South African department store chain Woolworths Holdings will be removing single-use plastic bags from one of its stores during a six-month trial period in a bid to end plastic pollution. From November, Woolworths, which also has operations in Australia and New Zealand, will not offer any plastic bags at its Steenberg store in Cape Town, with customers having the choice of … [Read more...]
African youth develops cooling technology for heating cities
Young people around the world are encouraged to think about the challenges facing the world’s cities and to draw upon their imagination and innovative ideas to create real, practical solutions that global cities can implement. Sian Cohen, business development manager and key account specialist of the Green Building Council South Africa, is to mentor the African winner and … [Read more...]
NGOs release list of world’s top coal plant developers
Four days before the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) puts forward its special report on 1.5°C, NGOs have released a new list of the world’s top 120 coal plant developers. “Building new coal plants is an assault on the Paris climate goals,” says Heffa Schuecking, director of the German environment NGO Urgewald. “Our list names the top companies investors and … [Read more...]
Living in a plastic age
Human history is often described by the technology and materials that were used during a particular period – such as the Stone Age, Iron Age and the Bronze Age. Some would argue that we are now living through a new period – the Plastic Age. How did this come about and what are the implications for us and the environment? Where do plastics come from? Plastic is a manmade … [Read more...]
West Coast rock lobster court ruling “historic”
WWF has welcomed the Cape High Court's historic ruling on West Coast rock lobster, after many attempts over several years to engage with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). The court has upheld WWF's view that the decision to set last season’s Total Allowable Catch for West Coast rock lobster at an unsustainably high 1 924.08 tons was irrational, … [Read more...]
Petition calls for an end to single-use plastics
Plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on humans, animals, waterways and ocean and the environment. Please sign the petition to appeal for the banning of single use plastic due to its impact on the environment. The Department of environmental affairs claims that it aims to "create a prosperous and equitable society that lives in harmony with our environment" Plastic … [Read more...]
Cape Town relying on water saving to prevent another day zero
Cape Town citizens are encouraged to keep saving water until the City finalises a long-term plan to ensure water security. That despite the announcement of Deputy Mayor, Ian Neilson, to move water restrictions from Level 6B to Level 5 from the 1st of October 2018. But will this be enough to prevent Cape Town from another Day Zero scare? 2015 and 2016 saw 2 consecutive years … [Read more...]
National Zoological Gardens launches recycling pilot project
South Africa’s largest zoo, the National Zoological Garden of South Africa (NZG), on Wednesday launched a recycling pilot project aimed at job creation and addressing the massive litter problem which its thousands of annual visitors leave in their wake. Should the programme prove successful, it could also be rolled out at the Mokopane Biodiversity Centre in Limpopo. The … [Read more...]
Expanding our marine conservation impact into the Comoros
September 2018 will see the start of an exciting project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) into the Comoros Archipelago. The Comoros coral reefs are an unrivalled marine paradise, with the highest concentration of coral marine species within a small area, in the world. Comoros offers one of the world’s largest coral atolls which parades hundreds of fish … [Read more...]
Journalist dies in clash over dirty coal in Germany
Over the last week, the German Police have deployed thousands of officers, backed up by water cannons and armoured vehicles, to evict hundreds of climate activists trying to defend the last remnants of an ancient forest in Germany from being destroyed by RWE, which wants to expand the biggest open coal mine in Europe. And yesterday this brutal eviction ended in tragedy when … [Read more...]
Shining a light on South Africa’s Marine Protected Areas
The youth shone a light on the importance of Marine Protected Areas with an evening of original poetry, inspiration and a spotlight performance at the WILDOCEANS Ocean Stewards’ Dinner on the Dock event held at Trawlers Wharf, Durban earlier this week, launching a week of mentorship and career guidance. With the launch of the annual four-day WILDOCEANS Ocean Stewards’ … [Read more...]
South Africans unite for a clean environment
Thousands of South Africans rolled up their sleeves, put on their rubber gloves and took to the beaches on Saturday, 15 September 2018 as part of the first World Clean-up Day - the largest peacetime civic action in human history. Stretching across 24 different time zones, involving 144 countries and more than 13 million volunteers worldwide, World Clean-up Day started in … [Read more...]
KZN rural school’s water team heads to London
Six of South Africa’s top Water Explorer teams recently gathered at Umgeni Valley in Howick to present their inspiring water saving efforts to an expert panel. The incredible teams included Mjila Primary, Chelsea Preparatory, Port Shepstone Junior Primary, Home School Amazing Gig, Ebomvini Primary and Shea O’Connor Combined School, each with their own unique story of how they … [Read more...]
