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sign or, de c é d , ment From prove s in 2015. gn and m i e si m ar ng ho ates 20 ye kitchen de IY - you’ll i d a e st in t in D ity’s l el ebr her C hibition c to the late to the bes t o M The l e ex ings ings rnish m fitt ifesty and l n bathroo ful new fu t! r ti en mode ces, beau spiring ev n n a i i l s p i ap t th t all a find i
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A WORD FROM THE
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reen Home magazine is the fastest growing consumer title in terms of its distribution and this June, as part of The Sustainability Week event in Tshwane, we will host our Green Home Fair where an amazing array of products and services will be on display to showcase the better options out there for a consumer to choose from. The reason the showcase is so important is because as consumers we are duped into believing the advertising spin about what is ‘good’ (if it’s fast food it’s not good) and healthy. These words are hiding very real threats to health that are coming out more and more as the global trend of transparency takes hold. Fortune magazine reported that “”Major packaged-food companies lost $4 billion in
market share alone last year, as shoppers changed to fresh and organic alternatives.” I predict that within the next ten years the big food companies and their attendant lack of regard for human health over profit will see as much back lash as the tobacco industry had once the full implications of nicotine addiction was understood. Monsanto is facing a consumer backlash around the world and on the 23rd May there was a global day of activism against the corporation that brings us Roundup and patented GMO crops. The drums of discontent are beating and the Organic Consumers Association in conjunction with the Feed The World Project, launched the world’s first glyphosate testing for urine, water and breast milk for the general public in April this year. “For decades now, the public has been exposed, unknowingly and against their will, to glyphosate, despite mounting evidence that this key active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide is harmful to human health and the environment,” said Ronnie Cummins, OCA’s international director. “Monsanto has been given a free pass to expose the public to this dangerous chemical, because individuals, until now, been unable to go to their doctor’s office or local water testing company to find out if the chemical has accumulated in their bodies.” But it’s all a bit quiet in South Africa and not many consumers are aware that the staple maize food crop is genetically modified and most of the bread produced on a daily EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR AND DESIGNER DIVISIONAL HEAD OF SALES SALES EXECUTIVES PROJECT MANAGER CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER CLIENT LIAISON OFFICER MARKETING MANAGER EDITORIAL DIRECTORS
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Cover: Stand 47. Photo by Karl Rogers
IMAGES AND DIAGRAMS
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DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES PRINTER
EDITOR
basis contains GMO soya ingredients. Add to that the cheap meat being fed to our population via fast food outlets contains growth hormones and anti-biotics and is anything but “good” for you. As my concern rises and my desire to show and tell what is really going on I decided to ask the CEO of one of the world’s biggest (and most established) multinational food company that services billions of people every day through their household and food products three tricky questions: 1) What is their position on using GMO’s in their food products and do they label the GMO ingredients as part of the overall labelling of their products? 2) How are they addressing de-forestation as a result of palm oil plantations and when can we expect that all products using palm oil will come from a sustainable source? 3) Can they claim that their household cleaning products do not harm the water sources that are impacted by the run-off? As of going to press with this magazine I am still waiting for the answers and this is from a well-oiled PR machine who seem to be utterly stumped when faced with questions from a knowledgeable consumer. Keep enjoying Green Home magazine and we will keep sharing stories that help you to become an informed and better ‘customer’ in the world out there.
Melissa
Melissa Baird Nicole Kenny Annie Pieters Elna Willemse, Stacey Sands, Zaida Yon Esther Kabaso Eunice Visagie Linda Tom Nabilah Hassen-Bardien nicole.kenny@alive2green.com Gordon Brown, Lloyd Macfarlane, Andrew Fehrsen Chevonne Ismail 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 FA Print
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Imagine a World Without Water.
We know that every drop of water and every watt of power saved helps preserve the environment. Which is why we stock a wide range of eco-friendly products and energy efficient heat pumps. Perfect for eco-warriors!
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Eastern Cape: East London & Mthatha, Jeffrey's Bay, Port Elizabeth, Queenstown. Western Cape: Cape Town, Malmesbury, Paarden Eiland, Paarl, Tableview, Vredenburg, George, Mossel Bay, Stilbaai. Limpopo: Tzaneen. Gauteng: Greenstone, Woodmead, Fourways Kwa-Zulu Natal: Ballito, Durban, Durban North, Hillcrest, Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown, Queensburgh.
June / July 2015
CONTENTS
THE WINTER ISSUE 10
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7 9 10 15 17 18 20 22 24 27 28
DIY the low down on floors LANDSCAPES growing veges in small spaces LIVING smart stand 47 GAME CHANGERS rethinking plastic bags KNOW IT boosting immunity in winter PRODUCTS organic soaps, LED lights, insulation BOOKS ETC orchids, families, farmstalls TRAVEL making a difference on your holiday FUTURE LEADERS careers in biodiversity ADVENTURE SPORTS climbing the peaks of wonder RENEWABLE ENERGY solar lights, renewables for the grid
22 PURE BEGINNINGS HAMPER UP FOR GRABS FOR 1 LUCKY SUBSCRIBER! This range consists of everyday personal hygiene products that will leave you feeling naturally revitalised and fresh. Great care has been taken in formulating products that are luxurious and effective whilst using the highest quality natural and certified organic ingredients. Pure Products do not contain petrochemical, parabens, synthetic fragrances, aluminium or animal products. Pure Beginnings is endorsed by Beauty Without Cruelty. They insure that the ingredients used in our products have not been tested on animals. Certified Organic Ingredients are ingredients that are grown without the use of synthetic fertilisers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides and are approved by international organic certification organisations. You are assured that they are non toxic and the environment has not been affected in their production. Available from selected health shops nationwide and online www.purebeginnings.co.za/0861 477 915 (SA only). Enter via the website: subscriptions@alive2green.com Entries close on 29 July 2015 and the winner is selected via a lucky draw. 4
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ASPECTA™ is a new name in the world of flooring. A global brand that is already redefining standards for quality, design and service. So discover an LVT collection with a difference: Over 100 unique colours. 13 high-quality embosses. A 25 year commercial warranty. It’s all in the detail. You will never see flooring in the same way again. www.aspectaflooring.com
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FLOORING . REINVENTED FROM THE GROUND UP.
