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Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 05 Sep 2011
Agricultural methods need to be radically overhauled to ensure food production rises to meet increasing demand but that water resources are not depleted further by doing so, research showed on Monday.
 An average 2,000-3,000 litres of water per day is needed to produce food per person A radical overhaul of agriculture could create farms that enhance, rather than degrade, the world’s ecosystems, said a report led by the United Nations’ Environment Programme and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
“Managing water for food and ecosystems will bring great benefits, but there is no escaping the urgency of the situation,” said David Molden, deputy director general for research at IWMI.
“We are heading for disaster if we don’t change our practices from business as usual,” he added.
Water limits are close to being “reached or being breached” in areas such as northern China, India’s Punjab and western United States, said the report, entitled ‘An Ecosystem Services Approach to Water and Food Security’.
It warns that the number of people living in conditions of water scarcity could rise to 2 billion from 1.6 billion if the intensification of agriculture is not changed. Continue reading Water for food production close to limits
Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 26 Aug 2011
With the international community poised to arrive in South Africa for the UNFCCC’s 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) climate change talks in Durban in December 2011, the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) is urging South African industry, business and government to work together to achieve the mitigation potential offered by greening our built environment, and thereby set an example for the rest of the world.
 Water tanks store harvested rainwater for use at False Bay Ecology Centre. “Worldwide, buildings are responsible for about a third of all carbon emissions,” says Bruce Kerswill, Executive Chair of the GBCSA. “Consider that this translates to one in every three tons of carbon released into the atmosphere is from buildings – so the built environment has a major role to play in climate change.”
At the previous climate talks in Cancun, Mexico (COP 16) in 2010, South Africa committed to reducing our carbon emissions by 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2025. Given that we are heavily reliant on coal for our electricity, one of the fastest and easiest ways to reduce our emissions is through the greening of our built environment (our homes, offices, shops, etc).
In fact global experts have recognised the potential reductions in emissions from the built environment through green buildings as a “low hanging fruit” of carbon emission mitigation – a relatively quick and easy way to turn things around with readily available tools and technologies. Continue reading Green Building Council urges SA to set world example
Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 25 Aug 2011
It’s not only businesses and public entities that should assume the responsibility of saving water, but homeowners can play a major role as well.
 A Cape Town school recently installed a Water Rhapsody Poolside Tank to recycle up to 15000 litres of swimming pool backwash water every week; sending the clarified water safely back to the pool. CEO of car rental company Avis, Wayne Duvenage, did not mince his words at the Sustainable Water Resource Conference and Exhibition; attended by leading water experts and business people.
Recycling water for reuse in buildings was the experts’ principal recommendation. Homeowners are also advised to go for recycling technologies.
Avis saved 75-million litres of water in 2010 in its major centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Harvesting rainwater is a focus of Avis’ recycling efforts. “You know how much it rains in Cape Town, so it’s nice to switch off municipal water and use rainwater,” said Duvenage.
South Africa is water-stressed, experts at the conference revealed. Reports have pointed out that the country runs the risk of facing critical shortages by 2020.
“South Africa is stressed both in the quantity and quantity of water that we have,” Duvenage said.
Alison Groves, a sustainability consultant at WSP Green by Design, said: “In South Africa we need to get beyond the idea that water is always going to be available.”
New solutions are needed to sustain potable water availability, Groves added. Continue reading We can all reduce water consumption
Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 20 Aug 2011
With water, and electricity being the most vital ‘ingredients’ in ones life, waste still stands out as a killer source.
 Johannesburg landfills are filling up rapidly The City of Joburg (CoJ) has implemented the 2040 Growth and Development Strategy outreach programme which is taking place this week. Water, waste and electricity are the key topics expected to dominate the conversations during the programme.
Conversations around these will be held through seminars and round table discussions involving everyone from residents and businesses to the government, civil society organisations, labour and academics.
“Formal and informal debates will take place with the aim of finding solutions to safeguard our precious resources for future generations,” said Gugu Mathibela of the City of Johannesburg.
An abundance of coal has kept electricity prices very low and has attracted a number of energy intensive industries. City Power and Eskom recently experienced protests related to power cuts, prepaid meters and the increase in electricity prices. These incidents give electricity first preference at the discussions.
Johannesburg’s resource intensity is also defined by the volume of waste it generates. The city is gradually running out of landfill space. Waste dumping in communities has become a serious health concern. Continue reading Water, waste and electricity to dominate programme
Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 17 Aug 2011
Cape Town may be subjected to water restrictions this summer because August and September are likely to be drier than usual, a climate researcher has warned.
Predicted below average rainfall will bring water [...]
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