When the goats on his farm had nothing more to eat, the soil had eroded and most of the vegetation had been destroyed, South African farmer Pieter Kruger had to make one of the toughest decisions of his life. “I have always been a farmer,” he says, “but that moment in 2007, I knew that I could not go on. There was no more water. Zandvlakte is the last farm in our valley in the … [Read more...]
Grasslands more reliable carbon sink than trees
Forests have long served as a critical carbon sink, consuming about a quarter of the carbon dioxide pollution produced by humans worldwide. But decades of fire suppression, warming temperatures and drought have increased wildfire risks — turning California’s forests from carbon sinks to carbon sources. A study from the University of California, Davis, found that grasslands … [Read more...]
Offsetting SA carbon emissions with indigenous spekboom
Portulacaria afra is a South African succulent that is widespread across the country, growing in most gardens and urban areas. What makes it such a popular house plant is due to it’s superb tolerance to drought and wind. Portulacaria afra is often referred to as Spekboom (in Afrikaans) or Porkbush (in English) and is part of the Portulacaceae family. It occurs naturally in … [Read more...]
Play hard, tread lightly at Rocking The Daisies next month
What started out as a small eco-friendly, “green” festival has over the course of a decade grown into the biggest festival in the country. With over 20,000 people attending every year, it’s now more important than ever that Superbalist is Rocking the Daisies’ motto, ‘Play Hard, Tread Lightly,’ is embraced by all festival-goers, suppliers and fans so these words become real … [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...]
Green up communities with trees this Arbor Week
National Arbor Week is an opportune time to call on all South Africans to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management. From 1 to 7 September every year, schools, businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate in community "greening" events to improve the health and beauty of the local environment and propose … [Read more...]
Climate neutral printing: yes, it is possible
As one of the first accredited carbon neutral printers in South Africa, Hot Ink's team feel strongly about the world around us and the impact that each of us has on the environment. For several years they have made it their responsibility to research and provide customers with greener paper choices, offering discounts to reward eco friendly selections. Now, following on to … [Read more...]
Breathing new life into Platbos Forest
Recently, our team spent a relaxing weekend at the 1000 year old Platbos Indigenous Forest, near Gansbaai. We slept in huts made from wood and canvas, and heated up the geyser by making a fire beneath it. Discovering the southernmost remnant of the ancient Afromontane forest which once covered almost the whole of Africa was a journey to our roots in a series of significant … [Read more...]
Microsoft’s quest to become ‘carbon neutral’
Microsoft has announced a commitment to achieve “carbon neutrality” for its energy use companywide during its upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1. It’s a bold and somewhat unusual plan, but consistent with the software giant’s other recent sustainability initiatives, which favor sophisticated, IT-fueled projects conducted in a transparent and accountable fashion. Whether … [Read more...]
