Turning disadvantage to advantage in the hyper-arid climate of the Arava Valley is the topic for the July 18th WRRC Brownbag. The Arava Valley, a sparsely populated region in southern Israel, has a hyper-arid climate with summer temperatures reaching 120°F and less than one inch of rain a year. Even with these obstacles, the Arava Valley is a successful agricultural center and is a major exporter of fruits and vegetables. Recently, the residents of the Arava Valley started employing private solar power fields to provide 100% of the daytime energy needs to the city of Eilat and the villages in the Arava Valley. The WRRC welcomes David Lehrer, Director, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, and Dorit Davidovich Banet CEO, Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative, to discuss the way this region is addressing food, water, and energy issues to maintain its productive and successful economy. Note that this brownbag will be held at the special time of 8:30 am to 10:00 am and will be held at the WRRC, Sol Resnick Conference Room, 350 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ. Light refreshments will be served.