Being Green

Being Green 21 July 23_Dr Nanine Wyma, Physicians Association for Nutrition, South Africa

There’s increasing evidence that switching to a plant-based diet can have a significant positive impact on both our health and the environment. Glynis Crook speaks to Dr Nanine Wyma of the Physicians Association for Nutrition, South Africa, who says that transforming the world’s food system is essential to mitigate climate…

21 Jul 2023 6 min

Being Green 14 July 23_Jacklyn Farmer, Cape Nature conservation officer

The Clanwilliam cedar, that gave the Cedarberg its name, was once found in large groves across the region. But since 2013, this majestic and ancient tree has been listed as critically endangered. In Being Green this week, Glynis Crook speaks to Jacklyn Farmer, an off-reserve conservation services officer at CapeNature,…

14 Jul 2023 6 min

Being Green 07 July 23_Anja du Plessis, Associate Professor and Research Specialist in Water Resource Management at the

The cholera outbreak at Hammanskraal in northern Gauteng has yet again put the spotlight on water in South Africa. In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook speaks to Anja du Plessis, Associate Professor and Research Specialist in Water Resource Management at the University of South Africa, about the…

7 Jul 2023 6 min

Being Green - 30 June 23_Dr Bernadette Snow, Deputy Director - One Ocean Hub Uni of Strathclyde

UN Treaty to protect marine life United Nations member states last week adopted the first-ever treaty to protect marine life in the ocean outside of national boundaries. The so-called “High Seas Treaty” was approved after more than 15 years of discussions. In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook…

30 Jun 2023 6 min

Being Green - 23 June 23_ Anja du Plessis, Associate Professor and Research Specialist in Water Resource Management at t

The cholera outbreak at Hammanskraal in northern Gauteng has yet again put the spotlight on water in South Africa. In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook speaks to Anja du Plessis, Associate Professor and Research Specialist in Water Resource Management at the University of South Africa, about the…

23 Jun 2023 6 min

Being Green - 16 June 23_Talitha Noble, Conservation Manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation

It’s World Turtle Day on 16 June. In this edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook speaks to Talitha Noble, Conservation Manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre, about the extraordinary sea turtles and their contribution to ocean ecosystems.

16 Jun 2023 6 min

Being Green - 09 June23_Lauren van Nijkerk, Director of Campaigns & Communications at the environmental NGO, Wildtrust,

In Being Green this week, Glynis Crook talks to Lauren van Nijkerk, Director of Campaigns & Communications at the environmental NGO, Wildtrust, about its new campaign focusing on marine protection, and particularly sharks and rays, as well as highlighting the substantial benefits of establishing new sanctuary areas for them

9 Jun 2023 6 min

Being Green - 26 MAY 23_City of Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews

In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook, speaks to the City of Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor and Mayco Member for Spatial Planning and Environment Eddie Andrews to get an update on the infestation by the tree-killing beetle, the polyphagous shot hole borer. He said it’s important that you…

26 May 2023 6 min

Being Green - 19 MAY 23_Loren Pavitt Cape Nature’s Marketing and Promotions Manager

In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook, speaks to Cape Nature’s Marketing and Promotions Manager, Loren Pavitt, about the whopping 43 per cent increase in the number of visitors to the province’s reserves in the last financial year, and what this means for its conservation efforts

19 May 2023 6 min

Being Green - 12 MAY 23_Dr Gabriella Leighton, co-ordinator of UCT’s Urban Caracal project.

In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook, speaks to Dr Gabriella Leighton, co-ordinator of UCT’s Urban Caracal project, and co-author of a new study which has found that those wild cats that live on the urban edge of Cape Town have metal pollutants in their blood, a huge…

12 May 2023 6 min

Being Green - 05 MAY 23_He may be fighting a different type of offence, but Nigeria’s Spider-Man is as much a superhero

He may be fighting a different type of offence, but Nigeria’s Spider-Man is as much a superhero as the Marvel Comics crime buster. His name is Jonathan Olanlokun, an environmental activist who dresses up in full Spider-Man kit to help clean up the streets of his hometown of Osogbo, armed…

5 May 2023 6 min

Being Green - 28 APRIL 23_ Dr Tony Rebelo, a scientist at the South African National Biodiversity Institute

In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook talks to Dr Tony Rebelo, a scientist at the South African National Biodiversity Institute, about the City Nature Challenge which is taking place this weekend (28 April – 1 May) in some 500 cities around the world. It aims to motivate…

28 Apr 2023 6 min

Being Green - 21 APRIL 23 International Earth Day on Saturday, Glynis Crook speaks to Pavitray “Pavs” Pillay, the World

In this week’s edition of Being Green, and as we mark international Earth Day on Saturday, Glynis Crook speaks to Pavitray “Pavs” Pillay, the World Wide Fund for Nature-South Africa’s environment behaviour change lead, about how each of us can make a contribution to protecting our planet.

21 Apr 2023 6 min

Being Green - 14 APRIL 23 - Prof Mark Swilling, Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability Transitions at Stellenbosch

In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook speaks to Prof Mark Swilling, Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability Transitions at Stellenbosch University, about his view that new Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s plan to extend the life of our increasingly costly, ageing, and polluting coal-fired power stations is not…

14 Apr 2023 6 min

Being Green - 07 APRIL 23 - Rana Adib, the Executive Director of the highly respected international renewable energy net

As the world faces the unfolding energy and climate crisis, Cape Town is one of a growing number of cities across the world that are taking the lead in the transition to renewables. In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook speaks to Rana Adib, the Executive Director of…

7 Apr 2023 6 min

Being Green - 31 MAR 23 - A free mobile climate change app for individuals, funded by the European Commission

The City of Cape Town, in partnership with the University of Cape Town, has launched a free mobile climate change app for individuals, funded by the European Commission. In a nutshell, you can use it to take on challenges to reduce your impact on the environment. In this week’s edition…

31 Mar 2023 7 min

Being Green - 24 MAR 23 - The world’s top climate scientists released their latest report earlier this week

The world’s top climate scientists released their latest report earlier this week which painted a grim picture. The United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said we can only avoid the worst of climate change by rapidly using less fossil fuels and making big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions…

24 Mar 2023 6 min

Being Green - 10 MAR 23 - The first European capital to endorse a plant-based diet to tackle the climate emergency

The city of Edinburgh in Scotland recently became the first European capital to endorse a plant-based diet to tackle the climate emergency. In fact, a vegan diet is widely regarded as being better not only for the environment but also for our health. In this week’s edition of Being Green,…

10 Mar 2023 6 min

Being Green - 17 MAR 23 - A vegan diet is widely regarded as being better, not only for the environment but also...

A vegan diet is widely regarded as being better, not only for the environment but also for our health. But not all plant-based foodstuffs have a small environmental footprint. The air transport of fruit and vegetables is just one of the reasons why what you eat may still be having…

9 Mar 2023 6 min

Being Green - 03 MAR 23 - Valentin Aich, a senior water and climate specialist at the Global Water Partnership

In this week’s edition of Being Green, Glynis Crook speaks to Valentin Aich, a senior water and climate specialist at the Global Water Partnership, about concerns of yet another drought in Italy and the surrounding region this European summer. This after the Alps received less than half their normal amount…

3 Mar 2023 6 min