Simply Green Magazine, Issue 7, 2013

Leading the eco-lifestyle

DIGIMAG

simply

ISSUE 7 • 2013

Biodegradable Gifts

PETA:

conscious Activism

Hotel Verde Africa's Greenest Hotel Nedbank's Green Living Guide Cool Natural Pools

Food Heaven

Permaculture Great Juicing Tips Natural Weight-loss Veganism Explained

A New Nano World

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Inside

ican Afr ited uth Lim e So ies Th er Brew

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News

Green Building

Home

10 General 187 Enviro-News

28 Sustania 40 Green Building Government Leadership Awards 63 Green Building News 80 Eco-bricks

34 Green Living Guide 58 Natural Pools

The Ocean & You 16 SeaOrbiter 18 Blue Flag Beaches

Tech

Economy 68 100% Green Bank 72 Eastern Cape Development 86 Green tax rebate

Travel 44 Hotel Verde

simply Leading the eco-lifestyle www.simplygreen.co.za • admin@simplygreen.co.za Cape Town Office • P O Box 30946, Tokai, 7966 Tel 27 (0) 21 713 0018 or 27 (0) 21 712 4665 082 579 7915 • Fax 27 (0) 21 715 2809 SG 4

DIGIMAG

20 A New Nano World

Publisher & Executive Editor Chris Erasmus publisher@simplygreen.co.za

Assistant Editor Lenard Roos studio1@simplygreen.co.za

Consulting Editor Nicole Sherwin editor@simplygreen.co.za

National Sales Consultant Kyle Villet kyle@simplygreen.co.za

Creative Director Silke Erasmus admin@simplygreen.co.za

Studio Manager Kevin Rule studio2@simplygreen.co.za

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Issue 7 • 2013 Volume 6 No.7 •

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Picture by Ryan Voight

Mobility

Holiday Tips

Garden

Kids

88 Nissan Leaf 94 Motoring News

104 Biodegradable Gifts 112 Natural Weight-Loss 124 Hot off the Press

154 Jane Griffiths 182 Permaculture

173 Kids & Animals 178 On Safari

Food

158 Animal Manifesto 162 PETA

Tribute 98 In the Spirit of Madiba

Fashion

130 Veganism Explained 144 Great Juicing Tips

Activism

108 Ekocycle

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Webmaster Garry Doel web@simplygreen.co.za

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Publishing House Green Spaces Publishing House

Disclaimer Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers or staff.

Webdesign Michael-Ray Erasmus webdesign@simplygreen.co.za Accounts Tracy Lee Nash accounts@simplygreen.co.za

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Copyright Simply Green is a registered trademark

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Material published in Simply Green, including all artwork, may not be reproduced without the permission of the editor.

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2/20/2008 3:51:48 PM

SOUTH AFRICA'S ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN www.indaloyethu.co.za

Flagship Member

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PUBLISHEr's VIEW SG 6

What, you may well ask, has Madiba got to do with greening, sustainability or anything at all which would constitute the core interests of Simply Green magazine?

On the surface, it may appear a good question – and could instigate in some of a more cynical bent, the suspicion that we were 'climbing on the Madiba bandwagon' as so many others have already done.

But the truth is that, just a day or so after he was laid to rest, we find ourselves preparing the last Simply Green for the year – and what a year it has been. A lot has happened in the last 12 months – not least, for us, the passing of Madiba and our jump into the digital domain, as diverse and apparently unrelated as those two sets of events are.

We also know, having been approached by some people involved in greening, tree-planting in rural communities, and disadvantaged community upliftment programs and the like, that Madiba was especially unhappy when he finally came out of prison after 27 years and returned to his traditional home at Qunu in the Eastern Cape, only to find that many of the trees that apparently dotted the landscape when he was growing up were no longer to be seen. Indeed, pictures beamed worldwide as 'our Tata' – as people have increasingly come to call him – was finally laid to rest, showed rolling hilltops and sweeping landscapes almost denuded of trees altogether.

Apparently, Madiba wanted the trees back. People need trees, he was said to have said. We never heard him say those words exactly but they sound like something he would say. And we agree with him. People need trees for all sorts of reasons. For firewood, which is why most of those growing where he grew up have long since been cut down. And for building. We also need them for the other materials they produce. But, beyond these practical reasons which apply to the functional side of our lives, we need trees because they are good for our souls.

We don't need Madiba's word for that – we know it to be true, each of us in our own lives. That's why every great city worthy of the name has a 'green lung', like New York City's Central Park or Cape Town's Gardens. That's why people flock at weekends and holidays to forests and treed locations to rejuvenate their tattered and world-weary selves after yet another hectic round of traffic and working under pressure.

Trees, in short, both stand for and embody in themselves, the very essence of 'green living'. Lawns, some may argue, do the same. But we don't think so. Lawns have their place, no doubt, but are something of a colonial left-over from people who came from countries far richer in water than South Africa.

Trees, on the other hand, are quintessentially African. They have provided people from the very beginning of our species with firewood, weapons for self protection and hunting, materials for building – and they hold the soil in place when the rains do come.

Trees help the earth retain and hold onto the precious water that falls from the skies over much of South Africa (and anywhere else, for that matter). They are a critical part of the water cycle – and we all know that without water we are doomed to a dusty, unhappy end.

So trees matter. That Madiba will be laid to rest in a commemorative garden in which there will be a variety of green and growing things is fit and appropriate.

We, at Simply Green, along with most of the people of the world, it would seem, wish him well on his journeys beyond this realm – and we are happy for him and those close to him that his earthly remains will lie beneath the African soil surrounded by green things.

We give thanks, then, as this turbulent year comes to its close, for the 'green things' which make our world a better place. Most 'green things' are grown by nature, but increasingly people are seeing that 'green things' – that is, things made by people but which are 'greener' and more sustainably produced – are also good for us in much the same way that green growing things are; they help us maintain a healthy world and healthy ecosystems within it.

Trees give us oxygen and take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Trees represent life.

As we give thanks for the life of Madiba, who helped save this land from an awful fate of hatred and bloodshed, we should also give thanks for the green things that maintain this land as a beautiful part of the greater creation which we call the 'natural world'.

People will remember Madiba for many different things and in many different ways.

We will remember him by planting some trees in his honour. They will, of course, be indigenous varieties suitable to the local conditions, and water-wise.

We wish all our readers a happy and fruitful 2014, in the spirit of humanity which Madiba worked so hard to inculcate in all of us.

Let us learn to love one another as he did; to respect one another and our environment, just as he taught respect for all aspects and parts of life.

Let us be better together. And if you feel inspired by this message, then by all means plant a tree – or trees – in the memory of one of Africa's greatest sons. Many things may yet be done in his name, but planting trees is almost certainly one of those that can be done by virtually any of us and which would, we believe, be most unlikely to trouble his resting soul.

Given that we have invoked his spirit, the final words should be from Madiba himself.

Among the many written about him recently, we came across the following: Mandela was deeply connected to the earth on a personal level. He was an avid gardener, including throughout his long imprisonment. While at Pollsmoor prison, between 1982 and 1988, he argued for the right to plant a garden on the prison's rooftop, and was finally permitted to plant vegetables – 'onions, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, beetroot, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and much more' – in 44-gallon drums which had been cut in half, lugged to the rooftop and filled with soil.

On this victory, he later wrote in his autobiography, A Long Walk to Freedom: 'To plant a seed, watch it grow, to tend it and then harvest it, offered a simple but enduring satisfaction. The sense of being the custodian of this small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom.'

On his 89th birthday, Mandela brought together a group of renowned statesmen, human rights advocates and others to form an organisation known as 'The Elders', which have since tackled, among other issues, environmental degradation and climate change.

And in his inauguration speech on May 10, 1994, he said: 'Each time one of us touches the soil of this land, we feel a sense of personal renewal. We are moved by a sense of joy and exhilaration when the grass turns green and the flowers bloom.'

Thank you Madiba for, once again, reminding us of what really matters in life.

Office hours: The Simply Green office is closed until 13 January 2014.

A beautiful light of love As you relax into the festive season, one of gifting and receiving, we urge you to be mindful of what your true gift is. Most of us do not need another gadget or toy, what we truly need is for someone to love us. For as Mother Teresa said:

'The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.'

Remember that you are a beautiful light of love, made in the image of the Divine, so share your gift of love and grace with those around you and those you care about.

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GreenViews

Dear publisher, I would like to compliment you on your magazine. I hope that it gets people off the chair and working towards finding solutions to the ever-increasing energy problems that surround us.

It is my belief that the worst one is that of using oil to produce petrol and diesel fuels which are then burned and produce pollution.

People simply have to understand that oil is a finite resource that will eventually run out, and when it does, we will not only lose fuel, but also lose all the other by-products such as lubricants and plastics.

In addition to this, is the fact that we simply cannot keep removing thousands of tons of oil from one side of the Earth and moving it to the other without disturbing the balance of the Earth even further than it is at the moment. This imbalance is the cause of the earthquakes and tsunamis which are increasing in frequency lately.

By far the largest consumer of oil and it’s products is the internal combustion engine, and we need to concentrate on finding alternate power sources as soon as possible.

One possible replacement is the electric motor, but this has a few problems of it’s own: 1 It requires a battery to operate it.

2 A whole new infrastructure would have to installed in order to be able to charge it anywhere in the country.

3 Changing a car to use an electric motor, would involve major changes in the suspension and braking systems, at significant cost.

4 The weight of the battery and its size would be a big problem.

5 A battery of the required size would be a significant safety problem, especially if it is a lead-acid battery.

It is my opinion that the answer lies in the use of hydrogen gas produced from water, in a process known as hydrogen-on-demand, or HOD. In this process, the gas is produced as needed by the vehicle, from water which is carried on board. In this way, no dangerous gas is ever stored and is therefore very safe.

In addition to this, the vehicle’s engine does not have to be replaced, as it is merely modified to run on the hydrogen gas, mixed with air as it normally is, and can easily be reconverted if desired.

There is an additional huge benefit, and that is the one of zero

pollution. The emissions from the exhaust pipe are water and oxygen. How much better than that can it get?

There is a problem associated with using hydrogen as a fuel, and that is the separation of it and oxygen from the water. This process requires energy which cannot be obtained from the car’s battery or engine, because it uses more energy than it produces.

A separate battery can be used of course, which is charged at home, but this uses power coming from Eskom which burns coal to produce it, so it achieves nothing.

I believe that the answer will be found by a group of people who work together and share ideas. In this way a lot of time will be saved, as well as the environment.

If anyone shares my feelings in this matter, please feel free to contact me: Jonri@tiscali.co.za John Collin Dear John, Thank you for your kind comments. We agree with you about oil being a finite and polluting energy source. The impact of the movement of oil from one side of the planet to another is minute relative to the mass to the planet as a whole, so we don't think you should concern yourself with that aspect – other factors are driving increased earthquake frequencies, it would seem. As to electric vehicles, we believe major manufacturers have sorted out most of the issues – and the roll-out of infrastructure for charging at public place (shopping malls and filling stations) is already underway in Gauteng to be followed by Cape Town and Durban. As Eskom uses more renewables in its energy mix, so our air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions will drop, so there is hope on that horizon. As to the issue of hydrogen, you have captured a key weakness – but there is also a solution in the form of hydrogen fuel cells (no tanks, which are dangerous) that release HOD. The problem is the energy cost of splitting the oxygen and hydrogen, which you point out. But that can be done with renewables like solar or wind power. We look forward with you to a future in which oil is no longer burned for energy.

Chris Erasmus, Publisher, Simply Green

SG Advisory Board Sean Doel is the founding editor of Simply Green. A Technical Director at WSP, specialising in contaminated land investigations and remediation.

He is also passionate about what we can all do to address climate change.

Jeunesse Park established ProGreen, SA’s first environmental communications and public relations company, as well as Food & Trees for Africa and has won many awards.

Liz Eglington (Western Cape Woman Farmer of the Year for 2005/2006) owns Buffelshoek Farm, is Chairperson of Terra Madre SA and Director and Secretary of the SA Organic Sector Organisation.

Cormac Cullinan is an enviro-attorney and governance expert who has worked on environmental issues in more than 20 countries and founded the specialist enviro-governance consultancy, EnAct.

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Prof Bruce Hewitson is the director of the Climate System Analysis Group (CSAG) and was the co-ordinating lead author on regional climate projections for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Prof Mark Swilling is an internationally-recognised expert in sustainable development and is Academic Director of The Sustainability Institute, University of Stellenbosch.

Roger Metcalfe is a freelance journalist/ photographer specialising in the environment, technology and medicine. He is an ex-diplomat, and former TV producer and currently runs his own alternative energy business 'Solar Connect' which advises architects and developers on alternative energy designs.

Dr Pat Garratt is Managing Director of the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, currently sits on the Steering Committee of the International Aquarium Congress and is vice-chair of the International Aquarium Forum.

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N ews Artist's sculpture appears to breathe in response to environs

WATCH THIS!

John Grade Discusses Capacitor

American artist, John Grade‘s, ‘Capacitor’ is a kinetic sculptural installation that moves in response to weather data collected from the roof of its home at John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Wisconsin. The artwork – whose coil configuration is influenced by organic and geometric forms found in nature – physically behaves according to accumulated statistics from a mechanised controller, amassing both current outdoor conditions and weather patterns from the past 100 years. Sending the information about change in wind intensity and temperature directly to the sculpture, the interactive art piece moves and changes in luminosity. ‘The whole of the sculpture will appear to be breathing very slowly,' describes Grade. One hundred separate structural components, which make up ‘Capacitor’, change in light level, illuminating and dimming when there is a fluctuation in temperature.

Shifts in the wind are marked by motion as the massive spiral compresses and releases.

Starpath spray coating lights up roads in UK

WATCH THIS!

Proteq Starpath S G 10

The Netherlands government is testing a smart highway concept where glow-in-the-dark paint would be used on the roads to denote lanes, traffic markers and even cold weather conditions. In the UK, a company called Proteq has come out with a similar idea for a photoluminescent spray coating that could illuminate roads enough that street lamps could be removed and money and energy could be saved. The waterproof coating is called Starpath and it absorbs light during the day and then glows at night. Instead of the coating being used as a communication tool, Proteq sees the technology being used all over the road as a source of light for night driving and, with anti-slip properties, it can also reduce accidents. The paint is non-reflective and comes in 11 colours. The technology is being given a test run at the Christ's Pieces park in Cambridge where it has been sprayed on 1 600 square feet of walking paths. The process only took 30 minutes and the paths were open for use after only four hours. 'Our surface works best over tarmac or concrete, predominantly tarmac, which is the main bulk of the UK path network,' say the folks behind Pro-Teq.

Photo www.theatlantic.com

Venice tests $7bn flood-protection project

The Moses system for defense against high water is being constructed at Venice's lagoon inlets where the lagoon meets the sea. The gates are designed to reduce the intensity of tidal currents and protect the city from flooding. The With high tides flooding Venice, tourists make the most of it and cool off system being tested in Venice could potentially provide protection for other coastal areas and communities threatened by rising sea levels. The $7bn Moses Project aims to protect the city and control sea levels. When a tide higher than one metre is forecast, its floodgates will empty of water that keeps them on the sea bed, rise and block three inlets. Once the water levels in the lagoon and the sea are equalised again the gates will fill with water and return to their original position. The system has been under construction for 10 years, but was slowed down by the country’s economic crisis. Only 78 gates have been constructed so far and the city needs an immediate $800m cash infusion to proceed, according to the head of the construction consortium. The project is scheduled for completion in 2016.

Young climate expert grants

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s fellowship program allows future leaders to spend a year in Germany working on a research-related project of their own choice in the field of climate protection. Up to 20 fellowships will be granted, funded under the Federal Environment Ministry’s International Climate Initiative. Visit www.humboldt-foundation.de/ICF

Radium found in Pennsylvania stream

Photo www.occupy.com

A group of Duke University scientists have found concentrations of radium, a highly radioactive substance, in a stream near a facility that treats wastewater left-over from hydraulic fracturing. The concentrations are 200 times higher than background levels – and they're in the water supply. Fracking is the practice of pumping chemical-laced liquids underground at high pressure to help bring gasses, like methane, to the surface for extraction. But these chemicals are known to seep into groundwater. And, latest reports show that the high-pressure may be causing earthquakes. In Pennsylvania, there are 74 facilities that treat fracking wastewater – water that eventually makes its way back into local streams. But there's no national set of guidelines that overlook and regulate this treatment process. What's more, scientists have performed few studies of the wastewater to ensure that it's safe after treatment. Avner Vengosh, an Earth scientist from Duke: 'Analyses, made on water samples collected repeatedly over the course of two years, were even more concerning than we’d feared.' Thanks to the Duke researchers, it's clear that without proper controls, the wastewater is being returned to the environment in a state that poses a genuine risk for local residents. And indeed, at least one plant – about an hour's drive east of Pittsburgh – is releasing this radioactive effluent into the watershed that supplies the city's drinking water. Their report was published in the Fractivists picket outside the Pennsylvania State Representative's office journal Environmental Science and Technology.

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Photo www.lonelyplanet.com

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Cape Town named in Lonely Planet's top 10 cities for 2014

The Mother City, home to soaring Table Mountain, golden beaches and bountiful vineyards, is an old pro at capturing people’s hearts. Cape Town has taken third place in Lonely Planet‘s Best in Travel 2014 – Top 10 Cities. Trinidad, Cuba came in at number two and the winner was Paris, France.

Greening the world's deserts & reversing climate change

Terrifyingly, desertification is happening to about 75% of the world's grasslands, accelerating climate change and causing traditional grazing societies to descend into social chaos. Savory now believes – – and his work so far shows – – that a surprising factor can protect grasslands and even reclaim degraded land that was once desert.

WATCH THIS!

How To Green The World's Deserts & Reverse Climate Change Allan Savory

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Mother Nature surpassed herself when crafting the Mother City. Whether jogging along Sea Point Promenade, climbing up Lion’s Head in the dawn light, clambering over giant boulders at Sandy Bay or driving the amazing coastal roads down to Cape Point, I never fail to feel my spirits soar as I take in the breathtakingly beautiful vistas.

Why I Love Cape Town, Simon Richmond

Awards promote responsible commercial sector in Cape Town

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Cape Town’s Energy Efficiency Forum for Commercial Buildings is delighted to announce the winners of the Energy Efficiency (EE) Forum Awards for 2013.

There were three categories: Single Buildings, Head Offices with Franchises and New Buildings. These are the winners: Single Building Category: Cavendish Mall Head Offices & Franchises: Woolworths New Buildings Category: Hotel Verde Three companies were highly commended for their commitment to improved energy efficiency: Head Offices: Truworths Single Buildings: Sanlam Single Buildings: Washtub Laundry Services

Africa's 1st underwater hotel

Designed by Swedish firm Genberg Underwater Hotels, this innovative submerged room is the newest feature of The Manta Resort, a small luxury hotel located on Tanzania's Pemba Island. The first of its kind in Africa, the room combines 'first-class luxury and comfort with a daring and bold underwater adventure'. Designed by the same firm that created The Utter Inn, an underwater resort docked in the middle of a Swedish lake, Manta Resort’s floating addition is submerged 13ft beneath one of the Indian Ocean’s richest coral reefs. In addition to the underwater bedroom, the floating three-story structure also offers a rooftop deck, bathroom, and a lounge area at sea level. At night, underwater spotlights around the bedroom windows attract and illuminate the nighttime sea life, including octopi and stingrays.

US schools install air filters to

Photo www.lonelyplanet.com

counteract fracking sand

Officials for the New Auburn school district have installed expensive air filters in order to keep the dangerous particles jettisoned into the air from the fracking mines from entering the lungs of their students. Fracking is reported to be a $1bn-a-year industry and often springs up near residential areas. Four sand mines exist within a few miles of schools located in Barron and Chippewa counties. Tests of existing filters sent into a lab in Madison by the superintendent confirmed the presence of silica. In response, schools such as those in New Auburn have introduced the air filters as a precautionary method to avoid diseases such as silicosis, cancer, and pulmonary tuberculosis. The level of fracking operation depends on the regulations set by each municipality within the state. However, Senate Bill 349 could make it difficult for communities to set limits on energy companies. A total of 115 fracking sites and processing plants exist in Wisconsin. The Department of Health Services insist that they do not have the resources to conduct large scale studies on air quality. Experts at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire suggest that particulate levels in the air are three times above EPA standards.

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WAYS TO STAY GREEN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Take note of the suggestions from the staff at SUSTAINIA this holiday season, and show your green heart by caring more for the earth.

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Recycle or compost or 'Eat' your Christmas tree – you can steep the pine needles & make tea Shop for gifts at local craft shows Re-use gift wrapping Re-gift something you don’t want or need Make your own holiday cards Don’t throw away all of that extra food – eat leftovers the next day Carpool to holiday parties Use candles made out of beeswax Keep the energy down & use LED lights

Sustania promotes a future outlook that is 'appealing, engaging, and attractive, something you want

to be a part of, which has the power to promote change'. Visit www.sustainia.me

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GALLOPING DUNG BEETLES COULD BE COUNTING THEIR STEPS BACK HOME A species of dung beetle in the Western Cape has given up its ability to fly to rather gallop across the sand in a behaviour which researchers suspect evolved as a way to navigate back and forth from home.

This species of Pachysoma grabs bits of poo and gallops forward with it. That is really odd as most insects walk with a tripod gait. They plant three legs in a triangle, while swinging the other three legs forward. It's an incredibly stable way of walking because you've always got three legs on the ground.

For an insect to abandon the tripod gait and use its

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legs together in pairs like a galloping horse is really

a very ephemeral resource. It's only useful for a few days and

radical. The big question is: why are they doing it?

it's very patchy – you don't know where you're going to find

A team of scientists from Lund University in Sweden

the next dropping. The team suspects that Pachysoma has

think the species might have changed the way it

sealed its wing cases to conserve moisture in the arid West

walks because it needs to be able to find its way back

Coast environment, as breathing causes massive water loss.

and forth from its nest.

The unique behaviour of this galloping, flightless species has

There are 800 species of dung beetle in SA and most of them fly, which makes sense because poo is

allowed it to dominate a niche market among dung collectors of the Western Cape.

FLYING THE SA FLAG AT TED2014 Dr Steve Boyes is the only South African who has been chosen as one of the 21 new TED Fellows to join TED2014 in Vancouver, Canada for a week of collaboration and action.

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an organisation devoted to 'idea’s worth spreading'. It consists of four days of 50 speakers with an 18 minute time slot presenting audiences with riveting talks.

It brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers to give the talk of their lives, and Boyes (a conservationist biologist) will represent South Africa challenging the world to shape a better future. As part of his nine-year research project, Boyes, together with his expedition team, is aiming to explore and uncover the different stories that characterise the delta in his attempt to achieve World Heritage Status for these vital waterways, so that they may

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be protected and preserved. He will soon be seen in the three-part reality series entitled 'The Bush Boyes: Across the Okavango' which follows him and his brother Chris as they embark on the first ever recorded crossing of the Okavango Delta.

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F uture D esign

The SeaOrbiter: Futuristic Marine

Research Vessel Launches

A few years ago, there were rumours that a futuristic oceanographic marine vessel would be constructed with the sole aim of exploring the world’s oceans. Known as The SeaOrbiter, it would serve as a scientific laboratory as scientists explore the places that cover two-thirds of our planet and contain 80% of all life on Earth – the oceans. Now it appears the dream is becoming a reality, as the SeaOrbiter team has announced that construction will begin by Spring next year. The brainchild of French architect Jacques Rougerie, The SeaOrbiter would also be the world’s first vertical ship standing at an impressive 51m tall. However, in order to make the vessel as stable as possible, two-thirds of its structure would remain underwater, giving the craft buoyancy, as well a 'fish-collection system for studies of the pelagic ecosystem, plankton biodiversity, and fish stocks'. The SeaOrbiter concept has been discussed for over 12 years and has been dismissed on countless occasions by critics as a pipe dream, being a CrowdFunding Campaign. It is also completely sustainable with the craft’s power coming from solar, wind and wave power. Although it is designed to drift with ocean currents, EADS, the European defense and space systems conglomerate, is said to be working on a biofuel that would serve as an alternative power source. The SeaOrbiter would become an essential tool in exploring the world’s oceans and a useful base to study the link between global warming and the oceans, which absorb about a quarter of all carbon emissions. The project has also drawn support from former NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and the European Space Agency as well as other industrial organisations which are expected to help develop the vessel’s systems.

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Discussed for over 12 years, the project has been dismissed by some as a pipe dream, being a CrowdFunding Campaign

WATCH THIS!

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B lue F lag B eaches

summer sun & sea The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to over 3 650 beaches and marinas in 46 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, Jordan, UAE and the Caribbean.

Recently the Blue Flag Programme has expanded to offer awards for individual boaters and whale-watching boats.

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The 2013 International Blue Flag Beaches KZN Umhlatuze Municipality Alkantstrand Beach

Hibiscus Coast Municipality Umzumbe Beach Southport Beach Lucien Beach Trafalgar Beach Marina Beach

Eden District Municipality/SANParks Wilderness Beach

• • • • • • •

Eastern Cape

Mossel Bay Municipality Klein Brak Beach Hartenbos Beach De Bakke Beach Santos Beach

• • • •

Hessequa Municipality Gouritsmond Beach (provisional) Lappiesbaai Beach Preekstoel Beach (provisional) Witsand Beach

• • • • • • • • • Overstrand Municipality • Grotto Beach • Hawston Beach • • Kleinmond Beach •

Ndlambe Municipality Kleinemond Beach (provisional) Kelly’s Beach Kariega Beach Kenton-on-Sea Middle Beach (provisional) Boknes Beach (provisional)

Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality King’s Beach Humewood Beach

Kouga Municipality Dolphin Beach

City of Cape Town Municipality Bikini Beach Mnandi Beach Strandfontein Beach Muizenberg Beach Llandudno Beach Camp’s Bay Beach Clifton IV Beach Silverstroom Beach

• • • Western Cape • Bitou Municipality • Nature’s Valley Beach • • • Keurbooms Beach • • • Robberg V Beach • • •

Knysna Municipality Brenton Beach Buffalo Bay Beach

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The Blue Flag Programme

The programme promotes sustainable development through strict criteria in the categories of Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services. Blue Flag beaches and marinas continue to multiply despite toughening criteria. Criteria are updated to keep abreast of new scientific findings, legislation, and generally to keep the campaign participants striving for ever better enviro-quality. A few of the issues covered in the criteria include cleanliness, provisions for waste and recycling, zoning of activities, and enviro-education activities for a variety of people. Visit www.blueflag.org

Photo http://lousstylenotes.files.wordpress.com

Matzikama Municipality Strandfontein Beach

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Tech

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it's a brave new nano world We take a look at six substances that defy the laws of physics, as we know them.

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WATCH THIS!

A centimetre-thick slab of aerogel insulates against the flame of a Bunsen burner

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QUEST Lab: Aerogel

WATCH THIS! 1. Aerogel In Simply Green, Issue 1, we covered Graphene (and subsequently Carbyne, in Issue 5), and one of the latest developments in that area of nanoscience is Aerogel – seven times lighter than air, a cube inch of it is said to be able to balance on a blade of grass.

Chinese material scientists have created the world's lightest material: a graphene aerogel that is seven times lighter than air, and 12% lighter than the previous record holder (aerographite). A cm3 of the graphene aerogel weighs just 0.16mg – or, if you're having a problem conceptualising that, a cubic meter weighs just 160gm.

Most aerogels are produced using a sol-gel process, where a gel is dehydrated until only the aerogel remains. Some aerogels are also produced using the template

method – aerographite, for

example, is created by growing carbon on a lattice (template) of zinc oxide crystals – and then the zinc oxide is removed in an oven, leaving just the carbon aerogel. To create the graphene aerogel, however, researchers at Zhejiang University use a novel freeze-drying method. Basically, the researchers create a solution of graphene and carbon nanotubes, pour it into a mold, and then freeze dry it.

Freeze drying dehydrates the solution, leaving

LiquiGlide tomato sauce bottle

2. LiquiGlide LiquiGlide is a super-slippery coating that prevents literally anything from sticking to it – in Simply Green, Issue 1, we looked at it's application on gloves and clothes. Check out the video with the LiquiGlide-coated tomato sauce ketchup bottle. The obvious worry (since it's being demonstrated on food containers) is whether or not the stuff is safe for consumption – after all, even non-stick mayo isn't worth it if it gives you a night of gut wrenching non-stick intestines. But fear not, as LiquiGlide is apparently made of completely edible, flavourless materials. What might come to mind right now is coating your dishes with the stuff, and never again worrying about washing up. How novel.

single-atom-thick layers of graphene, supported by carbon nanotubes. The researchers say that there's no limit to the size of the container: you could make a mini-graphene aerogel using this process, or a m3

WATCH THIS!

aerogel if you wish.

The end result is an aerogel that super-light, and has truly superb elasticity and absorption. The graphene aerogel can recover completely after more than 90% compression, and absorb up to 900 times its own weight in oil, at a rate of 68.8gm per second.

With these two features combined, lead researcher Gao Chao hopes that the material might be used to mop up oil spills, squeezed to reclaim the oil, and then thrown back in the ocean to mop up more oil. Beyond filtration, graphene aerogel might be used as insulation – or, if it's as conductive as aerographite (which seems likely), graphene aerogel

Rice researchers invent paintable battery

could enable the creation of lighter, higher-energy-

3. Spray-on batteries

density batteries.

One of the greatest daily struggles of modern life is

The research paper on aerogel can be found here.

the scourge of the flat or dead battery. Researchers at Rice University are not the first to tackle the

23 S G

battery issue, but their solution is by far the most elegant: they're planning to wave the conventional battery goodbye and replace it with a battery compound that can be spray-painted on any surface.

Here's how it works: a conventional lithium-ion battery is made of the anode, cathode, and electrolyte.

These ingredients are assembled to form the physical battery that

we

all

know

and

are

constantly using. The scientists turned it into spray form by simply liquefying each of the components.

The technique seems to work on pretty much any material, from steel to wood. All you have to do is spray the battery over a surface and it can start powering your device instantly.

Researchers have found that an object turned into a power source with the battery-spray treatment is currently able to keep a set of 40 LEDs working for six hours, and it's completely rechargeable. However, as enticing as this tech may seem, it's worth remembering that it's not exactly at commercial stage yet.

Constructing

a

functional

spray-on

battery requires multiple layers of different 'paints', and attaching one to your gadget of choice requires a fair bit of creative wiring.

WATCH THIS!

Terminator polymer

4. Terminator polymer The self-healing substances that science has

S G 24

A metallic microlattice, which has many of the same features of an Ae

erogel, balancing on a dandelion

managed to develop in the past have

explain exactly how it works.

been relatively shoddy attempts – like fixing small cracks with resin in a manner

WATCH THIS!

that is closer to the way your body slowly heals small wounds, compared to the advanced claims made at the time. The world's first truly self-healing polymer is something else entirely.

The

polymer

can

currently

heal

basically any damage within a couple of hours and with 97% efficiency. It's not just fancy scientist stuff, either – the material is inexpensive, fairly simple to

Starlite: Maurice Ward's great test

make, and quite possibly will be available soon for everyone.

Researchers have actually nicknamed

6. Starlite

the material 'Terminator Polymer' as

Starlite is pretty much the coolest

homage

self-healing

substance in the world. We mean that

liquid-metal machine, the T1000, from the

literally: the material can withstand

popular film series.

extremely high temperatures and remain

to

the

famous

unaffected.

WATCH THIS!

Starlite is not the product of a professional research team – the material was invented by a talented amateur chemist

called

Maurice

Ward,

who

somehow managed to cook it up in his kitchen two decades ago (see video). It has since gone on to become one of the best-kept secrets in the science world.

That's a perfectly ordinary egg in the video, being heated with an oxy-acetylene

DNA hydrogel remembers shape

torch.

Ward then picks up the super-heated egg like it's no big deal, even though

5. Shapeshifting synthetic DNA

its surface has just been blasted with a diamond-melting 6 000°F.

Researchers at Cornell University have recently

stumbled

upon

a

type

of

Then he breaks open the egg to show us that it's not even slightly cooked.

shapeshifting DNA metamaterial – a

Initially, scientists refused to believe

synthetic hydrogel that can remember its

the near-magic properties of Starlite

original shape and return to it.

– some believe it's a hoax, others, a

Those letters spelling out 'DNA' were

conspiracy. However, test after test by

actually the material's original form, and

all sorts of independent experts showed

the addition of water (as seen in the

that it could do everything it promised,

video) acted as a signal for it to resume

and more: military researchers obtained a

that form. If it just sounds like a fancy

sample and subjected it to temperatures

version of those little dinosaur sponges

close to 10 000°F, and even a nuclear

you throw in water, it's not. In fact, what's

flash equivalent to 75 Hiroshimas. That

going on here is so strange that even

little singed bit you see on the video is

the scientists themselves aren't able to

the only damage.

25 S G

A lump of carbon Aerogel balances impressively on a blade of grass

Some years ago, on BBC's Tomorrow's World, a man called Maurice Ward demonstrated that a compound he had developed exhibited unique properties and would provide protection against extreme temperatures. He demonstrated his material, which he called Starlite, by painting it on a raw egg, playing a 1500°C flame on the egg and then, to general amazement, cracking the egg and showing that it remained uncooked.

and Starlite is nowhere to be seen. Still, there is hope: Ward's family is said to be in possession of the recipe, unless the US government has declared it 'Top Secret' – which may have actually happened. S G

Boeing and NASA both expressed interest, seeing as the material could potentially revolutionise the world – heat-resistant panelling, and so on. Ward was in talks to sell to them, but the deals fell through when Ward flat-out declined to give the recipe for Starlite away. He would license production, as much as they wanted, but the recipe stayed his alone. He even refused to patent the compound, as it would have required him to reveal its secrets. Sadly, Ward died in 2011 without a production deal in place,

S G 26

A 2gm block of silica Aerogel carries the weight of a 2.5kg brick

9612

MAKE

GROWING RHINO POPULATIONS HAPPEN

Help protect the rhino with a Nedbank Green Affinity account.

Nedbank has always been committed to finding long-term solutions by aiding conservation projects in South Africa. Together with the WWF-SA, we have developed a strong community-based approach to saving the rhino by engaging people living near critical rhino populations to act as custodians who will help protect them.

With your contribution, our commitment and their active participation, we can help conserve the rhino population for future generations. Make a difference today. Insure through us or open a Nedbank Green Affinity savings, current, investment or credit card account and we will donate money to the WWF Nedbank Green Trust, at no cost to you. Visit your nearest Nedbank branch, call us on 0860 DO GOOD (36 4663) or visit nedbankgreen.co.za.

Twitter @nedbankgreen, nedbank.co.za

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S eries

four inspirational cases for sustainable buildings

Sustainable buildings already exist. In Sustainia we have been inspired by many different cases, and on the following pages we would like to share four of these cases with you.

The people behind 'Guide to Sustainia':

In this series, we republish excerpts from Guide to Sustainia: Exploring the Sustainable Society of Tomorrow (2nd edition). Text and research by international sustainability institute, Sustainia.

Sustainia Founding Partners

Sustainable supermarket: REWE Where Berlin.

What New built grocery carbon-neutral store.

Realdania, DNV, Novo Nordisk, DONG Energy and Monday Morning Sustainia Knowledge Partners

Effects

HEALTH

Microsoft, Philips Lighting, VELUX, General Electric, Vestas, Tetra Pak, UBS Investment Bank, Rambøll, IKEA, SAS, Cisco, Gehl Architects Executive Director, Sustainia

Compared to a standard store of the same size, this

& Editor of 'Guide to Sustainia' Laura Storm

building uses 48% less energy and approximately

Project Manager of 'Guide to Sustainia' Jakob Anker Hansen

Guide to SuStainia

Lead Writers

Laura Storm (Welcome to Sustainia, Cities & Homes), Jakob Anker Hansen (Health), Justin

Gerdes (Transportation), Morten Jastrup (Energy & Homes), Jakob Riiskjær (Energy), Solvej

Karlshøj Christiansen (Fashion), Jonas Eder-Hansen (Fashion), Summer Rayne Oakes (Fashion) Proofread Justin Gerdes Design of 2nd edition Lisa Haglund & Tine Vognsen

SUSTAINIA

40% of the energy used is produced by the building's PV (photovoltaic cells) and geothermal energy system.

Acknowledgement Claire Hamer (ASOS), Christian Smith (ASOS), Aaron Bolte (Future Fashion Guides), Marie Engberg (Future Fabrics), Mark Bannister (Echo Sourcing), Gauden Galea (WHO/Europe), Andy Haines (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), Bjarne Bruun Jensen (Steno Dia-

BUILDING THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

betes Center), Christina Warren Schnohr (University of Copenhagen), Buvana Chinnaswamy (Novo Nordisk), Ray Pinto (Microsoft), Charles Nielsen (DONG Energy) The secretariat of Sustainia Monday Morning

SuStainia

Valkendorfsgade 13, P.O. Box 1127

explorinG the SuStainable Society of tomorrow 2nd edition

DK-1009 Copenhagen K Phone: +45 33939323 Email: Sustainia@mm.dk www.sustainia.me www.facebook.com/sustainia

SUSTAINIA

Printed in Denmark 2013 Sustainia is initiated by Monday Morning, Scandinavias largest 54

1P ri

n t e d m atter

45

7

S G 28

independent think tank and monthly magazine.

