Green Home Magazine Issue 13

greenhome I living informed today I

magazine R 29 (VAT INCL.)

Pattern Language

energy efficient home design

Nature adventure

exploring Natal’s south coast

Renewable energy jobs, cleaner power

Issue 13 ISSN 2223-5404 14013

9

772223 540014

Eco labelling

what you need to know

INTEGER/511025

Sasol Homegas is an alternative source of energy for your home. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) provides energy to heat your water, power your cooker and heat your home for less. Sasol Homegas is not just clean, safe and reliable but will also assist in reducing your dependence on electricity and contribute to the economic well-being of the country. Aside from reducing electricity consumption and costs, Sasol Homegas contributes to a greener home and smaller carbon footprint. The future is Sasol Homegas.

For more information, please contact Itumeleng Mashigo, Cell: 079 884 5836 Thulani Mavimbela, Cell: 082 445 8282

GREEN home

A word from the Editor Welcome to our first edition of Green Home magazine for 2014.

I hope you had a fun festive season and that this year will bring you closer to what you dream of being and achieving.

Thinking about resolutions and the many that have been made and broken in the past I set myself just one: to be happy and to spread happiness wherever I can. Big ask, when (in my line of work) I am constantly reading information about climate change, food insecurity and water issues, not to mention the societal ills that grip this country.

Keeping a positive outlook can test even the most optimistic person but I started to play a little game with the world at large and see whether through offering a smile, a little compliment (genuine) or heartfelt ‘thank-you’ to whomever I interacted with in the service industry I could make a difference in that person’s day.

To date I have been charmed at the response when that moment of connection is established and note that happiness offered receives happiness in return.

I read this classic phrase doing its rounds via social media – “You are what you eat – so don’t be cheap, easy or fast.” Likewise we are what we think we are and our lives tell a story by what we choose to do. So as ‘consumers’ out there our choices of products and services show who we support.

In this issue we have the second part of the guide to ethical certification labels which are there to show you what products are taking care of the environment and people who do the work.

This rising trend in ethical consumerism based on being able to trust the certification process is seeing huge success rates, not only for the products themselves but for the small scale farmers who produce them.

As a result you are genuinely supporting a ‘good’ cause when you buy these products. For me that is a small step in being happier with what I have in my cupboard at home and knowing that it actually did make a difference – for the better – for someone else out there.

EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR SALES MANAGER SALES EXECUTIVE

living informed today

Melissa Baird Megan Sell Annie Pieters Mena Anyachor, Elna Willemse, Esther Kabaso, Jardin Roestorff Travis Arendse megan.sell@alive2green.com Gordon Brown, Lloyd Macfarlane, Andrew Fehrsen Suraya Manuel www.alive2green.com | www. greenhomemagazine.co.za Cape Media House, 28 Main Rd, Rondebosch.

TEL: 021 447 4733 FAX: 086 694 7443 2006/206388/23 4130252432 First Published July 2011 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any way or in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher or the Editor. All editorial contributions are accepted on the understanding that the contributor either owns or has obtained all necessary copyrights and permissions.

Publishers do not endorse claims by advertisers.

Space limitations and source format have affected the size of certain published images and/or diagrams in this publication. For larger PDF versions of these images please contact the Publisher.

Edward MacDonald, distribution@alive2green.com sales@alive2green.com

DESIGNER EDITORIAL DIRECTORS ACCOUNTS AND ADMINISTRATION WEBSITE PHYSICAL ADDRESS COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER VAT NUMBER

IMAGES AND DIAGRAMS DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

PUBLISHER

greenhome I living informed today I

magazine R 29 (VAT INCL.)

Pattern Language

energy efficient home design

Wishing you very well...

Melissa Email: melissa.baird@alive2green.com

Nature adventure exploring Natal’s south coast

Renewable energy jobs, cleaner power

Issue 13 ISSN 2223-5404 14013

9

772223 540014

Cover pic: Lisa Trocchi Greenhome magazine is audited by ABC

Eco labelling

what you need to know

If only you knew the half of it.

Weekdays. 7:30pm.

CONTENTS

February/March 2014

5 6

11

Talking rubbish

recycling and why it counts

The Sum of its parts

intuitive home design opens to nature

Planting guidelines

February and March gardening charts

12 Products

adagascar hide-away, wonderbags M and wooden toys

15

Know it

6

product labelling guide - part 2

17 Books etc

wondrous traditional plants, trees and bird calls

18 Destinations

Natal South Coast, naturally magnificent

21

Game changers

22

Future leaders

18

L entegeur - revisitng Spring and transformation

round up of news

25 Cycling

Atta agony

26

Renewable update

celebrating Solar wins

Subscribe and win

Time,time,time; flies and waits for no man. To celebrate time David Green has created a watch that is elegant and exemplifies his philosophy of ‘Individuality in harmony with nature’. A real leaf has been integrated into each face design, making every timepiece as unique as its owner. Water-resistant with an atmospheric depth of five metres, the case is made of iron-plated stainless steel and the dial plate is crafted from brass with a mineral glass face and the genuine leather strap has been hand-stitched with green cotton.

Best of all is we are giving away this creation to one lucky, new subscriber to Green Home magazine.

You can enter via the website: http://alive2green.com/ghm-subscriptions/ Entries close on the 28th February 2014 and note the winner is selected via a lucky draw.

26

As citizens of the planet, we challenge you to do more than just switch off your lights for Earth Hour between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on 29 March 2014. What are you prepared to do, as an individual or group, to contribute to a harmonious co-existence with nature?

