The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has released a graph showing all of the additional environmental taxes that South Africans are currently paying. The organisation said that these taxes have contributed a total of R103. 61 billion, but have not been clearly linked to real changes in behaviour. “It would be disastrous if an issue as critical as climate change was … [Read more...]
EWT reviews the biodiversity performance of SA companies
The National Biodiversity and Business Network (NBBN), an initiative of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), has released a report entitled Invitation to Join the Biodiversity Disclosure Project – A Study of the Biodiversity Performance of South African Companies. The report highlights the low biodiversity performance by South African companies and presents an opportunity … [Read more...]
Health club chain tackles climate change
Virgin Active South Africa has partnered with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) to sponsor a Net Zero Rating Tool. Committed to ZERO environmental impact by 2030 across its 143 clubs in Southern Africa, the health club group is already making operational changes to reduce water consumption and waste; switching to renewable energy to drive down carbon emissions; … [Read more...]
Popular food store trials recycling vending machine
Imagine an intelligent reverse vending machine for depositing your waste, which identifies it for you as recyclable or not. This is now a reality. In line with its recent announcement to achieve zero packaging waste to landfill by 2022, Woolworths has now launched a customer trial of an integrated reverse vending machine in its flagship green store in Claremont. “It might … [Read more...]
Are South Africa’s shopping bags really being recycled?
Despite many claims to the contrary, the shopping bags of most SA retailers are not actually being recycled because of one additive. In spite of wording on their plastic shopping bags such as "Recycle me - set a trend" (Woolworths), "Reduce, reuse, recycle" (Pick 'n Pay & Shoprite) and "We love our country, please recycle" (Spar), these bags are not being recycled … [Read more...]
Become a Conservation Champion
The WWF brought together stakeholders from the wine industry and conservation to create the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI) in 2005. Over the next decade, the initiative fostered greater awareness of the Cape’s unique natural heritage and encouraged many farms to implement biodiversity-friendly farming. The partnership also saw South Africa’s voluntary sustainable … [Read more...]
HSBC: what they’ve said about funding deforestation, and why it’s wrong
Over three weeks ago, we exposed how HSBC is funding palm oil companies that are tearing up Indonesia's forests. Since then, thousands of emails have been sent to the CEO. Now HSBC is responding to those emails, but what it's saying is at times misguided, and other times just plain wrong. More than 200,000 people across the world - including many HSBC customers - have … [Read more...]
76 Samsung workers dead after chemical exposure
Samsung deliberately kept secret the harmful chemicals its South Korean workers were exposed to, fearing its competitors would learn trade secrets. 76 workers are now dead. Most of the dead were in their 20s or 30s. One former worker—a breast cancer survivor—reported that Samsung brought in “uninformed kids” and treated them like they were “disposable cups.” Samsung … [Read more...]
Apple commits to zero environmental waste in China
Apple announced on Wednesday that all 14 of its final assembly sites in China are now compliant with UL (Underwriters Laboratories) zero waste standards. “It means that all the manufacturing waste from the 14 facilities is either reused, recycled, or composted,” said Lisa Jackson, vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives at Apple. The tech giant now … [Read more...]
Comment sought on draft carbon-offset rules
National Treasury on Monday published the draft regulations on carbon offset in terms of the Draft Carbon Tax Bill for public comment and further consultation. The Carbon Offset Regulations were developed jointly by National Treasury, the Department of Energy and the Department of Environmental Affairs in terms of Sections 13 and 20 (b) of the Draft Carbon Tax Bill and sets … [Read more...]
The future belongs to sustainable brands
The need for innovation in the responsible design of plastic packaging and the essential focus on the post-consumer life of this material was discussed during a workshop at the Sustainable Brands HOW NOW conference in Cape Town. The conference created an opportunity for professionals from various industries to network and learn from their peers and a collection of thought … [Read more...]
Investor interest in sustainability performance on the rise
Long relegated as a fringe issue on the corporate agenda, sustainability is fast becoming a rising concern among investors and shareholders, said business heads from leading Singapore companies on Wednesday. Speaking at a panel discussion on sustainability and climate change hosted by the Singapore Exchange, representatives from Singapore-listed companies DBS Bank, City … [Read more...]
WESSA graduates say “YES” to greener futures
Over 100 enthusiastic young participants on the Department of Environmental Affairs’ Youth Environmental Services (YES) Programme are equipped to pursue careers in the green economy after having received their graduation certificates at a ceremony held in Caledon today. This group is the latest intake of youths from disadvantaged backgrounds that have completed the year-long … [Read more...]