Details The 2 550m2 store (of which 1 830m2 is store area) is one of the first of its kind to let in great amounts of

inspirational stainable ildings

Rewe Supermarket is also a Sustainia100 solution – you can read more about it here www. sustainia.me

29 S G

daylight. This saves energy and creates a very different shopping experience compared to the classic supermarket with no views to the outside world.

Building materials are chosen for sustainability. In this case, wood is used extensively, which reduces CO2 emissions by 435 tons compared to more commonly used materials. The prefabricated

elements

make

the

construction process less cumbersome, and the building concept with laminated timber frames can be copied in many sizes for different kinds of stores.

StructurE Twelve 46m glued laminated timber frames span the store at intervals of 6.38m, forming the supporting structure.

The walls are made with prefabricated

Height of each office tower: 155m • Site area: 13 021m² • Gross floor space: 21 522m

wood sandwiched elements filled with cellulose insulation enabling simple, fast and safe assembly.

Lighting A 280m strip of windows combined with 18 domed skylights lets in daylight.

Light sensors turn artificial lighting on and off as needed.

Heating & cooling Excess

heat

from

coolers

and

refrigerators are stored in a buffer tank and re-used for heating the building.

Geothermal energy is used for both heating and cooling the store.

Rainwater retention Rainwater is collected and used for toilets, watering of the grounds and floor cleaning.

Energy 1 600m2 of solar photovoltaic cells are on the roof. 331m2 of PV cells are integrated in the glass on the projecting roof. Together with the geothermal energy system this makes the building approximately 40% self-sufficient in energy.

S G 30

DB Group's Head Office Deutsche Bank Where Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

What Office building constructed from 1979-1984. Complete renovation, modernisation and re-occupation: December 2007 – February 2011; formal re-opening: February 2011.

Effects 67% less heating and cooling energy used – corresponds to the heating power required for approximately 750 family homes. 55% less electricity consumption – corresponds to the electricity used annually by approximately 1 900 family homes. 74% saving in annual water consumption – enough to fill 22 Olympic-sized swimming pools. 89% less CO2 emissions per anum – corresponds to the emissions of

6 000 cars each driving 12 000km.

m² • Rental area: 75 093m²

Details

PeRFoRManCe

the

bank's

headquarters

twin

would

towers

have

to

1

that

FReSH WateR ConSuMPtion and WaSte WateR tReatMent

the bank seized the opportunity to retrofit the entire climate screen

enViRonMentaL iMPaCt FRoM eMiSSionS to aiR, SoiL and WateR

as well as the heating, water and lighting

systems.

The

facades

have been re-glazed with opening windows.

ConSuMPtion oF non-ReneWaBLe eneRGy SouRCeS

3

changes in fire regulations, but

eneRGy SuPPLy

4

22 years. The direct cause was

2

undergo a major renovation after

eneRGy deMand EnErgy

In 2006 Deutsche Bank decided

EnV 1

i ro

nM

2

EnT 3

4 4

inD

3 oo

Architect MBA Mario Bellini Architects.

Technical architect

rC

2 li M

aT E

1

LiGHt and VieW out

tHeRMaL enViRonMent

noiSe and aCouStiCS indooR aiR quaLity

Gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner.

Workplace capacity in flexible offices Maximum: 3 000

Active house radar: this radar graph shows how all parameters within the ten Active house principles are balanced against each other, enabling a holistic approach.

31 S G

LichtAktiv Haus Where Wilhelmsburg

District,

Hamburg,

Germany.

What Typical

'settlers

house'

from

Germany (13 million of the same type in the country), converted into a carbon-neutral home with focus

1

on optimal livability. Fulfilling the standards for 2020.

bUildings mUst bE a nEt bEnEfit to nat HUman HEaltH, and qUality of lifE

2 bUildings arE ConstrUCtEd and rEnov witH tHE EnvironmEntal, soCial, and EConomiC aspECts of sUstainability in

Effects

m2/year. Overall good performance on

4 HomEs arE safE, inviting, and affordab

104

and solar thermal collectors) of 16kWh/

3 bUildings arE vEHiClEs for innovation Constantly spUrring Us to ExplorE, dEvElop, and sCalE solUtions for sUstainablE ConstrUCtion

Energy surplus (from heatpumps, PV

the Activ House principles (see radar

5 bUildings arE dEsignEd to maKE fUll U tHE natUral assEts in tHEir sUrroUnd inClUding dayligHt and watEr

graph on previous page).

Details The LichtAktiv Haus is a renovation project

bringing

a

typical

6

small solar

7 rElEvant staKEHoldErs, inClUding loC CommUnitiEs and aUtHoritiEs, arE invo in tHE planning of bUildings

energy, passive solar gains, natural

8 bUildings arE adaptEd to loCal Condi

onefamily house up to Active House standards.

The

house

uses

a classic '50s semi-detached house into a carbon-neutral home. Daylight is ample in every room.

105

ventilation, and energy design to turn

S G 32

bUildings arE plannEd witH a wHolE lifECyClE pErspECtivE

9 bUildings arE flExiblE – rEady to aCCommodatE fUtUrE UsErs, or Easy to dEmolisH and rECyClE

10 bUildings arE bUilt to bE aCCEssiblE, g EqUal opportUnity for all UsErs

External walls/façade

Upcycled family house Where

environmental impacts and shows that impacts can be reduced to less than 25% of a reference house built with the most commonly used materials in Denmark.

This applies for both the global warming potential and the total sum of all environmental impacts included in the evaluation.

Details The upcycled house is built from a variety of materials, ranging from used car tyres to retired shipping containers. The choice of materials highlights and

UsE of dings,

Cal olvEd

itions

to

giving

sUstAInIA bUIldIng prInCIples

blE

paper from recovered newspapers.

Roof

ventilated paper – insulation substitutes the vapour

A life-cycle assessment has evaluated the potential

n,

soda cans. For insulation mineral wool is replaced by

What

Effect

mind

combined with aluminium facade made from beer/

Container steel substitutes the concrete or steel

materials.

vatEd

made of re-used paper pressed with bioresin

Nyborg, Denmark.

Family residence for four built from up-cycled waste

tUrE,

Container steel substitutes concrete. Façade plates

takes to the extreme the possibilities in upcycling and recycling building materials, and shows the effects of using highly durable and recyclable materials.

However not all the solutions used in this case are

substructure. Recyclable aluminium sheets, and barrier.

Interior walls Bricks are replaced by container steel, partially recycled gypsum sheets and recycled wood, poly-bricks made from upcycled plastic bottles make for a translucent wall, tiles from upcycled glass, secondary structural support in recycled wood.

Patio Made from 95% upcycled stickers and labels, recovered paper and plastic fibres.

Internal floors Rubber tiles made from reused car tyres, re-used glass and re-used champagne corks substitute new tiles and wooden floors.

Façade windows 35% are re-used.

scalable to broader use due to such factors as the availability of materials.

Building Owner Realdania Byg.

Architect Lendager Arkitekter.

Building basis/terrain Columns of recycled steel, mis-produced concrete elements as ground anchors, gravel as stabiliser, insulation from upcycled styrofoam fruitboxes.

Structural parts columns 2 tons of recycled steel is added to stabilise the containers.

33 S G

Home

?

How green is your home By green we don't mean the grass in your yard. We mean how well you manage the impact you and your home have on the environment. For many South Africans this is a bit of a science, but it shouldn't be. It's actually quite simple, thanks to the Nedbank Green Living Guide. The bank has partnered with the Sustainability Institute to give South African homeowners a guide for the journey of greening their homes.

S G 34

?

N

edbank has been on its own sustainability journey

The main eco-challenges we face lie in four key areas: energy, water, waste and ecosystem health.

for more than 20 years and

understands its role in sharing the knowledge and experience acquired over the decades. This is especially true because we live at a time in which our natural resources

are

continuing

to

shrink and consumers' pockets

are

feeling

the

burden

of

increasing costs of electricity, fuel

and other commodities. So why not

add 'adopting a more sustainable

lifestyle' to the list of your 2014 New

Year's resolutions? To embark on your

own sustainability journey please click

here and download the Nedbank Green

Living Guide.

Energy

Most homes in South Africa use electricity for everything

from

cooking

and

cleaning

to

refrigerating, heating, drying and entertainment. In

For those who would like a preview, we've

fact, buildings consume nearly 60% of the world's

extracted a few key issues from the guide to help

electricity. In this country the average medium-to-

you start 2014 much 'greener' than you've ever

high-income home uses 29% of electricity for water

been. And what better place to start your greening

heating, 23% for space heating, 21% for cooking and

drive than in your home?

10% for lighting.

However, the way electricity is generated can have a significant environmental impact. This is particularly true in a country such as ours, where the electricity grid is heavily reliant on coal and nuclear energy to generate nearly all our electricity.

Coal provides almost 90% of the country's primary energy, but burning coal to generate electricity releases CO2, among other pollutants.

Coal-fired power stations have made South Africa the highest greenhouse gas emitter per person on the continent and one of the highest in the world.

The country's energy sector is responsible

Green home

for about 90% of the country's greenhouse gas

A home is a sanctuary. It's where you spend most

emissions. These emissions are contributing to

of your day. But whether you're cooking, cleaning,

climate change, which is causing an increase in

entertaining or relaxing, it can be difficult to

extreme weather events, drought and famine, rising

connect the simple choices you make in your home

sea levels and the decline of plant and animal

with their environmental implications.

species.

South Africa is facing numerous environmental

In addition, electricity generation from coal

challenges, from climate change to pollution and

requires the mining of a non-renewable resource,

resource depletion. Many homeowners are choosing

which is also degrading the environment. It uses

to take action to ensure that their homes contribute

vast amounts of water, with approximately 1.35l of

towards solutions for a better future, rather than

water required to produce 1kWh of electricity (which

adding to the problem.

excludes the water needed to extract the coal in the

35 S G

first place).

(particularly

during

peak

electricity

demand

Nuclear energy contributes 5% of South Africa's

periods) and substituting sunlight, gas or other

electricity supply. Although it produces lower

renewable-energy sources where appropriate. As

greenhouse gas emissions than coal, its low-level

the price of grid electricity rises, it will become more

nuclear waste remains dangerously toxic to humans

affordable and popular for households to generate

and ecosystems for thousands of years, while

their own electricity through renewable-energy

high-level nuclear waste is radioactive for over

systems. In addition, South Africa may follow other

100  000 years. South Africa's low-level waste is

parts of the world that allow homeowners to earn

buried underground in Namaqualand and high-level

an income from selling clean electricity back to the

waste remains stored within the Koeberg nuclear

grid.

To find out how you can reduce your use

power plant near Cape Town. As yet there are no safe, affordable methods of disposing of nuclear

of

waste.

renewable-energy

In recent years, the demand for grid electricity

non-renewable

energy sources

and

transition

download

the

to free

Nedbank Green Living Guide.

has almost outstripped supply, which has resulted in rapidly increasing prices. The cost is likely to continue to rise for many more years, unless there is a significant shift towards renewable energy and away from coal and nuclear energy. Coal and nuclear energy both require materials to be mined from the earth and transported to the power plant for conversion into electricity. This means that both forms of energy are heavily dependent on these resources and transport systems, and are therefore highly vulnerable to increases in the price of oil and other commodities.

Certain forms of renewable energy, such as wind and solar energy, do not require material inputs

Water

to be transported to sites on an ongoing basis for

Global water consumption has risen almost tenfold

electricity to be generated, and their increasing

since 1900, and the water supply capacity limit

popularity and efficiency are likely to make them

is now being reached in many parts of the world.

more cost-effective to install in the future.

South Africa's freshwater supply is particularly

To find out which household activities require the

vulnerable because of its location in a region with

most electricity, and where you could save, try one

low and unreliable rainfall. Annual rains are often

of Eskom's energy calculators at www.eskom.co.za/

not enough to replenish the dams and other sources

sites/idm/Pages/Home.aspx. For more details, a

of fresh water that supply our taps between rainy

home energy monitor provides live information on

seasons. Climate change is likely to bring about a

your household consumption throughout the day.

combination of rising temperatures and reduced or more erratic rainfall, placing further pressure on

S G 36

What should we do?

already constrained water supplies – particularly to

The ultimate goal is to have all energy needs met by

the west of the country.

clean, efficient, affordable and accessible sources of

Most of South Africa's available water sources

energy. Making South Africa's energy system more

are already fully utilised and there are limited

sustainable will require a combination of improving

options available for increasing water supply.

efficiencies in the generation, transmission and

While water supply limits are being reached,

usage of electricity, and shifting away from coal

South Africa's demand for fresh water is increasing.

and nuclear energy towards clean, renewable

Previously unserviced communities are gaining

alternatives.

access to piped water for the first time, and rising

Households have an important role to play

income levels increase the demand for swimming

in reducing their demand for grid electricity

pools, green lawns and other water-reliant luxuries.

The ultimate goal is to have all energy needs met by clean,

should save water. We can do this by reducing water

efficient, affordable and accessible

leaks and wastage, improving water use efficiency

sources of energy. Making

and reusing lower grades of water, such as grey

South Africa's energy system more sustainable will require a combination of improving efficiencies in the generation, transmission and usage of electricity, and shifting away from coal and nuclear energy towards clean, renewable alternatives.

water and pool backwash water, for non-potable purposes.

To find out how you can help save our precious water download the free Nedbank Green Living Guide.

Waste

To make any product requires natural resources.

For example, we derive wood and paper products from trees, plastic from crude oil and fabric from crops such as cotton. The problem is that we are

It is estimated that 11 of the country's 19 water catchment areas will not be able to supply enough water to meet demand by 2025.

consuming these natural resources at a rate 50% faster than the earth can produce them.

Extracting

these

natural

resources

and

As supply runs short and demand grows,

processing, packaging and transporting them

water prices are beginning to rise, tracking energy

requires energy, which is where the second problem

prices higher. Alternative sources of water, such

arises. Electricity and transport are still based

as desalination, are highly energy-intensive and

mainly on the burning of fossil fuels, a process that

expensive, so shifting behaviour to minimise water

is emitting carbon dioxide at a rate faster than the

wastage and achieve more from the country's

atmosphere, sea, soil and vegetation can absorb it.

remaining water resources is crucially important.

The excess CO2 is contributing to global warming.

Another threat to SA's limited freshwater supplies

A third problem is that most extraction and

is contamination by human activities and wastes.

manufacturing processes also discharge pollutants

Most homeowners do not think about what happens

into our water, soil and air, threatening human and

to their sewage once it is flushed away. However, in

ecosystem health.

many parts of the country improper management

Finally, waste from every stage of the production

of wastewater causes these wastes to leak from

process is usually sent to landfills, which in South

pipes or overflow from treatment facilities, polluting

Africa are filling up much faster than the population

freshwater sources. A recent report on the country's

is growing. We are fast running out of cheap,

wastewater treatment works found that 44% of those

accessible landfill space.

monitored were categorised as being 'high risk' or

In addition, landfills pollute groundwater and

'critical risk', while only 26% were considered to

the air and are hazardous to human and ecosystem

operate within desirable parameters. Water bodies

health. As it decomposes, organic waste from

are further polluted by the runoff of oil and other

landfills emits methane, a greenhouse gas which

pollutants from roads and driveways, chemical

is at least 21 times more potent than CO2 in its

fertilisers and pesticides from gardens, and salts

contribution to global warming.

and chlorine from pool backwash water.

What should we do?

The ultimate goal for fresh water is to make the

Though a few areas in South Africa have their recycling materials collected by the municipality, most of us put our rubbish on the kerb each week to be taken to a dumpsite or landfill, where it is buried.

best use of every drop. This means that wastage is

Dumping our waste instead of reusing or

minimised, pollution is eradicated and ecosystems

recycling it means that we are not using our natural

are allowed to continue to provide water-filtering

resources efficiently. Instead, we are putting extra

services. Nature can clean water at a much lower

pressure on ecosystems to deliver new natural

cost than mechanised treatment works. Every

resources at a rate beyond their ability to rejuvenate

household – particularly in higher-income brackets –

or absorb harmful emissions. However, we can

37 S G

reduce our waste by eliminating, reusing, recycling

sprawl, climate change, invasive alien species and

or composting it.

pollution of land, water and air are the main culprits.

A recent report assessed 132 countries and

Reducing the waste going to a landfill helps us to:

ranked them according to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). South Africa was ranked

save dwindling natural resources;

128th and was recognised as one of the countries

reduce degradation of ecosystems;

with the fastest rate of environmental decline. From

reduce energy use and resulting CO2 emissions;

a global perspective, the United Nations Millennium

reduce pollution;

Ecosystem Assessment confirmed that 60% of the

reduce landfill space and methane emissions;

ecosystems on which human systems depend for

free organic waste for composting to return

survival are degraded. In other words, we are

valuable nutrients to the soil; and

using natural resources at a rate much faster than

save money.

ecosystems are able to produce them or process

What should we do?

our waste. While the outlook for our ecosystems is bleak, the issues they face are a consequence of

The ultimate goal is to have no waste at all, where

human behaviour. This means that, by changing our

every output is an input for another production

behaviour, we can change their future (and ours) for

process. Nature cycles have inputs such as these on

the better.

a daily basis and leave no waste, as the byproducts of one system feed another. We too can achieve zero waste through good design and innovative

To reduce our negative impact on ecosystems we can:

systems. Materials and products can be designed to

find out which natural resources and species

be 100% recyclable, with no loss of quality, or 100%

are threatened or in decline and try to conserve

compostable and nourishing for the soil.

them;

To find out how you can reduce the impact of

avoid using non-renewable resources, such as

your household waste on the environment download

fossil fuels and their byproducts;

the Nedbank Green Living Guide.

support high-density urban development (such as multi-storey city apartments) rather than

Ecosystem health

We rely on ecosystems for our survival. Besides providing us with natural resources, such as water, food, timber,

urban sprawl (like golf estates); save energy, be more energy-efficient, and transition to renewable energy; remove alien invasive species and replace them with indigenous varieties; and stop littering, pouring toxic chemicals down our drains and supporting polluting companies.

plant fibres, metals and minerals, ecosystems perform vital services. These services include moderating air temperatures, regulating disease

What should we do?

Our vision should be healthy ecosystems that are

and the climate, supporting nutrient formation and

easily able to support biodiversity and provide

pollination of crops, purifying water and providing

their vital services for humans and all other living

for recreation. Scientists and natural-resource

things. We must therefore prioritise the restoration

economists have tried to calculate the financial

of degraded ecosystems, switch to using renewable

value of some of these services if we had to

resources and reuse them as many times as possible

provide them ourselves, and the costs run into

before returning them to ecosystems in a form that

many billions of rands. Yet we are able to enjoy

will nourish rather than pollute.

these ecosystem services for free, so long as the ecosystems providing the services are healthy.

However, because of various factors, South Africa's ecosystems are being rapidly degraded.

Overexploitation of resources and species, urban

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To find out how you can contribute to ecosystem health, download the Nedbank Green Living Guide.

SG

1113/8083

MAKING

SUSTAINABLE LIVING HAPPEN Many homeowners are taking action to ensure that their homes contribute towards solutions for a better future, rather than adding to the problem.

The Nedbank Green Living Guide, the bank’s proactive response to helping homeowners green their homes, is a refined collection of options to consider when making a shift towards a greener lifestyle. From recycling to using ecofriendly products, the guide will assist users in creating energy-efficient homes that minimise environmental impact.

Click here to explore simple, money-saving tips for a greener lifestyle.

Nedbank Limited Reg No 1951/000009/06. Authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16).

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Buildings

World Green Building Council's Government Leadership Awards

2013

'Green walls provide a substantial and spiritual connection to nature which is missing in the modern concrete jungle,' say design firm Green over Grey (based in Canada). Their goal is to create living works of art that purify the air you breathe, make life more sustainable and add some green to the grey of our cities.

The winning cities were chosen by an expert panel of judges comprised of representatives from The UN Human Settlements Program, UN-HABITAT, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). The winners were announced recently at the Warsaw Dialogue on Scaling-Up Local and Subnational Climate Action, held in conjunction with the UN Climate Change Conference (COP-19) in Warsaw, Poland

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Best Green Building Policy: Vancouver, Canada Vancouver won for its Greenest City 2020 Action Plan – a suite of policies and initiatives that aim to make the city the world's greenest by 2020 – and its specific goals and strategies around green buildings.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that for every 10kg of cement created, 6-9kg CO2 is produced. Wood speaks to our minds and our hearts, like this tree house delicately suspended by cables without nails. Designed by Farrow Partnership Architects for the 5-star E’Terra eco-resort located in the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Tobermory, Ontario.

Urban Regeneration Award: Christchurch, NZ Christchurch won for various policies and initiatives effecting a sustainable rebuild in a city devastated by earthquake damage.

Right: Lockwood Homes celebrate their 60th anniversary this year, a company setting the benchmark for eco-friendly building in NZ. 'As locallygrown plantation pine is used, Lockwood homes have "lockedup" a whole lot of carbon, making for home that actually can have a positive carbon footprint. No other building material can claim that,' say the folks behind Lockwood.

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Climate Action Leadership Award: Seoul, Korea Seoul won for its One Less Nuclear Power Plant initiative – a three-year initiative that aims to reduce energy consumption in the city.

Above & Bottom, Left: Seoul-based firm, Planning Korea, unveiled plans to construct an eco-friendly bridge in the capital that can generate its own power. Bottom, Right: Netherlands-based architecture and urban design practice, MVRDV’s, stunning ecofriendly concepts represent some of the most visionary ideas in the field of sustainable architecture. The firm’s winning design for the Gwanggyo Power Center in Seoul, South Korea blends in with the surrounding hillside in sculptural rounded towers providing plenty of greenery and outdoor space in addition to living space, offices, retail space, museums and other public functions.

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Regional Leadership Award: Abu Dhabi, UAE Abu Dhabi won for the Estidama Pearl Rating System – a comprehensive program that has implemented mandatory sustainability regulations in a city that previously had none.

The Performing Arts Center in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid. Her works convey a sense of energy, with dynamic lines, sometimes related to aerospace design. The sculptural shapes, the sensual curves, both stylish and vigorous have led Zaha Hadid to become the first woman to receive the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 2004, the highest award in architecture. 'As it winds through the site, the architecture increases in complexity, building up height and depth and achieving multiple summits in the bodies housing the performance spaces, which spring from the structure like fruits on a vine and face westward, toward the water', says Zaha.

Honorable Mentions: Brighton & Hove, UK , for its Food Growing and Development Planning Advice Note; Cape Town, SA , for its Municipal Energy Efficiency Buildings Program, and Shanghai, China , for its Green Building and Eco-City Campaign.

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Buildings

Hotel Verde has recently garnered the accolade of being 'Africa's greenest hotel'. That achievement was no accident, but the result of intensive planning by eco consultants that helped the project manifest its sustainability ideals from the ground up. AndrĂŠ Harms reports.

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 greenest

hotel 45 S G

T

here

were

no

second

thoughts

when

Ecolution Consulting was approached by the owners of Hotel Verde to take charge of the

sustainable interventions throughout the planning, design, construction and into the operational phase

to educate and uplift staff, surrounding communities,

Hotel Verde, praised as one of the greenest hotels in this part of the world, is the result of the passion and dedication of the owners, Mario and Annemarie Delicio (pictured right).

visitors, suppliers and, of course, guests. It was

The couple decided that they wanted to build a 'small green

to facilitate behaviour change towards a more

hotel' in SA. What evolved was something quite different – with

sustainable way of building and operating/living for

an altogether much more impressive result.

of the project.

Soon it became clear that this was not just going to become 'Africa's Greenest Hotel' but also a means

businesses as well as individuals. This magnificent

'We have a responsibility as a company, as employers and

project was to spearhead the transformation of the

as a visitor on this planet to live as sustainably as possible.

hospitality industry towards one which has less

This is the only way we can survive long-term and hand

of an environmental footprint, consumes limited

over to our children in a responsible manner,' say Mario and

resources more responsibly, and creates a healthier

Annemarie.

and more pleasant living and working environment,

Their 'little green hotel' quickly evolved into a mammoth project resulting in a 145 room, four-star hotel that showcases

all while benefiting every stakeholder.

This made it so much more than solving a set of technical and design challenges and Ecolution seized the opportunity to get involved; when having a passion for the environment and technology as well as uplifting people and communities how can one not jump at such an inspiring brief?

Ecolution is honoured to have been the leading sustainability consultant on this groundbreaking project and privileged to have partnered with such a great and diverse team to make Hotel Verde indeed Africa's greenest hotel.

The sustainability concept at Hotel Verde is based on three main pillars, together they result in the remarkable low carbon footprint of the running hotel:

the most advanced environmentally-conscious installations, construction techniques and operation practices in the world.

Mario's involvement in a Hotel in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa encouraged him to start a hotel project in Cape Town, where he lives. His initial vision was that it had to be different, and going green in his opinion was no longer a nice-to-do, but rather an absolute necessity. Plans for a green hotel began more than three years ago.

The airport location for Mario was a no-brainer. The Soccer World Cup in South Africa in 2010 confirmed his thoughts, as Cape Town lacked three – or four-star accommodation near the airport, and rooms for travellers and airline crews near the airport were almost non-existent. Cape Town is one of the only international airports in the world that has no hotel hub in its proximity. Building a green hotel near an airport seems like a contradiction in terms of carbon emissions, but Mario sees

Firstly, the way the building was built and the passive interventions that were included. These

Hotel Verde as a statement, an eco-conscious message to the community, country and world.

include strict waste management during construction

The design and construction was as sustainable as

to divert waste from landfill, besides an effective

possible and building included local community involvement

separation at source and recycling process this

and social-upliftment schemes. Ecolution Consulting's André

also resulted in innovative re-uses of materials like

Harms – who returned from Antarctica after heading up the

converting old shipping pallets and crates into tables

team that managed SA's high-tech, eco-minded polar research

and decorative wood. Responsible and non-toxic

station between 2009 and 2011 – was responsible for the

material choices as well as natural ventilation in

successful implementation of the hotel's entire green concept.

the basement parking and double-glazed spectrally

Annemarie and Mario Delicio strongly believe that going

selective windows are further examples of the many

green is the only way for companies to operate in a responsible

interventions in this category.

Secondly, the active, technical installations that are responsible for so much of the impressive energy – and water-efficiency of the building. These



include LED lighting with daylight harvesting,

S G 46

Why Hotel Verde?

way. They will be continuing their work as pioneers of green hotels in Africa.

'We do not only owe it to our environment, but also to future generations who will inherit this planet from us.'

47 S G

ď ™

occupancy, day/night control, heating, hot water generation and cooling that is based on ground source heat pumps accessing a geothermal field consisting of 100 boreholes each around 65m deep. Three impressive wind turbines right in front of the main entrance generating renewable energy but also making a profound statement. Photovoltaic panels are located on the north-facing roof, as well as the northern facade where they also provide shading to the guest rooms below. Low-flow shower heads and basin mixers, waterless urinals and dual flush toilets, with the latter being fed from the building's grey water recycling plant, all contribute to the water-efficiency of the building.

Thirdly, and always the goal during the design and construction phase, is the sustainable

bedroom

operation of the hotel. This extends from the comprehensive waste separation program, in guest rooms, offices, public spaces, kitchen etc right through to the way products are selected and procured. A vertical herb garden providing some fresh produce for the kitchen, on site purified and carbonated water are just a few more sustainable initiatives of the operation.

When trying to be at the cutting edge one usually faces a few challenges. For the Hotel Verde project, these include: finding the right, responsible, regional materials with the right documentation; green building rating systems rely heavy on specific documentation to verify a product's green credentials, local manufacturers, even those with fantastic products are often just not used to that yet.

Implementing some of the more complex technologies that achieve unparalleled energy or water efficiency and intelligent and flexible control are other novelties where considerable learning curves were required.

Waste separation is clearly a completely new concept to local construction sites and workers.

It took a considerable and consistent effort and repeated training and rectification to achieve satisfactory on-site separation. The hard work paid off and in the end a diversion rate of in excess of 90% was achieved.

There are various other green features to the hotel – like using energy generated by guests utilising training devices in the gym to help

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ď ™

power the hotel, and the recent installation

conference room public area Living wall

1 2

3 4

TOP GREEN FEATURES 1

PV panels on North facing roof & facade

2

Vertical axis wind turbines

3

Vegetated green roof

4

Electric shuttle service to airport

Geothermal loops coupled to heat pumps

Grey water recycling plant supplying toilets

COBIAX void formers reduce concrete use

High performance double glazed windows

Occupancy sensors in all public areas & stores

Rainwater filtering & capture

49 S G



of a natural pool (see page 58) by Ecopool, as well as numerous other features and unique elements.

Rooms Sustainability and luxury are not mutually exclusive, and with this in mind each room is designed to be a chic eco experience. Apart from 100% cotton sheets surrounded by classic, contemporary décor, all the products that are in the rooms, such as hand lotions, soaps and body washes, are locally produced and not harmful to the environment. The complimentary bottles of mineral water are filtered and bottled on site.

Conferencing

dining area

With seven meeting rooms available, their innovative

conference

facilities

cater

for

everything, from one-on-one meetings, launches, large groups, team building, breakaways to day conferences, accommodating up to 120 delegates. Being just 400m away from Cape Town International Airport and a mere 20 minutes from the city centre, Hotel Verde is a convenient conferencing option.

The hotel is about conferencing with a difference – there is strong emphasis on natural lighting throughout and everything in the conference rooms is geared towards convenience, health and wellness. The constant supply of fresh fruit and water provided helps to stimulate the brain and keep attendees engaged and focused throughout the sessions.

It also offers team-building activities and the jogging trail and natural wetlands provide an ideal location for getting out into the environment and replenishing your reserves.

In a drive to reduce their carbon footprint they encourage minimum use of paper and promote the use of their digital equipment, all powered in part by solar panels and other low-carbon, innovative methods.

Dining The dining experience is all about health and wellness and all the hotel's food is seasonal, produced and sourced locally. With a variety of culinary options and venues to consider on a

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

24 hour basis, you are unlikely to walk away

lounge area roof garden

clay brick

the

To order your Imperial or Maxi Plaster Bricks: Call: 021 884 4589 E-mail: info@claytile.co.za or visit www.heavyclayproducts.co.za 51 S G



hungry.

An early breakfast menu is available from 04h30 if you have to catch a flight or attend a morning meeting, or just select something from the BON Voyage Deli that is open 24/7, offering healthy organic food choices and the old favourites. Room service is also available from 10h00 to 22h30.

The open-plan kitchen provides a clear view to experience the chefs working their magic – making pizzas or whipping up an old favourite from the buffet or a la carte menu, all of which are served in the restaurant, lounge terrace and bar. Be sure to get a tall cool glass of beer served on tap, a fresh glass of something from the juice bar, or fresh water from the fountain.

Facilities

gym

The hotel features the following facilities for guests and day visitors alike: Business Centre: Complimentary Wi-fi is available throughout the hotel. The business centre located on the ground floor is equipped with all the latest technology required to keep guests in touch.

Wetlands: The owners have invested in a wetland adjacent to the hotel to offer guests a scenic outside area for enjoyment and relaxation.

The area consists of a pathway leading through a specifically created mini-forest with indigenous plants and birds.

Rock pool: Enjoy the 'natural' rock pool with sun loungers looking out onto the retention pond and wetland. Take some time out while enjoying the tranquility of nature.

Gym & jogging trail: For those of you who are focused on fitness, the hotel has a state-of-the-art gym with treadmills, bicycles and rowing machines. A full complement of weights and yoga equipment will ensure a complete workout. Hotel Verde is the first in SA to use power-generating equipment – these machines pump power back into the hotel as you work out and show the amount of energy you are generating. Should you prefer to exercise in the open air, make use of the 320m jogging trail along the surrounding wetlands. After your jog around the trail, you will be free to make use of the outdoor gym equipment.

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

Visual arts: The visual arts will play a key

kid's loo reception

C OMP A NY PRO F IL E

'Leaders in Sustainability and Green Building Consulting.'

Ecolution Consulting was established by AndrÊ Harms in 2011 in response to the need for market transformation towards more sustainable and responsible design, construction, operation and maintenance in the built environment. Ecolution provides a range of responsible engineering and sustainability consulting services for the property industry and their suppliers. They have done considerable work over the years spearheading and overseeing the sustainability initiatives at Hotel Verde – Africa's greenest hotel.

Services offered: n Green building design: green building rating system implementation (LEED and Green Star SA) n Sustainability principles consulting (incl. energy efficiency, water conservation, waste minimisation, passive design) n Responsible material and product selection n Building commissioning processes n Energy modelling n Sustainable operating practices n Site sustainability evaluation and monitoring n Existing building (incl. domestic homes) evaluation as well as energy, water and waste optimisation n Sustainability reports n Sustainability staff training

Be a part of the revolution which is the evolution towards an ecological solution!

+ 27 21 685 8043 | hello@ecolution.co.za | www.ecolution.co.za 53 S G

ď ™

role at Hotel Verde. The art consultant, Niklas Zimmer, has identified four focus areas for developing the sustainable engagement in the arts: balancing beautification with social consciousness; responding to environmental innovation aesthetically; engaging with the youth through community arts projects; and envisaging art at Hotel Verde as an international dialogue.

For Hotel Verde, Zimmer has developed diverse working relationships: on the one hand with local artists, galleries and manufacturers, and on the other with a variety of educational institutions – all contributing towards growing

restaurant

relevant, contemporary art practices.

Setting the benchmark Hotel Verde sought transformation of the industry; it is setting the benchmark in that regard and showcasing many technologies and best practices. Hotel Verde sought to become Africa's Greenest Hotel; I am convinced it has achieved that but my hope is that it does not keep this title for too long. With such positive feedback and reviews, media and public interest we hope that the example set by Hotel Verde is an inspiration and a challenge to the built environment and hospitality industry to follow suit.

SG

See ad on page 56 for details.

'Hotel Verde had the advantage of starting from scratch, so building new meant we could plan much more than by retrofitting an existing building. From the design and construction phase through to the operation of the hotel, many dedicated and passionate individuals have gone to great lengths to develop a system that is as sustainable as possible. Advanced energy modelling was applied to the entire building envelope to optimise building design as well as operational practices.' – Mario Delicio, owner of Hotel Verde

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boardroom conference venue

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: geothermal heater • greywater system • HVAC plant room • renewable energy control room •

Wind Turbines • North Facade – PV Panels

55 S G

your first destination  in Cape Town

why choose us Free shuttle service between the hotel and airport Free shuttle service twice daily into the city centre of Cape Town Free WIFI Hotel Verde is conveniently situated close to the airport and is proud to be Africa's 'greenest' hotel, boasting some of the most progressive and enviro-conscious technical installations and applications.

Offering 145 rooms, modern conference facilities, restaurant, bar, indoor gym, outdoor jogging trial and gymming equipment, with an eco-pool; it not only offers ever luxury but also the added element of extensive green features.

Tel: +27 (0) 21 380 5500 Email: info@hotelverde.com www.hotelverde.com

Roof Garden

Geothermic heat pumps

Grey water recycling system

Photovoltaic panels on North faรงade and roof

Windturbines

Concrete saving COBIAX void formers

Movement sensors for lighting in public areas

Regenerative elevators

Spectrally selective double glazed windows

N atural

pools

swimming

naturally S G 58

Tired of swimming in a chlorine-dosed pool, red and burning eyes, itchy skin and irritated mucus membranes – and concerns about what all that elemental-free chlorine might be doing to your and your family’s health – not to mention any downstream effects? Well, there is an answer – a natural pool. We take a look.

59 S G

I

magine owning a natural pool, using nature as a medium for sculpting living artworks. It is a lifestyle choice whose time has arrived it would

seem. There is an intelligence in nature, that when given the correct parameters, simply continues evolving and diversifying. We see this everywhere where man has not disturbed the natural balance – and it's one of the reasons people glory in finding that secret swimming hole in some pristine body of water, untouched by humankind's usually toxic interventions.

Just as stagnant water can be a breeding ground for all sorts of nasties, from disease-carrying mosquitoes to various other 'nasty no-nos', so a heavily chlorinated pool may be bug-free but it is not the pure body of water advertisers would like you to think it is.

There is a good reason that paper manufacturers around the world have either already taken elemental chlorine out of their effluent or are doing so under governmental and public pressure. Chlorine kills anything it comes into contact with. What it cannot kill, it damages. Human beings are adapted to absorb water and the substances dissolved in it, whether it comes from your tap or straight from the freshest mountain stream. Some of these elements are beneficial, but some can be unhealthy. Chlorine is one of the mose damaging and is known to cause cancer and childhood asthma.

The folks at EcoPools are dedicated to eliminating chlorine from the swimming experience. This is what they have to say: 'Imagine, instead of all those dead blue holes, surrounded with paving to protect the plants around them, millions of hectares of healthy aquatic ecosystem in our cities. Imagine that every new pool being built spreads the distribution of birds and animals that would otherwise be faced with dwindling wetland habitat. Imagine what a difference that would make on a world scale and to the consciousness of the planet.