Show your commitment to the planet by visiting www.wwf.org.za

talking garbage

Walk the walk

by Michele Beatham Attwood When change seems insurmountable, no matter how important, taking baby-steps towards your goal will lead to the desired outcome. Here is a look at how to implement sustainable practices and make the change.

O

n New Year’s Day I woke up with flu symptoms that lingered longer than any resolutions I may have made for 2014. January had plans for me, it seemed, but in the midst of a series of less than pleasant events I was reminded of two things: A sense of humour, like good coffee, is essential and when only the smallest steps are possible, you are still moving forward.

The second point is particularly apt when it comes to a cleaner, healthier planet.

When industry and business, both big and small, and individuals continue wasteful, unsustainable practices despite mounting evidence that the earth is taking strain, making a positive difference seems an insurmountable task. Even the most committed among us have moments when recycling is more pain than gain and there are more important things to remember than reusable shopping bags.

Just how does one individual make a difference? In my case, when “talking garbage” is often so much easier than doing something about it, I use the same tools that got me through the first month of this year: a sense of humour and baby steps.

Go local My favourite way to start small while having fun is to buy local. The farmer’s market closest to the rural area in which I live is a kaleidoscope of organic and natural produce and yummy food products. An added bonus is that I get to support the local economy and the community. Check your favourite supermarket. Mine stocks a range of goodies that are sourced within the region. My favourite peanut butter, which makes the most divine cookies, is made locally, contains nothing but peanuts and comes in a gorgeous reusable glass jar. The regional honey is renowned and

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

the charcuterie and sausages from nearby farms are nothing short of sublime.

Reduce The most important, and in my opinion the easiest, of the three Rs - Reduce; Reuse; Recycle. I used to have a cupboard full of canned and convenience goods.

My journey of discovery has added benefits: making delicious goodies from scratch is therapeutic. I discovered the joys (and instant gratification) of a Kindle. I learned to shop for need, not want, and found freedom in owning less.

Re-use If friends and family know anything about me, it’s that if an event involves gifts of any kind, I will rescue paper and plastic, ribbons and raffia, beads and bows and everything in between, all of which will be used in the future. I cannot remember when last I bought gift wrap or gift bags of any description. Life is hectic and hobbies and leisure are often the first to be sacrificed. Creative gift wrapping re-using others’ waste is just that: a creative outlet that adds a personal touch to even the smallest, most inexpensive gift. The internet is an infinite font of ideas from the weird to the wonderful.

Recycle Have you ever visited your local charity/ second hand shop? You may not have a use for your old coffee jars, but someone else does. At the same time you may just find the perfect gift for a vintage-loving friend at a fraction of the price charged by the designer store at the local mall. Before a birthday or the annual festive season, sort through outgrown and unwanted clothes and toys and donate the excess to charity.

Of course, not all recycling is this fun or heartwarmimg. Sometimes we have to just suck it up and do the mundane. Find a pretty container and use it to collect all

excess paper. If you have children, get them involved by offering a prize for the person who collects the most. Dropping it off at the nearest recycling centre may seem onerous, but turn it into a family outing with a reward at the end. When you’ve got that down, add plastic, tin and glass. While I live in a rural area where even basic garbage collection is little more than a fantasy, many cities and suburban areas offer both municipal (free) and private (for a small monthly fee) kerbside collection of recyclables.

Learn Knowledge is empowering. Visit the websites of national recycling associations and various industry players from plastic and paper to tyres and oil. Practice may not always make perfect, but it does help turn good intentions into good habits.

Start with the list below do an internet search to find information on a specific product, e.g. paint, batteries, light bulbs.

Polystyrene Packaging Council www.polystyrenepackaging.co.za Paper Recycling Association of South Africa www.prasa.co..za The Glass Recycling Company www.theglassrecyclingcompany. co.za Plastic Recycling www.petco.co..za Collect-a-Can www.collectacan.co.za Tyre recycling www.redisa.org.za www.satyrerecyclers.co.za ROSE Foundation (Oil) www.rosefoundation.org.za

greenhome

55

living

The Sum of

its Parts By unfolding gently across its site a home in the Meyersdal Nature Estate finds itself subtly ensconced in unspoilt Highveld grassland

by Natalie Boruvka Pics credit: Lisa Trocchi

66

greenhome

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

living

I

t’s a fair challenge to design a house that resides respectfully within its protected natural environment. It’s an even greater one when the site does not offer a sufficiently viable area to contain a unified structure.

The covered patio features UV protected translucent IBR sheeting that allows light through and deflects heat.

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

Architect Hugo Hamity discovered as much when he was approached to design house Cooper in the Meyersdal Nature Estate in Joburg’s south. The estate which is situated in the environs of the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve is characterised by undulating and often rocky hills abundant in a diversity of flora. “Although we had a total area of 2134 square metres to build a 540 square metre home, the site was densely populated by indigenous flora which the client wanted to keep and integrate into the design,” says Hugo.

The design solution was inspired by a so-called intervention strategy as described in the book ‘A Pattern Language’ by Christopher Alexander. The process involved identifying those tracts of land which could be built on feasibly with minor adjustments to the existing vegetation and thereafter planning the house as a network of patterns or built components rather than a single structure. “With house Cooper the principal individual pattern or heart of the home is,” Hugo explains, “defined by the living and dining areas, the kitchen and externally by the patio, the immediate garden areas and the pool which occupies the largest open area and is linked to the bedroom suites by glazed internal walkways.” These walkways function as ‘green’ corridors through which the shrubs and trees can be seen.

In a further measure to retain as much of the natural footprint of the site as possible the entire structure was slightly elevated using carefully placed brick piers

greenhome

77

living and prefabricated eco-slabs. In this way any damage caused by erecting scaffolding and pouring concrete was avoided. The elevation facilitates storm water discharge, encourages low-lying shrub to grow under and around the home’s immediate perimeter and enables the local squirrels and guinea fowls to roam free.

