Hout Bay Green Faire - Sat 29 Oct 10am

One of our favourite events on the green calendar. The Hout Bay Green Faire 2011 has something for everyone. You'll be able to find information and products for greening your lifestyle and lowering your ecological footprint, gifts and entertainment for the kids and yummy local and organic food, plus a whole lot more. An authentic green exhibition in the open air! (remember sunscreen, depending on weather).

There is a REALLY COOL line up of talks on the day, view the Hout Bay Green Faire Programme here.

Some highlights include:
Sue Visser showing you how to make and use probiotics for garden and human health.

Andy Le May on sustainability as the new norm the "realisation that what each of us does is essential in forging the world we want our kids to live in.”

Anthea Torr providing insight into living in peace and harmony to heal ourselves and the planet.

Rod Tritton uncovering some mind-expanding mysteries in his new book Exploring Mystery, Changing History, Taking Responsibility

Tony Budden on the process

Timeless Karoo: not for long... unless we address our addiction

Join Jonathan Deal, Chairman of TKAG, for a talk on fracking at UCT this evening. Details below.

Sometimes the truth, while undeniable once grasped, is remarkably evasive to those who supposedly seek it. Or perhaps there is none so blind as those who do not wish to see?

This is the case in the highly polarized “fracking” debate, which has raged in South Africa this year. The true culprits responsible for bringing on this potential travesty of intergenerational justice have so far evaded mention altogether.

Bikes from one of BEN's BIC's (bicycle empowerment centres)

Bike to work this Transport Month and be part of the solution.

With most of the worlds population now living in cities, it is no news to say that traffic congestion has become a huge urban problem, as is the pollution and accidents caused by motor vehicles. With the added fear of climate change and peak oil, there has arisen an urgent need for a social shift towards more sustainable mobility use.

The City of Cape Town recognises October as "Transport Month" and last week hosted a couple of events focussing on Public Transport Interchanges (PTI).

A PTI is a facility where commuters can

Spot the wind turbine at the aquarium entrance

The Two Oceans Aquarium was recently awarded Platinum status by the Heritage Environmental Management Company in recognition of its efforts towards sustainability and reducing the impact of its operations on the environment.

The Aquarium’s Managing Director, Dr Patrick Garratt, said, “We are thrilled with this achievement especially in light of the fact that we will be hosting approximately 500 of the world’s top aquarium personnel for the 8th International Aquarium Congress in September 2012. One of the themes suggested by our international peers is sustainability. Our Platinum status not only provides us with credibility but also to showcase the Two Oceans Aquarium as a leader within the field of sustainability in aquariums”.

Following on from last month's march against Eskom, Earthlife Africa Jhb held a demonstration at Sasol's Headquarters in Rosebank (1 Sturdee Avenue) on Wednesday 12th of October. Sasol continues to be on South Africa's official negotiating team for COP17 and we are extremely disappointed in both Sasol and the Department of Environmental Affairs for continuing this blatant conflict of interest.

The vast majority of scientific studies indicate that the globe must peak its carbon emission somewhere between 2015 and 2020. This will require countries across the globe, including South Africa, to make hard decisions; in particular, prohibiting high-carbon industrial practises. For this reason, it is very hard to see how Sasol can be an honest player in negotiating a low-carbon future for us all, especially as it is the number two emitter in the country.

Conscious Babe believes youth deserve more of a chance at self-responsibility where the environment is concerned.

A punter rocks a can-top backpack

Seems that Rocking The Daisies are really putting their money where their mouth is regarding green, setting them apart from your average South African rock festival. Reminiscent of the UK festivals I have attended, I saw numerous green initiatives at the festival this last weekend.

Mathias and girlfriend Zola from MLT drives were giving away solar-popped corn next to the dam, you could charge your phone using the wind generator and some of the stalls were powered by solar power (both provided by Earth Power), a team of 15 were sorting much of the recycling on site, the rest of which was sent to the local Malmesbury recycling centre, all the food stalls used

It was a cold and cloudy Sunday on which environmental activists got their groove on in Hatfield, Pretoria to shake up the people and move for the planet. What follows is an account by Kyla v de Westhuizen, who is part of the Project 90x2030 youth forum, Generation Earth member and Grade 12 learner at Holy Rosary School.

We started our rally outside the Hatfield Spur, where some bystanders and passers-by were unimpressed by our presence. We were called “hippies", and asked if we really thought we could make a difference. Many bystanders were curious, however, as to what was going on and we attracted many people off the side of the street.

Earthlife protest 2009: pic by Real Deal

Earthlife Africa Jhb will march on Eskom and BHP Billiton in Johannesburg on Friday 16 September 2011 to protest these companies' continued disregard of the environment and the nation. Of particular concern is Eskom's official status at the UNFCCC as a member of the South African negotiating team.

The march will start at 10am at Westgate Metro Station, stop off at BHP Billiton (10:15 to 10:30am, cnr. Hollard and Marshall) and end at Eskom's office (204 Smit Street, Braamfontein).

Along with Sasol, Eskom is on South Africa's official negotiating team in terms of climate change. Eskom, in other words, will represent South Africa at the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP17) at Durban in December. COP17 is supposed to determine how to reduce global emissions, and the South African government is sending its biggest emitter of greenhouse gases to negotiate emissions cuts. This is a

Solar South Africa - Photograph Jonathan Jones

Our recent post, Sasol on Solar, documented the serious interest that Sasol (and other such industrial heavyweights) are taking in renewable energy – particularly solar. Indeed the growing trend in consideration of alternate energy strategies for South Africa, centres around solar energy. It seems all the parties are coming to town this week to discuss everything about solar energy for the Solar South Africa Conference in Johannesburg, run by Green Power Conference. The Green Power Academy will hold workshop/trainings throughout the conference to bring certain participants up to speed on issues such as a Technology Briefing for people not technically trained in the renewable energy field.

This post details what to look out for at the conference and various issues surrounding solar technology in South Africa.

Speak2@scientist

Earlier this month the Sci-Bono Center in Johannesburg invited Dr Vosloo of Sasol Technology to present a view of the future of renewable energy from an industrial perspective.

Vosloo was clear to state that he was seeking a renewable energy source (or sources) that had the potential to provide energy at a national level, and that could be made economically viable. For these reasons he dismissed biomass energy, hydropower, wind energy and wave energy – as each of these, to him,