'Natural Swimming Pools recreate the pristine swimming ponds and mountain pools found in nature. The water is kept sparkling clean by circulating it through a living ecosystem of water plants. The result is a lush indigenous aquatic garden cradling a clear, natural pool, the water of which is perfectly clean, soft on the skin and infused with healing energy. No salt, no chemicals, no steralisation equipment. EcoPools habve pioneered

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Natural Swimming Pool technology in SA. We

International IOB Eco Pool Conference in

have developed unique methods to ensure

2011, they established the Eco Pools Network

that our pools thrive in the warm and sunny

with partners from Brazil, England and

SA climate,' say the Eco Pool folk.

subsequently with others. The idea behind

There are a wide variety of names

the Eco Pools Network is that they work

for similar natural pool types, including

together as collaborative partners, sharing

natural swimming pools, eco pools, organic

information and resources, creating an

swimming pools, nature pools, chemical-fee

international 'ecosystem of connectivity'. The

pools, ecological pools, green pools (though

strength of a healthy ecosystem is one that

not necessarily green in colour), wetland

is diverse and interconnected. They expect

pools, bio pools, biological pools and so on.

the Eco Pools Network to grow organically as

Say the Eco Pools folk: 'We call our pools

the world opens up to the Ubuntu philosophy

Eco Pools because we create them as whole,

that inspires this team of innovators.

living ecosystems.'

Benefits

Eco Pools was founded by Dr Jerome Davis who has been involved with the aquatic

Natural Swimming Pools have many practical

world since 1983 when he worked on a fish

benefits: low maintenance; low electricity

farming kibbutz in Israel. Since then Davis

costs; perfect water quality all the time;

has been working in the field of commercial

higher temperatures; year-round enjoyment;

and scientific aquaculture around the world

wildlife oases. They are also good for our

for the last 30 years. In 2006, when back

health. Swimming in such a pool feels

in SA after a year in Malawi doing research

completely different from taking a bath or

on farming fish in the lake, Davis was

swimming in a pool that has been sterilised

approached by Helen Altman to please help

with chemicals. This is because most of the

her with her pool in Hout Bay. She was fed

water we encounter in our modern daily lives

up with using so much electricity, chemicals

is effectively 'dead'.

and never having a clean pool no matter how

'It is amazing that, with all we know, that

she tried. Initially, the idea was to turn the

people still use chlorine to kill everything

pool into a fish pond. Drawing on many years

in the water. So what would you rather

of experience with biological filtration for

dip

large scale aquaculture, he started to think

chemically-poisoned H2O or energy-infused,

about the application of these principles to

life-sustaining water?'

filter the pool water for people. The project was successful and soon afterwards, Helen's

Building

neighbour wanted to convert her pool too

Either existing pools can be converted or new

and so one thing led to another.

pools constructed from scratch. Collaboration

your

beautiful

sacred

body

into:

The company has grown organically –

with architects, builders and landscapers is

on the same principles as the way their

welcomed so that the resulting pools blend

pool ecosystems grow. Eco Pools is now an

seamlessly with the theme and flavour of any

international brand that is growing strongly

garden, property or development.

because there is something in the way they do things that touches on a growing

Cost

realisation that natural does know better in

Construction costs vary considerably with

certain respects.

design and materials, but as a rule of thumb

Through

their

subsidiary

company,

the pools cost more than chemical pools

aQua-design, they consult to government

of an equivalent size. This is due mainly to

and industry on aquaculture policy and

the extra cost of the aquatic garden and

development as well as designing and

plumbing system. There will, however, never

installing natural water cleansing technology

be another bill for pool chemicals, shock

for public and private clients. During the

treatments or expensive services. Electricity

61 S G

costs can be cut by 60%. The pool will substantially

no predators, which is exactly what you will find

add to the value of the property. Most importantly,

in stagnant pools. The water in natural swimming

the valuable time needed to care for the pool is

pools is highly oxygenated. The ecosystem supports

minimal.

a diversity of predators such as dragonfly larvae,

Energy

water beetles, skimmers, that eat mosquito larvae.

Therefore – no mosquitoes.

Because there is no algae in the water that needs to

Another FAQ: Can I use the water from natural

be filtered out by a pressure pump and sand filter,

swimming pools in the house? Absolutely. One of

Eco Pools can use much smaller and efficient pumps.

the wonderful benefits of natural swimming pools

There also wind and solar options for driving our

is the clean, safe water. What could be better than

pumps. aQua-design has a protected, unique airlift

showering in clean, pure water? In fact, having a

pumping technology. The pump oxygenates the

tap installed somewhere in the garden where you

water as it moves. This technology allows for more

can rinse your hair is a great idea – no need for

flexibility in design.

conditioner after that.

Green footprint

Claims

EcoPools are striving constantly to reduce the carbon

Those new to the whole idea might say: 'Well,, ok, it

footprint of its swimming pools using innovative

all sounds fine, but does it really work – and how do

pumping technology, lightweight flexible liners

we know what we are getting until after it's all done

and recycled construction materials are all unique

and paid for? The answer lies in the fact the Eco Pools

features.

is exporting their techology world wide and has won

Among questions often asked include: Are the

prestigious awards such as the American Society

plants in the pool? No, the planted zone is separate

of Landscape Architects in the USA. See Honour

from the swimming zone. The ecosystem can be

Award: Bridle Road Residence and qualified for

situated alongside the pool with a wall in-between,

the Enviropaedia awards this year in the category of

or can be in a different part of the garden altogether

water conservation. Natural Swimming Pools are an

and linked via pipes.

established industry, the first being built in Austria

Natural vs conventional

in 1982. EcoPools are accredited members of the IOB

Conventional pools use poisons in the form of

waters.

chemicals, salt (a different form of chlorine), ionisers,

(the international controling body for natural bathing

pools is that nutrients tend to build up over time,

Biomimcry & natural system

creating perfect conditions for algae and bacteria

The great strength of these types of pools is that

to bloom. This is why you need to use more and

they are based on principles drawn from millions

more chemicals in normal pools – because there

of years of natural evolution. EcoPools creates

are more and more nutrients in the system. Natural

their systems with a number of unique aspects,

swimming pools need less and less care as nutrients

including: biological innovation, design creativity,

are stripped out of the water leaving nothing behind

high aesthetics, obsession with detail, authentic

for algae or bacteria.

bio-mimicry and eco-logical solutions. Also, the

oxygen, copper, silver, electrodes (etc) to kill algae and bacteria. The problem with chemical/sterile

Another frequently-asked question is: How much

applications of the same principles can be extend

work is involved? The answer is very little. EcoPools

beyond the swimming pool: grey water recycling,

are designed to be self-cleaning as far as possible.

energy optimisation and total water management.

Leaf skimmers need to be emptied regularly, but

Design, personal taste and budget flexibility

for holidays away, they can be removed and the

round out an offering which helps explain why these

leaves will be digested by the ecosystem. Occasional

pools are taking off as the 'next best thing'.S G

vacuuming of the swimming pool is needed.

And what about mosquitoes? Mosquitoes only grow in low-oxygen environments where they have

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For info email info@naturalswimmingpools.co.za or see ad, right.

Our Natural Swimming Pools produce water so pure and life-sustaining, you’ll want to drink it EcoPools has pioneered Natural Swimming Pools in SA over the last decade, with over 450 installations

info@ecopools.co.za • Tel: 021 761 3759

www.ecopoolsonline.com

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Building N ews A living staircase

How can a staircase become something more than simply a means of moving from floor to floor? Paul Cocksedge has answered this question with his project, 'The Living Staircase'. The London-based designer was commissioned by Resolution Property to create a swirling staircase that will be the focal point of Ampersand, a state-of-the-art creative office development in London's Soho area. After examining the structure of a staircase, Cocksedge discovered that by expanding its diameter and removing the traditional central, load-bearing pillar, a new hidden space could be revealed at its centre. As people emerge onto the staircase from each floor, they are able to enter the centre of the spiral and into social spaces devoted to a specific activity: a place to draw, to read a novel or to pick fresh mint for tea.

Everything about the staircase relates directly to the people using it, including the plants along the balustrade, which are not intended as mere decoration but envisaged as a working garden.

Individual members of the Ampersand team will care for each of the plants. The four-storey structure is lined with lush plant life that infuses the modern interior of the office with greenery, inviting nature inside.

Clay-painted jute cabana in Portugal – DIY shelter

The TerraPalha Studio cabana in Portugal was completely handmade and constructed on-site by six people in just 20 days. In order to make the rich earthy colours, the design team made paint mixtures from local soils and clay. These were hand-painted on jute fabric, sealed with silicate mineral paint and linseed oil, and then left out in the sun to dry. The round structure was constructed separately, on site, using pliable eucalyptus tree poles that were hand sewn with clay-painted sisal rope. Once the jute panels were dry, they were sewn onto the frame. For natural ventilation and lighting, several spaces were left open. At 120m2, the cabana commissioned by Fundação Gulbenkian is surprisingly spacious, and the cladding covered in clay provides thermal massing to ensure a comfortable interior environment. Albeit rough and ready, this really is a wonderful study in how self-sustainable we can be if we apply ourselves to simple, local, natural and sustainable design.

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www.afrisam.com 65 S G

Building N ews Möbius Strip Pedestrian Bridge wins competition

NEXT Architects just won first place in the Meixi Lake District design competition with plans for a sinuous pedestrian

bridge in Changsha, China that is modeled after the Möbius strip and Chinese knots. The bridge is designed for a site in the city’s Meixi Lake District, and it provides multiple pathways across the Dragon King Harbor River. The bridge connects the river park with the rest of the site’s ecological programs, and it’s a critical project in the development of the district. Meixi Lake District is a master planned city designed by Kohn Pederson Fox that will be built around a lake and a series of canals. NEXT Architects is working on a component of that plan, which will provide a route across one of the radial rivers. The Meixi Lake Bridge will connect the public space of the river park with recreational, ecological and tourist programs. The bridge spans 150m and reaches a total height of 24m.

At night, integrated lights will add to the lighting scheme along that river.

Pedestrians will enjoy views of Meixi Lake, the river, Changsha and the surrounding mountains. Construction is expected to start in 2014.

Russia plans domed city in Siberian mine

Russian construction company AB Elise hopes to build a gigantic domed city in an abandoned diamond mine in Siberia, powered by the sun. The project is more of a concept than a reality so far, but the plans show accommodation for 100 000 people over three main levels. The mine in question is the Mir mine in the Mirniy industrial zone in Eastern Siberia. You might have seen photos of it before, labelled 'the largest man-made hole on earth' or something similar. It's long been used to mine diamonds, but the mining stopped in June 2001, replaced with a network of underground tunnels below. Presumably this activity would have to cease if the structure is ever built. The project, which is described in a series of slides on AB Elise's site, is split between three levels, penetrated in the centre by a vertical farm and forests. Around the exterior are residences and recreational areas, and there's also a research centre in the plans. However, it might be a tricky construction project – the climate of the region isn't welcoming – the ground is permafrost for seven months of the year, and becomes sludge in the summer.

Surrounding buildings are mounted on piles so they don't sink. In the winter, temperatures in the area drop down to around – 40°C. What the region does have, on the other hand, is plenty of sun, so the roof of the structure would have solar panels to power the heating and electricity needs of the resident population. The idea is to attract more residents to the area, which is one of the most sparsely populated regions in the world, with only three people per square kilometre.

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envirofriendly

Buildings

1st 100%

off-the-grid bank in SA

The Nedbank Lansdowne Corner branch situated in Cape Town utilises an innovative hybrid power installation, effectively making it a 100% off-the-grid outlet. The grid-tied renewable energy system harnesses solar and wind energy and converts this to standard mains electricity which it feeds back onto the national electricity grid – thereby offsetting all the branch's electricity consumption.

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T

he Lansdowne Corner branch was transformed

Fit-Out Analysis Tool, the assessment audited

to run completely on renewable energy as

the construction management, energy and water

part of Nedbank's commitment to being a

consumption, carbon emissions, materials, as well

leading enabler of enviro-sustainability in SA. So

as air quality, and compared these results to similar

effective is the hybrid energy installation that,

readings taken at other branches. The comparison

during some months, it actually generates more

showed that, after the hybrid energy installation,

electrical power than it uses, effectively contributing

the branch achieved the highest 'green' rating

power back onto the energy grid. At this rate the

according to the audit criteria.

set-up costs for the bank will be fully recouped in

Thomas says Lansdowne presents Nedbank

only two years where the average branch would only

with an ideal mechanism through which clients

achieve this in five years.

can still benefit from the branch fully operating

According to Ciko Thomas, Managing Executive

even during times when there is no power in

of Consumer Banking for Nedbank Retail, the

the area. 'Furthermore, this model is symbolic of

achievement

off-grid

how renewable energy can give rural communities

bank branch is the direct result of Nedbank's

access to resources where there are infrastructure

commitment to applying innovative thinking where

constraints.'

of

Africa's

first

fully

such technological advancements become catalysts

In

keeping

towards a thriving green economy. In continuing

sustainability

with

approach,

Nedbank's the

integrated

launch

of

the

to make banking more accessible to all in SA, this

Lansdowne Corner renewable energy system was

commitment also extends to delivering a choice

also accompanied by two community sustainability

of distinctive banking experiences and relevant

outreach projects that see Belmore Primary and York

products and services to meet the needs of clients

Primary schools in the surrounding area benefiting

at every stage of their lives.

from vegetable tunnels, rainwater harvesting tanks,

'The off-grid hybrid installation offers proof of what can be achieved when organisations have a

as well as sustainability workshops, empowering them to also embark on their own journeys.

genuine vision for, and commitment to, contributing

'We believe that Nedbank Lansdowne Corner

to a greener future for our country,' he explained.

has set the standard for future green banking

'And it builds on the similar success we have

branches in SA,' Thomas concludes. 'It exemplifies

achieved previously with the implementation of

the transformative potential that can be unlocked

SA's first partially wind-powered bank branch in Du

when an enviro-friendly bank branch is accompanied

Noon, also in the Western Cape, unveiled in 2010.'

by a firm commitment to ongoing community

According to James Carpy, the Technical Director

involvement and upliftment, while also ensuring

of Kestrel Renewable Energy, which was contracted

more people have access to empowering banking

by Nedbank to undertake the installation, the hybrid

solutions that can change lives and build better

grid-tied system is capable of supplying the branch's

futures for all.'

SG

full annual electricity demand of 70 000kWh, which can easily supply electricity for approximately six middle-income households in SA. 'This is a remarkable achievement,' he points out, 'particularly

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since it ensures that the branch's operations will now have little-to-no climate change impact, thanks to its vastly reduced carbon footprint.'

According to Carpy, this innovative renewable energy solution by Nedbank will effectively help to lower SA's total CO2 equivalent emissions by approximately 71 tons per year, which equates to 25 000l of petrol.

Preliminary self-assessments by Nedbank of the branch have confirmed the enviro-sustainability benefits of the hybrid installation. Using the specially-developed

Nedbank

Retail

Branch

Nedbank, Lansdowne Why Kestrel?

69 S G

Energy

news

Harnessed water droplets generate & save energy

The video reveals a surprising new discovery out of MIT – researchers say it could lead to more efficient power plants and new techniques for energy-harvesting. Scientists have known for some time that when water droplets form on a highly water-repellant surface, they tend to catapult from that surface, propelled by excess energy. The researchers ultimately determined that the charging process begins when two neighbouring droplets, still attached to some hydrophobic material, form a layer of paired Charged droplets positive and negative charges on their surfaces.

When the neighbouring droplets coalesce, it causes the newly formed drop to leap from the surface so quickly 'that the charge separates,' says Miljkovic. 'It leaves a bit of charge on the droplet, and the rest on the surface.' But so what does all of this have to do with the efficiency of power plants? In a nutshell: power plants rely heavily on heat-exchanging apparatuses known as surface condensers. The condenser's main job is to convert steam produced by the operation of the plant into water, which is then shed and collected, often by a sump (labeled in the diagram below as the 'hotwell'). A condenser that sheds water droplets more quickly transfers heat more efficiently, and a more efficient condenser equals a more efficient power plant. A superhydropohobic condenser can produce jumping droplets, thereby improving its water-shedding abilities; by running a negative charge through a nearby plate, engineers could conceivably guide jumping droplets away from the condenser, upping its efficiency all the more. 'Now we can use an external electric field to mitigate' any tendency of water droplets to return to the condenser, says Milkjovic, 'and enhance the heat transfer.' He says his team's findings could also allow for a new way of harvesting energy from the atmosphere. 'You just need a cold surface in a moist environment,' Miljkovic says. More specifically, he says you need two metal plates, “one surface that has droplets jumping, and another that collects them.' By keeping the condenser surface cool – perhaps with water from a nearby lake – he says you 'could generate some power' from naturally occurring condensation.

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What might SA be like in 2035?

At a side event during COP17 in Durban in Dec 2011, hosted by the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, two sustainable economy experts, Anton Cartwright and the late Peet Du Plooy, were asked to imagine visiting us from 2035, to tell us what life would be like then. They were given two clues: carbon dioxide was being taxed at R700 per tonne, and the economy was doing pretty well. This video is an animated 11-minute summary of the picture they painted for us over an hour of spontaneous dialogue.

It was inspiring stuff, often delightfully funny, and left the audience realising that, with a few common-sense tweaks here and there and the odd smart new 'app', the future could quite plausibly be a much more sustainable place to live in than we might have thought. What might this tell us about how we can create a future we would like to live in? The animation is by Stellenbosch-based South Africa 2035 Jincom Publishing. Visit www.cpsl.cam.ac.uk

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Learning From The Future

S G 70

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R egional

overview

The Eas develop Although one of the poorest on a per capita basis, SA’s Eastern Cape province has some great things going for it – and it is on a rapid development path that includes a quickly growing green technology sector. We take a look.

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stern Cape’s pment program T

Nelson

construction jobs and a further 3000 manufacturing

Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) and Buffalo City

and services jobs through investments worth R4.1b.

wo

major

metropolitan

cities,

(East London), are manufacturing centres

The Coega IDZ, situated 23km from Port Elizabeth

based primarily on the automotive sector, which

on 11 000ha and linked to the modern, deepwater

made up 51% of the province’s exports in 2009.

port of Ngqura, has attracted 12 investors worth

Textiles, food and rubber products made up almost

a combined investment value of US$1.1b. These

6% of exports, with agricultural products, forestry

companies

and fishing contributing up to 5%. The province has

operational jobs since 2002/3.

a spectacular coastline, which is its main tourist

created

27 412

construction

and

In addition, infrastructure upgrades by national

attraction, and boasts three major ports – at Port

and

Elizabeth, Ngqura and East London – providing

enterprises have also been allocated to support the

access to international trade.

IDZs.

Despite an important industrial base and

provincial

governments

and

state-owned

economic opportunities in tourism and agriculture,

Roads, phones & water

the Eastern Cape is the poorest province in

The Eastern Cape, covering a vast surface area of

South Africa, with an annual income of about

rural hinterland, has an extensive road network, of

US$1 550 per person. This is largely due to historic

which some 5 000km are tarred surfaces. There are

underdevelopment under apartheid in the notionally

two main train lines from Port Elizabeth and East

separate former Transkei and Ciskei Bantustans

London to Gauteng and a series of branch lines.

for isiXhosa-speaking people; these Bantustans,

Significant resources are going into sea port,

where subsistence farming still predominates, were

airport, road and rail construction and refurbishment

incorporated into the new province after the all-race

across the vast province, which will provide a sound

democratic elections of 1994.

basis for new private sector investment.

Telecommunications has developed immensely

Zone-driven development

in the Eastern Cape over the past 10 years with

Driven by government intervention, the province

the introduction and rapid popularity of mobile

boasts two Industrial Development Zones (IDZs) or

telephones, which have greatly increased telephone

Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Over the past five

access in rural areas. The Eastern Cape is rich in

years, investments worth over US$4 billion have

water resources, with many rivers running from the

been mooted for the Eastern Cape Province, with the

escarpment to the Indian Ocean. The drier, western

bulk of those earmarked for the IDZs.

half of the province has lower rainfall and fewer

The East London IDZ, located across 1 500ha

rivers. The eastern half of the province has higher

of land on the city’s west bank, has attracted

rainfall and more rivers, especially in the former

32 investors, which created over 21 000 direct

Transkei, where water resources are underused.

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Automotive

Cape are: tomatoes, deciduous fruit, chicory, citrus

It is well known that the Eastern Cape is SA’s centre

typographical and climatic conditions offering

of automotive production for local and export

diverse agricultural opportunities and crops.

markets. With several major manufacturers already

Further advantages include years of agricultural

having plants in the province – and others under

knowledge

consideration – this sector adds very significantly

competitive input costs, inter-seasonal production

to the national GDP and is a major employer.

capacity, and a wide variety of primary and secondary

As the country moves towards more sustainable

and

world-class

infrastructure,

production capacity activities.

industries, it is expected that the local automotive

As the second-largest producer of citrus fruit

manufacturing sector, and its support industries,

in the country, the Eastern Cape produces 22.9%

will follow that trend, with positive spin-offs from

of the country’s citrus, and contributes to the

reduced energy consumption per unit of production,

fact that South Africa is also the world’s second

through lower costs, more employment and overall

largest producer of citrus fruit, most of which are

higher levels of economic activity in this region.

exported to a variety of world-markets. The province

Agriculture

is well-regarded for its oranges, as well as for its

Its varied soil types and landscapes are rich in

and tangerines.

production of satsumas, clementines, navel oranges

untreated fibrous raw material resources and offer

About a half of the arable land in the province

investors opportunities in a variety of sub-sectors.

is located in the former homelands, and much of

While the contribution of the agricultural sector to

this is under-utilised. Some 711 000 people in the

the Eastern Cape’s economic activity is only 2.1%,

Eastern Cape engage in subsistence agriculture.

it employs almost 17% of the province’s workforce and generates jobs for a further 27%, making

Forestry & wood

this contribution a significant one in terms of the

The forestry industry is well established in the

number of people impacted.

province, with plantations presently covering an

Mohair, from angora goats, and wool, derived from merino sheep, are not only a vital part of the Eastern Cape’s economy, but also of the national economy.

The province further supplies the people of SA with a third of its tea and a quarter of its milk.

area of 129 000ha, some 10% of the country’s total forestry holdings.

But, given that only 4.8% of the province’s land is currently used for this sector, the Eastern Cape is one of only a few of SA’s provinces in which forestry as a sector can significantly be expanded. Presently the industry (including downstream) employs about



Other agricultural crops that thrive in the Eastern

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fruit, and pineapples. The province has wide-ranging

Bamboo development The Tinarha Agricultural and Tourism Initiative (Tati) co-operative recently embarked on a 2ha bamboo harvesting trial project in Uitenhage, in the Eastern Cape. The 15-member team from Tati aimed to explore the commercial viability of establishing a bamboo harvesting industry in South Africa, with a R300 000 investment from development financier, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), backing the trial.

The funds would be allocated to the site’s development, to buying the required equipment and for general monetary support for the project, which would see about 800 bamboo plants deposited. Tati also has access to another 100ha of land, which will be needed for bamboo harvesting to reach commercial viability, should the organisation need to expand the scope of the trial.

The related value chain of a bamboo harvesting industry has the potential to create thousands of jobs and offers opportunities within the bamboo and product-related processing, manufacturing, distribution, financial services and retail subsectors.

Tati project manager Andile Yani said between 1 000 and 2 000 products could be produced from bamboo, including coal replacement products, carpets, pellets and bio-efficiency products. Within the next three years, the ECDC expects to harvest the bamboo and measure the success of the pilot for potential commercialisation, moving to entrench the province as a leader and pioneer in the industry.

SA’s emerging bamboo industry currently had only 692ha of commercially planted bamboo, 80% of which was in the Eastern Cape, ECDC risk capital specialist Phakamisa George said. The country’s largest bamboo farm, located north of Bathurst, has 400ha of planted bamboo. The ECDC previously also contributed to the establishment of three 5ha pilot plantation sites in Centane, Ndakana and Uitenhage, all in the Eastern Cape.

‘The (ECDC) has pumped R1m into these pilot projects, which are community-owned in the form of co-operatives. They (the communities) are being trained in bamboo-specific skills,’ George noted.

The Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism invested R2m to expand the Ndakana pilot project from 5ha to 100ha.

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

45 community projects covering 25 000ha on the

17 000 people.

Existing plantations are found in four main

table. It is currently helping to package a project at

areas: the Amatole mountains, Matiwane (west

Qumbu. PG Bison is working on projects in Elundini

of Mthatha), the southern Drakensberg and the

LM (near its new chipboard plant at Ugie).

Tsitsikamma area.

AsgiSA-EC

has

been

active

in

facilitating

At various times, government has proposed new

community forestry. It has nine projects (covering

afforestation of up to 100 000ha for the Eastern

17 000ha) at various stages of preparation, project

Cape.

packaging, resourcing and implementation. Two

In addition, 30 000ha of existing plantations require rehabilitation and improved management

projects

recently

commenced

implementation:

Mkambathi and Sinawo (Bizana).

to achieve yield potential. Currently in the province,

The projects are owned by Community Property

this sector consists of 10 pole-treatment plants, one

Associations or Community Trusts. Land claims

veneer plant, 46 sawmills, two chipboard operations

cases need to be resolved, however.

and six small manufacturing plants producing

The

private

companies

provide

technical,

charcoal from wattle and gum trees. Hardwood

management and administrative support. In return,

plantations account for 80.3% of total plantations

they secure future supplies of timber.

area and softwood for 19.7%. The export of pulp

A

strategic

framework

outlining

targets,

(34.4%) and paper (42.2%) account for two-thirds of

principles, timeframes, roles and responsibilities

the export revenue generated by forestry products.

has been formulated with Sappi. Financial resources

project

are being secured from grant funds which are

was announced, adding another renewable and

Recently

a

bamboo

developement

aimed at poverty alleviation, rural development

potentially highly valuable agricultural component

and employment creation. Development finance

to the Eastern Cape’s mix (see box on Bomboo).

institutions (DFIs) are also expressing interest.

Community-based projects

to speed-up the granting of forestry licences by the

Three large-scale forestry companies are active

Department of Water Affairs. The experience already

in supporting community forestry projects in the

gained through community forestry initiatives

former Transkei: Sappi, Merensky and PG Bison.

supported by large companies will be valuable to

Sappi aims to support community forestry within an economic range of its pulp mill at Umkomaas to the extent of 30 000ha by 2020. The central hub of these community plantations is Lusikisiki.

The Department of Trade and Industry is assisting

the roll-out of the agricultural value chains program, which is based on similar principles.

Renewable energy

Community plantations have recently been

Renewable energy (RE) is fast becoming a major

started at Matatiele and Pele-Pele. Merensky has

investment focus both nationally and internationally.

Currently there are at least 30 large-scale renewable energy projects in the Eastern Cape which would have a capacity of 5 000MW. One such is the Cookhouse Wind Energy Facility with 200 wind turbines.

The manufacturing sector in the Eastern Cape is one of the leading contributors to GDP and job creation. Introduction of another manufacturing sector from the energy industry will increase this economic growth significantly. The new industry of renewable energy (RE) has a potential to increase provincial economic growth very substantially, especially over time as each new round of renewable energy allocations is increasing the proportion of RE in SA’s future energy mix. Recently, a major turbine manufacturing plant for the area was announced.

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Proposed and recent scale-ups of renewable energy is sufficient to stimulate localisation and industrial investment, particularly in the area of wind and solar energy (see Box on Wind tower production).

With the price for RE technologies expected to decrease over time due to technology advancements, more investments in RE are anticipated, hence localisation is expected.

East London’s IDZ solar panel development As part of its response to the energy crisis that has been

So far over 12 000MW of RE has been

seen in the country over the years, the East London

allocated with more expected from the next

Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) clinched a deal to

round. RE technologies have backward and

bring giant manufacturers and distributors of solar panels,

forward linkages such as with the metal

ILB Helios into the zone in March 2013.

industries sector, the chemical/ textile sector, and glass manufacturing sector, thereby creating a number of indirect and direct jobs when looking at upstream and downstream opportunities.

company, which has presence in ten countries across the globe, is ready to bring in machinery and start production.

‘The machinery was due to arrive from Spain in November 2013 and we are expecting our first production in March 2014,’

Solar potential

said Patrick Nawa, a director and shareholder at ILB Helios.

The REFIT program alone has the job creation potential of about 145 000 with many more indirect job opportunities in SA. In a recent study in the Eastern Cape it was determined that if the Province derived 35% of its energy from ‘green’ sources, it would create 112 000 direct employment opportunities. Over 60 000 of these jobs will be associated with RE component and plant manufacturing.

The proposed scale-up of renewable energy is sufficient to strongly stimulate localisation and industrial investment, particularly in the area of wind and solar energy (see right for more on East London’s IDZ solar panel development). The solar industry alone entails numerous labour-intensive activities, including casting and wafering of silica; solar cell manufacturing; silica (textile industry); module assembly; and solar system assembly & installation.

Indirect jobs such as steel framing and shaping, fencing (for security from theft and electrocution), perimeter security (as the PV panels are easily stolen), security cameras and monitoring, supply of electrical components such as inverters, power supply boxes, cabling and numerous other related sub-industries and sectors are certain also to



be positively affected.

Construction of the facility has since been completed and the

The facility, which by far is the biggest in the African continent, will be manufacturing world-class photovoltaic panels used as a source of generating energy by converting daylight into direct current. ‘We will be producing panels that can contribute 150MW of electricity per year during the initial stages.

In the next three years or so, we will double this figure,’ said Nawa.

This partnership between the ELIDZ and ILB Helios will not only focus on the production and sale of high-performance products such as photovoltaic modules, solar cells, flat and tubular collectors, inverters and other products for solar energy but on providing all kinds of solutions including jobs and skills.

‘The first year will see 150 direct jobs being created including the 10% workers trust initiated by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) on behalf of the SA government. In addition we will be starting with our recruitment drive in December 2013,’ said Nawa.

As an added value, the company will supplement the energy supplied by state-owned enterprise, Eskom, by supplying the Independent Power Producers of SA, various companies and individuals. A significant number of panels manufactured at the facility will also be exported to Europe.

Nawa added that most of the components that will be used to assemble these panels will be sourced locally as this is a prerequisite from the SA government.

He also praised the ELIDZ for providing tremendous support in the process leading up to the location of the ILB Helios facility in the zone. ‘The support, availability of information and proximity of the ELIDZ to strategic markets made it our natural choice,’ Nawa concluded.

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

Solar Water Heaters & Photovoltaics The manufacturing of solar water heaters (SWH)

further investigations to determine socio-economic impacts through business opportunities, risks and mitigating measures to minimise any negative effects of mining the shale gas.

and solar photovoltaics (PV) is a growing market.

While the economic case – in the short term, at

Currently, SA imports most of its installed SWH and

least – for shale gas extraction is strong, so are the

solar PV panels (the great majority of these from

arguments against mass extraction over significant

China), and with the country having a target of a

areas of bio-sensitive landscape.

million SWH systems by end 2014, South African-based manufacturing has a great opportunity.

With mounting evidence from places where shale gas extraction through fracking has been ongoing

This might help companies such as Eskom who are

for several years, it is becoming clear that this form

looking at sourcing solar energy locally. This includes

of energy extraction using another type of fossil

the 5 000MW national solar park in Upington, which

fuel (natural gas, mostly methane) is not necessarily

will be a cluster of different solar technologies (PV

cleaner than other fossil fuels sources – and there are

and concentrated solar power or CSP).

additional risks and unknowns which will mean that

Manufacturing off-grid solar PV panels for

any future fracking in this or other SA provinces will

non-electrified rural communities presents a further

face significant opposition from conservation and

business case as municipalities and Eskom have an

anti-fracking lobbies.

interest in such products.

Localising RE Technology

It remains to be seen whether the economic benefits are sufficient to outweigh the eco-depredations which shale gas fracking has brought in many other places;

The Eastern Cape has not only the greatest share

and while test drilling is likely to begin soon, it may

to date of wind energy allocation, but is capable of

be that ongoing opposition, challenges and further

hosting vastly more because of the atmospheric and

evidence that fracking carries with it inherent and

geographical features, especially of its coastline. With

largely uncontrollable risks – for example, potential

the recent announcement of a turbine production

contamination of the vast sub-Karoo aquifer which is

facility in the province, prospects for still more RE

in essence one large system of subterranean fresh

development, at even lower installed costs, are

water vital for future agriculture and human needs

significant, both for the local economy and job

– could reduce or even stop fracking in this region.

creation, but also for the country as a whole.

While the purely economic argument around

With more than 7 000 possible wind turbines for

this controversial area of developmental potential

the Eastern Cape alone, a serious potential market

is strong, so are the counter-arguments, largely

exists, especially for tower and blade manufacturing

consisting of conservation, bio-diversity and water

as these are products that hold high logistic costs

security concerns. This topic consequentially will

(see next page for more on wind tower production).

remain an open question subject to ongoing debate

The raw materials that produce a wind turbine

for some time to come.

(fiberglass, aluminium, steel and concrete) use an

What is not being questioned is the potential for

integration of different industries and consequently

the entire East Cape, and specifically its IDZs as its

many jobs can be created.

operating hubs, to become one of South Africa’s fastest growing economic regions.

Hydraulic fracturing of shale gas The Eastern Cape is one of the centres of major investigations into shale gas development through hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo region. The government of South Africa has given permission for further exploration of the area to determine exactly what the extent is of the shale gas deposits and their commercial potential. From this assessment will flow

S G 78

SG

Wind tower production DCD Wind Towers will produce complete tubular steel towers for wind turbines. The wind turbine towers will vary in sizes ranging between 80-120m, with individual sections weighing between 40-60 tons. DCD Wind Towers is establishing a factory that will be internationally competitive in terms of production, quality and pricing.

The DCD Wind Towers business is an expansion on DCD's core power generation capabilities. Power generation is a major focus point for the DCD Group, which manufactured components to all 22 of SA's power stations between the 1960s and the 1990s. DCD is also currently involved at Medupi, Kusile and Ngula power stations, and places a strong emphasis on being a player in coal, gas, nuclear and renewable energy in SA. As a first in the country, DCD manufactured an 80m tower, 50m rotor blades and assembled the nacelle for a turbine under license from Aerodyne, a leading German engineering company.

On the website for DCD Group’s new Wind Tower division, a clock counts down to the opening of its 23 000sqm, R300 million factory in the Coega Development Zone, Port Elizabeth.

This state-of-the-art facility, the first wind tower manufacturing plant in SA, will commence production in January, 2014. With equipment currently being installed, it marks the latest phase of the country’s major drive into renewable energy.

With renewable energy now taking centre stage, the group has seized the opportunity to again play a major role in this latest development. The government has set an ambitious target of generating 18gW of clean energy by 2030, of which wind energy will make up a sizeable portion at about 30%.

The factory's location in the Eastern Cape is a logical decision and one geared towards efficiency, with most of the sites for the new wind farms planned for the region's coastline and the finished product on a large scale. The factory is set to produce 110 turbine towers per annum, ranging in size up to 120m long, with a diameter of nearly five metres and individual sections weighing up to 80 tons.

General Manager Gerrit Viviers commented: ‘Because two-thirds of the wind farms will go up in the Eastern Cape, and to transport these towers to other parts of the country is very expensive, it's crucial that the factory is as close as possible to the different sites.’

Manufacturing includes intensive and highly-skilled processes like Sub-Arc Welding, involving numerous safety and quality controls, and culminates in installation of internal components like lifts and ladders and the application of paint.

‘We have tried to set up a factory that is as near as possible to perfect in terms of layout and once we are up and

running we will use lean tools to increase our output across various disciplines to establish a continuous improvement culture,’ explained Viviers.

‘We will focus on improving our constraints as we go along. The factory has a very lean structure; we will have a small number of production departments, quality, engineering and contracts, financial and a human resources department.

The Sales and Marketing Department will be supported by the DCD Group, rather than having our own section for this.’

A technology partnership with well-established energy company Vestas has further assisted in achieving the optimum factory design and in selecting the best and most modern equipment for the job. Of the R300m total, R120m has been invested into this area.

With its first orders coming from the aforementioned technology partner Vestas and another major industry player in the German firm Nordex, DCD's newest division has positioned itself squarely at the sharp-end of the market.

While its commitment to providing clean energy is commendable, DCD's wind power projects will assist not only in providing green power for the national grid, but also in bringing much-needed skills development and job opportunities to the region.

Viviers said: ‘The construction of the facility will create about 600 jobs, and once the factory is up and running at full capacity, it will permanently employ around 200 people.

‘We will start up with about 65 employees in January and we will get out of our learning curve and increase capacity going forward, we will end up with about 200 at full capacity.

‘In the coming years, we want to increase the capacity of this factory to allow us to construct in excess of 200 towers per annum. We would want to run the factory at the level and be in a position to export into other countries if the demand is there,’ he said.

DCD intends to continue partnering with the government to ensure that local manufacturers have the opportunity to participate in assembling turbines and manufacture other components. With government approval of further suppliers to the renewable energy program imminent, order for towers are sure to increase immediately. Indeed, the company has already given supply quotations to more than 10 additional clients.

79 S G

Buildings

Energy-efficient brick-firing tech You may never before have heard of the Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (VSBK) method of brick-firing, but if you are in any way connected to energy-efficiency in the building sector, or you may be building and/or renovating yourself, you probably will hear a lot more about this very efficient way of firing bricks. We take a closer look.

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V

SBK (not an easy acronym to pronounce) is an energy-efficient and less polluting technology for the firing of clay bricks.

With constant improvement, with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC), this already highly efficient technology has

reached an even higher level of efficiency in South Africa during a South-South technology transfer process.

The VSBK methodology contributes positively to climate change mitigation due to an average 50% reduction in coal consumption, and therefore equivalent CO2 emissions reductions, as compared to clamp kiln, the traditional SA brick-firing technology.