Abiding by good design practice the house has been orientated on the site so as to optimise its energy efficiency.

“In order to eliminate the need for artificial ventilation, minimise heating in winter and maximise the use of natural light it was necessary for all the patterns to face true north,” says Hugo. The roofs express a pattern of their own which further advances the application of passive ventilation in the design. Each is configured with a front section angled at 10 degrees and a back section at 32 degrees which allowed for the placement of a ridge of windows that invites natural lighting deep into the back service sections and encourages the release of rising hot air in summer. An additional ventilation spine is established across the house’s east-west axis in the form of full height opening windows, sliding doors and a deep covered patio through which air can flow in summer thus cooling the house down. In line with the estate’s architectural guidelines to reduce as far as possible the visual impact of the structure, materials were specified for their low reflective values and colours were chosen to respond to the landscape. Although the house looks to have a meranti structure, the wood is in fact SA pine. The pre-treated laminated timber was assembled into columns and beams on site by a master carpenter and a meranti oil applied to give it its colour.

“The CCA treatment protects against sun and water deterioration and effectively allows for the extensive use of virtually maintenance free timber,” Hugo informs.

Though house Cooper was designed well before the Energy Efficiency Building Standards was published in South Africa, it is a comprehensive example of sustainable design in the way it addresses passive and active design phases. “If the passive phase has been implemented correctly, that process which involves meeting the client’s needs according to the analysis of the site, its contours, trees and orientation, then you can save greatly on the expense of the active phase which involves the specification of materials,” Hugo comments.

Hugo Hamity Architects 082 552 4494 / hugohamity.co.za

88

greenhome

Treated with an oil to look like Meranti, the wooden columns and beams were made from SA pine laminated on site

Floorplan of the house

The home has been positioned to retain as much of the existing vegetation as possible

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

landscapes

Planting Guidelines

By Matthew Koehorst

F

ebruary is seen as the last month of summer in South Africa. The long hot days of January persist, but the days are gradually growing shorter and the temperatures are often slightly cooler than the December and January period. Even though summer rainfall regions will get rain be sure to keep your vegetable garden well watered and covered with shade cloth or something similar during the hottest part of the day to prevent vegetables wilting, bolting or splitting under the heat. Be water wise by mulching heavily, watering during the cooler parts of the day and avoiding over-watering in areas that receive regular summer rains. Ensure that you feed your garden well during this period and begin to plan for your winter planting which could begin later in the month, or early in March. Sow lettuce seeds and transplant spring cabbages from January.

The days are starting to cool and grow shorter so start planting cooler weather crops like cauliflower, broccoli and brussel sprouts.

February Planting Chart

Crop

Time for Seedlings to Emerge (days)

Time to Harvest (weeks)

Root Crops

3-20

5-20

Carrot

10-20

8-14

Beetroot

10-14

10

Turnip

6-10

10-16

Radish

3-5

5-8

Leek

10-14

16-20

March Planting Chart Crop

Time for Seedlings to Emerge (days)

Time to Harvest (weeks)

Root Crops

3-20

5-20

Leaf Crops

6-21

8-20

Carrot

10-20

8-14

Cabbage

6-10

10-16

Beetroot

10-14

10

Spinach

7-10

9-12

Turnip

6-10

10-16

3-5

5-8

Celery

14-21

15-20

Radish

Kale

6-10

8-10

Leek

10-14

16-20

Lettuce

8-10

10-14

Onion

10-14

24-34

Broccoli

6-10

10-16

Morog

14-21

10

Leaf Crops

6-21

8-20

Cabbage

6-10

10-16

Fruit Crops

6-14

8-20

Spinach

7-10

9-12

Kohlrabi

6-10

8-10

Celery

14-21

15-20

Parsley

21

12-14

6-10

8-10

Legumes

7-10

10-18

Kale

Bush beans

7-10

10-12

Lettuce

8-10

10-14

Broccoli

6-10

10-16

Morog

14-21

10

Fruit Crops

6-14

8-20

Kohlrabi

6-10

8-10

Legumes

7-10

10-18

Bush beans

7-10

10-12

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

greenhome

11 11

live well

Product showcase

by Laura Twiggs

WHAT’S HOT ON THE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN BLOCK

ROMANTIC GETAWAY Looking for the perfect Valentine’s gift? You can’t go wrong with an indulgent and totally private long weekend at Bush House, a small eco-lodge in Madagascar’s Canal des Pangalanes lake district. Its 11 rustic bungalows are built from local materials and all have terraces with superb lake views.

Lemurs, botanical gardens, low-impact tours, canoeing and absolute escape from the mainstream are just the start of what’s on offer. There’s also bar and a restaurant serving traditional Malagasy, Creole and French dishes. Accessible by boat through fresh-water lakes and canales and hidden within a forest, love retreats don’t come more secluded than this.

Contact: +261 20 22 248 47 / +261 33 12 441 27 www.bushhouse-madagascar.com

TOYS, TRINKETS AND TERRIFIC FINDS Kisma & Co is a Grahamstown-based business featuring handmade products from the area. Choose from dolls and teddy-bears, Shwe Shwe bags, greeting cards, beaded jewellery, stained glass light-catchers and much more. We particularly love their oldschool wooden toys as they’re so classic that they’re the perfect gift for any adult with a nostalgic bent.

