This week, The Green Connection submitted its comments critiquing several aspects of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, particularly the lack of procedural fairness, as well as the conclusions reached – notwithstanding information gaps and scientific uncertainty – that should form part Tosaco Energy’s request to undertake various activities in Block 1, off the … [Read more...]
Resource hubs aim to strengthen marine biodiversity
The 30th of September and 1st of October saw the celebration and grand opening of two community resource hubs in northern KwaZulu-Natal, namely Mabibi and KwaDapha. The hub construction and establishment forms part of the Oceans Alive iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area (MPA) Project driven by WILDOCEANS, a programme of the WILDTRUST, in partnership with iSimangaliso Wetland … [Read more...]
Choose sustainable seafood this Heart Awareness Month
September is Heart Awareness Month and one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy is to eat fish 2 to 3 times a week. With campaign ‘#FeelGoodSeafood’, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in partnership with Irvin & Johnson (I&J), encourage South Africans to take care of their hearts and our ocean. Up to 80 percent of heart disease and stroke can be prevented … [Read more...]
Extraction’s devastating impact on small-scale fishers
The Green Connection’s (GC) first ever Oceans Tribunal – which took place on 21-22 September 2021 – was marked by heart-wrenching stories and presentations from small-scale fishers and other communities whose livelihoods are being destroyed by extractive industries. Part of its ‘Who Stole Our Oceans’ campaign, the Tribunal – attended by more than 200 people – aims to … [Read more...]
Ten million tons of wasted food can feed our people
In South Africa, 10 million tons of food goes to waste every year and ends up in landfills. That’s a third of the 31 million tons produced annually in South Africa. Fruit, vegetables and cereals account for 70% of the wastage. Meanwhile a quarter of our population is going hungry every day, with another quarter at risk. The food wastage facts are documented in a WWF … [Read more...]
Electricity generation licences approved for Karpowership project
The Green Connection (GC) finds it totally unacceptable that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved electricity generation licences for the Karpowership project, which has been mired in controversy since it was touted as a so-called emergency solution, more than a year ago. Nersa made the announcement today (21 September). According to The Green … [Read more...]
How to reduce your digital impact on the environment
Whether you’re sending an email, searching the internet or even just storing your messages, it may all seem perfectly harmless, but the environmental consequences are real. What is digital pollution and how can we reduce our impact? Digital pollution is the pollution created by the use of electronic devices and by web browsing in particular. This pollution largely emanates … [Read more...]
Donated gumboots invaluable at river clean-up
There are many benefits to wearing a good pair of vinyl gumboots. Apart from their ability to keep feet dry because they are water-resistant, gumboots also provide good grip, sole support and flexibility that makes the boots comfortable to the wearer. PVC gumboots are easy to clean, help avoid the build-up of bacteria and will even shield volunteers from insect or snake … [Read more...]
Connecting home to nature at the heart of true wellness
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...]
Africa’s largest plastics recycler switches to solar energy
A new state-of-the-art 1.3MWp solar power plant will power green recycling for the African continent. Extrupet is one of the largest and most advanced recyclers of plastics on the African continent and recycles more than 4 million PET bottles every day at their Wadeville facility. With the switch to renewable energy, Extrupet has become one of the first companies in the … [Read more...]
Creating climate impact with small acts every day
According to a Mail & Guardian article published in 2019, only 58% of Africans have heard the term “climate change,” while four in ten Africans have never heard the term before. Jack Mazingira, Founder of a community-based organisation located in the slums of Nairobi called Towards Green Environment, has seen climate illiteracy first hand. As a trained Climate Reality … [Read more...]
The profound mental health implications of climate change
A new report by community psychology expert, Dr Garret Barnwell, shows that climate change harms are already negatively impacting our mental well-being and these effects will only accelerate in the future, placing today’s youth and future generations in harm’s way. The findings of the report, commissioned by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) for the African Climate … [Read more...]
Unlocking growth in SA fashion sector with sustainable design
Nurturing sustainable design and production processes could unlock global growth for South Africa’s fashion sector, as the industry looks to revive local textile and manufacturing capabilities that prioritise both social and environmental wellbeing. This is the view of sustainability consultants Sarah Botha and Laura Llonch, who in collaboration with STADIO School of … [Read more...]
