Dear Friends,

Across the planet now we see ever more flood, ever more drought, ever more storms. People are dying, communities are being wrecked — the impacts we’re already witnessing from climate change are unlike anything we have seen before.

But because the globe is so big, it’s hard for most people to see that it’s all connected. That’s why, on May 5, we will Connect the Dots.

Purchase a recycled glass sugar spoon with RHINO detailing, from Ngwenya glass, for R 100.00

ALL proceeds are donated to the WWF Save the Rhino Fund

South Africa: Rhinos killed 2007-2011

2007: 13
2008: 83
2009: 122
2010: 333
2011: 405 (as of 09 December)

SMART Mobility EnterPrize

Is your New Mobility project moving minds as well as people? Then enter the SMART Mobility EnterPrize competition and you could find yourself moving in new mobility circles at Rio+20, and beyond.

New Mobility – also known as ‘sustainable transportation’ – is about moving people, moving goods, and moving less, in ways that are cleaner, greener, safer, healthier, and more equitable (and more ‘hip’, of course…).

Department of Water

At the end of last year, Scan Display and Interactive Africa pulled out all the stops to put together the South African Climate Change Response Expo (CCR Expo) on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs. In 4 weeks they essentially transformed a parking lot into a worldclass exhibition destination, and implemented some cool green intiativse to boot. Perhaps other green event organisers can pick up some useful ideas?

COP 17

The CCR Expo ran alongside the biggest conference Durban has ever hosted, COP17, which attracted in the region of 15 000 international delegates and visitors including support staff, media and those attending side events. While COP17 was a fairly exclusive event, the CCR Expo was a space

With COP17 and news stories of climate change bearing down on us, some of us may be feeling a little helpless of late. Some may be feeling as though they single-handedly want to solve the climate crisis. In this instance, it may be wise to remember the maxim: many hands make light work. One way in which we can all contribute to mitigating climate change and slowing biodiversity loss is by joining or establishing social groups to plant trees and other plants.

Some reports pin the average tree as absorbing 1 ton of carbon over it's 100 year lifespan, with most of that carbon being sequestered between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Planting now is essentially an investment in some serious carbon sequestration between 2030 and 2050 - and we are sure to be needing it even more desperately by then.

Co-benefits

Ethiopian kids at school funded by Fairtrade premium.Fairtrade Label South Africa (FLSA) is excited to announce that we will be hosting our first ever Fairtrade Week in South Africa. Running from the 14th-20th November 2011, Fairtrade Week is a national campaign aimed at increasing consumer awareness around Fairtrade.

The campaign’s theme - ‘Taste the Change’ - encourages everyone to learn how Fairtrade is transforming the way to do business in South Africa and Africa, how it creates positive change in farming communities and in the way consumers engage with the product.

pic: jaana's kitchenWe invite you to a practical workshop that is designed to give you knowledge and skills to help you build your own natural home.

The workshop will be led by Jill Hogan, founder of McGregor Alternative Technology Centre who has over 14 years of experience in natural building, restoration and workshops on all aspects of natural homes and has an incredible amount of knowledge and first hand experience.

Cob is soft and curvaceous so is very comfortable. It is also warm in winter and cool in summer. You can build your furniture into the walls giving more floor space.

Janna decided as her house is oval she does not want straight lines in her kitchen so our challenge is to build her an oval kitchen. The kitchen is going to be in the corner of the house shown in the picture above.