Simply Green Magazine - Issue 2, 2013

Page 1

Leading the eco-lifestyle

Greening your baby

bmw active e

Nature's maths

al gore on the future

DIGIMAG

simply

maY •  2013

living off the grid insulation:

polystyrene

toxic fashion vs natural dyes

hot new trends eco-graffiti 3d printing eco-mimicry building biology


{

Visit www.simplygreen.co.za for the latest updates.

SA's leading eco-lifestyle magazine, Simply Green has arrived in the digital realm, and is FREE of charge.

At least 12 (monthly) completely new and independent digital magazines scheduled per year. Readable or downloadable on any digital platform.

mailer

Leading the eco-lifestyle

website

DIGIMAG

simply

Subscribe to our FREE mailer.

Simply Green Digimag has a reach of over 3.6 million at launch via existing channels, with this expected to increase rapidly through our partners and viral distribution.

Simply Green Digimag as you've never seen it, using the reach of the web, the flexibility of being able to download to your PC, smartphone, tablet or any other digital device.

A whole new audience is now introduced to the values and benefits of a sustainable lifestyle, and is encouraged to interact with Simply Green's growing community through the power of social media. Contact Cape Town Head Office Tel 27 (0) 21 713 0018 or 712 4665 • 082 579 7915 • Fax 715 2809 info@simplygreen.co.za • www.simplygreen.co.za howzit SG 2

digimag

click here


Visit www.odysseymagazine.co.za for the latest updates.

Odyssey Magazine, SA's oldest and leading integrated lifestyle magazine, now in its 36th year, has arrived in the digital realm, and is FREE of charge.

At least 12 (monthly) completely new and independent digital magazines scheduled per year. Readable or downloadable on any digital platform.

website

{

DIGIMAG

mailer

ODYSSEY

SA's leading integrated living mag

Subscribe to our FREE mailer.

Odyssey Digimag has a reach of over 3.6 million at launch via existing channels, with this expected to increase rapidly through our partners and viral distribution.

Odyssey Digimag as you've never seen it, using the reach of the web, the flexibility of being able to download to your PC, smartphone, tablet or any other digital device.

digimag

click here

A whole new audience is now introduced to the values and benefits of an integrated lifestyle, and is encouraged to interact with Odyssey's growing community through the power of social media. Contact Cape Town Head Office Tel 27 (0) 21 713 0018 or 712 4665 • 082 579 7915 • Fax 715 2809 info@odysseymagazine.co.za • www.odysseymagazine.co.za howzit

3 SG


10 l 20 enta nm sm iro nali v En our ard J Aw er nn Wi ican Afr ited uth Lim e So ies Th er Brew

Inside

100

News

Energy

40 Living off the grid 43 Energy Barometer Survey

14 Al Gore on the future 18 Eco-mimicry 22 Ups & downs of going green 26 3D Printing 30 Eco-graffiti 32 Merging Nature 34 Ecomo homes

Buildings

44 Insulation: Polystyrene 48 Building Biology 50 From the ground up

Mobility

56 Mercedes A Class 64 BMW ActiveE

simply Leading the eco-lifestyle www.simplygreen.co.za • admin@simplygreen.co.za Cape Town Office • P O Box 30946, Tokai, 7966 Tel 27 (0) 21 713 0018 or 27 (0) 21 712 4665 082 579 7915 • Fax 27 (0) 21 715 2809 SG 4

DIGIMAG

10 General

Features

34 82 Health

70 Reconnection

Fashion

72 Toxic fashion vs natural dyes

Home

80 Silver ain't just pretty 82 Eco-heating this winter

Family

84 Greening your baby

Publisher Chris Erasmus publisher@simplygreen.co.za Editor Nicole Sherwin editor@simplygreen.co.za Creative Director Silke Erasmus admin@simplygreen.co.za Assistant Editor Lenard Roos studio1@simplygreen.co.za

National Sales Consultants Kyle Villet websales@simplygreen.co.za Tamzen Scoulelis adverts@simplygreen.co.za Studio Manager Kevin Rule studio2@simplygreen.co.za


May edition 2013

84 62

Volume 6 No.2 •

70 60 98 Nature's math

Conservation

Tech

118 Rhino Knights

Food

122 Deskbags

Pet

126 Winter wonderland 130 Grow your own 135 How to avoid mosquito bites

93 App attack

100 Kitchen makeover 106 How to read nutritional labels

114 Mush it up 116 News

Regulars

Community Gardening & Outdoors

67 Wellness Warehouse 68 Hot off the press 94 On Safari 137 Listings 140 Books & CDs

Webmaster Garry Doel web@simplygreen.co.za

Publishing House

Copyright

Green Spaces Publishing House

Simply Green is a registered trademark and is copyright protected worldwide. Material

Webdesign Michael-Ray Erasmus webdesign@simplygreen.co.za Accounts Tracy Lee Nash

Disclaimer

published in Simply Green, including all

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not

artwork, may not be reproduced without the

necessarily those of the publishers or staff.

permission of the editor.

accounts@simplygreen.co.za

5 SG


editor's note

OUR STATS

The March Digimag's direct reach via Issuu in a month was 6 675, with this extended via the Simply Green website and social media to over 45 000. Total exposure, reads, views & downloads was +52 000*. * As of going live

WELCOME!

We would like to welcome our new National Sales Consultant, Kyle Villet, to the Simply Green Digimag team. Contact him here. 'After years of being involved with "energy publications" it feels good to work with a publication promoting a positive and practical outlook on eco awareness. I look forward to working with a fantastic award-winning team as we take this path into the new digital era.'

SG 6

With the emerging global hot topic of sustainable consumption and within the widening sustainability debate, there is an increasing amount of dialogue appearing through various mediums that focuses on our 'values systems' – the relatively stable, psychological ‘floor plan’ that represents core elements of our self-concept and, more generally, who we are. With some form of clear logic, we need to somehow encourage our intrinsic values in order to bring about mass-scale behavioural change that is mindful and appreciative of others (be that people, communities, the environment and the planet). The sustainable consumption issue – sustainable behaviour, for instance – is firmly in focus, and for good reason. There is a clear pattern and the focus is consistently on the individual consumer having to re-appraise the situation (maybe with help, be that a nudge or a prompt) and consciously reconnecting with their intrinsic values. In our 2nd Digimag issue we focus on many different topics, ideas and possible solutions to connecting with our own intrinsic values and helping to counter-act pollution, the reduction of natural recourses and giving more healthy options for product purchasing and lifestyle changes with a more conscious intent, and of course having lots of fun along the way. We want to praise Earth Hour that happened recently on 29th March, which grew from one city to 152 countries and inspires a global community of millions, and Earth Day on the 22nd April, supported by 192 countries and community of millions, but more than that, we want to urge you to make every hour your earth hour, every day your Earth Day, or at the least make each week your earth week. This is an on-going campaign, which we support all year round and hope you will join us in this support. I hope you enjoy our free 2nd Simply Green digimag, please share it with friends, colleagues and family. We’d also love to hear your feedback, so please feel free to like our page on facebook and post a comment – . Wishing you happy, eco journeys.

Consciously yours, Nicole Sherwin

Please note that Nicole will be taking up the position of Consulting Editor from the next issue – Chris Erasmus will add Executive Editor to his current Simply Green portfolio as Publisher.


Contributors Roger Metcalfe is a writer specialising in the environment, technology and medicine. He is an ex-diplomat and produces marketing films for the corporate sector. Roger is a partner in Solar Connect – his own solar energy business, offering a cost-free advisory service to architects and developers regarding energy efficient buildings. Dr Marc Sher is currently studying for a diploma in Implantology, a new branch of dentistry focussing on the reconstruction of missing teeth and their supporting structures with natural or synthetic substitutes. He practices from The Dental Practice in Sea Point, Cape Town, which boasts a team of highly skilled dentists and oral hygienists. Ben Chapman is a mechanical engineering student at Olin College whose summer internship is based at TechShop SF. He is working on designing, building, and sharing a series of projects that explore the use of Autodesk software for do-it-yourself projects relating to sustainability.

Jane Griffiths has been growing organic vegetables and herbs in her Johannesburg garden for more than 15 years. She has published a few books and now shares her knowledge and tips with Simply Green readers.

SG Advisory Board Sean Doel is the founding editor of Simply Green. A Technical Director at WSP, specialising in contaminated land investigations and remediation. He is also passionate about what we can all do to address climate change. Jeunesse Park established ProGreen, SA’s first environmental communications and public relations company, as well as Food & Trees for Africa and has won many awards. Liz Eglington (Western Cape Woman Farmer of the Year for 2005/2006) owns Buffelshoek Farm, is Chairperson of Terra Madre SA and Director and Secretary of the SA Organic Sector Organisation. Cormac Cullinan is an enviro-attorney and governance expert who has worked on environmental issues in more than 20 countries and founded the specialist enviro-governance consultancy, EnAct. Prof Bruce Hewitson is the director of the Climate System Analysis Group (CSAG) and was the co-ordinating lead author on regional climate projections for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Prof Mark Swilling is an internationally-recognised expert in sustainable development and is Academic Director of The Sustainability Institute, University of Stellenbosch. Raj Lochan is CEO of the Rose Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the recycling of used oils in South Africa, and has served on the regional committee of the Wildlife and Enviro-society of SA. Dr Pat Garratt is Managing Director of the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, currently sits on the Steering Committee of the International Aquarium Congress and is vice-chair of the International Aquarium Forum.

Energy Training 2013 for optimal sustainable development Certified Energy Manager (CEM ) 5 CPD credits for ECSA Understand the full spectrum of energy efficiency by identifying significant energy savings opportunities and implementing effective solutions for continued sustainable energy management programs in all industries. Attain international professional status through the AEE in the energy engineering industry that recognises ethical fitness and competence in 89 countries. Cpt 11-15 March 2013 Jhb 20-24 May 2013 Jhb 14-18 October 2013

Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP ) 3 CPD credits for ECSA Set industry required energy baselines, and measure and verify energy savings in compliance with international (IPMVP and EVO) and local standards, legislation and regulations. This AEE course uses protocols, methodologies and tools to quantify and manage the performance risks and benefits associated with end-use energy efficiency, renewable energy and water efficiency. PE 11-13 March 2013 Jhb 22-24 May 2013 Jhb 16-18 October 2013

Fundamentals for Energy Management Training (FEMT) 3 CPD credits for ECSA Learn the basics of electrical, mechanical, thermal systems and energy management fundamentals. An ideal course to invigorate technical knowledge and provides sufficient tools and knowledge to identify the correct technologies for your applications.Training is aimed at preparing delegates for the comprehensive CEM® and CMVP® training courses and examinations. Cpt 12-14 February 2013 Jhb 16-18 April 2013 Dbn 23-25 July 2013 Bloem 13-15 August 2013 Jhb 17-19 September 2013

Energy Management Systems Implementation (EnMSI) 2 CPD credits for ECSA Developed with DQS SA and Certification Europe the EnMSI is an ideal starting point to gain the knowledge and understanding to implement an energy management system, in accordance with ISO50001:2011 and EN16001:2009, using case studies and practical exercises. Jhb 20-21 May 2013 Jhb 16-17 October 2013

Customised and on-site training available.

The EnTF is the approved Southern African trainer of the US-based Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and the SAEE in South Africa for CEM and CMVP.

Contact: Lydia Marais lydia@entf.co.za 076 401 3881/2 www.energytrainingfoundation.co.za

a division of Energy Cyber netics


GreenViews SG 8

Face of Esse For the past two years Esse has run a successful “Face of Esse” campaign where every month a candidate is selected by public vote to be a finalist and thus a chance at winning the Face of Esse title. The campaign spread virally and as a result been instrumental in Esse’s increased public recognition and has helped the company develop key contacts through the campaign’s sponsors. Each month’s winner in 2012 was given incredible gifts by these prestigious brands: Simply Green magazine, Hellooow handmade jewellery, African Organics, Citizen Eco-Drive, Jane Iredale make-up and Mahlathini Organics.

Well done this is fabulous!!! Kind regards, Jeunesse Park Climate Reality Leader & Founder

Congratulations. I am amazed at how easy it is to read and how functional it is. Nice issue. Lyn Ras

It's excellent. Thanks. Lots of useful articles and very informative. Andrew Jones-Phillipson

Thanks so much for your email and informing me on all the changes – I wish all the best for Simply Green and hope going digital will spur things off in the right direction for the mag. We had a lovely response to the article on our Face Book page, which I am sure would have redirected many of our followers to issuu’s page. I will definitely be in touch should we want or need to collaborate again. Kind regards, Louise Mary Alexander

Wonderful Green Digimag, thank you Chris & team. Marina & Yoga Teachers' Fellowship.

I love your new magazine and definitely want to continue receiving it. Thanks so much. Kind regards, Dianne O'Connor

SG HAS GONE DIGITAL


9 SG


N ews

Reforest Fest

For the third year running, Greenpop and Reliance Compost will be hosting The Reforest Fest in Platbos forest, close to Gansbaai. This initiative has seen over 3 000 indigenous trees being planted in SA since 2010. This year Greenpop plans to host two strong reforestation efforts during May and aims to plant 4 000 trees. Greenpop is a social enterprise that believes greening and sustainable living can be fun, polar and accessible for all. The initiative aims to protect and grow the Platbos forest through two reforestation festivals, where treeplanting efforts are coupled with fun activities (and parties for the 'Friends' event) and opportunity for volunteers to experience and enjoy the forest. Platbos, a relic forest with trees of over 1 000 years of age, forms part of one of the rare and endangered ecosystems of the Western Cape and has a unique mix of indigenous trees from coastal and mountainous regions (www.platbos.co.za, click here for maplink). Like many natural forests around the world, parts of Platbos have been cleared over the past decades for cultivation. Today, many of these cleared areas are being taken over by dense invasive alien vegetation, which pose a serious fire risk to the forest. In response to this issue, Melissa and Francois Krige of Platbos have launched the Trees for Tomorrow reforestation program. Through this, endemic seeds are harvested from the forest, reared in a nursery close-by and then replanted to extend and grow the forest. It’s important to plant these endemic trees because they are adapted to drought and serve as an important food source for the bird and animal species that live here. The event is split in two: the Family Fest (weekend of 10, 11 and 12 May), and the Friends Fest (weekend of 17, 18 & 19 May). Until 20 March tickets will be R495 (children under 12, R300). Thereafter it is R550 (children under 12, R350). Camping, meals, music, tools, fun activities and trees for the initiative, included. In bookings of 6 the cheapest ticket will be free. People who are unable to afford a ticket are encouraged to raise Trees for Tickets by setting up an activist portal on GivenGain and raising 10 trees for their ticket – email tickets@greenpop.org. Book here: http://goo.gl/s8MQZ. Become a tree sponsor - email kate@greenpop.org or call 021 461 9265.

S G 10

activist makes a difference

Back in 2010, the citizens of Concord, Massachusetts, made efforts to ban the use of plastic water bottles in their city: The effort was lead by Jean Hill, an 82-year-old activist, who lobbied neighbours and officials alike on the consequences of plastic bottles filling landfills and polluting local waters. 'All these discarded bottles are damaging our planet, causing clumps of garbage in the oceans that hurt fish, and are creating more pollution on our streets,' said Hill. It has taken a few years for the ban to take effect, but as of 1 January 2013, Concord became among the first US communities to ban single-serving plastic water bottles.

WATCH THIS!

Plastic bottle ban Concord, Massachusetts


World's 1st organic country

South Africans see the value of switching off

More South Africans than ever must have enjoyed candlelight dinners during Earth Hour recently as Eskom reported a drastically reduced energy usage on the night. They switched off and 'achieved a massive 629MW average reduction on their electricity usage compared to 402MW at last years event,' said Eskom.

2nd International Convention of Enviro-Laureates

The 2nd International Convention of Enviro-Laureates was staged recently by the European Enviro-Foundation EEF in Freiburg, Germany where a declaration in which the participating enviro-laureates urging a fundamental change in environmental and climate policy was signed. What distinguishes this conference and summit from others is the diversity of its participants – 80 winners of internationally renowned enviro-prizes came together from 44 countries.

By shunning all but organic farming techniques, the Himalayan state of Bhutan will cement its status as a paradigm of sustainability. Bhutan plans to become the first country in the world to turn its agriculture completely organic, banning the sales of pesticides and herbicides and relying on its own animals and farm waste for fertilisers. 'The decision to go organic was both practical and philosophical,' said Pema Gyamtsho, Bhutan's minister of agriculture and forests. 'Ours is a mountainous terrain. When we use chemicals they don't stay where we use them, they impact the water and plants. We say that we need to consider all the environment. Most of our farm practices are traditional farming, so we are largely organic anyway. We are Buddhists too, and we believe in living in harmony with nature. Animals have the right to live, we like to see plants happy and insects happy,' he said.

Kungwini Guest House certified by FTTSA

Kungwini Guest House in Bronkhorstspruit is the fourth tourism business in the Dinokeng area to become certified by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) through the Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) project 'Travel with a Conscience'. This campaign is aimed at positioning Dinokeng as a responsible tourism destination.

11 S G


US anti-fracking

community join forces with SA

Following the Goldman Enviro-Prize ceremony in Washington recently, Ms Darcey O’Callaghan, International Director of American-based enviro-group Food & Water Watch (FWW), accepted a South African flag from global anti-fracking campaigner Jonathan Deal, 2013 Goldman Prize recipient for Africa, and chair of the South African activist organisation Treasure Karoo Action Group. The symbolic swapping of flags was part of an initiative between Deal and Americans Against Fracking (AAF), a coalition of Americans and organisations representing those opposed to shale gas mining. AAF counts among its board members such personalities as Josh Fox (Gasland producer), singer Natalie Merchant, actor Mark Ruffalo, and more than 200 organisations collectively representing millions of people opposed to fracking. Deal added that adding momentum to the movement was recent news coverage about attorneys representing applicants to mine shale gas in South Africa, expressing doubt about the likelihood of exploration licenses in 2013, specifically because of environmental appeals. 'Our hard work and campaigning is starting to pay off. Fracking is a global issue, driven by a global oil and gas conglomerate. Those of us who stand for a clean and healthy environment need to mount a global response. We have started that,' he said.

WATCH THIS!

Jonathan Deal: 2013 Goldman Enviro-Prize Winner

S G 12

Earth University

Costa Rica

Located in the forests of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Earth University is an institution of education, innovation, and exploration. Earth University is an international NPO founded in 1987 with the first classes taking place in 1990. A small, but prestigious school, Earth University hand-picks its 418 students in order to identify the most focused and determined leaders for a sustainable future. As American-born Kristine Jimenez, Director of Communications for the university said: 'Change from within is the most effective' which is why Costa Rica took the lead in creating the region's first enviro-centered institution of this kind. The university is further unique in that it focuses on a balance between student-centred learning and field experience. With a focus on agronomics, it encourages students to work with locals and educates them to expand their productivity and maintain enviro-friendly farming practices. Most of their projects involve self-sustainable farming such as free-range pastured poultry, using recycled materials to grow plants, and a massive recycling initiative. The plants grown on the 3.3ha campus supply the majority of the university's own food. Also, the institution exports crops to North America, including bananas to whole foods grocery stores with great success. Earth University is a model university which strives to combat poverty, promote peace and foster a better value of life. A prominent aspect of this university is its urban farming initiative for those with little space to grow food. The plants grown (in vertical structures) can support a variety of populations ranging from single households to whole communities.


WATCH THIS!

Trekking For Trash episodes

Trekking for Trash

Monsanto vs AVAAZ

Grassroots activist group Avaaz has set its sights on biotech giant Monsanto, alleging that the global corporation wants to 'own the patent rights to key varieties of everyday vegetables and fruits like cucumber, broccoli and melons, forcing growers to pay them for seed and risk being sued if they don’t'. Avaaz says companies like Monsanto 'have found loopholes in European law to have exclusive rights over conventional seeds', setting a 'dangerous global precedent'. Avaaz and other anti-GM groups say they are hoping that key countries like Germany, France and the Netherlands – where opposition is already growing – will step in to call for an EU vote to stop Monsanto’s plans. Avaaz claims that 'many farmers and politicians' are against this development and are mobilising within the EU and globally to focus consumer and producer resistance – 'we need to bring in people power to pressure these countries to keep Monsanto’s hands off our food', they say. Visit www.avaaz.org for more.

Michael Baretta and Camilla Howard have recently walked almost 2 000km along SA's coast, starting at the Namibian border and will have finished their trek as you read this. What do they have to say on the status of SA's beaches? 'Durban's are the dirtiest; PE had 900kg of rubbish in a 1km stretch and Cape Town's beaches were the cleanest.' Visit www.facebook.com/Trekking For Trash to find out more.

Aiding cancer research

Olyfberg and the Cancer Association of SA (CANSA) joined hands in the battle against cancer, recently. Olyfberg will donate R2 to cancer research for every litre of their extra virgin olive oil sold.

UN Forum on

of the world's land covered by solar panels could meet all the global electricity needs in 2050

Forests Short Film Awards (Africa) Winner

Greenpop's media partner, Makh3ulu, won the award. The winning film was made during Greenpop's first Trees for Zambia project last year. Lloyd Manyana, around whom the film revolves, was a tree-cutter and charcoal burner in Livingstone, Zambia, before becoming a tree grower and starting his own tree nursery. He is now one of Greenpop's tree suppliers and partners for their Trees for Zambia project.

WATCH THIS!

Biofuel to take off in US

The US is now ready to take second generation biofuel technologies, such as cellulosic ethanol production, to the market on the same scale and level as the Brazilian model, said Dr James McMillian from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory, during the 20th International Symposium on Alcohol Fuels held in Stellenbosch, recently.

Deforestation in Zambia documentary winner

13 S G


The  Future

According to Gore S G 14


Nobel Laureate and former US Vice President Al Gore has written a new book, The Future. This extract is from the introductory chapter of that book and tells us in broad sweeps what he and other experts and futurists see coming for the human race in the near to medium term.

L

ike many fulfilling journeys, this book began

markets, and national governments than in the past;

not with answers but with a question. Eight

A planet-wide electronic communications grid

years ago, when I was on the road, someone

connecting the thoughts and feelings of billions

asked me: 'What are the drivers of global change?'

of people and linking them to rapidly expanding

I listed several of the usual suspects and left it

volumes of data, to a fast growing web of sensors

at that. Yet the next morning, the question kept

being embedded ubiquitously throughout the world,

pulling me back, demanding that I answer it

and to increasingly intelligent devices, robots, and

more precisely and accurately – not by relying on

thinking machines, the smartest of which already

preconceived dogma but by letting the emerging

exceed (some) capabilities of humans and may soon

evidence about an emerging world take me where it

surpass us in manifestations of intelligence we have

would. The question, it turned out, had a future of

always assumed would remain the unique province

its own. I started an outline and spent several hours

of our species;

listing headings and subheadings, then changing

A completely new balance of political, economic,

their rank order and relative magnitude, moving

and military power in the world that is radically

them from one category to another and filling in

different from the equilibrium that characterized

more details after each rereading.

the second half of the 20th century, during which

As I spent the ensuing years raising awareness

the USA provided global leadership and stability –

about climate change and pursuing a business

shifting influence and initiative from West to East,

career, I continued to revisit, revise, and sharpen

from wealthy countries to rapidly emerging centres

the outline until finally, two years ago, I concluded

of power throughout the world, from nation states

that it would not leave me alone until I dug in and

to private actors, and from political systems to

tried to thoroughly answer the question that had

markets;

turned into something of an obsession.

Rapid unsustainable growth – in population;

What emerged was this book, about the six most

cities; resource consumption; depletion of topsoil,

important drivers of global change, how they are

freshwater supplies, and living species; pollution

converging and interacting with one another, where

flows; and economic output that is measured and

they are taking us, and how we as human beings –

guided by an absurd and distorted set of universally

and as a global civilisation – can best affect the way

accepted metrics that blinds us to the destructive

these changes unfold. In order to reclaim control

consequences of the self-deceiving choices we are

of our destiny and shape the future, we must think

routinely making;

freshly and clearly about the crucial choices that

A revolutionary new set of powerful biological,

confront us as a result of the emergence of:

biochemical, genetic, and materials science

A

economy

technologies that are enabling us to reconstitute

that increasingly operates as a fully integrated

the molecular design of all solid matter, reweave

holistic entity with a completely new and different

the fabric of life itself, alter the physical form,

relationship to capital flows, labour, consumer

traits, characteristics, and properties of plants,

deeply

interconnected

global

15 S G


animals, and people, seize active control over evolution, cross the ancient lines dividing species, and invent entirely new ones never imagined in nature; and A radically new relationship between the aggregate power of human civilisation and the Earth's ecological systems, including especially the most vulnerable – the atmosphere and climate balance upon which the continued flourishing of humankind depends – and the beginning of a massive global transformation of our energy, industrial, agricultural, and construction technologies in order to re-establish a healthy and balanced relationship between human civilisation and the future. There is a clear consensus that the future now emerging will be extremely different from anything we have ever known. It is a difference not of degree but of kind. There is no prior period of change that remotely resembles what humanity is about to experience. We have gone through revolutionary periods of change before, but none as powerful or as pregnant with the fraternal twins – peril and opportunity – as the ones that are beginning to unfold. Nor have we ever experienced so many revolutionary changes unfolding simultaneously and converging with one another. The positive and negative sets of trends (mentioned above) are occurring simultaneously. The fact that some are welcome and others are not has an effect on our perception of them. The unwelcome trends are sometimes ignored, at least in part because they are unpleasant to think about. Any uncertainty about them that can be conjured to justify inaction is often seized upon with enthusiasm, while new hard evidence establishing their reality is often resisted with even stronger denial of the reality the

Tim Berners-Lee, inventor

evidence supports.

of the World Wide Web

Just as naïve optimism can amount to self-deception, so too can a predisposition to pessimism blind us to bases for legitimate hope that we can find a path that leads around and through the dangers that lie ahead. Indeed, I am an optimist – though my optimism is predicated on the hope that we will find ways to see and think clearly about the obvious trends that are even now gaining momentum, that we will reason together and attend to the dangerous distortions in our present ways of describing and measuring the powerful changes that are now under way, that we will actively choose to preserve human values and protect them, not least against the mechanistic and destructive consequences of our baser instincts that are now (greatly) magnified by powerful technologies. I have tried my best to describe what I believe the evidence shows is more likely than not to present us with important choices that we must consciously make together. I do so not out of fear, but because I believe in the future.

Available now from all leading bookstores nationwide at a recommended retail price of R275, or click here to order.

S G 16

'Whether he's discussing cyberspace, the environment, science, or the economy, Al Gore presents in this book, with impressive breadth and well-researched depth, the challenges we have to meet to ensure that they become opportunities rather than threats. If you are concerned about the massive changes the world is just heading into, then you should read this book. If you aren't, then you must read it.'


17 S G


Biz

economy With proper care and respect, the earth can provide a high quality

oil drilling, hydraulic fracturing, natural gas extraction and mountaintop-removal coal mining are but examples

of life for all people in perpetuity.

of the insanity that short-term, quick-fix economics produce. These

Yet, we devastate productive

rapidly diminishing, non-renewable fossil-energy reserves, disrupt

highly profitable choices deepen our economic dependence on

lands and waters for a quick

the generative capacity of the earth’s living systems and accelerate

profit, a few temporary jobs or a

A global economy dependent on this nonsense is already failing

one-time resource fix. How did we

and its ultimate collapse is only a matter of time. For a surprisingly

end up with Wall Street's version

we are outside of, superior to, and not subject to, the rules of nature.

of 'profit at any price', when

S G 18

O

ur current expansion of tar sands oil extraction, deep-sea

climate change.

long time, we humans have successfully maintained the illusion that We do so, however, at a huge cost and payment is coming due. To secure the health and happiness of future generations, we

models for a healthy economy are

must embrace life as our defining value, recognise that competition

all around us and what would a

restructure our institutions to conform to life’s favoured organising

is but a subtext of life’s deeper narrative of co-operation and

'down-to-earth economy look like?

principle of radically decentralised, localised decision-making and

David Korten reports.

has learned about the organisation of complex living systems over

self-organisation. This work begins with recognising what nature


great cycles of regeneration.'

billions of years.

