life in Balance issue 6

life in balance

your monthly green solution to natural & eco-friendly living your free copy

ISSUE 6 Septe mb e r 09 - 1 st b i r t hd ay ed itio n

02

news & innovations life saving bottles, water savi ng, po l i t i ca l pl a nni ng

04

EVENT PREVIEW ro cki ng t he da i si es a nd t i cket gi ve-away

06

design & living ha r vest m o o n, t he r i m of a f r i ca , desi gn wi t h a repur pose

08

travel overberg oasis, tracking the ca pe l eo pa rd

09

food & drink going loca, RAW food reci pes, cof fee cha t

12

products & wellness ba m bo o ba bi es & co l l a gen cures, l i fe coa chi ng

14

art & books art from the ocean, on shelf & screen, events & cl a ssi f i eds

02 news

welcome welcome to the spring edition of life in balance newspaper and wish us a happy birthday as we are officially a year old. our birthday edition sees us welcoming a new distribution partner – seattle coffee company, and our presence at south africa’s hippest, greenest rock festival – rocking the daisies, to be held in darling from the 9-11th October. The water feature brings you information on water purification technology for the home and larger industry, as well as gadgets that help you watch your water consumption. In the design page meet a carpenter who is re-purposing junk into functional furniture and let your imagination roam free in the grandeur of the rim of africa – a new hiking trail set up on the principles of a pilgrimage route. There is an update on the cape leopard trust and, as you have come to expect in every edition of this paper, some juicy give-aways. In the quest for great content for the paper i have been ranging, meeting the creative thinkers who conceptualise the stanford valley freewheeling festival, as well as attending the santam ecocentric Journey and meeting some key players who are actively involved in educating corporates about sustainable changes to their business practises. You will get to read contributions from these specialists in upcoming issues. All in all it feels as if there are some incredibly positive waves out there that are enabling people to consider sustainability as their driving force. But as a law of physics states: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. There are a number of naysayers who believe that it is too late to change and not worth it. We are all worth living a life that contributes to and benefits the whole and it is worse to be a defeatist that an optimist I reckon. What do you think? melissa@lifeinbalance.co.za

our contributors Si Ekin is a life coach whose mission is to help people to do what they say so they get what they want.

Ryan McfadyEn has worked within the health industry for seven years and is passionate about natural alternatives and the quest for good health.

letters letters from our readers keep rolling in.

See what they have to say.

I’ve just come across Life in Balance. It’s great - full of upbeat green info - and beautifully laid out. Thanks. – Katja Abbott I just cannot resist entering all the competitions… quite overboard for a person who never enters any. So delightful to see these kinds of publications. Thank you.

– Christine Malan

big thoughts for the month... it always seems impossible until it’s done. - nelson mandela “change. it has the power to uplift, to heal, to stimulate, surprise, open new doors, bring fresh experience and create excitement in life. certainly it is worth the risk.” - leo buscaglia

turn off that tap Leaving the tap running during teeth brushing consumes nearly 7.5 litres of water. In a family of four brushing twice a day this equates to 60 litres a day – the equivalent of two 5-minute showers!

Publisher: Michael Beatham michael@lifeinbalance.co.za

art director: Elinore de lisle elinore@iafrica.com Production manager: Janine weaver janine@lifeinbalance.co.za 021 481 1836 Printing: ultra litho printer printed using soya based inks on 80 gsm bond paper cover photograph www.istockphoto.com © life in balance is published 10 times a year by green publishing (pty) ltd, 210 on Long Street, Cape Town, South Africa. Tel: 021 481 1836 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the prior written consent of the publishers is strictly prohibited. All prices correct at time of going to press, but subject to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited materials. It is assumed that any images taken from sources which are widely distributed, such as on the Internet, are in the public domain.

However, since such images are passed freely between sources such as websites, the original source is not always possible to trace. It is possible that copyrighted material has ended up being treated as public domain as a result. if you see a graphic or image in this publication which is not public domain please contact Green Publishing.

Please recycle

by michele beatham

Calls to recycle are often accompanied by dire news about the state of our landfills. Not only do they release highly toxic methane gas, landfills are overflowing; we are running out of space for our rubbish.

So it comes as a shock to discover that the world’s largest garbage dump is not to be found on land.

I really enjoy your publication, visually and the content! – Blue de Gersigny

Sandy BaRlow studied fine arts, and worked in the magazine industry as a journalist. She and her brother and a friend started Seattle Coffee Company 12 years ago.

assistant editor and subscriptions: Michele Beatham michele@lifeinbalance.co.za

drowning in rubbish

Thanks for the free copy of your paper. I really like the format and the graphics and also the quality of the paper. – Robert de Vos

PatRick SchofiEld, founder of streetwires & winner of the ernst & young/schwab social Entrepreneur of South Africa 2008/09.

editor: Melissa Baird melissa@lifeinbalance.co.za

talking garbage

winners

in every issue we give you fantastic opportunities to win fabulous prizes. these are our lucky winners from the last issue: african organics Hamper – kiara sharp africology Hamper – lara Husted badger balms – gail ecksteen, vicky Mcgrath Jack black beer – stanley van den Heever Xocai chocolate – natalie Morris soylights – Jane Mort, bonnie friedman, vicky Mcgrath ‘going green’ book – Mrs e van der want, priscilla Johnston, christine Malan puro coffee – bianca benjamin, gail ecksteen, lara Husted, Jane Mort ‘cakes to celebrate life and love’ book – paula Maughan, shireen pharo

thankS to ouR diStRiBution PaRtnERS...

In the North Pacific Ocean lies an area roughly twice the size of Texas, although some estimates put it anywhere between 700 000km2 and 15million km2. Spread over this vast area is what is called ‘The Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ and it’s almost certainly not the only one. In fact, researchers expect to find even larger ones in the southern hemisphere.

First noted by ocean researcher Charles Moore over a decade ago while competing in the Transpac sailing race, it’s only in August this year that scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego

undertook a fact finding expedition.

The results were not pretty.

The area contains over 3.5 million tons of debris – some put it a lot higher – ranging from thumb nail-sized pellets to large abandoned fishing nets.

But the bulk of the debris is plastic; on average between 60% and 80%, although in some areas it makes up 95%. These plastics entangle marine life, turn up in the bellies of fish and kill hundreds of thousands of marine mammals each year. And while some may rush to blame passing ships, it is estimated that 80% of the debris is from a land-based source. Either way, every piece is there because of humans.

In an age where plastic can be recycled into anything from garden furniture to bridges strong enough to support army tanks, as a newly-built bridge at the Fort Bragg Army Base in the US proves (the first all-plastic bridge was constructed in 2003), we no longer have an excuse to do nothing.

And we have far too many reasons to do something – starting now.

subscribe! we give you the paper free of charge via our distribution partners and if all the copies are gone you can read it online at www.lifeinbalance.co.za. should you wish to receive a personal copy then please email janine@lifeinbalance.co.za. all you will be asked to do is pay for the postage costs to get it to you.

news & innovations 03

news & innovations

city council ‘leeds’ the way

earlier this year, leeds city council cut by half all bottled water points in its offices and was looking to make further cuts. Staff members now use a glass brought from home or recyclable cups and drink tap water. the council claims it is saving more than £30 000 but says the decision was not solely financial, that the environmental factor is important and it was important they do everything possible to reduce waste.

makes murky and potentially deadly water clean in just seconds. even better, a single, longlasting filter can clean 6 000 litres of water.

Read more or watch Michael’s presentation at www.lifesaver systems.com

meat-free thursdays

banKing on glass

the glass recycling company, the national body responsible for increasing the recovery of waste glass for recycling has rolled out 700 new and improved glass banks. The redesigned banks have been installed at strategic sites throughout the country. An additional 120 will be installed in the upcoming months. These banks are in addition to the 550 banks already being utilised. While 204 00 tons of glass are recycled annually, a 38% increase since 2006, 550 000 tons still end up in landfills.

