Green Flavour is an information portal hosted by Green Home, South Africa's leading biodegradable food packaging distributor. This is a new and radically changing industry with a lot of misleading information. We aim to address this by providing news about biodegradable packaging that is current and reliable.
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Durban to Rio could be our Road to Damascus and The Grinch who stole hope: Jay Naidoo of the Daily Maverick with two excellent articles about the failures of COP 17 particularly with regard to fact that the people who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are excluded from the process, and how our COP 17 ‘negotiators’ seem to be a large part of the problem. He also offers some inspiring ideas for taking positive action.
The first multi-watt wind turbines to be built in SA: For the first time inhistory wind turbine blades manufactured in South Africa. With the Western Cape government’s ambitious target for renewable energy at 15% by 2014, it’s perfect timing.
World's oceans in peril: This in depth article from Al Jazeera discusss it all -Climate change, ocean acidification, plastic pollution, coral bleaching and overfishing are putting our oceans in serious peril.
The Story of Stuff Project has just released their new movie, The Story of Broke: Why There's Still Plenty of Money to Build a Better Future. The Story of Broke lays out a common sense argument for shifting billions in government spending away from the ailing 'dinosaur economy' and toward investments in the 21st Century green economy. As the global economic crisis is felt by the 99% across the planet this festive season, the timing for a film that offers real solutions couldn’t be better. Watch the film and find out how to take action here.
Before the advent of tin foil, banana leaves, corn husks and many other leaves were used for the same purpose. Not only do banana leaves protects food from burning, but they infuse food with a fragrant sweetness as it cooks. Ingredients:
2 large pieces banana leaf (large enough to wrap the fish)
2 fish fillets
Dressing: mix together the following
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
juice of 1 lime (lemon will do)
fresh garlic, ginger and chilli to taste
1 small handful fresh mint, coarsely chopped
1 small handful fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
Instructions:
Wash and dry the banana leaves. Place the fish in the middle of the leaf and spoon half the dressing over the fish. Wrap the fish well in the leaf (don't worry too much if the leaf splits slightly here or there). Repeat with the second piece of fish.
Braai or grill, turning every few minutes for 10 - 15 minutes (depending on size and thickness of fish) or bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC for 15 -20 minutes.
To serve, slit open the parcels and eat immediately.
“Halt the sale of De Beers operations until they fix our area”, says Cape West Coast community
The imminent sale of De Beers’ diamond mining operations on the Cape West Coast must be halted until full disclosure and proper consultation with all affected parties has taken place, says the community of Hondeklipbaai.
The department of Mineral Resources (DMR) is expected to make a decision on the approval of the amended environmental management programme, and the transfer of mining rights to Tranx Hex, within weeks. The community launched an awareness campaign this week, to urge DMR to postpone their decision.
Speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, Hondeklipbaai community leader Dawid Markus said the sale cannot be allowed to continue until they were assured that the companies would honour their obligations to rehabilitate the area.
“We make an urgent call on the DMR to hold these companies to account and to not forget the communities that are directly affected. Too often big mining companies exploit the country’s natural resources without undoing the damage they cause,” said Markus.
He was speaking at the launch of two documentary videos in which the direct damage to the Hondeklipbaai area can be seen. The community is on the West Coast of South Africa, approximately 300 kilometres outside Cape Town.
Markus was supported by the Bench Mark Foundation at the briefing. Bench Mark Foundation earlier this year asked De Beers Consolidated Mines to make substantial revisions to the Environmental Management Programme Report which will become the only legal tool to prevent a lasting negative legacy from diamond mining in Namaqualand.
“The area in Hondeklipbaai is rich in biodiversity, with some species of plants and animals that are not see anywhere else in the world.
“This area must be protected and conserved, and we’re not convinced that the current plans will not leave the area exposed to more risks. Their budget for this kind of repair work is wholly inadequate, and it is the people of Hondeklipbaai that will end up paying for it, for generations to come,” said Markus.
Please watch the video and take action by writing to The Honourable Minister Susan Shabangu. (Details and template below. Please read it, copy it, sign your name and send.)
The Honourable Minister Susan Shabangu Minister of Mineral Resources Private Bag X646, PRETORIA 0001 Tel: 012 679 9103 Fax: 012 643 0930 kholofelo.madisha@dmr.gov.za
Dear Minister Shabangu
Hold DeBeers Accountable for Legacy at Namaqualand Mine
I am writing to ask you to ensure that the Constitutional rights of the communities living around the De Beers Namaqualand Mine to a safe and healthy environment are upheld and that an equitable contribution to their livelihoods is provided in recognition of the 100 years of mining in the area. De Beers’ claim that the sale is part of their commitment to a “lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work” is unsubstantiated given their lack of disclosure and meaningful engagement with key stakeholders in the process of selling the mine.
In the interest of establishing a just outcome in Namaqualand, setting a national precedent for mineral right transfers and local community interests, and a global statement about South Africa’s commitment to human rights and social development, I ask you to recognise the rights of those representing the environment, and the rights of the communities of Namaqualand to have a voice in the process of proposed amendment of the rehabilitation obligations and proposed transfer of mining rights. To this end, I ask you to ensure full disclosure by De Beers, the purchaser of the Namaqualand Mine and the Department of Mineral Resources, and ensure a proper opportunity for affected parties to give inputs.