Nature surrounds us with expressions of

Our Original Instructions

So how

the organising principles that make possible

would nature

life’s exceptional resilience, capacity for

design an

the

adaptation, creative innovation and vibrant

'original instructions'. Chief Oren Lyons, of

abundance. Earth’s biosphere and the human

economy?

the Onondaga Nation, summarises the rules

body are two magnificent examples.

An economy is nothing

I’m talking about for all human beings, are

The Economy of the Biosphere

to get along with (nature’s) laws and support

Earth’s exquisitely complex, resilient and

them and work with them. We were told a long

continuously evolving band of life – the

system for

time ago that if you do that, life is endless.

biosphere – demonstrates on a grand scale the

allocating

It just continues on and on in great cycles

creative potential of the distributed intelligence

of regeneration. If you want to tinker with

of many trillions of individual self-organising,

resources to

that regeneration, if you want to interrupt it,

choice-making,

that’s your choice, but the results that come

in concert, they continuously regenerate

back can be very severe because the laws are

soils, rivers, aquifers, fisheries, forests and

absolute.'

grasslands, while maintaining climatic balance

presumably,

and the composition of the atmosphere to

in support of

Some

indigenous

people

speak

of

in 'Listening to Natural Law' in the anthology original Instructions: 'Our instructions and

Decision-making would be local & the system would organise from the bottom up

living

organisms.

more than a

Acting

serve the needs of the earth’s widely varied

productive activity –

life forms. So long as humans honour the

life. In fact,

original instructions, the biosphere has

nature is an

an extraordinary capacity to optimise the

Modern neuroscience affirms that the human

capture, organisation and sharing of Earth’s

economy,

brain evolved to reward co-operation and

energy, water and nutrients in support of life

with

service. In other words, nature has hard-wired

– including human life.

material and

the original instructions into our brain.

In nature, species and individuals earn

Extreme individualism, greed and violence

a right to a share in the bounty of the

information

are pathological and a sign of physical,

whole as necessary to their sustenance

developmental, cultural, and/or institutional

through their contribution to the well-being

exchange,

system failure. Caring relationships are the

of the whole. Over the long-term, those that

saving,

foundation of healthy families, communities

contribute, prosper and those that do not

and life itself.

contribute, expire. The interests of the whole

investment,

We are living out the consequences of

are protected against rogue behaviour by

production

our collective human failure to adhere to

natural limits on the ability of any individual

the original instructions – the organising

or species to monopolise resources beyond

and

principles of healthy living systems readily

its own need to the exclusion of the needs

consumption

discernible through observation of nature

of others.

– all functions

at work. These are the principles by which

Individuals and species may compete

we must rethink and reorganise human

for territory and sexual dominance, but the

we associate

economies.

amount of territory or number of mates

with

So how would nature design an economy?

nature allows an individual or species to claim

An economy is nothing more than a system

is local, limited and subject to continuous

economic

for allocating resources to productive activity

challenge. Until humans began to create the

activity.

– presumably, in support of life. In fact, nature

imperial civilisations characteristic of our

is an economy, with material and information

most recent 5 000 years, the idea that any

exchange, saving, investment, production and

species, let alone a few individual members of

consumption – all functions we associate with

a species, might claim control of all of Earth’s

economic activity. Absent human intervention,

living wealth to the exclusion of all others was

as Lyons says, 'It just continues on and on in

beyond comprehension.

19 S G


economy, she would surely apply the same principles she applies in natural systems. Her goal would be a global system of bioregional living economies that secure a healthy, happy, productive life for every person on the planet in symbiotic balance with the non-human systems on which we humans depend for breathable air, drinkable water, fertile soils, timber, fish, grasslands and climate stability. Each bioregional economy would meet its own needs for energy, water, nutrients and mineral resources through sustained local capture, circular

The Economy of the Body The human body is a more intimate demonstration of the creative power of life’s organising principles. The individual human body comprises tens of trillions of individual living cells, each a decision-making entity with the ability to manage and maintain its own health and integrity under changing and often stressful circumstances. At the same time, each cell faithfully discharges its responsibility to serve the needs of the entire body on which its own health and integrity depend. Working together, these cells create and maintain a self-organising human organism with the potential to achieve extraordinary feats of physical grace and intellectual acuity far beyond the capability of any individual cell on its own. Each decision-making, resource-sharing cell is integral to a larger whole of which no part or system can exist on its own. Together they create regulatory mechanisms internal to the whole that work to assure that no part asserts dominance over the others or monopolises the body’s stores of energy, nutrients and water for its exclusive use. Resources are shared based on need. All the while, the body’s cells self-organise to fight off a vast variety of viruses, cancer cells and harmful bacteria, adapt to changing temperatures and energy needs and variations in the body’s food and water intake, heal damaged tissues and collect and provide sensory data to our conscious mind essential to our choice-making. Another of the many impressive expressions of the body’s capacity to self-organise is the process by which our cells continuously regenerate while maintaining the body’s integrity as a unified organism. The cells lining the human stomach have a turnover of only five days. Red blood cells are replaced every 120 days or so. The surface of the skin recycles every two weeks. The cells of the body are constantly reproducing, growing and dying.

A Human Economy Based on Nature If nature were in charge of creating an enduring human S G 20

flow, utilisation and repurposing. Decision-making would be local and the system would organise from the bottom up. Diversity and redundancy would support local adaptation and resilience. This should be our goal and vision. With the biosphere as our systems model, we would design our economic institutions and rules to align with nature’s rules and organising principles. We would replace GDP as the primary measure of economic performance with a new system of living system indicators that assess economic performance against the outcomes we actually want – healthy, happy people and healthy, resilient natural systems. These indicators could be based on Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index. We would redirect the time, talent and money we currently devote to growing GDP, material consumption, securities bubbles and 'Wall

Street bonuses' to producing the outcomes we really want. We would favour local, co-operative ownership and control. Organising from the bottom up in support of bioregional self-reliance, our economic institutions would support local decision-making in response to local needs and opportunities. Cultural and biological diversity and sharing within and between local communities would support local and global resilience and facilitate life-serving system innovation. The result would be an economy based on a love of life that honours the original instructions and conforms to the organising principles of nature, real markets and true democracy. The challenge is epic in its proportion and long overdue. We are Earth’s children; she is our mother. We must honour and care for her as she nurtures and cares for us. Together we can forge an integral partnership grounded in the learning and deep wisdom of her 3.8 billion-year experience in nurturing life’s expanding capacities for intelligent self-organisation, creative innovation and self-reflective consciousness.

SG

First published 17 Jan, 2013 by YES! Magazine www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/17-11


Scan the QR code to see how we created this ad using the very tread that inspired it.

www.treadsmartly.tv Follow us & see how ‘smart choices’ can change things.

Tread Smartly. When you choose a Bridgestone Ecopia tyre, you aren’t simply choosing ‘the greener option’ or leading technology and innovation that inspires superior performance in moments when you truly need it. You are choosing a philosophy that says: “I made the smart choice”.

Bridgestone South Africa. Visit our website: www.bridgestone.co.za. Available at: www.bridgestone.co.za and other selected Bridgestone dealers.


Eco-management & consulting

The ď ˜ups & downs of

going green

E

nviro-sustainability is not a short-term project to be implemented in an isolated department

These can be grouped into the following categories:

for box-ticking purposes. Due to the increasing

cost savings; risk management; economic sustainability;

importance of non-financial indicators, and the increasing direct and indirect economic impacts these indicators point to, sustainability requires significant change across the entire organisation – especially to mindsets.

S G 22

due to a number of drivers.

brand; and reputation.

Legislation In SA legislation will soon require companies to account

It is also important to note that sustainability is

for their carbon emissions as well as other non-traditional

no longer on the fringe – it is now on the agenda

data such as energy, sustainability efforts, environmental

and among the top priorities of most developed and

performance and corporate social investment. This is

developing countries, along with a growing number of

in accordance with the SA National Climate Change

business organisations, from big to small. Accordingly,

Response White Paper, released in October 2011, which

sustainability strategies are being increasingly adopted

announced that carbon budgets would become the norm


Every organisation is unique, with its own structure, operations and goals. When it comes to 'going green', or in corporate terms becoming environmentally sustainable, there is no 'one size fits all' solution. Anna Shevel, of Global Carbon Exchange SA (GCX), reports. within the next two years, as well as specific reporting

decisions. Non-financial data reporting is subject to

formats which will be phased in over a similar period.

the same materiality rules as financial information. As a result, data integrity is imperative when reporting on

Carbon Tax

environmental and social indicators.

When the SA carbon tax is implemented, one ton of

The scope of work and level of expertise required

CO2 emitted over your limit will cost you approximately

with

R120, according to the Treasury's Carbon Tax Discussion

grossly underestimated. It includes developing policy

cross-cutting

depth

of

knowledge

is

often

Document 2010. Carbon taxation is set to start in the

and strategy, as well as energy-efficiency, water,

financial year of 2013/2014 and large emitters are first

waste, pollution and carbon management. Effective

on the list to be regulated. However, by 2014/2015

communication via integrated reporting is crucial.

most businesses in SA will be required to report on their

There are three approaches most commonly employed

greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 2013 is already well

by companies. The specific method to take is often

upon us; if you haven't started planning, this is your cue.

dictated by the company size and structure (practicality). For SMEs through to the Top 100 corporates, the most

Integrated Reporting

effective strategy is to work with consultants. Some

Businesses now require a new kind of business intelligence

consultancies have a specialist team that make up a

to manage their energy, carbon and environmental

broad spectrum of environmental services, while other

performance. Effective reporting of this non-financial data

consultancies specialise in specific expertise.

requires the measurement, management and disclosure

Creating a dedicated sustainability department is

of this information. According to GCX Sustainability

advisable for very large multinational organisations

Strategist Kevin James, 'Companies face major challenges

which would prefer to do everything themselves. This

in terms of data integrity and transparency, particularly

approach is usually not effective unless your company

regarding non-financial data required to measure

is of the size of a major international which needs

organizational, product and supply chain footprints, which

highly specialised sustainability teams, protocols and

have not traditionally been measured and monitored by

has allocated large budgets towards sustainability.

most organisations.' He proposes that the objective of

The approach for small companies that only have a

integrated reporting, being how effectively a company

few staff members, but view environmental stewardship

integrated sustainability into its core business strategy,

as an important part of company culture, is for staff

has significant transformational value in improving

members to attend training and voluntarily take on

business efficiencies, shaping business opportunities

sustainability roles additional to their core function. Regardless

and improving competitiveness.

of

whether

consultants

are

used

The most common reporting platforms are the

or not, however, it is imperative that the internal

Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the Global Reporting

sustainability staff – and, ideally, some other key staff

Initiative (GRI), and the Sustainability Reporting Index

within the organisation – are trained and are at the

(SRI).

least environmentally literate. This ensures that any

Investors & Stakeholders

outsourced work can be managed effectively and if external consultants require information or insight into

With asset management increasingly leaning toward

the company, the trained individual will assist effectively.

incorporating

investing)

Many companies conduct annual reports with assistance

frameworks, investors are depending on more than just

from a consultancy or use consultants to verify strategy,

financial information on which to base their investment

actions or reports.

SRI

(socially

responsible

23 S G


Most

companies,

even

PIC: www.consus.fr

The biggest challenge large

multi-national organisations, often have at most only one dedicated sustainability

employee

(if

that)

to manage the entire scope of the company's requirements. Added to this there is often a vast disconnect between the rest of the company and the sustainability manager's functions, which are often sidelined and seen as outside of the company's imperatives. The

biggest

challenge

when

assessing environmental performance (either

via

conducting

a

carbon

footprint, a water audit, or whatever) is not the calculation itself, but the fact that data is so difficult to access. The primary reason for this is that companies are not geared towards reporting on non-financial data and do not yet have the systems in place that capture and log this data for carbon accounting purposes. Meaningful is

of

and

paramount

underpinning

reliable

data

importance

in

decision-making.

It

also facilitates the development of a practical environmental strategy, which should be executed across the organisation. Imagine if the CEO of

The biggest challenge when assessing environmental performance (either via conducting a carbon footprint, a water audit, or whatever) is not the calculation itself, but the fact that data is so difficult to access. The primary reason for this is that companies are not geared toward reporting on non-financial data and do not yet have the systems in place that capture and log this data for carbon accounting purposes.

a major multinational corporation instructed his accountant to come in

integrity of the data is often compromised and the process is seen as an

once a year to prepare their annual P&L

annually stressful burden resulting in low confidence in the final product.

and balance sheet and then directed

Changing perceptions in the organisation is therefore the key. This is done

him to a container full of invoices and

through planned stakeholder engagement, skills and awareness training. It's

other source documents as a basis for

important to match up the right roles in the company with the right skills

this process.

training, but as this is a relatively new field in SA it is often difficult for the

This is the reality of sustainability officers who are expected to prepare

individual, the HR manager or the employer to figure out which courses will be of benefit to which staff members.

carbon footprint, GRI and sustainability

If you are embarking on this journey for the first time, up-skilling the key

reports without any formal processes,

staff that will be involved in the process is an imperative first step. It will

human resources, software tools,

reduce the amount of time taken by trial and error, which can often be years

and, most importantly, without an

if unsupported by expert knowledge and experience.

SG

executive mandate. Often

these

and

Global Carbon Exchange SA (GCX), is a leading local environmental sustainability

spend

consultancy and training provider whose clients include SMEs, major corporates,

too much time chasing up others

NGOs, NPOs, government departments, municipalities, carbon project developers and

in the organisation for accurate and

individuals or corporate teams seeking green skills development.

complete data sets. As a result, the

See www.gcx.co.za for more.

misunderstood

S G 24

overworked individuals


Switch/A101697/enviroment/print

Find partnerships in unlikely places. Since 1993, we have collected no less than 950 000 tons of cans from our surrounding environments. By partnering with Collect-a-Can, we can increase this recovery rate and further conserve and sustain the environment. To find out how we can keep our country beautiful contact us on (011) 466 2939 or visit www.collectacan.co.za. Recycle cans today. Sustain tomorrow.

25 S G


Tech

3D 3DECO S G 26


I 3D printing, also known

have been using 3D printing for several of my projects recently and I've had many conversations about the interplay between 3D

printing and the environment. It's been claimed that small-scale, distributed, 3D-printed, on-demand

as desktop fabrication or

manufacturing will (eventually) help eliminate

additive manufacturing,

transportation impacts, eliminate wasted inventory,

is a prototyping process whereby a physical object is created from a digital design. It has the potential to revolutionise the way we manufacture things – especially in the medical market. Ben Chapman looks at exploring 3D printing in a sustainable context.

waste and carbon emissions. It would help reduce and allow people to share the digital 'recipe' files for all kinds of useful items. In its current state, 3D printing hasn't reached those goals yet, and it has a lot to do with the way that people use the technology.

DIGITAL DESIGNS TO PHYSICAL JUNK Much of the time, people print out little toys, trinkets, sculptures or other things with little or no useful value. While it's true that these can be completely customised and may not be forgotten and thrown away as soon as store-bought toys are, they tend to be more fragile than the store-bought alternative due to their material structure. From an environmental outlook, it is probably not beneficial to use 3D printing to make swanky plastic trinkets. However, if you do, you should print with polylactic acid (PLA) – a biodegradable corn-plastic – rather than the non-degradable oil-based plastics like ABS.

3D PRINTING VS STORE BOUGHT On another level, there are also many functional items being printed. They have some useful value, and in many cases, there are store-bought things that serve the same purpose, but the 3D printed ones are more wacky, creative, or personalised. There is no clear general answer on whether or not to print when there's a store-bought alternative. On one hand, your 3D printed item didn't need to be shipped to you and you may continue to value it longer since it is more personalised and unique (leading to less waste). On the other hand, it may take three tries of printing it to get it exactly right (meaning lots of wasted plastic), and depending on your material and your design, a store-bought item might be more durable or less toxic. If you are printing these kinds of items, I'd suggest prototyping your design in PLA, so that you can compost the test versions Photo A 3D resin print from Shapeways with the original 3d model shown on screen by Dolf Veenvliet.

that don't work out.

27 S G


3D PRINTING: REPAIR & UPCYCLING

to produce, and would have been thrown away.

Two areas where, environmentally, it does make

With his device, he prolongs the life of the jar and

sense to 3D print are repair and upcycling. For

eliminates the need to manufacture another orange

repair, you may be able to print a small part that

juicer.

isn't readily available from the manufacturer. This

S G 28

can extend the life of that product, which may have

THE FUTURE

had a lot of environmental impact in its production.

According to Christopher Barnatt (a futurist, author,

For example, a friend of mine had an old

videographer and Associate Professor of Computing

lawnmower that had a broken gas-cap that he

and Future Studies in Nottingham University Business

couldn't buy a replacement for. He 3D printed a new

School): 'Whether or not they arrive en masse in the

cap instead of discarding the lawnmower and buying

home, 3D printers have many promising areas of

a new one. So, in his case, the environmental cost

potential future application. They may, for example,

of printing the plastic part was offset by eliminating

be used to output spare parts for all manner of

the need for manufacturing a lawnmower. I've

products, and which could not possibly be stocked

done an example of using 3D printing to repair the

as part of the inventory of even the best physical

handlebar-mount for my bike light.

store. Hence, rather than throwing away a broken

Upcycling is another area where 3D prints come

item (something unlikely to be justified a decade or

out as a net benefit. These are scenarios where we

two hence due to resource depletion and enforced

print items that add new functionality and lifetime

recycling), faulty goods will be able to be taken to a

to objects, especially ones that will be thrown

local facility that will call up the appropriate spare

away. In one example, designer Samuel Bernier

parts online and simply print them out. NASA has

made an attachment that turned a glass jar into

already tested a 3D printer on the International Space

an orange-juicer. The glass jar took a lot of energy

Station, and recently announced its requirement for


WATCH THESE!

compounds, including new ones. They first concept printed chemical reaction vessels, then use the printer to squirt reactants into them as 'chemical inks' which would then react. They have produced new compounds to verify the validity of the process, but have not pursued anything with a particular application. They used the Fab@Home open source printer, at a reported cost of US$2  000. Cornell Creative Machines Lab has confirmed that it is possible to produce customised food with 3D Hydrocolloid Printing. The use of 3D scanning technologies allows the replication of real objects without the use of moulding techniques that in many cases can be more expensive, more difficult, or too invasive to be performed, particularly for precious or delicate cultural heritage artifacts where direct contact with the moulding substances could harm the original object's surface. Objects as ubiquitous as smartphones can be used as 3D scanners: Sculpteo unveiled a mobile app at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show that allows a 3D file to be generated directly via smartphone. An additional use being developed is 'building printing', which could allow faster construction for lower costs, and is currently being investigated for

a high resolution 3D printer to produce spacecraft

construction of off-Earth habitats.

SG

parts during deep space missions. The US Army has also experimented with a truck-mounted 3D printer capable of outputting spare tank and other vehicle components in the battlefield.'

SOURCES Autodesk • Explaining the Future

As of 2012, 3D printing technology has been studied by biotechnology firms and academia for

Photos: Above left, examples of 3D printing. Below, a 3D printer with example.

possible use in tissue engineering applications in which organs and body parts are built using inkjet techniques. In this process, layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium or sugar matrix and slowly built up to form three-dimensional structures including vascular systems. Several terms have been used to refer to this field of research: organ printing, bio-printing, body part printing, and computer-aided tissue engineering, among others. 3D printing can produce a personalised hip replacement in one pass, with the ball permanently inside the socket and is available in printing resolutions that don't require polishing. A proof-of-principle project at the University of Glasgow, UK, in 2012 showed that it is possible to use 3D printing techniques to create chemical

29 S G


Community

Moss graffiti, also called eco-graffiti or green graffiti, replaces spray paint, paint-markers or other such toxic chemicals and paints with creatively-applied moss that can grow on its own. As people become more eco-friendly and environmentally aware, the idea of making living, breathing graffiti has become an interesting green, inspired outlet for graffiti artists. We looks at how it's being done.

INGREDIENTS

STEPS

One or two clumps (about a small handful) of moss

Gather up as much moss as you can find or buy

2 cups of buttermilk

Wash the moss to get as much soil out of the roots

You can also substitute with yoghurt (vegan yoghurt can be used)

2 cups of water

½ tsp sugar

Corn syrup (optional)

as possible. •

place in blender. •

A paint brush

A blender

Moss

Add the buttermilk/yoghurt, water and sugar. Blend the mixture until completely smooth. You'll want it to have a paint-like texture. (If the mixture is at

THINGS YOU'LL NEED •

Break the moss apart into manageable pieces and

a consistency where you feel it will drip, add corn syrup until the consistency you desire is reached.) •

Use a paintbrush to apply the moss-paint to the surface on which you wish your design to grow.

If possible, check back weekly to either spray the design with water (to encourage moss growth, especially if you live in a dry environment) or apply

Graffiti art, unless done with a public art permit, is probably not legal in your area. This article does not endorse illegal art, but does suggest that the graffiti can be done in or around your home or with a permit.

S G 30

more moss-paint. SOURCE: www.wikihow.com/Make-Moss-Graffiti


31 S G

WATCH THESE!

Photo bumtheary.com

Photo inspirates.net


E co

estate

mergingnature Eco-estate development is the latest buzz-phrase in the real estate industry. However, the drive towards sustainable development and the responsible preservation of our natural heritage is not a new concept. A number of successful developments in South Africa have been implementing the core values of creating and maintaining real estate projects to the benefit of both the environment and the investor. We take a look at one such estate that is an example of a successful enviro-restoration project through responsible development.

O

riginally launched in 2003, Cathkin Estates is the

considerations were on the top of the agenda during

result of a long-term vision and determination to

the planning stages and still form the core of the

transform a cattle ranch into an eco-estate. The

entire project. The development was designed to be

Stockil family have farmed in the Winterton area for over

energy-efficient and water-sensitive, without impacting

130 years where they initially leased the farm, but bought

on the functionality of the units. All water is supplied

it in 1962 and successfully farmed in this frost-free

from dams on the property through a gravity-fed system,

enclave in the Drakensberg for many years. With time, the

and each unit has its own septic tank, and the use of

dream of establishing an eco-friendly estate on the farm

anaerobic sewage systems is encouraged.

grew into the success story of today.

S G 32

The estate, with its high biodiversity, is controlled

Brothers Pete and Mark initiated the process in 1986.

by a detailed Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to

Despite encountering their fair share of resistance,

protect its rich natural heritage. This grassland biome is

they persisted with the project planning. Environmental

one of SA's most endangered habitats with less than 1% of


the grasslands officially protected. Apart from a 100-year

and unsightly satellite dishes are hidden from view. Home

old oak forest, a timber plantation and some other relics

owners can garden around their properties, but may

of the past owners, such as an old farmhouse and a fruit

only use indigenous plants. They are also encouraged to

orchard, the estate consists of natural bush and veld only.

install solar panels for water heating.

All farming-related land has been rehabilitated.

The establishment of Cathkin Estates is not only an

Cathkin Estates is divided into five villages – each with

environmental success, but also a great employment

a unique character and location. All stands are on the

opportunity story. The estate provides jobs to many

western slopes of the ridges and spread out so that the

of the local villagers. Building, maintenance, cleaning,

villages are separated from each other's view. Each stand

gardening and security are all newly created and sorely

has unobstructed views of the Berg. Villages 1-3 formed

needed jobs in a rural area.

part of the initial launch and were sold out within months, while Villages 4 and 5 are now ready for release.

A variety of services as well as an array of activities is on offer, not just on the estate but also in the Valley.

The design of homes is governed by guidelines

Apart from the numerous activities such as biking, trout

allowing individual expression within a generic Berg

fishing, hiking and horse riding, the developers are also

theme, while minimising disruption to the environment.

planning two Bush Camps to allow property owners

The architectural guidelines form the basis of the

the option of a night's camping in the bush in a safe

environmental considerations and include specifications

environment.

for exterior home finishes to ensure all homes blend in

Offering

exceptional

lifestyle

and

investment

with the natural environment. Rustic natural materials are

opportunities, the Cathkin Estates story makes this a truly

encouraged, with sandstone, rock and roughened plaster

unique South African investment opportunity.

SG

used to blend into the surroundings. Colours are planned For more information on investment options contact

recessed, shaded or tinted windows minimise reflection,

0861 002 444, www.cathkinestates.com, or see ad below.

ED

CH

UN

LA

JU

ST

VI

LL

AG

E4

&5

to harmonise with nature's palette. Matt surfaces and

THE SUMMIT OF BERG LIVING

Land | Home Packages | Co-Ownership Units Nestled up against the Drakensberg World Heritage Site is Cathkin Estates, a 1000 hectare residential estate that provides a feast of wildlife, berg views and outdoor activities. With a variety of freehold land and home options, this is the family estate of your dreams. Only 2.5 hours from Durban and 4 hours from Gauteng.

E s t at e A t t r ac t i on s Mountain biking • Trout fishing • Game viewing • Running and walking trails Bird hides • Community facilities and kids entertainment Close proximity to a variety of facilities in the Champagne Valley

0861 002 444 I www.cathkinestates.com

33 S G


Home

ecomo homes Eco-homes have projects in Franschhoek (pictured here), Paarl and Stanford in the Overberg.

The ecomo home is a compact home designed for modern, simple living in collaboration with nature. We take a look.

S G 34


Eco-mobile The Eco-mobile is a 40 foot (13m) container size steel frame manufactured in its entirety off-site.

C

lad with wooden panels and timber flooring, this unit consists of a bedroom with bathroom and a kitchenette with living space. Various panels can be flipped down to create outdoor areas and also increase the living space towards the outside. The hybrid energy and the bio-toilet component allow this unit to be placed anywhere and be completely self-sufficient. This temporary structure doesn’t require foundations. Instead, footings will anchor the unit to the ground in a non-invasive and easy removable manner.

T

he design behind ecomo homes is based on basic sustainable, green design principles. The home offers

a low-maintenance, modern, well-designed green housing alternative – an innovative solution to the residential market in that it responds and adapts to the changing modes of living related to the modern condition. In an age of sensory overload it is important for many to be able to escape the concrete jungle and enjoy time in natural surroundings. It was with this at heart that the ecomo was conceived. The home affords a wider group of people this luxury and creates spaces that

ď ™

are earth- and human-friendly. 'With a

35 S G


'Architecture and Nature are the two guiding principles behind Ecomo. Its goal is not to separate these two elements but rather to synergise them to create designs that are coherent with the environment.' Ximena Farfan

ď ™

responsible approach to intrinsic design aspects and to the environment in which we live, the ecomo home is the best solution to a conscious lifestyle,' says the company. The ecomo system commits to creating flexibility for the user while still responding to larger enviro-responsibilities, and all within a contemporary international quality setting. The home concept consists of three units: 5m x 5m modules can be arranged to the client’s need or some of these elements can simply be added at a later stage. This offers a big freedom to simply increase the size of the house when needed. The ecomo home is a predesigned, prefabricated, customised home, offering numerous options in layout, size and finish. These custom designs allow unique solutions for unique sites and are sustainable, thoughtfully designed, modular systems. This guarantees high levels of quality as construction takes place at an off-site factory and offers a truly streamlined process, as well as predictable timeframes and costs for their clients. Further, through factory-based construction, impact on the new home-site is minimised.

SG

For more info, visit here.

S G 36


CONTRIBUTORS ADVISORY

37 S G


A d v er t o r i a l

Remotely Track and Switch Your Energy Devices in Real-Time Ok, so you know that we are all under pressure to cut our energy usage, both to head off rolling blackouts and to cut down on expensive energy wastage. But, practically speaking, when you are at work, how do you ensure that the energy being used at home is in line with what is most cost- and energy-efficient for you? Well, there's an answer for that – and it's dead easy too.