The VSBK methodology contributes positively to climate change mitigation due to an average 50% reduction in coal consumption, and therefore equivalent CO2 emissions reductions, as compared

Why VSBK in SA

to clamp kiln, the traditional SA brick-firing

South Africa is a very energy – and coal-intensive

technology. Due to the vertical structure and

economy. The country is the 13th larger emitter of

efficient combustion process, the emission of other

CO2 in the world and has a carbon dioxide per capita

gases and particles are also drastically reduced.

emissions figure of 8.9 tons per annum. This is

Emissions are now easily measured and are below

mainly due to the coal-based energy economy. The

the new SA air quality standards.

SA government has during the climate conference

The technology brings various economic and social benefits to both employers and workers, and is a good example of a clean and sustainable

COP17 in Durban committed to reduce emissions by

34% by 2020 compared to business as usual.

Energy-efficient

technologies

provide

the

development contributing to SA's international

mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)

climate change targets.

emissions. This is particularly important for the clay brickmaking sector, a modern-state-of-the-art

About SA-VSBK

industry as far as mining and green (unfired) brick

The SA-VSBK is a South-South Technology Transfer project

implemented

in

SA

by

Swisscontact

(Swiss Foundation for Technical Co-operation) in collaboration with SKAT (Swiss Resource Centre and Consultancies for Development). The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC) and part of their Global Climate Change Mitigation Program, which in SA focuses on energy-efficiency in the building sector.

The primary objective of the project is to introduce and disseminate the VSBK brick firing technology as a viable and sustainable alternative firing technology for the clay brick industry, with many positive impacts from the economic, enviro – and social point of view.

The project is facilitating the transfer of the technology to the SA brick entrepreneurs, generally small – and middle-size family businesses enterprise.

production is concerned.

However, when it comes to firing, many brickmakers still make use of the clamp kiln process, a traditional firing methodology, which, despite having been improved upon over time, remains relatively energy inefficient and commensurate with GHG emissions.

Now,

faced

with

new

enviro-regulations,

increasing coal costs and shrinking profits, SA brick entrepreneurs are actively looking for cleaner and more energy-efficient firing methods.

The introduction of Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (VSBK) technology aims to provide a cleaner and more equitable solution in reducing energy consumption and diminishing gas and particulate emissions during the firing process.

What is VSBK ?

The project partners come from both the public

The Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (VSBK) technology is an

and private sector, with a focus on creating a

energy-efficient updraft kiln comprising of a vertical

suitable business environment as well as knowledge

shaft from which bricks are loaded at the top and

download at various levels ensuring a successful

removed at ground level in a continuous process.

transfer and take-up of the technology.

An unloading tunnel runs through the centre of

81 S G

The primary objective of the project is to introduce and disseminate the VSBK brick firing technology as a viable and sustainable alternative firing technology for the clay brick industry, with many positive impacts from the economic, enviro – and social point of view.

How Does the VSBK Work?

The VSBK works on the basis of a 'counter current principle'. When the lid is closed, the shaft and exhaust becomes an integral chimney system. The firing process of pre-heat, firing (vitrification) and cooling takes place within the shaft, as the bricks move down the shaft. Energy efficiency is derived through the verticality of the shaft and structural

each kiln allowing for access to both sides of the shaft.

Internal body fuel is mixed into the bricks with a measured amount of external coal spread evenly between the layers of stacked bricks to control the firing temperature.

The position of the fire in each shaft in relation to the updraft is determined by the rate the bricks are removed and loaded into the shaft. This re-uses the rising heat, making it very fuel-efficient. The firing shaft is very well insulated on all four sides, so that heat loss is minimised.

Once the kiln reaches the specified temperature, the heat from the coal ignites the internal coal of the bricks so that very little heat is lost through exhaust gases or the kiln itself.

These exhaust gasses are used for the gradual preheating of the unfired bricks on top, thus

thermal efficiency.

The firing process is completed within a 24-hour period, a considerably shorter firing cycle, which tolerates very few mistakes. It is essential to have the appropriate knowledge in order to ensure efficient operation of the VSBK – and, thereby, the successful production of bricks that are consistent in quality.

The VSBK technology covers all three pillars of sustainable development and provides the following benefits:

Enviro-benefits Each kiln will contribute to reduce by 400 tons per year the CO2 emissions, which with a 50% of clamp kiln conversion to this cleaner clay brick technology as VSBK by 2020, it is estimated to achieve 200 000 tons CO2 reduction per year.

reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 50% compared to the more commonly used

Production Mechanism

The Origins of VSBK Technology The VSBK technology evolved in rural China. The original version of a Chinese Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln was adapted from the traditional updraft intermittent kiln in the early '70s. In '85 the Chinese government commissioned the Energy Research Institute to improve its energy efficiencies and by 2000, between 50 000 and 60 000 units were in operation throughout the country.

Through the support of SDC, the technology has since been enhanced and re-pioneered in

Firing Energy Required (per Kg of fired brick)

clamp kilns.

Tunnel kiln

1.65-2.1MJ/Kg

Transverse Arch kiln

2.0-4.0MJ/Kg

Clamp kiln

1.7-4.2MJ/Kg

VSBK Worldwide

0.84-1.1MJ/Kg

SA-VSBK (Langkloof

0.85MJ/Kg and still

Bricks)

improving

All gases and particles such as PM10, NOx, SOx, and VOCs, for instance, are considerably reduced and

easily measurable at a single point source. This brings considerable benefits both for labour and for the overall air quality.

Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Vietnam. In

Economic benefits

September 2011, SA's very first SA-VSBK pilot plant

With an energy consumption of 0.85MJ/kg fired

was inaugurated at Langkloof Bricks, near Jeffrey's

brick (compared to an average of 2.3MJ/kg for

Bay, in the Eastern Cape.

clamp kiln) there is a coal saving of on average 50% reducing the embodied energy of the final brick

S G 82

and building. Breakages in production are below 2% compared to the average of 15%, allowing more final saleable product with the same inputs.

Social benefits The VSBK helps to retain jobs and requiring

more

provides

opportunity

development.

skilled

Improved

people, for

it

skills

health

and

safety in the work-place create better working conditions for the employees.

Future steps To overcome remaining barriers and challenges, SDC has decided to support an additional four years of the project which will still be implemented by Swisscontact.

The project will be constructed with a specific market-develop focus and look at a wider facilitation of improving the energy-efficiency of the clay brick sector in SA. Intervention in the market will include: Supply of low-carbon bricks with the further support of the VSBK technology, but also of facilitation of other energy-efficient practices; Enabling the business and political environment by facilitating the access to carbon and green financing products and enabling a better and easier access to information for informed political decisions; Increasing the demand of low-carbon bricks in the market across the clay brick users' value chain.

According to Nico Blake, executive director of Langkloof Bricks: 'We believe this technology will fundamentally shift the way many clay brick manufacturers think about production in the future, from an economic, social and enviroperspective.'

Watch this space early next year for a following article in which we talk to experts about the growth and expansion of VSBK and brick-making in SA.

SG

83 S G

A dve r t o r i a l

AWARDS & FOUNDATIONS Langkloof Bricks were accoladed with two 'Eastern Cape Top Green Organisation' awards recently by the Institute of Waste Management Southern Africa (IWMSA), in association with the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) in recognition of the innovative practices undertaken by them to minimise their impact on the environment. Not only did this Jeffreys Bay-based clay brick manufacturer walk away with first place in the Bronze Award category for 'Small Organisation with High Environmental Impact', but it also scooped the overall Innovation Award, issued by the Head of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

T

he awards were issued at a glittering gala dinner, at the East London International Convention Centre, where more than 800 high-profile delegates attended the IWMSA’s biennial conference, WasteCon2012, which is the largest and most comprehensive waste management convention in SA. The aim of the awards program is to promote and recognise responsible enviro-management practices in the Eastern Cape while fostering better relationships between government, industry, business and other organisations.

The judging process entailed stringent site audits by a team of waste, air quality, climate change, environmental and safety specialists. While each company was measured against the same criteria, points were issued according to the size of the organisation and their commitment to reducing their enviro-impact. It is here that Langkloof Bricks walked away with the bronze certificate for ‘Small Organisation with a High Environmental Impact, with the likes of Volkswagen SA taking the Large Organisation award, with General Motors and Mercedes Benz SA following in second and third place, respectively. Eveready won the award for the Medium Organisation, with Transnet Coega Harbour, as a runner up.

All entrants were then adjudicated for technical

S G 84

innovation, particularly in the areas of maximising enviro-resources through improving air quality, protecting Biodiversity, combating climate change, maximising energy-efficiency and water usage, and also reducing, reusing or transforming waste into a resource. It is here that Langkloof Bricks was rated highly for its waste management system, and for pioneering the energy-efficient SA-VSBK technology in SA – earning Langkloof Bricks the Eastern Cape’s Top Green Organisation – Innovation Award.

Congratulations to the Blake family (pictured) and all staff of Langkloof Bricks on this significant feat, and for leading the way as an enviro-friendly clay brick manufacturer and Top Green Organisation.

Info: www.langkloofbricks.co.za or see ad, right.

Eastern Cape Top Green Organisation Award Winner 2012 Innovation Award Winner 2012

1st Energy-Efficient Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln in Africa

ACT LOCALLY | IMPACT GLOBALLY

www.langkloofbricks.co.za 042 293 5872 | sales@thebrickcentre.co.za 85 S G

SA L aw U pdate

energy efficiency tax rebate National Treasury published section 12L on 8 November 2013 in Government Gazette No 37019 which puts into operation deductions of energy-efficiency savings in terms of the Income Tax Act of 1962. This long-awaited announcement is welcomed by the Certificated Measurement & Verification Professionals (CMVP) industry that has been advising clients to prepare for the imminent release for a while now. We take a look.

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M

inister Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Finance, gave notice that section 12L of the Income Tax Act, 1962 (Act No. 58 of 1962),

(Deduction in respect of energy-efficiency savings)* came into operation on 1 November 2013.

The 12L allows deductions calculated at 45c p/ kW hour or kW hour equivalent of energy-efficiency savings. A person claiming the deduction must obtain a certificate issued by an institution, board or body prescribed by the regulations. Such bodies can be found on the SA National Accreditation System

(SANAS) website www.sanas.co.za.

To claim for energy-efficiency savings from National Treasury the Regulation requires that a baseline must be set at the beginning of an assessment year with a reporting period of the energy use at the end of the year of assessment and

The Council for Measurement and Verification of SA (CMVPSA) is an independent professional Measurement & Verification (M&V) body and ensures that the quality of M&V services and service providers are credible, trustworthy and transparent.

The Association of Energy Engineers, in co-operation with the Efficiency Valuation Organisation, has also established the CMVP training program.

that such savings calculations meet the full criteria and methodology used to calculate energy-efficiency

of 70% within the required time allowed. Thereafter

savings. No double dipping is allowed, which

a candidate may apply for Certification to the local

means concurrent benefits in respect of the

CMVP Board who will review the candidates' current

energy-efficiency savings may not be received.

qualifications and experience in the M&V industry.

To find persons qualified to provide M&V services,

the

Council

for

Measurement

and

After positive recommendation by the local board, a recommendation is made to the AEE's international

Verification of SA (CMVPSA) is an independent

CMVP Board for Certification. AEE keeps tight control

professional Measurement & Verification (M&V) body

of the quality of candidate that receives Certification

that represents the South African M&V industry and

in that it requires maintaining Certification through

ensures that the quality of M&V services and service

continuing education and providing proof thereof

providers are credible, trustworthy and transparent.

for re-certification every three years.

CMVPSA

The AEE has been developing the energy

upholds the highest standards and requirements

engineering field for over 36 years. In total, AEE is

Their

website

is

www.cmvpsa.org.za.

for M&V in accordance with the Efficiency Valuation

active in 90 countries with 14 000 CEMs whom are

Organisation

Performance

collectively active in every single continent in the

Measurement & Verification Protocol (IPMVP), the

world, and just short of 3 000 CMVPs in 28 countries.

internationally recognised protocol for performance

The EnTF presents CMVP training throughout

M&V which provides a consistent, reliable approach

the country at various venues. The next scheduled

to M&V around the world.

courses will be in Cape Town on 12-14 March 2014,

(EVO)

International

The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), in

Johannesburg on 14-16 May and 22-24 October

co-operation with EVO established the CMVP training

2014, and in Kenya on 23-25 June 2014. CMVP

program which is locally presented by the AEE's

training carries three CPD credits with ECSA. For

sole training partner for the SA region, the Energy

in-house group training contact EnTF directly to

Training Foundation (EnTF). EnTF is also an Energy

make arrangements.

SG

Sector Education & Training Authority (EWSETA) training provider and the affiliated training provider of the SA Association for Energy Efficiency (SAEE).

The CMVP qualification requires attending a two-day intensive M&V training course, writing and passing

*As inserted by section 27 of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2009 (Act No. 17 of 2009), amended by section 27 of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2010 (Act No. 7 of 2010), and substituted by section 29 of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2012 (Act No. 22 of 2012).

the prescribed international examination on the 3rd day, and passing the examination with a minimum

Visit www.energytrainingfoundation.co.za

87 S G

M otoring

Nissan South African recently announced that it was beginning it's long-awaited roll-out of its all-electric vehicle, the Leaf, starting with Gauteng dealers, and then extending its dealership and support base for this revolutionary vehicle to Cape Town and Durban early in 2014. We take a close look.

Green as S G 88

s a Le f 89 S G

W

e were lucky to have an opportunity to

'greener' than conventional-engined motoring,

drive the Leaf back about two years ago

notwithstanding most of us relying on

when several of these vehicles were brought

predominantly coal-fired Eskom power; and

into South Africa for the COP17 climate summit. It

that the Leaf is a practical augmentation of the

drove beautifully, handled superbly, was stable and

rising trend for green living in South Africa.

performed precisely as advertised.

launched

at

the

buzzing

2013

Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) in

back, just to drive it again? Because the first outing

October, the all-electric, best-selling Nissan Leaf

in the Leaf was a very short test drive, it was a couple

electric vehicle (EV) is already making in-roads in the

years back – and the Leaf wasn't scheduled for release

South African motor industry. Public interest in the

onto our roads at the time, that's why. Also, we met

Leaf – the first EV to be sold in the country – is already

some great people up there in Jozi-land – folks who

on the rise with the first retail units bringing green

live very much in the 'modern world' but have taken

motoring to SA customers and paving the way for the

themselves and their homes off the grid. More on that

spread of zero-emission mobility in the future, says

in due course.

Nissan.

The claims

Vehicles and New Technology, Ross Garvie, adds:

Nissan claims that, with this vehicle, it is indeed

'The reaction of both the media and general public

possible to achieve a number of notable things, all

at JIMS was overwhelmingly positive and it's clear to

at the same time. One can effectively reduce the cost

see that the South African public is ready to begin

of ownership by switching to EV-motoring. These

adopting this new form of mobility. This is in line with

include:

other global markets where Leaf is already extremely

Nissan SA's Chief Marketing Manager for Electric

that it is a practical alternative to

popular – for example, (in October) the Leaf was

conventionally-engined (petrol or diesel),

Norway's best-selling vehicle overall.

motoring;

'We are the first manufacturer to retail an EV

that it will become increasingly so as the

in South Africa and after meticulous planning and

recharging infrastructure is rolled-out (recharging

strategic pilot programs involving Eskom, the

stations will initially be at Leaf dealerships only,

Technology Innovation Agency and the Department

later probably including major shopping centres

of Environmental Affairs, we believe the Nissan Leaf

– and there will also be a quick-charge system

is reaching the eco-conscious South African consumer

allowing an 80% charge top-up in the time it takes

at the right time.

to do your shopping); that this form of motoring is inherently

S G 90

Officially

So why schlep up to Jozi on a red-eye flight, and

'With the first retail units making their way into the hands of private owners, we are already seeing

positive steps being taken by the South African

as standard which reduces throttle sensitivity and

market, where EV mobility is being positively received

mimics the driving characteristics of conventional

on all fronts. In addition to zero tailpipe emissions,

vehicles while also encouraging economical driving

the Leaf is sublime to drive with an absolutely quiet

habits to maximise the batteries' driving range.

ride and comes "highly-specced" with luxurious extras and top-quality finishes.

'Add to this the overall low cost of ownership and

Coupled

to

the

aerodynamically-sculpted

smooth body

driving, exhibits

the

special

features like:

maintenance costs, and the fact that Leaf is available

LED headlights for efficient energy use at night;

as an outright buy rather than on a lease scheme,

eco-friendly tyres with low rolling resistance;

(this) revolutionary (EV) is a strikingly attractive

noise-conscious design;

alternative to conventional petrol, diesel or hybrid

a roof spoiler with integrated solar panel which

vehicles.'

feeds the conventional 12v battery with solar

Going electric & zero emissions Having sold over 87  000 units worldwide and

power in order to minimise the impact of ancillary systems on the main battery pack, like the high-quality audio system.

travelled over 472.5 million kilometres with zero

Batteries

tailpipe emissions in the process, the Leaf is the

Keeping the batteries topped up is also a simple,

embodiment of Nissan's mantra, 'Innovation that

cost-effective and technologically-advanced process.

Excites', says the manufacturer. The Leaf is also

A fully-charged battery pack able to power the

the world's most popular EV by far and has received

Nissan Leaf up to 195km. Either via a home charge

numerous accolades including the 2011 European

unit – which is supplied with the Leaf on purchase

Car of the Year award, 2011-2012 Japanese Car of

and allows the vehicle to fully charge conveniently

the Year accolade and the 2011 World Car of the

overnight from empty in eight hours directly from

Year title.

the main electricity supply – or via a quick-charge

The fully electric drivetrain, which features a 24kWh

unit located at one of the nine Nissan Leaf dealers

lithium-ion battery pack linked to a front-mounted

in Gauteng currently, which form part of phase one

80kW electric motor, allows for smooth and silent

of Nissan Leaf roll-out in South Africa. Each dealer

driving. A punchy 254Nm of torque is also available

features a specialised Nissan Leaf quick-charge

and, thanks to the electric motor's on-or-off nature,

station which enables an 80% charge from zero in

the torque kicks in the moment the throttle pedal

just 30 minutes, free of charge to Leaf owners. Cape

is depressed for unprecedented driveability in all

Town and Durban-based EV dealers will follow in the

situations. A switchable eco-driving mode is available

forthcoming rollout phases in 2014.

91 S G

Green lifestyle Eco-consciousness is a trend the world over and, in SA, the desire to reduce the carbon footprint of daily

tasks and lifestyles in general has led to heightened eco-consciousness in the motor industry. Speaking at the launch of the Leaf, renowned Trends Observer and Founder of Flux Trends, Dion Chang discussed the trends of 'green living' in the home and office, car-sharing or fleet schemes, sustainability in several aspects of daily life, organic lifestyles and buying decisions, and emerging trends – all of which can be linked to the Nissan Leaf.

'Going green has been a growing trend the world over for some years now and in SA, an increasingly influential environmental conscience has led to people reacting in their daily lives to reduce their carbon footprint and increase environmental care.

Now, thanks to Nissan South Africa, people will be able to take this one step further, into their motoring lives,' comments Chang.

Mobility costs Cost of mobility and convincing people that the world is changing and why an EV makes sense were also discussed by this SA visionary.

Such exploration of green living and the integration of the Leaf into a green lifestyle has already been undertaken by Greg Ball, the first Leaf customer in SA. Having purchased two Nissan Leaf EVs in November, Ball has completed what can only

be referred to as a truly green lifestyle. Residing in Johannesburg and working in a green energy business, Ball and his family live a completely green life. Both Ball's house and business run entirely off solar energy – both environments are in fact completely free of the national electricity grid – and a water storage system and vegetable garden means the Ball family's carbon footprint is significantly smaller than that of the average SA household.

The final element of Ball's green lifestyle has

S G 92

become a reality with his purchase of the Leaf, which will be powered at work and home by a PV array providing solar electricity generation, creating a non-existent carbon chain that makes a green lifestyle completely sustainable.

Says Ball: 'I decided to buy the Nissan Leaf as it enables me to realise my desire to go green and further my efforts to reduce my family's carbon footprint. Being in the green energy solutions business, I am now also able to set an example to my customers, as well as my two young children who are learning how to approach their future.

'I have developed what I call a "green conscience" towards everything we do – from small actions such as home waste disposal to large actions like how we build houses and commute. Everything we do must minimise our impact on the planet and make sense economically – Earth is the only home we have.

'The Nissan Leaf is the best EV option available for SA and I want to support a company that is putting its money where its mouth is by pushing for much-needed global change. I see it as a milestone: my first EV – my small contribution towards a solution to a global problem. The feelings I have when I get into my Nissan Leaf are similar to those I had on the day I switched on my solar electricity power plants at home and at our office.'

Concludes Garvie: 'We at Nissan SA are, of course, extremely excited that the first examples of our new EV have made their way into the lifestyle of Mr Ball and his family, where the Leaf is enabling a truly green lifestyle. It also goes to show that EV technology is not something South Africans are shying away from and we look forward to seeing more and more examples on local roads in the months to come.'

SG

The Leaf is available through selected Nissan dealers in Gauteng for R446 000 and comes standard with a 3-year/100 000km mechanical warranty and 3-year/90 000km service plan. Visit www.nissan.co.za for more.

DiGimAG

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Eco-cLEANINg SoLUTIoNS

the

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Mobility News

Tokyo Motor Show 2013 The FCV Concept, Toyota’s latest hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicle – with a driving range and refuelling time equivalent to a conventional car – points to a production vehicle Toyota plans to launch around 2015. It recently shared the Tokyo limelight with Toyota's FV2 (Fun Vehicle 2), as well as the Nissan BladeGlider.

Toyota FCV concept

The fuel-cell concept vehicle, which can accommodate up to four occupants, has a driving range of at least 500km and can be refuelled in as little as three minutes. It uses Toyota's proprietary small, lightweight fuel-cell stack and two 70MPa (MegaPascal) high-pressure hydrogen tanks. The fuel-cell stack has a power density of 3kW per litre – more than twice that of Toyota's previous development vehicle which was based on a Kluger – and offers output of at least 100kW. In addition, the system is equipped with Toyota's high-efficiency boost converter. Increasing the voltage has made it possible to reduce the size of the motor and the number of fuel cells, leading to a smaller system offering enhanced performance at reduced cost. Fully fuelled, the vehicle can provide enough electricity to meet the daily needs of an average Japanese house (10kWh) for more than a week. The vehicle's exterior design was intended to convey the key characteristics of a fuel-cell vehicle: converting air into water as the system produces electricity, and the powerful acceleration enabled by the electric drive motor.

WATCH THIS!

TOYOTA FCV-R Fuel-Cell Concept Vehicle

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Nissan BladeGlider

More than a concept, Nissan BladeGlider is both a proposal for the future direction of Nissan electric vehicle (EV) development and an exploratory prototype of an upcoming production vehicle from the world's leading EV manufacturer. BladeGlider was developed with form following function. Nissan crafted the vehicle's unique architecture to give the driver and passengers 'sustainable exhilaration' – a fresh electric vehicle driving experience based on peerless technology and exotic styling. Targeting the visionary individual seeking visceral driving and sustainability, the BladeGlider is a physical demonstration of the innovation and excitement Nissan's Zero Emissions Mobility, spearheaded by the Leaf. BladeGlider's pioneering spirit distinguishes it from anything yet envisioned for EVs and destines it to rule the roads of the not-so-distant future. A clean slate was the starting point for this project, led by Francois Bancon, division general manager of Product Strategy and Product Planning at Nissan. 'The goal was to revolutionise the architecture of the vehicle to provoke new emotions, provide new value and make visible for consumers how Zero Emissions can help redefine our conception of vehicle basics,' said Bancon. Nissan BladeGlider's shape alone, with its narrow front track, challenges the orthodoxy that has dominated the roads since the earliest days of the internal combustion engine. The revolutionary nature of the car is more than skin deep.

New possibilities for the designers and engineers were opened up by the unique characteristics of electric vehicles.

WATCH THIS!

Nissan BladeGlider concept unveiled

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Toyota FV2

Toyota has released a smartphone application that enables users to experience the mobility of the future envisioned by the FV2. Aimed at a future world in which vehicle technology has greatly progressed, the FV2 expresses Toyota's 'fun to drive' philosophy. It is designed to create a more intimate relationship between vehicle and driver.

Rather than using a steering wheel, the driver shifts their body weight to operate the vehicle while intelligent transport system technology provides a wide variety of safety information, including advanced warnings about vehicles in blind spots at intersections. At an emotional level, the vehicle uses voice and image recognition to determine the driver's mood, accumulated driving history to suggest destinations, and driving skill information to assist the driver. It adopts an augmented reality display on the windscreen – technology that supplements sensory information from the user's environment with computer-generated data. In addition, the body colour and exterior display can be changed at will.

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Rather than using a steering wheel, the driver shifts their body weight to operate the vehicle while intelligent transport system technology provides a wide variety of safety information.

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WATCH THIS!

Toyota FV2 The 43rd Tokyo Motor Show 2013

Mercedes S-Class

did you know?

The shape-shifting Roadless Wheel is a one-size-fits-all solution for different vehicle types and road conditions in rural Africa.

Student of Innovation Design Engineering at London’s RCA, Ackeem Ngwenya, used the principle of a scissor jack to make the wheel grow shorter and wider, or taller and narrower, to adjust to rough roads in areas with no infrastructure. Ngwenya grew up in a farming community in Malawi, where he witnessed how the absence of infrastructure affects the economic development of an entire area. Even today it is not unusual to see people carrying head loads of up to 25kg of goods for more than 10km. The Roadless Wheel aims to address with a cheaper alternative to actually building up a decent infrastructure network. The shapeshifting wheel comprises the first step towards an infrastructure-independent means of transportation that targets the mobility needs of farmers and rural households. Ngwenya was supposed to graduate last June, but his tuition money ran out, which is why he started the IndieGogo campaign. The funds collected through the campaign are expected to help him complete his studies and continue working on this innovative project.

More bicycles were sold than cars last year in 23 European countries

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The shape-shifting Roadless Wheel

In its first year the S-Class line-up features one hybrid versions, one petrol model and a diesel variant: S 400 HYBRID, S 500 and S 350 BlueTEC. All models boast class-leading efficiency and up to 20% lower fuel consumption than the outgoing model series. All the engines already meet the requirements of the Euro 6 emissions standard.

'The new S-Class achieves consumption and emissions figures that only a few years ago would have seemed idealistic even in the intermediate class,' said Mercedes Benz SA's Dr Zimmermann.

"And this is just the start of our "Green Leadership" initiative: soon to be followed by the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID – the first S-Class with fuel consumption lower than 4l /100km.'

The new S-Class is the world's first car to be able to detect bumps on the road ahead – with its stereo camera – and compensate for it by automatic adjustments to the suspension. The PRE-SAFE Brake system can also detect pedestrians and initiate autonomous braking to avoid a collision at speeds up to 50 km/h.

PRE-SAFE PLUS recognises any imminent rear-end collisions.

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Last year bike sales actually overtook car sales in 23 of the 27 EU member states. (New car registrations weren’t available for Cyprus and Malta, and car sales topped bike sales in Belgium and Luxembourg). In Italy, bikes outsold cars for the first time since World War II, and in Spain bike sales topped the transportation charts for the first time ever.

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Corporate Social Responsibility

In the spirit of Madib While a world leader in paper and pulp products, Sappi is quietly working on numerous fronts to help communities, build and develop schools and clinics, and supporting local communities across the country. In the spirit invoked by the passing of Nelson Mandela – who was directly connected to at least one of Sappi’s initiatives, and inspirational in others – we take a look at some of the many past and present projects in which Sappi has invested.

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ba

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imply Green has over the last few years engaged with Sappi on its continuing program of improved production processes, reduced

energy consumption, reduced emissions and its overall move towards increased and improved long-term sustainability.

But beyond these industry-based steps, laudable as they have been, Sappi has also been quietly working in local communities for many years,

and around its property. In some cases these

usually with little or no public recognition of

were partnerships like the 2008 Volvo Car SA and

the role they play in bringing benefits to mostly

Sappi 'GreenForBlue'-project; an incentive for Volvo

disadvantaged communities across the country.

buyers to minimise the effect of carbon dioxide

Sappi has also a long-standing commitment to

(CO2) emissions from the Volvo they drive by having

conservation and biodiversity, also seldom publicly

a number of indigenous trees planted to offset

acknowledged.

the CO2 released by that vehicle in its lifetime.

In this edition, in which we remember the spirit

Other partners involved Liberty Life and also

and intentions of Nelson Mandela in desiring for

involved local schools, libraries and municipalities

all the people of South Africa a better life, we have

who participated in various Arbor Day plantings

focused on some of the projects which Sappi has

throughout South Africa. Since 2008, more than

sponsored or initiated in rural communities where

18 000 indigenous trees have been planted in this

the pulp and paper manufacturer has a 'footprint'.

program.

CONSERVATION

Thonga Beach Lodge and Mabibi Campsite: This

International Beach Clean-up: Sappi Southern

was developed through a capital grant of R945 000

Africa participates in various activities related to International Beach Clean Up which is observed during September each year and which is run by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. They have been part of this global clean-up program since its inception in 1997.

benchmark community-public-private-partnership and significant on-going capacity building within the Mabibi community. The capital grant was used by the Mabibi community to leverage a 68% shareholding in the lodge development company. Since opening in August 2004, the

Wakkerstroom Conservation and Training Centre:

lodge has enjoyed exceptional occupancy rates,

The partnership behind this project supported the

allowing for the creation of 45 permanent jobs

purchase of a key section of the Wakkerstroom

for the community and yearly dividends to the

wetland and the upgrade of the farm buildings into

community. The Thonga Beach Lodge partnership is

a guide training and environmental education centre

recognised as an exceptional rural development and

through a capital investment of R1m. Wakkerstroom

conservation partnership. The project was the first

is a critical bird breeding and transit area, and one

concession within the greater iSimangaliso wetland

of the most important recreational birding areas

world heritage area and has hosted numerous South

in the country. Since inception the Wakkerstroom

African and international dignitaries. The adjoining

centre has facilitated the training of over 200 field

Mabibi Campsite, which has created an additional

guides and hosted thousands of scholars. Recently

eight permanent jobs, was upgraded after Sappi's

donated to BirdLife SA, the centre has evolved into

sponsorship of almost R1m.

a base for birders that converge on Wakkerstroom

Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk: The partnership

annually and for 'birdlife travel', which is recognised

behind this project supported the construction of

as one of the most innovative and successful grass

the 125m Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk, 20m high

roots eco-tourism networks in the country.

observation tower and interpretive centre through

Sandiso Imvelo/GreenForBlue: Sandisa Imvelo

a combined capital investment of R1.2m. Since

(Growing

and

opening, the boardwalk has been visited by over

tree-growing program. It is an on-going tree-planting

19 000 visitors, and has catalysed the development

initiative whereby Sappi plants indigenous trees in

of tourism in the greater Eshowe region. The

Nature)

is

Sappi's

greening

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boardwalk has raised the profile of

Zululand’s

'great

forests',

leading to the district municipality launching

a

campaign

aimed

at developing the eco-tourism potential of these forests.

De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust: The world's fastest land mammal

is

fast

heading

to

extinction. The cheetah is one of the most threatened species on earth. As their habitat shrinks and their gene pool narrows, they continue to be hunted in areas where they once enjoyed freedom. Since 1971, the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust has been working relentlessly to reverse this trend. The Trust, farming

communities,

conservationists

and

NGO s ,

academic

institutions are collaborating to find workable

Clivia Primary School: Sappi Forests Sudwala

solutions to the threats that endanger the future

District employees reached out to Clivia Primary

of the species. Sappi was for many years a proud

School in Ngodwana by 'paying it forward'. They

sponsor of the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust.

installed new doors in the school hall, put up new

COMMUNITY Ekujabuleni Centre: Sappi Lomati Sawmill erected

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children attend classes there.

fencing at the bicycle stand and painted the gate to the bicycle stand. The scholars received a snack packs and a gift parcel from the Lowveld Escarpment

a shelter at the Ekujabuleni Centre for people with

Fire Protection Agency (LEFPA) with rulers, pencils,

physical disabilities in the Emjindini township in

fire-wise stickers, badges and balloons.

Barberton. The shelter will provide work space for

Happiness Day Care Centre: In celebration of

the centre’s unemployed members, who undertake

Mandela Day, Sappi Ngodwana Mill, members of the

kraft projects for much needed income.

local community and local contractors and suppliers

St John’s Mission and AIDS Orphanage: In

reached out to the Happiness Day Care Centre. The

celebrating Mandela Day, Sappi Forests, with the

care centre is located in an informal settlement

help of the Lowveld and Escarpment Fire Protection

in the rural Glenthorpe District. The community

Association (LEFPA), burnt firebreaks at St John’s

members live in conditions of extreme poverty and

Mission and AIDS Orphanage on the outskirts of

there is a dire need for food, clothing and shelter.

Barberton. The centre is home to 300 orphans and

The volunteers upgraded a dilapidated building that

20 care givers, and they were at risk with heavy

serves as a care centre for 20 preschool children.

fuel loads (dry bush and forestry) surrounding the

They donated school equipment, clothes, toys, basic

premises.

food stuff and learning materials. The volunteers

Shiyalongubo community: Sappi Twello plantation

have made a long-term commitment to support the

reached out to their neighbouring Shiyalongubo

project.

community, bordering the Highlands Plantation.

Christelike

They donated school uniforms to 23 orphans in the

health and welfare of the local community is

Louieville School, and donated Sappi Typek photo

top of mind to Sappi Lomati Sawmill, and the

copy paper. The plantation has a long relationship

mill makes various donations to the Christelike

with the school and some of Sappi’s contractors’

Maatskaplike Raad (CMR) in the Barberton District.

Maatskaplike

Raad

(CMR):

The

category, being Umjindi Resource Centre, PROTEC and KwaDukuza Resource Centre.

Umjindi Resource Centre: Sappi was a founding sponsor of the Umjindi Resource Centre, which opened in Barberton in July 2005 in partnership with Sappi and the Umjindi Municipality. To date the company has donated almost R2.9m towards the project. The URC is a Section 21 company,

situated on the ground floor of the municipal library in Barberton.

The centre offers a wide range of services to almost 9 000 members.

It comprises a digital computer village with broadband internet access, email, business software, a business facility that offers The CMR is a Non-profit Organisation that renders

printing, photo copying, faxing,

a comprehensive social service to the Barberton

book binding and lamination services, a reference

community in order to empower them socially,

library with 8 000 books, a reading laboratory,

emotionally and economically. Lomati donated food

a career guidance centre, a study centre and a

and toiletries that are distributed to families in

meeting/training room. The centre has four full

need.

time employees, who are assisted by six volunteer

Luphisi & Glenthorpe community nurseries:

workers.

Sappi

PROTEC: Sappi Limited is a national sponsor of

recently

entered

into

a

public-private

partnership with the Mpumalanga Department

PROTEC – a widely acclaimed, national non-profit

of

and

organisation which specialises in maths, science

Tourism, to upgrade two community nurseries in

and technology education for Grade 10, 11 and

the Luphisi and Glenthorpe areas in the Lowveld.

12 learners. It provides full sponsorship for the

The project is aimed at sustainable development

Umkomaas,

and will boost economic development through

branches and partial sponsorship for the Tongaat,

job creation, enhance greening of the province

Umbogintwini,

by enhancing biodiversity and support tourism

Pietermaritzburg branches. The PROTEC Program

through greening of the province. The company

is an ‘MST intervention’ program and encourages

donated R68 000 towards the project, which is

underprivileged pupils to study science, maths and

being executed in various phases. The two nurseries

technology and assists with life skills through the

are community-based and are located in Sappi’s

World of Work program and English – for highly

area of operations. The Luphisi nursery will provide

skilled jobs in areas of key industry demand.

an income to 35 rural women in the area, who are

The Sappi sponsored PROTEC Program reaches

farming with indigenous trees and vegetables. Sappi

over 1 000 learners per year. Sappi has supported

will also be a market for some of the vegetable

PPROTEC since 1995 and has contributed over R20m

seedlings and indigenous trees, for deployment in

to date, with a further commitment of R1.8m for

our own communities and for greening projects.

2012/2013.

Economic

Development,

Environment

EDUCATION & LITERACY Sappi has three current flagship prjects in this

Mandeni, Umlazi,

Stanger Port

and

Nelspruit

Elizabeth

and

KwaDukuza Resource Centre: The KwaDukuza Resource Centre was founded by Sappi in 2000 to help fill the gap experienced by all the schools

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Tanya Shunmugam of Durban University of Technology (left), receiving her Sappi Gold Trophy for winning the Graphic Design category IPSA 2013 Student Gold Pack Awards, presented by Madelaine Fourie of Sappi (right).

in the district to provide access to scarce educational resources.

Today,

Sappi

remains the principal funder of the Centre. The heart of the centre is the digital village

which

consists

of

some 50 internet connected computers

and

provides

internet access to thousands of people. It is also the hub for a number of seminars and workshops, a range of skills development programs which include MST programs and teacher training programs as well as on-going Technology classes presented at its TechnoLab. Administration services like printing, faxing, photocopying, lamination, and bookbinding are also provided‑ at a nominal cost. To date,

World Packaging Organisation’s WorldStar Student Awards. Tanya Shunmugam of Durban University of Technology received the 2013 Sappi Gold Trophy for the Graphic Design category and proceeded to win the international WorldStar Student Winner award for her Three Cities wine packaging entry.

