In 2015 The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies hosted a six-part webinar series to highlight the groundbreaking environmental research and transboundary partnerships happening every day at the Arava Institute. The webinars were free and open to the public.
You can listen to recordings of all the webinars in the links below.
In late spring, the 2016 webinar series will be announced, with further details. Please check back soon.
For questions or comments, please email Alyssa Grinberg, Friends of the Arava Institute Associate Director, Marketing & Communications or call (617) 266-7100.
2015 WEBINAR SERIES
[toggle title=”July 9: The 2014 Evrona Oil Spill: Implications & Remediation”]
THURSDAY, JULY 9 AT 12:00-1:00 ET
Presenter: Dr. Elli Groner, Director of the Center for Hyper-Arid Socio-Ecology (CHASE)
December 3, 2014 marks the day of the disastrous oil spill in the Arava Valley which was caused by maintenance work on the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline in preparation for the building of the new international airport outside Eilat. The pipeline transports oil from the port of Eilat to the refineries and power stations in the center of the country. In this webinar presentation, Dr. Elli Groner will talk about how the oil spill happened, environmental implications, and possibilities of clean-up. The Center for Hyper-Arid Socio-Ecology (CHASE) is currently researching the effects of the oil spill in the Evrona Region and in this context Dr. Groner will discuss the Center’s initial monitoring of the current spill and research into the consequences of a previous oil spill from 40 years ago.
Click here to view a recording of the webinar.
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[toggle title=”August 13: Decentralized Solutions for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in Off-Grid Communities in Israel and the West Bank”]
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 AT 12:00-1:00 ET
Presenter: Dr. Clive Lipchin, Director of the Center for Trans-boundary Water Management (CTWM)
The Center for Trans-boundary Water Management (CTWM) provides a platform for regional water professionals and policy makers to cooperate on water conservation, desalination, wastewater treatment, and education. This talk will highlight the work of CTWM in implementing household greywater treatment and reuse systems for irrigation in Palestinian and Bedouin communities. With support from USAID, CTWM has successfully installed nine systems. The socio-economic conditions and water quality needs of the community determine the type of system installed: a constructed wetland system or membrane bioreactor system. Along with the initial installation, CTWM provides system maintenance (and expansion), training in greywater drip irrigation, and a cost-benefit analysis of the system’s long term sustainability.
Click here to view a recording of the webinar.
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[toggle title=”September 10: Endangered Species Project: Preserving the Region’s Plant Resources”]
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 AT 12:00-1:00 ET
Dr. Elaine Solowey, Director of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA)
For the past 30 years, Dr. Elaine Solowey has devoted herself to saving endangered plant species from Israel, and the surrounding region, from extinction. Through the collection and germination of seeds from various endangered species, Dr. Solowey has successfully cultivated plants which will be reintroduced to the wild or be preserved in botanical gardens. In this webinar, Dr. Solowey will speak about the reasons plants become endangered, specific endangered Israeli plant species including where they currently exist, as well as the implementation of programs to save these threatened species. Specific species which will be discussed include: Ficus Palmata (False Sycamore Fig), Leafless Caper, two types of Acacia trees, and two varieties of Etrog which were brought by the ultra-orthodox community to ensure their continuation.
Click here to view a recording of the webinar.
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[toggle title=”October 8: Peace-building: Alumni Projects and Conceptions of Regional Identities”]
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 AT 12:00-1:00 ET
Liel Maghen, Alumnus 2009-2010 & Fadi Baquin, Alumnus Fall 2014 & Program Assistant Spring 2015
The Middle East has a long history of cooperation across borders and between religions and communities. Even today, despite the bleeding conflicts, there is a constant connection between people from rival sides. With a special focus on the Levant (Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon) this presentation will discuss the historical relationships between different communities and how the current Arava Institute alumni projects support healthy relationships today. Throughout this webinar, the presenters will discuss the history of the Middle East, people to people cooperation, and the concept of regional identities.
Click here to view a recording of the webinar.
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[toggle title=”November 18: The 2015 Israel Ride: Pedal for a Purpose”]
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 AT 12:00-1:00 ET
Rabbi Art Gould, Israel Ride Alumnus
Join our friend and Board Trustee, Rabbi Art Gould, as he reflects on the 2015 Israel Ride. Rabbi Gould first discovered the Ride in 2008 and has returned to participate every year since. He will discuss his own personal experiences and the growth and insight he has gained from his involvement. The Israel Ride is your opportunity to explore the beauty and breathtaking landscape of Israel from the seat of a bike. Learn about the ecological challenges in the region as you explore the Negev Desert and support the work of The Arava Institute and partner organization, Hazon.
Click here to view a recording of the webinar.
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[toggle title=”December 17: Privately Green: Neoliberal Ecologies, and the Case of Negev Solitary Farms Project”]
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 AT 12:00-1:00 ET
Dr. Miri Lavi-Neeman, University of California, Berkeley, and faculty member at the Arava Institute
How are we to speak of, and understand the power, the limits, and the possibilities of environmentalism in Israel and in the Negev in particular? What are the roles environmentalists, environmentalism, and the environment play in the Negev – a space seething with ethnic and ecological violent conflicts around settlement in the past two decades? Is environmentalism merely a space in which citizens contest different state development policies in an effort to protect “open spaces,” “Nature,” and public health? This talk attempts to demonstrate a more complicated and broader understanding of environmentalism in general, and in the Negev in particular. Following the debate over the Negev solitary farms project or “the Wine Route” since 1996 – a project contested by green organizations, Bedouins, and even the state itself – we will try to look how Israel’s new economy, and ethnic politics, work in and through environmentalism. We will challenge the tendency to separate the politics of the environment, from other politics (ethnic politics and political economy) and explore the connections between them as a field of study in itself.
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PREVIOUS WEBINAR PRESENTATIONS
[toggle title=”2014 Webinar Series”]
- March 12th 2014 Bedouin Community of the Negev & the State of Israel
- Presented by David Lehrer, Arava Institute Executive Director
- 12:00pm EDT
- May 14th 2014 Youth Environmental Education Peace Initiative
- Presented by Dr. Gonen Sagy, YEEPI Director & Arava Institute Alumni
- 1:00pm EDT
- July 9th 2014 Trans-boundary Water Management & Cooperation
- Presented by Dr. Clive Lipchin, Arava Institute Center for Trans-boundary Water Management Director
- 12:00pm EDT
- October 22nd 2014 Arava Valley Ecosystem Ecology
- Presented by Dr. Elli Groner, Arava Institute Academic Program Director
- 3:30pm EDT
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