A

n Australian company with local offices in Johannesburg, carbonTRACK, has come up with a 'remote intelligent data device', run by a computer-based 'visually smart control portal', which allows you to switch key components in your home on and off remotely. And it's super-easy to use and understand, no high-end programming required. carbonTRACK has also partnered with a local distribution company, SASSA, the Solar Academy of Sub-Saharan Africa, with a nation-wide franchise network for ease of access to its product, a dedicated call centre and after-sales service. The company has localised some of the components and there are also plans to set up a local assembly line in the near future. This company says its solution to optimising home energy usage is 'suitable for the medium – to high-income residential market, assisting in improving end-user energy-efficiency, for both renewable and conventional energy devices'. carbonTRACK's solution features a 'savvy, consumer-orientated interface'. This allows for energy-efficient living without the sweat, giving the user a pathway to more sustainable living in a smart, visible, transparent manner. As a controller, it makes operating and using energy devices like hot water geysers, solar water heating systems, pool pumps and even air conditioners, convenient and seamless, thereby saving energy and providing households with control. The carbonTRACK solution keeps your energy device settings at your fingertips, making energy data personal and transparent. Here are some of its key benefits:


1 Real-time monitoring and data reporting access Intrinsic to its capability, home-owners and service providers will have real-time access to various data parameters which are continuously measured and monitored; these include power used or generated, tank temperature and time usage settings.

2 Pre-emptive maintenance and under-performance carbonTRACK also has the option of flood alert sensory and leak detection functionality, which can assist in preventing collateral damage in the event of geyser failure. An alert can be sent via the GSM/GPRS network from carbonTRACK to service providers about the geyser failure, providing the householder with peace of mind. carbonTRACK, with its remote sensing capabilities, can signal service providers if certain critical parameters are exceeded.

3 Behaviour change platform carbonTRACK provides consumers with transparent energy usage patterns to help them manage electricity consumption. Families and businesses have access to real-time information about their usage patterns, helping them to save money. The real-time data display can have a significant effect on the energy-use behaviour of individuals, families and businesses. Behaviour change is encouraged by real-time energy information and feedback via the carbonTRACK interface, driving greater energy and environmental savings.

4 Reduced auditing costs Installers and suppliers can access any problems remotely and notify end-users of any imminent problems, thereby reducing call-out fees.

5 Convert existing hot water systems into smart systems carbonTRACK is an incremental step in terms of adopting a low-carbon lifestyle. Your existing hot water system can utilise the features of carbonTRACK to not only save you money, but also give you greater transparency of your energy usage patterns.

6 Optimised for multiple interfaces: engaging and user-centric The carbonTRACK interface is optimised for various mobile, desktop and web platforms with data displayed in a visually appealing, consumer-orientated manner. Our user-centric design makes for a uniquely engaging experience; historical performance data is easily accessible from the interface.

7 Early warning leak detection With carbonTRACK's remote alert functionality, end-users will know immediately if water is collecting in their geyser's drip tray signalling geyser leakage. This real-time alert can assist in avoiding collateral damage from a damaged or leaking geyser.

8 Push notifications, real-time communications gateway Service providers and installers will find the online interface an effective communications channel with their customers. carbonTRACK can assist end-users by providing them with the latest news and tips and offers on electricity savings. As a result, customer relationships may be considerably strengthened; the carbonTRACK interface improves communication with end-users as they receive pertinent information, like electricity price signals, via the interface. The system allows for unique 'push' notifications which may be used for education and real-time alerts, as well as product and service offerings. End-users may access smart visualised information on their phones, tablets or the web. The online interface is a cost-effective marketing channel, complementing other communications channels like media, radio and web.

9 Modular scalability: control and monitoring of other electrical and household appliances The installation and operation is intuitive and therefore calculates a large number of application scenarios. Via carbonTRACK's expansion ports, end-users can choose to control selected energy devices via tablets, smartphones or the web; individual program settings are also possible.

10 Timer & switching functionality carbonTRACK is capable of adjusting to various blocks of ON or OFF timer settings in response to peak and off-peak periods as well as holiday mode. Built into its intelligence, its switching capability is able to control energy using systems such as solar water heating systems, pool pumps and more, from the convenience of a phone or tablet.

11 Switch off energy devices during peak load times The built-in timer settings will assist end-users to switch energy devices off during peak load times and thus complement public awareness campaigns like those encouraging stabilisation of the grid.

For info: www.carbontrack.co.za, 011 513 4060 or irvan@carbontrack.com.au


O ff

the grid

A PV installation by AM Solar at Woodlands International School in Impala Park, Benoni • A diagram of the Solar Window design

A large PV array using 230W SolarWorld Solar Panels and using the SolarWorld mounting. racks.

A typical Power Room: Hoppeke 2v Battery Cells, Victron 15kW Grid Inverters and SMA SunnyBoy PV String Inverters.

Alastair from AM Solar programming the PV system.

Silent Sun

S G 40


A silent revolution is taking place in the world of electrical energy. Roger Metcalfe reports.

T

he price of quality electrical components is

themselves charged by sunlight, and work like a

dropping, even as Eskom prices continue

large UPS back-up system, supplying after-hours

to rise. This means that for an increasing

power to such items as lights, security system and

number of applications, solar electric or photovoltaic

computers.

power (PV) is now making increasing financial sense.

Electrical engineer Alastair Armstrong's system

We keep hearing about solar water heaters and

is similar in principle to those small garden LED

heat pumps, yet few think about generating their

lights with a small PV panel on the top. During the

own electricity using PV. But this technology is fast

day sunlight charges the batteries via the small

emerging into the light.

photovoltaic panel. At sundown these fully charged

When PV is mentioned, it's immediately written off as unrealistic and too costly. But the wheel turns and for many reasons which I unpack below, it's now becoming more viable and proven in the field.

batteries then power the light throughout the night. Why did the owner of this school opt to go the PV route might you ask?

There are many reasons.

But what exactly is PV? This is where a silicone-based solar (photovoltaic) panel converts sunlight directly into electricity. On a sunny South African day one photovoltaic

Benefits of a well-designed PV system: Cheaper than Eskom, especially in the medium to long term.

panel of 1m2 can generate around 1KW of electrical

A fairly high capital investment but a short

energy, enough to boil a kettle of water in two

payback period of 1.9 years, thereafter totally

minutes. This is astounding and proves the

free electricity from the sun.

extremely high solar radiation we enjoy at this

A saving over 20 years of over R3m.

southern tip of Africa. This is quite different to a solar water heating

A performance warranty of 20 years or more (Service Level Agreement).

panel which contains water heated by the sun. The

Energy security and energy independence. An

dual use of the term 'solar panel' is what confuses

asset in itself.

most non-technical people.

Immunity from future Eskom price increases.

The truth is too few are capitalising on the

Immunity from Eskom power outages.

phenomenal power of our African sun to generate

Increased value of the 'green' property (5-10%

electric power.

according to the American Appraisal Institute).

But it's happening. Take a look.

A low-carbon footprint/tax and compliance with

Not many people realise for example that there

enviro-ethics.

exists a primary school on the East Rand that

Totally silent system with low maintenance.

operates purely on solar energy – it doesn't even

Aesthetically acceptable panels, especially when

have a power line from Eskom.

mounted flush on a north-facing roof.

This is energy security and energy independence at its best. The array of photovoltaic (PV) panels

Virtually zero running costs once the capital has been repaid.

powers the whole school during the day and there

PV as a market differentiator. 'Green' businesses

is a small battery bank to run the operation when

simply sell better.

the sun no longer shines. These batteries are

A financial 'no-brainer'.

Revolution 41 S G


The beauty of green design

during the day, and a PV system can take the company

Any technician with a bakkie can install panels on

computers, copiers, lights, security systems and more.

your roof, but if the entire energy picture is not taken

If more power is needed, then more panels are simply

into consideration, it can be a costly, unreliable affair.

installed on the roof and inverters reprogrammed to

This is why a 'green rational design' is so important.

power assist.

In fact, system design is critical to reliability and to cost-effectiveness.

off Eskom power to a lesser or greater degree. PV can power all appliances including air-conditioners,

Before he installs any solar power generating system, Alastair first takes a good look at the

The problem is that true specialists are few and

establishment. As every building is different, he does

far between – engineers capable of integrating the

a site assessment for solar orientation plus a load

multi-level parameters, able to design cost-effective,

assessment.

reliable PV systems.

In order to design the system correctly, Alastair

If such specialist engineers exist, then ladies and

compiles and delivers an initial Sustainability and

gentlemen, please stand up and be counted, for your

Energy Analysis Report. He calculates countless

time has arrived.

variables including solar orientation and what sort of

Alastair Armstrong, owner of AM Solar, is already

loads his PV system will be subjected to.

standing, and like a surfer he's beginning to ride

PV installations. These he monitors remotely and

Solar energy modelling

wirelessly. The installations are in the form of blue PV

Before designing his solar generating system, Alastair

icons on his map.

never fails to addresses the building's passive energy

the solar energy wave. On Google map he monitors his growing number of off-grid and grid-interactive

Off-grid

means

zero

Eskom

power,

while

grid-interactive (or grid-tied) means Eskom is used

aspects. For example, how can energy inefficiencies be minimised or eliminated?

only as back-up. Grid-interactive is often a most

Insulation, which is comparatively cheap, is a good

practical, cost-effective compromise, certainly cheaper

example of how to manage passive energy intelligently.

than batteries and less noisy and smelly than diesel

A well-insulated, well-ventilated building does not get

generators.

hot from the sun (solar gain) meaning air-conditioners

If the PV icon on Alastair's Google map changes

need to work less, if at all. And if the building is able

from blue to red he knows, even before his client does,

to warm itself in winter (through solar gain), then

that attention is needed. He can not only diagnose

heaters are unnecessary. Lighting is also addressed.

issues remotely, but can solve many problems from

Together these are big consumers of electrical energy,

his mobile laptop. But to date he's only seen blue PV

particularly in a commercial environment.

icons spreading across his Gauteng map. PV Systems,

When these factors are taken into consideration,

especially when intelligently designed, are virtually

the result is a financially attractive, reliable, highly

zero-defect, highly reliable systems.

sustainable on-roof PV solution.

His marketing thrust is now aimed more at

Only once the building's energy profile has been

financial decision makers and business owners rather

calculated, does Alastair design his PV system for

than at technical decision makers. He has already

optimum performance. This can be in either single or

demonstrated the viability of his systems to previously

three phase, depending on the load. Peak loads are

skeptical, heavy-weight electrical engineers. And his

also taken into consideration. This shows how good

secret lies in what he terms his 'rational green designs'.

design translates into an efficient, high performance

Due to economies of scale Alastair's designs are

solar electrical energy.

financially more attractive to the commercial rather

It's time engineers, architects, developers and all

than to the residential sector where the payback period

those in the construction industry shift their thinking

is slightly longer. However, his domestic designs

and start harnessing the awesome solar power with

remain highly effective and owners are more than

which we are so blessed in SA.

SG

satisfied with their energy independence. The reality is that most commercial businesses operate mainly

S G 42

Contact Roger roger@global.co.za for more info.


A step in the right direction

Photo www.energyet.com

The Energy Barometer Survey, run by Energy Cybernetics, is an annual event to create an awareness of company's energy consumption levels and their emissions footprint, with a view to become more enviro-aware. We take a look at the latest results.

T

he top performers in the National Energy Barometer Survey for 2011 are: Central Energy Fund (CEF) House, for a second consecutive year, the winner

of the Head Office category, runner-up is Exxaro Corporate Centre and in third place, Anglo Gold Ashanti. We take a look further. Categories assessed in the 2011 survey included Head Offices, Hospitals, Hotels, and Motor Car Dealers, however due to non-disclosure agreements not all winners in all categories may be announced. Three Cities Group of Hotels had three hotels that performed top of the Group and took 1st to 3rd place, while Mediclinic in the Hospital category entered purely to assess its own internal portfolio to assist them in making informed energy-efficiency investment decisions. Optimising a building envelope through standards and regulations is only a step in the right direction. The National Energy Barometer Survey encourages companies to become aware of their energy consumption levels when operating a building and to assist them to optimise their energy usage. The results improve profits, contribute to the national economy, while providing a platform for comparison and learning. The Energy Barometer process poses no risk to a participant as they will never be 'named and shamed' and company-specific information remains confidential. It is up to each participant to decide what may be disclosed. The Energy Barometer is a useful tool to steer energy managers in the right direction and is being used by many companies to decide which buildings in their portfolios will deliver the most significant impact from energy management perspectives. When considering embarking on the energy efficiency road, the question usually asked is 'Where do we start?' With building portfolios, the Energy Barometer is the answer to benchmark a portfolio of buildings against each other so that the building with the most potential to deliver energy savings can be identified as a starting point.

SG

Visit www.energycybernetics.com for more.

43 S G


Buildings

Energy Usage in Buildings Explained T

he NERSA (National Energy Regulator of

guideline setting out the design requirements

South Africa) agreement, granting Eskom

for energy efficiency in buildings and building

significant tariff increases per year over

SANS 204 stipulates the R-values – the measure

clear position – energy saving must be implemented

of resistance to heat transfer – required for all

now as a priority. The incorporation of passive

elements in the building envelope, including

energy-efficiency measures in new buildings, homes

floors, walls, roofs and ceilings.

and retrofits, is the most obvious starting point.

Recommendations for the ‘R-value' are based on

This is one of the initiatives being driven by the

the climatic conditions in particular locations.

national Department of Trade and Industry, with

The deemed-to-satisfy provisions are based on

the aim to reduce the country’s current energy

climate zones, including dry bulb temperatures,

consumption levels. In doing so, greater efficiencies

thermal neutrality, humidity and southern

on a long-term basis may be achieved as more time

coastal condensation risk.

will be made available for new-build power stations to reach their full operational capacity, thereby changing energy usage patterns.

WHAT IS SANS 10400-XA?

S G 44

services.

three years also places building owners in a very

OBJECTIVE OF SANS 10400-XA The objective of SANS 10400-XA is to encourage and enforce the saving of energy in buildings – which are big users of energy at residential,

SANS 10400-XA, to a large extent, is based

commercial and industrial scale.

on and refers to SANS 204, which was first

SANS 10400 – XA essentially tackles how

introduced in 2008 as a voluntary best practice

buildings are designed and built by addressing


Image gogreencyclopedia.blogspot.com

The urgency for substantial new power-generating capacity, as well as the reduction of current energy consumption levels in South Africa, has become exceedingly evident over time. The newly legislated SANS 10400-XA: 2011 (November 2011) – which forms part of the National Building Regulations – is set to change the way we build in South Africa by governing energy usage in buildings. We take a closer look. and providing guidelines for minimum

building refurbishments where the window area

requirements for things such as glazing,

amounts to more than 15% of the net floor

insulation, shading, orientation and building

area are dependent on the projects’ compliance

services, including air-conditioning, hot water

with the requirements of SANS 204 and SANS

and lighting.

10400-XA.

The regulations will eliminate the structural

Evidence of compliance requires the backup of

constraints which resulted in a major

recognised certificates of performance from the

disconnect between what was in the best

manufacturers of respective products.

interests of building developer clients (in other

Compliance must be substantiated with any

words, fundamentally to build for the least cost

building plan submitted to a municipality for

and to rent for the most possible) and on the

plan approval.

other hand undiscerning tenants and building purchasers, who are unaware that they are purchasing energy-inefficient buildings and burdening their businesses in the future.

HOW THE OBJECTIVE OF SANS 10400-XA WILL BE REACHED This is done by imposing regulations to ensure

REQUIREMENTS OF SANS 10400-XA Regulations are compulsory and applicable to all new buildings and building refurbishments. Buildings with a window area of up to 15% of the net floor area are exempt, affording some leeway specifically for low-cost and government-

buildings are built more energy-efficient,

subsidised housing.

Plan approvals for all new buildings and

All new buildings erected after the 10th of

45 S G


the amount of energy required for heating and cooling; Image wide-wallpapers.net

Fenestration (windows & frames) which are appropriately orientated and sized with protection from winter heat loss and summer heat gain, allowing for cross-ventilation in summer for cooling; Thermal insulation in roofs, ceilings, walls and floors; Good draught proofing; November 2011 must comply with the new

Efficient hot water system and fittings, located

Energy Efficiency Regulations. Buildings will be

close to user station;

classified according to the area in which they

Efficient lighting and appliances;

are to be built.

Landscape design that assists in modifying the

In accordance with these areas, a thermal rating

microclimate for more comfortable conditions.

must be acquired. This will be done by sealing

New building products and materials are already

the structure and applying thermal insulation.

being developed, and existing products are

All SANS 204 requirements are classified in

being modified and improved, to meet or better

terms of six different climatic zones across the

the performance requirements set out in SANS

country, and vary accordingly.

204 and SANS 10400-XA.

Zone 1, described as 'cold interior', includes Johannesburg and Bloemfontein as major centres falling into this zone

BENEFITS OF SANS 10400-XA New buildings in SA will be some 30–50% more

Zone 2 is described as 'temperate interior' and

efficient than those built prior to 2012.

includes Pretoria and Polokwane.

These buildings will cost more as a result of

Zone 3 covers centres such as Louis Trichardt

the regulations being applied, but the extra

and Nelspruit and is described as 'hot interior'.

cost would have a financial pay-back which was

Zone 4 being 'temperate coastal' and includes

measured in a few months to a few years.

areas such as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

Under the National Energy Act, 2008

Zone 5 is described as 'sub-tropical coastal' and

Regulations on the allowance for

this would include Durban, Richards Bay and East

energy-efficiency savings, companies can

London.

submit certificates of energy savings, issued by

Zone 6 is described as 'arid interior' and covers

accredited persons, to SARS for a credit on their

areas such as Kimberley and Upington.

tax return. This government initiative further

The use of solar geysers and/or heat exchange

incentivises SA businesses to reduce their

units will become compulsory.

energy consumption. Interested parties will need to register with the

HOW IS ENERGY-EFFICIENCY ACHIEVED?

(SANEDI) and then appoint a measurement and

While each of the six climate zones have

verification professional to compile a comprehensive

different heating and cooling needs, the same

report on the energy-efficiency savings achieved.

principles of energy efficient design apply,

South African National Energy Development Institute

This report will then be submitted to SANEDI who

with their application varying slightly, requiring

will issue that organisation with a certificate that

different levels of insulation or thermal mass.

can then be submitted to SARS who calculate the

Building orientation – main living areas to the

relevant tax return.

SG

north to receive unobstructed winter sun; Internal planning to create zones which reduce

S G 46

For more info see ad, right


IT S WHITE & GREEN ʼ

ITʼS

THE ENERGY EFFICIENT INSULATION LEGISLATION SOLUTION

ARM AdvertisingARM & Design 28974-2 Advertising & Design 30746

EPS is a lightweight cellular material derived from petroleum and natural gas by-products. EPS sheets and boards are utilized for thermal and sound insulation in walls, roofs, and on floors. Loose beads are used in lightweight concrete, plasters and renderings. Other uses include under-floor heating systems, drainage boards, permanent formwork, foundation and prefabricated wall systems. EPS Rated A+: Summary of Green Guide Ratings for Expanded Polystyrene - Published by BRETrust 2011 Environment-friendly. Contains no CFCs and does not damage the ozone layer. Easily Disposable. Correctly incinerated, 100kg of EPS reduces to 0,01kg of ash, and the emissions are non-toxic. Recyclable. Products include skirtings, poles, decking and picture frames. Energy-saving: helps conserve other energy usage. Compatible with advanced and conventional building materials. Lightweight and easy to work with. Rot-proof and durable. Fire-retardant. styFRene

TM

Moisture-resistant.

www.epsasa.co.za www.expandedpolystyrene.co.za

P. O. Box 7861 Halfway House 1685 t: 011 805 5002 f: 011 805 5033 epsasa@aaamsa.com 47 S G


Buildings

Building Biology

Turning Your Home Green & Healthy From The Inside Out

Building Biology originated in Germany during the '70s in reaction to all the toxic contaminants introduced into the built environment. From there it spread to the rest of Europe, North America and Australia where it is now an established and recognised practice. In its true sense, Building Biology is a green building philosophy that concerns itself with the indoor environment and focuses on how people react to building materials, indoor air pollution, radio magnetic radiation and geopathic stress. It also looks at the impact the home and household have on the environment. Wynand Koch breaks it down for us.

M

S G 48

ost people have the misconception that

Control and Prevention (2011), indoor air pollution

air quality outside is far more polluted

now kills 2.2 million young Chinese annually.

than indoors, but according to current

Many of the building materials, finishes and

research, indoor air can be up to ten times more

furniture we use nowadays give off volatile organic

polluted. According to the China Center for Disease

compounds that are detrimental to our health


If we truly want to go green we have to start where we as individuals can have the greatest impact – our homes. Any person who is concerned about the environment and the health of their family should look at how they live and start making the changes necessary to lead healthier lifestyles and to limit our impact on the environment.

the home, or building, in order to identify any indoor air pollutants, radio magnetic radiation and geopathic stress. Recommendations are then made to ensure good indoor air quality, and all building materials and furniture are tested for volatile organic compounds. Electromagnetic radiation is measured with various instruments and where these cause 'hot spots', recommendations are made on how to avoid them. Where necessary, shielding is also applied. The building biologist will also test for any geopathic stress, whereafter furniture such as beds and seating areas will be moved to safer areas. In some cases, and if necessary, an appropriate

and the environment. One of the most common is

remedy will be applied.

formaldehyde; the same chemical scientists use to

The final step in the Building Health Assessment

preserve dead bodies. Formaldehyde is a known

would be to turn the home, or building, green and

carcinogen (cancer-causing chemical), but is still

organic by introducing organic and enviro-friendly

widely used as a preservative and binding agent in

household

almost every household product.

materials and furniture. Our greatest exposure

products,

personal

care

products,

Radio magnetic radiation includes electromagnetic

to harmful substances is right in our own homes

fields and electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic

and these are found in the cleaning products and

fields are found around all electrical appliances

personal care items we use, even the food we eat.

and electrical wiring in the walls of buildings. Any

Every day we use household products that contain

equipment that uses cordless transmission, such as

harmful chemicals. Most people assume that the

mobile phones and the internet, uses microwaves,

ones used in our soaps, cosmetics and food have

a source of electromagnetic waves. We cannot see,

been proven safe for the environment, our families

feel or hear these waves, yet they continuously

and children. Unfortunately, that assumption is

surround us. They are unnatural and have a very

wrong. There are basically none or very limited

short wavelength, and because of this they create

laws that require analysis for the chemicals we use.

a biological risk for all of us. The effect that these

Further, according to the Environmental Working

fields and waves have on the immune and nervous

Group (a non-profit organisation providing useful

systems is especially concerning. With a suppressed

and scientific resources to assess a wide array of

immune system come more colds, coughs, longer

toxic contaminants), chemicals found in the built

illnesses, depression, fatigue and a higher chance

environment are now linked to serious long-term

of infectious disease and cancer.

health effects, from childhood cancer and autism

Geopathic stress is the general term for energies

to learning deficits, infertility and heart disease. We

emanating from the earth that causes discomfort and

also need to remember that in the end every toxic

ill health in people. Some of these occur naturally

product we use in our homes ultimately ends up in

such as deposits of particular types of minerals in

the environment.

the ground and some are caused by the interference

If we truly want to go green we have to start

of humans on the environment by disruptions

where we as individuals can have the greatest

in the earth's magnetic and gravitational field

impact – our homes. Any person who is concerned

through building construction, mining, construction

about the environment and the health of their family

of dams, excavations, and so forth. Because of their

should look at how they live and start making the

detrimental effect, they are often known as negative

changes necessary to lead healthier lifestyles and to

earth energies. These negative energies directly

limit our impact on the environment.

affect our body's ability to fight infection and

Home is where the heart is, and it is now the

disease. Insomnia, hyperactivity and chronic illness

time to look after the health of our homes and start

are all indications of negative energies.

healing them from all the toxic contaminants – and

In building biology, the building biologist will conduct a 'Building Health Assessment' of

by doing this we ultimately heal ourselves and the earth we all call home.

SG

49 S G


Buildings 'We have a responsibility as a company, as an employer and as a visitor on this planet to live as sustainably as possible. This is the only way we can survive long-term and hand over to our children in a responsible manner.'

from the ground up Mario and Annemarie Delicio of Dematech are the owners behind Hotel Verde – Africa's greenest hotel. Dedicated and passionate about sustainability, they have transformed what was initially just a sensible business proposition into a showcase for some of the most advanced environmentally-conscious technological installations as well as construction and operation practices in the world. We take a look.

C

S G 50

onstruction on Hotel Verde,

And the team at Hotel Verde have

which is a part of the recently

gone to the greatest extent yet seen

launched BON Hotels group,

on the continent – from locally-sourced

began over a year ago just outside Cape

suppliers to sustainable practices on the

Town International Airport, with a team

building site to multiple ways in which

of contractors and experts dedicated to

they can generate their own electricity

finding the alternative. 'If you look at what

and reduce waste to almost zero.

can be done from a green angle you look

'We have an advantage because we

at energy, water and waste reduction,'

are starting from scratch. We could

Delicio explains. 'You then take each

go from choosing recycled bricks and

of these areas and work out how to

insulation, to installing a geothermal

implement alternatives, generating your

field, coupled to ground-source heat

own electricity for example. Then you

pumps. When you build new you can

need to explore the extent to which you

plan much more than if you retrofit an

can go.'

existing building.'


and

cleverly positioned to provide shade as well as

founder of Ecolution Consulting, is a trained

power. 'They are mounted on the north façade of

mechanical engineer and the expertise behind

the building so as to not only generate electricity

some of the more technical aspects of the building.

but create shading for the windows that get the

Having spent 15 months at the South African

most sun.'

André

Harms,

Sustainability

Manager

Research Centre in Antarctica, Harms knows what it

Another step is to dramatically reduce the

is to value everyday resources and is applying this

amount of concrete required by utilising Cobiax void

dedication to each facet of the project. 'We have

formers – recycled plastic balls placed strategically

the opportunity to change the status quo here,' he

within the concrete slabs that are required for

says. 'We have looked at different ways of doing

the various floors. They displace the concrete,

everything, right from the word go.'

saving approximately 535m3 or 1 284 tons while

This includes the photovoltaic (solar) panels

maintaining the structural integrity.

51 S G


Hotel

Verde

also

boasts

a

sophisticated

grey-water recycling plant that will contribute towards a 37% reduction of potable water use. 'We have run a network of pipes through the building in order to reticulate the grey water, collect it and supply it to the toilets,' Harms explains. They will also be utilising a rainwater filtering and capture system to provide water for the car wash and irrigation. The elevators will run on a regenerative drive, which will allow for about 30% of the input energy to be recaptured and fed back into the building, and double-glazed windows with spectrally selective glass will filter out hot rays, so less heat enters the building reducing the need for air-conditioning.

ABOVE: Guy Stehlik (left), founder of Bon Hotels, the company appointed to manage the Hotel Verde, with Samantha Annandale, Hotel Verde GM; and Mario Delicio, the man behind the development of what is said to be Africa’s greenest hotel.

In order to bypass the need for standard air-conditioning systems, traditionally one of the biggest energy consumers, Hotel Verde will utilise

thrilled to be involved in a project of this nature.'

ground source heat pumps made by 100 holes drilled

Despite the fact that this is the first of its kind,

about 76m into the ground, where the temperature

the Hotel Verde team doesn't want it to be a secret;

is a consistent 19ÂşC. Renowned German supplier

they want to share their convictions with anyone

AGO Energy will install a complex network of piping

who'll listen. 'We might have the slogan 'Africa's

and equipment specifically designed for Hotel Verde

Greenest Hotel' right now, but we hope it won't

that uses the earth as a heat source in winter and

be for long,' says Harms. 'We want to show the

'heat sink' in summer, boosting efficiency and

continent what can be done. We want to challenge

dramatically reducing operational costs.

the industry as a whole.'

'There is no other hotel in Africa that has gone

SG

to the extent that we are hoping to achieve,' Delicio

ABOUT BON Hotels

says. 'But going green is not just about the building,

BON Hotels was founded in 2012 by Guy Stehlik

it's about every aspect of the operation; zero waste

who, along with the handpicked management team,

to landfill for example. We might never reach that,

have 100 years of collective experience in hospitality.

but with the ideas we have in mind we will come

They focus on every aspect of hotel management and

pretty close.'

operation, with the specific needs of the owners in mind.

