We are delighted to be able to look back at moments like this one – leading up to the construction of our very own Cidery in the heart of the Ceres valley.

Did you know? There are 400 solar panels on the roof of our cidery. Each panel weighs 27kg and are faced in a true north direction – maximising the sun’s energy. Our entire cidery is run from this system!

Pretty soon you’ll be able to come visit us for a tasting! 

www.loxtonia.co.za

#LoxtoniaCider#OrchardToBottle#TrueToOurRoots

The event took place at the Humewood Golf Course on Thursday and the focus was on the natural environment, with SANCCOB (SA Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) and Bayworld this year’s beneficiaries.

Both organisations are involved in the protection of the world’s natural resources through the rehabilitation of marine life, tying in with SPAR EC’s vision to reduce the use of plastic in society.

When the final putt had been sunk on Thursday, SPAR EC were able to make a donation of R35 000 to each organisation, a contribution which will go a long way towards helping them achieve their goals.

SPAR EC sponsorships and events manager Alan Stapleton welcomed all the golfers, suppliers and retailers to the day, but reminded them that it was all about supporting a good cause.

“We certainly hope you enjoyed yourself in great weather on a magnificent course, but this day is really about the beneficiaries,” he said.

“It’s a chance to generate funds for people who go out selflessly working for the benefit of the environment, our animals and our natural resources.

“Both SANCCOB and Bayworld do an amazing job looking after our marine life and this goes hand in hand with our Stop Plastic campaign

[launched in April last year}

In the initial phase of the campaign, Stapleton said SPAR EC had sold 3-million fewer plastic bags, which was an excellent start.

“But we need to continue raising awareness about the dangers of single-use plastic in society and we would like all our suppliers and competitors to get on board.

“It is not just about what SPAR EC can do, but what we all can do together – the retailers, suppliers and our competitors.

“We would like to create a wave of measures limiting the use of plastic and I challenge every one of you to go home and think about what you can do about this issue. Even if it is a small thing, it is a step in the right direction.”

Stacey Webb, the Eastern Cape manager of SANCCOB, said they were extremely grateful for SPAR EC’s donation as it cost, on average, R7 000 to rehabilitate a penguin.

“We are a non-profit organisation and have to do a lot of fundraising to cover our costs,” she said. “Sometimes penguins have to stay with us a lot longer than the average six weeks, so that obviously costs a lot more.

“Basically, we rescue and rehabilitate sea birds, getting them healthy enough to swim again and to be able to release them into their natural environment.

“We are also involved in education because a lot of the problems for sea birds stem from the pollution of our oceans, so we want to educate the next generation to be better than us.”

Bayworld aquarium curator Ruth Wright said most of their rehabilitation work was done with turtles and seals suffering from injuries and diseases.

She explained the harmful effects of plastic pollution to marine life.

“For example, a jellyfish is the best meal ever for a turtle, but in the ocean plastic looks exactly like a jellyfish and that obviously causes a problem.

“We are fully behind SPAR EC’s Stop Plastic campaign because it is critical to reduce the amount of plastic harming our natural resources.

“The money we have received will be used for rehab, vet bills and releasing the animals back into the wild because we don’t believe any of them should be kept in captivity.”

CAPTION: Tying in with their mission to protect the natural environment, SPAR Eastern Cape donated R35 000 to each of the beneficiaries at their annual Charity Golf Day at Humewood on Thursday. At the handover were, from left, SPAR EC sponsorship and events manager Alan Stapleton, Bayworld aquarium curator Ruth Wright, SANCCOB Eastern Cape manager Stacey Webb and SPAR EC marketing manager Abri Swart. Picture: Leon Hugo

Issued by: Full Stop Communications – http://www.fullstop.co.za

Shope explains that earth-bermed houses are the most energetically efficient since they maintain the ambient temperature of the earth regardless of air temperature, so that it requires less energy to heat and cool them. They don’t receive a lot of light or ventilation, however, but Shope has compensated for these constraints with tall glazed windows and a air exchanger on the roof.

Here’s what is so exciting about this house: everything is recycled. The roof is made from melted down copper plumbing, the facade is made from recycled metal sheets from a nearby factory and the timber framing and interior slabs are comprised of black cherry trees harvested, treated, and sawn onsite. Naturally not everybody can afford to build a home quite like this, but they should.  It will last longer, produce its’ own power, is extremely efficient and requires little heating or cooling, and if homes were priced based on cost per year of use, a home like this could factor among the lowest cost options over time.  

Article Provide by Off-Grid Quest

The conference in Amsterdam in the Netherlands went under the banner of the SPAR International Responsible Retailing Forum and brought managers from around the world to share ideas and best-practice examples.

SPAR EC managing director Conrad Isaac accepted the award on behalf of the company and said it was gratifying to have received such recognition.

He was quick to add, though, that their Stop Plastic campaign, which was launched in April to eliminate the single-use of plastic bags, was not about earning awards.

“Our mission is to create awareness about the dangers to the environment of plastic pollution,” he said.

“We are doing this because it is the right thing to do. I equate it to playing sport – if you play well, the scoreboard will take care of itself.

“So this campaign is not about awards but about playing the game well and we feel are on the right track.”

Isaac was referring to the fact that from the launch of the Stop Plastic campaign on April 6 until the end of September they had sold three million fewer plastic bags than over the same period last year.

“If you had asked me before our campaign started what we would achieve, I would never have expected to reach a number of three million.