Who wouldn’t be delighted to receive this Toy Ship (R85), Steam Engine (R85) or Helicopter (R85)? www.kizma.co.za

12 12

greenhome

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

live well DESIRABLE DESIGN Raw Studio’s stated mission is “to provide design, prototyping, testing and production of high quality designer furniture and furniture systems in sustainably sourced and environmentally responsible engineered materials, predominantly Birch plywood, to institutional, corporate and private clients”. Exploring the potential of sustainable engineered materials, their product catalogue is well worth a look.

We’re particularly impressed by their Klik™ modular storage system: it has hundreds of possibilities from an array of elements such as shelving, work tops, cupboards, drawers and storage boxes which simply “klik” into the base panel and can be reconfigured as requirements change.

Email: peet@rawstudios.co.za Ordersorders@rawstudios.co.za Telephone: 083 419 6662 (M)

BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS Not only does Honeybadger supply beekeeping equipment and honey, but they also offer an SAQA-accredited monthly introductory course to becoming a beekeeper at their Pretoria premises, with active-beehive demonstrations. It includes everything from an overview of South Africa’s bee industry, bee biology, everything you need to know about equipment from protective gear to hives and how to trap and settle swarms, to beekeeping management, honey harvesting and wax processing. The cost is R400, and if you don’t have your own protective clothing, they will arrange it for you.

Contact: 012 548 4916 Website: www.honeybadger.co.za Email: anton@honeybadger.co.za

COOK WITH NO ELECTRICITY While primarily designed for campers and sub-economic homes, The Wonderbag makes a fabulous addition to any energy-aware kitchen.

It’s a slow-cooking bag that’s perfect for stews, curries, soups and casseroles: simply bring your food to the boil on an ordinary stove, then switch off and tuck your hot cooking pot up in the cosy, electricity-free Wonderbag for a delicious slow-cooked meal, with all the nutrients locked in.

It can reduce your family’s annual energy usage by up to 30 percent, reduces CO2 emissions and best of all, it’s a South African innovation through and through.

Wonderbags come in a variety of fabric colours and patterns, and a helpful recipe booklet is included.

Email: support@faithful-to-nature.co.za .

APPSOLUTE POWER eLabel is a great app for shoppers who want to make more informed purchases: it turns your phone into a barcode scanner with access to the eLabel online database of products which delivers product-specific information according to sustainability topics such as water footprint, animal treatment, carbon footprint, social justice and others. It also lets you comment, leave questions for producers, respond to other consumers, upload media, watch videos or view photos.

If you’re looking for an easy way to assess how green a product really is, this is for you.elabel.org Contact: (+27) 021 - 553 3893 Email: contact@elabel.org www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

greenhome

13 13

lighting the way Whether for a private home, a commercial business or a wine farm, you can draw smart energy from the sun for less.

Tel: +27 (0) 21 852 7333 Email: r.jacklin@soventix.com www.soventix.co.za

Soventix SA (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of Soventix GmbH in Germany is involved with the development and realisation of roof top and carport solar photovoltaic plants from residential to agricultural as well as large scale solar farms. Whether you finance the solar plant yourself or sign a power purchase agreement, Soventix will ensure you’re protected from the rising costs of energy for the next 30 to 40 years. Not only will you be saving on your energy bills, but you’ll also be contributing to a more sustainable environment. Renewable energy is the future and is becoming more mo affordable than energy from non-renewable sources.

Guide

know it

to consumer labels part II

I

n our last issue we looked at FAIRTRADE and the Marine Stewardship Council’s certified sustainable seafood (MSC) labels and how they offer a smarter choice to the growing collective of conscious consumers. The more we spend our money on products that give back to communities and take care of the environment and resource they rely on, the better the ‘consumer’ landscape can be.

by Melissa Baird

BIODIVERSITY AND WINE INITIATIVE Over 95% of our wine is produced in the Cape Floral Kingdom; the smallest and richest plant kingdom in the world. To help protect the world’s most beautiful and biodiverse winelands, an ambitious and pioneering partnership was established between conservation partners and the SA Wine Industry. Under WWF’s Biodiversity & Wine initiative for every hectare of vineyard, 1.42 hectares of biodiverse land is conserved.

There are currently 29 champions, 18 producer cellar members and 178 members representative of a third of the SA wine industry. You too can play a role in protecting this precious natural heritage by choosing wines displaying the unique BWI logo.

To obtain an updated copy of BWI pocket guide & accredited wine farms or learn more of the unique conservation stories; please mail us at bwi@wwf.org.

UTZ CERTIFICATION The UTZ certification is essentially an endorsement similar to the FAIRTRADE label, which communicates to consumers that the product is grown on a ‘sustainable’ farm that follow UTZ’s strict guidelines. By providing farmers with the skills and knowledge to manage their farms and business more sustainably, UTZ acts on improving the commodity foods supply chain significantly. The products under focus are coffee, cocoa and tea. Farmers that participate in the UTZ certification programme are trained in better farming methods and producers and consumers are able to trace the product’s lifecycle because it is recorded. The World Wildlife Fund of South Africa (WWF SA) is partnering with UTZ in launching a Rooibos Tea certification programme for South African farmers who grow the indigenous bush. https://www.utzcertified.org/

LABELLING INITIATIVE Woolworths is bravely leading the labelling initiative for food retailers by endeavouring to label all their packaging with easy to understand guide lines as to what can and cannot be easily recycled. This labelling initiative will be rolled out on most of their products but for now you will find them on the ready-made sandwiches, selected prepared meals, breads and biscuits and fruit juice cartons. Many more products will make it onto the packaging list throughout 2014. All the big recycling initiative are in favour of this move and hopefully it will lead to much more waste making it back into the system to be recycled rather than just being thrown into the overflowing landfills. www.woolworths.co.za/recycle)

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

greenhome

15 15

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY CMY

K

Introducing 3M™ Nomad™ 96% Recycled Entrance Mat – a sustainable entrance mat solution 3M™ Nomad™ 96% Recycled Entrance Mat, a sustainable entrance mat that is designed for up to 500 crossings per day, is stylishly finished and easy to clean. It is the environmentally responsible choice for clean, safe, low maintenance floors, and is another example of 3M’s long-standing commitment to environmentally, sustainable innovation.

