Recycling in South Africa can be a bit of a hassle. In most cases, individuals and homeowners are required to separate their rubbish and haul it off to (distant) recycling centers themselves instead of getting the convenient curbside pickup offered in many Western countries. Recycling rates in South Africa are not great, but South Africans with a conscience — and resources — who don’t want to take their recyclable waste to the drop-off spot themselves can pay a private collection service to come and do it for them.
A lot of energy is used to ship food around the globe. South Africans reduce their carbon footprint by growing their own produce or buying products grown locally for sale at roadside stands. Buying local supports the local economy and the informal sector — key to combating high unemployment in South Africa.
When consumers grow their own food, they help reduce their carbon footprint. Unfortunately, young South Africans are not attracted to farming and agriculture as they don’t see it as a real form of employment, according to ngopulse.org. The South African government is focusing on educating youth on the importance of growing their own food.
Electronic products such as computers and cell phones often contain hazardous materials that can harm the environment. With electronics getting cheaper, it often makes more sense to buy a new product and e-waste has become a huge problem in parts of Africa. The E-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA) is making it easy to safely get rid of electronics by arranging for national collection days. South Africans can go to www.ewasa.org to find out when the next collection day is.
Thanks to innovation in LED technology, incandescent light bulbs may soon become a thing of the past. LED bulbs cost more than traditional incandescent, but they use less energy and last longer, helping the environment and lowering electric bills. South African suppliers offer a wide range of prices. South Africa’s concern about energy saving dates back years. One example is Cape Town’s renovated station which has used LED lighting technology since 2010, combining a modern design, environmental compatibility and latest technology.
Heart disease and obesity – considered diseases of affluence in the West — are plaguing South Africa right now. Eating less meat helps reduce the risks, according to ScientificAmerican.com. Meat is one of the least efficient foods because it takes huge quantities of water, land, and food to produce a small amount of meat. Meat is so inefficient that it is estimated that the meat industry contributes more carbon emissions than the entire transportation industry. Are South Africans reducing their meat consumption? According to Mg.co.za, both red and white meat consumption in South Africa has grown in the past decade, but South Africans still prefer white meat like chicken because it’s cheaper than red meat.
South Africa scored the world’s highest growth in renewable energy investment in 2012, with an investment of $5.7 billion thanks to companies such as Google, which see South Africa’s potential and are willing to invest in renewable energy projects. South Africa is famous for its sunny days and many areas have more than 2500 hours of sunshine per year. This makes it a great candidate for solar power. It used to be that home solar panels were very pricey but the price has dropped significantly over the past few years and South Africa’s goal is ambitious — to generate 18 gigawatts of clean energy by 2030, according to CNN.com.
In South Africa, 1 billion disposable diapers are sold each year. It takes about 500-to-800 years for a disposable diaper to break down in a landfill. Imagine the environmental toll these diapers are taking worldwide. Several manufacturers in South Africa have transformed the 18th-century cloth diaper into modern, environmentally-friendly diapers, aka “nappies” (in South Africa) that help protect the planet.
Trees help offset carbon footprint by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. They also provide shade to keep homes cooler. Thanks to the FTFA association (Food & Trees For Africa), South Africans have become more aware of the importance of tree planting. Since 1990, more than 4.2 million trees have been planted for poor South African communities. (trees.co.za)
In 2013, about 200 cyclists bicycled around Cape Town naked (yes, naked!) as part of the Global Naked Bike Ride to raise awareness about how to reduce one’s personal carbon footprint using cycling as transportation. This is just one of many cycling events in South Africa. Cape Argus, the annual bike race that takes place in Cape Town, is the world’s biggest race of its kind — more than 35,000 cyclists were reached in 2013. Ditch your car (but maybe leave your clothes on) and start biking around your town. You will help the planet and also your health.