Make a difference – bank your glass. www.theglassrecyclingcompany.co.za

if only one person opted for one meatfree meal a week, they’d save 1 133kg of greenhouse gas emissions, 223m2 of land and a whopping 503 459 litres of water, and city workers in ghent, a flemish town near brussels, have opted to do just this; thursdays have been declared meatless days and even city-financed schools will offer a vegetarian menu every Thursday.

it taKes a village

a little town 90 miles southwest of sydney voted in July to ban bottled water in order to reduce emissions associated with bottling and transporting water. Of the 400 residents of bundanoon who turned up to vote, only two cast dissenting votes. free water fountains are to be installed to replace the bottled water.

the 5 000 city personnel received a free veggie city street map, a free vegetarian cooking brochure for professionals was sent to all 1 500 restaurants and cooking lessons for both professionals and individuals was offered. this single, simple act not only improves the health of citizens but cuts their greenhouse gas emissions by 18%. life-saving bottles

in the aftermaths of the asian tsunami and hurricane katrina, engineer Michael pritchard watched helplessly as survivors waited for days for a simple drink of water. the failure of aid agencies to surmount this basic challenge forced him to act. the lifesaver bottle may look like an ordinary sports bottle, but it hides an extremely advanced filtration system that

planning needs to be MatcHed by political will by lance greyling, mP t last few weeks the have seen the promulgation of the long awaited green paper on the national planning commission which will be headed up by the Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel.

As announced at the briefing, this Ministry will concern itself with longer term issues by formulating plans that look fifteen years into the future. from an environmental perspective this is a welcome development, as environmental issues have always tended to be dealt with in a reactive way rather than being considered as a pivotal determinant of our country’s long term future. It was also welcome to hear the Minister refer to natural resource constraints such as water availability as special issues which his Ministry will attempt to grapple with. although this Ministry currently exhibits some promise of ushering in a new era of planning for sustainable development it remains to be seen whether the current unsustainable plans of different government departments will be chal-

lenged. In particular, Eskom is currently making decisions that will lock us into a highly polluting energy future for the next forty years regardless of what plans this new Ministry might come up with in the future. It is also disappointing to see that eskom has used its present financial woes as another excuse to simply jettison any plans that it did have for wind or solar power. the proposed concentrated solar thermal power station in upington has been on the drawing board for ten years and eskom’s board has simply refused to put the money towards it. the new renewable energy feed-in tariffs are also being jeapordised by eskom refusing to sign power purchase agreements unless they are compensated for the extra expenditure. it is therefore clear that south africa requires both planning and the political will to take on entrenched interests if we are going to truly build a sustainable future for our country. lance is chief whip of the parliamentary caucus and the national Policy convenor. Email: lance@id.org.za

namibia’s water shortage solution

namibia’s water shortages are so severe that alternative water sources are vital and seawater desalination is seen as the number one solution for providing water to mines, and offering citizens at least some relief from the near-drought conditions in certain areas. the desalination plant, to be built 30km north of swakopmund for the combined areva/uramin namibia uranium exploration project, should be completed by the end of the year. south african-based company, superwatt, will install four generators to provide independent electricity to the plant in the form of a 6MVA synchronised system. once the mine has been connected to nampower, one generator will remain as back-up and three will be relocated to the mine itself.

corporate Heroes

Big brands starting to do their bit and making changes towards ethical practices. avis saves

as a result of a r1,9 million investment in its water recycling programme at its three main depots, avis estimates that they will save just under 100 million litres of water per annum. The project is just one of many undertaken at avis, under the avis cares umbrella, which incorporates a 3-pillar (environment, community and people) sustainability approach to its business practice. fishing alliance

the 2nd september 2009 saw stakeholders across the fishing industry commit to working together to secure the future of seafood and marine ecosystems. WWF south africa, together with i&J, oceana, sea Harvest and viking, launched the responsible fisheries alliance (rfa), the first alliance of its kind in the history of South African marine conservation. water neutral beer

98.3% of the 155 litres of water it takes to produce 1 litre of beer is associated with crop cultivation and sab ltd & wwf are working with farmers to improve irrigation and yields. Also, SAB and Working for water recently launched what is apparently the world’s first fully quantitative water neutral scheme, which allows sab to monitor and reduce its operational consumption and offset the residual in projects that clear alien vegetation, thus releasing equivalent quantities of water back into natural aquatic ecosystems.

04 events EvEnt PREviEw RockinG thE daiSiES

play hard, tread lightly

the life in balance team will be heading up to the coolest, greenest rock festival of 2009. The line up is the who’s who of south african rock music and with three days of solid band action, amazing dJ’s and comedy lined up you better get your party boots on and head to darling in the cape, darling. Quieter pursuits will include art fields and a show case green village as well as chill lounges and some tasty restaurants to fill up on. last year’s event brought some hectic challenges to the organisers who had to learn some serious lessons about water and the distribution of it, while trying to show everyone who attended that they were firm in their intention of creating a show case, green event and did everything possible to make sure the event only left a dent on your brain and not the earth. This is how they did it:

• 20 tons (150m3) of waste was collected.

• 19.32 tons was recycled.

This included: 9 tons of tin, 1.2 tons of pet (plastic bottles and the like), 420kg of cardboard, 8.7 tons of glass other green initiatives included: • A “conscious cinema” which screened films and documentaries covering environmental and social issues • The conscious cinema and Hemporium stall was powered using wind and solar power and all lighting show-cased the latest in led technology • Green power in the form of bio-diesel generators powered most of the festival • All bio-diesel was produced prior to the festival from used vegetable oil collected from participating festival restaurants • 100% biodegradable soaps and shampoos were supplied to all festival goers in the showers and festival restaurants • All festival merchandise was produced from environment-friendly hemp fabric • All tickets were printed on 100% hemp paper • All posters and flyers were printed on fully recycled paper • The festival magazine was printed on sappi triple green paper

levi’s® recycled jeans

this year levi’s® will be launching their new recyled Jeans campaign at rocking the daisies, in collaboration with word of art they will also be creating a pop up store at the festival to promote the idea of repurposing old, unused materials into stylish, fashionable items. There will also be a promotion running through levi’s stores and at the festival, that encourages people to bring in any pair of old jeans and receive a discount on a new pair of levi’s® Jeans, the collected jeans will then be donated to the under privileged Swartland community.

• Participating restaurants used 100% biodegradable food packaging • 39 cyclists participated in an official carbon neutral cycle trip, which gave them a 50% discount on the ticket and raised awareness about green transport as well as contributing to reducing the festivals’ carbon footprint.

• Two festival goers literally “walked the distance” and walked to Rocking the daisies, further creating awareness of the natural flora up the west coast and reducing carbon footprints.

• Overall the biggest achievement was the awareness created through all of these initiatives combined and what lasting positive long-term effects can be created.

2009’s exciting initiatives: green transPort

there are a number of different initiatives to encourage people to use alternative ‘greener’ methods of getting to the festival: • I Cycled to Daisies – gives cyclists a 50%

discount on festival tickets if they join the initiative and cycle to the venue.

• Walking the Daisies – a similar concept encourages people to join a media focused walk to the festival, this year renowned journalist evan Milton will be joining the walk as well as anna shevel of Global Carbon Exchange. All walkers are awarded a free festival ticket.

• Green Shuttle – in conjunction with Cape extreme, rtd have established pick up points to offer people festival packages that include shuttle services, a festival ticket and camping facilities. This saves the hassle of driving and parking and helps decrease the number of cars driven. this event is held on 9-11 october at cloof wine Estate in darling. SMS ‘daisies’ to 32424 (SMS’s cost R1) to receive the link to the waP site for festival line-up, tracks, videos and other nice stuff. www.rockingthedaisies.com

2008 environmental and social resPonsibilities

• To offset the carbon footprint of the festival 250 trees were planted in the developing community of koringberg, in the Swartland District. This community was most in need of greening and upliftment initiatives.

The quesT for perfecT, living waTer “When water and salt in their exceptional, pristine forms unite, an entirely new dimension is created: a higher form of energy with a natural ability to balance the energy levels of the body” – Dr Barbara Hendel in her book Water and Salt, The Essence of Life Welcome to the world of Happy Water - a concentrated solution of Himalayan Crystal Salt in ultra-purified water that has been re-energized and re-vitalized to create structured or living water.

It’s a return to the pristine, life-giving essence that flowed through ancient rivers and glaciers long before Man began to wreak havoc on the planet’s fragile resources.

Just a few drops of Happy Water will imbue your water with the vibrational energies and elemental balance of living water.

We are what we drink

The human body is 70% water. You could say we are water. And we are, truly, what we drink.

From a narrow bio-chemical view, water is just hydrogen and oxygen clumped together. But, seen from a holistic health and bio-physical perspective, there’s much more to water than just H20.

Living water resonates with energy from the sun, revealing exquisite crystalline structures reflecting its energy and vitality. Living water is saturated with oxygen and contains a wide variety of minerals and trace elements.

