With the limited resources the country has (you know, being a desert and all), Israel is all about doing things the most economical way possible. This has led to quite a few fantastic inventions, specifically in agriculture.
Drip irrigation is one. Technically around before Israeli Statehood, it has been updated and perfected by an Israeli engineer, Simcha Blass. There is even an Israeli developed kit call <Tipa> that is used in South Africa as well as other African countries such as Kenya, Niger and Senegal.
You see drip irrigation everywhere. People’s gardens, flower beds along the road and even trees all have irrigation pipe wrapped around their bases.
Another great invention is <reusable plastic trays> developed by Tal-Ya Water Technologies, where the plastic trays collect dew from the air and use that to irrigate the plants.
Keeping Israel green and sustainable also involves people on an everyday level. There are recycling collection points on nearly every main intersection and outside schools. The main things being collected are plastic and glass (you can also take certain empty bottles to the grocery store and exchange them for a small refund). Interestingly there are also many collection points for old clothing. You pop the clothes in the collection bin and they are cleaned, sorted and distributed to those that need them.
Another thing that is big (especially in Modi’in) is bio-degradable waste. We have a small brown bucket under our sink, any fruit or veggie peals, egg shells, wood, grass/leaves and any leftover organic matter is collected into the brown bin and then that gets thrown into the big brown bin in the communal rubbish room. The large bins are then collected and the contents used for composting.
My favourite thing though is the solar geyser. Most houses have them, especially new houses as it’s a building requirement. The geyser does come equipped with an electric element for those cold, cloudy, rainy days when the water temp needs a boost. Ours is on a timer set for about half an hour prior to when we usually bath/shower. The best part is that in summer we will be able to switch off the electrical component and use only the solar side. Even now, in winter, the difference in water temperature on the days when it is not overcast is amazing. On rainy days I have to switch the tap to the hot side as far as it will go and the water is hot but not boiling and we have to be careful we don’t run out of hot water. On days when the sun is shining I have to put the tap in the middle of hot and cold and even the water is sometimes too hot and I have to run in some cold water.
I’m loving how being eco-conscious has become such a natural way of life for us. Israel definitely makes it easy to do.