BANKING ON GLASS

The glass recycling company, the national body responsible for increasing the recovery of waste glass for recycling has rolled out 700 new and improved glass banks. The redesigned banks have been installed at strategic sites throughout the country. An additional 120 will be installed in the upcoming months. These banks are in addition to the 550 banks already being utilised. While 204 00 tons of glass are recycled annually, a 38% increase since 2006, 550 000 tons still end up in landfills. Make a difference – bank your glass. www.theglassrecyclingcompany.co.za

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

A little town 90 miles southwest of sydney voted in July to ban bottled water in order to reduce emissions associated with bottling and transporting water. Of the 400 residents of bundanoon who turned up to vote, only two cast dissenting votes. free water fountains are to be installed to replace the bottled water.

CITY COUNCIL ‘LEEDS’ THE WAY

Earlier this year, leeds city council cut by half all bottled water points in its offices and was looking to make further cuts. Staff members now use a glass brought from home or recyclable cups and drink tap water. the council claims it is saving more than £30 000 but says the decision was not solely financial, that the environmental factor is important and it was important they do everything possible to reduce waste.

MEAT-FREE THURSDAYS

If only one person opted for one meatfree meal a week, they’d save 1 133kg of greenhouse gas emissions, 223m2 of land and a whopping 503 459 litres of water, and city workers in ghent, a flemish town near brussels, have opted to do just this; thursdays have been declared meatless days and even city-financed schools will offer a vegetarian menu every Thursday.

The 5 000 city personnel received a free veggie city street map, a free vegetarian cooking brochure for professionals was sent to all 1 500 restaurants and cooking lessons for both professionals and individuals was offered. this single, simple act not only improves the health of citizens but cuts their greenhouse gas emissions by 18%.

LIFE-SAVING BOTTLES

In the aftermaths of the asian tsunami and hurricane katrina, engineer Michael pritchard watched helplessly as survivors waited for days for a simple drink of water. The failure of aid agencies to surmount this basic challenge forced him to act. The lifesaver bottle may look like an ordinary sports bottle, but it hides an extremely advanced filtration system that makes murky and potentially deadly water clean in just seconds. even better, a single, longlasting filter can clean 6 000 litres of water.
Read more or watch Michael’s presentation at www.lifesaversystems.com

NAMIBIA’S WATER SHORTAGE SOLUTION

Namibia’s water shortages are so severe that alternative water sources are vital and seawater desalination is seen as the number one solution for providing water to mines, and offering citizens at least some relief from the near-drought conditions in certain areas.

Namibia’s water shortages are so severe that alternative water sources are vital and seawater desalination is seen as the number one solution for providing water to mines, and offering citizens at least some relief from the near-drought conditions in certain areas.

The desalination plant, to be built 30km north of swakopmund for the combined areva/uramin namibia uranium exploration project, should be completed by the end of the year.

South African-based company, superwatt, will install four generators to provide independent electricity to the plant in the form of a 6MVA synchronised system. once the mine has been connected to nampower, one generator will remain as back-up and three will be relocated to the mine itself.