The mat is made from 96% recycled materials, and helps prevent dirt and water being tracked into the building, thereby reducing the use of harmful and costly cleaning chemicals. The carpeted surface is spun from 100% post-consumer PET plastic bottles, while the all-rubber backing is recycled from used tyres, preventing landfill waste. The two-layer, heavyweight construction traps dirt and moisture, while the crumb-rubber provides a wear-resistant, non-slip backing. It can be easily cleaned by vacuum.

3M™ Nomad™ 96% Recycled Entrance Mat is the latest addition to 3M’s innovative range of high-performance entrance matting, designed to enhance and protect buildings, help reduce maintenance costs and improve company safety records.

3M™ Nomad™ 96% Recycled Entrance Mat is available in the following sizes: 85cm x 150cm, 85cm x 300cm, 115cm x 180cm.

Stock will be available from April 2014.

For more information on 3M™ Nomad™ 96% Recycled Entrance Mat, please contact your local 3M advisor; alternatively call us on 011 806 2021 or visit www.3M.co.za/FacilitiesCare

“The Eurolux Day/Night Energy Saving LED is an 8W Cool White lamp with a built in sensor that activates the lamp at dusk and deactivates at dawn. This lamp is perfect for outdoor use where switching becomes irrelevant. The switching is gradual and isn’t affected by cloud cover, shadows or anything else that could potentially affect this function. With a 30 000 hour lifetime this product is set to change the way homeowners light up their outdoors.

It is available in both E27 and B22 and with its 650 lumen output it is equivalent to a standard 60W incandescent globe. This cutting edge product is available at any good lighting retailer.

Make the switch to Eurolux LED and never look back!”

Cape Town (Head Office): 9 Racecourse Road, Milnerton, 7441 021 528 8400 Johannesburg: 011 608 2970 Website: www.eurolux.co.za

shelf talk

Books

W

ell said we have to agree, so as the heady holiday days have come to an end we have rounded up some interesting non-fiction titles and a CD of beautiful bird calls to teach you a thing or three.

by Lia Labuschagne

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance” Confucius.

TREE GUIDES BIG AND SMALL Gardeners, travellers and anyone interested in nature and ecosystems would find something useful in one or both of these excellent guide about the trees of Southern Africa. In both cases the authors, Braam van Wyk and Piet van Wyk (not related, despite their shared surname) share some of their wealth of knowledge about the trees of our sub-continent.

The Pocket Guide to Trees of Southern Africa is small and light enough to carry around wherever you go, and would live well in your backpack, while being very useful as a quick reference to some of the most noticeable trees when deciding about trees to plant in your garden.

Building on that is the 730-page, much more comprehensive Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa that looks at 815 of the most common and naturalised alien tree species in southern Africa (about half of the total number of trees of our botanically diverse part of the world).

Field Guide: ISBN 978-1-77007-911-3, Struik Nature Pocket Guide: ISBN 978-1-92057-202-0, Struik Nature

500 COMMON BIRD CALLS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA Most of us are used to the chirping of birds when we wake up at home and hear ‘new’ bird sounds when we travel throughout the country. But do we always know which bird is singing by only listening to its sounds?

Consisting of a guide in book form and a CD, 500 Common Bird Calls in Southern Africa is very useful multi-media bundle. The guide includes some help in identifying and describing sounds, and also briefly explains how birds also have different ‘dialects’, depending on where they live. Other fascinating information covers bird song duets, mimicry and some discussion of the reasons for the dawn chorus.

Ideally the bird watching enthusiast would use this book and CD as a companion to other bird books, because the guide does not include photographs of all the species covered, and the descriptive information about the birds is brief. Nevertheless, this CD and guide fills the ‘sound gap’ left by most bird books, and will contribute largely to the understanding of some of our distinctive southern African bird species.

Enhance your bird-watching hobby with its real-life sound track. Using the book might help you distinguish on little brown bird from another and be able to tell (without looking) that there is a new kind of regular feathered visitor in your backyard…

ISBN 978-1-4370-120-9, Struik Nature

TRADITIONALLY USEFUL PLANTS OF AFRICA – THEIR CULTIVATION AND USE Have you ever wondered how to propagate and grow useful plants like sorghum, wild potato, tsamma melon, cowpea or pigweed? Do you know how a calabash is used or how traditional mats, pots and other containers are woven using the fibres of various plants? As part of their Indigenous Knowledge Library, Cambridge University Press have come up with this volume that discusses the traditionally useful plants of our own continent.

A practical book that would also provide useful background material for conversations about a topic that has been controversial at times, and about which too little factual information is generally available.

ISBN 978-0-521-1571-0 Cambridge University Press

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

greenhome

17 17

destinations

The Natal South Coast – a treasure chest explored after a serendipitous eco-adventure that checks all the boxes?

by Galia Hillhouse

A

s you leave the hustle and bustle of Durban and head toward the south coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal you will enter a subtropical paradise made fertile by the bounty of rivers that snake into the brilliant Indian Ocean.

The beaches are fringed with lush and pristine endemic vegetation, including the magnificent Dune Aloe (Aloe Thraskii) and wild bananas. Nature loves redecorating, and does so at a whim when it comes to the fore dunes (those nearest to the shore).