ADVERTORIAL
A GREENER VIEW ON QUALITY OF LIFE Energy-efficient windows is not a nice-to-have. Really, it isn’t. BY Pieter Malherbe
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he South African government requires that all new commercial and residential property developments, including renovations, use energy-efficient windows. And while it has been a challenge to monitor and enforce government regulations, there are a handful of architects, property developers and home owners who are committed to sustainable building design. According to Wikipedia, sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of social, economic, and ecological sustainability. For us at TEVA, sustainable building design is about improving the quality of life for people who live in the homes which are built. Over the last 12 months, TEVA tested the practical value of their best double-glazing energy efficient windows which use uPVC frames in comparison to worse case singleglazing which uses aluminium frames. A local consulting firm was appointed to model a house and an office in seven climate zones to assess the difference in energy performance of sustainable versus non-sustainable building design. The office with only 15% glazing area versus nett internal floor area yields an energy saving of 20.58%. A house with 55% glazing coverage versus nett internal floor area, yields an average energy saving of 68.37%. All too often, particularly in the instance of low-cost housing developments, sustainable building design is not a consideration. For many recipients of low-cost houses, significant portions of their income is spent on their monthly electricity bill. Many cannot even afford electrical appliances and the utilities which could enhance their day to day experience in the home. But at a new housing development in Marikana in the North West Province, TEVA has been contracted to supply its range of energy-efficient windows which will undoubtedly offer these new homeowners a better quality of life. These families will live in homes that are insulated from the cold, reducing the need for excessive use of heaters during winter, and keeping the home cool in summer. But
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it required, as with most solutions, foresight. And effective partnership between and amongst property developers, architects, spatial development planners and ultimately, the home owner. That is, of course, if quality of life is a consideration.� www.tevawindows.co.za
If you have 100 square meters of internal floor area and you have 15 square meter of glass in the building, you have 15% glazing coverage
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floored
reen building and retro-fitting your home to be more energy efficient is probably the fastest growing trend in living lifestyles and this is not only because it makes good sense financially, it is also a far healthier way of living. Take for instance your floors and what you put on them. If it is time to overhaul your floors you need to consider a few things that you may not have been aware of when choosing what to use. The pollutants that arise from the installation of carpets and tiles can be far more harmful inside than out and the volatile organic compounds ( VOC’s – that you also find in paint) live in the air. Match this with any trace of formaldehyde and benzene and you have a cocktail that is known to be carcinogenic. You also need to know if any carpets you choose have been treated to be bug resistant as these treatments add further layers of toxicity to the indoor environment There are lots of different options to look at when re-doing your floors and notwithstanding personal taste – some make better sense than others. Start with what is recycled or has been recycled – there are some super beautiful designs out there. I have seen flooring that is perfect for school playgrounds made from recycled tyres and walked on walkways created from recycled plastic bags. Indoors you can choose any of the following options to improve your health and add style and comfort to your home.
DIY
BY Melissa Baird
Carpets – choose natural fibres and check the glue that will be used when the carpet is installed. If the carpet requires padding then check what it is made from as well. You should be offered a recycled option. Don’t just “throw” your old carpet away. See who needs it in the community around you – could it be used at a pet shelter for instance? Or in a community hall where the usual floor is just a concrete slab? Installation: The devil is in the glue so ask for a water based glue to remove the presence of heavy chemicals that are linked to respiratory allergies. Another way to minimize your ecological impact is to install carpet tiles. This enables you to be able to replace sections at a time without having to get rid of the whole carpet. Rugs are a much easier way of adding warmth to your floors and can be swopped or changed room by room giving you more options to have fun with your decorating. Choose rugs made from natural fibres like sisal or hemp and woven fibres like wool.
Other Options Hardwood Floors: FSC certified wood can be used to make floors and are easy to keep clean. They are also super safe with no chemicals and are super easy to keep clean. Bamboo: Amazingly bamboo is a lot harder than some woods and therefore it will last longer and be more resilient than wood. It is also resistant to bugs and pests and natural water repellant. Tile and Linoleum: This is where you can have such fun as you can play with colours and patterns and these floors are better for use in the kitchen, bathroom and any outdoor areas. Again check the glue that will be used and if the tiles are easily replaceable should one get cracked during playtime.
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Do you know where your water comes from?
ave you ever considered where your tap water comes from? Have you thought about the process that goes into making sure your water is clean and healthy enough to drink?
Water supply is a complex, expensive process. And because South Africa is a semiarid country we have had to get water from other countries to supply parts of highly urbanized and water-scarce areas such as Gauteng. Most of the water supplied to Gauteng is purchased from Lesotho. In fact, almost 25% of South Africa’s entire water supply originates from Lesotho. While water is stored in dams, treated, pumped to reservoirs for further storage and then piped to consumers, it is important to understand that our water does not actually come from dams, taps or pipes. The healthy functioning of water ecosystems is essential for a sustainable supply of drinking water. Healthy rivers, wetlands and catchments gather, direct and often clean water that circulates in a natural water cycle. For thousands of years humans have diverted and blocked rivers to create storage areas we now refer to as dams. This was especially important in settlements not created around natural water sources, such as Johannesburg. Johannesburg is one of two major cities in the entire world that was not built along a river or harbour, and as a result has had to harness large supplies of water by building dams. Sustainable water supply becomes more necessary as Gauteng continues to expand as South Africa’s economic powerhouse. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), in order to maintain a sustainable supply of clean water for now and in the future, we have to look at conserving our natural aquatic ecosystems. We must understand their limitations and not strain resources to the extent that they become exhausted. This important task now falls to you, the consumer. Start by understanding your water use, how much you use and where. Then, make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of water you use and to use the water you need efficiently. To assist in this regard, there are numerous tips and articles available on our website. Every individual can make a difference by treating our natural resources with respect. Remember to always be Water Wise.
For more information on Water Wise, please visit www.randwater.co.za and click on the Water Wise logo, or phone us at 0860 10 10 60.
LANDSCAPES
GROWING VEGETABLES IN SMALL SPACES
BY Matthew Koehorst If you live in an urban center, chances are you don’t have too much space available for gardening. However, there is still a lot of potential to keep your fingers green and produce a supplementary amount of vegetables to support your fresh vegetable requirements. To garden successfully on a balcony or in a small space it is important to start with good quality compost and potting soil and to not over-water your plants. Overwatering will wash the nutrients out of the soil, leaving it infertile and ineffective. However, too little water can be very dangerous for your container plants, as their roots are reliant on what water you provide to keep the plant happy.
Good plants for balcony production: Potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, beans, lettuces, and a huge variety of herbs can all be fantastic for growing in containers. Make sure to provide enough soil for root vegetables though, and keep tomatoes out of areas that are very windy.
