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Enviro Chat
Don't put price tag on environment Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:49
From Cape Times - July 5, 2005.

By Graeme Cowley

British Prime Minister Tony Blair's recent announcement that the G8 summit will focus on the twin challenges of Africa and climate change provides a timely opportunity to reflect on Africa's ecological future.

The announcement is noteworthy in that it pairs an issue at the forefront of economic debate with one that has for some years been the mainstay of ecological debate, and traditionally economics and "ecologics" have been uneasy bedfellows.

The Kyoto Protocol failed to achieve consensus precisely because its aim - to curb global warming - was considered by some to be too expensive. The United States argued that the terms of the protocol would result in the equivalent waste of about $1 300 a year for each American and would place an unnecessary burden on economic growth.

The figures have been disputed, but whatever the costs of the protocol, the case reflects the long-standing tension between the demands of the environment and those of economic justice. The tension is not new, but is especially poignant in a developing continent like Africa, where social and economic imbalances are so acute, and where the agenda of "reconstruction and development" looms large in matters of public policy.

The economic approach to ecology has encouraged the orthodox assumption that the poor are incapable of a "more-than-economic" relationship with the natural world, because their economic status is the chief determining factor in their existence.

It follows from this view that the only environmentalist doctrine that can be preached to the poor is one rooted in an economic logic - in other words, the dominant paradigm of sustainable development, or "enlightened self-interest", in which the poor are taught to help themselves in ways that are less harmful to nature. The internal logic here implies that the interests of the environment cannot be spoken of in a meaningful way until the interests of people are met.

Meeting the demands of an ecological age, however, is as much a moral project as it is an economic one. On the one hand, it requires that we curb our eco-destructive habits and reform our economic practices. But it also demands that we engage critically with the meaning and value we invest in the natural world. The destruction of the environment is as much due to a failure to understand the profound kinship between people and their living habitat, as it is to irresponsible economic practices.

Yet, it is precisely this moral dimension that is not sufficiently recognised by the dominant paradigm of sustainable development, which reduces the issue of the environment to one of resource management. The existing policy of sustainable development provides at best an economic strategy for survival - it makes no provision for a fundamental moral reorientation towards the natural world.

What is needed, then, is a culture of sustainability, which transcends the quantitative logic of the economist, and locates the policy of sustainable development within a broader moral commitment to the living environment.

An awareness of the indissoluble kinship between human and non-human life needs to be instilled in popular consciousness and used as a template for moral action.

Such a culture cannot be legislated into existence, for it is not defined by legal prescriptions - it does not prescribe, it affirms. It is less about what one ought not to do (this is the domain of the policy of sustainable development), than about the celebration of "life-centred" values and the weaving of those values into new patterns of individual and collective self-understanding.

As such, it cannot be imposed from above, but must be nurtured in the soil of cultural tradition, collective identity and individual conscience. Therefore, while it is important that the government, at both a national and regional level, endorses and sponsors a campaign of moral re-education, the participation of NGOs, interest groups and local community structures is critical to the shaping of a new ecological sensibility.

Will a genuine ecological ethic for Africa have to be postponed until poverty has been eradicated? No, because the issue of the environment is not reducible to an issue of poverty alleviation. But this only becomes apparent once we transcend a purely economic interpretation of the environmental crisis. The chief perpetrators of ecological destruction tend to be the affluent classes, not those who are condemned by circumstances to a frugal consumption. If poverty alleviation means elevating the poor to present standards of middle-class extravagance, then it will simply exacerbate the problem of environmental destruction and resource depletion.

From an ecological perspective, poverty, no less than the consumption habits of the wealthier classes, needs to be managed within a framework that is both economic and moral. No socio-economic class is exempt from a moral relationship with the natural world any more than it is exempt from a sense of moral obligation to human beings. And this is a crucial point: the notion that environmentalism is simply about the weighing up of material interests can only be outgrown once we come to realise that respect for the natural world is an extension of those values which cradle a healthy democracy.

The fact remains that there is frequently a correlation between the way people treat one another as social beings and the way they treat the natural world. Attitudes to nature often reflect patterns of social interaction between people, in the same way that different technologies embody different forms of social relationship.

Democracy assigns a set of inalienable rights to every one of its citizens, irrespective of their economic status or utility value. In other words, a person's moral status is unconditional. By the same measure, the environment needs to be valued for more than the economic opportunities it yields. The ethos of respect and compassion that characterises a benevolent society needs to incorporate the broader community of life, human and non-human. And it is an ethos which can only be brought about by a concerted, sustained and even radical campaign of moral re-education - that is, by the establishment of a culture of sustainability.

Anything less is a compromise of the formative principles of a responsible democracy. If we are to achieve this, we need to view the plight of the environment as a cultural problem, and make use of cultural resources in fashioning a new ecological sensibility.

Sadly, we are so enmeshed in the prevailing consumerist ideology that we frequently overlook the cultural riches of the economic underclass of the continent. There is a tendency to believe that the margin of profit is the "measure of a man", in the same way that GNP is the measure of human welfare.

The plight of the environment, if anything, teaches us that not all growth is good, and that material standards of living and quality of life are not to be confused. Poverty then does not preclude an African environmental ethic, but presents unique challenges and novel opportunities for fostering an environmental ethic rooted in the vigour of local landscapes and traditions.

At the final count, a meaningful encounter with the natural world is a humanising experience, which contributes to the renewal of both individual and community. The poor of Africa, whose need is the greatest, should not be deprived of such a vital encounter.

- Cowley is a researcher at the Educational Support Services Trust.

From Cape Times - Original Article at link:
http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=273&fArticleId=2612114
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Enviro-Chat - September 2008 Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:49
Dear Readers

Welcome to the latest Enviro-Chat for September.



Environmental News from South Africa

Notice of EIA: NECSA (Early Warning System & Effluent) - Every concerned citizen is urged to register as an “Interested and Affected Party” (I&AP) on this new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) announced by the Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA (NECSA). By law, irrespective of where you live, all citizens have the right to participate in the EIA process – it is not for experts only ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2112> .


Heavy seas, wind and snow batter East Cape - GIANT waves battered the Eastern and Southern Cape coast yesterday, closing roads, threatening homes and businesses, and forcing people to evacuate.
Heavy seas churned up by gale- force winds and spring tides at the weekend are only expected to subside on Thursday ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2144> .



Powerlines Plotted for Picturesque Village - The province's environment department has approved an 8,6km high-voltage powerline, with cables strung between 23m-high pylons, which will have a long-term visual impact on the historic and highly scenic overberg villages of Greyton and Genadendal. And the province's officials gave the nod to the project without visiting the site ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2130> .

Storm in Western Cape Results in 9-Meter Waves - The South African Weather Service has recorded nine-meter high waves along the Western Cape coast, as gale force winds continue to batter the area. Forecaster at the weather service, Evert Scholtz on Monday said the winds, coupled with the spring tide, caused waves to swell to about three stories high .. read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2134> .

The Toxic August Winds - Mine dump dust contains a variety of toxic compounds, such as aluminium, arsenic, copper, iron, manganese, lead, zinc, uranium and cyanide, during the windy season from July to September, strong winds carry this toxic inhaleable dust very great distances and high enough to enter the jet stream, see photos <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2147> of such dust pollution. ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2147> .


Green Fury Over U.S. Nuke Ship - US NUCLEAR ship the USS Theodore Roosevelt will be making its way to SA next month and the South African Navy has approached the National Nuclear Reactor (NNR) for a nuclear vessel licence, according to a newspaper notice at the weekend ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2129> .

Pollution threatens Cradle of Humankind - A respected cave expert has called on the government to urgently address the acidic mine water pollution in the Witwatersrand region that threatens the world-famous Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site. In a recent open letter, Mike Buchanan, an ecologist, describes how over a century of gold mining has destroyed the Witwatersrand's unique groundwater system and habitat, leading to the "world's greatest karst disaster" ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2124> .

At least 20 die in raging veld fires - DOZENS of fires fanned by gale-force winds left at least 20 people dead at the weekend and destroyed thousands of hectares of veld, officials said yesterday. Working on Fire (WoF), a government-supported veld fire-fighting and prevention project, said yesterday that about 150 veld fires had been raging since the weekend ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2146> .

R4 million for Govt Nuclear "Brainwashing" - The department of public enterprises is spending R4-million on its bid to give the image of nuclear power in South Africa a makeover. The price tag was revealed in a reply by Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin to a parliamentary question by Independent Democrats energy spokesman Lance Greyling. "This research is not intended to be a public consultation process on nuclear policy," he said ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2128> .