18 18

greenhome

High tides that result from moody seas can damage the vegetation and when the wind picks up you can almost imagine Nature sweeping the sand with her invisible creating new dues in a morning.

For those Indiana Jones type adventurers; an archeological expedition is on offer. Sprawled between the Wild Coast Sun and the Mzamba River there is a place of wonder, known to locals as the Petrified Forest. Here you can marvel at the fossilised remains of ancient marine creatures, dating back some 85Â million years, embedded in the cliffs on either side of the Mzamba

Estuary and the intertidal reefs that are visible during low tide.

Oribi Gorge Approximately 12kms from Port Shepstone the Umzimkulwana River has etched a spectacular gorge into the mountains to create a rugged, natural landscape of breathtaking beauty. The gorge, some 27kms long and one kilometre at its widest point, is the site of the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, a pristine slice of natural bush managed by the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, abundant with wildlife and huge indigenous trees.

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

destinations

Cape Vulture takes flight with a bird-list of over 250 species. Venture west, as the crow flies, to experience more dramatic changes in scenery as the Weza/ Ingeli Forests come into view. Known sightings along this coastline include a number of rare bird species, such as the African broadbill, Knysna Woodpecker, Gurney’s sugarbird and the prized Magpie Mannikin and Cape Vulture.

There is a resident colony of Cape Vultures in the Umzimkhulu Valley, which is situated about 30km inland from Port Shepstone. These magnificent birds are classified as a vulnerable species.

They live in colonies seldom greater than 100 pairs, nesting on cliff ledges where they lay normally one egg which they incubate for about 57 days. They are monogamous birds, pairing for life. Being carrion eaters, they travel great distances looking for carcasses to feed on. This makes them very vulnerable to poisoning. Another huge threat to them is high powered electrical lines.

Near Baboon’s Castle, Oribi Gorge in KwaZulu-Natal

Many tourism attractions are based in this area, offering an array of view sites, restaurants, coffee-shops, a game reserve and adrenaline sports.

Birding in paradise Avid birders are forever flocking to the South Coast for a glimpse of some rare species. The area is rich in biodiversity, with habitats including coastal, wetland, grassland, woodland and forest.

The estuaries and rocky bays off the coast give way to grasslands and rugged cliffs as you reach Oribi Gorge, a hotspot

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

Whale viewing decks In the dappled shadows of old Milkwood trees, overlooking the panoramic view of the Ramsgate Blue Flag, beach you will find the Ramsgate Whale deck.

The brand new Umtentweni Whale Deck, built by local volunteers under guardianship of the Umtentweni Conservancy, was launched in July 2013. The deck offers breathtaking views of the ocean, the iconic black and white chequered Port Shepstone lighthouse and the Port Shepstone Country Club. Locals and tourists have been astounded by the abundant and frequent sightings of whales and dolphins from these lookout points.

Pristine beaches Home to seven Blue Flag beaches, the Natal South Coast is the most popular domestic tourism destination in South Africa. You will fall in love with the pristine sun-kissed

beaches, interspersed with private coves and rock pools, teeming with marine life.

Trained lifeguards are on duty daily at the main swimming beaches, with less popular beaches offering this service on weekends and public holidays. Aliwal Shoal is a rocky reef, located approximately 5km off the coast, near Umkomaas.

Divers can look forward to warm water, great visibility and a diversity of marine life and coral. Protea Banks, a fossilised sandbank and is 7.5km out to sea from Shelly Beach. The reef, while only suitable for experienced divers, offers a thrilling shark dive. It is rated as South Africa’s premier shark dive site and one of the top three in the world.

Acknowledgements: information on formation of Oribi Gorge supplied

by NPC Cimpor, and approved by the Council for Geoscience. The Southern Explorer Route Guide.

PLACES TO STAY Vernon Crookes Game Reserve: 039 974 2222 Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve: 039 679 1644 Skyline Nature Reserve: 039 315 0112 Mpenjati Nature Reserve: 039 313 0531 Mpenjati Marine Reserve: 039 313 0531 Umtamvuna Nature Reserve: 082 865 2605 River Valley Nature Reserve: 083 263 5537 TC Robertson Nature Reserve: 082 406 9891

game changers

Spring’s

revival A world first in socio-economic and environmental rehabilitation

by Melissa Baird

T

o understand why The Lentegeur Spring Project is so powerful, one has to understand the social and environmental context within which this mental health hospital operates on a daily basis. Lead by Dr John Parker and a permaculture expert from Food and Trees For Africa the renewal of Spring is being co-created by rehabilitating patients and the landscape of a mental health outreach centre in a community already ravaged by poverty, gangsterism and substance abuse.

Lentegeur is in Mitchells Plain not far from the city of Cape Town, and despite only having 750 beds, serves an estimated

“Lentegeur Hospital will become a place of healing and a living example of how rehabilitating a degraded environment will help provide sustenance, sanctuary, healing, inspiration, education and recreation to a community. Helping nature to heal the past so that the future can shine!” Dr John Parker

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

population of over 1,8 million. It is one of only three psychiatric hospitals in the Western Cape out of (as of 2005 data) a total of 25 in the whole country.

The statistics show that more than one in three South Africans will suffer from a mental illness in their lifetimes, yet few will receive help.

Exacerbate this within communities beset with food insecurity and little resilience to extreme weather events and you have a recipe for social instability and a breeding ground for violence and addiction.

In order to overcome these challenges there is a desperate need for mental health centres that are part of the community and that promote healing at the individual, social and environmental levels in order to reconnect people to the healing power of the earth.

