Beit Jala

At the EEC’s pristine hilltop location in Beit Jala’s rolling green countryside, it is easy to assume that one is in a country free from environmental problems. This statement is far from the truth, however; a widespread lack of environmental awareness among the Palestinian population has led to environmental degradation--pollution, loss of biodiversity, and loss of habitat for indigenous animals--and has created conditions that seriously jeopardize the future of Palestine’s natural environment.

Continued Israeli military occupation of Palestinian lands has further exacerbated certain environmental problems. Israeli control over Palestinian ground water resources, severe restriction of Palestinian freedom of movement, the continued confiscation of Palestinian land, and the uprooting of millions of centuries-old olive trees pose additional grave threats to the region’s ecology.

The EEC is working to address these overwhelming environmental concerns through program offerings for the Center’s many potential participants, including students, teachers, women, and local graduate students and decision-makers. Some programs and workshops take place on site at the Center, at the natural history museum, environmental exhibitions, Biblical and botanical gardens, or the bird-ringing and monitoring station. Other educational programs take place in public and private schools and community centers throughout the region.

For example, the Environmental Public Awareness Campaign for the Preservation of Water is a project that creates public awareness for the preservation of the limited water sources in the Palestinian Territories. Involving approximately 500,000 people in the three West Bank Districts of Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Hebron, it will encourage local residents to use more effective conservation techniques to preserve safe water sources, now limited even more by the confiscation of previously available resources.

Another project addresses the problem of garbage. Garbage not only contributes to the spread of disease; its disposal also requires landfills that increase potential environmental hazards. Burning and dumping methods used during the present political conflict cause environmental problems and waste reusable natural resources. In this project, glass and paper, which make up nearly 20% of hard waste, will be sent to recycling centers. The ELCJHL's Schools plan to participate in the paper recycling project.

Another project simply encourages Palestinian youth to enjoy nature. Palestinians have few recreational outlets from the physical and mental hardships of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This project, an enriched educational experience for Palestinian youth, will address the recreational and emotional rehabilitative needs of Palestinian youth affected by the violence of their daily lives. The goal of this project is not only to provide Palestinian youth with a mental and physical pause from stress but also to promote environmental awareness via early intervention.

You can learn more about the EEC by visiting the Center’s website.