R7.65m has been spent on this project and Sappi

Asiphileni

has committed R600 000 for 2012/2013.

inter-departmental team from Sappi Ngodwana Mill,

Graphic Design category IPSA 2013 Student Gold Pack Awards: Sappi has identified packaging as a strategic growth sector and in-line with this has been the primary sponsor of the 2013 Student Gold Pack Awards: Graphic Design category. The competition is hosted annually by IPSA (Institute of Packaging South Africa) and is focused on attracting future talent in three disciplines of Food Science and Technology, Packaging Technology and Graphic Design. In each discipline a judging panel comprising industry experts, selects Bronze, Silver and Gold awards which are handed over at

Day

Care

Centre

upgrade:

An

with the help of the mill’s sports club executive and various suppliers joined hands to upgrade the day care centre in the Bhamjees informal settlement next to the mill. Just over R70 000 was raised by the staff and various external donors. Local contractors and service providers were also roped in to help with construction. They fixed the roof, installed running water and toilets, built a playground and put up shading across a section of the playground.

They also repainted the building, painted colourful murals on the walls, laid rubber tiles on the floor and fenced in the centre.

an awards luncheon where students get to rub

Rainbow Kids Creche: Employees of the Sappi

shoulders with important industry role players,

Forests Grootgeluk Office in Ngodwana and parents

creating networking and career opportunities. The

of the local Rainbow Kids Creche undertook a

sponsorship provides an excellent platform to

maintenance project of the crèche playground. They

increase Sappi’s brand exposure and show support

painted cement tunnels, built see-saws, fixed the

for the packaging industry as a whole. Winners of

jungle Jim, completed the carports and covered the

the Student Gold Pack Awards are entered into the

sandpit with shade net. 140 local children attend

partnership with the Penreach is establishing an Early Childhood Development

Centre

at

rural

Elandshoek, 15km from the Sappi Ngdowana Mill. This ECD centre will serve as a training centre for

surrounding

schools

and

communities once it is up and running. Sappi was the founding sponsor of the Penreach program which was launched in 1993 as a joint initiative between Sappi and Penryn College in Mpumalanga.

Today Penreach is the largest teacher development program in Africa. Up to 1 600 educators voluntary attend Saturday teacher development and training courses.

These educators then return to their schools and in turn train other educators. To date Sappi has school at this Early Childhood Development centre.

contributed over R6.1m to Penreach.

Early Childhood Development at the Khanyisile

Inanda Seminary: An original investment of R2m

Primary School: Early Childhood Development at the

allowed for the complete renovation of the Inanda

Khanyisile Primary School (at the Sappi Glenthorpe

Seminary. Opened by Nelson Mandela, it was in the

Plantation in the Barberton District) has been given

early years of this century the only private school for

a boost. Sappi donated a new 50m2 classroom to the

black girls in the country and is the alma mater of

school. The classroom will be used to teach local

many current leading figures in South Africa. Sappi's

grade R learners. This is the 5th classroom that Sappi

total contribution across six years came to R4.8m.

has added to the school in the past decade.

All the above projects and initiatives reflect the

Idalia community: Ngodwana Mill and Sappi Forests

ethics and concerns of an organisation which almost

reached out to the Sinethemba Day Care Centre in

instinctively ‘hides its light under a barrel’. This is

rural Badplaas. 69 local pre-school children attend

because the people behind these various projects

the day care centre which is close to the Sappi

and undertakings feel that it is an extension of

Ndubazi and Rooihoogte plantations. The school

their duties towards their fellow South Africans to

previously had no recreational materials such as

uplift and help those in greatest need, just as was

toys or books. Sappi donated toys, books, musical

repeatedly called for by Madiba in his life. It is not

instruments, playground equipment and a water

accident that Madiba himself was involved in Sappi's

tank. The toys will help address the emotional

Inanda Seminary Project.

needs of the children through play therapy.

We at Simply Green consider that the scale and

Libraries: Over the years Sappi has been one of the

extent of Sappi’s numerous and varied CSR/CSI

main supporters of some 45 community libraries

projects should act as a template and inspiration for

in the areas within which we operate. From 2000

other South African and international corporations

to 2011 Sappi donated approximately R4m worth

to emulate, in the spirit of our great world leader

of books in support of National Library Week and

who has recently passed from this world.

National Book Week.

Penreach

Teacher

Development:

Sappi,

in

For more info visit www.sappi.com.

These pages were made possible with the kind assistance of Sappi

10

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biodegradable gifts

E nvironment

1

4

10 2 3

5 6

7

8

9

Instead of running the risk of your gifts being thrown away after their usefulness has expired – or ever recycled after use (which carries with it its own carbon footprint) – consider compostable gift options next time you're out shopping.

1 Innovez iPhone Case The Innovez biodegradable iPhone case (to protect your non-sustainable smartphone) made with an advanced biodegradable material, and with an infinite shelf life until placed in an active microbial environment.

6 Artemis Plant Color Crayons

Standard crayons release synthetic waxy pigments into the soil. Artemis Plant Color Crayons are made from plant leaves, flowers and resins, and then filtered, dried, finely ground and bound with natural waxes, oils, glycerine, and plant pigments.

2 Zoë b Beach Toys Made from corn sugar, they'll be eaten by microbes and completely disappear in two to three years when submerged in marine environments, buried in soil, or composted.

7 Vintage Bookmobile Book artist Lisa Occhipinti upcycles books by creating beautiful decor that would take nicely to the compost pile when you update your interiors.

3 Pangea Organic Bar

8 Hemp & Yak

Soap

Soap filled with triclosan and other enduring synthetics stay in the wastewater and often contain chemical foaming agents that can take up to 200 years to break down. Pangea's bodycare products begin biodegrading in 48 hours and also come packaged in compostable boxes.

Wool Scarf

Knitted from 55% hemp and 45% yak wool, a scarf like this is as soft as cashmere, as durable as a synthetic, and is made by a manufacturer that is a member of Fair Wear Foundation, an organisation dedicated to improving labour conditions in the garment industry. Just remove the tag before

4 Brooks Green Silence

adding it to the compost heap when you update

Brooks claims that this shoe's biodegradable

9 Wildflower Growth

Running Shoes

components degrade 50 times faster than standard

your wardrobe.

shoes in anaerobic conditions, and will save 13.6m

Journal

kg of landfill waste in roughly 20 to 25 years.

Each of these journals are bound in handmade paper studded with seeds and filled with recycled pages. Planting instructions included.

5 Grenware Bowls & Plates

Made by ecosource, these bowls are made of rice hulls, natural binding agents (a combination of

starch-based,

water-soluble

binders

and

biodegradable additives) and ground coconut shell.

Although durable and elegant, composting the dinnerware requires only about four months in a good working compost.

10 Scented Scoops Ice Cream Set

The Scented Scoops Ice Cream Party Playset comes with a half-dozen maple wood ice cream cones to be topped with scented chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla scoops made from GreenDot, a biomaterial made from corn.

SG

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With his ultra-modern aesthetic and song lyrics that reference the next millennium, it’s no secret that Will.i.am is looking to the future. In addition to creating music, the multi-platinum recording artist has partnered with Coca-Cola on his Ekocycle line of clothing and accessories, made using recycled materials. Ecouterre recently met up with the Black Eye Pea in the Bronx to find out more about why he is investing in green fashion and what he envisions for the next generation of clothing consumers.

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ekocycle

I nterview

spires n i e l c Ekocy rands you the b o create love t made in cts produ m recycled o part fr aterials. m

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We have been following Ekocycle since it started,

WATCH THIS!

and I watched you at Brainstorm Green speaking about how you first got started thinking about recycling things. Could you talk a little about that, how you got the idea?

I was inspired by other people's executions of taking recycled rubber and turning it into backpacks, but I saw that they were limited, and you really didn't find them in America. We found them in some obscure boutique, in one of 10, one of 100. So I wanted to do my part and connect the dots and go to Coca-Cola, and inspire them to see the potential

Ekocycle suit by H Brothers

of turning their by-products into new products.

It was a simple idea: taking Coca-Cola's name, Coke, and reversing it to create Ekocycle. Eco community, eco conscience, eco collaborations, eco clothes. That was the initial idea. Let's take Coke, reverse it and have it support a bunch of different eco causes. Since then, we have Levi's Ekocycle jeans; Beats (by Dre) Ekocycle headphones; Ekocycle Adidas; Ekocycle NBA logo shirts; Ekocycle MCM, which I'm wearing now.

Kids can redefine and recondition our condition. They are tomorrow's designers, tomorrow's CEOs. They're tomorrow's leaders. If we educate them now on the possibilities, we can be living in a sustainable world 20 years from now.

That is awesome. Is this (gesturing to Will.i.am's outfit) all recycled too?

because you have to start aspirational. So as soon

Yeah, this is all plastic water bottles. It's denim on

as you make a recycled shirt, and it's all cheap, that

the inside and the polyester is made out of recycled

coupling unfortunately hurts sustainability. So you

water bottles. And it's reversible.

need to start aspirational, especially when you need to educate people on the things you can do with

We heard you say at the conference that most

recycled goods. That is important.

of the green items you see on the market right now are just not cool. How can we make green

Your work with kids is incredible. Do you think

products cool?

kids know more about sustainability than adults?

The problem is that many of the people who design

And do you think kids think that it's cool?

the green stuff, they're not the same people who

I think kids are pure, and they're not trapped in, you

design the things that we desire. They're two

know, the brown world. They're not making money

different designs. So we have the people making

off of brown things, so they're more likely to accept

these crunchy designs that are green and then you

green things. I think green has been designed to

have, like, a dude in Paris who is like 'Dahling, this

fail by the brown community. It was like if you tell

is silk'. Two different design communities. Take silk,

a kid, 'Use this fabric. Make something nice.' They

there are certain things that are animal by-products

wouldn't know the difference between silk and a

and we turn them into clothing because technology

recycled material, and they're not attached to the

has allowed us to take silk and cotton and turn them

idea that we need to desire silk.

into fabrics, and then we design desirable items out

So they're not a part of that system. They can

of those. Now we just need to do the same thing

redefine and recondition our condition. They're

using sustainable materials.

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tomorrow's designers, tomorrow's CEOs. They're

That's why (we commissioned) this MCM jacket;

tomorrow's leaders. If we educate them now on the

MCM makes fresh bags. They designed this the same

possibilities, we can be living in a sustainable world

way they were designing everything else they make,

20 years from now.

SG

Photo www.attyre-blog.com

Before this interview, Ecouterre heard Will speak at Fortune Magazine's 2013 Brainstorm Green conference. Here's an excerpt of what he said about the moment he realised that he wanted to battle waste.

'S

The Ekocycle suits are made from recycled plastic bottles, produced using 61% of recycled consumer waste.

o, this time we missed the quick out (a term for when performers duck out from their own concerts before the crowd). We're like darn it. So, now we have to wait two hours. So, it was the first time I sat and saw the aftermath of our show. So, we're back stage. We're like, okay, let's just party on the stage and bring people from the audience to party with us. That sounds like a good evening while we're in – I think we were in Chile or something. So, we're over there in Chile, partying, and I see just this sea of trash. I'm like, wow, and I just remembered what I experienced at CGI. And a lot of times we walk around elbowless. What I mean by that is, when you walk around with no elbows all you can do is point at other people, because you can't point at yourself. So, I decided to bend a little bit and point at me as one of the people that contribute to landfills and waste, and the mess, via consumption, or bringing people together, and not being accountable.

'So, I was like, you know, I don't want to be one of those guys. I'm going to point at myself, because I brought these people together. One time I wrote songs that galvanised a whole bunch of people that caused a whole bunch of weight. People went and bought things, and chucked them, with no type of sensibility in how to act when they're at a concert.

There's no responsibility, there's no accountability. We buy things. We throw things when there are trashcans right over there. But, why are they going to chuck them in the trashcan if nobody gives them a reason to take a couple of steps and put it in that recycle bin. How does my activity and culture, and society lend the whole concept to I'm going to buy this water bottle, chuck it here, because it's going to turn into something else. So, that's when it all came – when I had the idea.'

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focused on the whole person – what you eat, how you feel, your relationships, your

sleep patterns, what makes you tick and why and everything in between. There is no one-size-fits-all approach but there are key principles that apply to all. Most of us get motivated when we lose weight the first week, so, many diets focus on motivating us. The first phase of a diet is often high protein and few carbs so that we lose water weight and control our blood sugar levels and the scale goes down fast. After two weeks we introduce some carbs, the next week a little more of something else. I don't believe in these transitions, it's too complicated and doesn't teach you how to eat. I prefer to put my clients on a plan that is designed specifically for them and their lifestyle, with the foods that they enjoy and can afford – and most importantly, a plan that they can be consistent with without obsessing about food.

We need to shift focus from the obsession of food and diets to eating healthily and feeling good.

Our bodies are a reflection of what's happening in our heads. This mindset also shows up in our approach toward self-medicating. At the end of a particularly challenging day, do you tell yourself you deserve to take a yoga class or a brisk walk?

Or do you 'deserve' a glass of wine coupled with some time in front of the TV to escape?



M

y philosophy is holistic: it is always

We need to shift focus from the obsession of food and diets to eating healthily and feeling good.

It's not the junk food, challenging circumstances, or difficult people in our world that prevent us from obtaining our wellness goals.

It's our inside world that steers our choices, our actions, and our reactions.



Are goji berries, green smoothies and going gluten-free the secret to a flat belly and perfect body? We all want to believe so, but true health is actually a lot less complicated. It has never been more evident that food plays a major role in health and on how we feel and look on a day-to-day basis. Vanessa De Ascencao, consultant to Litha Pharma, reports.

your greate S G 112

Weig h simp t-loss is ler th an you think

est journey 113 S G

It's not the junk food, challenging

those that focus on overall health and not

circumstances, or difficult people in our world

simply calorie consumption and weight-loss.

that prevent us from obtaining our wellness

A healthy body is naturally slim. So many

goals. It's our inside world that steers our

people tend to struggle on so many different

choices, our actions, and our reactions.

levels when they go on a diet, hunger pains,

struggle-

moodiness, feeling weak and irritable, and

deprivation approach many of us use, how

so on. This is why they cannot maintain an

about embarking on your greatest journey

overly restrictive diet. They go back to their

ever? A novel approach that may just work

old eating habits, or have the weekly binge,

for you. How about learning to work with your

only to start something all over again come

body, to nourish it and care for it and, most

Monday morning. The cycle of dieting

of all, love it?

needs to end, and the focus should be

Instead

of

this

constant

I strongly believe that weight issues, overeating and poor eating habits are just symptoms, not the causes, of weight gain. Isn't it true that all the dieting, food restricting, calorie counting, guilt, obsession and deprivation is amplifying the problem and making people gain weight in the long term?

Losing weight in what's dubbed the old fashioned way – eat less, exercise more – isn't sexy and it certainly doesn't sell well.

The more extreme, restrictive and sometimes insane approach is what often makes us feel, 'Yes, this will work.'

Eating real whole foods, reducing portions and exercising is not a quick fix. We often prefer the quick fix approaches and this is why they will never succeed.

Society dictates that thin is in. The advertising industry invests billions in the marketing of miracle fat-burners and quick-loss schemes that promise amazing overnight results. Most quick weight-loss diets may produce short-term results that in turn prove harmful with long-term side-effects.

There are many ways to 'lose weight' – not all healthy, and many of them detrimental to your health. When you focus your attentions on practicing the right steps towards a healthy, vibrant lifestyle you will rarely find yourself over-weight or battling the diseases that go along with poor health.

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on what is: Sustainable and realistic, Optimises health, and Makes you look and feel good.

Much of what people ingest daily barely resembles food as we traditionally know it. In fact, I'm guessing if you showed your great-great grandparents some of the processed junk so many people eat today, they would not even recognise it as food.

Conscious Eating Eating consciously in order to function at an optimal level is more important than how much you weigh.

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It isn't complicated at all: eat as close to nature as possible. Eat lots of fresh food, mainly fruits and vegetables, some lean protein and good fats and you're good to go.

There is no magic to weight-loss: it's simple mathematics – eat less, move more, and create a deficit. Weight-loss is just a numbers game. Often people think the more difficult or restrictive and sometimes even insane something is the better it will work.

This isn't true. Create a deficit. Some people lose weight eating just sugar, others go on high protein diets cutting out carbohydrates which means that they're cutting out a whole food group and automatically cut calories. The same applies for low-fat or low-protein.

The key is to make sure you are eating for

Why is weight-loss such a challenge?

your lifestyle and your health, there is nothing

People often go on diets and then off them,

moody with bad breath and no energy – you

trying quick fixes or faddish diets that don't

want to look good, feel good, have energy, a

teach them about nutrition. In my experience,

good sex life and zest for life. All these things

the most successful weight-loss plans are

only come when the body is actually being

worse than someone being skinny, who is

used together with kinesiology to detect underlying syndromes, can recondition the body’s metabolic state. If the protocol is followed 100%, keeping the weight off permanently is possible.

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

Everything you need to know about eating: Eat food.

Not too much.

Mostly plants.



Michael Pollan (pictured)

fed what it needs to function at its peak – and that is

People love to talk about his pithy pronouncements

nutrients.

on how we should eat – he's the subject of many a

When you are dieting, at first you lose a lot of

conversation at parties, in bars, in restaurants and in book

water, and depending on the eating plan you may even

groups. People mention him with reverence. He's like

lose some muscle and fat. Some diets that are overly

a 21st Century E F Hutton. When Michael Pollan speaks,

restrictive, cutting calories too low, or are based on quick

people listen. When he gives lectures, it's standing room

fixes that generally make people lose a lot of water first

only.

and then muscle, leaving the person both skinny and fat.

Then again, if this is true, why is it that, once we know

They look good in clothes and terrible naked with a high

how to eat, we don't do it? One of Michael Pollan's most

body fat percentage and very little muscle. We see this all

famous quotes says everything you ever need to know

the time. I believe it is really important to focus on body

about eating. Practicing it would render weight-loss diets

composition, good muscle tone, a low body fat and some

irrelevant, positively impact the environment, champion

healthy curves. It is a lot more attractive than someone

local food producers, and bring the processed food

who is emaciated.

industry to its knees. It's just this:

Many people believe their exercise regimen will compensate for a bad diet. Poor nutrition will cause you to not only struggle with your weight but also your health.

'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.'

Let's break it down.

We often don't take note that just by eating a muffin

Eat food: This means 'Eat real food,', meaning

with a latte with two sugars can easily be 600 calories.

unprocessed food and not from a factory.

To work off 600 calories you'll need to work out for over

Is Greek yogurt mixed with bran cereal and raisins

an hour. Exercise is important and when you exercise it's

food? Although the components of this snack come in

a step forward towards good health and wellness. Poor

packages and could be considered processed, of course

nutrition is two steps backward in your journey towards

it's food. Arguably, an organic apple and a handful of

overall wellbeing.

raw walnuts might be more 'real'. But in our current,

We also cannot exercise away poor nutritional choices.

complicated world, 'food' exists on a spectrum, from

Some of the simplest and most powerful nutritional

just-out-of-the-garden to 'is-that-actually-edible?' So what

knowledge I have read, are the following.

Three Simple Rules for Eating by Michael Pollan:

to do? Eat the foods you want to eat that are, in general, closest to the way you might encounter them at their

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source. Instead of always making the best choice, just make the better choice. Greek yogurt looks a lot more like

SA National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey

milk than bright orange chips look like an ear of corn.

Not too much: If we all stopped eating too much, the diet industry would collapse. Unfortunately eating 'not too much' is a lot harder than it sounds.

When we eat too many simple carbohydrates we get a blood-sugar spike, and then an insulin spike and a blood-sugar crash. The result is we're hungry again, even though we just ate. Many processed foods kick-start this reaction, making moderation and portion control goals

South Africa has a huge burden of disease, fuelled by a range of risk factors, and morbidity (illness and disease) and mortality (death) figures are high. This is shown by the results of the first SA National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which yielded critical information on emerging epidemics of non-communicable diseases:

seem insurmountable.

First, eat some protein with every meal and snack, especially if you're also eating starchy or sugary foods like bread, pasta, or fruit. This won't necessarily stop you from overeating ever again, but it will help slow the blood-sugar roller coaster, dulling that frantic 'gotta eat more' feeling.

With breakfast, add an egg, some tofu, yogurt, or some protein powder (in a smoothie or your non-GM oatmeal).

61% of the population is overweight, obese or

Add nuts, cheese, or a little bit of meat to your snacks. The

morbidly obese; and

same goes for lunch and dinner. Beans, lentils, peas and

70% of SA women over the age of 35 and 59% of

lean meats – you don't have to overdo it (but make sure

black women over the age of 15 are overweight or obese.

it's always there).

25% of South Africans over the age of 15 years

Mostly plants: While some people eat only plants,

suffer from hypertension.

(and that's great too), Michael Pollan's just saying that

25% of teens and 17% of children younger than

a plant-based diet is the best diet. Plant foods are the

nine years of age are also classed as overweight

richest, most bountiful sources of vitamins and minerals

or obese.

as well as fibre. They contain hundreds of thousands of

78% of obese and 52% of morbidly obese South

phytochemicals, and many of these contain disease-fighting

Africans believe they are perfectly healthy.

properties that a laboratory can't duplicate. Add a fruit to breakfast, a leafy green and one other vegetable to lunch, and a leafy green and three other vegetables to dinner.

Plus, whatever else you want to eat, because it's your dinner, and you should enjoy it.

Empty calories from fat free foods: Snacking on rice cakes, pretzels, and crackers might sound healthy,

The most common faux pas made regarding weight-loss

but they aren't your weight-loss allies. The reason being

Going Fat-free: Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble

form of fresh fruit, nuts and homemade muffins – get

and, therefore, need to be consumed with fat in order for

creative.

our bodies to absorb them. Replace fat-free dressing with an oil (preferably olive) based vinaigrette. If you prefer to not use olive oil, add avocado, almond slices, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds to your salad.

that they are missing fibre, which is essential for a feeling of fullness. Include high-fibre snacks into your diet in the

Eating six meals a day: You don't need to eat six times a day, some people do really well on three meals a day and small fruit snacks in between. Others tend to overeat when they eat six times a day and they're not

Going Low-Carb & skimping on fruit: No one

active. See what works for you and your lifestyle. There is

ever got fat from eating fruit. Be very wary of any diet

no one-size-fits-all eating plan. Avoid cookie-cutter diets.

that eliminates fruit. It is loaded with nutrients, fibre,

SG

anti-oxidants and is good for your skin, nails, hair, overall health, and it is nature's perfect take away (when it's

S G 116

grown organically).

Visit www.lithahealthcare.co.za and www.marcusrohrerspirulina.co.za or

117 S G

Shelf Throw out your scales Andrew Cate Struik • 978 1 7700 7746 1

If you are sick of soup diets,

Hypnotic Gastric Band: The New Sugar Free Weight Loss System Paul McKenna

The Headspace Diet Andy Puddicombe Hodder & Stoughton • 978 1 444 72218 5

This book is designed to show you how to find your ideal

Bantam Press

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counting kilojoules, feeling

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and safe way. It will teach

hungry, low carbs, low fat

Medically a gastric band is a

you how to remind your body

and low fun, this book shows

radical, surgical operation that

of its own natural intelligence

you how to free yourself from

reduces the available space

and ability to self regulate,

dieting – forever. Why follow

in the stomach. However,

allowing you to escape the

a diet designed for no one

McKenna's hypnotic gastric

never-ending diet trap. Follow

and everyone when you

band is a psychological

simple exercises to develop new

can have a weight loss plan

procedure that can help to

effective habits and a much

that's specific to you and your

convince the unconscious mind

improved relationship with food

lifestyle? This informative book

that a gastric band has been

and your body. Mindfulness

contains useful questionnaires,

fitted, so the body behaves

based meditation is the hot

quizzes and goal-setting tables

exactly as if it were physically

topic in neuroscience, over

to put you in control. And

present. Along with the book,

2 000 scientific papers have

this commonsense approach

the system contains a hypnosis

already been published in

rejects the 'no pain, no gain'

CD and an instructional DVD

medical journals showing just

principle to help you conquer

to provide complete support

what extraordinary benefits

food weaknesses permanently.

for physical and psychological

this easy practice has to offer.

Cate is a health, fitness and

change while you lose weight.

The Headspace mission is to

nutrition consultant. His advice

There's no physical surgery,

get as many people taking

is informative and supported by

no scarring and no forbidden

just 10 minutes out of their day

sound scientific research. Forget

foods. Just follow all the

to practise these powerful

the 'one-size-fits-all' diet and find

instructions and let Paul help

techniques. Mindful eating is a

your own way.

you lose weight.

key aspect of mindfulness and

exercise gadgets, weigh-ins,

as you start to practise it you will notice profound results

S G 118

The Diabetes Miracle Diane Kress

understandable details about

into consideration. India has

the disease itself, the newest

been dubbed the 'diabetes

parameters for diagnosis, the

capital of the world' and it

latest medications, blood

seems that here in SA the

glucose testing, preventing

Indians are following closely.

complications, the use of insulin,

This is not something we can be

diet and exercise, tricks of the

proud of and we need to start

trade for blood sugar control,

looking at ourselves today so

and many real life case studies,

we don't allow our children to

along with pages of helpful

go down this dangerous path.

Q&A. The author's clear and

The Indian diet and lifestyle is

compassionate approach

causing us more harm than

coupled with her expertise on

good. We have the power

the subject will change the way

and intelligence to reclaim

readers perceive, prevent, and

our health today. We just

also offers prevention and

treat this condition.

need to know how. This book

management of pre-diabetes

You can be Sugar Free: Indians vs Diabetes Kanchana Moodliar & Dr Colette Kell

Da Capo Press 978 0 7382 1505 1

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Metabolism Miracle, this is a breakthrough carb-controlled diet for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes – more effective than the ADA program. It is a phenomenally popular approach to weight loss. She

– as well as the precursor condition 'Metabolism B' – with minimal to no need for medications. When Kress – a registered dietician and certified diabetes educator – herself developed type 2 diabetes, she realised that the 'status quo' nutrition programs just didn't work. She then set out on her own research. The result is her 3-step, scientifically based, carb controlled program that's easier to follow and more effective than any other.

The book provides clear and

will challenge your current habits and help you make the necessary changes. The book retails for R150 and includes a pull out meal planner that goes onto your fridge so you

In this book, motivational

can start getting into the low

speaker, yoga teacher and

GI style of eating without much

writer Kanchana Moodliar

guess work. It also introduces

and homeopath, Dr Colette

the reader to yoga and

Kell (M Tech Hom) help people

various relaxation techniques.

see how easy it is to make

To order this book contact

small regular changes that

youcanbesugarfree@gmail.com

can help to prevent diabetes

or 031 83 73 794

in the long run. This is also the first book that takes race, diet, progress, lifestyle and culture

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We have ONE copy of each of these Hay House titles to giveaway. Simply send your full name and postal details as well as the title of the book here by Jan 15 2014 to stand a chance of winning.

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Lean and Healthy Nutritional consultant Vanessa Ascencao has developed the “eco diet” encompassing mostly organic, natural and raw food and supplements and aimed at healthy weight loss, increased energy and looking and feeling great.

Vanessa’s “eco diet” is the result of years of work in healthy and sustainable weight loss. It is eco-friendly in that it advocates mostly organic and a high percentage of natural and raw food, and natural supplementation - in particular, Spirulina. In addition to slimming, the eco diet is aimed at: • Increasing energy

• Decreasing stress

• Reducing signs of ageing

• A mind/body connection, i.e. feeling good and looking amazing The eco diet is aimed at long term results and embraces a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix. Vanessa says a holistic approach begins with: • eliminating toxic foods form the diet

• feeding the body the correct food to eliminate long term toxic and chemical build up

• supporting this with cutting edge nutrition and supplements

• this creates the internal environment to get your body lean through the

correct nutritional and exercise regime.

The fastest way to your perfect body For all the details and recipes, go to: Visit Vanessa’s home page:

www.ecodiet.co.za

www.vdanutrition.com

Vanessa

About

.. ait, yummy.

Berry parf

Vanessa Ascencao is a dynamic, inspirational and highly qualified nutritional consultant. She brings a fresh and revolutionary approach to health, wellness and personal growth, having spent 10 years studying, researching and working with some of the greatest minds in metaphysics, nutrition, health and fashion.

She’s helped celebrities, business executives and others transform their lives through a unique mind-body approach to health and nutrition. Vanessa holds a Masters of Science in Nutrition, a Bcom in Marketing, a degree in Fashion Design and consults to top local and international health and natural food companies.

Why Why Vanessa Vanessa chooses chooses Marcus Marcus Rohrer Rohrer Spirulina®?

Spirulina®?

Vanessa Vanessawas wasinspired inspiredby byMarcus MarcusRohrer’s Rohrer’sjourney journeyto todiscover discoveraatop topquality qualitySpirulina Spirulinaand and has hassince sinceresearched researchedthis thismulti-nutrient, multi-nutrient,discovering discoveringits itsincredible incrediblepotency. potency.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Spirulina is the richest and most complete source of nutrition in the world.

Spirulina is the richest and most complete source of nutrition in the world.

It contains over 100 nutrients and the full spectrum of all of the essential amino It contains over 100 nutrients and the full spectrum of all of the essential amino acids,chlorophyll, acids,chlorophyll,enzymes enzymesand andantioxidants. antioxidants.All Allyou youneed needfor foraahealthy healthybody bodyand and active activelifestyle. lifestyle.

It promotes the body’s natural cleansing processes.

It promotes the body’s natural cleansing processes.

It compensates for deficiencies in the diet and stimulates the metabolism.

It compensates for deficiencies in the diet and stimulates the metabolism.

It boosts resistance and activates the body’s natural defence mechanisms.

It boosts resistance and activates the body’s natural defence mechanisms.

It helps balance blood sugar levels and provides the energy needed during weight loss.

It helps balance blood sugar levels and provides the energy needed during weight loss.

It’s considered the most complete naturally cultivated nutrient in the world.

It’s considered the most complete naturally cultivated nutrient in the world.

with the “Eco Diet” Vanessa’s top 10 tips for Summer •

Detox, restore, energise: Wake up and take Spirulina and have some hot water and lemon.

•

De-Stress: Spending time in a sauna aids relaxation and helps rid your body of impurities, and assists with water retention, an Epsom salt bath works wonders for water retention.

•

Cut the sugary Carbs, Dairy and Red Meat - Instead, get your protein from fresh fruits, veggies, fish and free range poultry.

•

A combo of cardio and strength training quickens weight loss. Do 30 minutes of cardio three times (walking on an incline works wonders) a week and light weights twice a week.

•

Get adequate sleep! 7-8 hours a night is important, the more sleep deprived you are the hungrier you will be and the more you will eat.

•

Always start the day with a wholesome breakfast, either some plain rolled oats with an apple and some seeds and almonds, or some fruit and raw nuts, in summer we tend to eat lighter and summer fruit is so delicious!

•

Keep your last meal of the day lean and healthy - think salmon and spinach, chicken and green beans and a salad, some white baked fish and grilled veggies, you get the picture.

•

Watch the chemicals in your food - cut out the fizzy drinks, even the diet type, watch the sweetener or anything else that is artificial and processed, watch out for sugar in commercially bought salad dressings, pasta sauces and most convenient foods.

•

If you are hungry between meals, have a piece of fruit with some raw almonds (7-8 almonds) - fruit is nature’s take away, ideally packed and portioned.

•

Don’t crash diet, eat sensibly, eat in moderation, don’t starve yourself and most of all, have fun, be full of energy and vitality, focus on health and not weight!!!

Marcus Rohrer Spirulina® • Increases fat oxidation by 10.5% • Increases cardio vascular output • Considered as one of the most nutrient dense foods in the world

Marcus Rohrer Spirulina® is available at leading pharmacies.

Visit www.otcpharma.co.za or see www.marcusrohrerspirulina.com Call +27 516 1700

LITHA PHARMA

LITHA PHARMA

Part of Litha Healthcare Group Limited

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H ot

off the

Nourish

P ress

With over 30 products for face and body, Nourish uses advanced bio-actives, natural ingredients and state-of-the art technologies to support the skin nature gave you and nurture it through the ever-changing seasons and environmental challenges. By understanding the science behind the behaviour of different skin types, and by taking account of individual needs, lifestyles and seasonal factors, the Nourish skincare system offers universal hero products such as the Argan Skin Rescue and four ranges of adaptable skincare and body products including peptide serums, facial mists and body butters that deliver specific proven nutrients to effectively support and enhance your skin's health. www.organic-beauty.co.za

KannaBliss

WELLNESS WAREHOUSE

Why not do your bit for the environment this festive season by spoiling your loved ones with eco-friendly gifts? Or if you prefer adding a personal touch, you can always opt for DIY gifts from Wellness Warehouse stores or via their online shop.

Here are a few options: Wellness Lavender Aroma Candle – only the finest wax and aroma oils are used. It is then blended together for a consistent burn and scent. The candles are 100% cotton wick and are hand made in South Africa. Klean Kanteen – perfect for your on-the-go life, the quality and finish on these bottles are first class and do cost a little more. The bottle is made from high quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel that's totally free of BPA and other toxins. Lavender Reed Diffuser – these stylish reed diffusers fill your home with incredible scents that also work to make you feel relaxed, energised or pampered depending on the scent you choose. They are made from 100% pure essential oils and can last for over three months. www.wellnesswarehouse.com

100% concentrated herbal extract with no additives, KannaBliss Sceletium is beautifully uplifting and has proven effective antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects. Over many years of scientific analysis, a unique selection of astoundingly beneficial compounds found in the Sceletium Expansum plant have been carefully chosen and custom-blended to create the KannaBliss Sceletium product range on offer today. KannaBliss Sceletium is professionally produced in their FDA-approved laboratory according to GMP standards. www.kannabliss.co.za

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Kalahari melon body wash

Africa Organics Kalahari Melon Body Wash has won a prestigious industry award. We take a look.

A

frica Organics Kalahari Melon Body Wash took the

impacts. In addition to organic certification with Ecocert France

honours in both the Individual Product category as

and approval by PhytoTrade Africa, the brand is also accredited

well as the Overall Winner category at the recent

with Beauty Without Cruelty and The Vegan Society. The range is

Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review/IFF New Product Competition

free of all harmful chemicals including parabens, petrochemicals,

Awards Function. The aim of the competition is to give local and

sulphated surfactants, silicons, animal products, ethoxylated

international brands, which supply the South African market, the

or PEG ingredients, propylene glycol or any other ingredients

opportunity to showcase their innovative new products.

red-flagged by Ecocert.

The award was made because Africa Organics Kalahari

This award is considered a great honour and accolade not

Melon Body Wash demonstrates exceptional organic formulation

only for Africa Organics but also for the natural and organic

innovation: 'Overall, we feel that we've done a solid job of getting

personal care industry as a whole. It shows that the market in SA

a genuinely ethical product on shelf at a reasonable price,' says

is getting ready for something new and exciting, that consumers

CEO Trevor Steyn.

are taking a closer look at health and ethics when choosing which

Unique, even among organically certified ranges, Africa

products to use.

Organics products are 100% natural and use wild-sourced

The Africa Organics team wins the opportunity to attend

African ingredients. It is these ethics that make the brand

Incosmetics 2014, the leading global business platform for

and the product so notable in the SA market. The inclusion

personal care and cosmetics ingredients, taking place from 1 to

of community-sourced ingredients, accredited by PhytoTrade

3 April, 2014, in Hamburg, Germany.

Africa, assists in empowering African communities and alleviating

Other entrants included Doctor Babor's Doctor Babor Body

poverty. The Kalahari Melon, used in the award-winning body

Cellular Range, Sh'Zen's Phyto Exquisites Skin Toner Corrector

wash, is sourced from a women's co-operative in the Kalahari.

and Energising Range for Feet, along with Avon's Anew 360

The income from this project enables these women to send their

Bright Range and Anew Clinical AF33 Pro Line Corrector.

children to school, as well as feed and clothe their families.

Formulated in accordance with the 'cradle-to-cradle' philosophy of full cost accounting, all aspects of the range take into consideration both pre and post production impact on the environment and people with the aim being to leave no negative

Africa Organics Kalahari Melon Body Wash retails at R39 for 210ml and is available nationwide in DisChem and selected health shops.

For more information visit www.africaorganics.co.za or email info@africaorganics.co.za.

We have 10 Africa Organic product hampers valued at R250 each to give away. Email here with your full name and postal address details by 31 January, 2014 to stand a chance to win.

ď š 10

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H ot

off the

P ress BEAUCIENCE BOTANICALS

This user-friendly skin care range offers nature’s fuss-free solutions to healthy, radiant and beautiful skin while minimising and delaying the effects of skin ageing. The range has been formulated to offer a cost-effective essential skin care regime providing the fundamental key elements needed in a succesful anti-ageing range. Botanicals includes their unique ingredient Proteasyl PW as well as natural products such as organic extracts, pure essential oils and natural vegetable oils, carefully selected for their particular properties and benefits to the skin. No harmful petrochemicals or artificial ingredients have been used, and enviro-friendly packaging has been used wherever possible. http://beaucience.co.za

Calmag-C

Unlike tablets and capsules that sometimes don't break down properly, instant CalMag-C has been formulated in a 2:1 blend of calcium gluconate and magnesium carbonate with vitamin C to adjust the pH so your body can actually absorb the calcium and magnesium, which are the basic nutrients a person needs.

