Ecotourism in Egypt
Egypt’s tourism minister Zoheir Garrana is counting on ecotourism to boost the country’s long-term prospects. The tourism ministry informed that the Egyptian Red sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh will be under consideration first to offer ecotourism. Reduced water consumption, reduced wastes and …
Is clean energy truly clean?
Increased global demand for biofuel, boosted by fluctuating global oil prices and government green mandates, has led to higher global food prices. The plant-based petroleum substitute comes either as bioethanol, from fermented vegetable mass–mainly sugarcane, corn, cassava or potatoes–or as biodiesel, a …
The Economics of HIV
THE International HIV/AIDS Alliance warned on Saturday that the annual cost of tackling the HIV epidemic could balloon to US$35 billion by 2030 if governments fail to invest in efficient, targeted and cost-effective prevention measures. The AIDS virus, which already infects around …
Drug affordability in Third World countries
The World Health Organisation reports that some five billion people now live in countries with limited or no access to controlled medicines that relieve pain. Many anti-cancer drugs are also very costly and out of reach of many people. As a result, …
Electricity efficiency tips from Google
Google.org’s PowerMeter application incorporates electricity usage data from smart meters installed with utility firms. It monitors real-time and historical electricity usage, and graphs it to provide insight on how much energy different appliances use and how their usage compares to neighbours. This …
Improving productivity with psychological health
Companies are starting to have annual check-ups and corporate “wellness programmes” extended to cover the psychological well-being of employees. Programmes on weight loss, smoking cessation, and healthy eating are abound, with in-house psychologists, gyms, and nutrition-focused cafeterias. For instance, IBM offers workers …
Spray-on solar panels
Norwegian company EnSol has patented a prototype thin film solar cell technology designed to be sprayed onto any glass surface. If this technology works as planned, it could take away the need to install big solar panels on rooftops, particularly in industrial …
What businesses can learn from non-profits
We’ve had the privilege of working with many non-profits, applying business principles to various non-profit workstreams. For instance, non-profit agencies such as the World Food Programme or WaterAid transporting food and water to rural regions, routinely benefit from the supply chain technologies …