The world’s foremost environmental prize has announced more female winners than ever before, recognising the increasingly prominent role that women are playing in defending the planet. The struggle for a healthy planet may sometimes feel like a series of defeats, but this year’s Goldman environmental prize celebrates six remarkable success stories, five of them driven by … [Read more...]
Carbon offsetting spekboom a must for every garden
Referred to as ‘spekboom’ by both English and Afrikaans speakers, iNtelezi in Zulu and iGqwanitsha in Xhosa, this plant is an important part of the Addo elephants’ diet. Portulacaria afra is a slender, evergreen shrub with small, rounded succulent leaves. It has a varied growth habit; in the Addo Elephant Park the plant grows wide with a loose, rounded shape due to its … [Read more...]
Water expert talks drought lessons at Mensa
In South Africa 98% of all potential raw water sources are already allocated for use. Increasing urbanisation and demand for safe sanitation place heavy demands on our water resources. The Department of Water & Sanitation estimates that R7-billion in potable water is lost annually. That amounts to 36% of the clean drinking water supply! Dr Jo Barnes, epidemiologist and … [Read more...]
Mega coal plants versus people of South Africa: The battle for clean water
South Africa is currently facing up to the reality of a mega water crisis over three provinces. The water crisis has been declared a national disaster, which means that the national government recognises that the impacts of the water crisis go well beyond just the three provinces that have been named. An additional R6bn has been set aside in the budget for responses to the … [Read more...]
Relieving pressure on Western Cape recycling
Demand for plastic bottles is at an all-time high in the Western Cape region. Because of this the local recycling capacity in the Western Cape is at maximum production and is unable to process the additional influx of bottles. PETCO Associate Member Oasis Water, recycling experts Extrupet, and PETCO are transporting 15MT of baled bottles to the Extrupet facility in Gauteng … [Read more...]
Water shortages could affect 5bn people by 2050, UN report warns
More than 5 billion people could suffer water shortages by 2050 due to climate change, increased demand and polluted supplies, according to a UN report on the state of the world’s water. The comprehensive annual study warns of conflict and civilisational threats unless actions are taken to reduce the stress on rivers, lakes, aquifers, wetlands and reservoirs. The World … [Read more...]
Will there be more rain for Cape Town this winter?
The approaching autumn and winter season in Cape Town is being keenly awaited to see if it will bring sufficient rain to end, or at least alleviate, the drought. If the rains are above average, the city should be able to avoid Day Zero next year. But if they’re below average, it will be very hard to do so. No seasonal forecasts have sufficient skill to predict the likelihood … [Read more...]
World water problems on tap at Brazil conference
Brazil — the country with the world’s greatest fresh water reserves — hosts an international conference next week on growing fears over the fragility of drinking water supplies in a heating planet. Under the slogan “sharing water,” the 8th World Water Forum will bring together 15 heads of state and government, 300 mayors and dozens of experts in the Brazilian capital … [Read more...]
Breede Valley has run out of drinking water
Despite reports that the Western Cape was out of the danger zone‚ the Gift of the Givers has dispersed 120 tons of water from their Johannesburg offices to parts of the drought-stricken province‚ saying some rivers and dams were virtually dry. "The Western Cape drought is serious. Many don't understand that as yet. Breede Valley‚ Drakenstein and neighbouring areas have … [Read more...]
SA’s water issues will remain until underlying environmental threats are addressed
South Africa is a water scarce country, with disasters declared in several provinces due to drought. Yet ecologists are concerned that an over-emphasis on built infrastructure means any short-term water augmentation plans put into place now will be just that – short term, leaving the critical environmental support structure that ensures sustainable water supply threatened. And … [Read more...]
Plastic pipes help SA through toughest drought in decades
South Africa is currently in the grips of one of the worst droughts in decades, with five of the country’s provinces already declared drought disaster areas. The Western Cape, and Northern and Eastern Cape and Limpopo are the areas facing the most serious lack of water, with the Mother City counting down the days to the predicted “Day Zero”, when the province’s taps will run … [Read more...]
Recycling tips for parched Capetonians
With the increasing severity of the drought in the Western Cape, the storage and consumption of bottled water is expected to increase, and PET plastic bottles are a safe and convenient way to do this. Here are PETCO’s tips for the reuse and recycling of your PET water bottles during the drought: If collecting from a water point, it will be helpful to re-use your PET … [Read more...]
Day Zero moves more than a month away
The City of Cape Town has revealed a new dramatic shift in its projections for Day Zero, the day most citizens will have to queue for their water. It is now the 9th of July – a massive improvement from last week’s projection of the 4th of June! “Day Zero, the day we may have to start queueing for water, has now moved to 9 July due to a weekly drop in dam levels of only 0.5% … [Read more...]
