This bit of news is encouraging, but it's only a long overdue first step. For a "developed" country, Israel's record in the environmental arena is nothing to be proud of. Alon Tal's "Pollution in a Promised Land" shows how negligent Israel has been across the environmental gamut - air and water quality, management of waste and toxic chemicals, wildlife protection and land management have all been neglected, and recycling of anything beyond waste water is still in its infancy. Given that Israel is the only country in the region without oil and gas resources, one would expect it to be a leader in alternative energy and conservation technology; instead it's only a bit player. Perhaps the economic opportunities in environmental technology, long evident to others, will encourage them along the right path.

I concur that Israel has a long way to go vis. environmental issues, but consider they've been kept busy by their "neighbors" since 1948. Aside from water, the other problems have been a distant second to just staying alive. I hope that Israel will yet become a light unto the nations regarding environmental solutions.

I live in Ra'anana and we have paper and bottle recycling contatiners all over the city, to an extent that I've never seen anywhere else. But I know its not yet like this all over the country. There are still too many people for whom putting a piece of litter in a bin is too much trouble.