Open to the public in August 2013, the hotel

By structuring a partnership with hotel owners, BON

plans to incentivise guests with credit notes and bar

Hotels delivers above average market-related returns

tabs for those who utilise towels more than once,

and improved viability. BON Hotels seeks to only take

for example, or don't use the air-conditioning. 'It's

on those hotels they are convinced they can add value

about getting customers involved and making them

to, which will mean that their growth is relatively gradual,

a part of the whole green thinking philosophy,'

however, this approach, along with their excellent

Delicio explains.

management infrastructure and unique fee structure,

Guy Stehlik, founder of BON Hotels, who will

will result in ethical, transparent long term business

manage and operate Hotel Verde, says that the

relationships. With BON Hotels on board for a property

value of being involved in a project of this nature,

opening or major repositioning, clients are guaranteed

plus its learning in terms of future hotels, is

to work alongside hotel management experts with years

invaluable. 'The three cornerstones of BON Hotels

of experience in development, opening and ongoing

are: Good People; Good Thinking; and Good Feeling.

operational procedures.

Hotel Verde and the philosophy behind it is where

S G 52

the good thinking lies. This is definitely one of the

FOR MORE INFO: www.bonhotels.co.za,

most innovative hotels in the country and we are

www.hotelverde.co.za


'People tend to focus on the here and now. The problem is that, once global warming is something that most people can feel in the course of their daily lives, it will be too late to prevent much larger, potentially catastrophic changes.' - Elizabeth Kolbert

Leaks and leak fixing ‘Toilets’ A worn-out washer at the outlet port or flush valve from the cistern to the bowl can cause leaks into the toilet bowl.

Website Contact Leaks Faulty washers at the side intake valve to the cistern can cause water to leak into the cistern, which over time can cause an overflow of water into the toilet bowl.

A misaligned filler float or floating arm can cause an overflow of water into the cistern, which can cause wasted water to spill over into the toilet bowl.

http://howjunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Top88.bmp

For more information on how to fix these toilet leaks click on the ‘Leaks’ link above.

For more information on being Water Wise® please visit www.randwater.co.za and click on the Water Wise logo or contact us on 0860 10 10 60.

Keith Anderson | Chairman keith@ewasa.org www.ewasa.org Mobile Office Fax2Email Skype

27 82 553 0373 27 31 575 8100 27 86 625 9913 keitha1909

Suite 304, Granada Square, 16 Chatwell Drive, Umhlanga Roacks, 4320, SA Postnet Suite 160, Private Bag X01, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320, SA

53 S G


Building News

Vodacom breaks SA solar panel record

Vodacom has recently unveiled the largest solar array of panels on a single building in Africa at its offices in Century City, Cape Town. The installation of the solar array is part of Vodacom’s ongoing drive to help reduce the amount of energy the company consumes. The solar array is expected to provide up to 75% of all electricity power required by the building during peak activity. The electricity produced will feed into the two main distribution boards and a display panel, installed in the reception area of the building, and will display instantaneous power produced (yield), energy yield and carbon emission savings. Vodacom’s Chief Officer: Corporate Affairs, Maya Makanjee, says: 'Vodacom recently became a voluntary signatory to the Energy Efficiency Leadership Network which aims to help improve energy-efficiency in SA. This commitment complements our existing environmental and sustainability efforts to reduce carbon emissions within the organisation by 5% per annum until 2014.' In keeping with Vodacom’s commitment to investment in local communities, all the roof tiles that were removed were donated to a community centre project in the Delft area, ensuring that the roof tiles were re-used.

S G 54

Green building for beginners

If you are in the planning stages to build a green home, here are the basics you need to consider: A green home is conventionally small. Reduce air leakage – airtight construction methods are essential. Specify insulation with a higher R-value than the minimum values required by the GBCSA (Green Building Council SA). Most recommended insulation materials can be used. Specify windows with the right type of glazing to improve energy-efficiency. The ductwork must be located inside your home’s thermal envelope. Do not allow your designer or builder to locate ducts in a vented crawl space or a vented attic. Air-tight homes need a mechanical ventilation system. Research the best option to suit your needs. When it comes to domestic hot water, design a compact piping setup: bathroom close to your kitchen, and so on. Make sure that your ceilings are high enough (around 3m) and your roof overhangs are adequate/wide enough. When doing the finishes, although purely aesthetic, bamboo flooring and earth plaster will complement the other eco decisions you've made around your home nicely.


New rating tool released

Funded by the Construction Industry Development Board, an agency of the National Department of Public works, the Green Star SA – Public & Education Building rating tool enables the GBCSA to rate public spaces, such as community centres, libraries, museums, places of worship, indoor sports centres, entertainment, exhibition and convention centres and public transport terminal buildings, regardless of whether these buildings are publicly or privately owned. The rating tool extends to education buildings such as schools and tertiary education facilities.

1 st Green Building Council 5 Star award for Gauteng

Bryprop recently unveiled its 5 Star green rated office building in Sandton. Buoyed by this success, the company is developing another building next door targeting a 6 Star GBCSA rating. Bryprop, one of Johannesburg’s niche sectional title property development firms, is enhancing its focus on sustainability, an area expected to deliver both cost savings and greater comfort for building occupants, as well as revenue-generating opportunities in the market. The company has just become the first firm in Gauteng to receive a Green Building Council 5 Star award for its development of Block E, Upper Grayston, SA’s first smaller building to hold this accolade.

Eco-prefab home

The WFH concept is a patented modular building system, using 13m high standard modules as the structural system. The structure can be adapted to local challenges such as climatic or earthquake issues. It is the first prefabricated housing system that meets the demands in the international enviro-building standard, Active House, and it can be configured to meet many different purposes, multi-storey, townhouses, cluster houses or individual villas. It features a top class indoor climate, low energy consumption and is built with enviro-sound materials. The WFH has a very short construction period and is demountable for recycling or relocation. Online customisation tools give clients the possibility to decide their own version of the house concerning layout, size, facade, interior, and so on.

55 S G


A-Class Mercedes-Benz

M obility

S G 56

Apparently being a top designer at Mercedes-Benz doesn’t guarantee that you get to design the next super-car in their fleet. In fact, it’s incredibly competitive and once there is a brief from the top, all the MB designers set to work separately to try and create the masterpiece that goes on to win them the head of design platform. This is exactly the experience that Mark Fetherston, chief exterior designer of the new, sexy A-Class Mercedes-Benz went through. Nicole Sherwin reports.

D

efined edges and tautly drawn

indicators.

surfaces mark out the exterior

The perfect interplay of dynamic

design of the new A-Class. The

design and excellent aerodynamics is

constant interplay between concave and

nowhere more apparent than in the roof,

convex surfaces creates a characteristic

with its smooth surfaces and taut, arcing

play of light, particularly along the sides

curve. The silhouette reveals smooth,

of the car, which contributes to its unique

flowing lines finishing in a flat edge. The

appearance. Typical features of the long,

roof spoiler, which conveniently hides all

sporty front are its pronounced V-shape,

the aerials, provides an extra sporty touch

the separate headlamps, the radiator grille

and gives structure to the roof assembly.

with central Mercedes star and double

The broad emphasis of the tail end is

slats to either side of the star, as well as

revealed in an interplay of convex-concave

the additional air intakes on the sides.

surfaces and edges. The tail lights continue

The 'dropping line' apparent in the side

the line of the muscular shoulders back

profile dissipates towards the vehicle's

towards the rear, while their horizontal

front end. The design of the headlamps

orientation emphasises the car's powerful

together with the configuration of the light

width. The light functions are provided

functions within them, are key elements

optionally by fibre-optic cables

of the design concept. The light modules

and LED modules. Here,

and LEDs behind the headlamp cover

too, the interaction

glass have been arranged in such a way

between design

as to create the characteristic 'flare effect' for the daytime driving lights and


WATCH THIS!

With the new A-Class, Mercedes-Benz is opening up a new chapter in the compact segment: markedly emotive in design, with powerful engines, fuel consumption down by up to 35% compared to comparable preceding models and extremely efficient with emissions.

Mercedes-Benz: The new A-Class and aerodynamics is very clear: the surface finish

emotive exterior and an exceptionally high-quality

of the tail lights is not only an interesting design

feel to the interior.

feature, but also improves the airflow around the

'Mercedes-Benz is becoming the most dynamic

vehicle thanks to defined airflow break-away edges

premium brand in the world. As part of this

in the rear section.

development, the A-Class represents an important

Standing as much as 16cm lower on the

milestone. The A-Class is completely new, right down

road than the preceding model, the new A-Class

to the last detail. It’s not often you get the chance

communicates design and dynamism at the very first

to start with a clean sheet of paper in automotive

glance. This radical form language, presented and

development. Our designers and engineers have

enthusiastically acclaimed around the world with

made the very most of that opportunity and it also

the Concept A-Class, was consistently implemented

speaks volumes in fuel efficency,' says Dr Martin

in the series production car. The appearance of the

Zimmermann, President and CEO, Mercedes-Benz

new A-Class reflects this new Mercedes-Benz design

SA.

strategy. The result is what is known as a two-box

With the new A-Class, Mercedes-Benz is opening up

design with a distinct character of its own, a sportily

a new chapter in the compact segment: markedly emotive in design, with powerful engines ranging from 80kW to 155kW, extremely efficient with emissions from just 98g of CO2/km and a best-in-class drag coefficient of 0.27. At the same time the new model underlines that for Mercedes-Benz, safety is not a question of price – the standard specification includes, among other things, the radar-based Collision Prevention Assist system, Attention Assist and Pre-Safe. A wide choice of petrol and diesel engines meets every power requirement and reaches new heights in terms of efficiency and enviro-compatibility: the A 180 CDI will be the very first Mercedes-Benz to emit only 105g of CO2 per/km. Moreover, the A 220 CDI already meets the Euro 6 emission standard which only comes into force in 2015. All engines of the

57 S G


The new A-Class' distinct character of its own with an exceptionally high-quality feel to the interior.

new A-Class feature the ECO start/stop function as

WATCH THIS!

standard. The engines can be combined with the new six-speed manual transmission or optionally with the 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic transmission, which ideally combines comfort and sportiness. Fuel consumption down by up to 35% compared to comparable preceding models, accompanied by a considerable power increase: these are the salient features of the engine range for the new A-Class.

Diesel & Petrol Engines: 3 efficient power bands The new basic engine in the OM 607 series develops 80kW, delivers 260Nm to the crankshaft and with a manual transmission consumes 3.8l per 100 km, corresponding to 98 g of CO2/km. This is a 22% improvement over the only 60kW preceding model, the A 160 CDI, which consumed 4.9l. The new top diesel, the A 220 CDI, is no less than 25% better than its predecessor: it develops an output of 125kW and 350Nm of torque, and in combination with

S G 58

Geneva Roadshow feature but consumes only 5.4l/100km (127g CO2/km – figures for the 7G-DCT), which is 26% less than its predecessor (100kW, 185Nm, 7.4l/100 km, 174g CO2/km). Even the new top model – the A 250 Sport – with the 7G-DCT and producing 155kW and 350Nm is considerably more efficient with a consumption of 6.1l and CO2 emissions of 148g/km.

the 7G-DCT automatic dual clutch transmission it

iPhone integration

consumes only 4.3l/100km (provisional figure). The

The seamless integration of the iPhone into the

figures for the preceding A 200 CDI were 103kW,

vehicle, in conjunction with the new revolutionary

5.7l, and 149g CO2/km.

user interface design, means that Mercedes-Benz

Petrol Engines: turbocharging & direct injection

natural home on four wheels in the guise of the new

A comparison between the new and previous A

lifestyle services and content into the vehicle.

200 demonstrates what has been achieved with the

Highlights include advanced navigation software

petrol engines: with 115kW and 250Nm of torque,

from Garmin, the Audio 20 CD. This features a

the new engine delivers superior performance

twin tuner and mp3-capable CD player as well as

is now able to offer the Facebook generation its A-Class. Along with Facebook and Twitter, together with the Daimler app concept, brings further digital


The sportily emotive exterior of the new A-Class, designed by Fetherston (pictured below)

'My design inspiration comes from studying nature and the environment. The way the sand dunes curve and flow after a wind storm, the lithe lines of a large cat predator or the sleek, hard, angular lines of a shark, gliding effortlessly through the water.' Mark Fetherston, chief exterior designer

a Bluetooth interface with hands-free function and audio streaming. The colour display measures 14.7cm diagonally. The Becker MAP PILOT makes a low-cost 3D navigation function, which can also be retrofitted, available for the Audio 20 CD radio. The navigation system boasts voice-controlled input of destinations and an intuitive user interface.

The Becker MAP PILOT makes a low-cost 3D navigation function. The navigation system boasts voice-controlled input of destinations and an intuitive user interface.

The multimedia system COMAND Online now provides internet access via a web-enabled mobile phone, plus various Mercedes-Benz services on

position by virtue of their performance, high

the move. These include weather information and

efficiency and very low emissions. They impress

a special destination search via Google, as well as

with their smooth, superior power delivery and offer

the option of downloading a route that has been

customers refinement at the highest level,' adds Dr

previously configured on a PC using Google Maps

Zimmermann.

and sent to the car. A new feature is the 'News'

The new A-Class is reinventing and redefining

app which enables news on politics, finance and

it’s target audience to include up and coming,

technology to be called up online in the vehicle.

fashion forward folk who enjoy the luxury while still

Information is displayed in such a way that it is

being able to be kinder to the environment.

SG

clearly legible while on the move. 'The new A-Class is the heartbeat of a new generation at Mercedes-Benz. The new four-cylinder

Visit here for more.

models from Mercedes-Benz occupy a leading

59 S G


Motoring News

i-ROAD

Personal mobility vehicle

New tech Toyota’s new and intuitive Active Lean (AL) tech is the key to i-ROAD’s high levels of stability, safety, comfort and fun-to-drive character. The system uses a lean actuator and gearing mounted above the front suspension member, linked via a yoke to the left and right front wheels. An engine control unit calculates the required degree of lean based on steering angle, gyro-sensor and vehicle speed info, with the system automatically applying lean angle to counteract the centrifugal force of cornering. No special skills are needed to pilot i-ROAD; the AL system offers the enjoyment of riding a two-wheeler, without the need for the driver to put their feet on the road surface at any time. It is fitted with a safer, weatherproof, closed body and doesn't require a helmet.

Toyota’s new i-ROAD personal mobility vehicle (PMV) made its world debut at the Geneva motor show recently, a new, flexible form of transport designed for city streets. Seating two in tandem and under cover, i-ROAD is an electric vehicle with a range of up to 50km on a single charge. Using ‘Active Lean’ technology, it is safe, intuitive and enjoyable to drive. While hybrids, plug-in hybrids and FCVs are ideal for mainstream use over medium to long distances, Toyota believes in the feasibility of EVs to serve as a main mode of transport for short urban journeys, and has 10 years’ experience in the research and development of PMVs. People using this kind of vehicle want something that is more comfortable, offers better weather protection and is safer than a two-wheeler such as a scooter or motorcycle, but has similar benefits of low running costs, easy parking and around-town manoeuverability. The ultra-compact, three-wheel i-ROAD measures 2.3m long and 1.4m high and has a 1.7m wheelbase. Its most significant dimension, though, is its width: at only 85cm, it is no wider than a conventional two-wheeler. Not only does this make for easy manoeuvering through congested traffic, it also means four can be parked in a single parking bay. This zero-emission, EV powertrain uses a lithium-ion battery to power two 2kW motors mounted in the front wheels, giving brisk acceleration and near-silent running. Driving range is around 50km, after which the battery can be fully recharged from a conventional domestic power supply in three hours.

WATCH THIS!

Future cities Toyota envisages its i-ROAD concept has the potential to play a significant role in reducing urban traffic congestion and air pollution. Commuters can make their way to urban perimeter transportation hubs where they will transfer to the i-ROAD to enter the city centre.

Toyota's new i-ROAD

S G 60


Webbing Catcher

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp revealed

a new and innovative seat belt in collaboration with Rinspeed. The new tech features a 'webbing catcher', instead of a seat belt buckle and tongue making buckling semi-automatic. The seat belt concept is being introduced on the microMAX vehicle concept that is designed to travel short distances and features unconventional upright seats. Rather than the driver needing to physically couple the belt, this concept allows people to get in the vehicle and the webbing enfolds around them. The concept is likely to be implemented in the later half of this decade, or later.

Eyes-free voice recognition

Opel’s ADAM (pictured below) is said to be the best connected small car on the market. Its IntelliLink infotainment system is compatible with both iPhones iOS and Android smartphones and integrates many of their functions into the car. With Siri Eyes Free voice recognition and apps like TuneIn for global radio streaming (70 000 stations and over 2 million on-demand programs), the ADAM continues to extend its technological leadership with additional IntelliLink features. Many other apps are also available for ADAM’s IntelliLink system, including Stitcher global podcast internet radio and BringGo navigation for Western and Eastern Europe. Everything is clearly displayed in the car via IntelliLink’s seven-inch touch-screen display.

new tech

A selection of new tech concepts released at the recent 83rd International Geneva Motor Show.

The microMAX concept seen as the future of inner-city commuting

Cyclist & pedestrian detection

Described as an extension of existing detection and auto-braking technology, the system can detect cyclists and apply braking if it detects an incident might be about to happen. All Volvo cars equipped with pedestrian detection will also incorporate cyclist detection. The system comes in three parts, with a camera fitted in front of the interior rear view mirror, a radar integrated into the front grille and a central control unit.

61 S G


GREEN VISION

A selection of the green cars* of the recent 83rd International Geneva Motor Show. Exhibitor

Model

Fuel

CO2 Status

Honda

FCX

FC

0

S

Honda

Civic 1.6 i-DTEC

D

94

S

Honda

Insight 1.3i Hybrid

H P/E

96

S

Honda

Jazz 1.3 i Hybrid

H P/E

104

S

Honda

CRZ Hybrid

H P/E

116

S

Opel

Ampera

H P/E

27

S

Opel

Corsa 1.3 ecoFLEX

D

88

S

Toyota

Auris Touring H P/E Sport HSD

88

PS

Toyota

Prius+ Wagon

H P/E

96

S

Toyota

Prius Hybrid

Plug-in H P/E

49

S

Toyota

Aygo

P

99

S

Toyota

Yaris HSD

H P/E

79

S

Toyota

IQ

P

99

S

Toyota

Auris HSD

H P/E

87

S

Toyota

Prius

H P/E

89

S

KIA

Optima Hybrid 2.0

H P/E

125

S

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG electric E

0

S

Mercedes-Benz A

180 CDI D BlueEFFICIENCY

98

S

Nissan

Nissan Euro LEAF

E

0

S

Nissan

Nissan Micra

P

95

S

Nissan

Resonance Concept

H P/E

0

C

BMW

BMW 116d D Efficient Dynamics

99

S

BMW

BMW i3

E

0

C

BMW

BMW i8 (plug-in hybrid)

P

66

C

drive

*The judge's determination for a 'green' vehicle is one powered by alternative technologies or with less than 100g/km CO2 emissions.

S G 62

Key H

Hybrid

S

Production car

FC

Fuel Cell

PS

Pre-production

P

Petrol

C

Concept

E

Electric

 For the full-list of the eco-vehicles at the show, click here.


WATCH THIS!

Geneva Motorshow's Green Cars

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG electric drive

KIA Optima hybrid

Nissan Resonance concept

Honda FCX

63 S G


M obility With the world premiere of the BMW Concept ActiveE at the beginning of 2010, just a year after presenting the MINI E, the BMW Group underscored the rapid and consistent continuation of its intensive research and development activities in the field of electric mobility. This concept has now become a perceptible and tangible reality in the form of the BMW ActiveE. We take a look.

BMW ActiveE T

S G 64

he BMW ActiveE is the BMW Group's next

mobility solution for congested urban areas. For

systematic step towards an emission-free,

this purpose, the BMW Group is conducting field

mass-produced electric vehicle (EV). Within

tests on an internationally unparalleled scale for the

the framework of 'project i', the BMW Group is

use of purely electrically driven vehicles in everyday

carrying out research and development work on

road traffic.

the realisation of electrically-powered vehicles. The

Ongoing field tests in the US and Europe involving

main focus is on the concept of a Megacity Vehicle

more than 600 MINI E cars are already providing vital

(MCV) that meets the demands of a sustainable

knowledge about the demands on future electrically


On the way to sustainable, CO2-free mobility, the BMW Group presented the next major milestone – the BMW ActiveE. Following the MINI E, the BMW ActiveE is the BMW Group's second electric prototype.

WATCH THIS!

BMW Concept Active Tourer

EfficientDynamics With EfficientDynamics the BMW Group has for some time now been very successful in reducing fuel consumption and emission levels through new and highly-efficient engine generations, enhancement of aerodynamics, the use of innovative lightweight construction and intelligent engine management – and with better performance into the bargain. For instance, CO2 emissions of the entire vehicle fleet were reduced by around one third in the years 1995 to 2009. Thanks to EfficientDynamics, the company is now able to realise additional economy advantages through the further electrification of the drive train and hybridisation. In the medium term, the BMW Group is developing vehicle concepts for emission-free mobility in larger urban areas. In the long term, EfficientDynamics means the transition to emission-free mobility – using both battery power and regeneratively produced hydrogen. Following the MINI E, the BMW ActiveE is the BMW Group's second electric prototype. With a power output of 125kW and maximum torque of 250Nm, the car accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 9 seconds, demonstrating the dynamic and agile characteristics of a BMW, and as is typical of EVs, straight from a standstill. At the same time, newly conceived powered production vehicles, started in 2011 in the US, Europe and China, with a test fleet of over 1 000 BMW ActiveE vehicles, produced at the Leipzig plant.

The feedback from customers testing the MINI E and the BMW ActiveE will be fed directly into series production of the MCV, which the BMW Group will be launching under a new sub-brand during 2013.

lithium-ion energy storage units facilitate a vehicle range of around 160km in everyday operation. Just like the MINI E, the BMW ActiveE is a conversion car, an electric vehicle based on the body shell of a vehicle with a combustion engine. The BMW ActiveE integrates all-electric drive components

such as an energy storage unit, electric motor and power electronics in a vehicle body that was not

65 S G


WATCH THIS!

BMW ActiveE. Everyday utility.

The three energy storage units of the BMW ActiveE takes up around half of the construction space normally occupied by the combustion engine.

originally intended for this purpose – and without

is integrated into the front end of the vehicle at

compromising on space or comfort in the interior.

the cowl. There, one of the three energy storage

Therefore, the BMW ActiveE is the BMW Group's

units of the BMW ActiveE takes up around half of

first EV to offer four fully-fledged seats and a 200l

the construction space normally occupied by the

luggage compartment.

same high safety standards as a BMW 1 Series

BMW 1 Series CoupĂŠ with regard to available interior

with combustion engine, fulfilling not only crash

space. Driver and front-seat passenger as well as

safety requirements stipulated by the government,

passengers at the rear have the same amount of

but also the stringent BMW corporate demands on

space at their disposal.

passive safety, some of which are even higher than

Crash safety The car fulfils the same high standards with regard to crash safety, construction space and comfort as the original vehicle with a combustion engine. One of the major challenges in this respect was the intelligent integration of the energy storage units and drive components into the space made available due to the omission of combustion engine components. At the same time, it was necessary to ensure that the three large energy storage units located at the front end as well as the tunnel and tank could not be damaged or destroyed. The front end: crash structure and energy storage units instead of a combustion engine. In order to achieve the best possible range, the BMW ActiveE is the first limited production EV in which part of the high voltage storage units

S G 66

combustion engine. The BMW ActiveE meets the

The BMW ActiveE corresponds to a conventional

those required by law.

Weight optimisation The BMW ActiveE have managed to achieve the best possible reduction in weight. Throughout the entire development process, all new components were constantly optimised with regard to function and weight. Consequently, the BMW ActiveE offers the best possible solution in terms of weight reduction within the framework of a conversion concept. However, weight-optimised electric mobility can only be demonstrated in the form of a purpose-built car such as the MCV, as it is ideally adapted to the conditions and requirements of electric mobility. The design: clearly a BMW, clearly a very special concept.

SG

Visit here for more.


Image: www.amelieandfriends.com

Wellness corner

Mother's Day is a fabulous time to acknowledge the selfless service mums give to their kids. A thoughtful gift is the perfect way to show mum you care. Here are some beautiful gift ideas to inspire you. MAKE MUM SOME TEA

KEEP IT COSY

Pukka Revitalise Tea is a blend of warming herbs like organic cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. It also has clove, elderflower and orange peel resulting in a formula with fantastic invigorating properties. The recipe is based on Ayurveda – the ancient art of living wisely.

LIGHT UP HER LIFE A soy candle isn't just an ordinary candle. Once a pool of wax has collected, it can be used as a fabulous body moisturiser. Warm soy wax rubbed into the skin makes it beautifully soft and nourished. This Lavender soy candle has a beautiful fragrance, is made from 100% soy wax and quality essential oils.

SPOIL HER WITH STRAWBERRY Strawberry salt scrub is enriched with dead sea salts and has organic olive oil added to essential oils for an effective natural formula. Use it to remove dead skin cells and feel rejuvenated and glowing.

Antjies hand-made cotton slippers are embellished with crocheted flowers and made by women as part of a community initiative. They are hand-knitted and make a wonderful cosy winter gift.

ADD AN INCENTIVE Most people need an incentive to remember to drink enough water. This Grip and Go glass water bottle is a fabulous prompt. Re-using the same water bottle means saving on the wastage generated from throwaway containers.

STORE LOCATIONS Wellness Warehouse Kloof: Lifestyles on Kloof, 50 Kloof Street, Cape Town 021 487 5420 Wellness Warehouse Cavendish: Cavendish Square, Claremont, Cape Town 021 673 7200 All products are available from Wellness Warehouse

Brought to you by Robyn Wilkinson – Editor of Wellness magazine for Wellness Warehouse.

0800 live life / 548 3543 www.wellnesswarehouse.com

67 S G


Hot off the press I Scream & Red

This planet-friendly company is trying to make the world a better place by creating bags that are made from recycled seatbelts, reused car/homestead upholstery and recycled car parts. They source all their materials within the vicinity of their factory to qualify their products as a complete environmentally-friendly item with no carbon emissions spent on production. Their screen printings are done with non toxic pastes and the bags are bound with organic or natural fibres. They also teach people with disabilities or from rural areas to make these items in order improve and inspire their own lives.

Beaucience

New innovations in natural anti-ageing products has inspired the creation of a natural, affordable, highly-effective, safe range for both men and women.

http://beaucience.co.za/ We have TWO Beauscience hampers worth R1 400 each to give away. Send your full contact details HERE by 25 May to stand a chance of winning.

 5

www.iscreamandred.co.za

 2

welness warehouse

Wellness Warehouse has just launched its Wellness Herbal Tinctures Range. The products are concentrated liquid extracts of a single herb or a combination of herbs either from the roots, leaves, seeds or whole plants, preserved in alcohol and sugar-free.

The Wellness Tinctures range is available in stores and online at www.wellnesswarehouse.co.za. We have FIVE pairs of Cold & Flu Remedy and Echinacea to give away. Send your full contact details HERE to stand a chance of winning.

S G 68


woolworths

If you’re concerned about the products you use around the house and for your family every day, you’ll be happy to know that the Earth Friendly range of household cleaning, personal care and baby toiletry products are back – and even better. The household cleaning range is made with biodegradable cleaning ingredients and contain essential oils that are all sourced from nature. They contain no artificial colours and, in line with our sustainability principles, contain no animal ingredients and are not tested on animals. The Earth Friendly beauty range also includes a range of toiletries for the whole family, now with a fresh new look. Each product is made with naturally derived, biodegradable ingredients and contains no artificial colours. The entire range has been dermatologically tested and is suitable for sensitive skin. Like all Woolworths beauty and skin care products, the Earth Friendly toiletries are not tested on animals and are endorsed by Beauty Without Cruelty.

www.woolworths.co.za

 3

We have THREE Woolworths hampers to give away. Send your name and address details HERE to stand a chance of winning.

 5

HOT TODDY

The Hot Toddy range has been developed from remedies passed down through generations, incorporating secret recipes families have faithfully relied on for centuries for curing colds and flu. Today we have the convenience of

having these remedies carefully made for us to meet our family's needs in the Hot Toddy range of products. The range, which consists of eight products, has been formulated to be tough on cold & flu bugs but gentle on the body with delicious tasting products that can help to soothe and ease aches and pains during times of colds & flu. Hot Toddy products do not contain any aspirin or caffeine and are complimentary with other treatments or as an alternative. The range is suitable for the whole family, from children through to the elderly.