Because of its formulation, the body absorbs it rapidly, which means you can get the benefits instantly to combat deficiencies such as restless legs, cramps, poor concentration and digestion, sleeplessness and mood swings, teething pain, contraction and relaxation of the muscles and many more. www.sharyndriver.co.za

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QMS Medicosmetics

QMS Medicosmetics is formulated by Dr Erich Schulte (an aesthetic surgeon and international authority on skin ageing) and is based on research-led, collagen-enhancing technology to create a bespoke regenerative system of skin care. Their holiday skincare collection has been carefully handpicked to include the year's bestsellers and leading products, which, in addition to being great gifts, also make them ideal traveling companions for those long trips. Each set includes: Deep Cleansing (50ml), Freshening Tonic (50ml), the choice of a mini Classic Set or MED Set (7.5ml) – and for the finishing touch, the hugely popular QMS Sport Active Cream (15ml). www.qmsmedicosmetics.co.za

ISSAHRA

Combining ethics and well-being, authenticity and harmony, Issahra has 100% natural active elements, a fine texture and respectfully cares for your skin, bringing pleasure to your entire body. Since the skin is the most sensitive part of our body, Issahra have chosen products that are delicate and do not contain parabens, phenoxyethanol, silicone, but are rich in mineral oils and have not been tested on animals. www.issahra.com

Cedarwood Dreams

These organic incense cones are made from the Sacred Cedar Tree in the Baviaanskloof Mountains in the Eastern Cape. Burning Cedarwood is known for enhancing or getting in touch with individual spirituality. The medicinal properties of Cedarwood are also well documented, including aiding respiratory and rheumatic conditions. The fragrance is earthy, grounding and slightly sweet. Cedarwood cleanses and purifies the body, skin and the environment from all negativity and stagnation and is a useful oil for overcoming bad habits. www.pureincense.co.za

African Tree Essences

The Ancient Forest Tree Mists are a symphony of the rich botanicals of Africa. The Tree Mists offer all the therapeutics of the African Tree Essences in a light and beautiful way: mist your body, energy field, home or sanctuary – indeed wherever you would like to introduce the clear, invigorating energy of the forest and the deeply evocative aromas of the Cape mountains, golden sunshine and African soil. www.africantreeessences.co.za

RAIN

Rain is well known for bringing bath and beauty products to the market that are not only high-quality, but also internationally Fair Trade and Beauty Without Cruelty accredited. Now they have expanded their range with the launch of Biologie – a proudly eco-ethical range formulated using organically-certified botanical ingredients and wild harvested plant oils and extracts. This multi-tasking range can help protect skin from sun damage and ageing, revive skin tone, smooth skin texture and restore vital moisture in tired skin and hair. These products are biodegradable, enviro-friendly specialised products designed to care for hair, feet and hands. www.rainafrica.co.za We have ONE Rain hamper to give away. Send your name and full postal details here by 31 Jan, 2014 to stand a chance of winning.

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your green tv show guide The must-see shows for all things green, organic & healthy on the home front.

JANUARY 2014 Cash & Cari

Decked Out

Mon 7.30pm • Wed 10pm • Thurs 11.30am • Fri 3.30pm • Sat 9am &

Mon 3pm • Wed 7pm • Thurs 10.30pm • Fri 11am • Sat 11am & 8pm

6pm • Sun 2pm & 9pm

• Sun 4pm

With her razor sharp business sense and eye for spotting diamonds in the rough, estate sale guru Cari Cucksey digs through her clients’ basements, attics and garages in search of hidden treasures. Cari also breathes new life into items she finds and then sells them in her vintage store in Michigan. From antique furniture to suits of armor, vintage collectibles and rare cars, Cari turns old into sold.

This is an entertaining, funny, irreverent show for the viewer who is fascinated with, or even mildly interested in, watching and learning about the creative process of designing and building impressively intricate outdoor decks and beautiful backyard spaces. Each episode shows, from concept to completion, the story of a backyard makeover with a focus on the construction of the unique deck project.

King of Dirt

Hot Property 12

Tues 9.30pm • Wed 9.30am • Thurs 1.30pm • Fri 5.30pm • Sat 11.30am

Mon 8am • Tues 12pm • Wed 4pm • Fri 8pm

& 8.30pm • Sun 4.30pm

Hot Property follows the fortunes of buyers, sellers and renovators negotiating the challenges of the real estate game.

From first home buyers to empty nesters, young singles looking to rent, or DIY renovators, each week join households around the country experiencing the joys and disappointments of creating their own domestic dreams.

Gino Panaro is King of Dirt. This Brooklyn-born guy relies on his imagination, his hands and the help of his brother Ralph to create some of the most beautiful, high-end landscapes.

Holmes Makes It Right Tues 8pm • Wed 8am • Thurs 12pm • Fri 4pm • Sat 3pm • Sun 8pm

Mike Holmes is back, doing what he does best.

Picking up where he left off with his hit series, Holmes On Homes and cranking it up several notches. Mike will be taking on disasters that other contractors would run away from. The kirooronds of circumstances where you don't just need a contractor, you need a miracle. He is getting back to the kind of work he did before there ever was a TV show – helping people, make it right.

Chuck's Day Off Tues 6pm • Wed 11pm • Thurs 10am • Fri 2pm • Sat 8am & 12.30am • 12pm

What does the owner and head chef of the city’s hottest restaurant do on his only day off every week? If you’re Chuck Hughes, you cook.

This cooking series oozes with energy and is packed with information. It provides viewers with achievable recipes as well as an edgy look into the rock ’n roll reality of the city’s hottest chef and the inner-workings of his restaurant.

Chucks Day Off

Location, Location

Location,

Mon 9am • Tues 1pm • Wed 5pm • Fri 9pm

Britain’s favourite property double act will be pounding the pavements battling tricky markets and trying to match great expectations with budgets big and small. But if anyone can make property dreams come true, Kirstie and Phil can.

Room to Improve Mon 5pm • Wed 9pm • Thurs 9am • Fri 1pm

Cash & Cari Room to Improve

Dermot Bannon returns with six more of his innovative and contemporary designs, featuring a diverse mix of renovations, refurbishments and brand new builds. This time, with budgets tighter and clients' expectations even higher, Dermot will be obliged to expand his role as perfectionist designer to include mediation, builder-wrangling and some extremely delicate diplomacy.

Get the Look Mon 12.30pm, • Tues 4.30pm • Thurs 8.30pm • Fri 8.30am • Sat 9.30am & 6.30pm • Sun 2.30pm & 9.30pm

Get The Look sees interior designer Kathryn Rayward lay down her years of experience to help families come up with something creative, practical and, above all, functional.

Feature

Photo: Dave Meyers

Conscious eating: bein

Animal rights groups such as Peta, are usually made up primarily of vegans, are actively opposed to any sort of animal testing, including for pharmaceutical products.

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ng vegan/vegetarian

People are increasingly aware of the health, ethical and eco-costs of what they eat and how that food is produced. The result is that, even in developed countries, there is a move back towards a diet which involves less and less animal or animal-derived products. We take a close look at trends around vegetarianism and veganism – and how to make these diets work for you easily and simply.

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W

hile saying one is a vegetarian may sound obvious in terms of what one eats and what not, the reality is that there are a variety of

vegetarian types. So let's start with some definitions.

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or poultry but they usually consume dairy products and eggs.

Lacto-vegetarians consume dairy products but not eggs, ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but not dairy products and lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat eggs as well as dairy products.

Vegetarians also do not eat products that contain (animal-sourced) gelatine or any other meat-based products.

Philosophically-speaking, the vegan point of view is that animals are not here to be exploited by humans, and that commercialisation of animals necessarily involves a fundamental, inhumane component and lack of a basic respect for life.

From a nutrition standpoint, the only difference when it comes to vegetarians and vegans is that vegans need to take B12 and amino acid supplements, since they have no dietary source of these nutrients, and they are not adequately synthesised in the body. You can, however, get all the nutrients you need on a lacto-ovo (eggs and dairy) vegetarian diet without supplements.

Veganism is usually driven by its underlying pro-animal rights philosophy and a compassionate lifestyle whose adherents seek to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other human-driven purposes. Vegans therefore endeavour not to use or consume animal products of any kind.

Consequently, vegans do not consume meat, eggs, milk, honey or any food that is derived from animals in any way. Also, they do not use any other animal-derived products, such as fur, leather, wool, and so on. And they most certainly do not condone the use of animal testing – indeed, animal rights groups such as Peta, are usually made up primarily of vegans, and are actively opposed to

Philosophically-speaking, the vegan point of view is that animals are not here to be exploited by humans, and that commercialisation of animals necessarily involves a fundamental, inhumane component and lack of a basic respect for life.

This philosophical difference with vegans also extends beyond diet to other animal products. So, most vegetarians do not mind using animal-derived products, like fur, leather or wool.

But these are generalisations to which there are almost always exceptions.

Benefits A frequent question from 'conventional' eaters interested in vegetarianism or veganism is: What are the benefits of the various kinds of vegetarian and vegan diets?

The health benefits of a vegetarian diet are the number-one reason why people choose to follow this way of eating. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans support the benefit of a vegetarian diet, pointing out that: 'Most Americans of all ages eat fewer than the recommended number of servings of grain products, vegetables, and fruits, even though consumption of these foods is associated with a substantially lower risk for many chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer.'

Support for this point of view has been found in a series of major studies, including the Adventist Health Study, the Oxford Vegetarian Study, the Health Food Shoppers study, and the Heidelberg Study.

any sort of animal testing, including for pharmaceutical

History

products.

The earliest records of vegetarianism come from ancient and

India and ancient Greece in the 5th century BCE. In

philosophically-driven and in general is considered to

the Asian instance the diet was closely connected

consist of a diet that excludes meat (including game

with the idea of non-violence towards animals (called

and slaughter by-products; fish, shellfish and other sea

ahimsa in India) and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers. Among the Hellenes, Egyptians and others, it had medical or ritual purification purposes.

Following the Christianisation of the Roman Empire, vegetarianism practically disappeared from Europe, along with many other parts of the world, except for India.

Several orders of monks in Medieval Europe restricted or

Vegetarianism

can

also

be

ethically

animals; and poultry), with, as we have seen, a number of sub-variations around eggs, dairy and similar animal products. Most vegetarians would, for example, not hesitate to eat honey which technically (in the narrowest vegan interpretation) is the by-product of 'animals', beings bees.

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Increasingly, the eco-impacts of Sub-varieties the variations in vegetarianism already discussed, meat-eating are beginning to incline Beyond there are yet others, such as raw veganism (really a growing number of people to either a variety of veganism) which allows only fresh and fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Vegetables reduce or entirely eliminate meat or uncooked can be cooked up to a certain temperature only in this certain specific categories thereof in system, with a preference for light steaming over boiling.

The primary driver here is that of optimising the retained their diets. nutritional benefits of eating uncooked raw food which is

known to have much higher vitamin and other nutrient factors than cooked equivalents.

banned the consumption of meat for ascetic reasons, but none of them eschewed fish. It re-emerged during the Renaissance, becoming more widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries.

In 1847, the first Vegetarian Society was founded in the UK. Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries followed. The International Vegetarian Union, a union of the national societies, was founded in 1908. The popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century and is now generally adopted for different reasons as a result of nutritional, ethical, cultural, political and more recently, enviro – and economic concerns. The overriding objection to eating meat was and is out of respect for all sentient life. Increasingly, though, the eco-impacts of meat-eating are beginning to incline a growing number of people to either heavily reduce or entirely eliminate either all categories of meat or certain specific categories.

Other variants are: Fruitarianism, which permits only fruit, nuts, seeds, and other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant.

Sattvic diet (also known as yogic diet), a plant-based diet which may also include dairy (not eggs) and honey, but excludes anything from the onion or leek family, red lentils, durian fruit, mushrooms, blue cheeses, fermented foods or sauces, alcoholic drinks and often also excludes coffee, black or green tea, chocolate, nutmeg or any other type of stimulant such as excessively sharp or strong spices.

This is because the many hundreds of millions of livestock from which meat is produced often live in

Buddhist vegetarianism. Different

unsanitary, cramped and generally appalling conditions.

Buddhist

The great percentage of meats consumed in developed,

teachings on diet, which may also vary

and increasingly in developing, societies is treated

for ordained monks and nuns compared

traditions

have

differing

with antibiotics, pesticide dipping and, with beef in

to others. Many interpret the precept 'not

particular, artificial hormone supplementation. The health

to kill' to require abstinence from meat, but not all. In

and eco-impacts of this agro-industrial approach are

Taiwan, su vegetarianism excludes not only all animal

mounting.

products but also vegetables in the allium family (which

With methane production from these animals

have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic),

considered a significant contributor to global warming

including onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, chives, or shallots.

(methane being a vastly more potent greenhouse gas than CO2), the combined impact of their emissions and the methods of raising them, plus the suffering and eco-impacts of their transportation to places of slaughter, means that the negative 'footprint' of modern

Jain vegetarianism includes dairy but excludes eggs and honey, as well as root vegetables.

industrial-scale meat production is huge.

So, for a variety of reasons, the appeal of veganism, vegetarianism, or partial vegetarianism is growing globally as awareness grows of the full impact of meat-eating.

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Macrobiotic diets consist mostly of whole grains and beans.

It's important to be aware that if you choose to be vegetarian or vegan, you need to plan your diet to make sure it includes all the essential nutrients. The wider the variety of foods you eat, the easier it will be to meet your nutritional requirements. important, however, to be aware of how our dairy cows in particular are treated and, therefore, in turn what our milk is truly all about; how many millions of chickens live permanently in cages and never even see the light of day, some having their beak and claws painfully clipped; and how our cosmetic industry experiments on animals, to name just a few issues which are helping drive the animal rights movements globally.

All this ill treatment of animals is presented by industry bodies, usually, as seemingly for our (human)

Vegan We have already established that the main difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is that vegans eliminate all animal products from their diet, including dairy and eggs, as well as the use of any animal-derived products from their entire lifestyles, including products like silk and down. The word 'vegan' first originated in the '40s by co founder of the Vegan Society, Donald Watson, when trying to find an alternative to the term 'non-dairy vegetarian'. He lived to a ripe old age of 95, advocated the health benefits of a vegan diet and encouraged fellow beings to live with compassion. It can therefore be said that vegans' tremendous compassion for animals is an abiding, overriding conviction in their lives. It overrides individual issues of custom, convenience, comfort or cuisine and represents 'mindfulness in all aspects' when it comes to the rights of other living, sentient and semi-sentient creatures, even insects like silk worms and bees.

Animal rights

good. But once you open your eyes to see, hear and know, it is virtually impossible to continue to consume food in the way that has been the norm without your conscience pricking you.

'If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. There is a direct relationship between eating meat and the environment. Quite simply, you can't be a meat-eating environmentalist. Sorry folks.' That's the view of Sir Paul McCartney. Born in 1942, McCartney is obviously most famous for his role as a leading light in the greatest musical group of all time, The Beatles, but in his post-Beatles years was heavily involved with his now-deceased wife Linda in promoting vegetarianism, mainly for health and ethical reasons.

Others agree with him. The most famous scientists of all time, Albert Einstein, said: 'Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.'

Health Besides the ethical reasons, the health benefits of a

It is true to say that, in general, the way that animals

vegetarian or vegan diet are frequently cited as the

are treated by humans for our consumption and other

number-one reason why people choose to follow this way

needs is frequently truly appalling and very hard to spell

of eating. Large-scale studies have shown that overall,

out in detail here without going into horrifying detail. It is

vegetarians/vegans tend to be slimmer, appear to be in

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better health, and have a reduced risk of chronic diseases

lentils, nuts and seeds, soy (non-GM) products, including

and greater longevity when compared with omnivores.

soy beverages, tempeh and tofu, and whole (non-GM

Some of the other health benefits attributed to following

cereal) grains. It is recommended that vegetarians and

a vegetarian diet are a lower risk for cardiovascular

vegans eat legumes and nuts daily, along with wholegrain

disease, hypertension, Type II diabetes, diverticulosis,

cereals, to ensure adequate nutrient intakes.

renal disease, some cancers (including lung and breast), and gallstones.

These health benefits are derived from the foods that are reduced or omitted (meats and meat-derivative foods) as well as from the foods that are consumed in their stead. A healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and a low consumption of alcohol and tobacco (or even better if none at all) may also play a role in acquiring these benefits.

Vegetarians and vegans also have lower rates of illness and death from a number of degenerative diseases. The similarities in the various kinds of vegetarian diets are the high consumption of fruit, vegetables, soy (non-GM), nuts, and legumes. Overall, they tend to have a lower intake of saturated fat and cholesterol and the higher

Trace nutrients If you're vegetarian or vegan, you need to make sure you get the right amount of essential dietary minerals. Some of these minerals and their suggested food sources include:

Iron – vegetarian and vegan diets are generally high in iron from plant foods. However, this iron is not absorbed as well as the iron in meat. Good food sources of iron that are suitable for vegetarians and vegans include cereals fortified with iron, whole grains, legumes, tofu, green leafy vegetables and dried fruits. Combining these foods with foods high in vitamin C and food acids like fruit and vegetables will help your body absorb the iron.

intakes of complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre, as well

Zinc – performs essential functions in the body,

as certain minerals, and phytochemicals. Cholesterol is

including the development of immune system cells. Good

only found in animal foods, so vegan diets are completely

food sources of zinc include nuts, tofu, miso, legumes,

cholesterol-free. There is evidence linking red meat,

wheatgerm and wholegrain foods.

especially processed meat, with an increased risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, and Type II diabetes.

Cutting back on the quantity and frequency of red meat consumption can therefore directly lead to health benefits.

However, it is also important to be aware that if you choose to be vegetarian or vegan, you need to plan your diet to make sure it includes all the essential nutrients.

Calcium – is needed for strong bones and teeth.

Good food sources of calcium include (non-pasteurised) dairy products, fortified cereals and fruit juices, fortified soymilk, tahini and some brands of tofu. Leafy dark green vegetables (especially Asian greens), legumes, almonds and Brazil nuts also contain calcium.

The wider the variety of foods you eat, the easier it will be

Iodine – our bodies need iodine for the thyroid gland

to meet your nutritional requirements. Whenever possible,

and other associated hormones to function normally.

choose organic, free range and GM-free products. Read all

Iodised salt is the most common source of iodine in the

food item labels carefully.

Western diet. Iodine is found in seafood, which is a rich

Some essential dietary requirements, which could be missing from a vegetarian diet if it isn't carefully planned,

source of this element. Sea vegetables (seaweed) also contain iodine, but are also high in salt.

include: protein, minerals (including iron, calcium and zinc), vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Protein is essential for many bodily processes, including tissue-building and repair. Protein is made up of smaller components called amino acids. A complete protein has all the amino acids necessary to make up that protein (there are a large number of protein variants, requiring a variety of amino acids). Most individual plant foods are not complete proteins – they only have some of the amino acids necessary for vibrant health. Soy is one of the only complete vegetable proteins. Some good plant sources of protein include: legumes such as beans, peas and

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B12 Vitamin B12 is important for the production of red blood cells – it helps to maintain healthy nerves and a healthy brain. Vegans are at risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency because it is not found in plant products.

Anaemia is a common result of B12 deficiency. If a breastfeeding mother is following a vegan diet, the lack of vitamin B12 in her milk can interfere with normal brain development of her baby.

Vitamin B12 can be found in dairy products and eggs. There are fortified vegan foods such as some soy

beverages, and some vegetarian sausages and burgers.

If vegans don't get their B12 requirement from these foods, they are advised to take B12 supplements. Vitamin B12 absorption becomes less efficient as we age, so

supplements may also be needed by older vegetarians.

Vitamin D major source of vitamin D, dietary intake is only important when exposure to UV light from the sun is inadequate – for example, in people who are housebound or whose clothing covers almost all of their skin. Vegans can increase their chances of avoiding vitamin D deficiency by

www.cuteheaven.com

The main source of vitamin D is sunlight. As the sun is a

consuming fortified soy milk and cereals.

Well-planned

vegan

and

vegetarian

diets

are

appropriate for all stages of a person's life. However, special care needs to be taken with young children. One way to ensure that vegetarian children meet their energy needs is to give them frequent meals and snacks. It is particularly important that vegan children have energy and nutrient-dense foods regularly (such as full-fat soy drinks, tofu, mashed avocado, tahini spread and vegetables cooked with oil).

Vegetarian musts Once you've embarked on a vegan or vegetarian diet, there are some very important things you simply must, or must not, do.

These include eating regularly, preferably smaller meals eaten more frequently – and above all, don't skip meals. You should also strive to vary your diet, both for interest's sake and for nutrient requirements, so don't get stuck in an eating rut.

Many people worry that a vegan or vegetarian diet is necessarily boring or repetitive – it's important that you don't deprive yourself of the fun of eating well and healthily, as well as eating food that is delicious, regardless of whether or not it's made for a non-meat eater.

A vegan or vegetarian diet requires more time, attention and thought than a generic 'meat and two veggies' approach, so don't be shy to look for or ask for support or help – these days, with the internet but a click away – that's relatively easy to get.

And a final point: never take your food for granted.

All food comes at a price. Even vegetables are life forms and, if you are a believer in the connectedness of all life, their 'sacrifice' in feeding us needs to be honoured and respected. Beside any ethical notions in this regard, there

'We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the devil in human form.'

William Ralph Inge, England, author, professor at Cambridge University UK, and Anglican Dean, 1860-1954. is a powerful psycho-physiological aspect: being grateful for one's food has shown up in studies to be associated over time with increased health and vitality as well as a deeper sense of being connected to life.

So give gratitude for the abundance of nourishing whole food from your local grocery store, your farmers market or from wherever you source your food – it's respectful of all those who've participated in getting food onto your plate, and indeed the entire greater cycle of life, and it engenders a sense of wellbeing and wholesomeness which, along with proper nutrition, is part of the foundations of a healthier, happier, more fulfilled life. S G Resources & references www.diffen.com/difference/Vegan_vs_Vegetarian w w w. m e d i c i n e n e t . c o m / ve g e t a r i a n _ a n d _ ve g a n _ d i e t / p a g e 6 . htm#what_are_the_benefits_of_the_various_kinds_of_vegetarian_ and_vegan_diets www.vegansa.com/veganism-philosphy-of-life.php www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Vegetarian_ eating www.motherearthliving.com www.mindbodygreen.com

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Vegan products

2

1. ZAO Liquid Lipbalm

1

ZAO is accredited by the Leaping Bunny

organisation as being cruelty free. A light balm with a velvet texture that melts on your lips while providing a natural glossy effect. Light on you and light on our Earth. Its active ingredients intensely moisturise your lips to give them elasticity and a natural shine, and if used regularly, it will protect against the harsh elements (cold, wind and sun).

2. ZAO Liquid Silk Foundation

3

4

5

ZAO is accredited by the Leaping Bunny organisation as being cruelty free. The light texture of ZAO silk foundation makes application easier and respond to those who want a natural complexion.

Besides organic silica contained in bamboo hydrosol, organic sweet almond oil, jojoba and shea butter give this foundation a deep moisturising effect and a luminous complexion.

3. Esse Cream Cleanser

6

Esse is accredited by BWC as being cruelty-free.

This is a light, gentle vegan cream cleanser, usually preferred by those with more mature or combination skin types. Suitable for all skin types, it will not leave any greasiness behind after rinsing. Rather it leaves the skin clear and matt, preparing it for the next step. It is water soluble and removes all traces of make-up and impurities.

7

4. Sanctum Men's Moisturiser 8

This light vegan moisturiser is ideal for all skin types, especially oily. Formulated to calm and soothe irritated skin, leaving it feeling cool and hydrated.

9 10

5. Esse Lip Conditioner

This is a rich vegan protective lip conditioner that locks in moisture while assisting to restore natural barrier function.

6. Sante Organic Shisandra Night Cream

12 13

11

Sante’s Bio-Schisandra vegan facial care helps delicate, irritated or reddened skin to relax and regenerate quickly. Valuable active ingredients from organic schisandra berries are exceptionally rich in essential oils, precious flavonoids and vitamins.

Certified organic by BDIH and NaTrue. Vegan and gluten-free.

7. Wild Rosemary & Vanilla Shower Gel

14 15

16

The Victorian Garden is accredited by BWC as being cruelty-free. As a top seller, this very rich Body Butter is an excellent choice to nourish and nurture dry skin. Shea Butter is blended with active botanical extracts of Wheatgerm, Jojoba and Geranium. The exquisite scent of Madagasdcan Vanilla makes this butter a must for those suffering with dry, scaly and itchy skin.

11. Sante HOMME 2-in-1 Facial Moisture Fluid

The freshness kick for men’s skin: the light fluid combines in just one product revitalising moisture with soothing care after your shave. It is absorbed quickly without greasiness, giving your skin a lasting feeling of being smooth and cared for. White tea and organic aloe vera are nourishing and combat the premature ageing of skin.

12. Sparitual Drop Dead Gorgeous Nail Lacquer

The greenest way to paint the town red. All Sparitual nail lacquers are lovingly hand-blended using only natural colouring and 100% vegan ingredients.

Make Sparitual part of your earth-friendly beauty regime and you’ll find a beautiful selection of colours to match your every mood.

13. Pure Beginnings Eco roll on – Forest

Pure Beginnings are accredited by BWC as being cruelty-free. The forest eco roll on is a revitalising deodorant with a distinctive smell of spearmint that keeps you feeling fresh all day. Most importantly it is free of aluminium, parabens, synthetic fragrances and animal products.

14. Natraloe Hand & Body Lotion

This is a rich and velvety vegan body lotion with 25% organic aloe ferox gel as well as shea butter, almond and jojoba oils to nourish & pamper your skin. Exquisitely scented with vanilla oil to excite the senses. Leaves skin feeling fabulously soft nourished.

15. Dry Damaged Hair

8. Badger Damascus Rose Face Oil

16. Eco Suncare Sun Cream SPF30 (Tinted)

9. Africa Organics Kalahari Melon Lotion

African Organics have been accredit by BWC as being cruelty-free. This sweet, citrus scented body lotion will leave your skin feeling beautifully nourished and moisturised. It’s enriched with Kalahari melon known for its powerful anti-ageing characteristics. Added Rooibos, rich in antioxidants,

Many natural and organic products contain beeswax, but on www.Faithful-to-Nature.co.za every product is classified as being vegan or vegetarian so you don’t have to do any ingredient checking yourself. This is a small selection of the amazing vegan products they have for sale.

Most of these products have also been certified as being cruelty free too.

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10. Mango & Vanilla Hydrating Body Butter

The Victorian Garden is accredited by BWC as being cruelty-free. This is an invigorating soap-free shower gel that gently cleanses the skin, removing dirt without damaging the skin's delicate pH balance.

The gorgeous aroma of Madagascan vanilla oil makes this a most indulgent shower experience. It is mild enough for daily use and can be used on all skin types.

Badger has been accredited by the leaping bunny as being cruelty free. An elegant blend of naturally restorative oils. Organic jojoba, baobab and pomegranate oils have been combined to create a light, super-absorbent and highly nourishing face serum. A couple of drops of Badger's Rose Face Oil will soothe, moisturize and noticeably improve the texture of the skin.

17

is fantastic for nourishing your skin. Africa Organics Kalahari Melon Body Lotion is a 100% natural, sulphate free, light lotion that will leave your skin feeling pampered.

African Organics have been accredit by BWC as being cruelty free. Suitable for the most sensitive skins, this lovely vegan hair treatment will calm itchiness and irritation. Baobab and Jojoba oil discourage hair breakage and add body and lustre.

Used regularly as a treatment, hair becomes naturally shiny, soft, smooth and manageable.

The Eco Cosmetics range was designed to protect skin from the damaging and dehydrating effects of the sun. This is achieved by combining mineral pigments and powerful natural active ingredients such as sea buckthorn, pomegranate and olive, which strengthen, moisturise, soothe and soften the skin. The mineral pigments act like a mirror on your skin to reflect the rays of the sun and prevent them from causing damage.

17. Sunumbra Sunscreen for Kids SPF40

Sunumbra Sunkids is a dermatologically tested natural sunscreen containing organic ingredients which ensure: 5 Star rating (UVA), SPF40 (UVB), High protection full spectrum and 40 minute water resistance

ADVERTORIAL

clearing carbs & sugar Exercise and sport expert Professor Tim Noakes’ diet low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats, is revolutionising conventional thinking about weight loss and well-being, and converts are throwing out carbs and sugar in favour of healthy fats and protein.

Now, the launch of The Real Meal Revolution diet and recipe book

by Tim Noakes, Sally-Ann Creed, Jonno Proudfoot, David Grier, and published by Quivertree Publications, is spurring frustrated dieters across South Africa to adopt a new approach to food.

T

he Real Meal Revolution is set to change lives and grocery lists, one meal at a time. The book is based on thorough research, which is shattering conventional beliefs about weight loss, heart health, obesity and cholesterol as well as many other health related issues.

Grocery retailer Wellness Warehouse, which hosted the packed Cape Town Launch of the book and now is expecting an influx of dieters in search of specific products on the eating plan, has accommodated the diet on its shelves, including a 'Starter Pack' with the book.

Sean Gomes, MD of Wellness Warehouse says: 'We support healthy eating in every form, and this diet has proved to be very successful in dealing with obesity, insulin resistance and heart health in a large number of people.'

'The "Banting" diet on which Tim Noakes has based his research, requires a radical change in food buying and preparation. In conjunction with the launch of the book, we are offering consumers the opportunity to purchase a starter kit, which will help kick-start their journey to better health.

The starter kit contains olive and coconut oils, nuts and suitable snacks, plus a number of less common ingredients used in the book such as: coconut and almond flours, psyllium

husks, raw linseed and tahini spread,' says Gomes.

'For the diet to work, it helps to have almond flour or psyllium husks to use in place of traditional starches, plus nuts, healthy oils, nut butters and biltong on hand to ensure you are eating enough healthy fat' The crack squad behind the Real Meal Revolution – scientist Tim Noakes, nutritionist Sally-Ann Creed and chef-athletes Jonno Proudfoot and David Grier – have walked, or in some cases, run the hard yards through the gauntlets of nutritional science and self-experimentation. The revelatory stance and the mouth-watering recipes in this book are the result of their experience combined with overwhelming scientific evidence.

With people following the diet reporting more energy, less (or no cravings), better blood glucose and insulin readings, weight loss and better sleeping habits, it's no surprise people are queuing up to join the revolution.

The Real Meal Revolution book (R298 including VAT) and the Wellness Warehouse starter kit (R899 including VAT) are available from Wellness Warehouse stores or through the online shop. For more information see ad below.

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company profile

make one change Quorn is one of the most widely available meat alternative in the world. Their brand of healthy, sustainable and delicious soy-free, meat-free products has been leading 13 international markets including the UK, USA and Australia. We take a look at this solution to a growing global demand for protein that will soon be launching in South Africa.

S

o, what is Quorn's secret? Mycoprotein – a

the same family as truffles – that grows naturally

healthy vegetarian protein that is an excellent

in soil and can be produced in a similar way to

source of dietary fibre, is low in fat and

the production of yoghurt.' According to Quorn's

saturates and contains no cholesterol or trans fats

Director of Research & Development, Tim Finnigan,

– is their answer. It contains all of the amino acids

the discovery was ground breaking at the time, as

that are essential for adults and is low in sodium.

although micro-organisms were used a great deal in

It also adds an unparalleled 'meat like' texture

food production – such as yeast for bread, fungi for

to food without the use of soy. This progressive

chocolate and cheese, as well as bacteria for milk

new product is unique to any other meat-free,

fermented products like yoghurt – this was the first

high-protein ingredients currently available.

time it was considered as a primary ingredient.

The story

Quorn first hit the shelves in the UK in 1985 as a

Quorn's Mycoprotein was first discovered in the

'potato-topped pie' sold in Sainsbury's. It quickly

1960's when people feared the world's food

became one of the country's biggest food brands,

production would not be able cope with the

and a household name not only in the vegetarian

expanding global population and that people would

community but among all food lovers and healthy

starve At the time a British philanthropist and

eaters.

businessman, Lord Rank, led a project to discover a new source of protein for human consumption.

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It took 20 years of intensive development before

Part of the solution

'The quest to discover the first new food

Quorn is a sustainable, healthy alternative to meat

since the potato,' is how Tim Finnigan, Quorn's

and soy products. 'In today's world we find ourselves

Director of Research & Development, describes

in an even more pressing situation than they did

Lord Rank's pioneering thinking. 'It was a project

in the 60s,' says Finnigan. 'We are once again

of great technical and commercial speculation,' he

facing a food security crisis fuelled by exponential

said. 'Ultimately, this team of top scientists found

global population growth and by an ever-increasing

Mycoprotein, a tiny member of the fungi family –

demand for meat, especially from the East. The

world's population is expected to increase even more dramatically, from 6 billion today to nine billion, by 2050,' he said. 'The greenhouse gases from the production of ruminant livestock (cows & sheep) is estimated to be 11% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, and is expected to increase by 70% by 2050.'

'Millions of people living in poverty suffer from malnutrition, while in the first world, millions more suffer from health issues related to over consumption, bad food choices and obesity,' said Finnigan. 'What are we going to do about the 9 billion challenges we face in the next few decades?

At Quorn we believe in being part of the solution.'

Environmentally friendly & efficient

The easy, healthy alternative The Quorn range offers more than 100 products, ranging from chicken style fillets to vegetarian mince and ready-made meals, nine of these will be available when the product launches in South Africa. With Quorn you can lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle by enjoying foods that are tasty, wholesome and, as Quorn foods are completely meat-free, much more cost effective than eating meat. Food lovers can enjoy all their favourite meals the healthy way, vegetarians can get the nutritional benefits of meat and dieters can reduce their fat and calorie intake in an enjoyable and sustainable manner.

The production of Quorn is more environmentally

Quorn

friendly than the production of meat, and it is much

selected Checkers, Pick 'n Pay,

will

be

introduced

more efficient. Finnigan said: 'An analysis of the

Spar and other good food stores

'lifecycle' of the Quorn production process by the

nationwide throughout November.

Carbon Trust concluded that Quorn pieces and

For more info visit their website

Quorn mince contained significantly less embedded

www.quorn.co.za,

greenhouse gasses than the meat equivalent – and

Facebook page or follow them

in the case of Quorn mince at least 10 times less.'

on Twitter. For recipes featuring

And, he said, it is much more efficient to produce.

Quorn product see overleaf.

visit

to

their

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s e p i rec S G 142

Southern Style Chicken Burgers & Roasted Vegetable Wraps Serves 2

Preparation time:

10 – 15 minutes

Cooking time:

10 – 20 minutes

Total time:

20 – 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 250 g (1 packet) Quorn Southern Chicken Style Burgers • 1 small yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips • 1 small red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips • 1 small courgette, cut into batons • 1/2 red onion, cut into wedges • 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil • 1/3 cup (83ml) low fat Greek style yoghurt • 1 tsp (5ml) lemon zest • 2 large wraps, warmed • 1 cup (250ml) rocket leaves Method: Cook the Quorn Southern Chicken Style Burgers according to the back of pack instructions. Place peppers, courgette and onion on a baking tray and drizzle with oil. Cook in a preheated oven at 220°C for 18 minutes. Combine yoghurt and lemon zest, spread over each wrap. Place some rocket down the centre of the wraps, top with cooked vegetables and sliced Quorn southern chicken style burgers, wrap to encase filling and serve.

TIP: Readymade Tzatziki can be substituted for the yoghurt and lemon.

Quorn BBQ Dippers & Tangy Coleslaw Pita

Quorn Mince Bobotie

Serves 3 – 4

Preparation time: 10 – 15 minutes

Preparation time: 10 – 15 minutes

Cooking time:

35 – 40 minutes

Cooking time: 20 – 25 minutes

Total time:

45 – 55 minutes

Total time: 30 – 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 300 g (1 packet) Quorn BBQ Dippers • 1/4 head red cabbage • 1 small red onion • 1 small red chilli • 1 big handful of raisins (about 25g) • A pinch of English mustard powder (optional) • 1 tsp (5ml) runny honey • 5 tbsp (75ml) Low Fat Greek yoghurt • 1 lime • 4 whole wheat pita breads Method: Cook the BBQ Dippers according to the back of pack instructions. Remove and discard the woody core from the cabbage, then slice the cabbage as finely as possible and put it in a large bowl. Peel and finely slice the red onion, half, deseed and finely chop the chilli and add to the bowl along with the raisins, mustard powder, if using, and honey. Spoon in the yoghurt, squeeze over the juice of the lime and season to taste. Mix everything together and set aside. Warm the pita bread. Serve piping hot Quorn BBQ dippers, in pita bread with tangy coleslaw.

Serves: 4

• 2 slices whole wheat bread • 2 onions, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil • 300 g (1 packet) Quorn Mince • 1 tbsp (15ml) mild curry powder • 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) dried mixed herbs • 1 tsp (5ml) allspice • 1 tbsp (15 ml) fruit chutney • 1 heaped tbsp (15ml) sultanas • 200ml homemade vegetable stock • 4 bay leaves • Freshly ground black pepper For the topping: 2 tbsp (30 ml) fat-free milk, 2 free range eggs

Method: Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Pour cold water over the bread and set aside to soak. Meanwhile fry the onions in the olive oil, stirring regularly for 10 minutes until they are soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic and then stir in the curry powder, herbs, spices, chutney, sultanas, stock and 1 of the bay leaves with freshly ground pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes then add the Quorn mince and continue to cook whilst stirring for 2 minutes. Squeeze the water from the bread and beat into the meat mixture until well blended. Tip into an ovenproof dish. Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. For the topping, beat the milk and eggs with seasoning then pour over the meat. Top with remaining bay leaves and bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.

