Attracting 3 600 delegates from 82 countries, the South African International Renewable Energy Conference was officially opened by the South African Minister of Energy, Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, in Cape Town today. The sixth in a series of International Renewable Energy Conferences (IRECs), first held in Bonn, Germany in 2004, SAIREC is the first such conference to take … [Read more...]
Climate hearings heat up with an eye on Paris
Many moving events are happening in the build up to the most important conference ever on the future of this planet. Last week parliament's Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs devoted one and a half days to holding Climate Hearings. Here was a bumper full hall of colourful people from our rainbow nation – from all sectors and walks of life – pleading with the … [Read more...]
Cape Town office block achieves SA’s first socio-economic impact certification
Karl Bremer Office Block in Bellville, Cape Town, is the first project to achieve a Socio-Economic Category (SEC) Pilot rating in Africa as part of its 5-Star Green Star SA rating, achieved at the same time, announced the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA). The office block is a project of the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works. The Socio-Economic … [Read more...]
Join the Earth Imagineers and reclaim your future
The Earth Imagineers Tour covers the birth of a radical new consciousness and explores how the human body is the most potent tool to change the world. It covers new understandings of what the sun is, how the human heart is a frequency generator that can affect all life and how we interact with light to be this change. Dan Schrieber of Starseed Gardens Austrailia, acclaimed … [Read more...]
Viva la fashion revolution
Recently the world celebrated International Fashion Revolution Day. This day was held in honour of the 1 129 factory workers who died and the 2 515 who were injured when Rana Plaza clothing factory in Bangladesh collapsed in April 2013. People from around the globe were called into action by taking selfies with their clothing labels with the supporting hash tag … [Read more...]
Bainskloof fire claims two firefighters in chopper crash
Fire fighting teams are being deployed to extinguish a fire that's been burning for a fifth day on the Bainskloof Mountains between Ceres and Wellington, reported SABC news yesterday. The fire started on Wednesday near a hiking trail. It has claimed the lives of helicopter pilot Darrell Rea and safety leader Jastun Visagie when their Huey helicopter crashed while … [Read more...]
Multi-faith organisation seeks youth ambassador
SAFCEI is a multi-faith organisation committed to increasing awareness, understanding and action-taking on environmental justice, sustainable living and climate change, by faith leaders and their communities throughout Southern Africa. They are seeking to appoint a dynamic young person, with excellent communication, networking and interpersonal skills and a passion for the … [Read more...]
African women seek alternatives to destructive Mega-Mining
As the rich and powerful meet to discuss how best to secure, extract, process and transport Africa’s natural resource wealth at the African Mining Indaba, women from extractives-impacted communities will be meeting just a few kilometres away to put forward the alternatives. Investors, international finance institutions (like the World Bank), African multi-lateral institutions … [Read more...]
SA’s green economy transforms bottom lines
South Africa's fast emerging green economy is driven by factors such as radical cost savings, brand differentiation, sustainable futures, skills attraction and retention. Driving its uptake is business, particularly multinational companies (MNCs), which – through its global nature and the interconnectedness of markets – is harnessing green principles to do good and boost … [Read more...]
A Cape Town story of 21st September
Cape Town's Climate Change gathering was rallied together in two weeks and the fact that 200 people turned up on a beautiful Sunday at such short notice confirms Cape Town’s conscience about doing what is good and right. The people’s climate march is a global protest in 160 countries with approx. 2000 events taking place. Although Avaaz publicised the greatest Climate … [Read more...]
Green goes platinum for cool hotel
When a local green hotel receives the honour of becoming the first Elite Platinum building on the African continent, there is cause for celebration. A celebration which we were happy to share, inspired by a range of magnificent green tweaks which confirms that indeed the world is changing and all the hard work in the green industry is not in vain. Hotel Verde also … [Read more...]
City to offset small-scale electricity generation
Small scale alternative energy generators - yes that includes you and I with solar PV on the roof - will finally be able to feed our excess energy back into the grid and get paid for it by the City of Cape Town! The City of Cape Town has set itself a target of sourcing 10% of its electricity from renewable energy resources by 2020 and the roll-out of the small-scale embedded … [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...]