For info contact cindy@urbanhousemedia.co.za We have FIVE Hot Toddy Hampers valued at R195 each consisting of soothing drink, cough discs, hot Toddy Tea, lollies, fast recovery and cold & flu relief effervescents to give away. Send your full contact details HERE to stand a chance of winning.

69 S G


H ealing

modality

A

breakthrough new study by researchers at the University of Arizona has shown definitively

that people who have a range of motion limitations in their arms and shoulders show a significantly greater level of healing and pain reduction with a 10-minute one-time session of Reconnective Healing than when treated with physical therapy. This study, coupled with a highly acclaimed segment with Reconnective Healing discoverer Dr Eric Pearl on the Dr Oz Show, has pushed this revolutionary

form

of

alternative

healing into the public consciousness and to the forefront of exciting new healthcare options. Reconnective comprehensive, easy-to-learn,

Healing yet

is

simple

healing

a and

approach,

which completely transcends 'energy healing' and its complex rituals and techniques. It accesses vibrational frequencies that are self-correcting by nature and are accessible to everyone.

the forefront of

information Medicine

So you don't need a scientific degree, a medical license or even medical insurance to take advantage of this remarkable new opportunity to heal from chronic pain or serious illness – you can learn how to heal others and heal yourself in just one weekend. Without physically touching people, Reconnective Healing frequently has been associated with 'instantaneous' and life-lasting results for individuals with range of motion limitations, cancers,

depression,

AIDS-related

diseases, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid

A new scientific study shows Reconnective Healing has significantly greater healing impact on people with a range of motion limitations than physical therapy. We take a look. S G 70

and osteoarthritis, chronic pain and muscle aches, and more. According to researchers who call it the forefront of 'Information Medicine',

Reconnective

Healing

is a healing power that transcends imagination and the limitations of previously conceived human ability


WATCH THIS!

Without physically touching people, Reconnective Healing is said to have instantaneous and life-lasting results for many individuals with a range of medical conditions.

the world's leading university scientists specialising

Dr Eric Pearl on the Dr Oz Show

in bioenergetic research, Dr Kontantin Korotkov, chronicles many studies that show that this form of Reconnective Healing is scientifically measurable

and that some scientists say even has the power to

and a powerful tool in the hands of practitioners.

transform DNA. Reconnective Healing practitioners

The founder of Reconnective Healing, Dr

interact with a bandwidth of vibrational frequencies

Eric Pearl, has taught more than 75  000 people

that convey corrective information to the body and

how to become catalysts for healings – both for

mind. Stanford Professor Emeritus Dr William Tiller

themselves and others. Dr Pearl is the author of

says, 'When information carried through these

The Reconnection: Heal Others, Heal Yourself – an

frequencies is introduced, it creates coherence and

international bestseller now translated into 36

order within the field and the body itself.'

languages – a book that relates his transformation

The result: dramatic reports of regeneration

from a highly successful Los Angeles chiropractor

instead of degeneration and account after account

into the first Reconnective Healer when his patients

of seemingly unexplainable healings. A book,

began reporting sudden healings even though he

Science Confirms Reconnective Healing, from one of

physically had not touched them.

SG

71 S G


did you know?

The future of fresh water It is no overstatement that, water is life, and making small concessions now, or turning a blind eye to the fact that fresh water sources are under threat, will lead to states of emergency for future generations over something that the previous generation took for granted. Be part of the conscious few who strive to keep drinkable water of quality available at the twist of a tap. See the box in this article for more info on what you can do.

Dawn Ellams, PhD textile student at the University of Scotland, has developed an enviro-friendly denim made from the pulp of eucalyptus trees. The traditional method of making one pair of jeans out of cotton is said to require around 42l water and uses harmful dyeing chemicals. Dawn turns tencel – a material created from treated woodchips – into jeans that use one-fifth of the resources of cotton alternatives. Once the jeans are created, digital printers colour and recreate treatments such as stonewashing or tea-staining.

S G 72

Photo www.elegantidiosyncrasy.com

'Wooden' Jeans


Have you ever thought that the clothes that you wear compromise water availability for future generations? Mary Francois takes a look.

73 S G


I

t

has

been

predicted

that

by

the

year

2050, the demand for water will exceed its supply. As citizens of Africa, we have surely

witnessed evidence of this eventuality, having seen distressing images of villagers, many of them children, attempting to get water from potentially contaminated sources. From this we see how the

According to Greenpeace, you can tell what the 'in colour' for the next fashion season will be by looking at the colour of the rivers in China and Mexico.

availability of drinkable water is closely related to the quality of water consumed. This alone has changed people's attitude towards this essential resource, and habits have been shifted towards doing such things as: turning off taps when we're not using the water while brushing our teeth; showering instead of bathing; and using water-saving dishwashers, among various other steps. However, have you ever thought that the clothes that you wear compromise water availability for future generations? Now, we are not suggesting

Water purity testing at many clothing manufacturer's water outlets tends to reveal shocking results.

that in order to be a conscious consumer, one has to leave your home in the nude. Rather, the point is to bring your attention to the destructive effects of dye processes that go into making our clothes, and to begin holding clothing manufacturers to account for depleting the water supply. According to Greenpeace, you can tell what the 'in' colour for the next fashion season will be by looking at the colour of the rivers in China and Mexico. The reason is that the by-product of dye factories are often discarded into drains, flowing untreated through sewer systems only to be re-introduced in water supplies or river tributaries. This has a devastating effect on water quality and will eventually lead to the 'death' of rivers. What this means is that the flora and fauna which are part of the eco-system of a river cease to

Clothing manufacturing plants – especially in the East – often have bad track records when it comes to their envirostatus.

exist because by introducing hazardous chemicals involved in dyeing into the water, we are making the

if you have ever had to do laundry you'll know that

water undrinkable, and toxic.

colours must be washed separately because some

Further evidence of this downward spiral is the chronic disease that results from working in dye

will result in the rest of our clothes being stained.

factories. That is, even before the excess dyes are

SA's water is some of the cleanest and safest to

discarded into water systems, their damaging effects

drink in the world and, given the above threatening

are already being felt by those in direct contact with

evidence, perhaps it is worth asking ourselves if

these chemicals. To illustrate, in the long-term,

this is what dye can do to the rest of my clothes,

workers risk contracting oesophageal cancer as

where does it end up? And how does it affect my

has happened to 68-year-old Wang Changgen from

water supply?

Sanjiang, China. How does this affect us here in SA, though? Well,

S G 74

newly-bought garments contain excess dye which

In an effort to create awareness around this issue and impose a censure on retailers whose


clothes were supplied by 'toxic' manufacturers,

Greenpeace

SA

recently organised a flashmob at Johannesburg's Bright Water Commons. This was driven by the fact that a previous attempt to call a certain clothing label into account had

resulted

getting

in

this

successfully international

brand to commit to detox its manufacturing processes. This achievement made it somewhat less challenging to get the culprits next on the list to clean up their act, demonstrating that with industry leaders pledging to incorporate enviro-friendly practices as part of their company strategy, the rest will have to follow suit if they are to survive in the future market. Having said this, it is true

What can you do? It is up to us all to ask ourselves, 'what can I do to lessen my impact on, and maintain the quality of, our water supply?' ď “ Familiarise yourself with where your preferred clothing labels are manufactured

ď “ Boycott brands that use toxic dye processes ď “ Spread awareness on this issue to those around you Unlike the foods we eat, clothing does not come with a label of ingredients, but in spite of this, it is important to explore our choices as consumers and know that there are options throughout SA for those looking to purchase enviro-friendly clothing.

also that although there still are a number of retailers who need more persuading than others, and which have not committed as yet to cut down on their contribution to

industrial

is

growing

pollution, pressure

to

there find

alternative ways of producing products that are less harmful to the planet. Apart from these successes in

terms

of

preserving

this

indispensable natural resource that is water, there remains a large number of less recognised brands

WATCH THIS!

which continue to purchase from countries where dye factories operate

in

manner,

a

an

un-regulated

detrimental

trend

which is likely to endure as long as there is no intervention at government level to correct this problem which has both local and regional ramifications.

SG

For more info, visit www.smartplanet. com and www.greenpeace.org

Greenpeace urges brands to detox A Greenpeace ad campaign to bring awareness to toxic dye in the fashion industry and its downstream consequences.

75 S G


Photo www.njcharters.com

C rafting

Natural dye prepared in a traditional way from turmeric

S G 76

http://paigegreen.files.wordpress.com

http://onesmallstitch.wordpress.com

Below: The art of natural dyeing can be an extremely rewarding experience given the freedom in making creative 'mistakes'


Ever wondered how to make natural dyes from plants and other materials? Dyeing fabric and fibre with materials found in nature can be a fun project for the whole family. There are myriad options for colour when one uses the earth's palette as inspiration. We show you how.

ecodyEing Y

ou'll be surprised by what colour some

& maple tree bark

materials yield when applied to fabric; often

Brown – oat bark, juniper berries, tea bags, birch

it is far removed from the source material.

bark & walnut hulls.

That is what makes this way of experimenting with dyes so enjoyable, so we welcome you to try something new.

Natural materials for dyeing Red – Red-dandelion root, beets, rosehips, chokecherries, blackberries & hibiscus Orange – sassafras, onion skin, carrot root, turmeric & pomegranate Yellow – marigold, burdock, celery leaves, tea, dandelions & sunflowers Green – spinach leaves, nettle, red onion, yarrow, foxglove & sorrel Blue/purple – mulberries, red cabbage, hyacinth

Get crafting When you are dyeing yarn, open it into a big circle while keeping it wound in its skein. Tie it loosely at many points to hold it in its skein while applying the dye process. These instructions will work well for items that aren't washed too often, for example: play silks, scarves, yarn for knitting, and other playthings. If you want colour to withstand much washing, try using synthrapol as a prewash, as well as a postwash to help set the fabric better.

What you'll need Vegetables, plants, or herbs for dyeing

77 S G


NOW AVAILABLE IN SOUTH AFRICA

material A large stockpot (2 pots are better)

MANUKA HONEY & ALPINE MANUKA ESSENTIAL OIL

White vinegar Blank fabric or undyed fibre (cotton, wool, and silk will work well; polyester is more difficult to dye) Mesh strainer

What to do

1

Fill a large pot with water and heat until boiling. Add 3 cups of white vinegar.

Add your fabric or yarn to the pot (make

*Leptospermum scoparium

sure the fabric moves freely in the pot; you

Mature, wild growing Manuka* from the rugged East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island forms the essential ingredient of our oil and honey. Alpine Manuka Oil and Manuka Honey offer effective healing properties for a variety of conditions including: MRSA, infections, cuts, athlete’s foot, acne and other bacterial and fungal skin imbalances. Even the most resilient bacteria are no match for the unparalleled antimicrobial properties and being all-natural products, they have no negative side affects.

may need to save the rest for another time). Remove the pot from the heat. Let the pot sit until it reaches room temperature. Remove the fabric/yarn and wring it lightly to remove some of the water. Throw away the vinegar solution.

2

Prepare your dye bath by again filling the pot with water. Add your dye materials, and be sure to stir well. Heat to boiling, and maintain a boil for round about 30 minutes. Use the mesh strainer to remove the vegetable/plant material in the water (if you are using a powdery material, or something contained, like tea bags, they can stay in, which will make for a richer colour).

3

Add the vinegar-soaked fabric/ yarn to the pot. Add another 1 cup of vinegar. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and stir often. Check the fabric/yarn periodically to check the colour and determine when you think it's ready. Depending on what you're using and how intense you'd like the colour, this can be from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

100% Alpine Manuka Oil

15+ Manuka Honey

This essential oil is easily absorbed and non-sticky. Available in 10ml.

The honey can be taken orally or applied topically to affected areas. Available in 250g and 500g.

Visit our website for a list of stockists and information

www.manukahoneyafrica.com

4

When the colour is saturated to your liking, remove the pot (which is still covered) from the heat. If you'd still like the colour to be richer, leave the fabric/yarn in until it reaches room temperature.

5

Remove the fabric/yarn, and rinse it under cold tap water. Hang to dry.

Happy dyeing.

SG

Contains excerpts from The Rhythm Of Family by Amanda Blake Soule.

S G 78


Photo http://atelierom.blogspot.com

www.hellohydrangea.com http://almostunschoolers.blogspot.com

Clockwise from top left: the brilliant pigment in red cabbage, a natural source of blue and purple • Pomegranate seeds – for sourcing the colour orange – among other natural ingredients, seen here in a traditional dyeing setting • Flowers and herbs to brighten up our lives

79 S G


A silver crystal under magnification

Most people have little to no idea about many of the materials they encounter in everyday life. A good example is silver. We take a closer look at this amazing metal and some of its many uses.

Silver ain't just pretty L

et's begin at the beginning: Silver is a soft, white metal with chemical symbol Ag and the atomic number 47 (meaning it has 47 protons

in its atomic nucleus). It has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and is profoundly useful for this aspect alone. It is most commonly found naturally as an alloy with other metals such as gold

No-one knows who discovered silver, or even when. All that is known is that this metal – or references to it – have been around for millennia.

and copper. Indeed, ores of copper, copper-nickel,

for silver in this form has dropped dramatically.

lead and lead-zinc often contain large amounts

Electrical & electronic products – high-quality

of silver, so the early miners of these other ores

sound equipment and musical instruments as well

inevitably encountered silver while seeking the

as your PC's keyboard, for example.

riches of the earth. No-one really knows who discovered silver, or even when. All that is known is that this metal – or

A catalyst in chemical reactions – such as the production of formaldehyde from methanol and air .

references to it – have been around for millennia. It

Nuclear Reactor Rods – to regulate the fission

is mentioned in the book of Genesis and virtually all

chain reaction in pressurised water nuclear

known ancient languages have a word for 'silver'.

reactors.

Most of us are familiar with the use of silver

Medicinal purposes – to kill most bacteria,

for jewellery and fine homewares such as cutlery

viruses, algae and fungi. It is used as a topical

and dishware. However, silver has many other

treatment in gels and bandages because of its

applications as well.

antimicrobial effects.

Uses of Silver

having short-term catheterisation in hospitals.

Catheters – in reducing bacteraemia in adults

Currency – there is a resurgence in the number

In clothing fabrics & materials – used in

of people purchasing silver bars due to unstable

clothing and carpeting to inhibit the growth of

economics.

bacteria and fungi and employed in both home

Mirrors – used to be utilised as the reflective

and office.

metal behind the glass, before aluminium was

So the next time your eye is caught by the bling of

utilised.

a silver pendant or ring, give it a little more thought

Solar reflectors – as with mirrors

than making a mental note of how pretty it looks

Tooth fillings – used in this role as part of

– you are looking at one of the key materials that

amalgam, which also includes rather unhealthy

has allowed human beings to develop the advanced

metals like mercury.

technological culture we now enjoy worldwide.

Photography – in prints, although since the introduction of digital photography,the demand S G 80

See advert opposite for more.

SG


81 S G


A d v er t o r i a l

Are you looking to save money on your heating bill and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time? If so, you’ll then want to know more about our traditional wood-burning and fully-automated central heating pellet fireplaces. Calore heating solutions report.

eco-heating this winter Built-in fireboxes (above) are also a considerate choice to the environment, due to their reduced carbon emissions and low wood usage.

Calore pellet stoves and built-in firebox units use a unique

O

system, Multifire, which ur company Calore, through the promotion

distributes heat evenly from floor to

ceiling. The system draws of wood-based biofuel technology, has

hot air from the ceiling level and

Calore guarantees a continuous and consistent supply of green fuel impact on the local sustainable energy industry. To view Calore’s innovations in pellet stoves and built-in fireboxes to their customers in the form of The real strength of our product, and the reason visit us at one of the stores listed below. it is a truly sustainable alternative energy source, is biomass wood pellets sourced from that we use a natural waste product from sustainable alien vegetation. distributes it via a fan on the floor level. Most models can also

embarked on a journey to make a lasting

circulate warmth to nearby rooms via air ducts.

EXCLUSIVE AGENTS OF

wood plantations as our fuel. This is in the form of logs and wood pellets. Wood pellets are a biofuel manufactured from compressed sawdust and wood waste sourced from the off-cuts and waste wood from South Africa's timber industry and alien vegetation.

Our wood pellets are produced in SA, guaranteeing continuous and consistent supply of green fuel to CAPE a TOWN JOHANNESBURG Italcotto Centre our customers. Christiaan Barnard Street Cape Town Tel: +27 21 425 4192

Unit 64 Northlands Deco Park Cnr Witkoppen and New Market Roads Northriding, Randburg Tel: +27 11 796 5098

The Multifire System Our range of fireplaces include both built-in and freestanding

wood-burning

closed

combustion

systems and pellet fireplaces. To enhance this already efficient system our supplier, Piazzetta of Italy, has developed the patented Multifire System. The Multifire System distributes heat evenly throughout the room, maintaining an even and ideal temperature from floor to ceiling, thus maximising the available heat at a level you can appreciate. The system draws hot air from the ceiling level and distributes it via a fan at floor level. It also allows for the hot air to be distributed to multiple rooms via ducting – up to 10m away from the unit for the wood burners and 16m for the pellet fireplaces.

Pellet Fireplaces LIVE WARM. LIVE GREEN. Pellet

Fireplaces

are

fully-automated

with

an

automatic ignition and self-feeding system making them extremely easy to use. This means you don't have to do much at all in order to keep your home warm this winter. Pellet Fireplaces also provide over 90% efficiency, with extremely low carbon emissions www.calore.co.za 71 S G compared to other fossil fuels.

Wood pellets are pre-packed in handy 15kg bags making them clean and easy to store. The quality of the manufactured pellets can be maintained and guaranteed, assuring you of constant heat-efficiency for your home or office. Piazzetta's high quality build technology and simple-to-follow cleaning and servicing schedule, guarantees that your fireplace will provide you and your family with the warmth you need this winter and for many winters to come. Can you afford not to install a Calore fireplace this winter? Visit a Calore store or go here for more.


LIVE WARM, LIVE GREEN AND SAVE.

Join the Green Revolution to save our planet, electricity and money. The price of electricity and gas are steadily increasing. Their

heating. It costs less than half to run than electrical heating

availability can be annoyingly erratic, especially during peak

and the energy is always there when you need it.

winter times. Biomass, in the form of wood and wood pellets, is

Live warm, live green and join the Green Revolution this winter.

the latest alternative green heating solution in South Africa.

Find out more at www.calore.co.za or visit one of the Calore

Biomass is a highly effective fuel for both spatial and water

stores listed below.

LIVE WARM. LIVE GREEN. facebook.com/calorefireplaces

twitter.com/caloresa

Cape Town: Italcotto - 021 425 4192

Port Elizabeth: Selective Lighting - 041 365 2636

Johannesburg: Calore Jhb - 011 796 5098

Namibia: Calore Namibia - +264 61 246 021

George: Stiles - 044 871 3222

Bloemfontein: Opening Soon

Knysna: Metelerkamp’s - 044 382 0274

Hermanus: Opening Soon

www.calore.co.za 83 S G


Image www.petitmom.co.uk

Kids

greening your baby S G 84


Try using nappies made with plant-based biodegradabl plastics, rather than conventional disposable nappies.

Painting the nursery When selecting paint to decorate your baby-to-be’s nursery, think very carefully about what will be lining the walls that your baby will eat, drink and

www.acutezmedia.com

Bringing up a green, healthy baby is becoming top of mind these days as the health and wellness industry is now leading the charge and moms and dads to-be are opting for more natural, organic and eco-friendly paths. Eco Diva Nicole Sherwin offers tips to get you started.

sleep in for its first appearance into the world. Typical household paint contains up to 10  000 chemicals, of which 300 are known toxins and 150 have been linked to serious illness. Some of the most harmful chemicals found in paint are volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. So rather opt for eco friendly, low VOC paints that won’t harm your precious newborn.

If you have the choice and can produce milk naturally, it’s proven to be the best choice for both mom and baby.

200-500 years for disposable nappies (diapers) to decompose. This is an alarming statistic. If you can afford to, try using nappies made with plant-based plastics (also known as bioplastics), these nappies

Breast feeding

are non-petroleum based and are also compostable.

Breastfeeding choices are also another interesting

under landfill conditions, there are other options to

debate, but if you have the choice and can produce

compost them such as using a composting toilet, an

milk naturally, it’s proven to be the best choice

earthworm system, or a highly active and properly

for both mom and baby. First of all it’s free, then

conditioned composting area.

While these have been found not to break down

there are numerous health benefits for both, as well as incredible bonding experiences. Also, opt for natural nipple creams or make your own with organic olive oil and coconut oil, which are soothing and calming. If you are one of the not so lucky moms who can’t produce your own, rather choose organic, natural infant formulas – there are some wonderful products on the market.

Baby products The markets are saturated with baby products, and knowing what is healthy for your baby is quite a minefield. Always look at the labels to find out what the ingredients are and choose products that only contain natural ingredients Alternatively you can make your own homemade products which are

Disposable or biodegradable nappies

healthy, easy to make, less expensive and work just

According to various studies, it takes between

See here for recipe options.

as well.

SG

85 S G


Hot off the press Eco Baby Naturalmente

Children’s epidermis is very fragile because it does not produce lipids necessary for the hydration of their skin. Naturalmente created the Bio Baby range to cleanse, moisturise and nourish this delicate skin throughout childhood, from birth to pre-teen

 1

years. Bio Baby consists of a Mandarin shampoo with a pH of 5.5 making it gentle on scalp and skin, as well as Nutrient Body Oil and Nutrient Body Cream which both contain soothing chamomile and calendula.

www.naturalmente.co.za We have ONE Bio Baby hamper (with a treat for mom too) to give away. Send your name and postal address HERE by 25 May to stand a chance of winning.

bema baby

Certified organic by ICEA and made in Italy – Bema Baby

takes care of your baby’s skin and wellbeing. Our products are free of additives, preservatives, GMOs and colouring agents. Dermatologically tested, BEMA baby is gentle, protective and naturally fragranced. Use daily to nourish your baby’s delicate skin without disturbing the natural balance.

www.deaorganics.com We have ONE Bema Baby hamper worth R870 to give away. Send your name and postal address HERE by 25 May to stand a chance of winning.

 1

Better Life

No more child-proof caps and ‘hazard’ warnings on your

S G 86

specialised surfactants made from sugar, starch and

cleaning products. Harmless House* has just launched

amino acids. All are safe, manufactured from natural

Better Life, a range of cleaning products that uses

ingredients and are free of sulphates, ethoxylates,

only non-toxic plant-based ingredients and essential

fragrances, SLS, phosphates, ammonia, bleach, dyes,

oils for fragrance. The entire range – from all-purpose

and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as glycol

cleaners to speciality surface products – blends highly

ethers and alcohols.

www.harmlesshouse.co.za


ECO.KID

eco.kid South Africa also has a body care range to complement the existing 'Green-Haircare' range. These hypo-allergenic body products are formulated with ingredients which match the oils and amino acids found naturally in the skin. The range includes TLC hypo-allergenic wash, which is a ‘no tears’ hair and body wash for ultra-sensitive skin, Call Me Bubbles hypo-allergenic bubble bath and Potion Lotion hypo-allergenic body lotion.

www.ecokid.co.za

LOVE ME BABY

Inspired by a baby and created by a mommy, Love Me Baby prides itself on the softest, purest, whitest baby clothes. Brand new to the market, Love Me Baby is the embodiment of a parent’s passion to give their child the very best. All Love Me Baby apparel is GOTS – (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, which is the leading organic standard worldwide. A GOTS certification also comes with minimum social criteria for factory workers, which means no sweat shops and no child labour. With many products today claiming to be organic, it is easy to overlook key details. Always make sure you buy 'certified organic'.

www.lovemebaby.co.za

Smarticle

There seems to be a challenge to find the perfect toys for children to play with. Finally, shopping for that special toy is a simple and fun experience with Smarticle, a recently launched online toyshop that offers a boutique range of educational products hand-picked as the best examples of green design. With their belief that toys should be natural, safe, eco-friendly, non-violent and sourced from manufacturers who provide safe and nurturing environments for their employees – Smarticle toys really are the smartest choice.

www.smartlcle.co.za

87 S G


Hot off the press Eco Baby

PURE BEGINNINGS

Loving your baby is not just about hugging and cuddling them, it is also about caring what you put onto and into their bodies. The new Gentle Bamboo Baby Wipes are made from bamboo fibre, not only making them biodegradable but also from a highly sustainable source, thus making them better for the environment.

www.purebeginnings.co.za

woolworths

If you’re concerned about the products you use around the house and for your family every day, you’ll be happy to know that the Earth Friendly range of household cleaning, personal care and baby toiletry products are back – and even better. Their improved baby toiletry range includes specially formulated products for your little one’s delicate skin, made with biodegradable, naturally derived ingredients. The range includes Baby Barrier Cream with nourishing vitamin E panthenol & zinc oxide, gently cleansing Baby Bath Wash, Baby Lotion with soothing sweet almond oil & vitamin E and Baby Calming Oil with lavender & chamomile.

www.woolworths.co.za

Made with love. Kind to baby and kind to the Earth.

Give your baby a loving start with baby products that care as much as you do.

Certified organic by ICEA and made in Italy – Bema Baby takes care of your baby’s skin and wellbeing. Our products are free of additives, preservatives, GMOs and colouring agents. Dermatologically tested, BEMA baby is gentle, protective and naturally fragranced. Use daily to nourish your baby’s delicate skin without disturbing the natural balance. For more info on BEMA visit www.deaorganics.com or email info@deaorganics.com Stockists: Wellness Warehouse Kloof Street, Cape Town • The Spa Shop www.thespashop.co.za Faithful to Nature www.faithful-to-nature.co.za • Allure Cosmetics www.allurecosmetics.co.za

S G 88

'Future generations may well have occasion to ask themselves, "What were our parents thinking? Why didn't they wake up when they had a chance?" We have to hear that question from them, now.' - Al Gore


Eco Diva’s Recipes for

Mom & Baby Eco Diva Baby Bum Cream Ingredients: ½ cup coconut oil 2 Tbls shea butter 2 Tbls sweet almond oil

Eco Diva AntiStretchmarks Belly Butter Ingredients: ½ cup cocoa butter

Eco Diva VitaminEnriched Baby Lotion Ingredients:

2 tablespoons wheat germ

½ cup organic olive oil or

oil

1 tspn beeswax pellets

sweet almond carrier oil

2 teaspoons sweet almond

5 drops lavender essential

2 Tblsp organic coconut oil

oil

2 capsules of Vitamin E oil

10 drops vitamin E oil

oil

2 capsules of omega 3,6,9

5 drops chamomile essential

5 drops lavender essential

oil

oil

oil Directions:

4 teaspoons grated

5 drops roman chamomile

beeswax

essential oil

Put coconut oil, beeswax pellets

5 drops sandalwood

and shea butter in pot or double

essential oil

boiler. Melt on low heat until

5 drops neroli essential oil

smooth and oily. Pour into mixing bowl. Add sweet almond oil, vitamin E oil and essential oils. Mix well. Decant into recycled jar and store in a cool, dry place.

Directions: Melt the coconut oil on a low heat until liquid and pour into a mixing bowl. Add in the olive

Directions: Measure all ingredients into a

oil and pierce the Vitamin E

heavy saucepan. Warm mixture

capsules with a needle or pin

over low heat, until cocoa butter

and squeeze out the oil. Pour

and beeswax have melted

in the essential oils and mix

(two to five minutes). Stir well.

thoroughly. Decant into a jar

Remove from heat and stir in

and add your own label.

essential oils. Cool briefly then pour into jar. Leave lid off and

NB. The liquid will harden

allow to cool completely (this

slightly to form more of a lotion

should take about an hour).

when cool due to the coconut oil consistency.

Contact Nicole on Twitter 89 S G


Kids Dr Marc Sher (pictured), OTC Pharma SA consultant, shares his top tips for optimum dental care for newborn babies and toddlers all moms need to know.

teething &baby 1 2 Breastfeeding makes baby strong. The action of sucking and swallowing is very important for your baby as it

helps promote the growth of the jaw and face bones.

'Milk teeth' or the primary dentition start erupting from the 6th-8th month after birth. By the

time the child is 3-years-old

all the 'milk' teeth should have erupted. A total of 20 teeth in the upper and lower jaw is normal. Looking after the primary dentition is crucial for the preparation and reserving room

for

the

permanent

dentition.