Easy to propagate vegetables from cuttings: Next time you have some kitchen scraps, think twice before throwing them away- many vegetables can regrow from the discarded ends, saving you time and money and illustrating the beauty of life in the process! Romain Lettuce will regrow from the cut stem of the lettuce, just add it to a small
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container of water with the top exposed to the air and watch it grow Basil grows easily from cuttings and is a great way to increase your basil quantitiesjust cut a stem 4-5cm below the top and add it to water to watch it grow. Remove all but a third of the leaves on the cutting. Garlic sprouts can be grown from cloves of garlic by submerging them in water Lemongrass and spring onions can regrow from discarded roots by placing them in water. Sweet potatoes can sprout and produce vines that will in time produces more potatoes. Simply place the potato with one third submerged and wait for the vinelike leaves to emerge before planting.
Finding homes for your urban plants: Urban farmers who lack access to the soil have come up with many different solutions for containers for their plants. From stacked discarded tyres to toilet bowls, from gutters to beautiful wooden planter boxes, the options are relatively limitless. When looking for containers for your plants make sure to include drainage holes to prevent root rot and generally look for something at least 10cm deep to house your plants. Creating a green space in your urban environment is easy, rewarding and a great way to spend time in a mini oasis in the concrete jungle and to stretch your green fingers. Enjoy the process!
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LIVING
47
SMART STAND An energy wise and beautifully designed home that sets another standard in smart homes that work best within their environment.
EDITED BY Melissa Baird PHOTOS Karl Rogers ARCHITECT Karlien Thomashoff
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LIVING
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o get the best out of the home’s design we set about looking at a mix of interventions that would give us the best effects. We installed photo-voltaic panels on the roof with a battery bank to generate and store power for the home. The house can function independently on the alternative power source for eight hours which offers great relief during times of load shedding. We also implemented alternative power sources for water heating, and a rainwater tank ( holds 20 000 litres) captures the roof run off. The orientation of the house is ideal the vegetation that was taken from the site during the house’s construction was stock-piled and re-established on the site. In essence nothing was wasted. But what is making the most significant difference to the energy efficiency and low impact nature of the houses has been the use of alternative building materials in the building. The complete house was built using light steel construction, and clad with alternative building materials still quite new in the South African context. Thermal insulation is a great deal better than what is conventionally used in bricks and mortar buildings. Some of the panels used in the project actively cleans the air of the rooms. The residence was mainly built using light steel construction technology. As Saint-Gobain was one of the development partners, extensive use was made of their products, combined with conventional timber door and window frames, fitted with double glazing where necessary. The largely pre-fab material was contrasted with conventional building material and elements such as stone walls, parquet floors and timber windows. All electrical services were zoned along the centre of the living areas to enable easy installation and facilitate changes in the future that won’t impact the design. Stand 47 is a case study project initiated to investigate the potential of what is achievable with carefully considered design and contemporary building material in a typical residential development. The interventions are simple and the use of resources are maximised yet far more cost effective than relying on municipal water and Eskom generated power. While the new energy considerations did change the way things were built, the attractive elements of
Opposite page: The living area is an open plan space allowing for the possibility of subdividing. Above: While the new energy considerations did change the way things were built, the attractive elements of family home comforts and aspirational design elements have not been compromised; The bedroom furniture is built in and the user can easily fold back the bed and the function of the room changes from bedroom to study. Right: Spatially, the sloped ceiling (slopes towards north) focuses the space in two directions
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Assuring Quality Homes Since 1998 The NHBRC is a statutory body whose role is to protect the interests of housing consumers and to regulate the home building industry – in line with the Housing Consumers Measures Protection Act.
Toll Free Number: 0800 200 824 / Fraud Hotline 0800 203 698 / Webpage: www.nhbrc.gov.za / Tel: +27 11 317 0000
@NHBRC
NHBRCSA
Assuring Quality Homes.
LIVING family home comforts and aspirational design elements have not been compromised. The site is located in Monaghan Farm, a residential estate adjacent to Lanseria Airport in Gauteng. It slopes gently to the east, with spectacular views to the north and east towards the Magaliesberg. The house was oriented towards these views which also ensured maximum solar exposure for living rooms. To ensure the roof profile did not dominate, the site was excavated to create a platform. This respected the sightlines from neighbouring properties, ensuring privacy from overlooking by the neighbours and as a result a significant portion of the house sits in the wind shadow from the cut in the landscape. An existing tree-lane to the south further shields the house from the prevailing wind. The hierarchy of spaces is configured with the aim of achieving simplicity and efficiency. Spaces were arranged with service spaces to the south, and open plan, multi-functional living spaces to the north.
Right: The house was oriented towards the spectacular views of the Magaliesberg to the north and east which also ensured maximum solar exposure for living rooms. Below: The site is located in Monaghan Farm; Water harvesting tanks. The services zone to the south accommodates the wet and functional areas: kitchen, scullery, bathrooms and plant room. These rooms are made smaller and intimate, through the use of lower ceilings and smaller scaled openings. From a functional point of view, the main objective was efficient use of space. To achieve this aim, spaces can serve several purposes, some being easily reconfigurable. The living zone was conceived as a multi-functional and flexible arrangement of space and houses the living, dining areas and bedrooms. The teak parquet floor and ceiling were installed before the internal walls were built, creating the opportunity to remove and reinstall internal walls in new positions with relative ease. The living/dining area is an open plan space allowing for the possibility of subdividing with light screens or by re-arranging the furniture. The bedroom furniture is built in with simple built-in cupboards including fold-down beds and a desk. The user can easily fold back the bed and the function of the room changes from bedroom to study. Spatially, the sloped ceiling (slopes towards north) focuses the space in two directions: north towards the views of the landscape and south with clerestory windows and a view through the kitchen window of a row of blue gum trees. Quite simply the smartest house on the block.