Water that is pure, energized, oxygen- and mineral-rich can play a vital role in protecting and promoting one’s health through: • Improved hydration and restoring of the body’s mineral balance • More efficient transport of nutrients and oxygen directly into the cells • Faster intra- and extra-cellular detoxification and removal of waste products It’s the very stuff of life, and Happy Water has been created to make it easy for you to make living water part of your daily life.

The Structure of Living Water

The science and philosophy behind Happy Water has been inspired by the visionary work of researchers such as Viktor Shauberger and Dr Masaru Emoto whose research reveals that while pristine water produces harmonious, structured crystal hexagons, polluted, lifeless water produces deformed shapes. Water purified by reverse osmosis or distillation has virtually no crystalline structure – we call it sad, hungry water; its natural vibrational frequency has been destroyed.

Happy Water rebuilds that structure and turns lifeless water into living water. It is the result of a multi-faceted purification and enrichment process that truly simulates and consistently duplicates the formation of living water by Nature. It re-vitalizes, re-oxygenates and reenergizes sad, lifeless water, and then re-

mineralizes it with over 80 minerals and trace elements, imbuing it with the life-giving vibrational energies and mineral balance of structured, living water.

Happy Water is sold as a concentrated solution that you add to purified water (you can use filtered water, reverse osmosis or distilled water).

Bottled purified water can also be used.

A 50ml bottle of Happy Water will make approximately 50 litres of living water.

Sold at leading health stores or online at www.healthmatrix.co.za at the recommended retail price of R85. To find out more about Happy Water visit www.happywater.co.za Inquiries: (011) 615 9233.

06 design

‘tjuning’ the world

hot chilling

Social change through design

Weyers Marais Design

repurposing Weyers has the drive of a man with a divine mission. He works with throw away wood to create solid furniture that is beautiful and functional. This is how he does it.

“I go to fruit packers around Cape Town and collect the wood from their broken crates and pallets which they would otherwise send to the dumps to be burnt. I bring the wood home, which is where I work from, in a small workshop in my backyard, and remove all nails, staples and screws from the wood. I also clean excess dirt off the wood before I start cutting the wood to size for specific jobs. Once products have been completed, I varnish them with a European-Union-approved waterbased decking sealer to protect the wood and guarantee the products’ longevity.

During production, I bring in young, unskilled people to come and help me with the work. Although I pay them for the work they do, the main focus of this exercise is to facilitate skills training that will empower people who in turn can serve their community. To date I have had two different guys come work for me; they left inspired and eager to return and learn more.

At the moment my work can be seen at Kwalapa, an organic deli at Montebello in Newlands. Much of my other work has been for private clients, but I shall soon be updating my website to feature the bespoke work I have done with the pallet wood. www.wmd.co.za

Experimental Design, an international, month long biennale of design, architecture and contemporary culture held in Lisbon and Amsterdam, is a month of exhibitions, urban interventions, debates and lectures.

The Design Indaba is presenting the creative case study of South Africa in exhibition and debate format at the Lisbon expo, the theme of which is, ‘It’s about time’. In September, Ravi Naidoo, along with designers Gaby de Abrey, Nathan Reddy and Nkhensani Nkosi examined what the world can learn from South Africa’s 14-year revolution.

Design Indaba is also participating in the Timeless exhibition from 11 September to 8 November, with work from the SOUTH exhibition launched at the Design Indaba Expo earlier this year, presenting a snapshot of South Africa’s evolving creativity since democracy in 1994, the varied challenges of socio-economic issues such as housing, HIV and access to water, where less is the reality and how design can be used to create a better future. www.designindaba.com/projects/south

Ikoi is a Japanese word that means ‘relaxation with family’, ‘living a life of ease’ or ‘slowing down’. The Ikoi BBQ, a unique new South African product, epitomises all three and is set to change they way we view the ‘traditional’ braai.

An innovative, patented, stainless steel, gas-operated BBQ is set into tables beautifully crafted from eucalyptus harvested from sustainable forests.

Food is cooked over volcanic rock and state-of-the-art grids. Features include autoignite burners, a fail-safe device and removable drip trays, and each bar of the grid can be individually removed to make cleaning a breeze – just pop them into the dishwasher!

The larger sizes offer an open-flame burner, ideal for a quick stir-fry, al fresco brunch or to keep food warm.

Various sizes are available: a gorgeous 4-seater, ideal for apartments and small townhouse gardens (on my wish list); a 4-seater bar top; a 6 – 8-seater, as well as the Teppenyaki – a popular style of Japanese cooking. Ikoi will also custom make to suit individual needs.

Matching chairs and tables are available in a choice of finishes.

Western Cape readers can see the Ikoi BBQ at the Outdoor Expo in Franschhoek between 2 & 4 October.

Contact 021 709 0499 or 082 898 2235, email sales@ikoi.co.za or visit www.ikoibbq.co.za

by the light of the moon and bark intact, gravity helps the tree pull the last traces of sap to its branches.

This ancient method of preserving timber has numerous benefits. Lack of sap prevents infestation by insects and fungus, as well as cracking, splitting and warping. No poisons or kiln drying are required and working with dryer wood means less diesel, resulting in a lower carbon footprint, all of which result in a superior quality wood.

Helderberg Nature Reserve: 021 851 6982 Eco Design Architects & Consultants: 021 462 1614, www.ecodesignarchitects.co.za tree photos: transfer

One of the unique features of a house being built in Stellenbosch by Eco Design Architects and Consultants is the timber - the wood is harvested in the Helderberg Nature Reserve according to the phases of the moon.

Just as the moon affects the tides, so it influences the rise and fall of sap in wood.

Timber is cut when the sap is at its lowest, i.e. three days before the new moon, between the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.

Once cut, the wood is left to dry in the forest for between four and eight weeks with its bark, crown and a few side branches intact.

With the stem propped up and the branches

living 07

green building issues Monaghan Farm is conceived as a sustainable alternative to the ubiquitous golf estate. The property, near Lanseria consists of 530 hectares of rolling hills cut through by the Jukskei River. As something like 80% of households in a golf estate don’t regularly use the golf course it made sense to the developers to attempt to create an alternative development model for the homeowner who sought safety and space but perhaps found the economics and the environmental and social values of the typical golf estate to be reprehensible.

The property has three hectares of organic vegetables, herbs and cut flowers which will be sold in the Monaghan Farm Deli. A herd of Nguni cattle assist with grazing the 400 hectares of open ground. The earth-coloured, single- storied homes are required to incorporate rainwater harvesting and passive solar into their design. Buildings will cover just 3.5% of the farm when completed.

But how far do these houses go in terms of their green pedigree? “Not far enough” says Prospero Bailey, one of the developers. “Many of our purchasers have bought into the development with a desire to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes but find themselves frustrated by their bank’s reluctance to finance

greener building techniques like cob, sandbag and straw-bale construction.”

Alaistair Armstrong’s Insynch Sustainable Technology’s focuses on educating builders and homeowners about these techniques. He has recently been approached by the NHBRC, the body that is tasked with monitoring quality within the building industry, who appear to be moving in on greener building methods.

He is hopeful that their support will lead to greater general acceptance of the technology.

Luigi Ferro of Eco Dream Homes has been talking to a British bank that is financing the construction of 600 sand bag homes in North Riding, Gauteng. He has also approached Standard Bank in the hopes of achieving a 1/5 interest free portion to loans on houses built with sandbags. The idea is that they will then be able to trade the significant carbon savings on the carbon credit market.

Perhaps the reluctance by the banks to finance what are SABS approved building systems has more to do with their general credit malaise. It is vital for pressure to be applied by the likes of Monaghan Farm, in order to shift thinking away from the conventional cement hungry construction methods. www. monaghanfarm.co.za

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Romantic Honeymoon

rim of africa photos: Peter Corbett & Graham Robinson

ON BOARD THE PRIDE OF AFRICA

Recapture the romance and atmosphere of a bygone era, when privileged travellers experienced the magic and mystery of Africa in a relaxed and elegant fashion. In a series of train journeys lasting from 24 hours to a fortnight, the Pride of Africa links some of Africa’s greatest destinations.

TEL: (+27-12) 315 8242 FAX: (+27-12) 323 0843 reservations@rovos.co.za www.rovos.com

Composite

exploring the Rim of Africa The Rim of Africa Mountain Passage is a walk that celebrates living on a grand scale, stretching over 700km from Pakhuis Pass in the Northern Cederberg to the beginning of the Outeniqua’s on the Eastern extremity of the Langeberg. A walk of no ordinary proportions, the Rim of Africa, modelled in part on other long distance walking experiences around the globe, such as Santiago de Compostela in Europe and the Appalachian Trail in the US, combines the exposure to wilderness, African mysticism and the rhythmical, physical exertion of walking to provide a magical experience and a marker in the celebration of life’s path.