3

Not every baby has trouble with teething. There should be no cause for concern if your little one feels the

cutting

process.

Some

symptoms of teething include;

S G 90


loss of sleep, little appetite, restlessness, temperature,

4 5

diarrhoea and skin rash.

Babies will put anything in their mouths to relieve the pressure pain caused by teething. The most suitable aids

are teething rings made of silicone and cooling dental sticks. Keep them in the fridge (never freezer) so the cold effect helps relieve the pain even further.

As soon as the first teeth appear they should be brushed. Using either a baby toothbrush or a cloth over your finger and a small amount of baby toothpaste (never use adult toothpaste) brush the erupted teeth once a day (before bed) for the first two years. After which brushing should be done twice a day, morning and night.

6

Only from a primary school age do kids develop the ability to brush independently. Up until that time assisted brushing is required to make sure they are cleaning their teeth correctly. Always encourage your child to brush on their own as the sooner they learn this the better. The brushing stroke must be in circular movements for the sides of the teeth, and a gentle scrubbing for the tops of the teeth. Only a pea-sized toothpaste is required.

7

The toothbrush should have as small a head as possible, with

www.mommasjewels.com

amount of

The most suitable aids are teething rings made of silicone and cooling dental sticks.

91 S G


Avoid giving your child a bottle for long periods – especially if the drink is sweetened with sugars. When children

continuously drink from the bottle their teeth are always coated with this fluid and this prevents

Making the brushing experience interactive and part of the daily routine is very important.

rounded soft bristles and a thick firm grip. Specially-made kids toothpaste must be used as it has just the right amount of fluoride for your child. Try and get them to brush in front of a mirror as this helps develop good

8

techniques.

saliva from protecting the teeth and leads to rampant tooth decay.

Giving fluoride at this young age is not essential (0-3). It is very difficult to

determine the amount of fluoride that a young child ingests on a daily basis as many of them swallow their toothpaste. Overdosing on fluoride is very dangerous and can be harmful. Just by

Children will always follow what grown-ups do and this is especially true when it comes to brushing. Being in a positive mood when you brush your teeth while

and they will do the same. Making the brushing experience interactive and part of the daily

routine is very important. Using colouring charts

or nursery rhymes or creating games around brushing can all help in making the experience

9 10

toothpaste is perfect. Once older, their dentist can decide on the necessity to provide additional fluoride in the way of a daily supplement or

13

letting your child watch you will raise curiosity

enjoyable for your little one.

them brushing with a recommended children's

Dental floss is not important at this stage. However, an introduction to floss and

setting the example by flossing your own teeth in front of your child is very important.

Diet is all important at this early stage. Limiting the amount of sugar is essential, especially surgery drinks. The more natural the food, for example, fruit and raw food, the more

topical application.

The first visit to the dentist can be as early as two and a half or three years. This is purely to familiarise your child with the dental environment. I encourage mothers to bring their little ones in as early as two and a half, just for 5-10 minutes to 'play' in the chair and get used to the sights and smells. A lot also depends on the attitudes parents display at home about the dentist. Giving the child negative feedback and being apprehensive about the dentist will only build up unnecessary fear. Building trust between your child and the dentist is crucial, so when the time comes for that first filling or any other treatment, there is already that element of trust and a traumatic experience can be avoided.

hard chewing has to be done and the more thoroughly the teeth will clean themselves. A well-balanced diet is essential and should include lots of cereal and wholemeal products, fruit and vegetables (preferably raw or quickly blanched) yogurt, milk and cheese and a little meat and fish on a regular basis with limited fats and oils and very little sweets. If sweets are going to be given, it should be once a day and brushing the teeth

S G 92

2 

SG

We have 2 super children’s health hampers valued at R 3 100 to give away courtesy of OTC PHARMA SA. Email your details, name and postal address here: giveaways@simplygreen. co.za by 25 May 2013 to stand a chance to win. For more info visit www.otcpharma.co.za or call 011 516 1700

Photo http://familytimemagazine.blogspot.com

11 12

straight away should be encouraged.


Tech

APPATTACK We share a few more apps this edition to help make going green easy and on the fly. TREEHUGGER Media outlet TreeHugger's app features the latest news

Whole Foods Market Recipes

on sustainability, access to the website's podcasts, and

Looking for healthy and delicious food? Search Whole

updates from TreeHugger's Twitter account. TreeHugger

Foods Market Recipes for recipes featuring the finest

puts an eco-spin on science and tech, business and

natural and organic foods. You can search recipes by

politics, cars and transportation, design and architecture,

ingredients and dietary preferences such as gluten-free,

travel, fashion and beauty, food, health, and even

low fat, and vegetarian/vegan. Every Whole Foods Market

celebrity news.

recipe includes nutritional information and cooking

ECO CHEF

instructions. You can also enter up to three items you have on hand to find recipes using those ingredients.

Eco Chef Bryan Au shows you via step-by-step instructions,

Add ingredients to your Shopping List from a recipe

photo sequences and dozens of instructional videos,

automatically, including quantities so you don't buy too

filmed in HD, on how to prepare all of his recipes in

much. You can also add items by hand, edit, rearrange,

under 10 minutes. Some recipes take as little as 2-5

and send your list via email. Use the app's store locator

minutes to prepare. Learn all the health benefits of this

to find Whole Foods Market stores near you. Each store

new organic cuisine and how to use some of Chef Bryan’s

page includes links to the store website and specials of

favourite high-tech kitchen gadgets. This app includes

natural and organic foods on sale at your local Whole

over 100 unique recipes with even more videos and

Foods Market.

recipes being added each and every week. Many totally new never before seen recipes were invented and created

iGreenpeace

by Chef Bryan exclusively for this special must-have Eco

Fun for kids, this Greenpeace app helps support various

Chef App. The recipes are all modelled to look and taste

Greenpeace campaigns with Alex the Penguin, a character

just like all of your favourite junk foods, comfort foods

who loves good food, friends, playing games and saving

and fast foods, but now are all natural, organic and truly

the planet. He lives at the South Pole and is experiencing

are the most delicious and healthy possible while being

problems due to global warming, and is trying to create

good for you and the planet.

change. Kids can have fun using the Penguin Clap Game. Tap and clap with Alex the Penguin and see how long

ECOKI

you can last. Other users can update Greenpeace news

The Ecoki Reader brings you the best in sustainable

from around the world, find the tools to be an online

lifestyle news, tips, vegan recipes, and hands on reviews.

activist, and have opportunities to donate to support

Sit back with a cup of green tea and the Ecoki Reader and

Greenpeace campaigns to save people, penguins, and

enjoy the best eco-news delivered to you daily.

the planet. 93 S G


Extract taken from On Safari by Nadine Clarke, published by Struik Nature, an imprint of Random House Struik

S G 94


For info or to purchase visit www.randomstruik.co.za. Also visit www.getbushwise.com, or visit the 'Get Bushwise' facebook page 95 S G


Extract taken from On Safari by Nadine Clarke, published by Struik Nature, an imprint of Random House Struik

S G 96


For info or to purchase visit www.randomstruik.co.za. Also visit www.getbushwise.com, or visit the 'Get Bushwise' facebook page 97 S G


Kids

Eco-Experiments

MATHEMATICS IN NATURE

Every daisy and sunflower is a window on the infinite, as are apple blossoms and the flowers of other trees and bushes bearing edible fruits. These grow according to the pattern of the pentagon and its extension, the pentagonal star or pentagram. Apples and pears, when cut through their girth, reveal the pentagonal star pattern in their seed structure, inherited from their original flower pattern. In this issue, Sharon Levy investigates the design of the pentagon and pentagram.

S G 98


THE PENTAGRAM Each of the triangles in the pentagonal star have two equal sides that relate to the third side as 8:5 or 1.618:1 as seen in the golden rectangle.

THE PENTAGON The Pentagon consists of 10 right-angled triangles whose sides approximate 3-, 4- and 5-unit lengths. This 3-4-5 triangle is at times referred to as the Pythagorean triangle because it illustrates the Pythagorean theorem (the square of the hypotenuse of a right angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides).

intersects with the circle to produce point (3).

With the point

of the compass at (3) swing an arc down from (4) at the top of the circle to give (5).

With the point at

(4) swing through (5) to give two points of the pentagon.

With the point of

the compass on these new points in turn, swing from the top to find the last two points of the pentagon.

DODECAHEDRON A dodecahedron is a Platonic solid comprising 12 pentagrams.

Using Euclid's Method to Construct a Pentagon This method of constructing a pentagon first appeared in the last book of Euclid's

Elements, 2 500 years ago.  Draw a horizontal line with a circle on it  Keeping the compass fixed, place the point of the compass at (1) and draw the vesica through the centre of the cirle.  Open the compass wide and draw arcs from (1) and (2) to cross above and below the circle.  Use a ruler to draw a vertical line through the centre of the circle.  Draw the vertical through the vesica where it

How to Construct a Dodecahedron Firstly, construct a golden rectangle: Draw a circle from the centre of a square's base touching the opposite corners of the square. This will produce the golden section's proportions along both sides of the extended base line. A dodecahedron can be constructed by taking three golden rectangles and assembling them at 90º angles. The figure formed in 3D has twelve corners which are also the 12 centres of each of the 12 pentagons that form the faces of the dodecahedron.

SG

Sharon Levy is a science and mathematics teacher with a keen interest in the inter-relationships between science, education and society. She co-founded The Institute for Leadership and Education and currently runs Maths-is-Easy, offering individual and group tuition in mathematics to primary and secondary school learners.

99 S G


K itchen

Makeov Do's + Don'ts Eating healthy, with fresh and safe foods, starts with good habits in the kitchen. These simple eco-friendly tips will help you green your kitchen and keep you and your family in great shape.

S G 100


Photo http://beautifulkitchensblog.co.uk

organically grown and free of toxins – unless you frequent an establishment that is overtly organic and boasts toxin-free foods. But if you eat in, make your own food and start using fresh, organic ingredients, you can be certain that the food you eat works for you instead of against you.

Make room for vegetables A good rule of thumb is to stock bulk grains and legumes, and flavour with fresh seasonal vegetables. A key recommendation is to fill at least half your plate with vegetables at every meal, as well as making room for fruits.

Don't buy toxic-laden food Not all vegetables are grown to the same safe standards. Modern agriculture uses lots of toxic pesticides, and the residue from those chemicals remains on many foods – even after you've washed them at home. Buy organic foods as often as possible to avoid residue of pesticides. There

akeover

are some foods which are particularly vulnerable to toxic residues, including peaches and other deciduous fruits, celery, berries, sweet peppers, most leafy greens and numerous others. These days organic fresh foods are available almost everywhere and are hardly more costly than their intensive-farming grown variants, so buy and eat organic only, if possible. If not, all leafy and fruiting edibles should be thoroughly washed, soaked in fresh water and given a good rubbing down before any processing for the table.

Filter your tap water Tap water in some places in SA is safe, elsewhere, not so much. But most tap water contains a lot of trace elements that we could best do without, from

T

pesticides

through

to

micro-organisms.

Chlorination takes out most microbes, but produces

he first step toward a healthier and more

by-products (chloramines and trihalomethanes) that

earth-friendly diet is to cook. There's a

are unhealthy. Pharmaceuticals and some other

reason you have a kitchen, though many

contaminants are usually not filtered out, even

people eat out as a choice over home cooking. But

by modern water treatment plants. Also, you may

eating out doesn't mean you are eating food that's

be one of those relying on local borehole water –

101 S G


Photo https://nwish.s3.amazonaws.com

Fruit are particularly vulnerable to toxic residues. Wash fruit well and choose organic produce when possible – ie, pesticide free.

capable of stopping both microbes getting into your

Don't use nonstick cookware

drinking water and unwanted chemicals making

While super-convenient and easy to clean, most

their way into your body.

nonstick cookware is made with chemicals that can

but even that is vulnerable to contamination. The answer to all the above is a good quality filter,

degrade at high temperatures. When this happens

Don't believe marketing hype

(say a frying pan is unintentionally left on a hot

When shopping, look for third-party certifications

kill pet birds. Scratched-up pans are also more

you can trust, like organic certification, Fair Trade,

likely to leach chemicals into your food. Aluminum,

Rainforest Alliance and FSC (in the case of paper

too, can leach into foods if you cook acidic foods

and wood products). Don't be fooled by marketing

like lemon- or tomato-based sauces. Better options

masquerades. For instance, fact-check phrases like

include: stainless steel and 'clad' cast iron; anodised

'made with whole grains' and 'made with real fruit'

aluminium (which is more stable and less likely to

against the ingredient lists. Often, less ethical

leach into foods); glass and porcelain.

plate too long) the air in the kitchen rapidly fills with acrid smoke, sufficient in some instances to

companies will use such marketing hype to induce

uncommon to find whole grains listed after refined

Choose meat carefully

white flour on the products contents' list, and

A rule of thumb for green eating is to eat as low on

that 'fruit' really means 'fruit juice concentrate' – a

the food chain as possible; and the counter-point

euphemism for plain-old sugar with flavouring which

is to reduce your consumption of foods that

once had a passing association with something

come from higher up the food chain, especially

fruit-like. Look for free-range labels on chicken and

livestock and poultry. So the formula is more

other livestock foods. Always try for organic and

fruits, vegetables, grains and beans than chickens,

realise that the word 'natural', without appropriate

cows and pigs. Raising livestock, which often

certification, has no legal standing and essentially

involves clear-cutting pristine forests for pasture,

could mean anything and therefore signifies not

is one of the world's largest sources of greenhouse

very much.

gas emissions. The animals themselves contribute

you to buy their products in the belief that they are healthier, when they may well not be. So, it's not

S G 102


Photo www.bluepractice.com

Be sure to use eco-cleaning products in your home to avoid being exposed to harmful chemicals.

many millions of tons of the super greenhouse gas methane (20-30 times the potency of carbon dioxide in terms of global warming effects) every year. Beyond that, generally, the smaller the animal, the less enviro-intensive it is to raise for food; a chicken requires less feed and water than a cow to produce a kilo of meat. Choosing humanely raised, organic meats ensures that artificial hormones, antibiotics, toxic pesticides or inhumane conditions aren't a part of your diet.

fish,

choosing

wisely

Compost Once you're eating more vegetables, you're certainly creating more veggie scraps. Don't throw them in the garbage, where they'll just rot. Rather consciously compost them. Composting is a natural process that transforms organic wastes like vegetable scraps, coffee grinds, eggshells and yard waste like grass clippings and leaves into rich, nutrient-dense earth – perfect for potting plants, gardening or

Fish is good, sometimes For

complete collapse or extinction.

is

fertilising the lawn. This is easier if you have a yard, but there have been great innovations in odourless difficult.

Many

popular species, like tuna and swordfish, tend to

composting indoors.

toxic chemicals; some farm-raised species (tilapia

Don't pollute your indoor air

and barramundi) tend to be raised sustainably,

The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates

while others (salmon) tend not to be. Meanwhile,

that indoor air can be as much as five-times more

some wild-caught fish are harvested sustainably

polluted than the air outdoors. Several potential

(wild Alaskan salmon, Arctic char), but a great

sources of indoor air pollution originate in the

many (Atlantic cod, bluefin tuna) are not, and

kitchen, so be mindful and you can prevent asthma

seafood overfishing is one of today's most pressing

attacks or other more serious lung illnesses. Some

enviro-issues around the world. Use the SASSI

common sources of indoor air pollution in the

green-orange-red list to determine if the fish you

kitchen include: gas ranges (make sure they're

want to eat is on the green list, avoiding the orange

properly vented); cleansers (choose non-toxic,

where possible and the red list species altogether

green options, or make your own); newly installed

as the latter are in severe decline and danger of

cabinetry (steer clear of particle board containing

be contaminated with mercury, PCBs and other

103 S G


formaldehyde glues if you're remodelling); paints (choose low- or non-VOC paints, and be wary of lead-based paint lingering in older homes); and pesticides (use non-toxic alternatives and integrated

Buy Energy Star appliances Refrigerators, dishwashers and ovens can be among the biggest energy hogs in the house, costing you every time they're in use. When the time comes to replace older appliances, choose Energy Star-labelled options so you know that you're buying a product that uses relatively little energy – and

Photo www.royaldesign.com

pest management).

Did you know that many nonstick cookware is made with chemicals that can degrade at high temperatures? Choose cookware that ensures your safety in this regard.

costs you relatively little to run.

Use appliances wisely When using kitchen appliances, do so wisely. Use the smallest cooking device for the job; a microwave is the most energy-efficient cooking option, for instance, and a toaster oven is more efficient than an oven. Don't run your dishwasher unless it's full, and choose the economy setting to reduce its water and energy use. Particularly if it's the height of summer, run appliances at night (later, say after 9pm, is generally better) when demand for electricity is lower and power plants have excess capacity.

Green your pantry From safe, non-toxic food storage and green cleaning to the basics of whole bulk foods and integrated pest management, your pantry is as important as your kitchen, so apply what you are doing in the kitchen to your pantry.

S G 104

have in them words you cannot pronounce and/or don't recognise as these are the most likely to be over-refined and denatured.

Use non-toxic food storage containers Choose glass, ceramic and stainless steel over plastic whenever possible (unless the plastic is specified as safe for use with foods). These materials are long-lasting, can often be transferred directly from the pantry or fridge to the oven or microwave, and – most importantly – they won't leach chemicals into your food.

Don't overstock canned foods Unfortunately,

some

plastics

aren't

the

only

packaging types that leach chemicals into foods. The lining of cans also contains the suspect chemicals

Stock bulk whole foods

bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates, both of which can

The pantry is the place for go-to foods you need

chemicals by more than 50% simply by steering

to make meals. Most of your stores should be real

clear of canned foods, like soups, tuna and beans.

foods – unprocessed whole foods, like grains, root

Canned foods are an important part of emergency

vegetables, legumes, dried fruit and nuts – and

preparedness, though, so you'll probably want to

minimally processed foods like pastas. Don't buy

keep some on hand just in case. Some brands are

foods that have long ingredient lists and which

BPA- and phthalates-free, so look out for these.

mimic human hormones. A recent analysis found that families can reduce their exposure to these

SG


AEG UltraPerformerTM GREEN is our green bagless vacuum cleaner delivering perfect cleaning results with less effort. This model delivers a 40% energy saving compared to a 2000W (nominal) vacuum cleaner and has the dust pickup of an average 2000W vacuum cleaner. The UltraPerformerTM Green is made from 55% recycled plastic and its packaging from 100% recycled paper. 92% of this vacuum cleaner can be recycled. AEG JetMaxxTM GREEN is our green bagged vacuum cleaner with high speed dust removal. This model delivers a 33% energy saving compared to a 2000W vacuum cleaner and has the dust pickup of an average 2000W vacuum cleaner. The JetMaxxTM Green is made from 55% recycled plastic and its packaging from 100% recycled paper. 92% of this vacuum cleaner can be recycled. The JetMaxxTM GREEN uses a disposable Green s-bag (dust bag) which is made from only natural renewable materials with no performance compromise. AEG ErgoRapidoTM GREEN is our cordless stick vacuum cleaner with excellent dirt pick up off any floor. This model has an auto-off charger that switches off the charging system when the battery is full and also has low power consumption when on standby. The ErgoRapidoTM Green is made from 70% recycled plastic and its packaging from 100% recycled paper. 85% of this vacuum cleaner can be recycled.

 3

GIVEAWAY

1 of 3 JetMaxx™ Green valued at R1300 ea. 1 x ErgoRapido™ Green valued at R950 1 x UltraPerformer™ Green valued at R2300

 1

Send your full name and contact details HERE by 25 May 2013 to stand a chance of winning one of these great prizes.

The entire range of high-quality AEG Green vacuum cleaners is available exclusively from selected retailers. For more information visit www.aeg.co.za.

 1

105 S G


How you should read nutrition

 labels

S G 106


'My food lifestyle has truly evolved, from one loaded with sugary foods with no nutritional value to one focused on green vegetables and nourishing, whole foods. With that shift, I've also changed the way I read nutrition labels. In fact, grocery shopping for me can be high-involvement, even when buying what should be considered low-involvement purchases, like jam or jelly.' Aimee Hoefler asks if this is a waste of time or even necessary.

M

y new food lifestyle and new way of reading nutrition labels may take more time, but it

Where do the key ingredients fall in the list?

helps to ensure I know what's going

For example, I'd want the first ingredient

into my body and helps me to better

in strawberry jam to be 'strawberries'. Yet,

understand my own food choices. Plus,

often sugar is the first ingredient listed,

once you figure out the foods that work

which then means there is more sugar

for you and get into your own rhythm, it

than fruit. Be aware of the order in which

doesn't have to take so long.

those ingredients appear. They're listed in

Let's face it, every new diet or fad

order of abundance.

tells you that fat is the only concern you are the only indicators. Yet, why not begin

Choose the less processed option

with source, the ingredient list itself?

By

Here are some considerations to keep

'unrefined' or even choosing to use whole

in mind the next time you buy any food

ingredients, you ensure you're consuming

at the grocery store:

a product as close to its natural state

should have or that cholesterol or sodium

How long is the ingredient list?

looking

for

products

that

are

as possible. Now, this can be a difficult step, so all I'm asking you to do is take it small. Start with one ingredient. For

Especially when looking at the ingredients

example, I strive to avoid corn syrup or

for something as simple as jam or jelly.

high fructose corn syrup. It's a highly

Does it really need to contain added sugar

processed sugar that always leaves me

or natural flavourings?

wanting more and more. For me, a wiser

Does sugar need to be on that list?

choice would be coconut sugar or even honey. Know yourself and your patterns and accommodate accordingly.

From corn syrup to anything ending in Photo mamashealth.com

-ose, such as fructose or glucose, is the added sugar really necessary?

Can you pronounce the ingredients and/or know what each ingredient actually is?

Above all, know that every day doesn't have to be perfect Trying your best is a step in the right direction. Know that being conscience of what you are putting into your body by beginning with the ingredients listed on

Often, the simpler the better when it

the product, will mean you are conscience

comes to an ingredient list. Just think

of sodium, sugars, fats, etc., without even

about our body for a moment, and if we

realising it.

can't pronounce an ingredient, do you

Lastly, remember this is part of your

think your body was designed to properly

food lifestyle, so take it one day at a time

digest it? Just be aware that if you have a

and know there is always tomorrow to

choice: go for the item whose ingredients

give it another go.

SG

you can pronounce.

107 S G


Who are you & what do you want? To bring you the best magazine in cyberspace – or anywhere – we want to know more about you and what you like. Click this hyperlink and it will take you to our Mystery Box Lucky Draw Competition* page of our website:

www.simplygreen.co.za *The draw will take place 25 May 2013 at the Green Space Publishing office and the winner will be notified.

Spoil her this Mother's Day with Looking for friendly service, the freshest seafood and great value? Ocean Basket has opened its 163rd restaurant, all in 18 years. It is undoubtedly SA's favourite seafood restaurant chain. It's where you go when you want freshly grilled fish, served up quickly, in cute little frying pans, and all at a good price. You can order to eat-in or take-away.

 3

We have 3 Ocean Basket vouchers worth R600 each to give away for Mother's Day. Send your full name and address details HERE by May 4, 2013 to stand a chance of winning.

Go to www.oceanbasket.com or www.facebook.com/daoceanbasket for more information

S G 108


flags a new een b he S reen G wine drinkers generation of lture ionising wine cu

ans are revolut inded young South Afric of traditionally-m Two innovative, itching the noses tw is at th d, an br with an upstart new generation connoisseurs. ve familiarised a ha r ke ea M s Vo their and De us enjoyment of Marthinus Botha th the unpretentio wi s er um ns ks co ea br Shebeen of eco-conscious wines. Green nic ga or d fie rti ce mystifying homegrown, fully in exclusivity, de ically shrouded typ try us es or ind an sti ers. No pe cid the rules of ration of consum ne ge w ne a r produced from wine drinking fo n’s wines are all ee eb Sh n ee Gr ed – . They herbicides need il of the Swartland n in the fertile so ow gr es lly ap gr na nic aking for a tura certified orga ditional wines, m tra an th s te ha e lp Th su elements. contain 70% less ely no artificial lut so ab th wi n erlot sensatio Chardonnay, a M aligned tasting es: an unwooded lud inc e lot, ng er ra M n non with Green Shebee Cabernet Sauvig s ne bi m co ich d wh Rosé, The Blen rnet Sauvignon. be Ca and lastly a .com w.greenshebeen For info visit ww

 5

ur full e away. Send yo n Wines to ghiv ee eb Sh ning. of in irs w chance of We have 5 pa May to stand a 25 by RE HE contact details

Grower's Cup Coffee is the energy source that fuels our drive, our creativity and our alertness. It has become the daily stimulus that brings about a smooth, dynamic and open-minded interaction between busy people. Whenever we get together as friends in a social context, or as professionals in a business context cofee plays a key part. Whereas the 'normal' coffee experience is often black, bitter and not really tasty, the Grower's Cup experience will be rich, pleasant and tasteful. Grower's Cup is a solution for a great many situations as it combines single serve convenience with premium quality. Whether you are climbing a mountain, working in an office with a poor coffee choice, doing long-distance travelling, as long as you have access to hot water, Grower's Cup allows you to brew tasty and refreshing coffee anywhere, anytime. With an effort of going green, they have carefully designed the packaging involving materials that present a minimum impact on the environment. The pouch is made from PE (6,6 g) and a minimal amount of PET (1,6 g). PE is basically coal (C) and hydrogen (H2), both are a natural part of out environment and therefore not harmful. The paper is sourced from reforested Swedish woods.

www.growerscup.co.za 109 S G


? KN OW YO U

DI D GlassDharma Glass Straws bring a new definition to 'Sipping Responsibly'. There are so many ways to green your lifestyle. Incorporating healthier foods, removing potentially toxic items from your house and growing a garden of organic foods are major changes that might seem daunting, but sometimes can make a big difference. GlassDharma straws are made from borosilicate glass – the safest and strongest glass commercially available. They are dishwasher and microwave safe, and also come with a lifetime guarantee thanks to their promise that if your straw breaks, it will be repaired or replaced. Not only do glass straws replace their toxic plastic counterparts, their beauty and style are really fun to add into your green living toolbox.

The straws are: Great for both hot and cold drinks

Caturra has entered the increasingly

ISBN 978 184949 300 0

launch of their espresso capsules to be

Anjum has been seen on BBC and has written several books. This is a a pleasing book even if you are not particular about Indian Cookbooks, but have been wanting to try this fresh and flavoursome food for yourself. While content is king the pictures matter a lot when it comes to delighting in cook books per se; and in this case the recipes are brought to life with the help of the pictures. I also find this recipe book easy to handle, easy to understand and easy to enjoy. Go ahead, Now enjoy the taste.

sold nationwide at leading supermarket chain, Checkers. Caturra's

Nespresso-compatible

range consists of a number of exciting blends. The coffee is sealed within moments of being ground to guarantee freshness. With each capsule boasting a unique character and aroma, it's almost like becoming your own barista. 'As the trend for coffee capsules grows, we've received many enquiries from our valued clients and customers for capsules that are compatible with leading coffee machines and extractors. To meet this need we've developed a product that is not only practical, convenient and economical, but also guarantees a perfect cup of coffee every time,' says Klaus Becker, Caturra Managing Director. In line with the brand's environmentally-conscious

Different sizes for different drinks:

capsules are made from biodegradable

policies,

the

bubble teas, iced drinks, shakes and

plastic and are packaged in a home

smoothies

compostable pouch. With many industry

cafes Helpful for those worried about tooth

ANJUM'S INDIAN FOOD Anjum Anand

attractive coffee capsules market with the

Kid-friendly and safe

Beautiful accessory for cocktails or

S G 110

Caturra launches coffee capsule range

studies showing that coffee is amongst the most popular beverages in the world, an environmentally friendly alternative is

staining: try with wine, coffee and

of particular importance in the context of

tea

daily global consumption.

"

People’s experience of eating Indian food in the west is not a true reflection of the real food we eat at home, which is lighter, fresher and far more well balanced than the offerings at Indian restaurants. I try to showcase the true face of Indian food. But, mostly, I cook food which fits into our hectic lives today and helps us work towards our ideals of being healthy.