Graphite feedstock for PBMR demo plant to start - Minister Alec Erwin's aggressive move towards lavish nuclear energy projects for South Africa has, since the onset, given the indication (prior to any approvals) that "it's a DONE DEAL". Not one of Eskom's EIA processes is even near to completion, and the PBMR EIA process has been delayed due to "unforeseen" circumstances with no reasons whatsoever given to interested parties. Why then is the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) already giving the go-ahead on part of the process for manufacturing the Uranium pebbles for the PBMR project? Is this a fait accompli? What happened to democracy and public consultation? In another article <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2128> you will see how R4-million of taxpayers' money has been allocated towards "correcting" (brainwashing) the general public's perception of nuclear energy. Why is this industry still so shrouded in secrecy if they have "nothing" to hide? ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2125> .

Protecting Biodiversity Dependant On Communities - The protection of biodiversity hotspots depends on the involvement of local communities, according to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Speaking at the People and Parks Conference on Monday, deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi said: "Our success in achieving sustainable protection of these hotspots, species and ecosystems will largely depend on the extent to which we involve local people whose livelihoods depend on these resources." ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2132> .

Fears raised over pebble beds - A new foreign report casts a further shadow over SA’s troubled nuclear project, but a local research company says there’s no need for alarm. Bobby Jordan reports. The safety concerns are contained in a report released by the world-renowned state-owned German Jülich Nuclear Research Centre ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2113> .

Reserves Line Up for Island Animals - Animal welfare organisations, farm, guest lodge and animal sanctuary owners from many parts of the Western and Eastern Cape are coming forward to offer accommodation to Robben Island's animals in the hope they can prevent them from being killed ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2133> .

'Massive budget' for reactor queried - The government must explain its plans to build the controversial Pebble Bed Modular Reactor demonstration plant at Koeberg, and particularly why its massive budget will not be better spent on other energy sources, says the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Its president Dr Gerald Wolman said the project had come in for severe criticism because it was 10 years behind schedule, and 10 times over budget. "One of our concerns is that the reactor seems to have doubled in size," he pointed out ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2121> .

Kosi Bay - Southern Africa's Last True Wilderness - Situated in the far north-east corner of Kwazulu Natal lies Kosi Bay which is part of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park now called the Isimangaliso Wetlands which is the FIRST natural World Heritage Site in South Africa to be awarded such worldwide UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE recognition ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2123> .

Measuring the Carbon Footprint of Fruit And Wine - In an effort to stay competitive in a global market where increasing demands are made by consumers for 'green' products, South African fruit and wine farmers have launched an initiative to determine the environmental impact of their industries ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2108> .

Environmental News from around the World



Italy next solar hot spot - Italy could be Europe's next big solar power market after Spain, which will slash generous subsidies later this month, a leading solar industy figure told Reuters on Tuesday. Ernesto Macias, managing director of Spain's biggest solar panel maker Isofoton, was hopeful that the solar market in Italy could expand to reach 1,200 MW next year, the cap on solar power output entitled to subsidies under existing regulations ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2139> .

Hurricane Gustav Spares New Orleans - Weaker than feared, the center of Hurricane Gustav made landfall as a Category 2 storm near the small town of Cocodrie in Terrebonne parish on the Louisiana coast 72 miles southwest of New Orleans ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2136> .

German Coalition Sues Bayer Over Pesticide Honey Bee Deaths - The German organization Coalition against Bayer Dangers today brought legal action against Werner Wenning, chairman of the Bayer AG Board of Management, by filing a charge against him with the public prosecutor in Freiburg. The group accuses Bayer CropScience of "marketing dangerous pesticides and thereby accepting the mass death of bees all over the world." ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2120> .

Green marketing — Are your claims sustainable? - Brands making green claims about their products need clarity on what they can and cannot say. The recent surge in green marketing has left many brands searching for the right words to sell the environmental benefits of products. But many advertisers still slip up by using vague terms that leave themselves open to charges of greenwash, as oil firm Shell has found to its cost ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2137> .

Sea level rises could far exceed IPCC estimates - Could our coastlines disappear underwater much sooner than we think? The controversial view that sea levels could rise at a rate of more than 1 metre per century has found support from a new study of a long-melted ice sheet ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2142> .

Northern Hemisphere Sets 1300 Year Climate Warming Record - Surface temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere were warmer over the last 10 years than any time during the last 1300 years, according to researchers at Penn State's Earth System Science Center and three other U.S. universities ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2135> .

Half of All Food Produced Worldwide is Wasted - Tremendous quantities of food are wasted after production - discarded in processing, transport, supermarkets and kitchens - and this wasted food is also wasted water, finds a policy brief released at World Water Week in Stockholm .... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2100> .

Solar Sunroof Recharges Car Battery - Sunroofs are no longer just an easy route to windblown hair and a sunburn with Sunrise Solar’s introduction of the solar sunroof. The technology replaces the traditional glass sunroof with solar technology that generates electricity to recharge a car’s batteries while either cooling or warming the parked car depending on the weather ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2118> .

Drought in Australia food bowl worsens - Drought in Australia's main food growing region of the Murray-Darling river system has worsened, with water inflows over the past two years at an all-time low, the government's top water official said on Tuesday ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2140> .

Two Large Solar Plants Planned in California - Companies will build two solar power plants in California that together will put out more than 12 times as much electricity as the largest such plant today, the latest indication that solar energy is starting to achieve significant scale ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2117> .

Solar plant yields water and crops from the desert - Vast greenhouses that use sea water for crop cultivation could be combined with solar power plants to provide food, fresh water and clean energy in deserts, under an ambitious proposal from a team of architects and engineers ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2143> .
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Enviro-Chat --- World Environment Day 2008 Edition Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:48
Dear Readers

Happy Environment Day 2008, let’s all do something special for the environment today, every little bit counts. In South Africa, the entire month of June has been selected as Environment month and hopefully as more and more people come to their senses we will eventually declare each and every day environment day. Herewith the picks of the latest from environment news in South Africa and around the globe, much more news available at www.environment.co.za <http://www.environment.co.za>

SOUTH AFRICA ENVIRONMENT NEWS



Visit the Energex Expo 6-8 June 2008 - As part of its efforts to respond to the national campaign to save electricity by 10%, this initiative is brought to you by Gauteng Provincial Government and takes the form of an Energy Efficiency Products & Information Exhibition which will run from the 6th to the 8th of June 2008 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2023> .



June to be Celebrated as Environment Month - The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism will launch national Environment Month and various clean up campaigns on 2 June 2008. The national launch of Environment Month coincides with the global celebrations of World Environment Day on 5 June ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2026> .

SA launches first commercial wind farm in W Cape - South Africa's first commercial wind energy project, the 5,2 MW Darling Wind Farm in the Western Cape, was officially launched on Friday by Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica. Speaking at a media briefing, she said that although this project was modest in terms of its generation capacity, the timing of the launch of the wind farm was perfect in light of the country's current energy crisis ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2012> .

SA to launch battery-operated car in 2009 - South African-designed, battery-operated passenger car is to be unveiled early next year, Deputy Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom announced on Friday. The development of the vehicle - described as "beautiful" by those who have had a glimpse of the design sketches - could not have come at a better time, he told MPs during debate in Parliament on the science and technology budget vote ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2006> .

W Cape signs deal on second 80-MW wind farm - The Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, together with the Saldanha Municipality, Seeland Development Trust, Oxfam UK and Genesis Eco-Energy, embarked on a process to develop an 80 MW wind farm on Thursday, with signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) governing the development of the project ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2004> .

Climate change risks tend to be underestimated - Professional services organisation KPMG identified the six most prevalent sectors in danger of risks from climate change, and these were transport, tourism, aviation, healthcare, the financial sector, and the oil and gas sector. These sectors scored high on the risks facing the sector (either physical, regulatory, reputational, or litigious), and yet they scored poorly in terms of preparedness to face these risks ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2014> .

CapeNature Not Out of the Woods Yet - CapeNature is "under new management", but the conservation authority still has some way to go before it will be "business as usual", the province has been warned ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2025> .



Stiff sentences for 6 yellowwood fellers - In a case described as environmental rape, six men who cut down 86 yellowwood trees - some as old as 500 years - in the Gongqo-Gongqo State Forest near Umzimkulu in 2001, were given stiff jail sentences. Victor Terblanche, 65, and his sons Morne, 35, and Pierre, 39, were sentenced to an effective eight years' imprisonment, while their accomplices, Chief Wilson Ntlabathi, 66, Eric Sithole, 58, and Siphiwe Satywa, 68, received effective five-year jail terms ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1994> .