The route that the Rim of Africa has chosen, a corridor of high rock results in one of the most dramatic changes in the South African landscape, a geology deeply expressed in its flora and fauna. This is the great divide, the water shed between the wetlands and dry lands, the lush, green pastures of the dairy and wheat industry and the parched, tough lands of the sheep farmers. You walk along the cutting edge of two completely different ecological zones, namely the Succulent Karoo and Fynbos Biomes. The water harvested by these mountains has played a critical role in the settlement patterns we have chosen over hundreds, if not thousands of years, remaining key to our continued existence in both the urban and rural contexts to which we have grown accustomed. These mountains have supported a rich and beautiful tapestry of events. They are a repository of cultural and biological history and, although in some cases threatened by various forms of development, remain intact as a vast wilderness.

A striking characteristic has been that water flows crystal clear down the Northern slopes and a rich-tanned water runs down the Southern slopes. This puzzling circumstance was cleared up when you realise that the quality of vegetation on either side is dramatically different, and so intravenously releases two different sets of chemical cocktails into these veins of life.

Access to water generated by the mountains is central to the daily routine of the walker. It informs the route, the stops and the water carrying capacity of every individual. There are sections of this journey where so much water abounds that you need to swim with all that you have. There are other sections, however, that require a walker to carry as much as three days worth of water, in the hope that meager offerings are found in the weatherand time-carved sand stone troughs high on the barren, awe inspiring ridges.

The next walk is between the 14 and 25 October 2009 and over a period of ten days will cover approximately 120km traversing the entire Cedarberg, Hexberg and the Northern part of the Skurweberg.

For further information, please email Ivan Groenhof at ivan@rimofafrica.co.za or visit www.rimofafrica.co.za.

08 travel

giant leap for leopards By melissa baird

end of this year. Leopards have large home ranges which are generally exclusive. Home ranges of up to 1000km2 for a male suggest removal of leopards due to farmer predator conflict and results in serious ecological repercussions. It is clear from the CLT work conducted to-date that killing or relocating leopards perpetuates farmer problems, possibly making it worse. These studies have included using modern tracking technology such as GPS collars. Once a leopard is fitted with a GPS collar they can study the range and activity of each animal. The conditions in the Cederberg are extreme so one can only imagine how dexterous and clever they have to be to survive in these regions. Each collar costs between R30k & R40k and is imported from Germany. I remember walking with Quinton in the Cederberg, soon after the project began and how we stalked through the mountains for over five hours until we got to the trap that was set. It was empty but he had a trick to get the leopards interested in the cage and that was to spray a particular brand of male eau de cologne onto it. It worked like a charm and Houdini, an adult male leopard, was soon collared and tracked. Before the GPS systems Quinton walked and walked and walked to track these exquisite creatures and now it seems other animals are also coming to the party – so to speak. Leopards are captured beautifully on film but so are several other fabulously elusive creatures, from honey badgers and porcupines to caracals, aardwolf and even a fish eagle in full hunting swoop.

Hilariously the baboons have been caught staring straight into the camera and after finding no-one responding giving it a good whack.

You can be a citizen scientist and contribute to the project. To assist will help continue the financing of this endeavour that was born out of one man’s passion and vision to protect and study the animals he lives and breathes with on a daily basis.

Visit www.capeleopard.org

overberg oasis Situated between Stanford and Cape Agulhas amidst the awe-inspiring beauty of the richest floral biome in the world – the Cape Floral Kingdom – is an 800-hectare reserve and retreat offering sweeping views over the Agulhas Plains towards the Southern Cape coastline.

Farm 215 is a haven of tranquillity for anyone seeking respite in a part of the Overberg almost untouched by man. This sustainable operation, certified by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa, places the integrity of the natural ecosystem first, with all practices aimed at state of the environment

win

with African Carbon Trust & Two Oceans Aquarium

The way we live threatens the environment every day. So much so that it is hard to tell how huge our impact really is. To get a bet-

keeping the human footprint at its lowest. It is a vital sanctuary for both rare and common plant species and a haven for wildlife.

Guesthouse operations take this into account and all new buildings blend into the landscape. Solar power and water heating predominate, with backup provided by gas.

Only bio-degradable detergents are used, and waste water is filtered without chemicals and rerouted back to the stream that originates in the mountain catchments where the guesthouse water is sourced. All waste is separated: glass, paper, plastic and cans are recycled, as is organic matter. Even the beautiful 25m-pool gets the non-chemical treatment and is filtered by means of sand and salt.

But this doesn’t mean that accommodation is either lacking or ‘primitive’. Three types of luxury, 4-star accommodation are offered: three freestanding suites, two spacious rooms on the first floor of the homestead or a large suite on the ground floor.

While seemingly remote, the regions offers a host of activities for the more energetic tourist. Various hiking trails, as well as guided botanical walks, are available. The African Horse Company, situated on the farm, offers a variety of horse rides - in the mountains or on pristine beaches. During season, whale-watching or shark spotting is a short drive away, as are numerous sandy beaches that are home to African penguins and other sea-birds.

For more information on Farm 215 and the surrounding region visit www.farm215.co.za or call 028 388 0920. ter idea, Two Oceans Aquarium will document your stories in an exhibition. More importantly, they’ll get to know about the problems and work at getting the right people to work on solving the problems.

So send in your story – whether video, picture, letter or evidence – of how South Africa’s environment is being damaged, what problems need to be fixed… and win some cool green prizes.

First prize is a weekend for two in a luxury suite at Spier Wine Estate and diving with a shark at Two Oceans Aquarium, as well as a host of wonderful runner-up prizes.

Visit, www.africancarbontrust.org.

Entries close 15 October!

leopard photos courtesy cape leopard trust

The Cape Leopard Trust has been in operation since 2004 and the incredible determination and persistence of Quinton Martins and a varied team of specialists and volunteers have enabled this project to grow from strength to strength. The Cape Leopard Trust is based in the Cederberg Mountains in the Cape, has projects in the Gouritz Corridor and Namaquland and will now be extending its range to include that of the Boland Mountains surrounding Cape Town (Limietsburg, Koggelberg, Hottentots Holland and Groot Winterhoek Mountains). Cape Nature will be aiding the project as the CLT begins to place camera traps around the mountains to see how many leopards there are. Quinton says Cape leopards are very hard too see as they are very shy. Most farmers living in areas where leopards exist have never encountered one in the wild before. Leopards are easily anthropomorphized yet this anthropomorphism can serve to educate about the environment as a whole. Magnificent, elusive, majestic are adjectives easily associated to Mother Nature and the leopard embodies them. There are four aspects to the Cape Leopard Trusts work: conservation, research, education, and tourism. The surrounding community is a natural benefactor from all these endeavours.

Quinton’s wife, Elizabeth runs the children’s wilderness programme. The Cape Leopard weighs half that of the leopards found in the more northern bush regions and work conducted by the CLT suggest that genetic differences may also exist. Closure on the genetic status of the Cape leopards is expected at the

food 09 word of the month

locavore Locavore is a word attributed to Californian chef and author, Jessica Prentice, who coined the word for World Environment Day in 2005. The word went on to become The New Oxford American Dictionary’s 2007 word of the year and changed the way millions worldwide eat.

Locavore describes someone who chooses to eat as much food as possible grown or produced within a determined radius from their home. There is no standard measure, and although many locavores do make exceptions (think coffee or spices) they will often ensure at least a reduction in food miles or choose a fair trade product instead.

Why go local?

Fresh is best, and without a doubt improves

taste; for example, salad leaves eaten within days of picking are far superior to the factory washed, packaged, refrigerated and trucked versions that can be brought in from miles away.

Seasonal foods taste better too.

Reduced food miles mean fewer carbon emissions (more when sustainable practices are used), and more local farmers means more green areas.

It strengthens the local economy and reduces unemployment – one of the key factors in reducing crime.

It creates or strengthens community by building relationships with farmers, producers and sellers, and even neighbours – some people go ultra-local and form community gardens.

Visit: www.transitiontowns-africa.org or www.envirochild.co.za or www.100milediet.org, an amusing read of a US couple’s year-long adventure.

going raw - for what?

