South Africa does not have a law banning plastic bags. However, to reduce littering and discourage customers from buying them, the plastic bag levy was increased in April by 50 percent to 12 cents per bag. SA department store chain Woolworths Holdings will be removing single-use plastic bags from one of its stores during a six-month trial period in a bid to end plastic … [Read more...]
Cycad poacher sentenced to 10 years in landmark ruling
In a ground-breaking decision, and for the first time on record in the Eastern Cape and possibly in South Africa at large, an Encephalartos cycad poacher has been sentenced to ten years direct imprisonment by the Jansenville regional court. The Endangered Wildlife Trust (the EWT) would like to commend the National Prosecuting Authority, Advocate Coetzee, and the members of … [Read more...]
Prisoner poo powers Rwanda’s jails
Officials at Rwanda’s prisons were looking for a way to reduce energy costs, save money and cut down on their conventional energy source: burning firewood harvested from local forests. Their sustainable solution? Recycling the inmates’ own waste to generate energy. The country’s 14 jails have all installed biogas burners, which are 75 percent powered by prisoner poo, the BBC … [Read more...]