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GAMECHANGERS
MEET THE POWER HOUSE BEHIND THE RETHINK
THE BAG CAMPAIGN
BYKaroline Hanks
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t is always wonderful to come across really driven individuals who are making waves in environmental circles. They are often incredibly passionate, yet unashamedly modest folk. The belief in what they do runs so deep and they walk the talk through every aspect of their personal lives – at the same time quietly getting on with the business of making a difference at a broader level through the work they do. Hayley McLellan is one such game changer. She is the tour de force behind the Rethink the Bag (plastic bag ban) initiative that has received considerable attention from a variety of different organisations and appears to be gaining a foothold in the minds of many. Her primary objective? To have the ubiquitous plastic shopping bag banned across South Africa. Hayley calls herself an environmental campaigner. And that she is. But she is a far cry from the bog standard image many have of a placard-wielding, tie-died skirted vegan who becomes unreasonably emotional in the face of corporate resistance. The mere glimmer of a consumer backlash gets many store owners folding their arms and coming up with a barrage of reasons why they cannot possibly hop aboard. When confronted with this kind of resistance, Hayley
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just breathes, smiles, listens and agrees. She recognises that every one of the objections is valid, and allows the space for them to be worked through and discussed. Invariably she finds a way to create successful alternatives and solutions. Hayley appreciates that the smaller, single stores are going to be much easier to guide in this process than the large, corporate, national brands that monopolise retail. Yet despite this, has recently had phenomenal success with the Spar Western Cape group, with a series of very high level meetings and promises of significant in-store changes. Throughout her career, Hayley has been involved in the animal care and behaviour industry. This has encompassed many aspects, including staff management, animal rehabilitation as well as large-scale public speaking and educational presentations. She was the animal keeper for the Two Oceans Aquarium’s penguin and bird collection for four years. Her campaigning passions and public engagement skills lead to the aquarium carving out a new niche position as Environmental Campaigner within the Communications & Sustainability Department. Hayley started out by getting an initial commitment to in-store awareness and providing them with locally made, affordable,
alternative shopping bags. Designating specific focus days has also worked well for this campaign thus far. Annual International Plastic Bag Free Day on July 3rd has offered excellent opportunities for some very impactful events. In a bid to encourage store owners to adopt the campaign at a far deeper level, Hayley has created a ten-step programme. The key emphasis is on offering choices. “This approach alters the whole conversation moving forward”, says McLellan, “I ask them to consider starting at Step 10 and to work their way up, choosing where they feel comfortable slotting in….you would be amazed how this approach works!” “Step 1 is my personal nirvana: an outright ban on plastic shopping bags. Step 2 is a 1 week total ban – a trial of sorts. Step 3 is a ban every Thursday”, explains Hayley. “Introducing Rethink The Bag to the community of Hout Bay has been an immensely rewarding and exciting journey”, explains Hayley, “I have joined forces with the NGO, Thrive – a very active environmental group in Hout Bay. Thrive had attempted a similar plastic bag awareness/ban several years earlier. With us in the mix, the campaign has been beautifully resurrected”. Hout Bay is a mini metropolis with all the main retailers and Hayley was introduced to many of the major store owners via Thrive’s champion Bronwen Lankers-Byrnes. The Spar outlets in Hout Bay were the first to adopt the programme and carry it forward beyond the July 3rd. With this initial success, introductions to other Spar stores took place. The campaign is now at a stage where two formal presentations to the WCs Spar’s marketing department have been made. The possibility of this particular retailer rolling out a plan of action in this province is looking very promising indeed. Hayley – we salute you!
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KNOWIT
FLU FIGHTERS
BYMelissa Baird
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he winter season brings many lurgies to the fore, colds, flu and general body aches and pains that are caused by the change in weather and your body’s desire to go into slow motion. That said some people do prefer the colder months but if you are not one of them here are some handy recipes for boosting your immune system and for dealing with ailments like sore throats and uncomplicated coughs. If you find yourself in that awful in between phase where you aren’t quite sick enough to miss work, but you still battle with the headaches, blocked nose and inability to concentrate then you need to get your immune system up to speed with a natural remedy that requires no prescription and does not harm your tummy’s good bacteria like anti-biotics do.
Home made cough syrup Ingredients: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (preferably organic as it has a live culture that works wonders) 2 tablespoons honey (locally produced raw honey is best) 2 tablespoons water 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Method: Place all the ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine. Leave at room temperature for a few days or place in the refrigerator for longer storage. Shake well each time, before using. The spices will not dissolve into the liquid. It will not be a thick syrup, it should remain watery. Take as needed and feel better soon! Original recipe credit: http://barefeetinthekitchen-recipes.blogspot.com/2013/01/homemade-
Taipei Teas When I lived in Taipei in Taiwan i was exposed to the wonders of traditional Chinese medicince. This was the simplest , most effective recipe I was given to keep my immune system strong in the face of the daily smog and humidity that my lungs really struggled to deal with. Slice a thumbs length of fresh ginger – add it to two cups of water and simmer on the stove until the liquid reduces to one cup. Let it cool down a bit and add some honey to it and drink it like tea.
THYME Thyme is an expectorant, which helps you to clear out your mucky cough much quicker. To brew thyme herbal tea put 2 teaspoons fresh thyme in a cup of boiling-hot water for 10 minutes, let it cool slightly before drinking. You can also make a thyme vapour bath to help loosen any mucous build up by adding a handful of dried thyme or a few drops of thyme essential oil into a bowl of hot water. Lean over the bowl and cover your head with a towel so you can inhale the steam from the bath more effectively.
GARLIC If you love garlic you don’t need this reason to eat more of it. If you aren’t a fan then you can use garlic as an intervention when needed to help boost your immune system. Your companion animals also respond well to regular doses of garlic to keep them healthy too. Mince a clove of garlic into some honey and swallow it down and to counteract the after effects of garlic breath – chew on some fresh parsley which is also full of essential nutrients.
Excellent daily tonic tea If you grow mint in your garden it is so easy to add fresh mint to hot water , with some sliced ginger and lemon juice. Add honey to taste. Every year it seems the flu season is projected to be a real monster. You can reduce your risk of catching the virus by building up your immune system but if the virus does strike, these herbal heroes can still help take the edge off.
Recipe for hot stuff When you feel the fever rising make this concoction to knock it for six 2 tsp honey 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp ginger (freshly chopped or powdered if you can’t find fresh ginger) Fresh lemon juice It will be super hot but if you can handle it – it works a treat. Drink it like a shot of your favourite tipple.
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ELDERBERRY EXTRACT The extract of elderberries has been found to effectively fight many flu virus strains and can also reduce the duration of flu symptoms by as much as four days. It might be a bit tricky to find a good supplier however in SA.
