosque will also wise up to larger health issues on smoking, alcohol and drug addictions. By having hands-on activities on these issues, good mental and physical health messages will be reinforced. I believe these ideas only really work when mosque teachers and Imams receive training first.

7) Water management
Water recycling ethics are embedded in Islam’s Eco-Wudhu. The Prophet, peace be upon him, warned against “squandering” water even if near a gushing river and many mosques have state-of-the-art wudhu facilities where used water is recycled to feed plants.

One idea is to install water-saving devices such as movement-sensor taps. The Al-Markaz Al-Najmi mosque in Manchester, England, installed infra-red taps in 2008 which limited congregants’ water wastage.

8) Food management
Mosques are notoriously known for throwing away thousands of plastic styrofoam cups and food from Eid celebrations. But an Eco-Mosque would have a completely greener attitude.

Just as Ramadan charts list which member will host an Iftar, Eid and Jumuah dining celebrations should ask each individual to bring a dish to feed two people, a sort of “pot luck” dinner. This is in line with the Prophet’s advice that one meal should be enough to feed two.

Local residents can be invited to tuck in, more food events should be catered to the homeless and on days when there is too much food, it can be distributed in reusable foil tins or frozen.

9) Bike-a-thons
Some mosques have car parks, but most Muslims who use cars to arrive have to park on the pavements, further away from the entrances, creating traffic jams and increased carbon emissions.

Local Muslim dad, Abdur Rashid, biked over 180 miles to raise $22K for his daughter’s school Al-Huda, an incentive that we should be using our energy and creativity to boost our Islamic futures.

For greener transportation, Eco-Mosques should provide ample space for parking bikes and plan out biking routes for members to beat the afternoon and after-work congestion.

10) Greener Architecture
Domes: Although seemingly a design intended to beautify, domes have always had an environmentally friendly function. As the dome is heated by the sun, it draws air from inside the mosques and releases it, acting as a natural cooling system.

Functional architecture: Domes

Solar panelling, wind turbines and photovoltaic panels are the best alternatives to meeting an Eco-Mosques’s electricity needs. Greenpeace provided photovoltaic panels for the Turkish mosque in Büyükeceli which were installed within 10 days.

Green materials: For the ultimate Eco-Mosque construction, sustainable materials are the only way to go. Think reclaimed stone, sustainable wood, solar panels and energy efficient glass panes.

Here’s making a du`a (supplication) that all our mosques will become Eco-Mosques!

Peace + eco-jihad.
Zaufishan, The Eco Muslim

A Whirlwind Guide to Palestinian Guesthouses

arwafreelance — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:02:23 +0000

Get your fill of tasty, local food at the Sebastia Guesthouse in Palestine- one of many great guesthouses in Palestine

If you want to get off the beaten track, eat great food and meet locals in Palestine than a stay at a Palestinian guesthouse could be the thing for you. Rather than staying with huge, impersonal hotels that don’t connect with you or reflect your views, you could stay at a number of small guesthouses which support everything from Bedouins, women’s right, environmental conservation to community arts and culture.

A new website by Green Prophet’s very own eco-tourism guide Sarah Irving has been launched with a comprehensive list of guesthouses in Palestine. As Sarah points out, the guesthouses are important ways for the local communities to generate income and jobs, to build personal connections between diverse communities and also help tourists see a little bit more of the real Palestine.

“The important thing about all these guesthouses is that they are small, locally-run operations which create jobs and income, separate from the ‘aid agencies’ which are so involved in the West Bank,” explains Sarah who has been visiting the Middle East since 2001. “It’s about Palestinian people working to improve their own living conditions, rather than being dependent on donors.”

A not-for-profit project, the website which is called ‘Guesthouses in Palestine’ consists of listings with contact information- no fees will go to the guesthouses. As such, Sarah welcomes all visitors to add their recommendations and experiences (positive and negative) if they’ve stayed at any of the guesthouses.

For full article see Green Prophet.

Image via Sarah Irving.