Manganese poisoning inquiry resumes - A Department of Labour inquiry into exposure of workers to toxic manganese fumes and dust at the Assmang ferromanganese smelter near Durban will resume on Monday. Manganism is acquired by overexposure to airborne manganese and is a disease that affects the sufferer's central nervous system, leaving them with symptoms very similar to Parkinson's disease and multiplesclerosis ...read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2018> .



Mining Activists Arrested Outside Amplats PPL Mine - Community members dispersing to their vehicles after a peaceful picket OUTSIDE Anglo Platinum's PPL Mine Property on 27 May were DRAGGED from their vehicles onto the PPL Property by the SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICES ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2001> . ANGLO PLATINUM has been trying to remove gravesites without family members' permission in Sekuruwe (near Amplats PPL Mine, north of Mokopane, Limpopo). Community members gathered early to protect their ancestors' graves, as well as several unknown graves that are being removed. WHY IS ANGLO PLATINUM REMOVING THESE GRAVES? TO MAKE WAY FOR A TAILINGS DAM ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2003> .



Why is GM food not labelled as such? - The Consumer Protection Bill, an act of Parliament devised to protect the rights of consumers, as its name suggests, has come before the National Council of Provinces, usually the final step before ratification. Interestingly the NCOP has asked for comment on the bill before it is ratified. One issue that has elicited much debate is the matter of foods derived from crops that have been genetically modified (GM) ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2015> .

WORLD ENVIRONMENT NEWS

World Environment Day 2008 - World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2022> .



Abu Dhabi unveils zero-waste city - Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich emirate, has unveiled a plan to build a zero-waste, zero-carbon, car-less city in the desert. Famous for a history of development that triumphs over nature -- so much so that it transformed a desert strip into a place known for greenery and parkland -- the region's latest grand development project is for what is billed as the world's first carbon-neutral city, a community that will eventually house 50,000 people and 1,500 businesses near the emirate's airport ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1986> .

French adopt contested GM crops bill - The French parliament on Thursday adopted a controversial bill on genetically-modified (GM) crops that had raised hackles in both the right-wing ruling camp and the opposition ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2000> .

Europe Grapples Over Biofuels - Like much of the rest of the world, Europe has invested heaps of money and even more hope in the promise of biofuels to provide secure supplies of environmentally friendly energy. But now rising food prices, trade tensions and social unrest are prompting a rethink of the E.U.'s ambitious hopes for running its cars and trucks on biofuel ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1983> .

China to ban thin plastic bags - The Chinese government is banning production and distribution of the thinnest plastic bags in a bid to curb the white pollution that is taking over the countryside. The bags are also banned from all forms of public transportation and "scenic locations." The move may save as much as 37 million barrels of oil currently used to produce the plastic totes, according to China Trade News ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2016> .

Giant plastic soup floats out to sea - The Independent has an early contender for grossest news of the year when it reports on a “plastic soup” of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists say that it is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1987> .

Making a killing from hunger - For some time now the rising cost of food all over the world has taken households, governments and the media by storm. The price of wheat has gone up by 130% over the last year. Rice has doubled in price in Asia in the first three months of 2008 alone, and just last week it hit record highs on the Chicago futures market ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1961> .

Much more news at www.environment.co.za <http://www.environment.co.za>
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Enviro-Chat - Special Earth Day Edition 2008 Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:47
Dear Readers

Welcome to Enviro-Chat Earth Day Edition. Yes it’s Earth Day today and many concerts and events have been taking place worldwide. Herewith is the latest in environmental news from South Africa and around the globe.

SOUTH AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Joburg Observes World Earth Day 2008
In observing the 38th Earth Day aimed at encouraging people to take care of our planet, the City of Johannesburg will on Tuesday unveil the newly developed community park in Bramfischerville, Soweto. World Earth Day is an event where the world's citizens commit to building a safer, healthier, cleaner and sustainable world ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1921> .



GreenPeace Supports Historic Launch of National Coalition Against Nuclear Energy (CANE) If the nuclear industry thinks they’re on the edge of a nuclear renaissance, they’ll have to think again, at least in South Africa ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1916> .

Warning Issued On Shellfish in Cape West Coast Members of the public have been advised not to collect or eat any shellfish, oysters and abalone on the West Coast (north of Cape Point) until further notice from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1897> .

Towards a New and Improved Green Revolution As food prices soar and hundreds of millions go hungry, experts from around the world will this week present a new approach for ensuring food security, at the intergovernmental plenary for the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1898> .

Biofuels pose a moral problem
Biofuels pose a moral problem and the worst of rioting prompted by soaring food costs may be yet to come, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the International Monetary Fund, said on Friday. "When we make biofuels from agricultural products not used for food, that is fine. But when they are made from food products, this poses a major moral problem," Strauss-Kahn told Europe 1 radio station on Friday ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1908> .



Protest swells against change to environment laws More environmental groups have joined in condemning proposed new laws on the environment, saying the amendments appear to boost mining and development at the expense of the environment and local communities. The newly formed Federation for a Sustainable Environment has told the Cape Times it is to investigate whether to take legal action against proposed amendments to the National Environment Management Act (Nema) ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1852> .

Climate Change Key Driver to Biodiversity Loss Scientific evaluations on climate change have confirmed that climate change is indeed a key driver to biodiversity loss and stress to the country's resources, says Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1896> .

SA, Norway Joins Forces for a "Green" 2010 World Cup South Africa and the Norwegian government have joined forced to ensure the 2010 FIFA World Cup is "green" and environmentally friendly through the reduction of CO' emissions ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1912> .

Kulula Plants Trees to Help Counter Carbon Footprint LOW-cost airline Kulula became the first South African airline to tackle the thorny issue of carbon emissions when it formally launched Project Green in Katlehong yesterday. The project, which has been taking shape over the past few months, aims to plant trees and grass in impoverished communities as well as build sports fields in rural and township schools around the country in a bid to offset the airline's carbon footprint ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1913> .

Wild Coast mining can be stopped
SOUTH Africa's environmental authorities have strongly rejected heavy minerals mining plans that could cause irreversible and extensive damage to pristine parts of the Wild Coast - but the Department of Minerals and Energy is still considering granting a mining licence ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1885> .

Coal mining plans put fresh water at risk Plans to mine for coal in the catchment areas of major rivers present a serious threat to South Africa's fresh water resources. Acid pollution caused by coal mining has already destroyed the Wilge River that flows through the Ezemvelo Reserve near Bronkhorstpruit, Mpumalanga, and has caused mass deaths of fish and crocodiles at the Olifants River inlet to Loskop Dam, between Middelburg and Groblersdal ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1660> .

Eco Innovators Honoured in Green Awards
Ecological integrity and planet-saving ambitions are among the traits of individuals and companies that have been honoured in the inaugural ‘Real Simple’ Green Innovation Awards ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1890> .

Cape Town Unveils Air Pollution Awareness Campaign Free vehicle diesel emission testing stations are to be set up around Cape Town for three days, aimed at raising awareness around the importance of controlling air pollution in the city. Motorists who drive heavy vehicles suspected to emit heavy pollutants in the city will be allowed to test their vehicle's diesel emissions for free, without the fear of being charged ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1895> .

Solar powered street lights for Johannesburg City Solar power was playing an illuminating role in Johannesburg inner city regeneration efforts, as solar streetlights have been installed on Kenmare street, in Yeoville as a part of the Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville upgrade being carried out by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1887> .

Sasol to Produce Synthetic Jet Fuel
The world's leading producer of synthetic fuels, Sasol, is the first company worldwide to receive international approval for its 100 percent synthetic jet fuel, the organisation has announced. Sasol, which produces synthetic fuels from coal and natural gas, will now also produce a jet fuel produced by its proprietary Coal to Liquids (CTL) process at Sasol's Synfuels facility in Secunda in Mpumalanga ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1888> .

WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS


Earth Day 2008 Concerts Played, Pledges Made It rained and it poured, but thousands of people enjoyed Earth Day on the Washington Mall anyway. A few performers were heard before concert organizers pulled the plugs as thunderstorms threatened ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1917> .



10 reasons why GM won't feed the world
Genetic modification can't deliver a safe, secure future food supply. Here's why... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1910> .

