With 673 hours of darkness in the first six months of 2022 so far alone, this year looks set to overtake 2021’s record amount of load shedding, while energy experts have raised the spectre of unprecedented stage 8 blackouts. And as winter cold sets in and heaters turn up, Eskom has warned of constraints on the national grid and just announced the restart of load … [Read more...]
Improve your energy efficiency this winter while keeping warm
South Africans can keep warmer, save money, and take pressure off the national grid by implementing simple low-cost energy saving measures. This call from Barry Bredenkamp, General Manager Energy Efficiency & Corporate Communications at SANEDI, (the South African National Energy Development Institute). “While South Africa has passed the winter equinox, meaning our days … [Read more...]
Cape Town relying on water saving to prevent another day zero
Cape Town citizens are encouraged to keep saving water until the City finalises a long-term plan to ensure water security. That despite the announcement of Deputy Mayor, Ian Neilson, to move water restrictions from Level 6B to Level 5 from the 1st of October 2018. But will this be enough to prevent Cape Town from another Day Zero scare? 2015 and 2016 saw 2 consecutive years … [Read more...]
Stories of Lwandle evictees not OK, says ADR lawyer
After 20 years of democracy, and celebrating the spirit of Madiba, the reality of the Lwandle evictions, as reported in Court last week, triggered memories of the old style police treatment in the sad history of this country. As part of a Ministerial Inquiry into the evictions Sheena St. Clair Jonker (main photo) made submissions on behalf of the community. She is the … [Read more...]
Spreading Madiba magic on his special day
How to make a contribution on Mandela Day? Here are a few cool places to volunteer your time and compassion and help those in need: Durban: The Rising Sun calls on well-wishers, philanthropists, community organisations and the corporate sector in Durban to be part of an innovative Food for Life kitchen refurbishment project. “Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of … [Read more...]
67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day
When you think of knitting, what comes to mind? A grey-haired dear? Think again! Knitting is now hip and is being done, en masse, for a good cause. 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day started as a challenge but has quickly grown into what some are calling a movement. It’s captured the attention of the Minister of Arts & Culture, Paul Mashatile, Hugh Masekela, Angela … [Read more...]
Wild about Weeds part 1: Veldkool
Want to learn more about the medicinal and nutritional value of the common weeds in your garden? Today Tracy Armbruster - our weed enthusiast – kicks off her series for all of us to learn together: W.E.E.D’s (Wild, Enriching, Edible, Delight’s) are simply amazing! What I love most about them is their pioneering spirit. Their “survival of the fittest” attitude. They have … [Read more...]
Foxglove organic stories Part 7: Clearing the wattle
In the midst of a dry winter, Sue and her family take it upon themselves to rid Foxglove Farm of their resident alien trees and make compost for the months ahead. Since winter has been neither very cold nor wet, we have continued to clean up, remove aliens and make compost. At the moment we are up to our elbows in wattles. Most people see wattles as only a problem but we see … [Read more...]
Foxglove organic stories Part 5: Chicks and beekeeping
Amazing things are happening this early part of winter on the farm. 4 of our hens have been sitting on eggs and our first new chicks have hatched! Hopefully, over the next 2 weeks, I will be up to my elbows in little chicks. Sadly, the daddy of these chicks is no longer with us. The most gentlemanly rooster I have met so far, had a tennis ball-sized cancerous growth on his … [Read more...]
The key to winter veggies
Easter weekend it was time to plant winter seedlings. However, I first had to pull up the last of my beautiful tomato harvest. So I found myself with an abundance of tomatoes. I decided to preserve the whole lot, even the green ones. I found recipes online, modified them according to what I had available and created yummy jars of atchar for the winter (see instructions … [Read more...]
ECO HOUSE Pt 2: Let the sunshine in!
Using what is natural, healthy and for free should be our first aim when we intend to green our lifestyles. Wind, sun and rainwater are such resources. These three sustainable assets can be harvested with sometimes small yet clever tricks, at other times with more elaborate and costly measures. But once implemented they all have one thing in common: zero pollution and of course … [Read more...]
Waste wood burning: eco fire for winter
When blankets and woolly socks just don't cut it anymore during winter time, we switch on our carbon-emitting heaters. This is no good for our already disturbing carbon escalation, so alternatives we have to find,. Which is what we did this week when we discovered a new closed fire eco-heating stove by T and T Energy Solutions. We went to see this clever device at the German … [Read more...]
Eco home part 1: keeping warm this winter
Natural medicine, vitamins and nutrition are some of the ways to keep colds and flu at bay in winter. Another way is the often forgotten old housewife's recommendation to keep warm, and it has proved its merit over the centuries. Keeping warm with clothes is one option, the other is to warm your house. That said the day of an oncoming flu or cold has often pointed out to us … [Read more...]