The aim of the project is to design a mental health centre of the future utilising harmonious permaculture design principals in order to transform the rehabilitation facilities to include the surrounding environment and community into its recovery. In essence it is the concept of a physiological and psychological Spring brought to life by healing people and the environment.

The design principles therefore pertain not only to the “hard structure” of the hospital and its buildings but also to the “soft structure” with regard to how such a hospital functions and how it is perceived by the entire community it exists in.

The first phases of the project are under way setting in motion what is certain to be a world first in community and environmental best practise and a shining example of how a holistic solution can create miracles.

Food and Trees For Africa are responsible for the creation of the hospital’s permaculture food gardens that will be tendered by the patients.

For more information contact: John Parker Jsparker@westerncape.gov.za Jeunesse Park Food and Trees For Africa jpark@trees.org.za

greenhome

21 21

youth

Future

Leaders

by Marcus Matsi and Robyn Brown

WASTE TO WORTH Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa has declared that the Waste Sector is an area that is vital in the creation of jobs for youth in the green economy. The department is increasingly expanding its programmes in job creation and enterprise development programmes in this sector and has launched a youth jobs in waste programme in the Free State. About 1 000 jobs would be created by placing young people in municipalities as landfill site assistants, waste collection administrators and environmental awareness educators. The programme is being rolled out in the Free State, North West, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.

TOP 10 FASTEST GROWING JOBS BY 2018 If you’re considering your career and starting to think about where to start yours, this is the list for you: The USA Bureau of Labour Statistics projections of the 10 fastest-growing careers.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Bio Medical Engineers Network systems and data communications analyst Home Health Aides Personal and Home Care Aides Financial Analyts Medical Scientists

7. Physician Assistants 8. Skin Care Specialists 9. Biochemists and Biophysicits 10. Athletic Trainers Makes you wonder what on earth next; where are the farmers and the teachers and the healers in this list ?

AVAILABLE AT: SHOPRITE, MAKRO, CAMBRIDGE, SPAR WESTERN CAPE Website: www.greenheat.co.za email: amb@greenheat.co.za. Factory: 032 9441494 Town Office: 031 5727033

TAX BREAKS FOR COMPANIES WHO EMPLOY YOUTH President Jacob Zuma signed the Employment Tax Incentive Act, better known as the youth wage subsidy Bill, into law on Wednesday 18 December 2013 in a bid to provide work experience to school leavers and youth. The Act will encourage private employers to employ young workers by providing a tax incentive to them, with government sharing costs of such employment for a maximum of two years under certain conditions. SARS will publish further details on its website in early January to assist employers in understanding how the incentive will work and how to claim.

Pouyoukas seeds sow them on food and watch your health grow

Plant the seeds of health in your diet

ROCK ‘N RIDE 4 RHINO Rock ‘N Ride 4 Rhino is an epic conservation, community and communications project which entailed a 15,000+ km motorcycle trip around South Africa between April and November 2013. This remarkable adventure combined the freedom of the motorcycling spirit with the raw energy of rock ’n roll, resulting in an irresistible recipe to engender a culture of conservation. The purpose is to educate and inform, mobilize united action and raise R20 million to help fund the extensive equipment, manpower and resources required to effectively combat the poaching scourge and to support community upliftment in areas impacted by poaching.

CALLING ALL CLIMATE LEADERS Climate Change is the big bug bear no-one wants to address.

The media and the business world are acting as if there is only “ Business As Usual” to look forward to, when the weather and resources are telling a different story. Here is your chance to learn about climate change and be a part of a growing community of change agents who are keen to solve the issues and who have access to innovative ideas to address the many social challenges climate change will present. You don’t have to pay for the training, you just have to make sure you can spread the word and participate, practically, in solution finding and communicating the issues at hand. Details as follows: Date: March 12-14 venue: Sandton Convention Centre http://climaterealityproject.org/africa-training/

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

Choose life. life Choose health.

Choose Pouyoukas.

For more easy creative recipes visit our website www.pouyoukas.co.za

TJDR 55018/ Green Home

Simply SMS* your name, invoice number and number of bags purchased to 30772.

There are 2 Samsung S4 cellphones to be won monthly and 25 airtime vouchers valued at R100 each to be won weekly.

Promotion runs 1 July to 30 September 2013. *SMSs are free Terms and conditions apply

Visit www.ppc.co.za for more details

cycling

Suffering in Paradise The Western Cape may not be everyone’s version of paradise, but for mountain bikers it rivals any place on earth by Gordon Brown

Rookie, Mandy Collis, conquers the dirt Pictures: Liam Somers, Zoon Cronje, author

A

s I write I can feel the tingling of the roasties on my knees, remnants from a silly fall during the 2014 Fairview Attakwas Extreme. The event billed as the toughest one day mountain bike marathon in the country, traversing 120km of hell from Outshoorn to Groot Brak, across Karoo moonscapes, over the Attakwas Kloof, and down to the coast along what feels like the hilliest road ever constructed.

Newby Fernando Rueda summits the Attakwas Kloof

Even the pros walk in the Fairview Attakwas Extreme!

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

The ‘Atta’ as its affectionately known, although I am struggling to find any feelings of affection at this point, is an ideal test of one’s fitness in preparation for the ABSA Cape Epic, the mother of all mountain bike events and which put South Africa on the map as a leading mountain biking destination.

My roasties occurred, somewhat embarrassingly, while pushing my bike at what felt like a 45% angle up the Attakwas Kloof, my shoe having snagged on a shrub that in defiance to mans intrusion into this otherwise pristine and secluded wilderness had grown on the old wagon trail now jeep track.