10 reasons why organic CAN feed the world Can organic farming feed the world? Ed Hamer and Mark Anslow say yes, but we must farm and eat differently ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1909> .



Wind replacing Oil in one Texas Town
What could be more Texan than an oil rig? How about a wind turbine? Soon, Texas may be as famous for its whirling windmills as for its ubiquitous oil and gas rigs. Concern over the greenhouse gas emissions created by burning fossil fuels and a growing demand for green energy have the Lone Star State turning its attention to the power (and profits) of renewable wind energy ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1872> .

Migratory Shorebirds Vanishing Along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway SYDNEY, Australia, April 21, 2008 (ENS) - One of the world's great wildlife spectacles is under way across Australia. Two million migratory shorebirds of 36 species are gathering around Broome before an amazing 10,000 kilometer (6,200 mile) annual flight to their breeding grounds in the Northern Hemisphere. The birds are preparing to make an annual flight along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, a route which passes through 22 countries ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1918> .

Tobacco and oil pay for climate conference The first international conference designed to question the scientific consensus on climate change is being sponsored by a right-wing American think-tank which receives money from the oil industry ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1815> .



Bush Climate Speech Covers Familiar Ground

President George W. Bush today outlined a new climate goal for the United States, calling for the nation to halt the growth of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. Bush touted his new climate strategy as ambitious, but environmentalists and Democratic lawmakers criticized the plan as feeble and contend it falls far short of what is needed to fend off climate change ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1905> .

Gold's dirty little secrets
The world’s favourite precious metal is hiding a dirty little secret. Laura Sevier reports on the truth behind the glitter, and asks whether gold can ever be green ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1911> .

Babies' Teeth Radioactive Near Nuclear Power Plant Vermont -- At the behest of local organizations, the Radiation and Public Health Project will be examining the levels of Strontium-90 in baby teeth belonging to children living within a 50-mile radius of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear reactor in Vernon. Strontium-90 is one of the many radioactive byproducts of nuclear fission believed to cause cancer. Its release from power plants is monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1914> .

Navajo Challenge Uranium Mining Permit on Tribal Land For the first time in history, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, will be challenged in federal appeals court for its approval of a source materials license for an in situ leach uranium mine. The Navajo communities of Crownpoint and Church Rock, New Mexico will fight the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the permitted company, Hydro Resources, Inc., demanding that they stay off Navajo lands in New Mexico ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1919> .

World's Water Needs Grow More Urgent
The international community needs to start creating strategies for using water more efficiently and sharing it more fairly, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, warning that unless action is taken soon, the conflicts and problems caused by water shortages around the world will multiply ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1839> .

Greenpeace Dumps Coal at Philippines Environment Ministry, Wins Review Philippines Environment Secretary Lito Atienza has agreed to review the environmental compliance certificate for a proposed coal plant in Iloilo City following a dialogue with Greenpeace representatives. Greenpeace activists dumped half a ton of coal at the entrance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, DENR, on Thursday and unfurled a banner with the message "Atienza, don’t be a climate criminal” ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1920> .

Traffic pollution linked to thousands of deaths Thousands of people in England have died from pneumonia caused by pollution, a report suggested today. There is a "strong correlation" between deaths, engine exhaust fumes and other transport-related substances, according to the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1901> .
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A natural phenomenon Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:46
A natural phenomenon

Tonight, after 54 fabulous years of globetrotting for wildlife, David Attenborough bows out. What made him so great? And who can take his place? By Stuart Jeffries

# Stuart Jeffries
# The Guardian,
# Monday March 3 2008
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/03/television.wildlife

When David Attenborough started out in TV 54 years ago, he came up with an idea for a series that today would get him thrown out of the BBC and lynched by animal activists. "We decided," he recalled recently, "we would go out into the wild to capture animals and bring them back to London Zoo."

Zoo Quest lasted from 1954 to 1964, a magical, if in hindsight indefensible, decade of programming. "We walked into valleys where no European had been before," Attenborough said. "It was an extraordinary time." Lemurs and birds of paradise had never been on TV, gorillas hadn't been filmed through the mist, controllers hadn't yet realised what meerkats could do for audience share. "It was a very different time," says Miles Barton, Attenborough's producer on several series, including his current one, Life in Cold Blood. "In the US, there had already been big game TV shows where hunters shot at animals - in a very literal sense. So Zoo Quest was not so very wild."

The world, and natural history programmes, have changed unimaginably since then - as has Attenborough's attitude towards the genre. Now he knows that responsible zoos breed their animals, aware of dwindling stocks in the wild. And if Zoo Quest had a successor today, it would be called Zoo Idol. Viewers would vote on which chipmunk to airlift to safety and which one to leave to the jungle's hungry rattlesnakes. Only the cutest would survive.

Tonight, 54 years of Attenborough globetrotting come to an end, with the final instalment of Life in Cold Blood. He will continue to make TV programmes (including a series about Darwin), but his days of going on location, of getting urinated on by birds, pooed on by bats or having a Mozambican cobra spit venom in his eye, are over. Attenborough will never whisper from the bushes again.

So what are we left with? Half a century of lovely memories, ones we can meander through on DVD or, shortly, download from online BBC archives. As Neil Nightingale, head of the BBC's Natural History Unit, says, Attenborough has given us an extraordinarily complete picture of the natural world. "He has done it all really," agrees Alistair Fothergill, the producer-director who worked with Attenborough on The Blue Planet. "He did evolution with Life on Earth [the 13-part 1979 series watched by 500 million people worldwide]. He did ecology five years later with The Living World. He did ethology with The Trials of Life in 1990. And after that, he did plants, birds, mammals, marine life, reptiles and amphibians. It's an amazing record of a disappearing world."

And what memories! In Patagonia during the filming of Life of Birds, Attenborough banged rocks on a tree deep in woodpecker territory. In a moment of pure magic, a huge Magellanic woodpecker flew in, convinced there was a rival bird on his turf, and did some loud pecking of his own. Attenborough hid (look it up on YouTube). Then there was the chimp hunt: chimpanzees hunting colobus monkeys through the Ivory Coast rainforest. Attenborough delivered a breathless commentary as he and crew, camera juddering, scampered behind. After the kill, the female chimps let out a chillingly exultant chorus of whoops and screams. Attenborough recalled those screams as "terrifying - just like the tricoteuses at the tumbrels. The whole scene is burnt into my mind." And into ours.

Miles Barton believes Attenborough's best moment came when he had to deliver a piece over the sound of screeching lorikeets: "I was there when he did it. He holds up this bowl of nectar, and they descend on him, looking like stripey ice lollies. There are hundreds of them, squawking and digging their sharp claws into him. The noise is deafening, but he carries on yelling the commentary like a trooper."

Attenborough has been amazingly lucky in the timing of his career. "In the whole of history, nobody has seen as much of the natural world," reckons Fothergill. "Nor perhaps will anybody again - because of the damage that has been done to it since the second world war. When he did Zoo Quest, he went to Komodo, and it involved a long boat trip. Now a flight lands there every few hours. Scheduled air travel made his career possible. Before, there was no way anyone could start a programme in Australia and end it in Canada, but he did. That's what made series like Life On Earth so groundbreaking."

Attenborough is aware of the paradox at the heart of his work's impact: "People know more about animals today than they ever have, even though they are less in touch with [the natural world] than they ever have been." In the course of his career, the planet's population has more than tripled: just over 2 billion in 1954 to more than 6.5 billion now. For Neil Nightingale, the rampant urbanisation of the world (more than half of us now live in cities) has made Attenborough's work even more crucial. "That role of keeping a connection with nature has fallen to David, principally. TV has been much more powerful than books or film in this. I don't think it's absurd to say that his work contributed to the rise of the environmental movement. He made us care about the natural world."

For Fothergill, Attenborough has been able to perform the tasks of educating, informing and entertaining in the Reithian way that the BBC set out to do. "If you got into a taxi the morning after The Trials of Life, you'd have the driver go, 'Cor blimey guv, did you see that killer whale pouncing on a colony of sea lions on a Patagonian beach on the telly last night?' And you'd also see applications to Southampton University marine biology department rise because of The Blue Planet. If you can do both those things, you have every reason to be proud. That's really public service broadcasting."