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Health

How to juice (properly)

Juicing has gained fame for its ability to energise, alkalise, detox, and rejuvenate both inside and out. Green vegetable juices fill you with beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. Proponents claim juicing has the ability to improve skin health, reverse degenerative disease and even slow down or reverse gray hair. Juicing is clearly a good health option, but there is a right and wrong way to juice. Mary Vance reports.

G

o easy on fruit juices. Be

The exception is using the occasional green apple

especially cautious with

or kiwi to sweeten some of the more bitter green

tropical fruits like mango

drinks. Green apples are relatively low in sugar.

and pineapple, which are very

Focus on organic, raw green veggies for maximum

high in sugar. Fruits offer plenty

nutrition in freshly pressed juice. This is a great way

of antioxidants and beneficial

to sneak more veggies in concentrated form into

enzymes,

your diet. Juices should not be a substitution for

but

they

are

best

eaten whole with their fibre. It is

eating your vegetables, however.

therefore not recommended to do

You cannot live on juice alone – at least, not for

regular juicing with fruit, especially

extended periods of time. Vegetable juice should

if you are on a weight-loss plan.

be used as an accompaniment to a meal or in

Pineapple and mango juice sound

between meals (great afternoon energy boost), but

delicious but a helping contains

you still need the fibre from whole vegetables, and

up to eight teaspoons of natural

juice doesn't provide this. With that said, juicing

sugar (fructose).

makes it easier to absorb all the nutrients from the

That will send your blood

vegetables you're juicing and makes it easy to get a

sugar and insulin levels

wider variety of veggies you may not otherwise eat.

soaring, increasing fat

storage.

Stay away from juicing raw cabbage, collards, bok choy, kale and broccoli. All cruciferous veggies are goitrogenic, meaning they contain substances that suppress thyroid function when consumed raw.

They may also cause gas, bloating and stomach upset in some folks. The cruciferous veggies do have wonderful health benefits when cooked or lightly steamed as cooking deactivates the goitrogens.

Use raw spinach, beet greens and chard sparingly. They contain oxalic acid, which can irritate the mouth and intestinal tract and block iron and calcium absorption.

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Oxalic acid has also been linked to the formation of kidney stones.

The best veggies to juice include the following: Cucumbers, which are very cleansing and good for skin health.

Celery, anti-inflammatory and alkalising; also said to lower blood pressure.

Beets, a super liver-cleanser and great vegetarian source of iron.

Carrots, rich in beta-carotene, beneficial for eyesight, and also a great liver/gall bladder cleanser. Use caution with carrot juice, as it's also high in sugar.

Spinach, occasionally, high in iron, very alkalising, and great for skin health.

Wheatgrass, overall great detoxifier and also alkalising.

Recipes Below are a few of our favourite recipes. Get creative. Add a squeeze of lime to the finished product for an extra kick. Or try adding a pinch of sea salt for extra trace minerals. Buy organic where possible and scrub everything before juicing. I have a green drink every morning before breakfast for an energy boost.

The Detoxer 1 beet 2 carrots 1 green apple 1 thumb-size piece of ginger Optional: 1 bunch parsley and/or 1 tbsp spirulina/chlorella blend

The Alkaliser 2 stalks celery

Fennel, excellent for digestion, reduces

1 cucumber

bloating. Great licorice-like flavour.

1 green apple

Romaine lettuce or red bell peppers –

1 carrot

very high in vitamin C. Herbs are great, too. Use parsley, cilantro (helps to chelate heavy metals), and ginger (good for digestion and cleansing). Throw in some raw garlic if you're brave or want to ward off colds and flu's, as well as sundry other infections as garlic is not only antibacterial and antiviral, but also helps lower blood cholesterol. It's a great immune health boosters.

Make your own, or buy unpasteurised juice if you can. The heat from the pasteurisation

Handful spinach Optional: ½ bunch parsley or cilantro

The Kitchen Sink 2 stalks celery 1 red pepper 1/2 bunch parsley or cilantro 1 carrot 1/2 cucumber 1/2 fennel bulb Handful spinach Squeeze lime (into finished juice)

process kills most of the beneficial enzymes

Optional: garlic cloves to taste

raw juice provides.

Resource: www.mindbodygreen.com

SG

Oscar Juicer Easy to operate and exceptionally easy to clean the Oscar Juicer not only makes fresh and healthy juice in minutes but also minces, grinds, pulverises and creams. The internationally award winning design operates almost noiselessly at 80rpm, crushing and squeezing the juice out of fruit , vegetables or grass.

To order the Oscar Juicer along with other eco-friendly and healthy products go to www.naturalwise.co.za

145 S G

Hot off the press stella organics

Sulphur dioxide is one of the oldest preservatives in winemaking and is widely-used to prevent the oxidation of wine. Although a full-blown sulphur allergy is a rarity, many people are sensitive to it and are unable to drink wine because of this.

Generally the headache associated with a hangover is linked to dehydration. However, some people who suffer from a sulphur sensitivity or allergy have noticed that this headache is aggravated if they drink wines containing high levels of sulphur. Organic wine, however, contains less sulphur due to organic legislation. Through innovative techniques that Stellar Winery has perfected over the last 10 years, they are able to now offer a No Sulphur Added (NSA) wine range that allows for a more natural wine, with the flavours coming through as cleaner and more transparent. It also allows for a richer red wine colour as sulphur dioxide can act as a bleach. There is also a common misconception that No Sulphur Added wines have a shorter shelf life than regular sulphurated wines. The truth is that once the wine is in the bottle the wine is safe and will last for up to three years. www.stellarorganics.com

LotusGrill

Mobelli is proud to announce the launch of the LotusGrill, a compact and easy to use portable braai which has already racked up prestigious global product and design awards. Powered by a battery-operated fan, which constantly supplies the charcoal with air, ensuring hot, ready-to-use coals within four to five minutes, the grill’s double layered construction means that it keeps heat in the inside of the bowl, ensuring it can be touched, moved or even carried around during use because the outer bowl never gets hot. It is ideal for use at home, inside or outside, the beach, on boats, at picnics, or camping. You can have the perfect braai experience without all the fuss and mess dealing with gas bottles or bags of heavy charcoal.

5.5% Alco arniston-bay.co

S G 146

The season of giving is upon us and we all know what a panic searching for gifts can cause. That is why leading health and wellness retailer, Wellness Warehouse, is here to make things easier for you this festive season. With an extensive list of gifts for you to choose from, Wellness Warehouse caters for everyone's needs.

Why not do your bit for the environment this festive season by spoiling your loved ones with eco-friendly gifts? Or if you prefer adding a personal touch, you can always opt for DIY gifts from Wellness Warehouse stores or via the online shop.

Here are just a few options.

Wonderbag

The Wonderbag was developed to ease the social, economic and enviro impacts of current global circumstances. It is a non-electric, heat-retention cooker that allows food that has been brought to a boil, to continue cooking after it has been removed from the fuel source. It’s taken years of passion, energy and perseverance to get Sarah Collins (pictured above) and the brand to where it is today. Their hope is to bring the Wonderbag to between 12-15 countries around the world by 2015.

Wonderbag is a trusted and loved product that's already achieving global success and delivers life changing benefits for a relatively low, once-off cost. Simply put, Wonderbag is a catalyst for global change. Their brand is simple, honest, reliable, hard-working and authentic. For more info click here.

Wellness Olive Oil is a cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Rich full flavour and grassy aroma. The product is naturally cholesterol-free.

Bos Organic Rooibos Tea is exclusively sourced from Klipopmekaar and the teabags are made from 'bioweb'; a new enviro-friendly packing material. The teabags are packaged in a lovely steel can, which makes for the perfect gift.

Veld Fed Snack Sticks has no growth hormones as the animals do not come from feedlots. Their food is not filled with pesticides and they aren't given routine antibiotics. The biltong comes from farms with a commitment to natural farming and a respect for nature.

Heaven on Earth Dessert Wine is a natural sweet dessert wine (vegan-friendly) and is light gold in colour. A very fragrant nose is reminiscent of roses, apricots and pine trees on a hot windless day. The wine is light in the mouth and has delicate flavours of the roses and apricots held together by wisps of Rooibos, ending with pine nuts. The wine has a good acidity that prevents a cloying sweetness and allows a clean finish.

All these products are available at www.wellnesswarehouse.com

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Hot off the press OBiKWA

Bring the fun back into your kitchen by pairing your everyday meals with eco-friendly OBiKWA – the range of easy drinking wines with a different variety for every day of the week. Taking its commitment to a sustainable environment way beyond light-weight glass, OBIKWA adheres to eco-friendly practices throughout the entire wine production process. All their grape producers must comply with the requirements of the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), the South African industry standard for enviro-sustainable practices.

Consequently, all their wines carry the Sustainability Seal issued by the South African Wine & Spirit Board, the world’s first guarantee of eco-friendly production.

OBiKWA is a down-to-earth range of easy drinking, quality cultivar wines expressing their true varietal character and rich, ethnic charm at an affordable price. www.obikwa.com

BREAD FROM SCRATCH

Design student at the School of Indstrial Design in Lund, Sweden, Mirko Ihrig has designed a bread making kit to inspire people to slow down and literally smell the bread. Included in the Bread From Scratch kit is a mill to grind flour, a jar to cultivate sourdough yeast, a mixing bowl, kneading board and paddle to transfer loaves to the accompanying wood fired oven. The rustic design of each item is intended as anti-fast food, to remind us how our most basic foods are made. This project is a reaction to the fact that many people don't know where our food comes from anymore. Fast foods and other processed industrial foods determine our daily life's. Affected by our food system and our eating behavior the knowledge of basic food production slowly disappears. Bread is one of our oldest foods and even today it is the most essential and universal food, equally eaten by rich and poor in most parts of the world; Bread has become the symbol of food. In this project the process of bread baking gets visualized and is used as a metaphor for food production in general in order to remind us how our most basic foods are made. The outcome is a collection of objects that are needed to make bread from scratch. It consists of a mill to grind flour, a jar to cultivate a sourdough, a bowl to mix the ingredients, a board to knead the dough, a paddle to transfer the loaves and an oven to finally bake the bread. http://mirkoihrig.com/

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9057

Too clever! Better winemaking practices makes for better wine.

Like this lovely Chardonnay, produced organically, just like all wines made before 1945.

I’ve heard they use grape skins to generate electricity, and feed shredded office paper to the earthworms. Clever!

And the land is also being restored to its untouched state.

Thanks to the BWI hundreds of thousands of hectares of natural area have been conserved.

MAKE

BETTER WINES HAPPEN Join the conversation on drinking sustainably and supporting great green winemakers.

Do good at no cost to you, by signing up for a Nedbank Green Affinity card.

Visit a Nedbank branch, call 0860 DO GOOD or go to nedbank.co.za.

For more information on the Nedbank Green Wine Awards go to nedbankgreenwineawards.com

Nedbank Limited Reg No 1951/000009/06. Authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16).

149 S G

Shelf

S G 150

The Vegetarian Kitchen Melissa Bushby

Luscious Vegetarian Sonia Cabano & Jade de Waal

Random Struik • 978 1 77007 948 9

Random Struik • 978 177007 961 8

This book includes a comprehensive introduction to vegetarian and dairy-free cooking, as well as some background information on lactose intolerance and how to stock a vegan pantry.

You will be inspired by the food photography, as well as by Mellissa's beautiful illustrations and easy-to-prepare recipes as she leads you on an appetising journey through her kitchen to a healthier way of eating and enjoying food.

This beautifully illustrated cookbook features over 100 delicious vegetarian and lactose-free meals and is aimed at anyone who wants to eat meat-free, whether it's once a week, for a month or for life. The simple, healthy and wholesome recipes include soups, hearty main meals, easy-to-bake breads and delectable desserts.

Sonia and Jade's enthusiasm for flavourful cooking bursts from every page of Luscious Vegetarian. This book contains fun and easy-to-make vegetarian recipes, carefully chosen to satisfy the requirements of young professionals, bustling families and health-conscious hedonists alike.

Using mostly local ingredients, the recipes cover the full range from quick and easy everyday dishes, light bites and simple snacks, through rejuvenation and detoxification with pure foods, to hedonistic feasts for celebrations and deeply satisfying soul food, as well as marvellous bakes and sweet treats. This cookbook is the beginning of an adventurous love affair with vegetarian cooking.

The Busy Mum's Vegetarian Cookbook Mary Gwynn Simon & Schuster • 978 0 85720 595 7

Mary Gwynn applies her 'Busy Mum's' philosophy to this inspirational collection of fail safe vegetarian recipes, all of which are tried, tested and family-approved.

She knows exactly what busy mums need to help them juggle their hectic lives with feeding their families well. At the heart of this is the cleverly stocked store cupboard and fridge, and Mary's shopping tips and short cuts are just what you need to take the stress out of family mealtimes.

There are ideas for everyday eating and packed lunches as well as for celebrations and parties, Christmas, and summer barbecues.

Creating tasty, healthy dishes that will satisfy veggies and non-veggies alike is easy when you know how.

Vegetarian Bible Margaret Barca Penguin Books • 978 0 14 300855 2

Vegetarian food isn't – or, at least, shouldn't be – dull and boring.

It should be adventurous and satisfying, a way of enjoying fresh and natural produce – from fruits and vegetables, pulses and grains, to nuts and seeds. A vegetarian meal can be rustic and robust, or as light and elegant as any fine dining. It doesn't matter why you have chosen not to eat meat, or whether you're a full-time vegetarian, a vegan, or just enjoy eating the occasional meal without meat, you will find recipes here that call on cultures from around the world, that use wonderful lush ingredients, that look good, taste good and are good for you.

Vegetarian Bible has a dish to suit every occasion, from warming soups to crisp summer salads, spicy Asian stir-fries to hearty bean stews.

Low-Carb Living for families Monique le Roux Forslund Random Struik • 978 1 43230 124 8

The phrase 'low carb' has become the new buzz word, but what exactly does it mean, will it suit your and your family's lifestyle, and will it be easy to adapt your eating habits to this way of eating?

In this book, Forslund answers all these questions and explains why reducing the carbohydrates and simultaneously increasing the consumption of natural, healthy fats is good for you and your family. She also cuts through the jungle of products and information that confront us in the media and on shelves, so that we can find our way to a healthy life of natural foods that will satisfy hunger and banish cravings. In addition to over 100 delicious and healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, special occasions and snack time for the whole family (including babies), Low-Carb Living for Families provides easy-to-follow, practical tips and inspiration for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Cook Eat Love Grow Louise Westerhout Random Struik • 978 1 43170 023 3

Louise Westerhout delights in cooking for her son (as well as her family and friends) and seeing the results of good and wholesome food, as well as happy mealtimes.

For her, cooking, eating and growing is an integral part of the fun of life. This philosophy is reflected in her ideas and recipes for meals for babies upwards of four months, as well as dishes suitable for the whole family. There is an emphasis on organic food and most of the 70-odd recipes are wheat – and sugar-free, with many dairy-, egg – and gluten-free options as well. The text encourages parents without being prescriptive, yet it is simple and practical to eliminate guesswork when it comes to feeding babies and children.

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Shelf

The 2-day diet Cookbook Dr Michelle Harvie & Prof Tony Howell Vermilion • 978 0 09 195468 0

This one is the clinically proven 5:2 diet developed by acclaimed scientists Dr Michelle Harvie and Prof Tony Howell at Genesis Breast Cancer. Their intermittent diet has taken the nation by storm as more and more people discover the diet that really works. It's not about counting calories, fasting or going hungry – simply follow the straightforward low-carb eating plan for two days per week then eat normally but sensibly for the other five. In this new beautifully illustrated cookbook, you'll find 65 delicious, healthy recipes for every day of the week, with ideas for both restricted and unrestricted days. On The 2-Day Diet you can enjoy filling, tasty food all day long – from breakfast through to dinner – and still lose more weight and up to twice as much fat as on a standard calorie-controlled

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diet. You will also benefit from a wide range of health benefits associated with the diet, such as reducing insulin and levels of other hormones and inflammation in the body known to cause cancer, lowering high blood pressure, and improving well-being, mood and energy levels. With nutritionally balanced, easy-to-prepare and delicious recipes like these, along with tips, meal plans and a quick-reference guide to what to eat, The 2-Day Diet Cookbook shows you how to love food, lose weight and keep it off forever.

My Granny's Pantry: A kitchen memoir Margaret Wasserfall 978 1 4314 0293 9

This charming memoir-cumcookbook, written by Margaret Wasserfall, well known as former editor of SA Garden and Home and SA Country Life, tells of the influence of her redoubtable Scottish grandmother as she grew up, not least in teaching her about food and cooking. Even if

it is a memoir it is filled with lots of classic recipes as well.

The Harvest Kitchen: A year of flavour on an organic farm Christine Stevens Jacana • 978 1 4314 0804 7

In her book Harvest, Christine shared her passion for growing things and taking food straight from the garden or paddock into the kitchen. The Harvest Kitchen builds upon this philosophy, and brings you more recipes to ensure good, quick (not fast) food with minimal effort. It is a recipe book about how better to use and preserve the fresh produce that is available by capturing the essence of seasonal ingredients to enhance your larder and your lifestyle.

Cook from the Heart: Food for every mood Alida Ryder Penguin • 978 0 1435 3844 8

These are recipes specially created to suit your mood – food that

will give you a lift when you are feeling down, add that extra bit of joy to your celebrations, turn a romantic occasion into something fantastic, enhance moments of calm and serenity, and even cover those days when you feel too lazy to cook but need to feed yourself and your family. Let Alida enthusiasm inspire you with her fresh ideas and her easy to follow instructions and cook scrumptious food, whatever your mood. Apart from her expertise in the kitchen, she is a food stylist, photographer, award-winning blogger and the mother of twins.

Dr Mao's Secrets of Longevity Cookbook Dr Mao Shing Ni Andrew McMeel Publishing 978 1 4494 2761 0

You hold the key to your own longevity, and it starts by respecting your body and eating a healing diet of living natural foods.

This cookbook shares recipes from some of the most famous centenarians. Known as 'Doctor

to the stars,' Mao Shing Ni, MD extends the thoughts presented inside his international best-seller Secrets of Longevity and translates those ideas into kitchen-friendly palate-pleasing recipes that promise to improve health, happiness, and longevity. Bite-sized tips are offered alongside 75 easily prepared, flavourful recipes that describe the health benefits of each dish. He focuses on using fresh food and he makes use of the top ten healing and longevity foods, in particular.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen Kris Carr & Chef Chad Sarno Hayhouse • 978 1 4019 4104 8

The woman who made prevention hot is now making it delicious.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen, the follow-up to Kris Carr's New York Times bestseller Crazy Sexy Diet, is a Veggie Manifesto for plant-empowered gourmands and novices alike, and it's filled with inspiration, education, cooking tips, and over 150 nourishing, nosh-worthy recipes. Infused

with her signature humour, style, and personal stories, Crazy Sexy Kitchen redefines the kitchen as headquarters for the wellness revolution. The goodness born in the Crazy Sexy Kitchen will reach deep into the rest of your life-enriching your health, your home, your heart, and the planet.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen gives readers all the tools and know-how needed to adopt a joyful and vibrant lifestyle. A nutrient-dense, plant-happy approach to eating and living that harmonizes your beautiful body at the cellular level. It's a celebratory way of life that's deeply connected, healthy, awake and engaged. Now that's SEXY. Joined by Whole Foods chef, Chad Sarno, Crazy Sexy Kitchen offers over 150 delicious, nutrient-dense recipes designed to nourish the mind, body, and soul. From juicing to planning a three-course meal, Crazy Sexy Kitchen has all the essentials to fill your kitchen (and life.) with health, happiness, family, friends, and good times.

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Garden For Jane Griffiths, the salad is the star of both her garden and her kitchen.

O

ne of my favourite gardening activities is

produce more leaves.

wandering around the vegetable garden

When I first started growing lettuces this way,

on a balmy summer evening, picking bits

mixed lettuce seed packets weren't available and

and pieces for the evening's salad. And even better

I mixed my own. However, with the increased

is doing this in the middle of the day in winter and

popularity of the 'cut and come again' method, seed

eating a fresh salad for lunch. And by salad I am

companies are now selling mixed lettuce packets.

not talking about a bowl of lettuce topped with

Greens suitable for this method are: kale, mustard,

tomatoes. My salads are a riot of colour, creativity

bok choi, rocket, tatsoi, mizuna, amaranth, spinach,

and crunch. Freshly picked peppery rocket and

Swiss chard, sorrel, land cress and beetroot.

cress, red and green lettuce leaves, vibrant maroon

Cut and come again crops need well-drained,

amaranth and scarlet-veined baby beetroot leaves

moist, fertile soil. Prepare the ground so it is

are tossed with chopped chives, tiny red and

smooth and free of any clods. Broadcast the seeds

yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced baby carrots and

evenly in a block and just cover them with seedling

nasturtium buds. Topped with royal purple pansies,

soil. If you mix different seeds together, choose

delicate red sage petals and bold orange Californian

ones with similar growing periods; otherwise the

poppies, the salad is no longer the overlooked extra

faster growing plants will dominate. Because the

– it is the star of a meal.

leaves are harvested when they are quite small,

If the idea of starting a fully-fledged vegetable

you can grow the plants quite close together. Keep

garden is too daunting, then begin with a simple

the surface moist until the seedlings appear. Every

salad garden. Considering how expensive one

couple of weeks sow another block of greens to

bag of loose-leaf lettuce is, a salad garden is a

ensure a continual harvest. Start harvesting once

worthwhile investment and is easy to grow and

the greens reach about 10-15cm. Snip off outer

maintain.

leaves with scissors, leaving the central growing

Essential salad garden ingredients

point undamaged.

In winter I plant my salad greens in a different area to summer, as they need more sunlight during

Lettuces & greens

the colder months. During summer, they like

Mesclun might sound like a hallucinogenic Mexican

morning sun but not the harsh afternoon sun, which

cactus, but in fact it is a French word meaning a

makes them bolt (go to seed) quickly. You can tell

mix of fresh young leafy greens and lettuce, which

if a lettuce is starting to bolt by looking at the base

is the basis of a delicious salad. The most practical

of the leaf when you pick it: if there is milky liquid

way of growing these in a home vegetable garden,

oozing, it is going to seed and will taste bitter.

is the 'cut and come again' method, which provides

Most other greens can be eaten once they start

multiple harvesting from one planting. Seeds are

going to seed, but preferably in stir-fries, not in

sown quite thickly and young individual leaves are

salads, as the leaves become tougher. (Don't forget

plucked from a selection of plants. Not only are

many other edible greens which can be added to

these tastier, each picking encourages the plant to

your salads: spring onions, basil, chives, parsley,

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sensational salads 155 S G

nasturtium leaves and many more.)

poppy, carnation, dianthus, chamomile, cornflower, dandelion, day lily, echinacea, elderflower, flax,

Edible flowers

fuchsia, hibiscus, lavender, nasturtium, pansy, rose,

My family and friends are used to being the guinea

scented pelargonium. Plus all the flowers of edible

pigs for my culinary adventures, especially with

herbs.

experiments involving flowers and food. For me, a salad is not a salad unless it is topped with a

Tomatoes

colourful array of orange, pink, red and purple

The blissful burst of flavour from the first tomatoes

flowers. Edible flowers in a vegetable garden look

of the season is the pure taste of summer. Cherry

beautiful and attract beneficial insects. Rose petals,

tomatoes make the most sense for the home

cornflowers, fuchsias, hibiscus, day lilies and many

vegetable garden. They produce earlier, more

more are edible. Purple chives, white and yellow

abundantly and for longer than larger varieties.

rocket, bright red fruit sage, deep blue borage and

They come in a variety of shapes and colours, from

many other herbs' flowers can be munched.

small red cherry ones to larger oval yellow ones.

Before you start eating flowers, make sure you

Tomatoes are divided in two groups according to

have identified them correctly – there are some

their growth habits: determinate and indeterminate.

poisonous ones out there. Harvest them early in

Determinate tomatoes are bushy, growing to just

the morning, before the heat of the sun starts

over a metre tall. They produce all their fruit at

wilting them. When eating larger flowers, remove

the same time and then die back. Indeterminate

the anthers and pistils because they may be bitter.

tomatoes have a vining growth habit, with the stems

TIP: Edible flowers can be used many more ways:

and lateral branches reaching up to six metres,

Add savoury flowers to soups, and sweet ones

unless pinched back. They continue growing and

to fruit salads, sprinkling them on just before

producing until killed by disease or frost. Most

serving.

cherry tomatoes are indeterminate. Because of their

Add them to your ice cubes before freezing.

rambling growth, indeterminate tomatoes benefit

Use strong-flavoured flowers, such as lavender

from strong staking and support. Tall tripods and

and rose geranium to flavour fruit jellies and

trellises work well.

sugar.

Brush with egg white, dip in sugar and use as cake decoration.

Transplants do best if planted deeper than they

Mix with butter, roll in wax paper and pop in

were in their seed modules. Set them in the earth

the fridge. Add slices of flowered butter to hot

so the level of the ground is just below the bottom

vegetables.

leaves. This encourages the growth of more roots

Mix sweet flowers (lavender, fruit sage for

along the stem, resulting in larger and healthier

instance) into your icing mix when baking.

plants.

Edible flowers include: Calendula, Californian

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Tomatoes love warm weather and in most parts of the country are only grown in summer.

Once the tomatoes have started growing their

fifth and sixth branches, break off any below, using

exception of aphids and tomato hornworms. During

your thumbnail. (If you are a smoker, make sure you

hot, dry weather, red spider mites can be a problem.

wash your hands well first, as tobacco can transfer

Although tomatoes tend to be relatively bug-free,

the mosaic virus to your tomatoes.) Breaking off

they are susceptible to various wilts and diseases.

these bottom stems keeps the soil from splashing

To help prevent these problems water tomatoes at

onto the plant, reducing disease and increasing

their roots rather than from overhead.

airflow. Tomatoes prefer their roots to be watered

Once you have successfully established the

instead of overhead watering. The exception is if the

basics of your salad garden, start adding other

weather is very dry, which limits flowering. Watering

ingredients such as radishes, carrots, cucumbers

with an overhead sprinkler will create the desired

and peas. Very soon your salads will be ready to

humidity.

take their place on the centre stage.

Tomato leaves have a pungent smell and are, in fact, poisonous to humans. This makes them less attractive to many leaf-eating bugs, with the

JANE’S DELICIOUS

GARDENING CALENDAR 2014

ď š

SG

3

Jane Griffiths, South Africa's organic vegetable gardening guru, brings you a beautiful monthly gardening inspiration calendar for 2014, which includes: country-wide sowing and planting information for each month; monthly advice to keep your garden productive and healthy; useful watering, fertilising and pest control tips; harvesting and preserving ideas; gorgeous monthly photographs; and phases of the moon We have 3 copies of Jane's Delicious Gardening Calendar 2014 to give away. Email your full name and postal details here by 31 Jan 2014 to stand a chance to win.

Visit Jane's Delicious Garden at www.janesdeliciousgarden.com or email Jane on info@janesdeliciousgarden.com Photographs: Jane Griffiths & Keith Knowlton. SOURCES: Jane's Delicious Garden, Sunbird Publishers, a division of Jonathan Ball Publishers.

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Pet

the

Animal Manifesto

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Image: www.blog.viva.org.pl

o

What do animals want and need from us? Simply put, their manifesto is: 'treat us better or leave us alone'. They are fully justified in asking this of us because of who they are and because of how we treat them. Cruelty far too often defines our relationships with other animal beings.

Animals want to feel safe and secure and live in peace, just like we do. The animal manifesto is a call for gentle action, and as we save other animals, we will be saving ourselves. When we listen to what animals need and want from us we can learn a lot about ourselves too.

Marc Bekoff reports.

W

ho lives, who dies, and why? This daunting question is central to how we choose to interact with other animals. We humans – big-brained, big-footed,

arrogant and invasive mammals – are very confused about our relationships with other animal beings. We need to get over ourselves. There are too many of us and we shamelessly over-consume.

Our relationships with other animals are complicated, frustrating, ambiguous, paradoxical, and wide-ranging. When people tell me that they love animals, and then harm or kill them, I tell them I'm glad they don't love me. We observe animals, gawk at them in wonder in circuses and zoos, experiment on them, eat them, wear them, write about them, draw and paint them, and represent them in many varied ways.

And yet we often dispassionately ignore who they are and what they want and need.

We also wantonly move them from here to there as we 'redecorate nature'. Redecorating nature refers to our global tendency to move into the lives and living rooms of other animals with little or no regard for what we are doing to them.

We trespass and make innumerable decisions for them without their consent. Simply doing something in the name of science or education is not an adequate reason for intentionally causing suffering, pain or death, and the animals do not like our intrusions.

We are animals too and we should be aware of and proud of our membership in the animal kingdom. Arguments that ignore evolutionary relationships and continuity are bad biology and result in the establishment of false boundaries that have dire consequences for species deemed to be lower than others. British psychologist Richard Ryder first coined the word 'speciesism'. Speciesism involves assigning different values or rights to individuals on the basis of species membership. This practice is discriminatory, ignores and fractures nature, and constructs false boundaries among species. It puts us on a treacherous, self-serving, slippery slope that plays a significant role in misrepresenting who we are and who non-human animals are.

Speciesism also ignores individual differences within species that often are greater than the differences we observe between species. Thus, speciesism leads to specious and misleading conclusions because while some of the comparisons that are made seem to make sense and are superficially pleasing, they actually lack real merit upon close inspection. Speciesism undermines our collective efforts to make the world a better place for all beings, and we need to rethink the species interface.

We also need to pay attention to what individual animals need and want, what is happening in their heads and hearts: in other words, their manifesto.

We are continually learning fascinating facts about the

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lives of other animals. And if we 'deepen' ethology

WATCH THIS!

(the study of animal behaviour) to include what is happening in the heads and hearts of other animals, we will learn even more. Deep ethology will implore us to mind animals and to expand our compassion footprint. Here are six reasons for doing so: All animals share the Earth, and we must co-exist.

Animals think & feel.

Animals have & deserve compassion.

Connection breeds caring; alienation breeds

Animal Behaviour and Emotions Marc Bekoff

disrespect.

Our world is not compassionate to animals.

Acting compassionately helps all beings and our world.

How

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can

it is. Nonetheless, I truly believe there is hope for the

animal

manifesto

inspire

us

to

the future. We can make this the century of global

make changes in the real and demanding world?

compassion. Compassion begets compassion, and

Compassionate conservation, in which the wellbeing

there is a synergistic relationship that includes human

of individuals is given more attention by those who

animals, not a trade-off, when we show compassion

typically favour larger collectives such as species,

for animals and their homes. There is really no place

populations, and ecosystems, might be the new and

like a safe home.

practical mindset that translates into meaningful action

There are many reasons for hope. There is

on behalf of animals. 'Compassionate conservation' is

compelling evidence that we and other animals are

no longer an oxymoron, because ethics must be firmly

born to be good and that we are natural-born

implanted in conservation biology, even if difficult

optimists. We could harness our basic goodness

questions move us outside of our professional and

and optimism and all work together as a united

personal comfort zones. We need to think and act out

community. We can look to the animals for inspiration

of the box if we are to make significant differences in

and evolutionary momentum. And their manifesto

how we interact with other animals. A good mandate

should keep us on track. As Nelson Mandela, played

with which to begin to enact the animal manifesto is:

by Morgan Freeman in the movie Invictus, told the SA

'First do no harm to individual animals'.

rugby team, 'we must exceed our own expectations'.

We also must 're-wild' our hearts and build corridors

So let us all self-reflect and tap into our empathic,

of compassion and co-existence so that we may all

compassionate and moral inclinations and work to

live in peace. Let's give peace a chance, because it is

make the world a better place for all beings. It is

obvious that our warring with other animals has not

natural to be good, compassionate, empathic and

worked. The world was not created for us to use. We

moral, and more science will not necessarily make

do not own other animals. They are not our property.

us better or compassionate. We need to be positive

We also must teach our children, for they are

and concentrate on our successes rather than dwell

the ambassadors for a more harmonious, peaceful,

on anger or despair. We need to make this new social

compassionate and gentle world. It's okay to be

movement mainstream so that those who work for

sentimental and to act from the heart. Students need

animals and the Earth are not labelled 'radicals'. There

to know this. We need more heart and love in science,

are so many reasons to find beauty in our broken and

and to do something that helps animals with all that

wounded world.

we know. If we heed the animal manifesto, we will do

We suffer the indignities we impose on other

better science and also make animals feel safer in our

beings. Our guiding principles for an aspirational and

presence. I often imagine they are asking, 'How can

inspirational global moral imperative that can catalyse

you do what you do to us when you know how deeply

a brand new paradigm should be: Do no intentional

we suffer?'

harm; Respect all life; Treat all individuals with

We ignore and redecorate nature in incredibly

compassion, and, tread lightly when stepping into the

self-serving ways, as if we're the only species that

lives of other animals. We must treat them better or

matters. It should not be all about us, but so often

leave them alone.  S G

WATCH THIS!

author of

Who Lives, Who Dies, & Why: Ignoring & Redecorating Nature & Specious Speciesism

The Animal Manifesto: Six Reasons for Expanding Our Compassion Footprint • Jasper's story: Saving moon bears, Jill Robinson & Marc Bekoff • Ignoring nature no more: The case for compassionate conservation, edited by Marc Bekoff • Why dogs hump & bees get depressed

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Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never really considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are perhaps now asking the question: Why should animals have rights? Every day in countries around the world, animals are fighting for their lives. They are enslaved, beaten, and kept in chains to make them perform for humans' 'entertainment'; they are mutilated and confined to tiny cages so that we can kill them and eat them; they are burned, blinded, poisoned, and cut up alive in the name of 'science'; they are electrocuted, strangled, and skinned alive so that people can parade around in their coats; and worse. We take a look.

Animals+y T

he abuse that animals suffer at human hands is heartbreaking, sickening, and infuriating. It's even more so when we realise that the everyday choices

we make – such as what we eat for lunch and the kind of shampoo we buy – may be directly supporting some of this abuse. But as hard as it is to think about, we can’t stop animals' suffering if we simply look the other way and pretend it isn’t happening.

Animals are counting on compassionate people like you to give them a voice and be their heroes by learning about the issues they face and taking action. Each of us has the power to save animals from nightmarish suffering – and best of all, it's easier than you might think. If you're ready to join the millions of other compassionate people who are working to create a kinder, better world for animals, please read on to learn how animals suffer in the food, animal experimentation, entertainment, clothing and pet-trade industries. Together, we can make a difference.

Angora rabbit fur/wool After watching this video, you'll surely never buy angora again. The undercover footage, shot by PETA Asia, found

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Animals are counting on compassionate people like you to give them a voice and be their heroes by learning about the issues they face and taking action. horrific routine cruelty to angora rabbits, whose long, soft fur (considered wool when the fibre is harvested from a live animal) is often used in sweaters and accessories.

The investigator filmed workers who were violently

WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGERY

Photo: Karl Grant • Hair: Liz Taw • Make-up: Zoe Taylor

you ys: PETA Saare not Animaolseat, wear, ours t ent on, use experimtertainment, for en use in any or ab er way. oth

Pop artist Natalie Imbruglia supports the PETA No-Fur Campaign 163 S G

WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGERY

Asian angora rabbits have a short, painful & miserable life

ripping the fur from the animals’ sensitive skin as they screamed at the top of their lungs in pain.

After this terrifying and barbaric ordeal, which the rabbits endure every three months, many of them appeared to go into shock, lying motionless inside their

Stella McCartney: Anti-Fur

tiny, filthy cages, with no solid flooring or bedding, and without the vital companionship of other rabbits. After two to five years, those who have survived are hung upside down, their throats are slit, and their bodies are sold.

Rabbits who have their fur cut or sheared also suffer: During the cutting process, their front and back legs are tightly tethered – a terrifying experience for any prey animal – and the sharp cutting tools inevitably wound them as they struggle desperately to escape.

Ninety percent of angora fur comes from China, where there are no penalties for abuse of animals on farms and no standards to regulate the treatment of the animals.

When you buy a sweater, hat, or other product that contains angora, the angora fur most likely originated

'We are on board with the ban as we understand the concerns and have realised that there are many other fabrics and fibers that can easily take the place of real fur,' David Malvaney, cofounder of the upscale Church Boutique, told Women’s Wear Daily. 'We feel that the desire for real fur will lessen over time as more people become aware of the process to which the animals are subject, and I believe more cities will adopt a similar ordinance.'

EU court upholds seal-fur

ban

in China, even if the finished product was assembled

The European Union's highest court recently rejected

elsewhere.

yet another appeal by the Canadian sealing industry to

Rabbits are gentle, socially complex, and intelligent

overturn the EU's ban on seal-fur imports. The World

animals with individual personalities, just like dogs and

Trade Organisation is expected to rule on a separate

cats. In their natural habitat, rabbits live in scrupulously

challenge, brought by the Canadian government against

clean burrows and spend their time foraging for fresh,

the EU ban, in the coming months. Canada has tried every

leafy food and interacting with members of their warren.

trick in the book to get around the European Union’s ban

US's first fur ban goes into

effect

Foxes, minks, lynxes, chinchillas, and other furbearing animals have found an unofficial sanctuary in West Hollywood, California. Just days after the city banned exotic-animal acts, it's getting ready to implement the country's first ban on the sale of fur which means that swanky stores such as Balenciaga, Alberta Ferretti, and Phillip Lim will have to clear fur from their shelves or face fines of up to $800.

