Local artist wants your old paint

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I came across a very interesting and inspiring painting project the other day, by local artist Carolyn Parton. After becoming aware of the impact of paint on the environment, Carolyn collects leftover paint from her projects, other artists, home improvers and ordinary people like us and turns it into art. If you have any old, used or leftover paint lying around please donate it to Carolyn and she will turn it into a masterpiece! Continue reading →

Quick green tip

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I received this clever green tip from a friend in Poland, thanks Agata! This is a fantastic idea which will help to eliminate plastic water bottle lids from sitting in landfills for thousands of years. Continue reading →

From rubbish tip to something hip

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I came across a small furniture shop called Recreate in Woodstock the other day, created and owned by Katie Thompson. She started her business just over 2 years ago and it has grown from strength to strength. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of shops in Cape Town all selling furniture, but what makes Katie’s business stand out is that all the items in her shop were previously something different, something completely different!

Taking reusing and recycling to a new level, Katie takes dicarded items from the rubbish dump, tip or dustbins and transforms them into something wonderfully original and useful. Continue reading →

P90 clubs clean up a storm

 

60 pupils from 8 of the Project 90 Core clubs in KZN helped clean up an area along the Umgeni River in Howick and then spend a fun morning at Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve on World Clean Up Day on 18 September. 

The morning started with everyone meeting outside Nocqaza Primary School to assist the school with the terrible litter problem that they experience right outside their school. This school lies very close to the Umgeni River so the litter collecting  exercise benefitted the school and prevented more waste from being washed into the river. It was a heart warming sight to see so many school children coming together to work for a common cause for a community some of them do not even know. (See our flikr photos) 

After roughly one and a half hours the children had picked up 55 bags and were starting to get tired as it was a very hot day. We decided to make our way to Umgeni Valley.  Luckily there were lovely clean facilities there for washing hands before having our tea in the shade if the yellowwood trees at the offices. 

We then walked down to the “pine trees”, a well known spot for picnics.

After arriving at the picnic spot we had the opportunity for each school to come up to the front, be introduced to the group and tell a little about what they were doing for the environment. 

After this we played the “Puzzling Climate Change” game. The Dodo team narrowly beat the Zebra team but all got prizes in the end!  By this time everyone was happy to see the packed lunches coming out !  I am sure everyone had a good time, and as one Michaelhouse boy said “When are we going to do this again, Mam?” 

Apologies from St Annes School who could not be present on this day, but sent girls down to PMB to help clean up the banks of the Duzi on Friday afternoon. 

A most sincere thank you to those teachers and learners who gave up their time on a Saturday morning to pick up other people’s rubbish. Thanks to them the world is now a better place! 

Report by KZN Clubs Coordinator, Liz Taylor

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Earth Day

Thursday 22 April is Earth Day, a day celebrated around the world to highlight and promote awareness of the need to protect our fragile planet. Now, more than ever with the threats of climate change, pollution, habitat destruction, water scarcity and biodiversity loss we need to ensure the survival of our world and her inhabitants.

This will be the 40^th Earth Day and we at Project 90 by 2030 urge everyone to take one small step this Thursday to show your commitment to protecting your world.

Here are some ideas that you could pledge to do on Earth Day:

• Use our carbon calculator to work out your carbon footprint here: http://www.90×2030.org.za/view.asp?pg=calculator
• Plant an indigenous tree
• Organise a litter clean-up
• Write a list of green goals that you aim to complete by Earth Day next year
• Don’t drink bottled water
• Start a recycling system at your home or work
• Have a vegetarian day
• Make a donation to an environmental cause
• Talk to your friends and colleagues about what you can do to change your lifestyles
• Buy locally produced food

Here is a great Greenpeace video about protecting our planet:

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/getinvolved/give-earth-a-hand