Diepsloot is a densely populated neighbourhood situated in the north of Johannesburg, South Africa. Over 200 000 inhabitants live in self made shacks, with living conditions worsened by a lack of access to basic facilities, like water, proper sanitation, education and public lighting. The Philile Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims to transform the lives of … [Read more...]
School project brings eco education and animal awareness
Developing learners' appreciation for nature and understanding of ecology is essential for their adaptation to a changing world and ability to be caretakers going forward. The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), in partnership with Africa Foundation and andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, launched a new environmental education project in the Mduku … [Read more...]
Pollution responsible for quarter of deaths of young children
Pollution is responsible for one in four deaths among all children under five, according to new World Health Organisation reports, with toxic air, unsafe water, and and lack of sanitation the leading causes. The reports found polluted environments cause the deaths of 1.7 million children every year, but that many of the deaths could be prevented by interventions already … [Read more...]
Kabega Primary wins clean-up and recycling competition
Kabega Primary School in Port Elizabeth has once again proven their mettle as a group of learners committed to sustainability and cleaning up their environment, by emerging victorious in Plastics|SA’s annual Clean-Up and Recycle Competition. According to Jacques Lightfoot, Sustainability Manager at Plastics|SA, the aim of this yearly competition is to encourage, schools, … [Read more...]
WESSA hosts international environmental education event in SA
This week WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) played host to the 2016 international FEE Eco-Schools conference – also known as the National Operators’ Meeting (NOM) – in Johannesburg. The three day event saw 85 delegates from over 50 countries around the world come together for an exchange of knowledge and best practices around environmental education … [Read more...]
Kaldi’s goats discover coffee in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. It was discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi in the 11th century. Kaldi’s goats ate some coffee cherries and became energised and as a result, Kaldi gave the cherries a try and was delighted to experience the same effect. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the cherries and found that … [Read more...]
Is your school Waste Wise?
What is your school, or your child's school, doing about their waste footprint? Do not throw your hands up in despair if you are not personally involved in making school waste awareness happen. Many schools are indeed doing great work in this line. I often say that the kids are far more aware than us adults - WE are the problem generation. The Waste Wise school's … [Read more...]
Waste into home building materials brings new hope
Here is a beautiful fusion of human and environmental needs addressed through innovative design and creative solutions. The Polystyrene Packaging Council (“PSPC”) in partnership with the Mobile Education and Training Trust (“METT”), a Non-Profit Organisation, recently launched the new Village of Hope, a R285 million project that is nearing completion in Kosmos in the North … [Read more...]
Self sustainable schools a step in the right direction
Education is the cornerstone to success, progress and knowledge. Globally 75 million people between the ages of 18 – 24 are unemployed. But there is hope. In a relatively unknown part of the world, the principles and methods of learning have been redefined. Escuela Agricola San Francisco de Asis, Paraguay. Converted from a monastery into an agricultural college for local … [Read more...]
Eco education for teachers a major gap in SA
More than 80% of current teachers were educated in the past segregated system, when environmental education did not feature in teacher education, or in the curriculum, shows a national research study. Teacher education for environment and sustainable development has been neglected in teacher education innovations in the past 15 years. Three large scale national studies on … [Read more...]
Taiwan bans GMOs from school lunches and mandates GMO labeling
Even as the fascist, corrupt U.S. government and its regulators (FDA and USDA) actively conspire with the biotech industry to poison Americans with genetically modified foods, Taiwan has already passed and implemented a nationwide law to protect its citizens from GMOs. Nearly a full year ago, Taiwan passed Food Act Amendments that achieve remarkable food safety milestones … [Read more...]
Learners rewarded for addressing SA water challenges
Danville Park Girls' High School in Durban North, KZN, was awarded first place at the National Water Explorer Awards event that was held on Thursday 3 September at the Durban Botanical Gardens. The Water Explorer programme is a two-year collaboration between the UK NGO Global Action Plan (GAP) and the international banking firm HSBC that aims to engage learners in eleven … [Read more...]
Recycling prize for textbooks and fixing classrooms
What would your school do with the prize money if you win the 2015 Schools Recycling Competition? ‘We will buy textbooks, and fix broken chairs, desks and windows at the schools.’ This shows that the learners from the schools in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, are motivated to improve their learning environment – and that recycling can make a difference at schools. The teachers … [Read more...]
