Tag Archives | pollution

Satellite Images Show Exorbitant Levels of Air Pollution in Lebanon

The European Space Agency (ESA) recently released several maps showing air pollution around the world after measuring the level of nitrogen dioxide over major cities using their Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite.

This gas is an air pollutant that comes from traffic and the combustion of fossil fuel in industrial areas. And needless to say, it causes health issues by irritating the lungs and causing respiratory problems. The data was collected between April and September 2018 and the above image shows the result for part of the Middle East.

As you can see, almost all of Lebanon has very high levels of NO2 especially over the coast. And since we are by no means an industrial nation, the polluted air definitely comes from the massive number of cars and the diesel generators everywhere around the coutnry.

On the other hand, the government is as passive as ever with no plan in sight to make things better. In fact the best thing they have in mind now is to build garbage incinerators which they believe are eco-friendly. So expect the next results from the Copernicus to have Lebanon on the map replaced with a piece of shit. Literally.

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Middle East Airlines Among the Least Environmentally Friendly Airlines

Earlier last week, London’s Heathrow Airport issued a list of 50 global airlines ranked according to how environmentally friendly they are, and our national carrier Middle East Airlines turned out to be among among the worst coming in the 48th position.

The airlines in the list were assessed based on 7 categories among which are arrival times, efficient landing approaches, nitrogen oxide emissions, and noise pollution. Therefore, this of course has nothing to do with travelers experience on board but rather with the footprint that airplanes flying out of Heathrow Airport leave on the environment.

The only two airlines that scored worse than MEA were Kuwait Airways and Israel’s El Al, while British Airways topped the ranking followed by Aer Lingus, Etihad Airways, Scandinavian Airlines System, Finnair and American Airlines.

You can check the full list here.

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Lebanon Ranked 3rd Worldwide in Pollution Index

beirut garbage

It’s good to know that all the effort we have been putting over the past year in piling up the garbage on our streets and then disposing them in the most unhealthy landfills has finally paid off! According to Numbeo Lebanon is now ranked 3rd worldwide in their pollution index right behind Afghanistan and Ghana.

And it isn’t like we have been trailing way back in the previous years, back in 2013 we were ranked just 13th but we eventually did some serious work and almost made our way to the top.

pollution index

photo via Al Jazeera

Update:

I didn’t notice this when I first shared the chart, but it’s worth noting that the figures are based on the perception of Numbeo website visitors and therefore the ranking is unreliable. Mustapha wrote about the whole thing on his blog and I recommend you check it out.

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Insane fireworks

Check out how bad fireworks can be in some areas in Lebanon on holidays. The video below was taken in Bchamoun on the first day of Eid El-Adha.

Unfortunately, the ministry of interior issues a reminder every few years that fireworks are strictly banned but never puts an effort to actually apply that ban!

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Zouk electricity factory pollution

A friend of mine sent me the below photo today asking me to publish it on the blog.

This is an insane environmental crime! I pity the Zouk inhabitants who have to breath these toxins every single day. All politicians know very well that these factories need to be replaced as soon as possible, and they all go on TV to talk about the problem but none of them suggests a solution. Screw you Lebanese parliament members, I am proud I did not vote to anyone of you.

zouk electricity factory pollution

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A letter to all Lebanese people

A fellow blogger and photographer (Antoine Khater) uploaded a photo of La Marina Dbayeh yesterday showing how dirty the sea shore is there!

He accompanied the photo with the following message:

I was today at Marina Dbayeh a beautiful spot of Lebanon where I take a lot of my pictures.

Look at it, come one this is what we are ? this is our civilization ? Trash everywhere I can’t believe it!

I took my children with me hoping they will get some good time on the beach. I didn’t even let them move I was so afraid for them.

This is simply not acceptable something should be done.

Check the photo below, you can’t but agree with him! I hope his message reaches any of our officials!

Antoine Khater - A letter to all Lebanese people La Marina on a Summer day
Click to enlarge

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