The Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs will next week (Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22) hold public hearings on Acid Mine Drainage (AMD).
The increased importance of a reduction in energy costs to ensure an organisation's financial sustainability need no further emphasis in today's world. In many industries input energy costs have become comparable to that of raw input materials and limited resources are available to fund energy savings projects.
In the aftermath of the Fukushima crisis, a majority of sustainability experts around the world now say that nuclear power isn't essential to a low-carbon energy future, research released today shows.
Early indications are that the market may well share such sentiments:
Prime Minister Naoto Kan has announced that Japan is rethinking its stance on nuclear power and that renewable energy will become a cornerstone for his country's energy policy.
The commercial solar industry in South Africa has received a great boost with the recent announcement by Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba that the African Development Bank has approved the loan of $365 million to Eskom. The minister said during his budget speech in Parliament that Eskom had received this as part of its renewable energy project build programme in line with the IRP.
Describing South Africa in a nutshell could, in some circles, bring out words like crime, corruption, controversial politics and racial tension. But for the really smart among us, it is so much more'a country of diversity, beauty, creativity and endless opportunities for growth and a bright future.
What is your assessment of the outcomes of Cancun and how much progress has been achieved in following up and in implementation of the decisions that were made, particularly as relates to adaptation and finance?
The Cancun Outcome must be commended as one that contributed to keeping the climate change negotiations process alive after Copenhagen where trust in the process was hindered. The Copenhagen Accord was reached in a way which was not transparent and inclusive. Cancun was thus able to restore trust.
We knew Moving Planet would move - we just didn't know how fast. Here is a story from 350.org:
It feels like it's going 82.8 miles per hour (which happens to be the fastest speed ever recorded on a bicycle). In the week since we launched this global day of action, we've already heard from hundreds of organizers in every corner of the planet who are making plans for September 24.
Two weeks ago, Pam and I got back from a woodland vacation in Ontario, Canada. While we were there, we learned the story of the privately owned forest we were staying in, the Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve.
In the months of May and June, a total of 600 ready-grown indigenous trees donated by Just Trees nursery in Paarl will be planted in Tokai Park, part of the Cape's magnificent Table Mountain National Park and an offshoot of South African National Parks' shade tree planting project.
No man is an island, so the saying goes. Well here's a story of how one island transformed a group of neighbours into a community.
Stranack Road Island, shaped like a rugby ball, was once the home of four proud flamboyants (Delonix regia - see below).
The spectacular saffron umbrella of its flowers in summer seduced many of the residents to buy here. In 2008, however, the 80 year old trees became the target of a rather aggressive and destructive insect.
This is one of those books that every now and then someone mentions and you make a mental note to read it someday. Well 'someday' just arrived and now I'm left wondering what direction my life might have taken if I'd read it before.
Winter milk is creamier than summer milk resulting in a richer, smoother cheese, giving the cheese its "winter" character. One of the things we love about our farm is that we can allow our goats to just be natural. We don't force them by feeding them a too high protein diets which, result in disease, because we want to push up their production. Winter simply means less milk and less cheese and that's fine by us. Also, less productive goats. That's why Nefertiti (see picture) who is an older goat, still has a valid place on our farm. In a factory setup she would have been slaughtered a couple of years ago. Here we value her for her contribution and her great personality.
'Organic farming has been there for many years, sitting on the fringe, but not receiving much attention,' said Thabo Ramashala, Director of Plant Production for the Department Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at a national organic policy workshop in Cape Town. 'Government wants to find a way for the organic sector to grow and find its place.'
Welcome to THE STOEP HARVEST, an exciting new addition to the Green Times. Once a month, Sam Adams will be writing an article that looks at how to design, create and maintain a successful organic vegetable and herb garden. There will be information for both first-time gardeners as well as those more experienced.
The bagged organic baby mixed greens on sale a Whole Foods Market in Bethesda, MD, USA are not very "green" at all. To grow the lettuce, vast amounts of water must be moved from the Colorado River to California, the most hydrologically altered landmass on the planet. The lettuce is picked, packaged, washed and shipped in refrigerated trucks (because it's perishable) roughly 2,800 miles across America. The cost? $3.99. If you believe that the demand for water and oil are going to grow, this five oz. bag of greens will only get more expensive.
Thinking of becoming an Eco Consultant? Maybe you are simply looking for ways to "green" your lifestyle. For the next 2 days the Eco Institution is discounting it's course fee's. To take advantage of this offer follow the instructions below.
