anti-fracking “speak out” this wednesday, human rights day

Submitted by incoming on Mon, 2012-03-19 13:02

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.


ambassadors for trees

Submitted by incoming on Mon, 2012-03-19 10:00

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?


karoo group cautions NPC on fracking

Submitted by incoming on Fri, 2012-03-16 12:53

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."


bolo'bolo: new vegan restaurant opens in muizenberg

Submitted by ConsciousBabe on Thu, 2012-03-15 13:50

Bolo'Bolo , the new vegan restaurant open on Palmer Road, is more than your average eatery...

Bolo Bolo interior contains an air of effortless styleBolo Bolo interior contains an air of effortless style

Palmer Road’s vegan restaurant has just changed hands and its new name, Bolo’Bolo, makes reference to a anthropological joke - the fictional name given to societies that don’t follow normal cultural patterns. Proud new owner Aragorn has experience in this type of business before, having opened and ran South Africa’s first vegan restaurant ‘Earth2’ while he was still living in Johannesburg some years ago.


south african sustainable design awards tomorrow!

Submitted by incoming on Thu, 2012-03-15 13:19

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.

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meet 9 Saffies who are now sustainable development educators

Submitted by incoming on Thu, 2012-03-15 13:00

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.

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now stay at platbos

Submitted by sproutingforth on Tue, 2012-03-13 11:26

Platbos is the incredible ancient, indigenous forest discovered by Francois and Melissa Krige, just off the coast of Gansbaai, in the Overberg. Africa's southernmost forest - a beautiful space.

If you haven't visited the forest yet, make a date. And now you can stay there too...(read on)


grapes in our garden

Submitted by sproutingforth on Mon, 2012-03-12 11:30

Nothing like your own grapes to make you feel like a homesteader! Juicing them entails cutting, washing (you've no idea the number of little spiders and bugs that use grapes in which to house), plucking and then juicing - hard work, but satisfying.

If you're in the neighbourhood, drop in for a bunch...

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patrick dowling speaks steady state economy

Submitted by ConsciousBabe on Wed, 2012-03-07 19:51

Meeting with Patrick Dowling, family friend and WESSA environmental educator, we discuss a more perfect world and a positive way out of our current economic and environmental dysfunction...

Patrick Dowling (pictured here doing some planting) believes that a Steady State Economy is now the way to goPatrick Dowling (pictured here doing some planting) believes that a Steady State Economy is now the way to go

Ok so we get that we are stuffed - with the economy doing a double dive and the planet protesting years of misuse - so now what? If economists have been questioning the idea of perpetual growth for centuries, how have we allowed ourselves to walk headlong into this mess? Surely this is a good a sign as any that we must make changes to our system, but the real question is, how?

Patrick believes that a Steady State System could just be the answer to our current situation.


women against nukes demonstration

Submitted by incoming on Wed, 2012-03-07 18:53

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