Yom Kippur Looked Pretty Green, Carless In Tel Aviv

Treehugger:

That's right - Yom Kippur. A somber day of introspection in most of Israel, in mellow Tel Aviv the Day of Atonement is the closest thing to a day without cars in the Middle East. With all cars banished from the pavements for 25 hours, helmet-clad children take to the streets in their masses.

In contemporary Israel, where land is running out, asphalt is eating up the landscape, the air is thick with smog and gas isn't getting any cheaper, a day like this is an absolute necessity, reminding us all that the car's dominance of our living space is not a divinely-ordained decree, but a conscious decision that we have made - and that we can decide otherwise if we wish.

Read the whole story: Treehugger

Comments

[degenerate1991]

10:48 PM on 10/13/2008

Of course, one must realize that the car ban had much more to do with the (perceived­) threat of terrorism (car bombs) than any kind of environmen­talist benevolenc­e.

[JuniorNorman]

03:10 PM on 10/13/2008

Tel Aviv might be OK. Christians are being forced out of Jerusalem is that a "GOOD ENVIROMENT­" What about bullets flying in Palestine? Is that eviromenta­lly friendly?
Here is my favorite Middle East enviro blog;
Mr Amayreh then went to his local District Coordinati­on Office in Dura, where he was informed that his informatio­n was forwarded to the Shin Bet (General Security Services) of the Israeli government­. Then two days later, the GSS informed the Palestinia­n office that Amayreh was “barred from leaving the West Bank for security reasons.” No further explanatio­n was given.
peacepales­tineblog