Growing your own vegetables is a wonderful green passion that is spreading like wildfire across our country. We are all concerned about food security in the light of climate changes and threats to our water and soil resources. Knowing how to turn a little patch of soil into a nutritious meal is a life skill, which we and our children simply need to acquire for a healthy … [Read more...]
Get more lighting bang for your buck
Conversion Lighting represents Hyundai energy-saving lighting products in South Africa as well as Verde LED from Ireland. Their mission is to optimise lighting energy consumption with maximum savings and durability as well as supplying a greener product to the South African consumer. They sell quality Hyundai fluorescent fittings at competitive prices which save between … [Read more...]
Sanitise your home with nature
Triple Orange's new Bio Sanitisier is a fast acting, broad spectrum soap that is highly effective against bacteria, viruses, mould and fungi. It can be used safely on any surface wherever efficient hygiene and sanitising is required, such as toilets and high germ areas. The Orange Oil base will leave a pleasant Orange scent, free of toxic fumes and vapours. With its triple … [Read more...]
Embrace and learn the way forward
I am amazed to see the interest in our swimming pool conversion into a natural habitat for wildlife, which might also include ourselves, if needs be. Some readers would also like to put their pools to better use, so I will share my learning as we go along. Happily I am receiving advice from many sources, but herein lies the next challenge too. There are those that recommend I … [Read more...]
All green fingers on deck
Val Payn of the Green Gardens Project is writing a book about ecologically sustainable gardens in South Africa. She is looking for gardens that would provide good examples of inspiring, attractive, well planned and managed, ecologically sustainable gardens, to feature as inspirational and practical examples in her book. She is looking for innovative and attractive gardens … [Read more...]
Grow your green fingers
Editor and writer the new magazine, The Indigenous Gardener, Anno Torr, is a passionate lover of South African flora. Her passion has evolved into a deep concern for the survival of our floral heritage, the environment they inhabit and the organisms they co-exist with. This on-line gardening magazine has grown out of this concern, and aims to share knowledge, opinions and … [Read more...]
iShack for upgraded greener living
"This house is more comfortable than our previous place, and I am very happy that we have lights because there is no electricity here,” says Nosango Victoria Plaatjie, proud occupant of a prototype eco-friendly dwelling in the informal settlement of Enkanini, Stellenbosch, called the iShack. The “i” stands for “improved”, and it entails cost-effective and sustainable … [Read more...]
Live harmoniously & inconspicuously with nature
“Going green is about respect and about eco systems living in harmony without invasion. Modular architecture – creating a building with what you need when you need it - allows for this”. Ecomo home is the brain child of Pietro Russo (pictured), an Italian born architect who grew up in Luxembourg and studied in Brussells, Belgium. During his studies, he took part in the … [Read more...]
Home-based transitions: a space of grace
Next up in our Green Afterlife series, we have a story by a transition facilitator who works with the dying to ease their journey. A few years ago I had the enormous privilege of assisting my mother through her transition. She was critically ill, and had expressed a strong desire to die in her familiar environment. We made a decision as a family to respect this wish, and … [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...]
Roofs of the future
“Everyone should have a green roof, it’s a no-brainer really,” says Tom Gray. A green roof is so much more than a roof garden, I discovered in Scarborough. It’s a living roof that’s attractive, insulates and benefits the environment. Tom Gray has been building these living roofs for many years now, and believes they are the roofs of the future. The first green roof … [Read more...]
Stoep Harvest part 8: Planting for winter
Planting time is here again! This is a fun time of the year where we can dream of crops to come. It is hard work, however, and is a busy time of preparation before the actual seeds go into the ground. This article will look at preparing the ground and then at the winter plants that we can look forward to eating. In the March Garden – Preparing Before we plant the seeds and … [Read more...]
Stoep Harvest part 7: Intelligent Watering
So far in this series we have covered how to plan your organic vegetable garden, increase your soil health, plant your crops and make compost. We have also discussed the benefits of mulching and how to weed and prune in the small-scale vegetable garden. After a few months without an article, it’s time to begin the series again. In a prelude to next month's article on what to … [Read more...]
