Today’s architecture takes its cues from nature. And rightfully so. It’s the underlying ethos of many new North Coast residential estates where developers have rehabilitated land once used for sugar cane farming or now overcome with alien vegetation. This architectural vision mimics natural shapes and forms, makes use of natural materials, and integrates design features that … [Read more...]
Soil Manifesto calls for environmental restoration
The Soil Manifesto was first drafted on October 17th, 2019 by a group of young Soil Ambassadors during an international Soil Protection and Management training led by CCIVS, part of the Soil4Life project coordinated by Legambiente Onlus and organised within the framework of the IVS for Climate Justice Campaign. Now is the chance to add your signature and pledge support to … [Read more...]
Rebuilding relationships over natural resources in Darfur
Every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day offers the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations an opportunity to celebrate the daily work of humanitarian responders worldwide and recognize their dedication to helping others. World Humanitarian Day also gives us pause to reflect on how to continue improving the humanitarian response to climate change and complex … [Read more...]
Greenpeace Africa demands accountability after Durban fire
Greenpeace Africa volunteers have launched a petition demanding accountability from United Phosphorus Limited following the July explosion of their chemical warehouse in Cornubia in Durban. An investigation by amaBhungane has uncovered that the warehouse stored hundreds of chemicals with known adverse health effects, including Masta 900, methamidophos, and paraquat. It also … [Read more...]
Industrial farming no solution for Africa
Following the United Nations (UN) Food Systems Pre-Summit in Rome last week - a prequel to the Head of State-level Summit in New York, this September - faith communities from across Africa continue to call attention to the wide range of far-reaching consequences of current industrial agricultural models. An open letter to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – sent by the … [Read more...]
The bare bones of tissue donation
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...]