I specifically ask that, in your consideration of DeBeers’ proposed amended Social and Labour Plan and proposed amended Environmental Management Programme, you will bear in mind the long-term sustainable development requirements in the region and ensure that an adequate plan and financial provision for implementing that plan are in place.
Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Benjamin: Yes, sir. Mr. McGuire: Are you listening? Benjamin: Yes, I am. Mr. McGuire: Plastics. Benjamin: Exactly how do you mean? Mr. McGuire: There is a great future in plastics
(From the movie 'The Graduate' 1967 starring Dustin Hoffman.)
Mr McGuire was right. There was a great future in plastics. Over the last 60 years plastics have become central to our lives.
This is evident by the ubiquitous nature of plastics today. Plastic is everywhere: our oceans, our beaches, our forests, our deserts, our cities, our homes and our bodies. Anywhere you go, you are bound to bump into a piece of plastic.
Unfortunately, this miracle material does not go away. Apart from a small percentage of plastic that is incinerated, every piece of plastic ever made is still with us today. Plastic is forever. It does not biodegrade; it only ever breaks down into smaller pieces of plastic.
In 2010, 300 million tones of plastic were produced globally. About half of this was used just once and then thrown away. In 2011, we will produce more. Consumption of disposable plastics such as bags, bottles, straws and other packaging has spiralled out of control. We use these items for seconds, hours or days, but their remains last forever. The figures are staggering. Approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. That’s more than one million bags every minute.
Our oceans have become our ‘landfills’.They are now known to contain the majority of mankind’s waste, and the largest component of oceanic pollution is disposable plastic. Conservative estimates suggest that there are 140 billion kilograms of plastic in the ocean. The well documented Great Pacific Garbage Patch is just one of 5 such ‘gyres’ where global currents meet and spin and plastic waste accumulates in large concentrationsThese plastics ‘islands’ are really more like plastic ‘soups’, and according to the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, plastic outweighs plankton by at a ratio of 6:1 in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Smaller pieces of plastic ingested by marine birds and animals are known to cause deaths as pieces of plastic accumulate in their gastrointestinal systems, ultimately causing starvation. Toxic chemicals from plasticizers in plastics leach into the bodies of the animals that ingest them, and these chemicals move up the food chain. Combine this with endocrine disrupting chemicals that leach directly into our food and drink from plastic food packaging, and we’ve got a rather toxic brew accumulating in our bodies, along with our environment.
So what is the solution to what is clearly a global plastic pollution crisis? The answer is simple. The execution more challenging. Our excessive consumption of resources must stop. We need to move away from our reliance on oil based plastics. Contrary to popular belief, recycling of plastic is not a sustainable solution. Recycling of plastics does not stem the production of virgin plastic and, in fact, creates a greater demand for virgin material. Plastic bonds are weakened during the recycling process, and virgin plastic needs to be added to create new products. Not only does this reinforce the plastic pollution cycle, but more oil is needed to produce virgin plastic.
Food packaging is one of the largest components of disposable plastics consumption. We need to change our disposable culture and stop using products with a cradle to grave life cycle. However, the radical mind shift required to change our current lifestyles will not happen overnight. The next best option is to use products that follow a cradle to cradle life cycle, such as packaging made from renewable plant based ‘bio-waste’ materials that will biodegrade after use.
European governments have supported the introduction of compostable packaging through specific legislation such as the German Packaging Directive which gives the industry the ability to develop an effective disposal system and is a clear indication of support for biodegradable packaging. IBAW’s ‘Compostable’ certification and labelling system has now been adopted by numerous countries in Europe, including Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands, further strengthening the ability of the biodegradable industry to successfully implement the underlying closed loop life cycle.
Compostable packaging is not a panacea to the global plastic pollution crisis; but it is a part of the solution. It is a new industry that comes with its own obstacles and challenges, particularly here in South Africa where there is no government support for the introduction of compostable packaging and there is marginal, formalised waste separation. Here in South Africa we cannot afford to wait for government legislation to effect change, instead legislation will follow the change that we make happen.
Individually, we need to rethink how we live and change our disposable lifestyles. The most important thing we can do is avoid unnecessary waste wherever possible. First avoid, then reduce and reuse, and if it must be disposable ensure its biodegradable.
Plastic addiction and the myths of recycling: New Zealand based article with New Zealand based statistics but the issues are still the same: excessive plastic consumption leading to excessive plastic pollution and issues surrounding plastic recycling and why it is not a sustainable solution.
From the Washer to the Sea: Plastic Pollution: Waste water from washing machines is an important source of plastic pollution in oceans according to a recent study. Micrometer-size fragments of plastics like acrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide and polyester have contaminated surface water and shorelines globally.
EU urged to support European bioplastics industry: An awareness raising exhibition and conference on plastics and the bio-economy held in Brussels highlighted that bioplastics offer great opportunities for smart, green and inclusive growth.
COP17: Should Eskom and Sasol be part of it? EarthLife doesn't think so:Is the inclusion of Sasol and Eskom representatives on the COP17 negotiation committee a conflict of interest? Earthlife Africa thinks it is while Business Unity South Africa and the Department of Environmental Affairs do not.
Karoo: Timeless to Timebomb: The true culprits responsible for bringing on the potential travesty of intergenerational justice have so far evaded mention altogether. These culprits are you, me and the rest of civil society. All of us who create the demand for more energy.