"


20416S Spur_April 2013 SASSI

SUPPORTING SASSI

John Dory’s takes pride in its relationship with The Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI), realising how vital responsible fishing practices are to our depleted ocean resources. Vist www.johndorys.co.za for more info.

SPUR CORPORATION:

FISHING FOR THE FUTURE John Dory’s Fish, Grill & Sushi strives to support sustainable, well-managed fisheries and responsible aquaculture, through the assistance of Spur Corporation’s (Spur Steak Ranches; Panarottis Pizza Pasta; John Dory’s and DoRego’s) procurement commitment. The Spur Corporation believes it is critical that we maintain healthy and productive marine ecosystems, species and livelihoods, as well as sustainable business practices. John Dory’s de¬fines sustainable seafood as: seafood which originates from a ¬fishery or farm which could continue to operate inde¬finitely without reducing the target species’ ability (or any other species in the marine ecosystems) to maintain a viable population. A SUSTAINABLE SPECIES SHOULD: • Not be a species that is regarded as endangered or threatened • Be caught in a well-managed fishery • Be caught/farmed using responsible fishing or farming methods • Be traceable from ‘boat to plate’

John Dory’s overall goal is to increase the availability of sustainable seafood and promote responsible ¬ fishing practices within its restaurants. They recognise that a signi¬ficant proportion of the world’s fisheries/aquaculture facilities do not currently meet internationally accepted standards of sustainability. For these operations, rather than simply discontinue sourcing, they would rather use Spur Corporation’s buying power to provide both an incentive and a path to become sustainable. John Dory’s is further committed to providing consumers with accurate information about the sustainability of their seafood choices through making information available on their menu and website as well as through well-trained staff and management.

Know your seafood! SMS the name of the fish to 079 499 8795 to check on the sustainability of the species. Visit www.wwfsassi.co.za

Visit www.spurcorporation.co.za

111 S G


your green tv show guide The must-see shows for all things green, organic & healthy on the home front. maY 2013 Get It Done

Local Series: New Season Tues: 7.30pm • Wed 10pm • 11.30am • Fri 3.30pm • Sat 2.30pm & 10.30pm • 9.30am & 7.30pm

Our DIY experts Annelien and Peter are back with more great projects for you to tackle. From cupboards to garden chairs, wine racks to bookshelves, they’ll show you what you need, how to do it and what mistakes to avoid. DIY for people who don’t.

Colin & Justin Home Heist Mon 8pm • Tues 8am • Wed 12pm • Thurs 4pm • Sat 12pm & 5pm • Sun 7am & 1pm

Britain’s most outrageous decorating duo are on a mission to overhaul Canada’s tackiest interiors and bring good taste and design to all. They hijack hideous houses and put the tasteless owners under house arrest until they atone for their design sins by redecorating to Colin and Justin’s new design. From boring bedrooms and calamitous kitchens, to S G 112

delinquent dens and dreary dining rooms, Colin and Justin seek out the worst infractions, and then they strike. While still reeling from the ambush pertinent homeowners are forced to undo their style crimes under supervision from the experts.

The Arrangement Mon 6pm • Tues 11pm • Wed • 10am • Thurs 2pm

The Arrangement showcases the amazing skills of accomplished floral designers, each with their own story and unique point-of-view. With Head Judge Eric Buterbaugh of the Four Seasons Beverly Hills and bestselling author Host Gigi Levangie Grazier, The Arrangement is must-see-TV for the entire family. Week after week, the designers put the petal to the metal for a chance to stay in The Arrangement and prove that they are the best floral designer in the nation. Our floral design expert judges, along with celebrity guests like Nancy O’Dell, LaLa Vasquez, Omarosa, Antonio Sabato Jr, and Shanna Moakler, will critique each arrangement, determine a winning design, and eliminate one person per episode.


The Gardener

Local Series: Season 12 Tues 9pm • Wed 9am • Thurs 1pm • Fri 5pm • Sat 10am & 7pm • Sun 3pm & 10pm

SA’s favourite gardener Tanya Visser is back again. This practical gardening show will inspire you to get creative in your garden with easy-to-do projects. From containers and hanging baskets to sowing seeds and dividing perennials to replant for spring, Tanya has the know-how to get it just right. She’ll also tackle some bigger DIY garden projects that you can really get your back into as well as save you money, like a pebble creating a water feature and sleeper steps.

Garden Angels Tues 9.30pm • Wed 9.30pm • 1.30pm • 5.30pm • Sat 11.30am & 8.30pm • Sun 4.30pm & 11pm

This brand new series presented by eminently qualified horticulturalists Melissa King, Jody Rigby and Linda Ross. The Garden Angels will help you bring the confidence you feel inside your home out into the garden. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or simply want ideas and inspiration this series will show you how to get out into your garden, get your hands dirty and start growing.

garden angels

Leave it to Bryan Mon 7pm • Tues 10.30pm • Wed 11am • Thurs 3pm • Sat 1.30pm & 9.30pm • Sun 8.30am & 5.30pm

Homeowners get a much needed reality check in the ultimate reno tug of war between wants and needs. Couples pitch veteran contractor Bryan Baeumler the spaces they want renovated most, but leave Bryan with the final verdict. With Bryan making his choice based on the biggest need, priorities clash and reno dreams are put on pause. Watch as homeowners are forced to re-evaluate their reno expectations and how Bryan takes their renovations from gut to glory.

Extreme Clutter Mon 5pm • Wed 9pm • Thurs 9am • Fri 1pm

colin & justin home heist get it done

Organisational expert Peter Walsh is on a mission of helping families whose lives are dramatically affected by the overwhelming presence of clutter. He encounters the biggest, most extreme problems and forces these families to face the truth about the damaging effects of possessing too much stuff. Peter guides families through the emotional journey of overcoming attachment to their stuff. He pinpoints the root of the clutter problem, restores structure, and provides them with practical tools needed to live a clutter-free and more fulfilling life.

Great Taste No Money Mon 10pm • Tues 11.30am • Wed 3.30pm • Fri 7.30pm • Sat 10.30am & 7.30pm, Sun 3.30pm & 10.30pm

Great Taste/No Money delivers great design for little cash, as it spins through design do’s and don’ts by re-organising ordinary people’s houses with opinions, energy, shopping expeditions and other antics. Humorous and inspiring sequences reveal just how easy and accessible good taste and flair can be.

113 S G


Pet

Mush It Up A

s with most people, I have always known of

frustrated if they don't release their energy by sledding

the breed of dogs we collectively call huskies.

in a positive way – in a pack. The evidence is irrefutable

It was around five years ago when we got

for my wife and I have seen first-hand the positive effect

our first husky and came to the realisation of how

S G 114

of sledding on huskies.

misunderstood these animals were. My wife and I had a

In the past five years, we have done roughly 7 200

look at training schools and we ended up at a sledding

sledding sessions with groups of four to even 24

club for huskies. This is where we learnt the basics of

huskies in a group. In these teams we have huskies from

sledding huskies on dry land. It was a one-day-a-week

just about any background. Re-homed huskies, huskies

course for sledding our huskies, leaving at 4am in the

that have never been exercised, huskies used for dog

morning every Sunday for a year, but we soon realised

fighting, huskies from kennels, the great escape artists,

that one sledding session a week for these animals just

the less socialised husky, abused huskies, and the list

wasn't enough. In my eyes they are the single most

goes on. In all these cases we have had great success by

misunderstood animals in SA.

introducing sledding to these amazing creatures. They

There are many unwanted huskies out there purely

socialise, have fun, burn energy, learn commands and

because people get them for their beauty and all the

ultimately destress by doing what they were born and

wrong reasons, but people soon realise how much of a

love to do.

handful they are to own. The reason for that is that most

Huskies are extremely intelligent animals, but they

people don't do their homework and therefore don't

have a mind of their own. The only way to get through

realise that these incredible creatures are born to work

to them is if their energy is spent and the only way to

and pull sleds. They are working animals and get easily

do that, in our experience, is to take them sledding.


Sam Gunter shares his story of becoming part of the pack of a misunderstood breed. There are alternatives to sledding such as bikjoring and

they truly are a unique breed and worlds apart from your

canicross (were you run with them for a few kilometres),

normal everyday canine. If you are considering owning a

but sledding in a large group with other huskies is what

husky please do your homework first and consider the

they love the most, and has the most impact you would

fact that they chew your clothing, couches, dig up your

like to see on your husky. It's a combination of working

garden, jump your wall, howl, demand lots of attention

and socialising as a team as they sled while running in

and, most importantly, are sled dogs.

a controlled and safe environment.

Huskies are wonderful additions to your family

It's sad that this breed is so misunderstood and that

and you couldn't ask for a better companion and

most husky owners don't realise that sledding exists in

child-friendly pet, providing they are well fed and

SA. That is why it is so important to create awareness

exercised regularly. If you do all of the above you will

about the proper needs of these amazing animals, such

have a friend for life like no other.

SG

as training and proper diet. The saying 'you are what you eat' has never been more true in this circumstance, as by feeding them a specially formulated raw food

For anyone needing information on how to train your husky,

diet designed strictly for huskies we have seen better

you can contact Sam on facebook or alternatively email

results in their happiness levels. They are not meant to

mush.it.up@gmail.com. They are more than willing to help

eat the 'traditional' kibble as they need specific needs of

with any issues you might have with your husky, they offer

a high-protein diet, vegetables and water in its natural

training, equipment and the correct diet, factors that are

form for maximum absorption in their system.

conducive to having a healthy and happy husky, so lets all

By working with these animals we have realised that

make a difference together. 115 S G


Pet

Awaken a Part of Your Soul The World of Dogs and Cats & Pet Expo (WODAC) which takes place from 19-21 July at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand is a magical gateway to discovering the joys, responsibilities and rewards of pet ownership. It’s the perfect place to search for and find that pet that will complement and complete your family. If you want to add this magic to your life or reward your pets for their love and loyalty, bring family and friends to shop for special treats, and experience the many ways in which pets of all kinds can enrich your life. Meet the breeds, talk to the breeders, shop for pet-related products, consider adopting a pet, speak to experts in animal nutrition, behaviour, optimal healthcare and well-being. This year’s expo will feature such fan-favourites as the halls of dogs, cats, birds, fish, exotic pets and reptiles and the National Cat Show, where you’ll meet the full array of fabulous and fascinating feline breeds. Horse lovers will be spellbound by 2013’s exciting, expanded equine attractions with a program devoted completely to The Magic of Horses. Delight in a packed and entertaining program for the whole family with events like the Dogs of the World Parade; Dog Agility; Canine Survivor; Flyball; Dog Carting Display; 60-Weaving Pole Challenge; the Dancing with Dogs SA Champs; and the WODAC Dog Show. Anatole France, winner of the 1921 Nobel Prize in Literature, once said: 'Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.' Come awaken a part of your soul at the World of Dogs and Cats & Pet Expo 2013. For more info visit www.dogscats.co.za

Shampoos and Scrubs

'As custodians of the planet it is our responsibility to treat all species with kindness, love and compassion. That these animals suffer through human cruelty is beyond understanding.

Please help to stop this madness.' - Richard Gere

S G 116

Shampooing your dog or cat should be done very seldom. In fact, a healthy pet, with healthy skin and good bacteria does not need to be washed often. One still needs to avoid shampoos that are chemically-based as these can aggravate the skin. Rather treat your pets using natural shampoos, scrubs and oils.


EU bans cosmetic testing on animals

After years of petitions and delays, animals will no longer be used to test makeup, skin care products and other products in the EU. After 23 years, the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAU) has succeeded in banning the use of animals in cosmetics testing in all member countries of the EU. All personal-care products, from high-end to drugstore brands, will be subject to the rules, which means that final products cannot be tested on animals and neither can any of a given products' ingredients. For some time, the long pushed-for ban has been debated and put off, and according to the ECEAU, its final success was due to the work of Tonio Borg, the new European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy. 'The former European Commissioner in charge of the EU's cosmetics regulations had been considering recommendations to delay or weaken the ban, allowing the cosmetics industry to continue testing cosmetic products and ingredients on animals until they could find alternative methods,' details the ECEAU, but it went through, thanks to Borg's urging. Cosmetics will still be tested for safety by the companies that make them, using agreed-upon methods of non-animal testing. The group's next goal is to end the use of animals in scientific experiments (12 million animals a year are used in Europe for this purpose). Do you think animal testing is different today than what you may have heard about in the '90s when this issue received a lot of attention? According to the Humane Society's excellent FAQ on animal testing in the US: Although they are not required by law, several tests are commonly performed by exposing mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and other animals to cosmetics ingredients. This can include: skin and eye irritation tests where chemicals are rubbed onto the shaved skin or dripped into the eyes of restrained rabbits without any pain relief; repeated force-feeding studies lasting weeks or months to look for signs of general illness or specific health hazards such as cancer or birth defects, and widely condemned 'lethal dose' tests, in which animals are forced to swallow large amounts of a test chemical to determine the dose that causes death. At the end of a test the animals are killed, normally by asphyxiation, neck-breaking or decapitation. Pain relief is not provided. In the US, a large percentage of the animals used in such testing (such as laboratory-bred rats and mice) are not counted in official statistics and receive no protection under the Animal Welfare Act. Do you think a ban on animal testing for cosmetics is possible in the US, SA and the rest of the world? Tell us what you think and let's see what increased awareness can achieve. Email us your comments HERE.

My Life with Leopards: Graham Cooke's Story Fransje Van Riel Penguin • 978 0 1435 3029 9 This is a truly touching and inspirational book for any animal lover and non-lover alike. It is the journey of one man's connection with two very different leopard siblings as they grow and learn through his guidance and protection. It takes us from their very first meeting to finally letting them go to live the life of wild animals. The beautifully written words let you feel as if you are connected to the cubs as they explore the world. The real story was that of trust and letting go, something that animals know instinctively. Maybe if we all just learned a little from our four-legged friends life would not seem as complicated.

Save Me From The Lion’s Mouth James Clarke Random House Struik • 978 1 9205 4475 1 If you are looking for an easy read on a Sunday afternoon then this is definitely not the book for you. It is, however, an extremely honest account of the battle between humans and wildlife written in a journalistic style. This book suggests that many are blind to the seriousness of the situation that we face daily, how rural communities living near game reserves are becoming resentful of the animals. There is a lot of history blended in with amazing insight, so if learning about what is really going on in the world is something that interests you then James Clarke is an author you will enjoy.

117 S G


Conservation

Rhino 

'On 4 May the Rhino Knights team, myself, my husband Lloyd and my sister Raphaela will head out from Durban towards Cape Town on a 10 000km campaign around Southern Africa. Our mission is to

I

S G 118

n early 2009, the entire population of 11

Cape we synchronistically met Dr Ian Player who

rhino were killed at our horse trail business

has since become our mentor and friend guiding

based in the former Transkei. Four were shot

us in our quest to find ultimate purpose in life –

with a permit and the rest were poached within

'Rhino Knights' under the banner of our NPO, Earth

a year. Overpopulation by man hungry for food,

Awareness, was the result. Earth Awareness is

space, power and more has led to a dwindling

about creating awareness of self, others and the

animal and plant kingdom. Every 12 hours about

environment which ultimately creates greater care

2 000kg of rhino life is slaughtered for about 5kg

for our planet and the living.

of horn weight. With all that is being done rhino

During the Rhino Knights campaign every day on

poaching is still very much on the increase and

the move I will run a half marathon (21kms); cycle

at this current rate our children will not lay their

55kms and, on the same day, horse ride an entry

eyes upon this species as adults. A demand for

level endurance event of 25kms. Some parts of the

horn in Asian countries has caused symptoms of

journey may be done without the horse component

large-scale slaughter, poaching, violence, greed and

and the travelled distance on foot and bicycle

corruption. When we moved away from the Eastern

will therefore increase. Covering a daily distance


Knights ď ™

solve the Rhino poaching problem through global awareness and action creating a collective conservation consciousness. By saving this species we believe that the world makes a standpoint to protect this planet and preserve its biodiversity,' says Isabel Wolf-Gillespie. She reports. of on average 100kms, our route will take us through some beautiful, yet harsh and very remote countryside in SA, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe

and Mozambique, and back to Durban. Assisted by a support vehicle, Lloyd, Raphaela and I will cover the distance in about five months. During the campaign we will network with as many conservation organisations and individuals from reserves and parks to show our support and, through a survey, gain knowledge and information on the current rhino situation. The publicly involving social media awareness drive aims to cover the world with Rhino

'The publicly involving social media awareness drive aims to cover the world with Rhino Knights, uniting our voices as one for Rhino. Along our route we have arranged educational talks at schools to motivate and inspire the next generation, and encourage people to run and cycle with us on our route.'

Knights, uniting our voices as one for rhinos. Along our route we have arranged educational

generation. To show support for the remaining and

talks at schools to motivate and inspire the next

future rhinos we are asking the public to run and

119 S G


WATCH THIS!

Riding for Horses equine outreach The team's previous project

It is so easy to get caught up in life, trying to fight daily battles that we don't notice how nature and its bountiful wildlife is being destroyed and exploited in front of our eyes; which reminds me of what Gandhi said: 'Earth provides enough for every man's needs but not for every mans greed.'

cycle with us along our route, fun runs and events are

rhino are in fact in a crisis. A country flooded by rubbish

being set up to raise funds and involve the sporting

and litter, 668 dead rhino last year and 204 dead this

community. Information on dates, times, and so on can

year already, a list of endangered species worldwide

be found on our website www.earthawareness.co.za.

that continuously grows, and natural resources being

Funds raised during this campaign will be allocated

used beyond the limits. I ask you the question, how

to the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation and the

many more facts or signs do we actually need? The

Magqubu Ntombela Foundation, an initiative of Dr

signs and facts are plain to see but we have to choose

Ian Player's, for their Anti-poaching, intelligence and

to see them and respond to them.

educational initiatives. Through this campaign, we are

Writing this article I tell myself to look up from my

encouraging real social change that's needed for the

desk to see the beauty outside my office door that

better of our planet.

opens out onto the garden. Nature offers us generously

As I write this I have just returned from my daily

and without asking for anything in return. It is so easy

two-hour training run and each and every day I am

to get caught up in life, trying to fight daily battles that

inspired by the beauty surrounding me while I am

we don't notice how nature and its bountiful wildlife

out there. I exercise at dawn every morning and an

are being destroyed and exploited in front of our eyes.

incredible amount of birds in all colours are flying

I listen, I see and I hear nature's desperate cry for help.

and chirping around me, the sun is shining warm on

Suddenly I remember again why I have made this

my face and the trees and branches sway gently back

my life and purpose – I don't want this beauty being

and forth in the wind. In preparation for this journey

destroyed, irreversibly.

I have put myself on a hard exercise schedule. Each

I remember the feeling of being outdoors on

morning I run passed the gogos and gardeners who

a camping trip in the Drakensberg or in the bush

are on their way to work and by now we recognise each

somewhere surrounded by nature and all that lives.

other. Along with their hearty smiles and waves I often

The trees, the birds, the plants, the wildlife – sitting on

receive comments like, 'Hau! Young lady now you are

my office chair I allow myself to feel the connection,

fit enough to run the marathon' or 'Eish Ma, mustn't

the freedom and the happiness they bring. In our

gym when it's raining'. They speak with disbelief and

own private capacity we all have the power to make a

at the same time admiration and few others can lift my

difference.

SG

spirits as much they do. The preparation and organisation of this campaign

As a Rhino Knight I urge you to become a voice for the rhino, join

has been exceedingly challenging, filled with daily

us on the road, become a donor or support the campaign by

disappointments and successes. I get so caught up in

becoming a sponsor. If you would like to be involved in any way

the stresses and the pressure of this that I sometimes have to remind myself why I actually want to do this. Not too long ago I attended a meeting and a person

S G 120

please contact me on 076 577 1936 or isabel@ridingforhorses. co.za. Follow our journey on the Rhino Knights Facebook page and through the weekly video upload of Rhino Knights on Youtube. Donations can be made via our website www.

there glossed over the rhino crisis situation making out

earthawareness.co.za, on Givengain or Donate R10 by SMSing

that there are not enough obvious facts and signs that

the word RHINOKNIGHTS to 48716.


SWIPE YOUR WORLD

BEAUTIFUL

WITH MYPLANET

WHEN YOU SHOP, GIVE SOMETHING BACK!

WITH A MYPLANET CARD YOU CAN RAISE FUNDS FOR THE EWT RHINO FUND WITHOUT COSTING A CENT! GIVING BACK IS NOW EVEN MORE REWARDING...

Simply get a free MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card and select the EWT MyPlanet Rhino Fund as your beneficiary. Then, every time you swipe your card at our retail partners (such as Woolworths, Waltons, kalahari.com, Reggie’s, Toys R Us, Engen Foodstops and many more) they will donate a percentage of what you have spent to the charity of your choice, on your behalf. Every swipe counts!

GET YOUR CARD NOW at any Woolworths store, at www.myplanet.co.za or call 0860 100 445.


C orporate

social initiative

I

n

the

modern

companies

of

business all

age,

sizes

are

beginning to realise the tangible

and sustainable value that dedicated involvement

in

Corporate

Social

Investment (CSI) brings. In the South African context, this involvement is even more important, owing to the delicate socio-economic situation that prevails in the country, with millions of people in urgent need of basic services that will uplift them, and offer an opportunity of a better life. Besides the value that will be provided to local communities and the legacy for SA, engaging in CSI projects has the capacity to engender a considerable difference to the short- and long-term prosperity of any organisation, whether they are a major banking institution, or a small-to-medium enterprise. Companies that align themselves to an effective CSI program will find that business benefits accrue in the form of brand recognition, increased sales, return on investment (ROI), tax benefits, and, most importantly, fostering trust with employees and the general public. Businesses are already acutely

deskbags

aware

of

the

implementing

importance public

of

relations

messages that are consistent with the organisation's core values and ethos. Supporting a CSI initiative is the most effective way for these companies to formulate a message that their concerns as a business

The concept of corporate social investment (CSI) or corporate social responsibility (CSR), is often misinterpreted in that it is thought that only large corporate companies should contribute to community needs through large investments, as a social duty. Madelain Roscher, Managing Director of communications firm PR Worx, and originator of educational CSI product, DeskBags, elaborates. S G 122

extend beyond their own prospects. Essentially, they will be able to communicate that they are cognisant of the wider societal benefits that can result from heightened involvement in worthy public causes. Perhaps

one

of

the

best

examples of an initiative that creates a lasting value for both society and companies is DeskBags, a school bag that provides a portable desk solution. This CSI initiative, which is


Supporting a CSI initiative is the most effective way for these companies to formulate a message that their concerns as a business extend beyond their own prospects. the brainchild of PR Worx, is uplifting educational standards in Africa. DeskBags offers an innovative solution to the prevailing desk shortage problem being experienced in rural areas throughout Africa, with research showing that over 4m scholars in SA require school desks. DeskBags provides a definitive but temporary answer to this problem, by producing a product that not only serves a purpose as a functional and eco-friendly school bag, but when folded open, it also provides instant desk support. As the bags are made from recycled vinyl billboard materials, and the flap is reinforced with ABS plastic sheeting, the product is so durable that if looked after well, one can last an entire school career. These bags are also waterproof, reflective and light enough that even pre-primary scholars can use them. Schools in need of a temporary desk solution, can apply to DeskBags to receive the product free of charge as corporate companies help sponsor the production costs thereof. Once companies have placed an order for DeskBags, whether it is for 100 or 100 000 bags, they are provided with a list of schools or areas in need of support. All arrangements, including the hand-over, media liaison and photography are managed on their behalf, and they simply need to be present on the day of the hand-over to represent their company, and witness the children's appreciation. Companies that have participated in this CSI initiative have not only made a considerable difference to the lives of children, but have also significantly enhanced their own corporate image. These companies have been able to display their branding prominently on the DeskBag, thereby clearly demonstrating their support for a meaningful CSI and educational cause. Considering the numerous benefits that accrue from heightened involvement in CSI causes, both large corporates and small and medium enterprises should seriously consider partnering with an effective CSI partner such as DeskBags, and ultimately create

on-the-ground change in SA. Committing wholeheartedly in this regard will also encourage a host of other companies to replicate these efforts, and help achieve a positive legacy for our country. SG

123 S G


A griculture

Photo www.la-motte.com

The gradual decline in farm numbers, coupled with an increase in average acreage, is by no means unique to SA.

Is bigger really better for

SA agriculture? While farms are growing and consolidating, this is not necessarily having an overly positive impact on the effectiveness of SA's agriculture on the global stage. We take a look.

W

the

unique to SA. It's a trend that has been gathering pace

sustainability of agriculture in South Africa

in some of the largest agricultural markets around the

hile

it

is

widely

accepted

that

relies in large part on the willingness of

world. In the US, there were 6.6m farms employing

commercial farmers to nurture and support emerging

13.5m workers in 1910. A century later, the number

smaller farmers, it would appear that the space

of US farms is down to 2.18m, employing fewer than

available for smallholders in SA is rapidly diminishing.

3m workers.

The main culprit behind this is the increasing

While it could be argued that, given SA's increasing

recognition of the value of economies of scale for the

urbanisation, the country will still get by with fewer, but

viability and profitability of the commercial farmer –

significantly larger, commercial farms, but balancing

with the result that many are effectively ‘elbowing out'

such consolidation with government's commitment

small and medium-sized enterprises.

to redress in terms of historic land issues will require

The numbers tell the story. In the last decade,

exceptional political and economic insight.

the number of commercial farms in SA fell by more

What is vital, however, is that stakeholders

than 13% from 45 800 in 2002 to 39 900 in 2007,

acknowledge that the consolidation of farming in SA

according to the Census of Commercial Agriculture

is inevitable and irreversible in the long term. While

published by Statistics SA. That's a long way down

such consolidation may raise concerns about SA's

from the estimated 58 000 such commercial farms in

ability to retain its position as a net food exporter in

the country twenty years ago.

decades to come, the country's agriculture sector has

But while farms are growing and consolidating, this

a strong history of being able to adapt and change;

is not necessarily having an overly positive impact on

and it certainly has the resources and expertise to do

the effectiveness of SA's agriculture on the global stage

the same again in the future and continue to deliver a

– because only around 8% of our commercial farms are

valuable contribution to the country's social upliftment

actually large enough to compete internationally.

and economic development imperatives.

This gradual decline in farm numbers, coupled with an increase in average acreage, is by no means

S G 124

Visit http://blog.nedbankcapital.co.za for more.

SG


we’re on the right track.

Nedbank is the Sustainable Bank of the Year for Middle East and Africa. We were recently awarded the title ‘Sustainable Bank of the Year for Middle East and Africa’. Nedbank took top honours in the sustainability sector at the Financial Mail/International Finance Corporation Sustainable Finance Awards 2012 ceremony in London. The 2012 achievement is our third accolade in this category and an acknowledgement that the sustainability journey we began over 20 years ago has positioned us well to support our clients as we transition to a greener economy. Forging ahead we will continue to lead by example today for a better tomorrow. For more information on our green journey visit www.nedbankgreen.co.za.

Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06, VAT Reg No 4320116074, 135 Rivonia Road, Sandown, Sandton, 2196, South Africa. We subscribe to the Code of Banking Practice of The Banking Association South Africa and, for unresolved disputes, support resolution through the Ombudsman for Banking Services. We are an authorised financial services provider. We are a registered credit provider in terms of the National Credit Act (NCR Reg No NCRCP16).

purpleberry 0912/7264

Earning accolades for our sustainability effort tells us


Garden

PREPARING FOR A

WINTER WO S G 126


F

or many years I only grew herbs and a few greens in my vegetable garden during winter. Summer vegetables seemed easier (and more fun) and winter became a

time of dormancy for me and my garden. That all changed after I planted broccoli for the first time. It quickly grew into a luscious bed of edible heads. But the best surprise was how long they lasted. As long as I kept snipping off the newly developed side shoots before they flowered, we ate nutritious broccoli for months. Since then I have grown many members of the Brassica family and along the way I've fallen in love this prolific and interesting family.