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LIVEWELL Spaza Store Bowl Covers Finally we can chuck that box of kitchen cling film forever! Spaza Store’s beautiful handmade cotton bowl and dish covers come in 8 different nature inspired designs. Printed by hand to give each product a warm and homey feel, the deep navy madiba and vibrant red berry print is our favourite. This is such a fun and modern take on a household necessity - much prettier and environmentally friendly than the plastic alternative. The covers are available in four elasticised sizes stretching over various shapes and sizes. The covers are also smartly designed to be breathable to avoid condensation and sweating on food. Priced from R55 to R305 (for a set), you can simply machine wash when necessary and reuse.. Buy online at www.spazastore.co.za or visit their store in The Watershed at the V&A Waterfront
Product
SHOWCASE COMPILED BY Grethe Mattheus
Eli & You Organic Liquid Castille Soap Just in time to soothe and care for our thirsty winter skin, Eli & You’s pure organic liquid soap will turn regular bath time into a lavish relaxing experience. We love the calming rose geranium and antibacterial lavender that combine to make it perfect for even the most sensitive skin. Organic coconut and sunflower oil adds to this mix with their natural healing properties and antioxidants which fight free radicals and cell degeneration. The hypoallergenic soap gently cleanses and nourishes the skin, without stripping away the natural acid mantle that protects the skin from dehydration and harmful organisms. This is the perfect organic all-in-one body wash for the whole family and is made from 100% natural ingredients certified by SOIL. To order online visit eliandyou.co.za
Flora Force Herbal Cough Mixture Winter brings coughs and colds, and Flora Force Herbal Cough Mixture has been a must in the medicine chests of South African families for the past 20 years. Herbal Cough Mix™ is an all-natural remedy that eases coughing, relieves congestion and soothes irritated air passages and a sore chest caused by excessive coughing. The unique formula is a blend of nine herbal tinctures. One of the ingredients, Pelargonium sidoides (Umckaloabo), is a local herb that is well known for its scientifically proven anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Herbal Cough Mix™ is unique in that it treats all types of coughs – soothing dry coughs and loosening wet coughs through its expectorant action. As Herbal Cough Mix™ contains no sugar, preservatives and colourants, it is safe for the entire family, including children and diabetics, and does not impair performance in sportsmen. For more information on Herbal Cough Mixture please visit www.floraforce. co.za. Flora Force Herbal Cough Mixture is available at Dis-chem and leading pharmacies and health stores nationwide. www.facebook.com/floraforce
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LIVEWELL
Rain Africa Tree Mists A new and unexpected reason to fall in love with trees all over again - the healing power of their mist! Japanese research shows that the air-borne aromatics emitted by trees have therapeutic and invigorating effects, including significantly boosting the immune system. Rain’s Tree Mists capture these subtle fragrances and bring the healing power of the forest to your home, your workspace and to your skin. Harvested from the Platbos forest at the southernmost edge of the African continent, the range includes mists from the Black Bark, Bush Olive, Hard Pear, Wild Peach and Saffronwood tree. Our favourite is the mist from the Milkwood Tree, also known as the Tree of Wholeness, that energises and invigorates the body and mind. Available at Rain stores countrywide.
16 LED Solar Power Motion Sensor With expected and unexpected power outages these days, solar lighting options are becoming more than just a nice-to-have. The perfect solution for your outdoor environmentally friendly lighting needs is the Proper Solar Motion Sensor LED light that will guide your way from driveways to patios. With its’ sleek design it is also perfect for your garden, being waterproof and heatproof. The motion-sensing light is triggered by movement within a one to two meter range at a 120 degree sensing angle. With a life span of 50 000 hours it is not just durable, economical and easy to install, but also a great addition for the safety of your home. It has safety features for over charging, over current and short circuit and can be adjusted for dark, dim or bright lighting modes. Available from theecogreenshop.co.za
Eco-Insulation The perfect energy saver as the winter chills start to breeze in. Eco-Insulation Cellulose Fibre Ceiling Insulation is proudly South African and made from recycled newsprint that has been milled to optimum density. The design is based on international standards and locally approved by the SABS. This product offers 100% coverage of the area being treated and can be used above ceilings, under floors or even inside walls. Eco-Insulation resists the flow of heat so less heat will be lost from your home or office. This means less electricity or gas usage and ultimate more pennies saved in your pocket! Offering the Ultimate Climate Control™ and cost-effectiveness, Eco-Insulation creates an eco-friendly, fire-safe and non-toxic barrier that controls temperature all year round. www.eco-insulation.co.za
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Organic Colour Systems Colour, Care and Styling Range The hair care range every green girl has been waiting for - colour, shine and style with less of the chemicals we used to use to keep those tresses frizz-free! Organic Colour Systems is the first-ever range of permanent colours made from the maximum amount of certified organic ingredients and the minimum amount of chemicals. The system is designed to treat coloured hair gently at every stage of every treatment, from shampooing to styling. The full colour range is made up of 64 fully intermixable colours and concentrates; plus a selection of Activators, two lightening powders and oil. While the colour and care range gives you soft and shiny locks, the plastic-free styling products provides natural hold and control without the crispy-crunchy feel. With no ammonia and feel-good ingredients such as certified organic chamomile, aloe, sunflower seed extract, wheat protein and vitamin B5, this range is ideal for making every day a great hair day! For more information you can visit http://organiccoloursystems.co.za/
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SHELFTALK
Books etc. O ur selection of books includes wide selection of topics. Two field guides – on the orchids and mammals of Southern Africa – concentrate on our natural heritage. “Blending Families” looks at the challenges of integrating parts of former family units into new ones. We also included a book on farm stalls.
REVIEWS Lia Labuschagne
Orchids of South Africa Steve Johnson, Benny Bytebier This is the first field guide to our local orchids to be published in 30 years, written by Drs Steve Johnson and Benny Bytebier, both of the University of Kwazulu-Natal, and illustrated with photographs by leading photographer Herbert Stärker, this comprehensive, 520page book is filled with visual delights and accurate information about 455 of the 473 species known to occur in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Ours is a rich variety for a temperate region such as ours, even though the number of species is only a small fraction of the more than 26 000 orchid species occurring globally. Discover a feast of beauty and surprises like the Bulbophylilum sandersonii epiphic orchids that grow on decaying trees, the rare Disa scully that grows in damp montane grasslands and the many other species that are found in our fynbos areas, mountainous regions, savannah and grasslands. Struik Nature ISBN 978-1-77584-139-5
Blending Families Flicky Gildenhuys A realistic definition of a family in the 21st century is not an easy task. Separation, divorce, death, adoption, surrogacy arrangements, same-sex parenting - all of these affect the way families are shaped and function. Specifically, it affects the children who come from previous family units. Filcky Gildenhuys, a counsellour an educator in the field of parenting, has written a practical guide with that looks at family structures in South Africa and that take into consideration factors such as the cultural diversity in South Africa, and the effects of HIV/Aids, and children being brought up by their extended families when parents travel to cities to work far away from where their children live. Dealing with issues loss and grief to new expectations, the biggest cause of problems (resentment and stress due to ongoing conflicts), financial issues, traditions, rituals, and communication, it could be used as a practical self-help workbook by all of those looking successfully to blend former family units into something new and positive. Every chapter contains numerous relevant quotes from people facing specific challenges. Struik Lifestyle ISBN 978 1 43230-363-1
“
ANY BOOK THAT HELPS A CHILD TO FORM A HABIT OF READING, TO MAKE READING ONE OF HIS DEEP AND CONTINUING NEEDS, IS GOOD FOR HIM.
