A letter came across our desks recently, that needs sharing:

Dear editor,

The power of the bicycle was palpable in Cape Town (two weekends ago). It was inspiring to see the Argus Cycle Tour energy overtaking the city as usual. Even more exciting was to see hundreds of concerned citizens join the Cape Town leg of the World Naked Bike Ride on Saturday morning in a call for safer cycling, and sharing through their painted bodies important environmental and social concerns. (The World Naked Bike Ride is an international event driven by cyclists who meet and ride together to "deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world.”) What may seem to some as an eccentric event highlights the burning desire on the part of citizens to promote a bicycle friendlier-city and a more sustainable place to live.

Anti-fracking “speak out” at Greenpoint Park on Human Rights Day, 21 March 2012
Time: 9h30

Earthlife Africa Cape Town are planning another anti-fracking protest on Human Rights Day, Wednesday 21 March, from 9h30 in Greenpoint Park, to highlight the threat that fracking poses to our basic human right to clean air and water.

“As 22 March is also World Water Day, we want to place special emphasis on the fact that the vast quantity of water needed in the proposed fracking operations will be permanently removed from the water cycle, and the waste water that is generated is so toxic to all life that it has to be permanently contained,” says convenor Marina Louw.

How do you raise funds for over 5000 trees in less than 6 months?

You get creative!

Greenpop’s Trees for Zambia project in July will see over 5000 indigenous and fruit trees planted in and around Livingstone by school children, farmers, local businesses and volunteers. The trees are being grown at the Zambezi Nkuku nursery in Livingstone and others... but where do the funds come from for Greenpop to buy the trees, compost and other inputs?

The National Planning Commission is wrong to consider mining for shale gas in the Karoo when there are more viable, known gas deposits to be exploited, which will be far less threatening to the environment.

This is the view of TKAG Chairman, Jonathan Deal, in response to a report by Minister Trevor Manuel that the NPC saw natural gas providing a rising share of the energy mix.

"Natural gas undoubtedly has a role to play in the energy mix of South Africa. Deposits such as the 2.5tcf (trillion cubic feet) held by Forest Exploration International off South Africa’s west coast is a prime example of a supply that could keep the Western Cape in gas for decades. "

"And this is miniscule compared to the reported finds off Mozambique", he added.
"And Royal Dutch Shell are making plans to explore off-shore in the Orange River basin."

Come and see sustainable design's "Fresh Talents" - finalists of the Eco design Competition 2011, themed "Home is where the heart is" and their sustainable design concepts and prototypes reflect the Eco Initiative's original call for product, system and service designs that support harmonious development and improve life.

These designs, featured in the Sustainable Design Showcase at City Hall Cape Town earlier this month, include a variety of product, communication campaigns and community projects that address local development challenges, yet have the potential to make a global impact.

Tomorrow, Friday 16 March 2012, the Eco Design Initiative will proudly announce the competition winners that will continue their participation in the initiative's skills and culture exchange with design peers in Sweden when they visit Scandinavia in June 2012.

After 6 months of exciting and intensive leadership training on how to empower children, adolescents and adults to shape their mindset and actions for a sustainable future, 9 South Africans have returned from Germany, each with some valuable knowledge, competences and innovation projects on their plates to be implemented here in South Africa.

UPDATE: Please note that since 1st July 2013, all products produced in the FUTURELIFE factory have been made from NON-GMO raw materials. For more info please visit http://www.futurelife.co.za/gmo or see our post here

FUTURELIFE replaced GMO ingredients with NON-GMO ingredients in July 2013. Thanks for making a difference FUTURELIFE!

ACB's press release follows:

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) is outraged that several food products, including baby cereal, maize meal consumed as a staple, a renown and heavily promoted dietary supplement for active sports people and wheat free cereal, have tested positive for GM- yet are all unlabelled.

We will not die quietlyWomen's Demonstration on International Women's Day Against Nuclear Power

The Women's Energy and Climate Change Forum is a forum of women from grassroots organisations around Gauteng. The women of this Forum chose to mark International Women's Day with a demonstration at the Department of Energy to highlight their concerns over the announcement by the Minister of Energy on the new nuclear build programme.

Demonstration Date: 8th of March 2012
Time: 12:00 to 14:30
Address: Department of Energy, 75 Meintjies Street, cnr Schoeman Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria

South Africa and Sweden’s design and sustainability experts to present at an event open to the public

In March 2012, the Eco Design Initiative’s second annual Sustainable Design Showcase will take place at the Cape Town City Hall. The interactive exhibition will be open to the public at no charge between 09:00 - 18:00 from 7 - 10 March, and again from 12 - 16 March.

Interactive sessions on the role of design in achieving environmental, social and economic sustainability will be hosted by local and international guest speakers during the first week between 09:00 and 11:30. A selection of sustainable designs that have a positive impact on social and environmental challenges in our societies will also be on display.

The Department of Energy has promulgated two draft bills that it intends to send to Parliament. These Bills are the National Energy Regulator Amendment Bill and the Electricity Regulation Second Amendment Bill. Due to these Bills highly undemocratic nature, the Department of Energy should withdraw these Bills without delay.