Many would argue that the Reithian ethos that underpinned Attenborough's series - as well as Kenneth Clark's Civilisation and Jacob Bronowski's The Ascent of Man - is now dead. Barton disagrees: "Yes, there have been and will be bad natural history programmes, where presenters try to become the stars of the show by putting themselves in danger of shark attack or whatever, but the ethos David stands for is still there." He points to a new Natural History Unit series, Frozen Planet, and another called, boldly, Life. "Natural history programming has diversified. Who'd have thought Springwatch would become the second most viewed programme on BBC2 after Top Gear? It can't stay still if it's to survive."

The end of Attenborough's travels marks the end of an era in many ways - but the most important is perhaps this: who but Attenborough would have the clout to ensure that BBC1 devote an entire hour of its evening schedule not just to the furry cuties of the animal kingdom, nor to the narcissism of self-serving presenters, but to some ugly if diverting life forms? "One key thing he did was to create an audience for creepy-crawlies and scaly things, the less apparently charismatic animals," says Barton. "It's one of his most unlikely feats."

So who will fill Attenborough's safari jacket? "When I was made head of the Natural History Unit in 1992," says Fothergill, "one of the objectives John Birt set me was to find the new Attenborough. I said to David, 'I'm not even bothering to look.' He is irreplaceable".

· The last episode of Life in Cold Blood is on BBC1 tonight.
TV critics pick their favourite Attenborough moment

In a career that has been all pinnacles, the great man attained his apex when he stood on top of a huge pile of bat excrement in a cave in Borneo, while ****roaches by the thousand crawled all over him. His radiant smile of
gratitude was the most brilliant proof he ever offered of the generous curiosity that has always underlain his love of nature. Anyone can cuddle a lemur. He could caress a centipede.
Clive James

In Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives, he was talking to a bearded palaeontologist about some fossilised dinosaur eggs. Asked by Attenborough if he thought there were any embryos inside , he said: "I know there are." Before he had even finished saying it, Attenborough wanted to know how he knew. "CAT scans and so forth." "How can you wait?" he laughed. "Why don't you just hit it with a spoon and see?" The serious scientist, faced with such enthusiasm, looked very tempted, just for a moment.
Lucy Mangan

My favourite moment was when, as controller of BBC2, he gave the go-ahead to Monty Python's Flying Circus. But no tape of that moment exists, so I'll plump for the lyrebird from The Life of Birds. It has an incredible ability to mimic sounds. As accurate as a sampler, it imitates whatever birdsong it hears, but other noises can get caught up in the mix. The programme showed it impersonating a camera shutter, a car alarm and a revving chainsaw, with uncanny accuracy. I simply couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Charlie Brooker

I'm going to choose something human: the snooker show Pot Black (1969-86), a commission from his time as first controller of BBC2, resulting from a challenge to programme makers to invent a format showing newly arrived colour to best advantage. The game scarcely existed in Britain before this, so Attenborough created a species: the snooker player. This illustrates the extent to which Attenborough is a TV animal, understanding that the medium isn't just print or radio with pictures. Although his work is praised by reactionaries — as family viewing that justifies the licence fee — Pot Black reminds us he was a radical.
Mark Lawson

David Attenborough was chasing a giant anteater on the South American savannah. It jinked and sprinted, showing, for a hefty beast, a nifty turn of speed. He followed like a schoolboy in shorts, helpless with laughter. It was the blissful spring of television. Zoo Quest was the first programme to show wild animals in the wild and the oxygenating joy of that moment I shall always remember. I remembered it when I saw, with a sympathetic twinge, how stiffly he walked at 81 in Life in Cold Blood. We are stiffer and wiser than we were. Today he would sit down beside a giant anteater and ask, in that mimicable murmur, how it was feeling. And it would reply: "Endangered."
Nancy Banks-Smith

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/03/television.wildlife
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Environment News Roundup for 2007 Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:45
Dear Readers

We would like to wish all our readers a very safe and peaceful Christmas and a happy and healthy 2008. If you are travelling over the December season please drive safely.
2007 has been quite a busy year with environmental news and our readership has almost doubled during 2007. Herewith is the final EnviroChat for 2007.

SOUTH AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

800+ Year Old Modadji Cycads Chopped Down for 2010 Tourist Spot
Modjadji cycads are chopped out in the Modjadji forest near Tzaneen to make pathways for pedestrians to braai areas for the 2010 events ... read more and see photos <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1579> .

New Environmental Watchdog Group Formed Environmentalists have set up a federation intended to take legal action against mining companies and South Africa’s government with regard to a number of areas they claim have been badly damaged by pollution. “It’s for us to establish legal precedence and hold mining companies responsible” says environmental justice activist Mariette Liefferink, adding that high profile lawyer George Bizos is part of the federations steering committee. The federation already has a sizeable membership database comprised inter alia of NGO’s, Environmental Groups, Environmental Lawyers, Conservancies, Journalists, Communities and Ordinary Citizens. To join the federation mailing list please send your details to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it <mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >


Business Rubbishes New Waste Proposal
The government's legislative proposals to manage waste have been met with an outcry from businesses which raised their objections during parliamentary hearings. Whether it was Standard Bank's objections to the restrictions the proposals would place on the ability of banks to dispose of foreclosed property, or South African Breweries' (SAB's) concern about the bill's complexity, or the protest by the Metal Recyclers' Association over the inclusion of all forms of scrap metal in the definition of waste, the opposition of business to some clauses was unanimous ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1578> .

Seal Alert-SA Bursting At the Seams
I trust you all are well. It has been almost two months since my last update and it has been a hectic two months at that. After my meeting with the Prime Minister of Namibia and their follow-up meeting with the Fisheries Ministry, there has been complete silence. Seal Alert-SA has since presented two damning reports to the EU Commissioners and European Food Safety Review taking place ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1572> .

Minerals & Petroleum Amendment Act and Amendments to National Environmental Management Act Postponed
The amendments proposed to the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) have been postponed until 2008 when Parliament returns. These bills have met with much resistance from groups all over South Africa and have apparently caused much “what the hell are you guys up to” and in-fighting in the corridors of Parliament. This delay is only temporary relief for the holiday period but come early 2008 we urge all of you to voice your opinions on these bills by sending your comments to us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it <mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it > . We will forward your emails and letters to the powers that be. If you need further information on these bills please contact us on the same email address.

Human tissue, old bandages and used syringes pile up
South Africa is in the grip of a massive medical waste crisis as warehouses and other sites are illegally crammed with tons of rotting body parts and other highly hazardous hospital waste. Today the Sunday Times exposes one such warehouse, in Germiston, Gauteng — a few hundred metres from homes and nursery schools ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1573> .

Highveld a National Pollution HotSpot
The so-called Highveld area, including eastern Gauteng and western Mpumalanga was officially declared a national pollution "hotspot" by Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk. The Minister has given the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism two years to develop an air quality management plan, which must address the issues and provide for the implementation of the plan by a committee representing relevant role-players ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1565> .

Green Fuel For Europe – No Food for SA
The Eastern Cape is the latest target in Europe's quest for greener energy. In a story titled: "Biofuels plant planned for ELIDZ" (Wednesday 14 November) the Daily Dispatch outlined this planned "development" that shows the high price tag South Africans will have to pay. Before the German firm involved will even come to the proverbial table, South Africa must "invest" R1,5 billion. Not small change. But what will be a huge change is the enormous impact this industry will have on food security for South Africa as a whole ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1544> .

Wild Coast Xolobeni heavy-minerals project on hold
Australian mining junior Mineral Commodities (MRC), and its wholly owned subsidiary Transworld Energy and Minerals (TEM), has put on hold its proposed heavy mineral mining operation at Xolobeni, along the Wild Coast of South Africa. It is understood that the companies would be meeting to review whether or not to proceed with the mining right application ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1566> .

Africa is the 'worst victim' of climate change
Findings in an intergovernmental panel on climate change’s fourth assessment synthesis report states that arid and semiarid land in Africa is set to increase by bewteen 5% to 8% (between 60-million hectares and 90 million hectares) by 2080s under a range of climate-change scenarios. “Africa has become the worst-off victim of worldwide climate change,” ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1576> .

BHP Billiton shareholders call for moral stand on lucrative trade
The world's biggest mining company is facing a revolt from shareholders who want the group to stop excavating uranium. Activist plan to use the annual meeting of BHP Billiton, which last year made record-breaking profits of $13.4bn (£6.7bn), to force the company to take a "moral stand" and pull out of the highly profitable trade in uranium ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1563> .

Eskom told to halt project
THE National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), the body responsible for nuclear safety has slammed the brakes on Eskom’s planned pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR). This is because of problems with the manufacture of safety equipment. The suspension of the manufacture of safety-related components came in October (under the radar) and remains in force ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1581> .