“
—Maya Angelou
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SHELFTALK
Farm Stall to Farm Stall Jennifer Stern Most of us enjoy stopping at a good farm stall for a snack to buy some fresh produce or home-made delicacies and handcrafted items. Here is a handy book to keep in your vehicle or to help plan your next road trip. It covers 150 farm stalls throughout the country, and provides information on what you can expect at each - including opening times, products sold and refreshments offered. Photographs, recipes and generally useful information about some local markets and festivals contribute to making this a useful guide. There are contact details for most of the farm stalls, while the maps and GPS coordinates make it easy to find them Jennifer Stern has collaborated with Linda Roets, Peter Ridgway, Stef Wessels, Hilary Belas and Wendy Gersie to create a useful addition to the local food lover’s library. Map Studio ISBN 978-1-77026-594-3
Stuarts’ field guide to mammals of Southern Africa Chris and Mathilde Stuart Although information about the species of mammals that occur in our part of the world is available online as well as in brochures and pamphlets, nothing beats having your own, comprehensive and up-to-date field guide. Chris and Mathilde Stuart are highly-regarded authors of a number of books and scientific papers and articles, and their updated field guide on mammals looks at almost 400 species of the entire Southern African region. This would be particularly useful if your travels take you into the neighbouring countries of Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho. In addition to descriptions of a species and its distribution, habitat, behaviour, food, reproduction and longevity, the book includes valuable visual information in the form of clear photographs, distribution maps, and relative size comparisons to humans. This 450-page, soft-cover volume is also available in Afrikaans as Stuart se veldgids tot soogdiere van Suider-Afrika. Struik Nature ISBN 978 1 77584 111 1 (English) 978 1 77584 112 8 (Afrikaans)
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Southern Africa DESTINATIONS
Travelling with a positive impact in
BY Matthew Koehorst
S
outhern African countries like Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique are becoming increasingly popular travel destinations for both the well-heeled and shoestring traveller as economies develop and a trend towards experiencing truly African experiences grows. However, often times this increased tourist traffic may have very little meaningful positive impact on the local communities in the region as the income generated tends to stay largely among those with assets that profit from a growing tourist presence. The ‘trickle-down effect’ of increased income from tourism in African countries seldom has a significant reach and many people are unaffected by tourist money flowing into the region. However, there are cases where local businesses and tour operations are making concerted efforts to ensure that the value received from increasing tourist presence is making its way towards worthy social and environmental causes. “Responsible travel” opportunities are fast becoming an important decision making factor for holiday makers looking to enjoy themselves while having a positive social and environmental impact in the regions they visit. Tour operators, safari groups, accommodation options and volunteer organisations are catching onto
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the fact that running a sustainable business is about more than just delivering a great product to clients. it’s also about ensuring that their work in the region is supporting and reinforcing community projects, conservations efforts and social upliftment with the goal of creating resilient communities strengthened and enriched, not exploited and damaged, by the income and energy of tourism. As Greg Bows, the managing director of African Impact, a volunteer coordination program with projects in 12 African countries says, “a tourism company in Africa can no longer be credible without having social and environmental responsibility embedded in its DNA”. Responsible operations and responsible business is becoming integral to operating in the modern African context. Here are a selection of businesses and organisations based in sub-Saharan Africa that are working hard to ensure the success of their own business as well as the sustainable development of the communities they work in.
Zimbabwe and Botswana
Above: Southern African Travel destinations offer world class accommodation and sight-seeing, with spectacular settings, raw natural beauty and a uniquely African experience. Responsible travel operations often place an emphasis on education and development in youth. By investing in the development of African Children, tourist generated capital can hopefully have far reaching societal benefits. Opposite from left: Lodges like the Nkwichi Guest Lodge on the shores of Lake Malawi celebrate the natural beauty of their environment, allowing visitors to enjoy their visit while making minimal destructive changes to the area. For tourists engaging with responsible tourism operations, spending time with people from diverse backgrounds can provide rewarding and authentic experiences that add value to not only local communities, but to the visitors themselves too.
African Bush Safaris is a wildlife, wild camp and safari business operational in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Owned and run by Beks Ndlovu, a passionate nature guide and experienced naturalist, the company focuses on unique
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DESTINATIONS wildlife encounters, beautiful tented camping and authentic ‘African experiences’. In order to improve its local impact on the ground and to ensure sustainability and conservation messages and opportunities, the company has formed a not-for-profit called the African Bush Camps Foundation that is committed to empowering rural communities. They do this by establishing income generating opportunities, running conservation awareness sessions and hosting community events.
Mozambique The Mozambique Collection is a group of luxury accommodation properties that focus not only on high end luxury experiences for their guests, but on leaving a positive legacy for the local communities and environments they operate in. Member lodges are selected to join the collective based on their commitment to ethical and responsible tourism and each lodge or property has launched different projects and initiatives in their local communities aimed at sustainable development, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship. The collection is composed of four different lodges across Mozambique each with their own stunning holiday destinations and characters. Nkwichi Guest Lodge, located on the north western corner of Mozambique on the shores of Lake Malawi, is a fantastic example of majestic beauty and local community engagement. Since being founded in 2002 by six individuals all whom had worked in the international aid
background, the lodge has been committed to making efforts to work for the local community and its unspoilt environment. The lodge has made many strides towards local resilience and community sustainability including establishing a 120 000 hectare community reserve, working with communities on development projects they decide on, launching a sustainable farming and small business development initiative and much more. Nkwichi lodge is not only astoundingly beautiful, having been carved out from majestic granite boulders in a rugged yet luxurious fashion, it is also well recognised for its outreach impacts, having been awarded many responsible and ethical tourism awards and accolades over the years.
South Africa, Madagascar, Zambia, Malawi and more African Impact is an international volunteering organisation that focusses on placing international volunteers in meaningful volunteer projects in 12 African countries including South Africa, Madagascar, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and more. The organisation is 11 years old and focuses on facilitating meaningful and impactful volunteer experiences for people looking to experience Africa’s beautiful landscapes and cultures all while making a positive difference during their ‘holiday’. The group offers volunteers to engage in a diversity of hands on volunteer experiences from community health care projects to lion rehabilitation, from environmental education to sports
development and coaching. African Impact partners with local organisations to ensure that their projects have a long term positive impact on the communities and environments their partner projects operate in.
