2015 has been a great year for Cosmo City and Green Beings. From January to July three separate projects have created jobs for 40 residents. The three projects ran within Cosmo schools and Cosmo Conservation Area. In January, Green Beings partnered with the City of Johannesburg to employ 10 residents. The Eco-guides assisted Green Beings with implementing their Green Schools … [Read more...]
Join the Earth Imagineers and reclaim your future
The Earth Imagineers Tour covers the birth of a radical new consciousness and explores how the human body is the most potent tool to change the world. It covers new understandings of what the sun is, how the human heart is a frequency generator that can affect all life and how we interact with light to be this change. Dan Schrieber of Starseed Gardens Austrailia, acclaimed … [Read more...]
HOW TO SERIES PART 1: How to go off the grid with solar
Today starts our new HOW TO SERIES – on demand by you our readers. How do we take our environmental footprints into our own hands and radically reduce our negative impact on the planet we hope to leave behind to our children in a liveable state? How do we adapt to the realities of the environmental crisis and live with reverence and joy? Every second week we will publish the … [Read more...]
Youth go for low-carbon actions
Learners and educators from eight Cape Town schools attended the annual Project 90 by 2030’s Leadership Clubs Summit hosted by Rhodes High School in Mowbray. Project 90 by 2030 is a national organisation that seeks to bring about massive change in how people engage with the environment and each other. The Leadership Clubs are a part of the Young Leaders Programme - its aim … [Read more...]
Retirement and independent living
So many people wonder how they can get out of the ratrace and start doing the things they love. As a believer in doing the work that you love for a living, I find this sad in itself. Obviously it often requires huge financial compromise, and utter resourcefulness. Here is a creative look at retirement and reducing your environmental footprint by David Lipschitz: How to … [Read more...]
Natural Building part 3: Plaster & mortar mixes
Plasters and mortars are by far the process that I get asked about the most, and for good reason as plasters are what protect the building from the elements and give them their beautiful finish. Understanding how the material is going to behave right the way through the process, plasters and mortars should be planned for from the beginning. Plasters that are not planned are … [Read more...]
New deal to help Mozambique combat wildlife crime
A historic deal between the Government of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano Foundation and Peace Parks Foundation will strengthen Mozambique’s efforts to combat wildlife crime by supporting the development of dedicated anti-poaching operations in and around Limpopo National Park - an integral component of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park and Conservation Area. The project … [Read more...]
Painting a colourful picture of our energy future
The discussion around the future of Eskom has reached a new high with the parastatal reporting on its dire situation culminating in a R225bn shortfall. Many articles published in the past week laid out arguments as to what Eskom should do next. As a young South African I believe someone should share a youth perspective on this subject. It is interesting to read that many of … [Read more...]
Dancing between desire and wisdom
To be human is to belong, and care is both the expression and the gift of our connectedness. Heartfelt care motivates us to make our best contributions in life. And expressing care not only feels good but is actually good for us, having been shown to strengthen the immune system! The environmental movement is made up of millions of people who dedicate their lives to caring … [Read more...]
For Angeles: honouring a fallen elder
On 24 April 2014, Dr Angeles Arrien passed away. Angeles was a cultural anthropologist, whose research into the symbols, myths and practices of indigenous people drew attention to the high degree of commonality between the values and beliefs of cultures around the world. Her book, The Four-Fold Way, distils elements of the spiritual wisdom of these cultures and presents it … [Read more...]
To live to love seems the best way forward
Tomorrow, 22 April, we celebrate Earth Day across the globe. Reverberating from the shocks of the latest IPCC report, as well as the NASA scientists’ report we shared recently, I am faced with a moral dilemma. What is now the best course of action? Try to push back the floods of destruction that seem daily more inevitable, or accept that our modern civilisation is not … [Read more...]
Greyton aims to phase out plastic bags
From the 3rd of July 2014 (International plastic bag free day), Greyton aims to become South Africa’s first town to phase out single use plastic shopping bags. This is a drive initiated by Greyton Transition Town (GTT) and supported and assisted by Hayley McLellan from Rethink the Bag. This is just one of the many creative waste reduction programmes run in Greyton. Green … [Read more...]
Time for transition in South Africa
“In Transition 2.0” is a film that offers hope and resilience in challenging times. It was a pleasure to be part of the audience at the Eco Film Festival this month at the Labia in Gardens. For me the film presents a tried and tested opportunity for change. Very real change from a grassroots movement that is starting to gain ground in a time when we are looking for answers to … [Read more...]
