The annual Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy (BHRC) mountain bike permits are now available online. Enjoy a 92km trail network through rolling hillsides, conservation areas, vineyards and farmland in the Bottelary Hills just outside Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands. Multiple route options cater for various skill and fitness levels. Fees range between R400 and R700 … [Read more...]
KZN conservationist now a Royal Geographical Society Fellow
Well-known KwaZulu-Natal conservationist Sheelagh Antrobus has just been accepted as a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Geographical Society, the professional body that advances geography and supports related fields of interest across the globe. Antrobus, the founder of conservation organisation Project Rhino, is one of the integral members of the Kingsley Holgate Foundation … [Read more...]
Plastics belong in the cycle, not the river
Sustaining your energy in the environmental field is all about counting small blessings. And sometimes they aren’t so small either. We reported last year about the brave chap, 33-year-old Capetonian, Ray Chaplin who became the first person to riverboard the entire 2,400km length of the Orange River, from source to sea in order to raise awareness of our country’s water quality … [Read more...]
Have a green Valentine’s Day this year
It’s all hearts and roses this month with Valentine’s Day around the corner and the shops are stocked with brightly coloured cards, special chocolates, stuffed animals, plastic roses and more. However, when considering what to buy for your loved one, think about all the waste that is generated from these gifts - the plastic, the wrapping paper, the cardboard and ribbons that … [Read more...]
Human waste, litter & chemicals drown the Orange River
The Orange River is the country’s longest river and a lifeline for farmers, mining companies and communities. It is in a horrific state due to pollution and filth, said Capetonian adventurer Ray Chaplin after navigating the length of the river. Sponsored by Plastics|SA and Nampak Rigid Plastics, this IT professional turned adventurer and Cape Town resident started his 2 460 … [Read more...]
Green walk sustained by nature & green comrades
On the cloudy morning of Thursday 3rd October Ruben and I left for what would turn out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives: Walking The Daisies (WTD). Since 2008 WTD has existed as an annual 2-day environmental hike covering 50km from Blouberg beach and culminating in the arrival at S.A’s premier eco-friendly music festival, Rocking the Daisies (RTD) … [Read more...]
Celebrate the important things this Valentine’s Day
Love is in the air. The weather is scorchingly beautiful and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. We live in a part of the world where there are plenty of eco-friendly and inexpensive ways to celebrate love on this day. As is the case with most special days, this day started out with noble intentions as a simple celebration of love, and has evolved into another … [Read more...]
Malherbe takes on another epic journey
Extreme adventurer Braam Malherbe has set his sights on circumnavigating the Tropic of Capricorn in a bid to raise awareness for I-Saw, a charity that focuses on children with cleft palates and burn scars. To date he has risen over R2.5-million. Speaking at a recent Alexander Forbes business breakfast at the East London Golf Club, Malherbe, 55, said his upcoming adventure … [Read more...]
Rainbow Warrior Day 5: Following your call
On my last day on the Rainbow Warrior, I woke up to whale sounds outside my cabin porthole. Now I must be losing it, I thought. In the mess the others confirmed – they had also heard it. So I spent the rest of the day chatting to more brave young men and women with whale calls in the background. Outside the sea was rough and it was raining. Instead of entertaining us on … [Read more...]
Mike Horn’s odyssey hits the Mother City
Mike Horn arrived in Cape Town, as part of a four-year global odyssey to inspire young people to clean up and protect the planet. One of the most remarkable voyages of exploration ever undertaken – the four-year Pangaea trans-navigation of the globe by sea and land – was launched by South African Eco-Adventurer-Explorer Mike Horn in Monaco just over four years ago. The … [Read more...]
Lift sharing system sparks sustainable transport
After being in a major car accident, Dan Claasen decided to find a solution to our traffic problem, and created a lift-sharing platform that is now used by over 5000 people. In light of the rising cost of fuel and motoring, increasing congestion and the need to alter travel behavior in an ever growing population, it is rare to find an initiative that fights this at no cost … [Read more...]
Diamond in the rough
Today we figured out from first hand experience why Kimberley is known as the city of diamonds. We might not have found a hidden bag of jewels, but what we did find was something far more valuable. A diamond in the rough, unspoiled treasure, with a shine so radiant that it lit up the entire room. Twelve year old Rethabile Senye of White City, Kimberley, showed herself to … [Read more...]
Hoedspruit launches 7-Day conservation program
The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) is proud to launch an exclusive 7-day conservation programme, affording South African citizens the opportunity to gain hands-on and practical experience in conservation and wildlife as well as the overall running of the Centre. The programme welcomes participants aged between 18 and 25, which runs during December 2011 and … [Read more...]