Making it count Despite the variety of opportunities for travellers to engage in responsible tourism opportunities, it is obviously not without its potential pitfalls. Unscrupulous operators may use the idea as a simple marketing tool, or businesses may genuinely be attempting to make a positive difference in the communities they work but without enough expertise to ensure their projects are relevant and carried out successfully. In order to ensure that you are supporting a valuable and relevant ethical or responsible travel company, make sure to do your own research and make decisions based on what resonates with you. At the end of the day, your money and time has great potential to uplift local communities and protect the beautiful environmental spaces you dream of visiting, but unless your money is invested wisely and efficiently by people with a deep local knowledge there is a chance that it could all be for naught. So when planning your next Sub Saharan holiday adventure, why not spend a little bit of time researching responsible travel opportunities in your country of choice and see how your holiday savings can move towards empowering and supporting local communities in their own sustainable development, all whilst having a fantastic holiday experience?
For more information: www.africanbushcamps.com www.mozambique-collection.org www.africanimpact.com
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FUTURELEADERS
CAREERS EXPLORE BIODIVERSITY
T
his month we are looking at the work that the World Wildlife Fund for Nature is doing to guide young talent towards success in the environmental sector and what opportunities they offer to help you to build a sustainable and fruitful career through applying your skills to care for our environment. WWF South Africa uses the best science to effectively conserve biodiversity and wildlife and to protect our natural environments. The ground level impact of the WWF vision plays out in various focus areas and this makes for an exciting space to craft your own unique career path. Students or young working professionals often think that you need a science or conservation degree to work in the environmental sector, but this is far from the truth! Working towards securing natural assets and ecosystems for the socioeconomic wellbeing of South Africans, the WWF specifically recruit interns and staff from multiple disciplines. From Human Resource Management, Corporate Services and Resource Economics to Marine Resource Management, Energy Planning, Freshwater Conservation and Agriculture, if you have a passion for the planet then this organisation can be key to helping you find your niche in this exciting field. The WWF has two programmes specifically focused on promoting careers in the environmental sector. Firstly, through the Green Career Guidance programme,
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staff engages with university based students and help to guide them with focused career materials developed to inform upcoming leaders about the scares and diverse skills needed from all fields of study. This programme then offers creative and innovative new graduates an internship opportunity that supports their transition from theoretical learning into the practical working world. In their interaction with other interns, different job descriptions and exposure to the dynamic growth opportunities within this space, interns are equipped to develop their own career vision for their future. Each intern is then matched with a dedicated mentor in areas of work related to their academic backgrounds and career interests. What makes this such a unique opportunity in the environmental career search is that diversity is a key feature of the programme. Interns enter into the programme from various geographic backgrounds, selected from across the 23 universities and various academic fields such as agriculture, economics and management, engineering, law, natural and social sciences. The second programme is specifically focused on students with a masters degree. In this internship programme, graduates are placed with internal programmes or partner organisations for an 18 month internship. Each graduate works with a dedicated mentor and is exposed to the nuts and bolts of particular fields of work. Through this they are facilitated to build strong networks and strategically plan their career ahead. An exciting third programme is also in the pipeline! Planning is in process to launch the Research Fellowship Programme in the new academic year. Here a valuable opportunity will be presented to masters and honours level students. With a financial award from WWF-SA,
students will engage with research related to the environmental work of WWF-SA and so be drawn more closely through their research into particular communities of practice. This will not only enable them to forge their learning pathway, but also build network relationships, gain experience and take the first step towards a budding career. Ultimately, the most important criteria that the WWF has for applying for an internship is an interest and commitment to working for the environment. Even with a lot of passion it is often very difficult for graduates to find work and gain experience and that is exactly why the platform that the WWF has created is
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FUTURELEADERS
AUTHOR Grethe Mattheus
so valuable, specifically within the South African context. When applying for an internship they actually prefer that you do not have formal work experience as the Green Career Guidance programme specifically is aimed at supporting the transition from learning into work. If you are still a student, take this time to expose yourself to the broad range of opportunities on offer to get involved or volunteer. Getting as wide a variety of input while your are still studying will add invaluable insight for future career decisions. Check out www.wwf.org.za/act_now/ to see all the fun ways in which you can start building your environmental knowledge now! So whether you are an existing or aspiring professional in Engineering, Strategy, Economics, Social Sciences, Law, HR, Communication, Conservation Science, Marketing or Agriculture there is great space for your skills to add value in the environmental sector, start today on your path to success. A special thanks to Dr. Glenda Raven; Senior Manager: Environmental Leaders Programme WWF-SA. Additional research taken from WWF 2013 Review: South Africa’s Graduate Development Programme for Emerging Environmental Leaders and www.wwf.org.za
GREENPOP ZAMBIA FESTIVAL
FOR ACTION 2015
Get your hands dirty with new found friends from around the world for the Greenpop Zambia Festival of Action 2015! Zambia has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world and it is estimated that the country loses over 250 000 to 300 000 hectares of forest per year. Through this fun filled adventure you will be able to help plant thousands of trees and build on the foundation that previous years’ hard work established. So far the work includes: 11 176 trees planted; 97 planting days; 24 sustainability workshops; seven educational wall murals; 50 handmade solar cookers; >10 handmade rocket stoves; 74 Tree Tuesday radio shows 48 schools; five community farms; one reforestation site; over 500 passionate planters from Zambia and around the world! Greenpop believes in (re)connecting people with the planet through actively working towards a sustainable future. This includes a holistic approach of planting trees, building with eco-bricks, brightening schools with murals, growing food forests, hosting sustainability workshops and celebrating with live music. This year there are various options for joining the adventure. So whether you are still at school, a university student or working full time this is how to join this purposeful journey: Schools Programme (28 June to 5 July) Festival of Action Week 1 (5 July – 12 July) Festival of Action Week 2 (12 July – 19 July) Festival of Action Both Weeks (5 July to 19 July) Knowing that money does not grow on trees, Greenpop has thought of creative ways to allow as many treevolutionists as possible to join. If you are a student can can get 10% discount with your student card. You can also join the Trees for Fees programme and ask your friends and family to sponsor trees through your own online activist page, pack your backpack and join for free! If you raise 80 trees you can attend the first or second week free of charge and 150 trees raised will allow you to attend both weeks for mahala. There are no excuses to ignore this call to action, so visit the official website or email zambia@greenpop.org for more details and prices.
