You can urge the government to meaningfully label all genetically-modified (GM) foods by signing this petition , launched by ACB (African Centre for Biosafety), and SAFeAGE via Activist.

It was way back in 2008 that the government announced that GM food would 'soon' be labelled. but according to the two watch dogs, the latest draft regulations on GM food published by the DTI (department of trade and industry) 'fails to protect the citizens' freedom of choice of what they eat'...

pigs in stalls: pic- huha.org.nzDear Friends,

South Africa’s pregnant pigs are trapped in metal cages that prevent any movement forwards, backwards or sideways – not just for a day, or a week, or a month. But, for life!

Their suffering is relentless. View this footage of pregnant pigs hidden away on a factory farm in the Cape Winelands.

Please join Compassion in World Farming (SA) in its call to Mr Simon Streicher, CEO of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation, to join the world movement to phase out sow stalls.

As consumer pressure helps pregnant pigs break free of sow stalls around the world, the future for South Africa’s breeding sows who produce the 10 000 young pigs that are slaughtered weekly in SA for their ham and bacon, remains a secret.

Late in 2010, Australian Pork Limited voluntarily agreed to heed the call by consumers in that country, to begin a

nanobreweries set to trend this year in the US

JWT - one of the world's largest advertising agencies credited with firsts like creating the first global ad agency network (by 1930 they had branches in 30 countries), employing the first female creative director over a century ago (1908), and creating the first television advert back in 1939 - has produced its annual trendwatching report: 100 Things to Watch in 2011.

They take a stab at predicting what will trend this year - companies, events, artists, products, cities etc. And they have a track record - looking back at the 2010 report - of at least getting some of their predictions right. Perhaps because of their standing their predictions even become self fulfilling...

Now we know who to thank for Lady Gaga.

I scanned their list of trends for signs of environmental/green/eco trends set to feature this year:

A dirty future?The deadline for submissions to the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2 aka IRP2010) is this Friday 10 December 2010 (tomorrow, ulp). If you're anything like us you've left it to the last minute because life is complicated enough as it is without also having to worry about the country's energy plan for the next 20 years...

Well we should be worried. Although the IRP2 is intended to be a living document that is not cast in stone, in it's current form it is setting us on a course that is headed for a place I personally don't want to be in 20 years time.

Cut to the chase
If you're time-constrained jump to the end and see how you can act! If you want the nitty-gritty then keep reading!

So here goes
First off this IRP is an improvement over its predecessor which didn't allow for participation in the process (yay, democracy can work if we shout loud enough). The process has now opened up (at least seemingly), although it is still not

Petrina Roberts gives an account of the conference in Turin:

As a result of our work in South Africa supporting local food gardens in Khayelitsha, Mfuleni and the Eastern Cape, I was invited to attend the recent Terra Madre Conference in Italy, funded by the Slow Food International Movement.

It was a life-changing event!

I arrived after a long flight having worked till 5am the morning of the 19th October to a wonderful welcome at the airport in Milan. Thereafter we travelled to the venue where the opening ceremony was taking place.

Join Car-free Friday and pledge that on 03 December 2010 (that's tomorrow) you will get to work and back without your car!

In Cape Town there is a scooter rally tomorrow morning at 7.30 am at the Vespa parking lot on Dock Road by the V&A Ends at Greenpoint Vida.

If you want to rent a scooter, Scoot Dr is offering a deal of 50% off a rental (R125 for the day - pick-up the night before).

visit www.pureplanet.co.za for further details.

Anyone know of other events, contact us to let us know - sprouts[at]urbansprout.co.za

ps: have a look at how Seth is getting to work on the 2 Oceans Vibe blog - for some light-hearted relief...

In solidarity with hundreds of cities and communities all over the world, Cape Town will bathe Table Mountain in red light on December 1st to mark World AIDS Day. This is done as this year’s theme is Light for Rights, which focuses on human rights, HIV and AIDS.

Over the past three decades, AIDS has caused untold suffering and death, but that is only one side of the coin, the other side of the story that has unfolded is one of the global community uniting with passion to take action and save lives.

going green by simon gearIts nearly Christmas and many of us are thinking about gifts to buy. Well one book that I can wholeheartedly recommend is Going Green - 365 Ways to Change our World. This book is filled with great ideas on how to make our planet a better place. The book is written by Simon Gear, known as one of South Africa's favorite weathermen.

350 EARTH Dominican RepublicThe world's largest solar picnic is happening this Saturday 27 November so if you live in Cape Town come and be part of it!
350.org's eARTh, is the first ever art exhibit large enough to be seen from space. Fifteen large-scale human art formations will photographed by satellite and shared with the world on the eve of the next round of U.N. climate talks.

The EARTH project has already begun with images from Santa Fe (a flash flood), Los Angeles (solar eagle taking flight), and New York (school roof painting) in the US, from Spain (girls face), from the Dominican Republic (person standing on roof, escaping sea level rise), from Mexico (a hurricane) and from Canada (a green footprint). And Thom Yorke (radiohead) is behind the aerial art formation at Brighton (a recreation of King Canute)

Cape Town is one of only two locations in Africa and 15 in the world, so you can bet we're going to be there and make history!

Bill McKibben says that these

green jobs by thevancouveriteIn August Greenpeace released its South African Energy Sector Jobs to 2030 report. This report presents an analysis of the energy sector job creation associated with the three energy scenarios up to 2030: the Energy [R]evolution (by Greenpeace), the IEA Reference case, and the Growth Without Constraints scenario presented by government. Their Energy [R]evolution scenario could be a major employment creator in South Africa, with a net increase of 78,000 jobs by 2030.