There’s a hero inside all of us. And that’s not just a platitude about unrealised potential but a reality as far as tissue donation is concerned. Tissue donation refers to the generous donation of human tissue, which includes bone and other products created from human tissue, bestowed after death. According to Bone SA, a registered non-profit organisation concerned with … [Read more...]
Mqeku Picnic Site: an ideal spot for family outings
Head for the great outdoors, enjoy the early-winter crisp weather and discover somewhere new: visit the Mqeku Picnic Site - a magical unexplored playground only 20 minutes from Hillcrest in the heart of the Valley of 1000 Hills. With Youth Day and Father’s Day both coming up in the next fortnight – families may be looking for interesting things to do together. Mqeku … [Read more...]
Koeberg plant manager suspension raises safety concerns
Eskom has released a statement confirming the suspension of Koeberg’s General Manager for performance-related issues. This is concerning as it raises several questions from a safety perspective. Eskom’s chief nuclear officer, Riedewaan Bakardien, is now also doing the job of Koeberg plant manager, which means he can’t be giving 100% of his attention to either job. What … [Read more...]
Restoring natural landscapes through waste clean-ups
Since the start of the pandemic, South Africa has seen a significant increase in the volumes of medical waste and discarded personal protective equipment (PPE). While most parts of the country receive an adequate waste management service to discard medical waste and used PPE, some towns and communities are afflicted with piles of this waste stream from illegal dumping. “It … [Read more...]
Final nail in coffin for proposed Khanyisa station
The Pretoria High Court has declared that the environmental approval for the planned 600MW Khanyisa coal-fired power station has expired. Khanyisa would have been built on the outskirts of Emalahleni, already plagued by toxic air pollution. The court order is effectively the final nail in the coffin for the proposed coal plant - backed by Saudi company ACWA Power - which has … [Read more...]
Complaint issued regarding Powership project in Saldanha Bay
On Monday 31 May, the Green Connection lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs regarding the Environmental Assessment Practitioners’ (EAP) failure to comply with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations pertaining to the EIA for the Proposed Gas to Power Powership Project at the Port of Saldanha Bay. The Green … [Read more...]
Urgent action needed to prevent fatal nature loss
Hundreds of millions of people across the globe are showing their rising concern about nature. New global research, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and commissioned by WWF, shows that public interest in, and concern for nature has risen markedly (16%) in the past five years and continues to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic. The figures came ahead of … [Read more...]
Protecting biodiversity with better waste management
For the past 50 years, human activities have dramatically reduced biodiversity across the globe. We have, through our actions, extinguished our habitats and reduced populations of plants and wild animals by up to 60% so that today, our natural resources and the species on our planet are under threat – from us. In fact, the negative impact we have made is astounding. Just … [Read more...]
Transition to renewable energy urgently needed
Yesterday morning, just before the crack of dawn, Earthlife Africa members joined residents of Lephalale in Limpopo in a small demonstration to create awareness of the threats from coal, and the impact this fossil fuel is having on communities in the area. Lephalale residents say, “We are very concerned about the coal industries in our region and how it affects us. Coal … [Read more...]
Methane emissions urgently need to be reduced
A Global Methane Assessment released today by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that human-caused methane emissions can be reduced by up to 45 per cent this decade. Such reductions would avoid nearly 0.3°C of global warming by 2045 and would be consistent with keeping the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal to limit … [Read more...]
Lessons learned during landmark SA nuclear court case
On Monday 26 April, it will be four years since the Western Cape High Court found the government’s R1-trillion nuclear deal and associated energy procurement processes to be “illegal and unconstitutional”. South Africa was spared from a corrupt deal under the Zuma government that would have bankrupted the country. This day also marks 35-years since the Chernobyl nuclear … [Read more...]
SA youth picket in Joburg for Earth Day
On Earth Day 2021, the Climate Justice Action Group (CJAG) held a picket demonstration outside Gauteng’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) to call attention to the ongoing socio-environmental injustices that continue in South Africa. CJAG is a youth-based group facilitated by driven by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg to promote awareness of climate justice … [Read more...]
Is sustainability finally becoming more mainstream?
As the world grapples with the uncertainty surrounding the long-term implications of Covid-19, there is a measure of agreement on one thing - the global pandemic has fast-tracked numerous trends which were already emerging prior to the crisis. Says Anthony Stroebel, head of New Business Development for Pam Golding Properties and a director of the Green Building Council South … [Read more...]