'Horror list' of problems at Pelindaba
The National Nuclear Regulator is battling to keep employees, has fallen behind on equity targets, and risks its requests for increased funding being turned down by the Treasury because of its "extremely problematic" underspending. Its report for 2006/07 - described by the Coalition Against Nuclear Energy as "horror reading" - also highlighted security at nuclear facilities as "a major concern" ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1582> .

WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Ireland rejects uranium prospecting applications
Ireland's Natural Resources Minister, Eamon Ryan, said on Monday that would not grant prospecting licenses to two companies which had applied for government permission to explore for uranium in the country. The rejections signalled a "wider policy decision to prohibit such activity in Ireland", the Ministry said in a statement ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1568> .

Ambitions of nuclear power industry are a fantasy
The prospects of a nuclear power renaissance in Britain are zero and the global industry is in steep decline, Green MEPs warned yesterday. An independent consultants' study, the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2007, casts severe doubts over the government's expected proposals this year to build up to 10 nuclear power stations to replace a rapidly ageing capacity. "The gap between the expectations being promoted by the nuclear industry and reality are perfectly highlighted by the bungled attempt to build a new reactor at the Olkiluoto plant in Finland. After only two years of construction the project is already two years behind schedule and the budget is set to be overrun by 50% or €1.5bn [£1.08bn]. It seems clear that the grandiose ambitions of the nuclear industry will remain in the realm of fantasy." ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1562> .

Chinese birth defects soar
Birth defects in Chinese infants have soared nearly 40 percent since 2001, a government report said, and officials linked the rise to China's worsening environmental degradation. The rate of defects had risen from 104,9 per 10 000 births in 2001, to 145,5 in 2006, affecting nearly one in 10 families ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1567> .

Australia Electrifies Bali Climate Conference
To hearty applause from delegates at the opening session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali today, Australia announced that its new government has ratified the Kyoto Protocol and accepted binding limits on its emission of greenhouse gases. The move ends Australia's isolation from most of the international community on climate change, but leaves the United States more isolated in its anti-Kyoto stance ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1569> .

Governments must say no to Biofuels
Biofuels must not be promoted as a solution to climate change, Friends of the Earth International said today, just a few days before key United Nations climate change talks start in Bali, Indonesia. The environmental group, speaking ahead of the 3-14 December Bali talks, warned that an increase in the use of biofuels - also widely known as agrofuels - would have disastrous social and environmental impacts .. read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1577> .

Sustainable farming highlights
- some 223,000 farmers in southern Brazil using green manures and cover crops of legumes and livestock integration have doubled yields of maize and wheat to 4-5 tons/ha
- some 45,000 farmers in Guatemala and Honduras have used regenerative technologies to triple maize yields to some 2-2.5 tons/ha and diversify their upland farms ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1574> .


That’s it folks .... see you in 2008.
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Enviro-Chat --- 2007-11-01 Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:44
Dear Readers



Welcome to the latest edition of Enviro-Chat, herewith the latest in environmental news from South Africa and around the Globe.

SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENT NEWS



Final Notice: Public Hearings on National Environmental Management Amendment Bill (36-2007) Deadline for written comments is tomorrow 2nd November. Registration for the Public Hearings on 6th of Nov can still be arranged by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it <mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it > ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1510> .



'Wetlands Have Had a Pretty Raw Deal, Historically'
Environmental organisations can work with developers to manage wetlands in urban areas, says John Dini: programme manager at Working for Wetlands, a state organisation that tries to ensure the long term viability of wetlands in South Africa ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1495> .



SA hasn't woken up to green opportunities

Whether you believe that carbon dioxide-induced climate change is a real threat or not is irrelevant. The fact is that the issue is high on the agenda of politicians and those responsible for drawing up regulation, which means the drive to reduce emissions will affect you and your business ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1481> .



Minister Gives Way On Abalone Ruling

Abalone fishermen in Western Cape have won a reprieve and will be allowed one last season before fishing for wild abalone (perlemoen) is halted on February 1. Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk denied his decision to allow one last opportunity for the abalone divers was because of the threat of legal action from the Congress of South African Trade Unions and fishing communities whose livelihoods are threatened by the ban ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1493> .



The Toxic Truth about Hartebeespoort's Water

A sign placed at the source of the Crocodile River which leads into the Hartebeespoort Dam refutes claims from Water Affairs that everything is actually “OK” with the water, when clearly it is NOT ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1502> .



Table Mountain park wants volunteers

Capetonians have been invited to become involved with the administration of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) by becoming volunteer members of the Table Mountain National Park Forum. The positions are for unpaid volunteer workers, but this means the people of the city can have a direct hand in the way "their mountain" is managed, said Mandisa Mdala, people and conservation manager for the park ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1504> .



Night glow has Coega IDZ under spotlight

MORE than 1 200 street lights go on each night in and around the largely unoccupied Coega industrial development zone (IDZ) outside Port Elizabeth, sparking energy efficiency, carbon emissions and climate change questions. The blaze of lights surrounding the Port of Ngqura/Neptune Road interchange happens at the same time South Africa is battling load-shedding caused by high electricity consumption and less power supply ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1505> .



Trees Planted to "Green" Mpumalanga

Some 350 trees were planted in Tekathako village near White River in Mpumalanga on Tuesday as part of an initiative to make Mpumalanga greener. The Greening Mpumalanga initiative aims to plant 100 000 trees across the province this year ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1494> .



Inconvenient entertainment?

Barry Ronge delivers a surprising commentary on Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth”. When Al Gore collected his Nobel Peace Prize for the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, I had a mixed reaction. We must obviously applaud Gore for tackling an urgent global issue, but on another level, my brain was going “Are you kidding me? Has even the august Nobel committee succumbed to the allure of celebrity and cash?” ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1471> .



Invasive plants spreading ‘too fast’ for eradication

The government‘s key Working for Water (WfW) programme, aimed at eradicating invasive alien plants that cause billions of rands‘ damage to the economy each year, appears set to fall further behind in its efforts to contain the problem ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1506> .





INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT NEWS



Production of biofuels 'is a crime'

A UN expert yesterday called the growing practice of turning crops into biofuel "a crime against humanity" because it has created food shortages and sent food prices soaring, leaving millions of poor people hungry. Jean Ziegler, who has been the UN's independent expert on the right to food since the position was established in 2000, called for a five-year moratorium on biofuel production to halt the growing "catastrophe" for poor people ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1498> .



Apple IPhone found to contain toxic chemicals

Apple's best-selling iPhone, due to be launched in Britain next month, may be forced to carry an official health warning after being found to contain toxic chemicals. The discovery could threaten the expected worldwide sweep of the device, whose US sales topped one million in just two and a half months. It is also likely to embarrass Al Gore, who this month won the Nobel Peace Prize for his environmental campaigning. The former US vice-president is a prominent member of the hi-tech company's seven-member board ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1499> .



The Secret Files of GM Foods

Ministers are secretly easing the way for GM crops in Britain, while professing to be impartial on the technology, startling internal documents reveal. The documents, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, show that the Government colluded with a biotech company in setting conditions for testing GM potatoes, and gives tens of millions of pounds a year to boost research into modified crops and foods ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1497> .



Ban on leaded petrol 'has cut crime rates around the world'

Evidence is growing that the banning of lead should take much more of the credit for reducing crime rates. The toxic metal has long been known to damage brains and to lead to criminal and aggressive behaviour ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1500> .



Prince Harry quizzed by police about shooting of rare birds

Prince Harry and a close friend have been interviewed by police after two rare and legally protected birds of prey were killed on the royal family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk last week ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1501> .



Organic produce 'better for you'

Organic produce is better for you than ordinary food, a major European Union-funded study says. The £12m four-year project, led by Newcastle University, found a general trend showing organic food contained more antioxidants and less fatty acids. But researchers did admit the study showed some variations ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1486> .



More Toxic Toys Recalled

About 380,000 "Galaxy Warriors" toy figures sold by Family Dollar Stores Inc are being recalled because the surface paints contain excessive levels of lead, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Wednesday ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1511> .

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Enviro-Chat --- 2007-10-19 Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:44
Dear Readers



Welcome to the latest edition of Enviro-Chat.