Brassica Basics Kale, mustard, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and many more are all Brassicas. Probably the only other vegetable family with a wider diversity of shapes and sizes is the Cucurbit or squash family. As Brassicas are heavy feeders, enrich the soil with compost and add a slow release, balanced fertiliser before planting. All Brassicas prefer more alkaline soil and benefit from some lime being added before planting. This helps prevent club root, a fungal disease affecting the Brassica family. Rhubarb leaves, which are very high in oxalic acid, also help to prevent club root. Water the ground with a rhubarb drench before sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings. Crop rotation also reduces chances of club root developing. Brassicas should not follow one another in the same spot for at least two years. Birds are one of the biggest pests for Brassicas. Your patch of cabbages and cauliflowers can be wiped out in one afternoon by a hungry flock of mousebirds or loeries. Especially as there is little else for them to eat in the middle of winter. Once they discover your garden they come back year after year. The only way to really protect your plants is to cover them with netting – and to supply the birds with a food source as far away from your Brassicas as possible.

Brassica Secrets Some Brassicas, such as kale and mustard, are leafy greens and can be grown as such. Others – particularly broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage – require a little more care. These vegetables all develop buds, either a large single one like cabbage, or a mass of them, like broccoli. These Brassicas have four stages of growth. In the early stages they concentrate on developing their roots and leaves. During the second stage, the outer leaves develop. The third stage is the most important, as this is when the plant builds up nutrients in the outer leaves. The third stage is the time that Brassicas most appreciate being fed some extra food. Once sufficient nutrients are stored, the plant transfers them from the older outer leaves to the internal buds, which develop very quickly during the fourth stage. Feeding Brassicas during the fourth stage won't make much difference as the growth is too fast for the roots to keep pumping nutrients to the heads. All the growth is drawn from the outer leaves. So we need to feed our Brassicas with a balanced diet before the heads start developing. They require a balanced organic fertiliser, such as Talborne Vita Veg, as this will help build large, healthy heads and buds.

ONDERLAND 127 S G


When Brassicas have finished bearing, pull the entire plant out, roots and all, and compost it. Leaving the stumps in the ground encourages club root. Why grow ordinary white cauliflower or green broccoli? There are many interesting varieties available from local seed companies. Wow your dinner guests with purple broccoli or green spiraled Romanesque cauliflower.

Planting tips Most Brassicas prefer cooler weather and will produce the

Brassica

biggest and sweetest heads during the coldest months. They take four to five months to reach maturity, so time your sowing accordingly. Because they take a while to reach transplanting size, sow seeds in seed trays rather than in situ. When transplanting seedlings press the ground down firmly. Most Brassicas are heavy by the time they reach maturity and benefit from their roots being in firm soil. All Brassicas love growing alongside aromatic and flowering plants such as rosemary, sage and calendula.

Cabbage Cabbage is one of the easiest Brassicas to grow, as it is not too fussy about climate or soil. It comes in a variety of colours and shapes, from compact red ones to large frilly green ones. Although it prefers cooler weather, it can be grown almost throughout the year – however, avoid cabbages maturing in midsummer or sowing seeds in midwinter. Although cabbages

Cabbage

consist of a mass of green leaves, don't make the mistake of thinking they need a nitrogen-rich soil. Too much nitrogen makes the inner leaves grow too quickly and causes the heads to split. Cabbages like full sun and consistent moisture throughout their growing period. A good way to protect cabbages from leaf-eating bugs is to sprinkle tansy, feverfew, artemisia or pyrethrum in amongst their leaves. More than most vegetables, cabbages benefit from polyculture plantings instead of monoculture. Interplanting with dill, coriander, anise, oregano, borage, nasturtium, sage and thyme will repel leaf-eating insects and camouflage the distinctive shape of

Kale

the cabbage.

Kale Kale is a quick-growing leafy vegetable. It is very similar to cabbage except it doesn't form a head in the middle. It is hardy, easy to grow and is subject to very few pest attacks or diseases. It prefers growing during cooler months and likes moist conditions. Kale is easily grown from seed and isn't too fussy about

Broccoli &Cauliflower S G 128


its soil. It prefers full sun, except during the hotter months, when it benefits from some shade. It needs consistent watering and well-mulched soil. Kale grows well with strong-flavoured herbs such as basil, parsley and sage. Kale is not a delicate green, like spinach, which only needs to be cooked for a short time. Kale benefits from being thoroughly cooked, particularly the tougher, curly-leafed varieties.

Broccoli Broccoli is a superhero when it comes to packing a

Brussels sprouts

nutritional punch. It contains high levels of vitamins, calcium, beta-carotene, potassium and iron. When buying seedlings, choose compact ones rather than tall leggy ones, as these will transplant more smoothly. If you crowd the plants closer, the heads will be smaller. Keep an eye out for leaf-eating bugs which can damage the central growing point, especially when the seedlings are small. Harvest the central head while compact, even if it's quite small. If it starts looking loose, cut it immediately otherwise the buds will open and flower. Cut it at an angle about 10 cm below the head. As the weather becomes cooler it will continue producing side shoots. Harvest them before they flower, otherwise the plant will stop producing more shoots.

Cauliflower Unlike broccoli, which continues to produce side heads after the first harvest, cauliflower is a once-off deal. Despite this, it is worth planting a few in a small vegetable garden as freshly picked cauliflower has a flavour and crunchiness far surpassing your average supermarket offering. Cauliflower needs constant moisture, rich soil and just the right temperatures to form a good head. Different varieties have differing lengths of maturity, head sizes and resistance to warmer weather. They must be transplanted very gently with as little disturbance to the roots as possible. They produce better heads if grown in a firm soil. When the heads are a good size (6.5-10cm in diameter) cover them with some bigger outer leaves to keep them from being sunburned. Simply tie a few large leaves together over the top of the head. Check every few days after doing this to see if they are ready – once they start forming they grow big quickly. Heads should be cut when they are compact and firm. Don't let them become loose or develop individual florets.

Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts are one of the most challenging of the Brassicas to grow, especially in a home vegetable garden where they take up quite a bit of space. Freshly picked sprouts, which have been steamed for a few minutes, are crisp and delicious. If you have the space and are feeling adventurous, try growing them. Brussels sprouts like cool, moist weather. They need firm soil, so press the ground down well before transplanting seedlings. Keep them moist and mulched throughout their growing season. When their top growth starts filling out, pull the mulch and soil up around the base of their stems to support them. It helps to grow them in groups of three and, once they are nearly fully-grown, tie their tops together to form a tripod. Aphids love Brussels sprouts so keep an eye out for them. Spraying with a garlic/soap spray will get rid of them. As the plant matures, the bottom leaves turn yellow. Remove them by cutting or pulling them gently downwards. Start harvesting sprouts when they are a decent size and firm. Pick them from the bottom of the stem first. After the last sprouts are harvested, cut off the top leafy growth and cook it like cabbage. Thanks to Brassicas I am now as active in my garden in winter as summer and my garden rewards me by producing an endless supply of delicious winter vegetables.

SG

Brassica sources The Gravel Garden www.thegravelgarden.com Livingseeds www.livingseeds.co.za The Goode Garden Shoppe www.organicseeds.co.za Sought after Seedlings www.soughtafterseedlings.co.za Mahlathini Organic Seeds mahlathini@gracenet.co.za

Visit Jane's Delicious Garden at www.janesdeliciousgarden.com or email Jane on info@janesdeliciousgarden.com Photographs: Jane Griffiths & Keith Knowlton. SOURCES: Jane's Delicious Garden, Sunbird Publishers, a division of Jonathan Ball Publishers.

129 S G


â– www.wallpapersdesign.net

Food

growurown

S G 130


When we hear that, as quoted at a Global Alliance to Improve Nutrition (GAIN) conference, one in six children are malnourished and are disease-susceptible, we assume this would be due to food not being equally distributed and available across the globe. That assumption is not wrong, but what you probably didn't know is that children are very often malnourished, not because they are living in poverty, but because the food that we eat shockingly does not necessarily contribute in a substantial way to our nutritional needs. Linda and Gilda Galvad report.

I

t is estimated that around 50 000 species of

The corporate propaganda machine, however,

plants are edible, but modern agriculture is

works very hard to negate what has proven to be

currently only using about 50 – this is about

exactly what Dr Clements feared. In 1992 an FDA

0.5% of available plant species. Dr Joel Fuhrman

law paper stated the GMO foods were safe. Let's

has done a huge amount of research into the

remember that the FDA's Michael Taylor also said

value of the food we eat and has found that

that DDT and agent orange were also safe. We

people are consuming too many macro-nutrients

need to ask why, when Arpad Pusztai, a reputable

and not enough micro-nutrients which results

and highly regarded scientist, reported that GM

in us developing food addictions, as our bodies

(genetically modified) foods caused serious health

are not really being fed, so to speak. Calories,

problems in rats, he was muzzled and fired. It

which we obtain from macro-nutrients, without

has now come to light that because of genetic

micro-nutrients create toxins. We all eat loads of

modification, entire gene sequences are now so

macro-nutrients and then need medication to fight

foreign to our bodies, that our bodies cannot

the toxins. The latter may make us feel better, but

recognise them. Our immune systems attack these

because we continue eating the same things, we

foreign substances, causing inflammation and

are not getting better. Micro– and macro-nutrients

disease, it has been reported.

are chemical substances which all living organisms

In March 2001, the New York Times quoted the

require for their survival. Macro-nutrients are

Centre for Disease Control as saying that food is

acquired from fat, carbohydrates and protein, which

responsible for twice the number of illnesses in the

provide the fuel for our bodies. Micro-nutrients

US compared to the seven preceding years. At least

include the vitamins and minerals that our

80% of food-related illnesses are caused by viruses

bodies need. These are the electrolytes and aid

or pathogens that scientists cannot even identify.

physiological processes such as digestion, tissue

Obesity, diabetes, lymphatic cancers and more

building and the like.

diseases rocketed, roughly corresponding in time

To add to this troublesome state of affairs, in

to the start of consumption of GM foods. There are

the 1970s scientists found a way of inserting or

all kinds of recorded findings showing that rats

splicing different genes of different species into

fed GM food suffered damaged immune systems;

host chromosomes, with damage to the DNA of

organs related to the immune system also showed

that species being inevitable.

damage via the thymus and spleen. Others had

Dr Geoffrey Clements of The Natural Law

less-developed brains, livers and testicles. There

Party of the UK says, 'the genetic modification of

was partial atrophy of the liver. Moreover, there

food is intrinsically dangerous. It involves making

was significant structural change and proliferation

irreversible changes in a random manner to a

of cells in the stomach and intestines, showing an

complex level of life, about which little is known.

increased potential for cancer. Tests are done on

It is inevitable that this hit-and-miss approach

rats because the effects shown in 10 days relate to

will lead to disasters. It must disrupt the natural

the number of years in human life.

intelligence of the plant or animal to which it is

Geese that visited a field of soy bean after season

applied, and lead to health-damaging side-effects.'

were observed to then completely avoid the fields 131 S G


that had been newly-planted

co.za to read up on the near-endless possibilities to grow

with GM soy beans. And so the

your own exciting and varied food. All of the Franchi

list goes on.

Sementi seeds on offer are heirloom seeds – the varieties

It is time to do your own research if you are not yet

are simply amazing – and are produced by a family-owned company that is over 200 years old. Enough said?

convinced. There are many

Growing your own food can be done anywhere: in your

advocates warning us of the

garden, in a specific area or better still among your flowers,

danger. Seeds of Deception

on your balcony in pots, in recycled containers anywhere

by Jefferey M Smith, Genetic

you can or even on the floor of any room where there is a

Roulette:

of

patch of sun. In other words, make a plan. Using heirloom

Stephens'

seeds that carry an unadulterated DNA of the plant which

(President of Nature's Path

has developed over many years, which will withstand

Foods

www.naturespath.

disease, adverse conditions and provide us with the

com) book Journey to the

nutrition they were designed to provide, is the only answer.

Luminous and Why Organic?

Ask yourself: 'Do I know everything I need to know to make

by Wanda Otto will all make

the right choices?' Otherwise, just follow millions of people

very interesting reading.

over thousands of years and stick to the

our

The

Lives,

Gamble

Arran

The light at the end of the tunnel So many of us are blessed to be in a position to grow our own food, yet we resist doing this for a number of reasons: 'I can't grow anything', 'it takes too long', 'it's too messy', 'I haven't got time', 'I live in an apartment high up in the sky', and so on. Well guys, if I haven't convinced you that your health and nutritional well-being is not in your hands unless you do something about it, then you need to do a lot more reading and enquiring into the subject. The

only

way

to

good

nutrition and good health is to eat the right food. We need not only vitamins (which we think we can provide by simply swallowing some pills) to live, we also need phytochemicals and

antioxidants

which

can only be found in fresh foods, in their natural state. Simple everyday things like cabbage, kale and broccoli are superfoods that will keep you well and your systems nourished and balanced. Check out www.soughtafterseedlings. S G 132

purity of using heirloom seeds.

SG

Don't know where to begin? Contact Linda on 082 365 0050 to enrole for her amazing Organic Vegetable Gardening course in your area, or click here to register online.


A d v er t o r i a l

Be a post-consumer, consumer The words 'recycled', 'recycle' and 'please recycle', are a part of our everyday language these days. However, people still remain unsure of what it actually means. By thinking a little about the products you choose, you can promote recycling and make a big difference to the environment.

P

How can you make a difference?

re-consumer waste is a material that was discarded before it was ready

• Buy products with high

for consumer use and involves

post-consumer recycled content

the reintroduction of manufacturing

• Buy products with

scrap (such as trimmings from plastic

production,

pre-consumer and

paper

post-consumer waste

production, and defective

recycled content (always

aluminum cans, etc) back into

the

process.

look at the level of

manufacturing

post-consumer content in

Pre-consumer

a product)

waste is commonly used in

• Look out for the

manufacturing industries,

difference between

and is often not considered

‘recycled’ and ‘please

recycling in the traditional

recycle’ signs

sense.

• Recycle me does not mean

Post-consumer waste, on

it was made from recycled

the other hand, is material

material.

discarded after someone uses it. In other words it has served

Tuffy black bags are made from

its intended purpose, passed through

100% recycled content, with the highest

the hands of a final consumer, and has

percentage of post-consumer waste possible,

been discarded for disposal or recovery. Quite commonly, it is simply the garbage that individuals routinely discard, either in the rubbish bin or a dump, or by littering. Post-consumer waste in this example would be the plastic bag that was bought, used to carry shopping and then discarded.

which means the majority of the content is physically cleaned out of the environment and off landfill sites. Some 350 tons of waste are diverted from landfill sites every month by choosing Tuffy refuse bags.

Tuffy is the only South African refuse bag manufacturer to be fully certified 100% recycled.

For more info visit www.tuffy.co.za, or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter 133 S G


How to avoid mosquito bites

When the Dalai Lama was asked the single most important thing to teach children, his response was (reportedly) 'teach them to love the insects'. However, even he is reported to have OK'ed the squishing of mosquitos – but after giving them two chances first by swatting them away, of course. While admirable, this may not be practical or safe. The folks at www.greenlivingtips.com look into preventing mosquito bites, the earth-friendly way. S G 134

M

osquitos spread all sorts of diseases such as malaria which kill or sicken millions every year. Even non-life threatening diseases spread by

mosquitos can be debilitating for a lifetime. It's not just humans who are impacted. The mosquito-borne West Nile virus that has killed dozens of people in the USA in recent years has also killed hundreds of thousands of birds. Currently, the USA is experiencing its worst West Nile virus season to date. In Texas alone, where a state of emergency has been declared, 10 people have died and hundreds have been infected. Since West Nile virus was discovered in the USA in 1999, there have been 30 000 human cases with over a thousand fatalities.

The human helper Unwittingly, human activity has given the mosquito a helping hand, not just through the sheer numbers of two legged meals available, but also increasing the availability of the medium they need to breed – water. From large man-made expanses such as reservoirs to just a few teaspoons worth accumulated on plastic rubbish, these are all breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Photo www.myrmecos.net

mozzies & you


As with most pest problems we face, we tend to use nasty poisons. Back in the mid-20th century, DDT was hailed as a solution to mosquito control and declared 'safe'. I remember seeing archive footage of kids dancing around in clouds of the stuff. It was highly effective for a while, but then the mosquitoes started becoming immune. To make matters worse, it was discovered that DDT decimated bird and aquatic life and

while it was mostly banned in the USA by 1972; lingering effects are still being felt today – and it is still being detected in animals as far away as Antarctica, where it was never actually used.

'Safe' repellents? That brings us to modern artificial insecticides and repellents – those that are deemed 'safe' too. Are we possibly putting ourselves and the wider environment in danger by applying lashings of personal repellent and other insecticides? One

of

ingredients

the in

most

widely

repellents

is

used

DEET

N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. With the use of DEET, like many things produced in our

laboratories, moderation is important and abstinence is even better if you can manage it. A survey by the Extension Toxicology Network at Cornell University in 1997 found:

'Everglades

employees

having

National

Park

extensive

DEET

exposure were more likely to have insomnia,

mood

disturbances

and

impaired cognitive function than were lesser exposed co-workers.' There's a variety of other possible side-effects as well and DEET has also been found to be slightly toxic to birds, fish and aquatic invertebrates. So it would seem that while artificial repellents play a very important role in protecting us (and given the situation in some areas, it's riskier not to use them), there need to be other measures in place to make these substances the last line of defence wherever possible – for the sake of our health and the environment.

More mosquito avoidance tips Cover up:

Wear long-sleeved clothing where possible. There is a great deal of conflicting information on clothing colour; even on reputable medical sites – some say mozzies are attracted to light clothes, others say the same for dark clothes.

Essential oils:

Some swear by essential oils such as lemongrass, lemon eucalyptus, peppermint and pure vanilla extract as repellents, others say they are entirely ineffective. As so many oils are recommended, are quite expensive to buy and can cause irritation if not mixed properly, before buying up a supply of essential oils to trial, give a commercial ready-to-go natural product a whirl – these will usually contain a mixture of oils. Try doing an online search on 'natural mosquito repellent', and read reviews from others on particular brands. Also, check the label of any such product carefully – 'natural' can be a rather rubbery term.

Fragrances: Mosquitoes are attracted by many fragrances, such as those found in shampoos and sunscreens, so try using fragrance-free products.

From dusk 'til dawn:

Most mosquitoes are active between dusk and dawn, so avoid being outside between those times and doing particularly heavy exercise during the darker hours as mosquitoes are attracted to body heat, the scent of sweat and sources of high levels of CO2.

Citronella candles: If you are outside, such as when entertaining guests, try lighting a few citronella candles upwind of where you are. Citronella is a natural repellent and is the active component of lemongrass.

Fly screens: A small hole is a gaping gateway for these unwelcome visitors.

Restful sleep: Even if they don’t bite you, there’s nothing more annoying than the sound of a mosquito buzzing while you’re trying to sleep. A mosquito net placed around and over your bed will help ensure a peaceful and bite-free sleep. Mosquito netting draped over a wide brimmed hat can also be an option for protecting your face when engaged in some outdoor activities.

135 S G


Listings The big one – standing water Probably one of the most important tips is to get rid of any

To advertise contact adverts@simplygreen.co.za Rate: R11.25 per word, minimum 20 words, includes image.

ECO-PRODUCTS

standing water you have around your yard – whether it's rain collected in old tyres, a discarded plastic container hiding under a shrub or water sitting in a drain or roof gutter; mosquitos are a 'just add water' type of critter. We had a pond and while we had turtles in it, I was hardly bothered by mozzies; but within a couple of weeks of removing the turtles I became mosquito dinner. While turtles aren't for everyone, there are some hardy

GreenGimmiX.co.za responsible design in mind Eco Lifestyle products for Eco Lifestyle products for home, office & leisure home, office & leisure www.greengimmix.co.za www.greengimmix.co.za

types of fish that can live in small ponds that are very effective in controlling mosquitoes. But ensure that, if the fish aren't indigenous, they aren't released or accidentally flushed into natural waterways.

online shopping

Another good way to discourage mosquitoes in ponds is to have the water moving through the use of a small fountain – mosquitos require still water for egg laying. But just because you address standing water in your own yard, it doesn't mean your neighbours will be quite

Naturalwise online shop and blog. Great products

as thorough. Mosquitoes can travel over 1km from where

to promote and support a healthier, eco-friendlier, chemical-free lifestyle. Fast delivery throughout South Africa. Tel: 086 110 6329 or 011 705 1607, Email: sales@naturalwise.co.za, Blog: www.naturalwise.co.za, Shop: www.naturalwise.co.za/cart/

they emerged, so ínevitably you'll need some extra protection.

SG

SOLAR COOKING

Natural Mosquito Repellent Ingredients 30ml witch hazel 30ml grape seed oil 35 drops citronella essential oil 20 drops eucalyptus essential oil 15 drops lemon essential oil 15 drops lemongrass essential oil 15 drops cedar essential oil

Instructions Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or directly into a small spray bottle. Shake well before use. Reapply often, up to every 1-2 hours as needed. Watch the episode of Expresso where Nicole featured this recipe HERE Follow Nicole on Twitter

S G 136

Olympus Flower Cookers Ray Eshelby. The most environmentally-friendly energy source. Ray 072 235 1385 and email sales@olympusflower.com website www.olympusflower.com

kids' product The Tipi Tannie Children’s Tipis provide a cool-in-summer and warm–in-winter conical shelter to play in – easily erected and packed away – used indoors or in nature. Made from canvas and up-cycled materials – poles are locally sourced and made from invader trees. Our design philosophy incorporates creativity, fun, attention to detail, durability and respect for the environment. Suitable for children ages 3-12 years. Contact cell 081 408 3912 or visit www.thetipitannie.co.za


tel +27 (0) 28 341 0209 or +27 (0) 28 341 0168 | info@kiwinet.co.za | www.kiwinet.co.za 2 Queen Victoria Street, STANFORD, South Africa

We have TWO traditional, sleeve-suspended king size mosquito nets (each with a bamboo frame) valued at R2 150 to give away*. Send your full name and address details HERE by 25 May to stand a chance of winning. *Delivery in RSA only.

137 S G


P ublisher ' s C hoice

Shelf Earth: The Power of the Planet Iain Stewart & John Lynch BBC Books • 978 0 5635 3914 8 It’s not normal for us to choose what may easily pass as a coffee-table style book for this spot. But this is not your usual coffee-table book, despite the gorgeous imagery, excellent layout and the high-quality information, all of which you might expect from a better quality, eye-candy style book. The reason is that this is the print accompaniment to the BBC series of the same name. With Iain Stewart as one of the co-authors, you may be assured that this is no lightweight breeze through the Earth as we know it, but a synthesised and deeply intelligent perspective on how our planet works and why it is such a special place (just in case you didn’t already know that which, if true, is indeed alarming). There’s a lot that could be said but perhaps this is sufficient: firstly, buy this book and keep it around where everyone – especially the younger generations – can get their hands on it and absorb what it has to offer, both visually and in terms of information. Secondly, there’s little more to offer than the back jacket cover promo, which is a direct quote from the book and with which we couldn’t agree more: ‘The human race appears to be forcing changes that are straining the planet’s defences. This fragility seems curiously at odds with Earth’s long-standing resilience. Daily we are bombarded from all quarters about the need to “save the planet”, but in this book we pose an even more fundamental question: is it the planet that needs saving from us or the other way round?’ Enough said.

Eco-ThRIFty: Cheaper, Greener Choices for a Happier, Healthier Life Deborah Niemann New Society Publishers • 978 0 8657 1715 2

This is a book for this time. Endorsed by eco-activists like Hollywood star Ed Begley Jr, this one aims to help you do all the little things that together add up to a lot when it comes to living more sustainably. So the mantra of this one is that Grandma knew best: use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without – and re-use everything. There are many aspects to the broad reach of topics covered but general categories include personal care products, health & fitness, babies, clothing, food, home, gardening, entertainment, transportation and a great chapter on ‘free or practically free’. If you’re really into being more sustainable and earth-friendly, then this one is a must.

Family Planting Kimerer L LaMothe

O Books • 978 1 8469 4410 9

This is a memoir, not a handbook, though it can be used for the latter. LaMothe moved to a farm after years teaching and writing at Harvard University. In doing so, she faces not merely the challenges of an entirely new lifestyle, close to the earth instead of far removed from it in academic ‘ivory towers’, but deep challenges to her close personal relationships. In her struggle to figure out all the issues that this gives rise to, she comes to a radical conclusion: we humans are born to love and be loved, but don’t necessarily know how – and that her experience of reconnecting with the earth and learning to loved her new life led her to breakthroughs in her personal life. We really are one with the earth, our mother; realising that, and putting to use what we are taught through reconnecting with the Earth, makes us better, more adapted and happier people. Some folks have always known this; others may never learn it. The rest of us can take something useful from this little book. S G 138


139 S G


In The Pursuit of Solitude

Adam Cruise

Self-published • 978 1 4679 8471 3

This book is the story of a personal quest in search of the conflict between humanity and the earth on which we live and depend. Cruise describes himself as horse-like in being a ‘flight animal’ whose response to the banes of our social existence was to run away, leave the seething masses of humanity far behind and take solace in the open and untouched spaces which Africa still boasts. It is the tale of his journeys, having persuaded his wife Amanda to give up their urban lifestyle in Cape Town, cats and all, and go off on an extended six-month 4x4 sojourn through Southern Africa, with no particular plan in mind except to stay away from people as much as possible. This they manage, encountering a slice of African wildlife with all the usual (animal) suspects involved, but in the process also discovering a harmonious and balanced world beyond the one that humans have forged; one that is also under constant threat from the ravages of human advancement and mistreatment. If you love the soul of Africa, the wildlife and wild places of this ancient continent of ours, then you’ll love this book. A must-read. This book is not available in bookshops and must be individually ordered. Go to www.travel-hack.com, email adam@travel-hack.com or order through Kalahari, Loot or Amazon.

Global Sustainability: A Noble Cause Edited by Hans Joachim Schellnhuber et al Cambridge University Press • 978 0 5217 6934 1

We humans of the early part of the 21st century face many of the challenges of our forebears through the ages – and some new ones of our own making. These include food and water security, climate changeability and energy. Projecting forward just a couple of decades or so, the editors of this scholarly work see what is needed for some nine billion of us to live together, leading relatively decent lives that are sustainable over the long term. In an attempt to address the issues raised by this goal, the first Interdisciplinary Nobel Laureate Symposium on Global Sustainability was held in Potsdam. It brought together many of the world’s leading thinkers and experts on a wide range of related topics. This books is the result of the synthesis of their ideas and inputs and is extremely valuable as a thought and potential action resource around virtually every issue connected with sustainability. It is presented as a mix of thought-provoking essays and scientific texts designed to capture the attention and imagination of those already committed to sustainability or for those whose task it is to grapple at local, regional, state and global levels, with the issues that arise from the need for humans to live more sustainably on this planet. It has all the obvious stuff: latest research data and conclusions on climate change (it’s very real and happening way faster than anyone thought just a few years back); environmental economics (complex but doable); energy resource analysis (we need to do something different for our energy needs than we have to date, which has largely been to utilise carbon-based fossil fuels and nuclear – or pay an appalling price in short order); ecosystems science and a range of related topics. This is not light reading, but a serious endeavour to get to grips with some really crunchy issues. For the fully engaged, or for those whose careers and work depend on information in this zone, this is a required read. For the rest of us, we may want to dip into it here and there, but as an effort to get to the heart of the sustainability conundrum, it is more than a worthy effort.

S G 140


141 S G


Take advantage of this special opportunity to reach your ecologically astute target audience by advertising in our Inserts Section at the back of the every Simply Green Digimag, akin to the 'loose leaf inserts' offered in the print edition.

inserts RATES

(All Prices Ex Vat & Ex Agency fee)

Advert Sizes PER PAGE (210 x 275mm)

CONTRACT Per insert, 6 or more

LIST PRICE

R750

R1000

repro cost No repro charges apply to adverts designed by our studio for placement in the Simply Green Digimag. The price below applies if the advert is to be subsequently booked in other media.

FULL PAGE R 3 250.00

Contact Kyle Villet websales@simplygreen.co.za or Tamzen Scoulelis adverts@simplygreen.co.za Tel 27 (0) 21 713 0018 or 27 (0) 21 712 4665 • Fax 27 (0) 21 715 2809 • info@simplygreen.co.za

S G 142


143 S G


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.