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sue, some retailers are welcoming the change.

on seal fur. But it isn’t having much luck.

The most recent ruse was to try to convince the General Court of the EU to overturn the ban on the grounds that it hurt the Inuit people's livelihood – even though the EU ban makes a very clear exemption for the Inuit, who kill a tiny fraction of seals in Canada.

Rabbi says fur violates Jewish law He may be the leader of an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect, but when it comes to fur, Rabbi Shlomo Pappenheim

While the Fur Information Council of America – which,

is pretty progressive. At an animal rights conference in

in a delightful coincidence, is based in West Hollywood –

Israel attended by prominent religious leaders recently,

is unsurprisingly foaming at the mouth and threatening to

Rabbi Pappenheim called on Hasidic Jewish men to stop

Miami Ink

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wearing real fur shtreimel hats, which they traditionally wear on Shabbat and other special occasions.

According to Rabbi Pappenheim, wearing real fur shtreimels, each of which may be made of up to 30 sables, minks, martens, or foxes, violates the Jewish law of tza'ar ba'alei chayim, which prohibits causing animals unnecessary pain. He even went so far as to say that flaunting real fur hats amounts to Chilul Hashem, or desecration of God's name, since the cruelty of the fur industry is so widely known. O Visit www.peta.org Author's note: In SA there are apparently breeders that do not pluck their angora rabbits and treat their animals ethically. A rule of thumb though is to always choose a local supplier if you do decide to purchase this wool, do your research on what conditions are like on the farm/s of origin, if possible, and don't support mass manufacturing of any kind. Alternatively, choose a plant-derived wool source for your clothing needs. Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angora_wool and http://www.arc.agric.za/Pages/About%20Us/Livestock.aspx

How You Can help Pledge to leave angora rabbit fur out of your wardrobe. It’s easy to check the label when you’re shopping and, if it says 'angora', it's often a better idea to rather leave it on the rack.

Pledge to go fur-free Click here to sign-up & give a voice to those that can't speak-out.

Top: Charlize Theron speaks out against the fur industry Above: Former Miss US winners support the No-Fur cause

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CELEBS GO NUDE F

WATCH THIS! Eva Mendes shares why she cares about animal rights

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FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS

WATCH THIS! Hip-Hop star Nicki Minaj recently turned down fur, seen on a behind-the-scenes video from her photo shoot for the August cover of Marie Claire

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News

BANKSY GIVES ANIMALS A VOICE

WATCH THIS! Siren of the Lambs Famed UK street artist, Banksy, uses toy animals to highlight animal cruelty and factory farming. He has recently completed a month-long residency in New York City, with a new piece being installed each day in a different neighbourhood around the city. His latest is in the Meatpacking district and is a creepy, but clever take on factory farming and animal cruelty.

Called 'The Siren of the Lambs', the piece is a mobile artwork using a truck carrying stuffed animals with amplified toy animal noises to bring attention to the cruel conditions real animals suffer when being transported from factory farms to slaughterhouses. This is not the first time Banksy has used his art to make a strong statement about the treatment of animals.

In 2008, his 'pet store' installation used animatronic chicken nuggets and sticks to highlight our relationship to animals and eating meat (see the creative video with a message, opposite).

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NOTCOT:

Banksy's Village Petstore & Charcoal Grill

His first foray into the amazingly life-like realm of animatronics.

WATCH THIS!

The Lion Whisperer

Zoologist Kevin Richardson wrestles with fully-grown lions like other people play with house cats, as you can see in the video above. As a testament to his ability to become part of the pride, Richardson has even earned the title of 'lion whisperer' – something very few others could ever hope to achieve.

Animal rights organisations

 www.animalrightsafrica.org  www.animal-voice.org  www.sentience.co.za  www.bwcsa.co.za  www.justiceforanimals.net  www.nspca.co.za

animal lovers Diary January 28 World Day for Abolition of Meat

'Skinned' Activists Protest Outside Hermès Leather Exhibition Skinless protestors from PETA created quite a stir at the 'Hermès Leather Forever' exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts recently. Clad in little more than body paint, three models were decorated to look as if stripped of their skin, showing only the gore of muscle and blood. Along with PETA, the models creatively protested Hermès continuous use and support of the leather and fur industries. PETA argues that with today’s textile technologies, sumptuous synthetic leathers, quality faux furs and luxurious fabrics are available, totally ending the need to kill these animals for their skins. The protesters brought attention to the inhumane conditions and cruelty of factory farming, all for the sake of an expensive handbag. Leather tanneries also flood dangerous chemicals into the environment, including toxic mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, and dyes that can contain cyanide.

March 1 World Cat Day April 22 Earth Day April 24 World Day for Laboratory animals May 1 Save the Rhino Day June 5 World Environment Day June 8 World Oceans Day September 1 International Primate Day October 1 World Vegetarian Week begins October 2 World Farm Animal Day October 4 World Animal Day October 7 World Day of Prayer for Animals October 15 World Animal Rights Day October 25 Vegan Week begins November 1 World Vegan Day November 23 Fur Free Friday December 10 International Animal Rights Day

Kalahari Dream An ebook by Chris Mercer & Beverly Pervan.

Also available in print. A courtship and love affair between injured wildlife and their human rescuers.

All proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Campaign Against Canned Hunting Visit here.

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News WATCH THIS!

Meeting Spirit

Africa's Wild Dog Hot-Spot Last year there was an unusual sighting of three wild dogs at Mara Plains Camp in Kenya. Three wild-dog packs denned, with puppies, at The Selinda Reserve of northern Botswana at the same time. This is exceptional and has left experienced guides and researchers absolutely in awe at what has transpired.

The Selinda Pack (wild dog pack) usually den in June/July and the result has been as many as 15 puppies from just the one alpha female. Interaction and splintering of the Selinda Pack and interaction with neighbouring packs from adjacent concessions has produced activity that is truly remarkable. Selinda Reserve is currently home to three resident packs.

The denning calendar and alpha female dynamics are in total disarray and hunting has taken on new proportions.

'Spirit' is a very rare black leopard with an extraordinary consciousness. Renowned animal communicator, Anna Breytenbach, and Leslie Temple-Thurston (see our White Lion article here), a teacher of enlightenment, share a fascinating and inspiring discussion about their experience of Spirit and his representation of our own unconscious side.

Visit www.corelight.org for more.

CUTE!

http://drlindagalloway.wordpress.com

Costa Rica ClosES Zoos Costa Rica just announced that it will become the first country in the world to close down its zoos and free all captive animals. The small tropical nation is home to 4% of all known species, making it one of the most biodiverse places on earth.

Costa Rica will close its two government-run zoos as part of an emergent new enviro-consciousness that questions humanity’s dominion over all other creatures.

Although there are only two zoos in the country, which was also the first in the region to completely ban hunting for sport, the Simon Bolivar Zoo and the Santa Ana Conservation, Costa Rica’s announcement sends a very clear message about its national attitude towards its wild birds, mammals, and reptiles. 'We are getting rid of the cages and reinforcing the idea of interacting with biodiversity in botanical parks in a natural way,' said Environment Minister René Castro. 'We don’t want animals in captivity or enclosed in any way unless it is to rescue or save them.' Slated to become urban parks or gardens in March, 2014, when existing management contracts have run their course, the area will still be available to wild creatures that choose to visit, and those captive animals that can’t be released into the wild will be cared for in rescue centres and wildlife sanctuaries throughout the country.

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WATCH THIS!

The Animal Communicator

What if you could talk to animals and have them talk back to you? Anna Breytenbach has dedicated her life to what she calls interspecies communication. She sends detailed messages to animals through pictures and thoughts. She then receives messages of remarkable clarity back from the animals. Anna can feel the scars hidden under a monkeys fur, she can understand the detailed story that is causing a birds trauma, she transforms a deadly snarling leopard into a relaxed content cat – the whole animal kingdom comes alive in a way never seen before – wild birds land on her shoulders, fish gather around her when she swims, and wild unfamiliar baboons lie on her body as if she is one of their own. This is the first full-length documentary film on the art of animal communication.

WATCH THIS!

AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD SA RESCUE ORGANISATION ASSARO is touted as a 'pro quality' life Australian

Shepherd Dog rescue organisation. When Ingrid Liberte fostered a deaf Australian Shepherd called Josh (pictured), she had a feeling that as time went on more Aussies were going to need new homes. That’s when, early this year, the NPO, ASSARO was started for these rescues. All Australian Shepherds that are surrendered to them receive a full health check and get vaccinated, de-wormed and sterilised, if necessary. They rely heavily on donations from supporters and the proceeds from the sale of their merchandise; their calendars retail at R120. They have a strict adoption policy and ensure that the right home is found, regardless of how long that may take. Cape Town and Joburg are the main bases where their rescues are cared for and they facilitate transportation, from anywhere in SA, to ensure that the rescues arrive safely at ASSARO. Visit www.assaro.co.za

3D-Printed Human Cells TO Replace Animal Testing

Soar Like an Eagle

If you’ve ever wanted to fly like a bird, then you’ll definitely want to check out this amazing video. A falconer strapped a small camera to the back of an eagle in the southeast corner of France, and when the eagle took flight the camera captured an incredible birds-eye view of the landscape.

Check out the vertigo-inducing clip and listen to the sound of the wind as the eagle soars over mountain slopes, cuts through the air and almost brushes against the treetops.

Scientists at Oxford University have developed a 3D printer that can create living tissue without the problems associated with stem cells.

The custom-built machine is able to print materials that share several of the properties of living tissues and can perform some cellular functions. The material consists of thousands of connected water droplets that are encapsulated in lipid films – a membrane that forms a barrier around cells. Researchers say these printed 'droplet networks' could be used as the building blocks for delivering drugs to places they are needed, or to replace or repair damaged human tissue. Visit here for more.

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Shelf Django: The Small Dog With The Big Heart Peter Comley Jonathan Ball • 978 1 8684 2598 3 This story chronicles the life of little Django, half Lhasa Apso, a breed that most resembles a mop but is known for its intelligence and alertness, and the other half Jack Russell. Follow Django and his partner, Peter, a daredevil professional guide with a wry sense of humour, on their adventures through deepest darkest Africa and gain some fascinating insights into both the heart of a dog and the cultures and customs of Africa’s very different tribes.

The South African Pet-Friendly Directory Janine Nepgen & Sharyn Spicer Niche Holidays SA • 978 0 6205 6741 1

This book is your definitive guide to everything that is pet-friendly, from holiday accommodation to walks on beaches; from dining al fresco with your dogs to having a picnic in the Cape winelands; from lunch in a barn to walks in the forest; we bring you places and spaces to visit with your pets. In this 7th edition of this annual 288-page travel guide, over 400 pet-friendly accommodation establishments located across the length and breadth of SA are featured, as well as pet-friendly restaurants, coffee shops, pubs and other eating establishments. Wine farms, markets and malls; dog walks and articles on pets' health and wellbeing also feature in this comprehensive book. If you live in SA and love to travel with your pets then this well-researched book is for you.

The Rhino and the Rat Mike Hardwich Tracy McDonald • 978 0 9922 1373 2 Following on from the success of his first book, The Lion and the Lamb: Memoirs of a Vet, this second collection of stories from Mike Hardwich is every bit as captivating as the first. As a country vet whose territory covers the rich valleys and farmland of KwaZulu-Natal, his clients range from cattle farmers to owners of domestic pets, from game ranchers to circuses. The demands on a vet are constant and often arrive at very inconvenient times. Called upon day and night, Mike brings to each case his skills, ingenuity and years of experience, and although he never loses sight of his aim of preserving and improving the lives of the animals he is called upon to treat, sometimes he is sorely challenged by their owners. These enjoyable tales of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a veterinarian who always sleeps with one ear cocked, will leave you wanting more.

Elephants on the Edge: What Animals Teach us about Humanity GA Bradshaw Yale Books • 978 0 3001 6783 2 Drawing on accounts from India to Africa and California to Tennessee, and on research in neuroscience, psychology, and animal behaviour, GA Bradshaw explores the minds, emotions and lives of elephants. By exploring the elephant mind and experience in the wild and in captivity, Bradshaw bears witness to the breakdown of ancient elephant cultures, yet all is not lost. People are working to save elephants by rescuing orphaned infants and rehabilitating adult zoo and circus elephants, using the same principles psychologists apply in treating humans who have survived trauma. Bradshaw urges us to support these and other models of elephant recovery and to solve pressing social and environmental crises affecting all animals, human or not.

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animal-friendly activities

6

for your kids

If your children aren't able to come into contact with mammals in the wild, aquariums provide a good second option

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While the end of a school term or an impromptu public holiday may feel like bliss to your children, the idea of long boring days, kids running amok, or spending too much time playing video games may not feel so blissful to the parent. Here we look at encouraging a healthy respect for animals which in turn develops children's social values.

cage and tame wild animals, and that their welfare is not as important as peoples entertainment. Remember that after you go home that animal remains in that cage, for the rest of its life.

'Weekends and public holidays offer a great opportunity to instil positive, lifelong, values in your children, outside of the classroom, without them realising,' says Ainsley Hay, Manager of the Wildlife Unit of the NSPCA. To foster healthy growth and respect for animals, the NSPCA recommends the following activities to keep your child occupied this holiday:

1

Support a local wildlife reserve where wild animals are left in the wild or a bona fide sanctuary that provides a safe haven and refuge for wild animals that

were saved from the captive wildlife industry. It is very important that these sanctuaries do not compromise the animals welfare and allow any breeding of animals, or any human animal interaction. The animals should be able to live as natural a life as possible, without being subjected to the stressors of close human contact or being ridden or forced to perform.

ahead to include activities that teach a sense of responsibility; and think twice before heading off

to the zoo, a circus, or a facility that encourages direct human interaction such as riding an elephant or ostrich, or petting a wild or farmed animal.

'Children have a natural affinity for animals, but entertainment that focuses around restricting the natural behaviours or movement of the animal or where the animal behaves in a way that it wouldn't naturally, such as animal circuses, petting farms, and most zoos, fosters an irresponsible behaviour towards animals,' says Marcelle Meredith, the Executive Director of National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA).

The NSPCA states that these types of facilities add no constructive education value to the public and little conservation value for the animals. Children and adults are not taught to view these animals as wild, complex animals that are not suited for captivity.

Captive wild animals are unable to perform natural behaviours and enjoy normal social bonds. They are deprived of everything that is natural and normal to them, and captive breeding does not diminish their needs for natural situations. By viewing wild animals in captivity, children and adults are taught that it is acceptable to

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2

Visit one of our pristine National Parks or open spaces, such as Table Mountain in the Western Cape, Garden Route National Park in the Eastern Cape, or the

Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng. Look carefully and see how many animals, birds and insects you and your child can discover. These adventures can also occur in your garden as we are blessed with an abundance of urban wildlife.

3

ď ź

H

ome for the holidays? Don't fret, but plan

Don't forget your fur-babies; take your own (or a neighbour's) dogs for a walk, hike, or a trip to the park. Not only will your four-pawed friend thank you, but you will

Weekends and public holidays offer a great opportunity to instil positive, lifelong, values in your children, outside of the classroom, without them realising.

ď ź

Ainsley Hay, Manager, Wildlife Unit of the NSPCA

Home gardens with abundant insect life (and your guidance) can even become a mini nature school for your child

help to instil responsibility and a caring attitude in your child towards animals that will last a lifetime.

4

Children love to learn and are like little sponges – plan a trip to the library to find large books with colourful photos. Take this time to sit with your children and answer their

questions, explain why animals are suited to different habitats and why it is important they remain in the wild.

5

taKE your older children to volunteer at AN SPCA. For

6

parent/guardian signs an indemnity form, your child will most likely groom the dogs and cats and play with the puppies. Depending on how busy the branch is, your child may be able to

volunteer once a month or once a week. As your child gains experience and confidence they may be able to take on more responsibility.

Encourage your child to support the SPCA – by collecting blankets, newspapers, as well as dog and cat food that can be dropped off at your nearest SPCA. Take the opportunity to foster your child's love and respect

children who are at least 13-years-old, this

for animals; and reinforce these values through your own

can be the most rewarding and educational ongoing

actions. This will help your child develop social values that

experience. Each SPCA is autonomous so please check

last a lifetime and has the potential to raise generations of

with your branch on their requirements first; but once a

positive, productive and altruistic individuals. O

Kids that engage with pets helps to instil responsibility and a caring attitude towards animals

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Shelf heroes of olympus: The House of Haydes Rick Riordan Penguin • 978 0 1413 3919 1 This the fourth book in the bestselling Heroes of Olympus series, set in the action-packed world of Percy Jackson. In this one, the stakes have never been higher. If Percy and Annabeth fail in their quest, there will be hell on Earth – literally. Wandering the deadly realm of Tartarus, every step leads them further into danger. And, if by some miracle they do make it to the 'Doors of Death', there's a legion of bloodthirsty monsters waiting for them. Meanwhile, Hazel and the crew of the Argo II have a choice: to stop a war or save their friends. Whichever road they take, one thing is certain – in the Underworld, evil is inescapable.

The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid Rick Riordan Puffin • 978 0 1413 5039 4 The heart-stopping action and magic of Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan's bestselling novel The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid comes to life in this graphic novel retelling. The story follows Carter and Sadie Ken, whose father's secret plan goes horribly wrong. An explosion shatters the ancient Rosetta stone and unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos, who imprisons Dr Kane in a golden coffin and Carter and Sadie must run for their lives. To save their dad, they embark on a terrifying quest from Cairo to Paris, to the American South-west and discover the truth about their family's connection to the House of Life – an Egyptian temple of magic that has existed for thousands of years. The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. And so, unfortunately, are their gods.

MISSION SURVIVAL: Claws of the Crocodile Bear Grylls Random House • 978 0 8575 3222 0 The Mission Survival books follow Beck Granger on his adventures into some of the world’s most inhospitable places, facing unknown dangers and exciting quests of survival. In this one, Granger follows a mysterious clue to the town of Broome in Northern Australia, it is just the beginning of an adventure that will force him into some of his toughest survival challenges yet. The search for clues takes Beck into the heart of the Outback, where he must battle raging storms, ravenous crocodiles, cunning villains and a secret that may link back to the death of his parents many years ago. A gripping Australian adventure packed with real survival details and dangers at every turn.

The Immortals of Meluha Amish Tripathi Jo Fletcher Books • 978 1 7808 7400 5 The setting for this first book of the Shiva trilogy is 1900 BC. The once-proud Suryavanshi rulers of the Meluha Empire are in dire peril and the empire’s primary river, the Saraswathi, is slowly drying up. There are devastating terrorist attacks from the east, the land of the Chandravanshis – and to make matters worse, these Chandravanshis appear to have allied with the Nagas, an ostracised race of deformed humans with astonishing martial skills. The only hope for the Suryavanshis is an ancient prophecy that says that when evil reaches epic proportions and all seems lost, a hero will emerge.

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Chris P Bacon: My Life So Far Len Lucero & Kristina Tracy Hay House • 978 1 4019 4439 1 Chris P Bacon is an adorable baby pig that was born without the use of his back legs and became a YouTube and talk-show sensation when his adopted dad, veterinarian Len Lucero, posted a video online of tiny Chris learning how to use a cart made out of toys. This determined piglet soon mastered the device and was rolling to interviews across the country. Here, in his first book, this inspiring little guy tells the story of his life so far.

The Children’s Madiba: The Life Story of Nelson Mandela Sean Fraser Puffin • 978 0 1435 3852 3 This is the story of how a young Xhosa herdboy became the first black president of South Africa. As he studied and became a lawyer in Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela saw how unfair the laws of the country were to black people, and how they suffered because of it. So, Mandela decided to devote his life to fighting the government’s big plan called apartheid.

Apartheid meant that black and white people were kept apart and that the best of everything was for white people only. His life’s work got him into trouble, and he was eventually locked up for 27 years. But when he got out of there, everything had changed, and he was made the first-ever president of all the people of the land, black and white. He became a hero for all in South Africa and the world over, and this book tells his story.

My Gaia: Colour-in & Activity Book Chantelle Myburgh & Morné Venter

Aquarius Rising • 978 1 3806 0939 9

Chantelle Myburgh, author of My Gaia: Handbook for Tomorrow's Leaders, Healers and Teachers and Morné Venter have joined forces again to create this fun book for kids. Based on the principles of Myburgh's book, it is crammed with a variety of great colour-in pictures, activities and fun projects for all the nunu guru's in today's challenging world.

Great Kids: Strengthening Their Natural Potential

Written by local psychologist Carol Surya, the recently released practical parenting book, Great Kids, strengthening their natural potential, is about learning to boost a child’s natural inner potential. It offers easy to follow, highly effective tools for respectful disciplining, establishing security and building self-esteem. InnerMagic, also by Carol Surya, is an interactive board game that improves self esteem, enhancing all areas of development, while teaching children to express and manage their feelings. Both stem from professional experience gained by Carol Surya over the last seventeen years working with a diverse range of children (and their parents), from various cultures across the world. For further info see ad below.

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Extract taken from On Safari by Nadine Clarke, published by Struik Nature, an imprint of Random House Struik

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179 S G For info or to purchase visit www.randomstruik.co.za. Also visit www.getbushwise.com, or visit the 'Get Bushwise' facebook page

Extract taken from On Safari by Nadine Clarke, published by Struik Nature, an imprint of Random House Struik

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181 S G For info or to purchase visit www.randomstruik.co.za. Also visit www.getbushwise.com, or visit the 'Get Bushwise' facebook page

Garden

10 Permaculture

T

he simplest way to explain the principle of 'Following these relative location is to say every element must be put into the right place to work to its full permaculture design potential. principles helps you Thus you can place the vegetable garden between your house and the chicken pen. So, while bringing design sustainable kitchen scraps to the chickens, you can also grab environments unwanted weeds and other greens from the garden, and on your return, bring back manure for the effectively,' say compost heap.

It’s the easiest way to reduce needless walking the folks from and thus maximise your efficiency. eco-friendly-africaEfficient energy cycling travel.com. The need to use energy efficiently is one which is becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s world.

Permaculture systems seek to stop the flow of S G 182

Design Principles

nutrients and energy off the site and instead turn them

Form: In Permaculture design, we look at a plant’s lifestyle

into cycles.

and shape including its height. So we identify whether a

For example, instead of throwing your food waste into the bin, you can turn it into compost.

Every element performs many functions

plant is annual or perennial, whether it is deciduous (loses foliage in winter) or evergreen (has foliage all year round), and whether it is a shrub vine or tree.

Tolerances: Here we look at the climate, whether it is sunny or shady; and the soil, whether moist, dry sandy,

This permaculture design principle simply means to

clay, and ph – acid or alkaline. We also look at the soil’s

choose and place each element so that it performs as

life – where there is lots of life in the form of ants, beetles

many functions as possible.

or earthworms, for instance, the soil is good.

A fruit tree, for example, offers shade. It provides

Uses: Here we analyse what the plant’s potential uses are.

food and protection from the elements if used as a

Is it edible or medicinal? Can it be used for animal forage

windbreak. It can also help improve the soil, thus serving

or to improve the soil?

multiple functions.

In deciding how to place elements we look the following factors:

Would it serve a useful purpose as wind/fire breaker?

In planting it, does it serve to control erosion? Would it attract bees or control insects? Can its wood be used as a

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streamlines the infrastructure.

Zone 0: This is your house and the centre of your activity.

Zone 1: This is the area which is most productive and is closest to your house. Your herb and veggie garden will be placed in Zone 1 and should be in an easily accessible spot. Paths here will be used frequently.

Zone 2: Here plants require slightly less attention, but perhaps more space. Fruit trees and trellised fruit; hardy crops like potatoes, sweet corn and pumpkins; and perennial herbs and spices that aren’t used that often are best placed here.

Zone 3: This is the farmlands, field crops and pastures.

It is where you can plant your larger fruit and nut trees.

Zone 4: This is rough grazing land and pastures. Used for gathering wild foods and timber.

Zone 5: Refers to wilderness. This is the wild life corridor and conservation area. Staying true to nature, always try and set aside a small area of your garden to grow wild.

These Zones (3-5): Really only apply if you have a lot of land. However, they are important even for the small-scale

Staying true to nature, always try and set aside a small area of your garden to grow wild.

Photo www.rawlicious.co.za

permaculturist to understand and achieve a holistic view.

Sectors: directions from which natural energy comes to the site from outside it – energy such as wind, sunlight, water, fires, water flow, and so on.

So, you can place components to manage incoming energy. For instance, you could plant trees in order to block out unwanted incoming energy such as excessive winds. To optimise this energy, you could build a windmill building material or for crafts?

to use as a pump for the dam.

Each function is supported by many elements

Slope: defined as the contour of the land, the elevation

This principle simply means that basic needs such as

your use of sun-facing slopes for solar energy or take

water, food, energy and fire protection are supported in

advantage of water flows by placing water tanks on

more than one way.

higher ground, eliminating the need to pump.

of each part in relation to the other. You can maximise

For instance, if you live on the coast, you can control winds by creating a strong windbreak of trees and shrubs as well as fences and trellises.

Planning for energy-efficiency This means using energy economically. Thus we divide a site into zones, sectors and slopes.

Zones involve placing portions of the site according to how much we use them. It’s fairly logical: structures and

Small-scale intensive systems Large-scale industrial agriculture requires extensive energy input in the form of fossil fuels to power machinery and chemical fertiliser to feed the mono-crops.

Permaculture design reduces the need for both by planting densely and in small plots, using the land efficiently. We use methods such as: time stacking and vertical (or space) stacking.

features that are needed for daily activity are placed near each other and close to the house, while features needed less frequently are placed farther away.

This reduces the energy used to get to them and

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Time stacking In nature, plants are replaced as others finish their cycle.

So, if you plant new seedlings as your existing plants

come to the end of their productive cycle, you can literally

other produce is available to eat or sell.

stack your plants in time to get extended crops throughout

To disperse yields over time:

the season.

For instance, by planting early bulbs such as tulips under fruit trees, the bulbs are near the completion of their growth by the time the fruit trees produce full leaf

Select early, mid and late season varieties.

Plant the same variety in early or late ripening situations.

Select long-yielding species.

Increase diversity or multi-use of species in the system,

structure, and they need less sun.

so that the root, leaf, flower, fruit and seed give yields

Vertical stacking

or rhizomes that can be dug on demand.

Stacking occurs naturally in forests, and so in permaculture we try mimic this structure. It allows as much as possible to grow in a limited area. We arrange or stagger plants according to the resources available (nutrients, water, and light, for instance).

Use self-storing species such as tubers, hard seeds, nuts Preserve, dry, pit, freeze and store.

Trade within and between communities, or purchase land at different altitudes.

A permaculture site which maximises diversity is marked by a co-operative diversity of species, called guilds. A guild

A widely used example is that of sweet corn, beans

is an association of mutually-beneficial species often

and cucumbers. The corn is tall and acts as a trellis for

clustered around a central element. Companion planting

the beans to climb up, while the cucumber acts as ground

in gardens and beneficial crop mixes in agriculture are

cover.

examples of guilds.

Accelerate succession & evolution

Benefits of creating a guild include reducing root competition from invasive grasses, providing physical shelter, and natural pest control (marigolds repels

Natural systems evolve slowly to more productive states

nematodes, for instance. What’s more, planting sacrificial

by succession. The process of succession begins naturally

(pests attack this) or insectary plants (act as host for

after fires, droughts and floods. You can accelerate this

insects) can draw attention away from your preferential

process by carefully planning the succession of plants and

plants.

animals for short, medium and long-term yields.

For instance, weeds, herbs and pioneers can be planted

Use biological resources

which are nitrogen fixing, or reduce salts, stablilise slops,

A site designed using Permaculture design principles uses

absorb moisture or provide shelter. This creates habitats

natural methods such as plants and animals wherever

for other species to in turn modify the environment.

possible to save energy and do the work of the farm.

You can institute the following measures in your garden to make significant changes in a short timeframe:

For example, you can use nitrogen-fixing plants instead of fertilisers. Chickens can be used to prepare a garden

Use existing weeds and pioneers to build soil fertility.

bed as they scratch up the area and eat all the weeds and

Introduce tough plants that will easily survive and can

insects before you plant.

provide protection for favoured species.

Recondition soils through using mulches, green

Increase edge within a system

manures and compost which will prevent weeds and

By ‘edge’ we mean the interface between two different

encourage growth.

mediums or the boundary between one area and another.

Once soil is healthy, plant a diverse range of high-yield,

It is wherever species, climates, soil, slope or any natural

climax species.

condition or artificial boundary meets.

The

edge

gets

resources

from

two

different

Diversity

environments, so is the most fertile and abundant region

A permaculture site includes many species of plants and

with the greatest diversity of species.

animals. Although the yield for a monoculture system

For instance, instead of a straight path through your

might be greater for that crop than one species in a

vegetable garden, you can create multiple short paths

permaculture system, the sum of yields in a mixed system

leading off it into the surrounding space. It’s easier to

will be larger.

manoeuvre through your garden and you now have more

What’s more, diversity builds immunity and insurance

edge to plant shrubs and trees, creating sunny, protected

against stress, for example if pests wipe out a fruit crop,

bays.

SG

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Environmental News Meteorologists Warn of a future rife with more Haiyan-strength storms

Meteorologists are asking citizens of the world to prepare themselves for increasingly violent storms such as the devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan that hit the Philippines recently. Weather experts have linked global warming to rising tides, volatile weather, and super storms such as Sandy and Haiyan. Typhoon Haiyan is the most powerful typhoon ever recorded in history, and meteorologists warn it may not be the last. Climatologists have found that warmer ocean waters resulting from higher global temperatures cause cyclones* to increase their intensity, becoming rapidly more violent. Cyclones form when ocean upperwaters reach more than 79°F, and become increasingly violent as they draw their energy from the water’s heat. This means that the warmer the oceans are, the worse the storms will be in the future. *Collectively referred to as cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes and cyclonic storms are all the same kind of weather pattern; their name simply changes depending on where they occur.

2013 on track to be one of the warmest years ever

In a statement on the status of the climate in 2013 released recently, the World Meteorological Association says this year is shaping up to be among the top ten warmest since records began in 1850. The first nine months of 2013 tied with 2003 as the 7th warmest on record, while average global land and ocean surface temperatures are around 0.48°C higher than the 1961-1990 average. 'Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases reached new highs in 2012, and we expect them to reach unprecedented levels yet again in 2013. This means that we are committed to a warmer future,” said WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud. According to the report, the months between January and September, 2013 comprised a warmer period than in 2011 and 2012. The US experienced record heat last year, but this year Australia is observing extreme high temperatures. That country reported its hottest month ever in January, which was part of the hottest summer on record, while the period between November, 2012 and October, 2013 was the hottest ever recorded. On 7 January, Moomba in South Australia reached a high of 49.6°C. The extreme heat in Australia is occurring at the same time that Prime Minister Tony Abbott denied the link between climate change and bush fires. Not only did he introduce a bill to repeal the carbon tax, but he is also refusing to consider increasing emission cuts above the 5% target by 2020, despite calls from the Climate Change Authority to cut emissions by 15-25%.

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20 000 Weather Stations to Track Climate Change in Africa

The Delft University of Technology, Netherlands is working with Africa Gathering to roll out a network of 20 000 affordable weather stations through the Trans-African Hydro-Metrological Observatory initiative.

This monitoring network will replace a rapidly deteriorating system, and it’s expected to be a vital tool for tracking of climate change in the continent. TU Delft’s project aims to design, build and operate measurement stations in Africa by using mass-produced consumer electronics and the extensive mobile phone coverage in Africa.

'I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad.

Otherwise what is there to defend?' – Robert Redford

Contact us Website Invasive plants

O

Aliens on your doorstep?

Opuntia ficus-indica ctober is the month for busting weeds! Water Wise is th th celebrating WeedBuster Week from the 7 - 13 October by encouraging you to do some backyard investigation for any elusive aliens that may be invading your garden. Many Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) are colourful and attractive when flowering but their presence can have devastating consequences for our water resources and natural biodiversity.

The bright, attractive flowers and delicious fruit of the prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) may lure unsuspecting gardeners into keeping these cacti growing. However, they are listed by the legislation as Category 1, which means they must be removed and destroyed immediately if found and cannot be grown or propagated. The prickly pear is highly invasive and competes with and replaces indigenous vegetation.

Melia azedarach For more information on Invasive Alien Plants and their indigenous alternatives, please visit www.randwater.co.za and click on the Water Wise logo or contact us on 0860 10 10 60.

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Environmental News What would happen if the world's ice melted?

Explore the world’s new coastlines if sea level rises 65m. The maps here show the world as it is now, with only one difference: All the ice on land has melted and drained into the sea, raising it 65m and cre ating new shorelines for our continents and inland seas. There are more than five million cubic miles of ice on Earth, and some scientists say it would take more than 5 000 years to melt it all. If we continue adding carbon to the atmosphere, we’ll very likely create an ice-free planet, with an average temperature of perhaps 32°C instead of the current 15°C. The impacs for the Wetsern Cape will, in this scenario, be very dramatic as can be seen in this NASA projection. Visit http://flood.firetree.net/

Tesla coil vacuum to solve cities' smog problem

Smog vacuum inventor, Daan Roosegaarde, of studio Roosegaarde: 'It could be a first step in creating awareness of how bad smog really is. Because you see the difference really clearly. Of course the real solution lies in dealing with reality in a different way; it's a human problem not a technological problem. But for sure my goal would be to apply it to parks, to public spaces which are for everyone, where people can meet and enjoy life again.

If you switch it on you would literally see the smog on the ground. What I would like to do is capture all that smog and then compress it. So for example you could make a smog ring of all the smog in a cubic kilometre. It would show the reality and question why we accept it.

'Roosegaarde says his idea will act as a consciousnessraising tool when people see how bright and clear their city could look without being shrouded in a veil of toxic air. Working with scientists at the University of Delft, Roosegaarde created a working prototype of the project last week. 'We have a 5x5 metre room full of smog where we created a smog-free hole of one cubic metre,' he said. 'And now the question is to apply it in public spaces. It's a similar principle to if you have a statically charged balloon that attracts your hair,' Roosegaarde explained. 'If you apply that to smog, to create fields of static electricity of ions, which literally attract or magnetise the smog so it drops down so you can clean it, like an electronic vacuum cleaner.'

Smog by Studio Roosgaarde, China

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SOLAR COOKING

ECO-PRODUCTS

Olympus Flower Cookers

Naturalwise online shop and blog. Great products to promote and support a healthier, eco-friendlier, chemical-free lifestyle. Fast delivery throughout South Africa. Tel: 086 110 6329 or 011 705 1607, Email: sales@naturalwise.co.za, Blog: www.naturalwise.co.za, Shop: www.naturalwise.co.za/cart/

With solar cooking you use the cleanest, most enviro-friendly energy source. Sunbeams are converted to heat on the surface of a dark pot. 'Mirror Of Hope'. Using the energy of our free sun. www.olympusflower.com, helga@eshelbypianos.com Ray: 072-235-1385, Helga: 082-735-0830

the tipi tannie ECO-PRODUCTS

COFFEE • Great barista style coffee and cappuccinos – ESE pods – 100% biodegradable • Wide range of Italian ESE pods • No fuss no mess – energy saving – quick heat-up in 1min.

• European quality – 2 year warranty Contact 082 87 66 160 or visit www.emozione.co.za

metal bender stoves High quality wrought iron stoves for cooking & warmth

Media Pack 2012

Rocket stove: made from recycled gas bottles. It uses very little wood and takes a single pot/kettle. www.olympusflower.com helga@eshelbypianos.com Phone during office hours: Ray: 072-235-1385 Helga: 082-735-0830

MEADOWSWEET

Meadowsweet products – free of toxins and synthetic fragrances, a quality range of therapeutic natural body care products with the recommended medicinal dosage of essential oils. Our products include a range of hand and body lotions, body scrubs, sore muscle soak, bath milks, bath salts, spritzers, essential oils, body butters, soaps, shampoo, body wash and massage oils. Our ethos is centered on truth, beauty and goodness in all areas of our lives.

083 454 9123 • Email • Website • Facebook

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The Tipi Tannie

No harsh chemicals are used in the making of the tipis from The Tipi Tannie. I use 100% cotton canvas, 100% linen and 100% hemp canvas and as far as possible, untreated bluegum poles. If poles are treated, it is with linseed oil. Many design extras can be added and each tipi is unique. Prices start from as little as R690 for a 4ft tipi for little ones age 3-5 and go up to R2 600 for a 7ft tipi with 11 poles, for ages 3-15. Canvas is treated with anti-fungus. Call 081 408 3912, email or

Grow A Tree Grow A Tree is a small social enterprise founded in 2008 working across the country and aims to make tree planting fun. Their main aim is to grow 1 000 000 indigenous trees from seed. Through their website you can buy their starter pack so that you can plant a tree in a comminty area and come back in 20 years to say its progress. You can also sponsor a tree or volunteer to help out at events.

www.growatree.co.za • info@growatree.co.za