SOUTH AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS



Know the fireworks laws.
Improper use of fireworks is illegal in Johannesburg and it is important to remind residents about the City's strict fireworks regulations and about the rights of residents to demand Council action against illegal fireworks usage. Unless special Council authorisation has been applied for and granted, there are only 11 days annually when residents are allowed to "light or ignite" fireworks. Guy Fawkes and Divali are such days. (R 500 fine on other days) ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1423> .



2007 SAB Environmentalist Awards – Winners Announced

Green and brown issues took centre stage at the SAB Environmentalist of the Year and Environmental Journalists of the Year Awards which were held at the SAB World of Beer in Newtown. Andrew Muir, executive director of the Wilderness Foundation, was named Environmentalist of the Year and received the Nick Steele Memorial Award for his work ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1421> .

Climate consciousness dim at energy summit

AT A national energy summit held by the minerals and energy department recently to initiate a review of energy policy in the light of evolving national circumstances, climate change received some attention, but the focus was on security of energy supply. At the risk of being cynical, one might conclude from the balance of proceedings that the objective of the summit was to legitimise a massive expansion of the use of coal and nuclear power ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1441> .


EIA Process – Xolobeni Heavy Minerals Sands Project

The Xolobeni Mineral Sands project is situated approximately 250 km south west of Durban and approximately 60 km south east of Mbizana and 30 km south of Port Edward in the Eastern Cape Province. The prospecting activities undertaken by Transworld Energy and Minerals Resources (SA) (Pty) Limited (“TEM”) have indicated the feasibility of mining heavy minerals in the area ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1434> .



Keeping Coast “Whale Friendly” is a priority.

The SA Whale Disentanglement Network says more and more giants of the ocean are becoming victims of rock lobster trappings and that solving this problem is a priority. On Tuesday, marine rescue officers battled to free a 9,75m Southern Right whale entangled in nets ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1414> .



Kruger Park Advises Claimants On Eco-Tourism

A community that won 2 600 hectares of land as part of a land restitution claim, plans to expand the game lodge they inherited to include a 500-room hotel with conference facilities. The Libuyile Community Trust from Kaapmuiden near Malalane in Mpumalanga is also seeking advice from the neighbouring Kruger National Park on how to train their staff ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1449> .

Wonderfontein Spruit - Toxic Dams Closed to Public After the effluxion of 7 years and excessive labour, it appears that we have succeeded that some of the radiation areas within the Wonderfonteinspruit catchment have been identified and warning signs have been erected ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1399> .



Hartebeespoort residents agree water provision is a mess.

The overwhelming majority of people who sent in forms about the privatisation of the water supply in Hartbeespoort are unhappy with the current state of affairs and want the provision of water to be privatised. Sixty five participants completed forms in terms of section 78 of the Municipal Systems Act No 32 of 2000 ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1450> .

President orders safety audit over all SA mines.

President Thabo Mbeki has requested South Africa's Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica to conduct an audit of all the country's mines to determine whether they were meeting the law's prescribed health and safety standards ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1401> .

Eskom views renewable energies as “competition”

A competitor is somebody contending with you for the same prize, or, in the world of business, for the same customer, resource, sale, etc. It is the company with the best strategies and advantages that will be the winner of the sale and ultimately the survivor in the business arena. Eskom as an organisation will have to deal with competition in its own area of business as the free market system evolves in South Africa ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1438> .

SAPPI making a big stink

Multinational pulp and paper giant Sappi is under fire for poisoning life in the mighty Thukela River. Several local residents and fishermen are fuming about the foul chemical smells, poor fishing, dirty water, foam and paper fibre residues that sometimes make their fishing tackle look like "washing lines". Rudy van der Elst, a fish expert and director of the Durban-based Oceanographic Research Institute, said there had been serious complaints about the condition of the river for several months and the department of water affairs needed to clarify what action it was taking ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1437> .





INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS


World Food Day 2007 – Food is a Human Right

"If our planet produces enough food to feed its entire population, why do 854 million people still go to sleep on an empty stomach?" demanded Dr. Jacques Diouf today. Speaking at the World Food Day ceremony on this year's theme The Right to Food, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization director-general said, "A right is not a right if it cannot be claimed." ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1426> .



Full Sail Ahead For Wind Energy
Find a site. Buy’em. Plant’em. Plug’em in. Aside from the growing worldwide demand for clean power, it’s relatively easy to build wind energy capacity. Why would anyone consider building a nuclear power plant of say 1000 megawatts - which can take years to build - when power developers can buy off-the-shelf products (those megawatt-class wind turbines) and plant them in the soil for the same amount of power as the nuke in a very short period of time .... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1412> .



Red Lipstick Spreads the Lead
Some of the red lipsticks manufactured in the United States and used daily by millions of women contain high levels of lead, according to new product tests commissioned by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a nonprofit coalition ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1427> .



Niger’s Uranium Rebellion

Before the protest march, leaflets were scattered around town claiming Libyan troops had entered Niger to annex the country’s oil and land while French business people were busy looting the country of its meagre wealth. And when hundreds of Nigeriens took to the streets of their capital recently, they did more than accuse neighbouring Libya of backing rebels and call for Areva, a French nuclear firm mining uranium in the north of the country, to leave ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1422> .



Torrential rains, floods kill 20 in Central America

Emergency officials across Central America worked to clean up towns inundated by recent deadly floods and landslides, and braced for more bad weather on Sunday. At least 20 people were killed and thousands evacuated across Central America after days of torrential rain sparked landslides and flooding ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1417> .



Wind is the fastest-growing type of energy.

On farmland outside of Brownsdale, a community-owned wind farm with 20 turbines is expected to be operational by 2009. As of now, there's just a meteorological tower on the site collecting wind data prior to the construction of the turbines, which will generate energy for two separate projects, according to Dan Juhl, an internationally known wind-energy expert who's working on the project in Mower County ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1432> .



Kiwis look to wind power

Contact Energy said Tuesday that it could spend as much as 2 billion New Zealand dollars, or $1.5 billion, building the largest wind farm in New Zealand to help reduce its reliance on gas-fired power plants ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1431> .



Australia advances with solar power
AUSTRALIA is to build the world’s most advanced solar power station using thousands of mirrors to concentrate the sun’s energy and produce enough electricity to meet the needs of 45,000 homes. Inspired by technologies used to power satellites, it will operate without producing any greenhouse gas emissions — which have been blamed for global warming — and will convert solar energy directly to electric current ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1430> .



Search for Greenest Car Now Easier Online

Hybrid vehicles continue to lead the government's fuel economy ratings released Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. The Toyota Prius tops the 2008 Fuel Economy Guide at 48 miles per gallon mpg city and 45 mpg on the highway. More hybrid models are available than ever - SUVs as well as cars - giving consumers greater choices when shopping for fuel efficient vehicles ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1429> .
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Enviro-Chat --- 2007-10-02 Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:43
Dear Readers

Welcome to the latest roundup of environmental news from around South Africa and the World.

SOUTH AFRICA


High Stakes in the Battle Between Mining and the Environment Environmentalists and tour operators appear to be losing the battle against mining companies in Mpumalanga, a province in the east of South Africa. This confrontation - which also pits two ministries against each other - will determine the future of hundreds of lakes and rivers, and has implications for the economic sustainability of the province ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1385> .



Desertification: the scourge of Africa

WITHIN THE LAST DECADE or so, 25 countries in Africa have faced drastic food shortages as a result of the extended drought. The reduced capacity for food production has brought a population of over 200 million people to the verge of calamity. Some have died of starvation, and among the survivors, especially the children and young people, many will suffer impaired health for the rest of their lives ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1337> .



Toxic shock: How Western rubbish is destroying Africa

Western corporations are exploiting legal loopholes to dump their waste in Africa. And in Ivory Coast, the price has been death and disease for thousands ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1341> .



Renewable energy sector offers 'huge' employment potential

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called upon the government to step up efforts to examine the number of employment opportunities that could be generated by a viable renewable energy industry in South Africa. Speaking after a three-day energy summit in Johannesburg, the NUM’s Fred Gona said that the amount of money being spent on research on nuclear energy far surpassed the funds allocated to the development of renewable energies, such as wind, solar and hydropower ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1382> .



SA Solar Star in Germany
As a country we do not do too well on the green front. We are generally energy inefficient and wasteful. But we can take a small measure of pride next month when the first solar panels resulting from South African taxpayer-funded research and development come out of a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant costing upwards of R500-million ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1338> .





WORLD ENVIRONMENT NEWS



Poll shows big majority back gas-guzzler tax With the arrival of gas guzzler’s like the Hummer in South Africa polls like these taking place internationally should be paid great attention ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1386> .



