On Saturday, 13 November 2010, the Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, hosted a workshop on Eco-congregations.  Kate Davies from SAFCEI (Southern African Faith Communities’ Environmental Institute) led the workshop, which was attended by representatives from four congregations in Kayamandi, as well as members from the United Presbyterian Church and Stellenbosch Gemeente in town.

NaturCert operates through the international network of NaturCert Representative Offices and subsidiaries. Each network member is a separate and independent legal entity and operates locally in countries around the world. NaturCert's local partners provide NaturCert programs locally and perform marketing and communication activities in local business language.

On the Cape Peninsula hundreds of tiny little endangered western leopard toadlets as small as a finger nail have started the beginning of their terrestrial life with an overwhelming 1 kilometer hike from the breeding ponds to our gardens.

Please join us inwardly for a special prayer and meditation vigil for the elephants - the magnificent, gentle giants, guardians of the Earth - on 12/12, Sunday December 12, at 12 noon ' 1 pm in your time zone (or for as long as you are able and at a time that works for you that day). Performing a sacred ceremony or chanting a mantra would also be appropriate. Whatever calls to you.

Of the 9 856 bird species on Earth, 1 226 are listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Forty of these occur in South Africa and of these 20 are endemic. Although extinction is a natural phenomenon, species are now disappearing from our planet at an alarming rate, and studies have shown that this is mostly driven by human activities.

There is growing concern about the impact that illegal trade in is having on wildlife populations world-wide, while the potential risk posed to indigenous species should these imported alien animals escape, is also cause for concern.

Polystyrene got lumped with 'bad plastics' in the old days before it was recycled in our country.

Retailers and recycling organisations are coming together to help curb the impact of waste products in our country.

Finally we can now purchase sandwiches packed in recycled plastic ' thumbs up for Woolies!

Today, ten years ago I was in London, listening to Nelson Mandela, Kader Asmal, Achim Steiner, and Medha Patkar all talking about the promise of the World Commission on Dams ' how it would change the world of dams and development, and how you could walk the tight-rope towards a future where the poor did not lose everything and the rich did not gain everything.

South Africa is committed to becoming a low carbon economy and to reducing our carbon emissions by 34% by 2020. The demand for skilled professionals in the carbon and energy sectors is rising. Predictions around job creation from these industries are very promising.

South Africans have already been through one steep electricity price increase, a sharp rise that caused much consternation in a hard economic environment. The sad news is that these increases are merely the tip of the iceberg.

One man is offering us some respite. Enter Prevo Naidu, founder and the driving force behind Infinity Energy: 'Similar increases are planned for 2011 and again for 2012, putting South African consumers in a position of having to pay almost double for their electricity in two years time. Even worse, there is already talk of further increases in 2013 and onwards as Eskom struggles to meet the power requirements of the country.'

Thumbs up to the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in Newlands for winning the `Investor in People` category of the annual Imvelo Awards for responsible tourism. The hotel is also a runner-up in the 'Best Single Resource Management' category, specifically for its waste management programme.

Greenpeace greener electronic ranking has shown how actions speak louder than words for the electronics industry as Philips and HP introduce new transformative products, but Toshiba and Microsoft fail to act on promises

The latest edition of the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics (www.greenpeace.org/electronics) shows significant separation between companies that are failing to keep their environmental commitments and those that are making significant gains in phasing out toxic chemicals, increasing energy efficiency, and making it easier for consumers to recycle older products.

November 2010 saw the germination of a South African Green Party on Facebook. The idea behind the group is to find alternative ways of living that allow us to enjoy all the benefits of 21st Century living, without jeopardizing the future for our children.

We want to get ALL those concerned about a sustainable society, where everyone survives comfortably and all species and natural resources are treasured, together on one page ' and to form a unified voice for the earth within our country.

The first coffee-table book ' one that is a pleasure both to read and to look at ' on the history, beauty and conservation of South Africa's southernmost territories, Marion Island and Prince Edward Island, has been compiled by experienced researchers who have spent decades studying sub-Antarctic islands.

The use of toxic agricultural sprays ' even in towns - seems set to continue unabated in our country, in spite of urgent requests from citizens, neighbours and parents of children on farm schools, in spite of the health risks they pose to vulnerable farm workers, the ground water and biodiversity. In a letter by medical doctor Johan Minnaar from Groblersdal to Rapport newspaper, he lifts the veil on the ignorance which drives this industry.

One would think that a nursery ' by virtue of the fact that its business is trees ' is 'green' by default. But take into account factors such as the electricity, fuel, fertilizer, containers, plastic bags, paper and transport that are required to produce trees and, like any other product, a container-grown tree can tread heavily on the Earth in terms of the carbon footprint it leaves behind.

Bending the Curve, South Africa's most comprehensive book on taking action to tackle climate change and create a more sustainable future, is now available in e-book format. Its impact on the environment is lowered and we are able to offer this valuable resource at a much reduced price.

Bending the Curve, South Africa's most comprehensive book on taking action to tackle climate change and create a more sustainable future, is now available in e-book format. Its impact on the environment is lowered and we are able to offer this valuable resource at a much reduced price.