We live in a world of pre-packaged, microwave heat-able, tasteless, soulless, pretty much inedible food.

And we like it like that because it is easy, it requires no effort on our part, and pretty much allows us to fit into a certain category, market, or demographic – and we don't have to think for ourselves. Since the flaws, in this current economic system have become apparent– with the crises and all, the question now is, are there any means by which the static manufacturer/retailer/consumer model can be broken?

And there is.

In Cape Town we've already supported the first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project, and this winter, Slow Food Cape Town, in conjunction with the Sustainability Institute, and farmers Eric Swarts and Erick Zenzele, will run the winter CSA bag project from 30th June through 18th August.

It's Joburg's turn again to host the Natural and Organic Product Exhibition this year and urban sprout is giving away 10 double tickets to one of our favourite events which takes place on this weekend (26-28 June 2009) at the Coca Cola Dome in Johannesburg.

As usual (they're now in their sixth year) the exhibition provides the widest range of natural and organic products, sustainable technologies, services, information and practical advice under one roof.

Climate change, global food, energy and economic crisis have put an even bigger spotlight on the need for sustainable economic solutions and environmentally conscious lifestyle practises.

If you would like to be entered into a random draw for a ticket, email “yes please!” to by midday tomorrow - Wednesday, the 24th.

Opening on the 9th of July at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town is South Africa’s first full-length, original a cappella musical - Noah of Cape Town.

The musical is an intuitive look into a future where Cape Town, like every other city in the world, is suffering from the effects of global warming, environmental disasters, fuel shortages, war and corruption. There is also an oppressive government struggling to maintain control, that tolerates little or no opposition, as desperate people do whatever it takes to obtain food and water...

“Fairy tales are more than true, not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”
- G.K Chesterton

Right off the bat, I have to say something. Ginny Stone’s Sibo books are not fairy tales. There are no dragons, monsters, princesses, ogres, dwarves, frogs, witches, giants or good politicians – it is based in a normal, everyday relatable reality. That is what makes these books necessary.

Attempting to explain global warming to children might seem like trying to explain the atomic structure of nitrogen to a cat, but here it is done in a way that promotes the concepts of change and activity instead of using scare tactics that have your children dreaming about apocalyptic wastelands.

I think that the best parts about these books are that they don’t teach through fear. Sure, little Sibo is worried that the planet is being botched, but she decides to do something about it, and that, like the road less taken, makes all of the difference.

You haven’t met before?
No, seriously, you haven’t?

Well, then… meet the Cape Town Green Map.
What’s that? You have no idea what it is? Well then, it seems a proper introduction is in order. May I formally introduce to you Africa’s first, very exciting, helpful, online, interactive Green Map.

A map, I hear you say? Well, as with all maps, it does provide direction – but with a difference.

No other map has attempted to chart and detail the city of Cape Town from a green angle before. This particular one is unique in that way. The map can be used to make greener lifestyle choices, and help people to make more informed decisions on how to live sustainably. It is also different because it is on-going, evolving and is constantly being updated.

Whether you agree or disagree with genetically modified organisms, it is hard to deny Monsanto’s role as the world’s biggest supplier of seeds – most of which, under the waving banner of biotechnology, is genetically modified. They promise better yield, more efficient farming and play the markets and the farmers just right so that most of the world’s most necessary crops, like maize, soya, cotton and canola – all come from seeds modified by them.

Recently, three varieties of Monsanto’s genetically modified maize failed to produce crops here in South Africa during the 2008/9 growing season. This left nearly 200 000 hectares of fields barren of cobs and crop. This loss essentially spreads across several provinces in South Africa and affects roughly 400 farmers. Also these varieties were provided to resource the poorer farmers in South Africa.

So there you are; surrounded by posters of poultry basking in their freedom, your conscience and shopping experience clean because you are promised that the eggs you are buying came from free-range chickens. If chickens could smile, I’m sure we would be confronted by an enormous picture of a splendid beaky grin.

Woolworths has long been the forerunner in the promotion and sale of free-range eggs. They are currently renowned and respected for phasing out all battery eggs from their stores and for the longest while we had assumed it was because they had realised that battery farming is cruel and inhumane

Recently it has come to our attention that whilst all the focus seems to be on the actual eggs, Woolworths has neglected to mention the use of battery eggs in their other products. It seems that the eggs that are visible, such as the ones in cartons, are free-range, whilst the ones that are less obvious (at first) contain battery eggs.