The shrub is only 10cm high but is as strong as a 5 year old grape vine – and having snagged my shoe brought me to a sudden and unexpected halt the consequence of which was a tumble, bike and all, into the erosion ditch running adjacent to the track. My fellow sufferers, now forced

Race leaders don’t have time to admire the beautiful Attakwas Kloof

to take a pause looked up from their toil, no one laughed but me lying on my back like an upturned tortoise unable to move.

A helping hand soon stretched out to end my predicament, but the abrasions to my knees positioned perfectly at path-side bush height, remained to torment me the rest of the way.

Completing the Atta was a noteworthy achievement for two of my friends albeit for very different reasons. The first was my Epic partner who had taken up cycling just 10 months ago, and who from a standing start had built up the fitness to tackle this immense physical challenge, in the end taking us under eight and a half hours.

My other friend conversely is an extraordinary athlete, and although she tackled and completed two thirds of the 2008 Epic, is not a happy mountain biker preferring the more urban paved variety of the sport of cycling.

After her partner and I complained so bitterly about how tough the Atta was last year, she resolved to take it on and make fools of both of us – which she did, completing the event pretty much on her own in 8h30 after walking down the more treacherous descents.

She has however declared never to do it again, lamenting “why take eight and half hours to ride a distance you can do in three and half hours on a road bike?”

I guess the answer to that question really is the crux of it all – you either love the bush or you don’t.

greenhome

25 25

energy

Renewable energy – super hot stuff

by Robyn Brown

Bidding for contracts has those with the technology, optimistic about a less carbon intensive future

I

magine a world where every time you switched on a light or charged your tablet or mobile phone that the power came from the sun, or the wind. This option could soon be a reality because on the 12 November 2013 the first solar powered electrical plant, Kalkbult, was connected to the national electricity grid.

This 75 MW (megawatts) PV (photovoltaic) power station is halfway between De Aar and Hopetown and will generate 155 million kilowatt hours a year – enough to power the annual consumption of 30 000 plus households.

The project was built three months ahead of schedule, by Scatec (a Norwegian company) and consists of 312 000 solar panels spread over 105 hectares of land.

Over 600 employees from the local community were involved in the construction and secure employment has been created for many of them in managing the facility over its 20 year planned lifespan.

While the debate is still raging about nuclear and coal fired power plants, the benefits of solar are obvious. It can boost and assist local economies by creating a vast number of jobs for skilled and unskilled labour.

The Government’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), published in May 2011, set out South Africa’s required new energy generation capacity for the next 20 years.

As this plan followed a time of serious energy shortages, it was encouraging to

26 26

greenhome

see government’s clear intention to diversify the energy mix and move away from fossil fuels by encouraging renewable energy solutions synchronising with Environmental Agency targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020.

The REIPPP programme (Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme) is set to procure 3 725 MW of renewable energy capacity and is expected to attract investments of around R100-billion by 2016. In some of the technologies included in the bidding programme, the target for foreign investment is as high as 60% with a minimum 40% South African equity participation which is intended to attract developers to South Africa in order to expand employment opportunities and broaden skills.

In round one and two of the bidding process that has been ongoing since December 2011 there have been applications from a significant number of qualified suppliers who can supply energy from Biomass, landfill gas, concentrated solar power and onshore wind.

There have been no applications by technology solutions that can supply hydro (water) energy.

The average cost offered by the solar PV developers dropped from 165c/kWh to 82c/kWh, while wind made a more modest decline in price from 89c/kWh to 73c/kWh. The next phase of renewable energy development promises to deliver 8000 jobs during the construction phase and 18 000 during the operations period.

Due to the large number of very competitive bid responses submitted for the Onshore Wind and Solar Photovoltaic Technologies, further consideration is being made regarding the appointment of additional preferred bidders and an announcement regarding this decision will be made in the first quarter of 2014.

Despite fierce competition amongst bidders the future of renewable energy is bright and what it can offer in terms of long term jobs a key to its continued success.

REIPPP TECHNOLOGY TARGETS TECHNOLOGY

MW

ONSHORE WIND

1850 MW

CONCENTRATED SOLAR THERMAL (CSP)

200 MW

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC

1450 MW

BIOMASS

12.5 MW

BIOGAS

12.5 MW

LANDFILL GAS

25 MW

SMALL HYDRO (UP TO 40 MW)

75 MW

SMALL PROJECTS

100 MW

References: Information received from the Department of Energy, the authors own experience and www.ipprenewables.co.za

www.greenhomemagazine.co.za

Zacon Construction offers a complete turnkey solution to all your building requirements on time and in budget!!! The quality of our workmanship is what we have built our reputation on since 1995. Customer satisfaction drives every aspect of our business.

Rietvlei View, Pretoria

Rietvlei View, Pretoria

Eskom, Medupi

FSF Engineering, vd Bijl

Rhema South Covenant College

Rhema South Covenant College

Vaal Eden, Parys

C o n st r u c t i o n • S te e l S t r u c t u re s • C o n c rete Wo r ks Earthworks • Alterations • Industrial, Retail & Housing Projects

t: +27 (0) 74 583 0223

f: +27 (0) 86 665 7315

e: zarius@zacon.co.za

www.zacon.co.za

acon

p r o j e c t s

INTEGER/511025

Sasol Homegas Brings your home to life

Sasol Homegas is an alternative source of energy for your home. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) provides energy to heat your water, power your cooker and heat your home for less. Sasol Homegas is not just clean, safe and reliable but will also assist in tackling the current energy challenges and contribute to the economic well-being of the country. Aside from reducing electricity consumption and costs, Sasol Homegas contributes to a greener home and smaller carbon footprint. The future is Sasol Homegas.

For more information, please contact Itumeleng Mashigo, Cell: 079 884 5836 Thulani Mavimbela, Cell: 082 445 8282