World's first major wave farm is set to get green light off Cornwall

The world's first large-scale wave farm will be given planning approval today. Wave Hub, a £28m project off the Cornish coast, is expected to be in place and producing renewable energy by 2009 ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1373> .



Bush draws fire at climate talks

Some of the world's biggest greenhouse polluters took aim at President George W. Bush on Friday, calling him "isolated" and questioning his leadership on the problem of global warming ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1376> .



Pipes hung in the sea could help planet to 'heal itself'

Pipes hanging in the ocean might bring global warming under control, two of Britain's most distinguished scientists suggest today. By mixing deeper water with surface water, they could help the sea absorb vastly more carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas, say James Lovelock – creator of the Gaia hypothesis which sees the earth as a single organism – and Chris Rapley, the director of the Science Museum in London ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1375> .



Pennsylvania County First to Power All Buildings with Wind Montgomery County in Pennsylvania Thursday became the first 100 percent wind powered county in the United States. Montgomery County, the utility PECO and Community Energy officials today announced a 29 million kilowatt hour wind energy purchase that will power all county facilities ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1371> .

Court challenge for school screening of Gore film

The government's decision to send a copy of Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth to secondary schools is to be challenged in the high court today. Stewart Dimmock, a school governor and father from Kent, is seeking a judicial review of the decision, claiming it is unlawful ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1369> .



Lights out for traditional bulbs by 2012

The plug will be pulled on nearly all conventional lightbulbs after supermarkets and energy suppliers agreed to gradually phase out incandescent bulbs from next year, the government said yesterday. The initiative, announced by environment secretary Hilary Benn in Bournemouth, is expected to save 5m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and be completed by 2012 ... read more <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1368> .
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Enviro-Chat --- 2007-09-17 Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:42
Dear Readers

Welcome to the latest roundup of environmental news from around South Africa and the World. We missed a few weeks due to many commitments to certain environmental matters but here we go with the latest news.

SOUTH AFRICA



CANE – Coalition Against Nuclear Energy
A newly formed coalition opposing nuclear energy was formally launched into action early this month. The group comprising environmental groups, community organisations, residents associations, NGO’s, academics, professionals, unionists, environmentalists and ordinary citizens is growing in numbers. To learn more about CANE or to join as a member, visit their web site at http://www.cane.org.za <http://www.cane.org.za>

Minister Takes Charge of Probe Into CapeNature Environment and Planning MEC Tasneem Essop has taken charge of the investigation into financial mismanagement at CapeNature, including misuse of credit cards by senior managers. Essop has also decided to take charge of the investigation into the alleged leaking of the report the Brian Williams report on which the investigation is based. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1267> .

Top Lawyer joins forces with Greens
The government and mining houses face a major challenge - with the strong likelihood of legal action - from a powerful new conservation alliance.
The coalition is about to be formed by an array of environmental bodies seriously concerned at the way precious parts of the natural environment are being destroyed. Renowned human rights lawyer George Bizos has pledged his support in his capacity as a consultant to the Legal Resources Centre. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1306> .

De Beers’ Oppenheimer complains about environmental laws in South Africa South Africa's mining legislation was holding back exploration in the country and, given the global commodities boom, it should be easier for mining companies to do prospecting work, De Beers group chairperson Nicky Oppenheimer said on Friday. Oppenheimer, who was speaking at a media conference in Johannesburg, said that De Beers would “like to do more prospecting” in South Africa. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1308> .

Something Fishy
It is no exaggeration that world food supplies, and perhaps our very existence, depend on the diversity and robustness of marine life. But to grasp, as the minister appeared to do at the opening of a hatchery at Gansbaai this week, at aquaculture generally and the cultivation of luxury table species such as yellowtail and cob specifically, is to misread environmental warnings almost entirely. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1275> .

CANE highlights NECSA’s duplicitous need for coal Nuclear is not the clean, safe power that nuclear proponents would so dearly like the public to believe. Problem is that unlike burning fossil fuels where even as laymen we can see and smell the pollution, nuclear is a silent and sometimes a slow killer, it is invisible ... Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1295> .

NATO Excercises a threat to whales
Whale conservationists and marine scientists are unhappy that the Nato naval exercises off the Peninsula next week will "inappropriately" be taking place at the height of the whale season. But navy spokesmen have denied that their actions will have an effect on the mammals that have become one of the country's top tourist attractions. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1269> .

The Pelindaba Working Group Strikes Back The Pelindaba Working Group (PWG), comprising concerned residents from communities around the Pelindaba Nuclear Complex near Pretoria, has issued its own statements in response to a Frequently Asked Questions document posted on the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa) website. Necsa's statement was aimed, as usual, at obliterating the truth and discrediting those whose major concerns they refuse to answer. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1294> .

Guardians of the Garden Route – Heritage Day Event The Guardians of the Garden Route (a loose alliance of organisation and individuals who have a vision for a sustainable future in the Southern Cape) invite you to celebrate our heritage with us on the 24 Sept 2007. We ask that you as concerned media representatives to: Advertise this event in your relevant newspapers, Attend the event on Heritage Day and give us media coverage – 11:00 at the Gazebo at the top of York Street or 12.30 at the Civic Centre in George. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1317> .

Eskom may build 100MW Wind Power Plant
State power utility Eskom could start building a 100-MW wind power plant, on the West Coast of South Africa, as early as mid-2008, to be operational by the beginning of 2010, a company spokesperson said on Wednesday. Eskom communications project manager for new build Annamarie Murray said that the firm was expecting a record of decision from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism by the middle of next year, after which construction on the plant, to be built opposite Koekenaap, would start. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1307> .

WORLD ENVIRONMENT NEWS

Russia tests super-strength bomb
Russia has tested the world's most powerful vacuum bomb, which unleashes a destructive shockwave with the power of a nuclear blast, the military said on Tuesday, dubbing it the "father of all bombs." The bomb is the latest in a series of new Russian weapons and policy moves as President Vladimir Putin tries to reassert Moscow's role on the international stage. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1305> .

Nuclear Power Safer than in the past – But still not needed If someone had worked out how to cause a war within the environment movement, they could not have developed a better means than nuclear power. In public we will line up to attack the energy review published by the government today. But in private we will reserve some of our venom for each other, as we start to ask ourselves whether we have made the right decision. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1299> .

Powerful quake hits Indonesia
A massive earthquake struck Indonesia on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami in the town of Padang and warnings for much of the Indian Ocean region, authorities said. The quake caused tall buildings to sway in at least four countries. A wave of up to 9 feet was reported to have hit Padang about 20 minutes after the quake, said Suhardjono, an official with Indonesia's meteorological agency, who goes by only one name. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1304> .

Nuclear Amnesia
Those suffering from nuclear amnesia have forgotten why nuclear power faded from the energy scene in the first place, how many times it has failed to deliver, how often it has disappointed its most determined advocates, how extravagantly it has squandered unparalleled, unstinting support from taxpayers around the world, leaving them with burdens that may last for millennia. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1263> .

Coastal Waters most Sensitive to Acid Rain The release of sulphur and nitrogen into the atmosphere by power plants and agriculture plays a small role in making the ocean more acidic on a global scale, but the impact is amplified in shallow coastal waters, finds new research by atmospheric and marine chemists. Ocean "acidification" occurs when chemical compounds such as carbon dioxide, sulphur, or nitrogen mix with seawater, a process which lowers the pH and reduces the storage of carbon. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1302> .

Giant battery to store wind power planned The British arm of German utility E.ON AG is developing a giant battery using a secret combination of chemicals to store wind and solar power for times of high demand, the company said on Thursday. The prototype will be the size of four large shipping containers and will contain the power of 10 million standard AA batteries, capable of producing 1MW of electricity for four hours, said E.ON UK. Read more here <http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1315> .
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Ezee Electric Bicycles Print E-mail
Written by Enviroadmin   
Monday, 24 May 2010 19:41
Hi there eZee bikers

This is just a friendly reminder that eZee bicycles will be available for test ride at the DSTV getaway expo this weekend. Please try to get there.

A discount coupon is available at: http://www.getawaytoafrica.com/content/magazine/show/2007/jhb/discountcoupon.asp

If you are willing to wait for your ticket at the show, I have some complementary tickets that I can give to you at the show. Just sms me that you are interested and I will make arrangements.

Regards

James Swift

eZee SA
Call: 0827454962
mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
web: http://www.ezeebike.co.za
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