By Patrick Schofield

nori sesame crackers, sweet potato pesto pastas and apple tarts with mango custards, then start talking, reading, thinking RAW. A great place to begin is with the locally produced book by Peter & Beryl Daniel, Raw’licious – otherwise, online, there are numerous sites out there.

For a taster, something that’ll convince even the burger burping beef eaters that there might be something in it, try these: Cacao Fudge

What a ridiculous notion. Man mastered fire so that we can have hot coffee, grilled steaks and fried chips, plus do a few things with a blow torch. Why on earth would anyone want to spend their lives chopping, dicing, juicing and slicing mounds of fruit and veg? Ask the carrot munchers and there’s a glazed evangelical look that takes over the eyes. The trumpets are out and within five minutes of monologue all disease is eradicated, the forests have returned and there’s a lot of happy animals, if everyone would just start eating RAW. Okay, so each discipline has its flag wavers; from Ferrari fanatics to football freaks, there are going to be those who elevate their beliefs to the heights of the divine. But what of RAW? As humans we’ve been around for a bit, created with digestive systems that run efficiently when they’re fed the stuff they were designed for. I can wax lyrical about how your fingernails grow faster, your hair is more luscious, your skins glows and excess weight drops off but I’d rather just say, quite simply, your system is built for it. For most of us it’s unchartered territory, but if you want to dip in to the world of avocado chocolate mousse,

1 cup raw cacao powder ½ cup Honeywood ½ cup chopped walnuts (or almonds) ½ cup pine nuts ½ cup coconut oil 2 tsp vanilla Mix ingredients well and press into tray or pan.

Refrigerate and once set, cut into slices and serve.

Cauliflower Loaf

3 cups cauliflower, chopped very fine ½ cup macadamia or almond nut butter 2 green onions ½ cup ground sunflower seeds 1-2 tbsp vegetable powder 1-2 tbsp horseradish 1 tsp bay leaves, ground 1 ½ cups celery, diced 1 tsp paprika Add any other herbs to taste, mix with a little mayonnaise to get desired texture.

Form into a loaf. Serve with a curry sauce, dressing or with slices of avocado on or between crisp lettuce leaves.

Download Richard Alan Ross’s RAW recipe book via www.rawforlife.com.

10 coffee & wine

know your beans

Coffee has infiltrated our culture to such an extent that for many of us, we can’t imagine a day without it. It wakes us up, we sit and meet friends over it, we have a quiet moment with it and we sip it at the office as we work.

Coffee as a commodity has influenced world politics, economics and our daily lives for centuries. This is the first of many articles where we will explore some of the history of coffee, some of the myths around coffee and hopefully expose some of the truth about this amazing beverage too.

To begin with, the best way to enjoy coffee, is to brew it freshly. So what does this mean?

Well, it means throw away the instant coffee and pull out the whole bean. Coffee is actually the pip of a cherry that has been harvested and then roasted. The way in which the beans are grown and the way cultivated has a huge impact on the flavour you will experience in the cup.

There are only two types of beans, Robusta (which is a cheaper, less flavourful bean that grows easily in any climate or region) and Arabica, which are more sensitive, grow at higher altitudes and thrive between the tropics. This type of bean is more expensive but yields a far superior flavour to its lesser OSUMO 126 x 182.5 FA 30/9/08 10:28 Page 1 cousin the robusta bean.

by sandy barlow

The cultivation of coffee is important to understand as it is generally grown in third world regions but enjoyed in first world countries. Farms in these regions for years have a legacy of exploitation and poor farming practices as a result. Much of Colombia’s farming fraternity have turned to farming narcotics as they have been unable to sustain the low prices driven down by larger corporations in first world countries. Many farms have simply been abandoned.

For this reason it is of paramount importance that all coffee houses purchase their coffee ethically and ensure that the farms where the coffee is grown are earning a livable income from the money made. First prize is buying from small family run farms (who do not qualify for Fairtrade certification) or from a Fairtrade certified co-op. As a consumer of coffee, one should always know where and how the coffee is farmed and who is benefiting from every cup purchased.

The days of marketing ploys and catchy smokescreens are drawing to a close.

Consumers need to become informed and ask these important questions. Ethical purchasing begins with what kind of coffee we all decide to buy.

divine vines

Reyneke wines lead the way in organic and biodynamic vines Meet Johan Reyneke, creator of succulent wines consistently lauded by international and local judges alike. He is also a philosopher, loves surfing and is an inspiration to farmers to look at the earth in a new way.

some imPortant Pointers:

how did it all begin?

• Avoid buying instant coffee as this is often made from cheap beans purchased in large volumes • Ask for Arabica beans • Ask which farm the beans come from • Find out if it is Fairtrade certified and if not, whether the beans are from a small farm – this information should always be on hand toCMtheMYconsumer.

C M Y CY CMY K

My mom and dad bought the farm in the late 80s while I was still at school. Coming from a farming background my mom ran the farm until my philosophy honours year at university, when I left and worked for a year in the States. Upon my return I got a job in the vineyard before resuming my masters degree and I basically fell in love with the place and everything relating to grapes and wine. how did studying PhilosoPhy lead to you becoming a wine farmer?

what is the current certification reyneKe wines has?

We are certified biodynamic to EU standards and that basically means everything organic with the following additions: 1. We’re moving from sustainability to selfsufficiency (less dependence on outside inputs and lighter carbon footprint than the organic model) 2. We’re using certain herbal preps in homeopathic quantities to foster plant and animal health 3. We’re farming according to natural and cosmic rhythms to improve quality of our produce 4. In addition things are recognised for their inherent (as opposed to commercial) value and this lends a bit more of a spiritual touch to the usual consumerist/materialist approach.

You can order wines directly from the farm. Delivery is free for orders of two or more cases (6 bottles per case). Or email sarna@reynekewines.co.za to find out who stocks the range closest to you. www.reynekewines.co.za

danie nel

My studies were in environmental philosophy and after a while I simply couldn’t carry on using herbicides, pesticides etc. as a daily routine. (To this day I cringe when I drive past a vineyard and see everything going brown in Spring). I started out on small scale, made some serious mistakes and paid my dues for a couple of years before going full out with an organic conversion of the entire farm. Today we have over 40 hectares of vineyards (which includes two neighbouring farms), certified organic and biodynamic, in the heart of Stellenbosch.

Perceptions also change and where a few years ago (almost) everyone thought we were crazy we now have people visiting every week and learning how to make the switch to organics. This is probably the most rewarding part of the journey so far. I’ve just received an email from a farmer in the Free

State whose father has a rare disease which makes him hyper sensitive to the chemicals used in conventional farming, and he wants to come and find out how to make the conversion.

Composite

water special feature 11

treating black water AQUAmax® wastewater treatment plant systems have finally made it to South Africa and the interest shown by the building industry is huge, simply because there is no other system like it available in South Africa.

We all know how water and electricity have become more and more expensive and we have to consider more effective routes to consumption. After we have polluted fresh clean water in our ablutions, the conventional way of getting rid of this ‘black’ water is through our sewerage pipes which lead to municipal main treatment plants. Once the water has been treated it is pumped back into our rivers, lakes and seas and the water disappears.

This wastewater treatment plant system has been installed in more than 30,000 water treatment plants around the world and is able to recycle up to 70% of black water into ‘grey’ water which can be used for irrigation, car washes and toilets.

Imagine not being charged for the treatment of sewerage anymore and being able to re-use so much of the water we literally throw away everyday?

In today’s ever expanding environment and constant building our existing municipal waste water plants find themselves stretched and unable to cope. AQUAmax is therefore the perfect solution because of the fact that waste water is treated on site and the need for costly expansions of city plants and the laying down of extra sewerage pipes becomes unnecessary.

Email hendrikkuhn@hotmail.de or call 082 7373 905

gadgets Eco Shower Drop

improving water quality Whole house filtration systems, the way forward. By Hans Von Kemp What is the cause of the problem?

Most people blame the municipality for the drop in quality of our drinking water and sometimes that might be correct. Most Municipalities however do an excellent job under the current circumstances. Then why is our water not as good as it used to be? The simple reason is that the amount of water available is still the same as it was in the past (rain & well and river water), but the demand for water has grown extensively. The largest part of municipal budgets have been used for the network to supply new developments and little money is left for the replacement of the current systems or new water treatment plants.

The Municipality adds Free Chlorine to the water for disinfection. Chlorine is highly reactive and the amount in the drinking water, when it reaches our taps, is not the same as when it was dosed into the water at the water distribution points. Chlorine forms trichlorophosphate (TCP) and the trihalomethane group (THM) which includes chloroform. These are hazardous and cancer-causing agents. That is why many municipalities in Europe have stopped using Chlorine to sterilize the water and have chosen other alternatives such as UV and/or Ozone sterilization or Ultra filtration.