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ECOSPORT
HIGH CLIMBERS To be blunt and punny – the state of climbing in South Africa is rocking. Since the ivory gates of apartheid toppled this country has played host to a number of the world’s finest climbers, all of whom have been suitably impressed with the sheer abundance of quality rock, awesome settings and infrastructure to service the climbing areas. BY Warren Mayers
T
eaming up with South Africa’s best climbers the visitors and their influence have led to new projects and new routes springing up as climbers unite to share knowledge and add impetus to the growth of this gripping sporting hobby. Table Mountain, the birthplace of mountaineering in South Africa, is the first band; up to 1000 meters high and is the base of the sandstone in the Cape super-group that stretches for thousands of kilometers. It is solidly compressed under its own sheer weight when it was six times higher and laid down under an ancient sea somewhere in Gondwanaland. The rock has lots of vertical cracks, and seams and horizontal decompression rails making it a gear friendly and traditional climber’s paradise. There are over a thousand routes on Table Mountain peninsula that cater for the beginner to the most hard core traditional climber who won’t stop at a challenge. It also boasts some fine sport lines across the grades in really tranquil settings. Take for example Silvermine and the reservoir and the Hole above Muizemberg. There is even some good bouldering to be done in Red Hill, Kalk bay and Newlands forest. When the city gets on your nerves sport climbers can head to Montagu
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which is the mainstay of sport climbing for Cape Town, as is Hell Fire although it remains a quiet crag while boasting some of the most full on single and multi pitch sport climbing in as wild a setting as you can get. I’ve been there a few times and only ever seen one other party, but lots of leopard scat, black eagles and buzzards. The Cedarberg is also climber’s paradise with some of the most quartzitic frictiony rock you could ever hope for necessitating days off that can be whiled away in the streams, fly fishing, kloofing, or looking at rock paintings. There is a serious amateur hobbyist observatory with three powerful telescopes to captivate star gazers but if it’s the climbing you are aiming for you I’ll tell you this: “You don’t have enough time.” Spoilt for choice I’d say and you have not even begun to explore the world class quality routes on Tafelberg, Wolfberg, and the grand daddy Groot Krakadou (for the brave experienced climbers only!) In the Cape pretty much everywhere you turn there are mountains and therefore there is climbing. Along the N2 highway one encounters formidable mega mountains like the Du Toits Kloof and its many routes; hard bold lines put up by hard men back in the day.
Cameron’s ridge, Exposure in F Major, Rigoletto, Fledemaus all make for huge days out, if you are lucky. The Sabre deep ridge in the Du Toits Kloof took my climbing partner and myself 14 hours non- stop. We made a navigational error in the kloof and got punished with an uphill back track. Even further along the national road Ben Heatlie stands tall and lords over them all with her red sandstone face sniggering at me as I drive past because she defeated me back in the day. We had strayed off route, I was a greenhorn then, my gut said “stop stop stop, you gonna die,” but I didn’t and instead abseiled off the challenging anchors ( I actually removed myself from the anchor when my partner weighted it because it looked so bad). I learned a lot that day about big mountains and how nasty they can get for the unitiated. There are even bigger mountains over towards Ceres; the mighty Milner waits there for any takers and beyond that The Great Witzenberg Slabs between Tulbach and Ceres. From the knife edge on top of The Great Witzenberg one can see The Groot Winterhoek and the pup and the lonely multi pitch, multi day traditionl lines that bisect the main face. Oceans of Fear is an apt name!
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ENERGY
RENEWABLE
ENERGY UPDATE
BY Melissa Baird
The rise of renewable energy in SA - reasons to celebrate The DOE has announced an expanded renewables allocation which will see the accelerated deployment of large scale renewables in SA. In addition to the 4000MW allocated and being built from Rounds 1-3, and the announced 1121MW successful bidders in Round 4, there could be up to 1200MW of additional allocation to competitive but unsuccessful Round 4 projects. In addition, another 1800MW is to be allocated in Round 4.5 which is open to all qualifying but unsuccessful bidders from rounds 1-4. 6300MW will also be allocated beyond Round 5, accelerating South Africa’s renewable energy transition. This is the solution to address the energy supply shortfall. As electricity tariffs will continue to rise the cost of renewable will fall with wind energy (ave price R0.62/kWh) well below average Eskom prices and solar PV (ave price R0.79/ kWh) fast approaching parity. This makes renewable energy the lowest cost sources of new power generation in South Africa with transparent costs for the full life of the equipment and no carbon emissions to boot The City of Cape Town has recently put rules in place for customers to install grid-connected solar PV systems, and a tariff for purchasing excess power from consumers. This is a very positive first step that allows customers the option of making a positive contribution to the power crisis and shifting to a low carbon future (not to mention fixing their electricity costs for the next 20 years. Let’s see how other metropolitan municipalities respond. www.energy.org.za/reipppp/175-reipppwindow-4-preferred-bidders
Fossil free update The world’s fossil fuel companies are planning to burn far more fossil fuels than the global climate system can safely absorb, and they buy politicians and corrupt democracies to stop governments taking proper action to prevent climate change. Global activism to divest from fossil fuel companies is gaining traction and a leading media voice that is taking up this call to action is The Guardian newspaper in the UK and they are joined by over thirty universities, hundreds of cities and foundations such as 350.org. Fossil Free South Africa is promoting the global divestment campaign in South Africa and they have persuaded the University of Cape Town to start seriously considering divestment and have begun conversations with investment managers to start offering fossil-free pension and other investment funds. It’s not enough to green our homes – we have to green our finances too. www.fossilfreesa.org.za for news and information
The climate reality project launches global campaign to call for a strong emissions reductions agreement in Paris The Climate Reality Project announced its Road to Paris campaign that will bring together citizens, business leaders, non-profit organisations, and NGOs to galvanize climate action and encourage countries at December’s COP 21 conference in Paris to sign a strong emissions reductions agreement with the long-term goal of net zero carbon emissions. Public support is paramount in this campaign and citizens from South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Philippines and the United States are being urged to add their voice to a petition to show they know what needs to be agreed upon during the next round of climate negotiations. Essentially we want 40% renewable energy by 2030 although in South Africa, due to the current energy crises, having a hybrid source of energy will need to be put into effect a lot earlier than that. For more information please contact climate@trees.org.za and see www.liveearth.org or visit www.climatereality.co.za/road-to-paris/
Robben Island powered by the sun South Africa’s Robben Island, the prison of our beloved Madiba for so many years, will get its energy from the sun according to Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom. This initiative is part of a pilot program to that will see the roll out of solar power nationally to power South Africa’s botanical gardens, national parks, and world heritage sites. The program is part of the R180-million Tourism Incentive Program, aimed at developing tourism attractions.
Solar Lights take education to new heights According to the largest distributor of solar lights in Africa the total number of people now reaping the benefits of solar light is estimated at around 50 million. However despite the massive reach more than a billion people are still using kerosene lamps that are a major cause of fires and respiratory illnesses. It is also costly so switching to solar lamps makes much more sense.
The Benefits of Replacing Kerosene Lamps with Solar Lights Replacing kerosene lamps with solar lights not only prevents health problems it also is a safe and worry free option to power light so children can use them without any risks of fire, and they can study as long as they need to. The benefits of one solar light include: Improving family time Money saved on energy can be spent on food and clothing Light gives more time for learning Health is improved
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