The City of Cape Town is encouraging residents to keep a special eye out for the Cape Dwarf Chameleon, which is classified as a vulnerable species. This will assist the City in tracing where these chameleons occur. With the onset of autumn, these chameleons, also known as Trapsuutjies in Afrikaans, should be delivering offspring ahead of the rains, which usually occur around … [Read more...]
Recycling ‘too much effort’ for most South Africans
Data from a new survey tapping into the public’s attitudes towards recycling has revealed that the majority of working and middle-class South Africans simply find recycling too much effort. In the largest consumer research in South Africa of its kind, almost 1,000 adults – mostly from major cities in South Africa, but including peri-urban and rural areas – spanning living … [Read more...]
NGO gathers data on endangered sharks in KZN
A team of dedicated volunteer advanced divers embarked on a citizen science project over December and January at Protea Banks (KwaZulu-Natal South Coast), in the hopes of gathering valuable data linked to the endangered scalloped hammerhead shark. The project, an initiative of WILDOCEANS a leading NGO, set out to count a reported aggregation of scalloped hammerhead sharks in … [Read more...]
Counting cheetahs in Kruger National Park
Don't you just love wild dogs? Those ears are to die for! Now you can help conserve these threatened guys by indulging your love for photography and spending time in the bush. If counting African wild dogs in the Kruger sounds like a fantastic adventure, then join the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and South African National Parks Honorary Rangers’s sixth wild dog and … [Read more...]
National Energy Barometer Survey open for entries
The 4th National Energy Barometer Survey (NEBS) is open for building benchmarking. For the 4th consecutive year, Energy Cybernetics has been making its Energy Barometer tool available to building owners and facility managers to participate in the National Energy Barometer Survey (NEBS). The Energy Barometer is a non-intrusive and cost-effective process to determine the … [Read more...]
3 Billion people in slums by 2050
Without fresh ideas to address rapid urbanization, the number of people living in slums lacking access to basic infrastructure and services such as sanitation, electricity, and health care may skyrocket from one billion at present to three billion by 2050, the United Nations reported earlier this month. That wake up call is one of several alarm bells sounded in the UN World … [Read more...]
Less than ¼ of us understand climate change threats
How aware, concerned and active are South Africans about climate change and how does this compare to Europeans and Americans? Who is the good, the bad and the ugly in this unfolding story? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) climate change takes 150 000 casualties every year and will flood around 100 million people by the end of the century. What’s more though, … [Read more...]
Latest plastics recycling survey results released
According to Plastics|SA’s third annual survey of the plastics recycling industry in South Africa, the recycling of plastics has shown a year-to-year increase in the total tonnage being converted since the 2009 survey. In 2011 South Africa had 196 plastic recyclers who collectively recycled 245 696 tons of plastics. This is 1,6 % more than in 2010, whereas the virgin … [Read more...]
SA business doesn’t measure up to green
A large number of South African companies are not implementing sustainable strategies as a key performance indicator. A study done this year found that most companies don't have any measures regarding the impact of their supply chains and operations on the environment, nor do they plan to introduce any of these measures within the next 12 months. The Supply Chain … [Read more...]