Another problem to conider is that due to the bad state of most pipe work a lot of maintenance is done to fix burst pipes which enables dirt and bacteria to enter into the municipal systems.

Chlorine does not only enter your body when you drink but it is absorbed into your skin and inhaled into your lungs when you

shower. Conditions contributed to or aggravated by chlorine exposure include: • Respiratory conditions: Asthma, bronchitis • Hair: Dry, brittle • Skin: Dry, flaking, dandruff, itching, rashes, eczema • Eye conditions What is not commonly known is some bacteria is resistant to chlorine and the amount and diversity of bacteria and viruses in the source water is increasing. 95% of our rivers have unacceptable counts of E-Coli, indicating the presence of a whole range of bacteria directly related to sewage. The quality of the source water used by the Municipality’s to make our drinking water is getting worse and the current systems struggles to cope with it.

In SA we use around 150 litres of water a day. Typically, 35% of that is in the bathroom. Showering accounts for about one third of the total water used in the home and this is the fastest growing sector of water use.

Eco Showerdrop shower meter helps you become more aware of how much water you need to shower. It can help to save water and energy. Different flow rates and different showerheads mean that water use varies. This is the world’s first low-cost, universal shower meter. A simple digital display lets you know exactly how much water your shower dispenses through user-friendly graphics. A simple alert tells you when the recommended amount of water has been dispensed. The savings can be substantial in both water and energy. For a family of four that could be thousands of Rands saved on water and energy bills, as well as over 40 000 litres of water and two thirds of a tonne of carbon! There’s no installation, just a very simple set-up, and no tools are required. www.thegreenshop.co.za

A solution

Filter all the water to your house and sterilize the water by using a UV water sterilizer.

The East Midlands water company installs a system that includes a back-washable Carbon filter which is used to remove all chlorine and its by-products. Carbon adsorbs the chemicals from the water and the back-washing of the Carbon filter also functions as a sediment filter, preventing dirt from getting into the water system. After the Carbon filter a UV system is used to ensure all bacteria and viruses are sterilized. With this system you can bath & shower in chlorine and bacteria free water, drink from any tap, your appliances will last longer and your general health is protected and will improve.

For more info email info@emwc.co.za

Save a flush

Each day nearly 30% of all water used in the home is flushed down the toilet.

Each time you flush the toilet you’ll save litres of water which could add up to nearly 5% of your total use! This is an easy to install, cost effective solution to saving water. It contains special crystals that absorb water and once placed in the toilet cistern swells over a 5-6 hour period to displace 1 litre of water per flush. Note this is best used in older, larger cisterns, not modern dual flush sytem toilets. www.thegreenshop.co.za

12 products

swish soap Not all soaps are as pure as they claim, but Aleppo Soap (Salon D’Alep), made in the same way since the 8th Century, contains absolutely no artificial colourings, synthetic fragrances, preservatives or chemical additives.

100% natural and made from the best Olive and Sweet Bay oils, Aleppo soap has remarkable moisturising, soothing and medicinal qualities. Gentle enough for babies, soothing enough for shaving, it can be used for everything from washing linen (for sensitive skins) to dry and cracked heels. 99% biodegradable within 24 hours, it releases no harmful chemicals into our precious water.

win!

10 lucky re aders can each win o pack of 3 ne guest-size d aleppo so Email mic aps. hele@lifein balance.co by 31 octo .za ber 2009, with ‘‘alep Soap’ in th po e subject line.

For more information or orders contact Marietjie on 021 976 0728, 083 414 5566 or email info@biowashball.co.za

power showers

bokashi bin

Oxygenics® shower heads give showering a new dimension in that you get all the pleasure of a wonderful shower but use less water and power. The shower head is also designed to help rejuvenate the skin, by boosting oxygen levels and preventing the breakdown of collagen and elastin. Added all up you can easily save R 3000 or more per year on water and power bills. Visit www.eternallysolar.com or www.oxygenics.com

Bokashi is a relatively new process of fermenting organic waste such as kitchen scraps in specially designed ‘Bokashi buckets’, designed to anaerobically ferment waste with the help of beneficial microbes and with the aid of Bokashi bran.

All you do is fill the kitchen composter with layers of kitchen scraps and bokashi bran until its full. Then you store it in a warm, dry place for about two weeks. Then open it up and add the contents to your compost heap, worm bin or directly to garden soil.

Global Worming’s Bokashi kitchen composter is made locally from recycled plastic.

The results speak for themselves: • Ideal for apartment dwellers, restaurants, hotels and schools • Quick – results in 2 weeks • Practically odourless • Easy to use and maintain • Compliments worm bins and traditional composting • Recycles nearly all kitchen waste, even meat and fish.

• Produces great liquid fertilizer that can be diluted with water at a ratio of 100 parts of water to one part bokashi juice.

• Bokashi juice can be used to clean water pipes and septic tanks.

Contact Global Worming on 021 591 8900, 084 363 0942, email info@globalworming.co.za or visit www.globalworming.co.za

win!

adult of two two e n o f o to win and one s ed at t ir lu h a t-s ts, v ir h S s two kids t 5 as well a the 12 m over R to the ‘fro tober), s c t o e k 8 1 tic 16xpo’ ( ame with o E h t r t n Ea your away send ’ give E a t .z f o . boo & netruter.c er ‘Bam le r o ma oct b info@ se 12 lo c s Entrie

earth child Earth Warrior & Bamboo Baby creates luxury baby wear and top quality T-shirts using bamboo resulting in clothing that is hypoallergenic, UV and odour resistant, naturally anti-bacterial and super soft. The range is stocked at the SFGM Stellenbosch markets, www.fabgiftsonline.co.za, Nap living, Pure Living, Mother Earth or Trendsetter Warehouse Store. For more info phone Avril on 082 818 3669.

think shoes Walking on air and treading lightly on the planet is easily done wearing a pair of Think Shoes. The cork soles give an added bounce to your step and each pair is made to conform to the strictest organic and ecological standards.

All the dyes used are vegetable dyes and the individual designs give you a great, out of the ordinary shoe that will last year after year because of their fine craftsmanship.

Visit www.thinkshoes.co.za or email i.steiger@telkomsa.net for stockists

LIB endorsement

our staMp of approval

we love this bloublommetjies balm, bursting with honey and lavender and calendula , all from their farm it is a perfect skin salve, moisturising and penetrating deeply into the skin.

Certainly not just for babies’ bottoms.

wellness 13

salt baths

collagen cures

story courtesy ubuntu words of wellness

collagen supplementation has been gaining momentum globally over the past few years due to its numerous benefits within the body. by ryan mcfadden so what is collagen?

Collagen is the natural protein that constitutes most of the body’s structural support, being the skin, tendons, bone and cartilage and is also the primary substance of connective tissue. It is this fibrous tissue that holds the body together.

The body’s production of collagen naturally slows with aging. Over time this decrease in collagen results in the gradual breakdown of the connective tissues and muscle tissues. Oral supplementation with collagen stimulates the body’s own production of collagen thus increasing collagen levels and significantly reducing the many signs and effects of ageing. what are the benefits? arthritis benefits

In South Africa, it is estimated that there could be six million people suffering with arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is a condition of wear and tear which usually tends to occur as individuals age and also in those whose joints that have become worn down by excessive

exercise over the years.

Naturally decreasing levels of collagen in the body results in insufficient material available to repair the daily damage which, over time, results in osteoarthritis. Collagen plays a vital role in the repair process, allowing daily repair of joints and cartilage thereby delaying or improving the condition. sKin benefits

Collagen constitutes 75% of human skin and is one of the major factors contributing to the plump, smooth appearance found in young healthy skin. Decreased production of collagen results in the skin retaining less water, getting thinner and beginning to wrinkle.

With regular collagen supplementation, independent research showed significant improvements in wrinkle reduction, skin moisture levels and plumpness as well as skin health and PH balance. Improvements in T

one revolution at a time

The first of a six part series – Si Ekin offers a coaches wisdom and how to make progression on your chosen path.

several years ago i cycled with a partner from cape town to the uk covering a distance of 13 000 kilometers, visiting 21 countries, travelling for 14 months. nature nailed me with three attacks of malaria and 87 punctures. The wheels went round 17 000 000 times. fifteen years later the experience lives with me every day because of the big lesson i learned: doing what you say gets you what you want.

