Can you imagine a bag created from recycled seatbelts, reused car/homestead upholstery and rejected fabric sample books? This is exactly what planet friendly bag company I Scream & Red has done. They also bind all their products with natural or organic cotton and materials to ensure that it is green endorsed. Not only the earth benefits here. People from previously … [Read more...]
Give your office a green thumbprint this Green Office Week
Next week is Green Office Week (GOW) which is intended to raise awareness of the importance of eco-friendly offices and inform office workers that they too can make a positive impact on the environment whilst at work. Your office will be healthier and make financial sense Although some organisations are already making clear statements about their green products or services … [Read more...]
Are we the Waste Generation?
When future archaeologists peel back the layers of our history, will they uncover the Landfill Era? “We are a heavily landfill dependent country,” said Quinton Williams, Environmental Consultant with Jeffares & Green and a speaker at last week’s Waste Compliance meeting, organised by Institute of Waste Management South Africa (IWMSA). Quinton introduced waste from a … [Read more...]
Time to shed the waste dinosaur
National Recycling Day is this weekend on 14 September. What are you doing with your “waste?” Do you still have such a word in your vocabulary? At the Green Times we regard it as a dinosaur – it’s time is up. Nothing can be wasted as there are limited resources on this planet. So we can speak about resources, or materials instead. Everything should remain in a cyclical system, … [Read more...]
Retire your tyres for furniture
How about transforming unsightly trash into attractive and practical furniture for outside or inside your home? This is what one entrepreneur, Wayne Kruger, is doing with creative flair and endless innovation. Retyre Furniture sources old tyres lying around in the environment, or discarded by tyre concerns and transforms them into chairs, couches, swings and other quirky … [Read more...]
Creative women find solution for paper waste
In September 2010, a warm-hearted, creative woman in Kleinmond, in the Western Cape, had the idea of teaching jobless women to make gift bags from waste paper. With the support of a friend, they set up a workshop and hired women to learn the skills. Of the original group, two showed their commitment and their willingness to work longer and harder than they were paid to do – … [Read more...]
Waste management becomes a way of life
Now that we know that it is possible for a car rental company to be super serious about their water and carbon footprints, what are they doing about their waste? Avis has invested significantly in the implementation of a comprehensive waste management programme throughout the business. The programme encourages Avis employees to bring their waste to work to help educate and … [Read more...]
Green design 2: eco lighting
A range of delightful lighting: standing lamps, desk lamps, pendant fittings and chandeliers, are handcrafted in Cape Town, using materials that are as eco-friendly as can be. Designed and made (until the workshop is up and running) by architect Andy Horn, they follow his passion for the respect and understanding of nature and natural elements, and how best they can be … [Read more...]