Business can use the National Energy Barometer Survey as an opportunity to calculate their energy consumption to make improvements. This is what The Clicks Group did when they used the National Energy Barometer Survey (NEBS) as an opportunity to collate energy use information for the entry. This enabled them to see what the Group’s energy baseline was, in order to improve … [Read more...]
Carbon Footprinting Guide reaches over 53 000 downloads
Who would not like to read and consult a free Carbon Footprinting Guide to help tweak your life and business? Well, this is probably why this online guide has achieved more downloads than any other SA publication of its kind to date. Historically, such guides at best registered a few thousand downloads per annum, and the Guide is clocked over 53 000 six months after … [Read more...]
Defy the rules and change the world
“Don’t accept no for an answer. Defy the rules! It’s the only way we’re going to make the change.” This was the opening statement by Prof Gunter Pauli, Blue Economy entrepreneur from Belgium, who was the keynote speaker at the international Student Environmental Network summit hosted by the Stellenbosch University. He has written 20 books, published in 34 languages, … [Read more...]
Turning vicious business into virtuous business
Business seems to be slowly adopting ‘do good and do well’ thinking. Advocates Richard Branson and Al Gore have called for a "return to values.'' The bad news is that there are just too many disconnects between their stated values and actual practices. The ‘do good and do well’ slogan is useful for public relations purposes, based on selective activities designed to bring … [Read more...]
Afbrekende energiebeleid moet verander – Alliansie
Koolstofvrye hernubare energie maak net 12% van die energie uit wat wêreldwyd verbruik word, aldus die burgerregte-organisasie AfriForum op Aardedag. Fossielbrandstof word steeds gebruik vir 80% van die wêreld se energie en genereer 30 miljard metrieke ton se koolstofbesoedeling elke jaar. Bekende en toeganklike fossielbrandstofreserwes het in 2012 reeds meer as vyf keer … [Read more...]
Most energy efficient buildings announced
Each year building owners and facility managers enter their buildings in the National Energy Barometer Survey (NEBS) to compare how they have improved their energy use against others in a similar industry – hospitals, offices, car dealers, hotels and shopping centers. The latest results are out and the top performing buildings for the 2012 utility year are: Head office: The … [Read more...]
Tree marathon captures hearts in Klapmuts
A renewed energy and excitement filled the air in Klapmuts when crowds of people, including the honourable Mayor Conrad Sidego and over 140 volunteers from five corporate entities, gathered to take part in one of many Tree-a-thon’s (mass planting events) set to take place this year, as part of the “Million Trees” project. The crowd were addressed by the Mayor Conrad Sidego, … [Read more...]
Decade of PET recyling brings benefits across the board
Did you know that after ten years in the industry almost half of all our PET beverage bottles are now recycled? That is 1.9 billion bottles per year diverted from the waste stream. The PET Recycling Company (Pty) Ltd was registered on the 3rd November 2004 and their first set of Directors included the late Rob Rodger, Bob Naidoo, Syd Carter, Roger Thomas, Mandla Tisani, … [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...]
The Trillion Tonne Communiqué calls business to demand policy response
Green Times this week signed The Trillion Tonne Communiqué, a global call to arms from businesses who take the science of climate change seriously and are demanding a proactive policy response. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) sets out the link between the cumulative total of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the resultant … [Read more...]
Green hotel gets the most out of Earth Hour
It seems that guests are enjoying the eco-conscious reminders Hotel Verde have introduced as part of their holistic, sustainable vision. Not only does the hotel implement a range of green operational practices, but they have recently introduced a weekly Earth Hour that gets guests actively involved in their green thinking. Samantha Annandale, Hotel Verde’s general manager, … [Read more...]
The secret ‘free’ trade agreement lives
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a highly secretive and expansive free trade agreement between the United States and twelve Pacific Rim countries, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the USA and Vietnam. Despite the global outpouring of opposition to this corporate giveaway, governments around … [Read more...]
Pipes to be heavy metal free by 2015
The SA Bureau of Standards have announced that all PVC pipes manufactured in SA must be free of heavy metals by 2015. It's a great step forward in protecting our environment and workers from heavy metal contamination. General Manager at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Certification, Gauteng, Sibongile Dhlamini, confirmed earlier that the technical committee of … [Read more...]