I did what I said and got what I wanted. i had realised a simple formula that i have turned into my guiding philosophy. I have made it my mission to help people to do what they say, because, to me, it is the greatest piece of useful, practical wisdom there is for transforming this planet. what would happen if you did what you said consistent with what you wanted on a regular basis? If you did the right things right, but also had compassion for yourself if you didn’t?

It sounds pretty simple, right? Sure, but if it was, i wouldn’t be writing this article and i think our world would look very, very different. So, why do human beings not do this? You, me, friends, family, col-

zone sebum levels and a reduction in pore size were also evident. sPorts injuries

In general, injury and age-related decline within the sporting arena is generally associated with connective tissue structures such as the ligaments, tendons, and other joint structures. Muscle tissue itself is not affected as often as is thought. Added to this, the decreased stability of the cell membranes and collagen fibres that occur naturally with age contributes to a higher susceptibility to injury.

By supplementing with collagen the body is able to repair any connective tissue microtears helping you to prevent injuries and speed up recovery.

Whether floating in your bath or in a floatation tank consider the remarkable health benefits of pure magnesium sulphate salts.

Recent research in Birmingham University, at the School of Biosciences has shown that magnesium and sulphate will pass through the skin, raising the levels detected in the blood. This can have important benefits to health because both magnesium and sulphate deficiency are common.

Magnesium is found in vegetables and grains, depending on the quality of the earth in which they are grown. However many soils are magnesium deficient either naturally or through over-cropping. Magnesium is also found in sea water. It is essential to life and deficiency is linked to many diseases including cardiovascular disease.

Sulphate is also essential to life in several ways in that it is essential for the formation of proteins in joints; for digestive enzymes and the gut wall lining; is essential to the formation of brain tissue and is also involved in detoxification. It is not easily absorbed from the diet which means bathing in magnesium sulphate

Collagen Supplements currently on the South African market include Genacol, the global leader, Pro-collagen and Biogen Collagen.

leagues and politicians? It is deserving of a longer answer, but the bottom line is that we either do what we say, or we give reasons, excuses or justifications and trot off to more courses, shrinks and bookshops to find the missing piece. it takes courage, tenacity and discipline to do something that we say we will, especially when it challenges us. It is easier to make excuses to ourselves and others than confront the fact that we gave up. so, try this: watch your word very closely. If you say you are going to do something, do it. (Start small if you are beginner!) if you do it, congratulate yourself. If you see yourself going off track, get in communication early. If you break a promise, clean it up quickly. try this actively for a month and see what happens. Please email me with any victories or challenges. Good luck. visit www.siekin.com, email si@siekin.com or call 082 565 0765

is therefore a significant, safe and easy way to correct deficiency. Any surplus is naturally removed by the kidneys, just as it would be if there was a surplus as a result of your diet.

The recommended amount for regular bathing is 1% solution which means 10g per litre. A standard bath holds about 60 litres of water which means you need about 600gm.

A four person hot tub holds about 1000 litres requiring 10 kg of spa salts.

Most normal commercial bath salts are based on common (and cheaper) salt, Sodium Chloride, not on Magnesium Sulphate. Sodium Chloride is generally speaking derived in the diet in excessive quantities, and absorbing more through the skin is not recommended.

The benefits of Magnesium Sulphate also apply to floating where the concentration is much higher. We now see that as well as the healing effect of muscle relaxation, capillary dilation and endorphin generation through floating at body temperature, the added benefit of Magnesium Sulphate is absorption through the skin. www.floats.co.za

JIN SHIN JYUTSU®

The Art of the Creator through man of compassion Practicing Renewable Personal Energy with Nan Hamilton Are you tired of always looking for the help you need out there?

Easy to apply, non-invasive and inconspicuous; Jin Shin Jyutsu simply utilises gentle touch to specific “safety energy locks” on the body.

When we understand the basic principles, and know where to place our hands, we can bring profound harmony to our own body, heart and mind any time we choose. With ongoing practice of this ancient art, deeper and deeper levels of harmony can be experienced and in this way it not only helps manage critical and chronic health conditions but is a daily helper in our lifelong journey of increasing sustainability and quality of life. Be the one person that makes a difference in renewing your life energy everyday!

For information on practitioners in your area, sessions and self-help classes available, please contact NAN HAMILTON on 082 657 1809 or email nan@jinshinjyutsu.co.za or visit www.nanhamilton.co.za or www.jinshinjyutsu.co.za

14 art & books

Water marbles

the Wednesday collection

By Maggie Follett

Once, there was a Jack Russell named Wednesday who for ten long years, accompanied by her faithful owner, trawled the kelpstrewn shoreline of Mouille Point in search of little, sea-tossed treasures disgorged from the depths of Davey Jones’s locker by the ruthless Atlantic ocean.

An avid though perhaps somewhat indiscriminate collector, she was often (as is

the way of dogs) equally entranced by more foetid, canine-friendly finds, whilst her discerning two-legged friend unearthed and gathered her own wave-buffed relics with utmost care, hoarding them over time while awaiting guidance from the patient, gentle muse of worn but well-loved things.

Sadly, Wednesday is no more, but her erstwhile companion started a new life on the sheltering slopes of Wellington’s Hawequa mountains, where the humble, weathered artefacts collected so many years ago began at last to experience their own renaissance – transformed through the small, deft hands of talented graphic designer ‘Blue’ de Gersigny into a series aptly titled ‘The Wednesday Collection’.

What were once spindles, knobs, handles, glass vessels, light fittings, old soda cans and other ordinary things wrought by human-

kind to serve some mundane purpose, retain only the faintest, wistful spectre of their ephemeral, utilitarian past.

Inadvertently consigned to the deep and rendered precious by time and tide, the resurrected flotsam and jetsam are imbued with a serene and mystical charm.

Some items, amorphous and softly blunted to mere driftwood, whirl away their final life-phase as finely-crafted little windmills.

Delicate seaweed lace is suspended between sheets of glass. Mounted photographs feature exquisite sand- and limestone formations captured at Cape Infanta “with the lowliest of ‘happy-snap’ digital cameras”.

Honed by Mother Nature and elevated

by Blue de Gersigny to a work of art, this unique collection is a tribute to those six footprints made together, long ago, in the faraway sand.

dvd reviews

on the shelf

WATER – The Great Mystery

Reviews by The Book Lounge 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town.

021 462 2425. booklounge@gmail.com

This film is all about water, the most amazing yet least understood substance on the planet. Witness recent breathtaking discoveries by researchers worldwide: from Russia, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Israel, the USA, Britain, Austria, Japan, Argentina, China and Tibet. The arguments expound upon unexpected and challenging assumptions enlightening many years of research to open humankind to new horizons, such as the applications of structured water in agriculture, or the use of water in treatment for the most serious diseases. We are mostly comprised of water and yet we forget the primal element and abuse it without thought. The geography of the film spans the globe. The implications go beyond the solar system, suggesting that water has the ability to convey messages faster than light. www.waterthemovie.co.za, 021 426 1136

A recent conversation with Blue revealed that the journey to her unique collection began with a single porcelain marble, the first of the many objects she’d collect in the following decade.

The marbles – more were found – were from the wreck of the Greek cargo ship, SS George M Livanos, which ran aground off the coast on 1 April 1947.

An oceanographer confirmed that the seaweed, a member of the phylum Rhodophyta, is a deep-water species growing beneath kelp and restricted to the cold waters of the Western Cape.

These are just two of the remarkable treasures now included into a collection of stunning art pieces.

View online at www.mani.co.za or contact Blue on 021 864 1082, 082 253 5711 or blue@mani.co.za

What would the Buddha recycle?

The Zen of Green Living Rosemary Roberts If the Buddha were alive today, he’d be the living embodiment of green living. He’d be collecting cans on the freeway, riding his bike to work, and replacing all his light bulbs - one little satori at a time.

In What Would the Buddha Recycle?, readers can channel His Holiness, reduce their footprint, and experience little Aha! moments when they: eat mindfully and lose the meat; make a Zen garden that nourishes the earth; choose sustainable clothing; meditate while walking instead of driving; and let go of attachment to things by giving away belongings. Living green is living Zen. Now readers can take right action and walk a green talk, starting today - just think how proud the Buddha would be! ISBN: 9781605501178

BLUE GOLD: world water wars Wars of the future will be fought over water (as they are today over oil) as the source of all life enters the global marketplace and political arena. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling fresh water supply, prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions from citizens fighting for the right to survive. Past civilizations have collapsed from poor water management. Can the human race survive? This award-winning documentary follows numerous worldwide examples of people fighting for their basic right to water, from court cases to violent revolutions to UN conventions to revised constitutions to local protests at grade schools.

