Let’s Talk About COP16
Do not drink and try to say ‘Environmental Sustainability’. It is a mouthful at the best of times, but when in a state of inebriation, it is sure to land you in a tsunami of consonants and vowels. […]
Karoo Farmers Head to Fracking Frontline
On a cold winter’s day in May, Dougie Stern and Lukie Strydom met in the lapa at Dougie’s livestock farm between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg. Over coffee and rusks they discussed the final itinerary of their two-week fact finding mission to the United States from 17 June – 4 July where they will intensively investigate shale [...]
The Kissing Facts
The Latin people are clever. They reserve kissing on the mouth for lovers while friends and family get kissed on the cheeks. Three reasons why they pioneered the cheek-kissing approach all those centuries ago are: 1) Germ aversion (no spittle contact with the dubious element of relatives and friends) 2) It created the split-second opportunity [...]
SA’s Seafood Consumers are The Heroes
“Congratulations to South Africa’s seafood consumers. By insisting on sustainably harvested fish and seafood you are significantly driving change.” This is the message from Dr Samantha Petersen, project manager of the Green Trust-supported Sustainable Fisheries Programme. Pressure from South African consumers on the seafood retail market over the past couple of years has helped to [...]
South Africa’s First Reef Atlas
Nedbank’s Green Trust is funding a three-year project led by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) to create the first national map of our South Africa’s reef systems. The South African Reef Atlas is based on underwater photographs and gps co-ordinates submitted by ‘reef users’, notably divers, research organisations and government. It will significantly [...]
Key Moment for SA Climate Change
The government, women, coalminers, business…each sector of South African society needs to be involved right now if, as Africa’s highest emitter of carbon, South Africa is to transform to a low carbon economy. The Green Trust is doing something about it. The Green Trust is funding a project that is contributing to climate change policy [...]
Black Sheep
Some things in life are fair. Life does not distinguish between so-called good families or so-called broken families, between rich or poor, educated or uneducated, first world or third world when it comes to the black sheep or wayward soul. Black sheep are as prevalent in families in South Africa as they are in families [...]
New Year, Bad Woman
“Do you get angry?” Doctor Bolotovsky, the iridologist, enquires. I’m sitting in his consulting room with my right eye gummed to his oculist scope as he peers into my iris. The reason I’m here is because it’s a new year. I am done with last year’s tears, fears, self-sacrifices and self-worth woes. This year my [...]
Health Massage
Mongolia is a long way to travel for a health massage. Fortunately my friend Tracey is extremely intrepid and will journey to the ends of the earth in search of one. “Ulaan Bataar is where I wish to receive my next massage,” she stated the day she departed. Ulaan Bataar or ‘UB’ to those who [...]
SAVE THE LAND – Keep More Animals
Does the idea of running twice the number of livestock on your land for significantly more profit while improving your veld and grazing appeal to you? There’s no livestock farmer in the world who’d say “No”. Enter Allan Savory. Over 50 years, he has proved that this and more is achievable on holistically managed farms [...]