The down turn in the economy is making us all second-guess what we buy. In the US, a market research company revealed recently that organic food sales rose only 4 percent in the four week period ending October 4th, compared to 20 percent a year in recent years. What's keeping shoppers from purchasing organic food? Cost. No question.
Just why is organic food usually more expensive?
I never get round to reviewing Hollywood movies I see, not that I watch many of them any way. There just doesn't seem to be much point. Basically all you need to know is the basic plot, who is in it and whether it is worth watching or not. But I love reviewing documentaries, they always provide new information and get one thinking.
pic: johannesburglive.co.zaWe all want to avoid the manic mall mayhem. Scurrying around under strobe lighting with the rest of the pre-Christmas flurry is hardly conducive to calm, and there are so many wonderful markets at which you can pick up home-made fare for your Christmas meal; goodies, crafts and gifts that are local and handmade, in an unhurried atmosphere. We've made it even easier, by selecting those at which you're sure to enjoy yourselves and find hidden treasures.
Markets we love
This documentary has affected me. I am torn between telling people to watch Earthlings because it's important for them to know this stuff, and telling people not to watch it because it is genuinely disturbing. I closed my eyes during many scenes in the movies and I wish I had closed them more because I am haunted by the images I saw.
Footprints Environmental Centre is closing at the end of November! They have to leave their premises, as the property owners need their land for another use. Footprints plays an enormous role in recycling in Cape Town and friends and supporters are more than a little distraught to see it close. Some supporters are already mounting a campaign to try and find new premises for it, and we will keep you posted.
Solar-powered rickshaws take to India’s streets. The eco-friendly machine was greeted with applause by Delhi's 500,000 impoverished rickshaw pullers, many of whom work 12-hour days for as little as £2.50. The new solar-powered rickshaw can reach a top speed of 16 kilometres and keep going for about 64 kilometres before needing recharging. [dailymail]
This weekend is Rocking the Daisies time, and the event promises 26 great acts that include Eagle Eye Cherry and 22 DJs over 3 days. Oh and there’s also a Comedy Revolution set to entertain between acts, and a Conscious Cinema – screened films and doccies covering green issues (the cinema & the Hemporium stand are powered by wind and solar power).
It’s also South Africa’s first carbon-neutral music festival (since 2007) with a ‘raft of green initiatives’ to make sure that revellers leave as little impact on the environment as possible.
Perhaps it’s not immediately obvious when combing the average abundant supermarket shelf for food that there is a world-wide food crisis on – we blogged about it here, here and here - but there is a food production crisis in South Africa that Farmer’s Weekly editor Chris Burgess likens to a ‘national emergency’.
The future milk bottle – made from recycled paper. The GreenBottle has developed a green solution to milk containers, to replace plastic milk bottles. The outer shell is made from recycled paper, which can be further recycled, or if left will simply decompose within a matter of weeks. Greenbottle consumes about a third of the energy used to make a plastic bottle and has a carbon footprint that is 48% lower than plastic.
The Department of Trade and Industry has handed down a ruling for mandatory labelling of genetically modified foods in South Africa.
From now on, you have a choice as to whether or not you want to buy GM, but better still, you will actually know which foods contain GM.
The ruling came after a clause about labelling, which had been removed from the draft Consumer Protection bill last year, was reinstated. SAFeAGE has been lobbying for two years to have this clause reinstated; one that gives shoppers the right to choose once the Bill is implemented.
You’ve made the decision to recycle, as part of your ruthless determination to save the planet, but you haven’t the time to drop it off at the local depot, or there isn’t one close enough to you to make it viable.
Eating for the sake of your body and the planet doesn’t mean giving up on the foods you love. It does mean becoming more actively aware of where your food comes from, how it’s produced and how its production affects the Earth.
Fundamental to greening your diet is eating ‘real’ food. Processed and refined foods are, let’s face it, not good for you. Most of them are produced as part of the push by marketers to ‘make your life easier’ but they’re usually laden with chemicals, additives, pesticides, and barely disguised GM derivatives.
There is a growing group of people who make ethical choices as to where they’re prepared to lay their suitcase. In other words, a whole new (well, it’s not so new in countries like the UK and other parts of Europe) style of travel that is environmentally, culturally and socially responsible has emerged.
Arguably, not to travel at all is the most responsible form of travel – guaranteed minimum impact. But who do you know who is prepared to permanently ditch the possibility of international travel; even crossing the channel in the UK means taking a plane or high speed train!
There’s really nothing nicer than getting a nummy weekly box filled with seasonal, fresh, locally grown organic fruit and vegetables, minus the ornate supermarket packaging, to feel good about you and the environment!
Organic box schemes are now extremely popular in the major cities of Jo’burg and Cape Town, particularly, with various options that vary from online ordering and delivery to your doorstep
Fiat has come out tops as the manufacturer of cleaner, more environmentally friendly cars.
"The great irony is that rising fuel costs, not environmental concerns, have done more to accelerate the shift to more fuel efficient cars than any other initiative. Whether we like it or not, for most people, saving money still trumps saving the planet when it comes to buying a new car." Jay Nagley of Clean Green Cars in the UK (we hear you, we hear you!)
JATO Dynamics, a leading provider of automotive data and intelligence, recently measured the volume-weighted average CO2 emissions for the
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