Houses that generate more energy than they use, farming in the unused nooks and crannies of urban spaces, and wall coatings that literally suck water out of the air to make rooms cooler and less humid—although they may sound like scenes from the future, these solutions are already a reality in Singapore. Innovation for sustainability took centre stage last month at the … [Read more...]
Sustainable Maldives hotel turns beach trash into profit
The Maldives may be sinking into the ocean, but one thing that Sonu Shivdasani knows for sure is that he won’t let them go without a fight. Shivdasani is the CEO of Soneva Fushi, the hotel he founded with his wife, Eva, in 1995. Together, they are on a mission to save not only their beloved adopted home of Kunfunadhoo Island, but maybe the whole planet, too. To call … [Read more...]
Ocean plastic-cleaning machine to tackle Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Scientists are preparing to launch the world's first machine to clean up the planet's largest mass of ocean plastic. The system, originally dreamed up by a teenager, will be shipped out this summer to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, between Hawaii and California, and which contains an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic. It will be the first ever attempt to tackle … [Read more...]
Ghana entrepreneur building roads out of plastic bags
Across Africa, communities are devising new approaches to manage plastic waste. In Ghana, a former factory hand for Ashaiman may have found a new way to deal with the polymers contaminating our environments. Nelson Boateng, a Ghana-born network engineer, recently developed a form of asphalt recycled from his country’s plastic waste, particularly plastic bags, which is then … [Read more...]
Smartphones are killing the planet faster than anyone expected
Before you upgrade your next iPhone, you may want to consider a $29 battery instead. Not only will the choice save you money, it could help save the planet. A new study from researchers at McMaster University published in the Journal of Cleaner Production analyzed the carbon impact of the whole Information and Communication Industry (ICT) from around 2010-2020, including … [Read more...]
Entrepreneurs turning waste into opportunity
Africa is home to an emerging community of social entrepreneurs who care about people and the environment, and their inventive spirits are being harnessed to create jobs and opportunities for vulnerable people. One such business is All Women Recycling in Cape Town. The company employs single mothers and women with little to no work experience or education. Unlike most … [Read more...]
Clever kids use rainwater to clean windscreen
It’s an idea that could one day help save billions of litres of water. Instead of simply wiping raindrops off our car windscreens, why not collect and reuse the water via the washer jets? Brother and sister Daniel and Lara Krohn were travelling in the family car last summer when the heavens opened. But when their dad Gerd, who was driving, tried to clear away the smears, the … [Read more...]
Toilet workshop showcases low-tech composting system
Guerilla House have a new composting toilet workshop on how to build and manage a low tech humanure composting system. I think the simplest most natural way that uses the resources in our toilet to the full, is the greenest, and the most elegant in terms of design, and this is the kind of technology we learned at the workshop. There were four basic forms of compost toilet … [Read more...]
Socially conscious films recognised in annual SIMA awards
The 6th annual Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA) have announced their finalists. Known for bridging the global gap between filmmakers and their audiences and encouraging thoughtful action, the annual SIMA Awards honor the works of content creators who are pushing the boundaries of social and political storytelling. "In 2017 we marched in some of the largest protests in … [Read more...]
Environmental advocate encourages green living
Environmental advocate Trever Sanele Colvelle, from Elandskop near Pietermaritzburg developed a keen interest for environmental conservation during his tertiary studies. Immensely inspired by one of his university professors, M.J. Savage, whose laboratory is completely solar powered, Colvelle decided to pursue ways to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint and … [Read more...]
Young entrepreneur brings solar solutions to townships
Invented by social entrepreneur James van der Walt, the SolarTurtle recently scooped a win at the Inventors Garage at the 2017 SABC Education SA Innovation Summit, walking away with R10k. The SolarTurtle, converted from shipping containers, charges solar batteries that can be used on site or at home in low-income communities to power LED lights, charge phones or other … [Read more...]
Upcycling gives waste an exciting new purpose
Upcycling is a fun and creative way to transform old products and packaging into something with a new purpose. According to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)’s Waste Management Hierarchy, upcycling, which in the most basic sense is ‘reusing’ waste, is the second most preferred waste management option after ‘reducing’ your waste. Have you ever used an old glass … [Read more...]
Sharing people-driven films to inspire change
Green Renaissance are a passionate collective of four creatives, on a journey to share positive stories. Everywhere we look, we see a world filled with inspiration. Sometimes it's capturing a conversation with someone who appreciates the true beauty in the world. Other times it's meeting interesting people who are inspired by nature. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. … [Read more...]