Catch final screenings at the Tri Continental Film Festival in Pretoria and Durban on 3 and 10 October respectively.

Buy the DVD via www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com; www.3continentsfestival.co.za, 021 788 5462/ 011 403 8499

The Organic Container Gardener’s Bible Joanna Harrison Forget you had any excuses about not being able to grow your own flowers, herbs and veges and start looking for any empty container to get you started. This is a very handy guide with easy to understand lessons about how to grow just about anything in a pot or container. Create a balcony orchard and grow fruit trees, lure birds, bees and butterflies to your window sill by planting aromatics and herbs and plant your own vegetables to ensure a steady supply of fresh greens. Perfect for gardeners who have little or no access to open ground. ISBN: 9781770077188

congratulations

... to The Book Lounge on their success

at the Sefika Awards (jointly hosted by the Booksellers Association and Publishers Association) in August. They received awards for Best Independent Bookseller (General Trade category), the overall Best Bookshop in the country, as well as a special award for the “Booksellers that went the extra mile”.

life in balance

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To advertise here email: michele@lifeinbalance.co.za tel: 021 788 1733 or 076 270 6658

Mother Nature Products Great products for green moms & babies!

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what’s happening?

30 sePtember – 4 october taste of Joburg, Monte casino outdoor events area: try sample-sized signature dishes from a selection of leading restaurants and prestigious chefs – a fantastic opportunity to try new places, explore different cuisines and plan a whole year of dining out. www.tasteofjoburg.com, 011 463 0355 1 – 4 october the soweto food festival: food, beer, wine and whisky tasting; chefs & foodies; tips & info; taste samples & shop. Ride and park facilities from Sandton and Fourways. www.sowetofoodfestival.co.za, 012 663 6655 1 – 4 october the stanford glendower bird fair: bird talks, activities and tours are complemented by fynbos, whales, whisky tasting, boeredans, braai and angels on Horseback, the cabaret fresh from on broadway and the national Arts Festival. www.stanfordbirding.co.za, info@stanfordbirding.co.za, 028 341 0340 2 – 4 october the 15th cape outdoor adventure & travel experience, offering anything and everything for the outdoor enthusiast, health or environmentally conscious consumer, from caravanning to organic food tasting, takes place at bien donne Farm, just off the R45 in the Franschhoek area. www.outdoorexpo.co.za, 011 803 9362

GUIDE

RECEYACSLYIWNAGY THE

y r.co.za/eas e r a le .c w ww

Laibach proudly presents The Ladybird, a SGS certified, organic red wine. A unique individual expression of organically grown fruit combined with the art of our winemaker.

TEL: +27 (0) 21 88 44 511 FAX: +27 (0) 21 88 44 848 info@laibachwines.com www.laibachwines.com

PECAN FARM MARKET Arts & Crafts Exciting new open air market opening on 7 November 2009. To book stall space contact Emma on 082 565 6402 or email: eeleroux@telkomsa.net www.pecanfarmmarket.co.za

16 – 18 october steytlerville rainbow festival, eastern cape: celebrate life and the colours of the karoo with live entertainment in the main road, art & craft market, Xhosa cultural village, traditional food, beer gardens and more. www.baviaans.co.za, s.info@baviaans.co.za, 049 835 0484 16 – 18 october wine on the river, robertson: open air riverside festival in an idyllic setting. Live music, 300 wines, cheese, olives, chocolate, picnics, food stalls; family friendly; discount for bookings before 4/10. www.wineonriver.com, manager@robertsonwinevalley.com, 023 626 3167 23 – 25 october bedford garden festival, eastern cape: bedford’s gorgeous private gardens with some very unique and unusual plantings are on show; garden workshops; butterfly talks; French/ english/south african country fair; golf, and much more. www.bedford-gardens.co.za, info@bedford-gardens.co.za, 082 932 8864 24 & 25 october open gardens: visit 10 of franschhoek’s most spectacular gardens as they burst into bloom this summer, one recently filmed by the BBC. Talks will take place at 10:30 and 14:00 daily. www.franschhoek.org.za, info@franschhoek.org.za, 021 876 3603

5 – 10 october More than twenty poets from south africa and africa participate in the 13th poetry africa festival at the elizabeth sneddon theatre, durban: performances, readings, music, booklaunches, seminars, workshops, open mic, school visits and a schools’ poetry competition. www.cca.ukzn.ac.za, 031 260 2506

26 october – 1 november taste mushrooms soweto style when restaurants and b&bs serve delicious mushroom dishes throughout the soweto Mushroom Festival. Live mushroom cooking demonstrations and tasting on Saturday 31st. www.mushroominfo.co.za, Sifiso Ngobane 011 325 6006

9 – 11 october the fastest growing eco-friendly music and lifestyle festival, rocking the daisies, offers the best in live entertainment, exhibitions and gourmet food and incorporating environmentally conscious products, making it the most carbon neutral event possible. Cloof Wine Estate, Darling. www.rockingthedaisies.com, info@rockingthedaisies.com, 021 481 1832

29 october – 1 november gugulethu, one of cape town’s vibiest townships invites you to come and have a jol: taste over 300 wines; celebrate the township; shop for township art & craft at the itownship wine fest at vukuhambe centre adjacent to the new Gugulethu Square Mall. www.itownshipwinefest.co.za, jeannie@itownshipwinefest.co.za, 021 424 8149

9 – 11 october look & feel good expo, coca-cola dome: all-encompassing health, wellness and lifestyle event reflecting the global move towards health, wellness, longevity, positivity, vitality, environmental awareness and sustainability. www.lookandfeelgoodexpo.co.za, 0861 115 318 10 & 11 october cape town international kite festival: annual fundraiser and awareness event by cape Mental Health with international kite flying team from around the world, live entertainment, stalls, schools’ competitions and more at Zandvlei, Muizenberg. www.capementalhealth.co.za, 021 782 2847, oncourse@telkomsa.net

29 october – 1 november good food and wine show @ the coca cola dome: watch magic, taste heaven, learn from the masters and shop for the best products. nine kitchen theatres host local and international celebrity chefs. www.gourmetsa.co.za, 021 797 4500 30 0ctober – 1 november the inaugural khayelitsha festival celebrates khayelitsha’s 25th anniversary with entertainment, a youth expo, fashion shows, and a host of activities and promotions for all ages. www.khayelitshafestival.co.za, toby@adelelucas.co.za, 011 646 5630

10 & 11 october franschhoek uncorked: celebrate spring & life with the valley’s esteemed wineries. R60pp gets you a passport, a glass, complimentary shuttle service between farms, free tastings and much more. www.franschhoek.org.za, info@franschhoek.org.za, 021 876 3603

30 october – 8 november franschhoek christmas Market, town Hall: Buy Handmade. This very popular annual market returns with something for everyone, from African games to gourmet goodies.

Light meals & drink in the gardens. Plenty of parking & restrooms; credit card facilities available. amelia.schwenke@gmail.com, 072 254 7722

16 – 18 october the county comes to town! from the earth expo at the cticc: demonstrations, workshops, exhibitions, stalls; fresh produce & meat; bread and pasta making; cheese and wine pairing; health & beauty and more. Kids can get up close and personal with sheep, cattle, pigs, alpacas, horses and poultry. www.fromtheearth.co.za, fromtheearth@ agriexpo.co.za, 021 975 4440

30 october – 8 november the unica christmas Market: shop early while supporting the association of autism and Unica School. Over 250 exhibitors from around the country offer a huge variety of quality products at reasonable prices at the Rembrand Hall, University of Pretoria. Enjoy tea or refreshments overlooking the lake.

Plenty of safe parking. www.unicaschool.co.za, autism@mweb.co.za, 012 905 6531

350 dot org – international day of climate change

350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide – measured in ‘Parts Per Million’ in our atmosphere. 350PPM is the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change. 350.org, an international campaign dedicated to creating an equitable global climate treaty that lowers carbon dioxide below 350ppM, is coordinating an international day of action on 24 October with events all over the world, including South Africa.

To learn more and find an event near you, visit www.350.org

in october 1st 4th 5th

world vegetarian day world animal day world Habitat day

5th 9th 15th 16th 24th

world teachers’ day international english spelling day international day of rural women world food day international day of climate change

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