“So that is really encouraging and obviously our aim now is to keep adding to that. Every single plastic bag less that we sell means a better future for us all.”

He said the Stop Plastic campaign placed them at the forefront among SPAR retailers worldwide in the forum of responsible retailing.

“Many people at the forum have no idea where Port Elizabeth or the Eastern Cape even is, but from a SPAR Africa point of view we are leading the way and from a SPAR international perspective we are certainly among the leaders in the 41 countries where we retail.

“Many of the other regions are well advanced in trying to limit issues such as carbon emissions, but it is great to be recognised. In terms of what we are trying to achieve we don’t have to stand back for anyone.

“We are top of the pile when it comes to focusing on the reduction of single-use plastics and for creating awareness about the impact plastic pollution is having on the environment.”

Both Isaac and SPAR EC advertising manager Roseann Shadrach paid tribute to the SPAR customers for their support of the Stop Plastic campaign.

“We have made phenomenal progress and the big thing is that our customers have bought into the concept,” said Isaac.

“But we have just scratched the surface and there are still some challenges ahead, mainly about continuing the education process of changing people’s shopping habits.

“There is definite support from the public and we want everyone to know that this is not a marketing gimmick – it’s about the future of the world.”

Shadrach felt the recognition they received in getting the award would provide impetus for the public to maintain their support.

“At the beginning of the campaign we wondered how we were going to get the message across to make the public environmentally savvy,” she said.

“Our customers have really come on board and have assisted us in receiving this recognition.

“We believe this will provide renewed incentive for them to carry on supporting the Stop Plastic campaign and there will be renewed respect for the initiative.

“This will enable both us and our customers to elevate what we are currently doing to another level.”

CAPTIONS

Pic 1: SPAR Eastern Cape managing director Conrad Isaac (second from the right) receives the award for consumer engagement in plastic reduction at the SPAR International Conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. With him are (from the left) SPAR International managing director Tobias Wasmuht, SPAR Group sustainability executive Kevin O’Brien and SPAR International marketing and strategic projects head Niels Dekkers. Picture: Supplied

Pic 2: SPAR Eastern Cape advertising manager Roseann Shadrach (left) and promotion and advertising manager Trevor Blundell display the award for consumer engagement in plastic reduction received by SPAR EC at the SPAR International Conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Picture:Full Stop Communications

Article Provided by Full Stop Communications

The cause of the fire is unknown and the automaker is investigating the event.

The incident happened in Rumpt, a town near Geldermalsen in the Netherlands, in the middle of the night last Friday.

At this point, the cause of the fire is still unknown, but the British automaker told Electrek that they have now taken possession of the burned down I-PACE and they are investigating the cause with the local authorities.

It’s the first reported Jaguar I-PACE that has caught on fire, which appears to be limited to the front-end of the electric SUV (pictures via Autobahn):

Following a few highly publicized Tesla vehicle fires, there have been concerns about electric vehicles catching on fire more frequently than gas-powered cars, but it hasn’t proven true on a statistical basis.

Tesla claims that statistically, their vehicles are 10 times less likely to catch on fire than gas-powered cars.

In Jaguar’s case, they have currently delivered fewer than 5,000 I-PACE SUVs to date and this is the first reported case of one catching on fire.

Electrek’s Take

Fires following accidents are not really worrying because they are often inevitable after several crashes, regardless of the type of powertrain, electric or gas-powered, but it is different for fires without any crash.

It’s even more important to find the cause in those cases.

Earlier this year, the battery pack of a Tesla Model S caught on fire in Los Angeles seemingly on its own without any accident and Tesla said that it was an ‘extraordinarily unusual occurrence’. They are still investigating the cause.

In the case of the I-PACE fire, it was parked in a driveway and it’s still unknown if it was charging at the time.

The authorities are not ruling out vandalism at this point so it might not be a problem with the powertrain, but it’s still worth investigating in my opinion.

Article Provided by Electrek

A marine biologist in Florida was about to retire when he accidentally shattered a piece of coral into a bunch of tiny pieces in his lab and they started growing 40 times faster than they grow in the wild.

Coral normally takes between 25 and 75 years to reach sexual maturity. The new technique called “micro fragmenting” reduces it to just three years.

With around half as much coral in the ocean today as there was just 50 years ago, it’s a revolutionary discovery that could literally save the planet.

“My Eureka moment — or Eureka mistake — was when I broke a coral into tiny pieces,” says Dr. Dave Vaughn, the program manager for coral restoration at the Mote Tropical Research Center:

“I thought it was going to die and be very stressed. Instead it grew like the dickens.”

Each piece grew to a size that normally took a few years in just a few weeks.

Furthermore, the method works on every single species of coral found in the Florida Reef.

“I’ve postponed my retirement until I see a million corals replanted back on the reef,” he says in the BBC interview below:

“We’ve lost between 25 and 40 percent of the world’s coral,” Vaughn says in the video above. “If you’re wondering if that’ll make a difference or not, you should ask yourself if you like to breathe.”

He notes that land plants produce only about a third of the oxygen we breathe. The rest comes from the ocean.

Vaughan’s team now plans on teaching his method to conservationists around the world so they can collectively plant one million corals within the next few years.

Article Provided by Return to Now

They are teasing a new all-electric semi truck to be added to the list.

Earlier this year, the Swedish group announced that it will bring its electric trucks to the road as soon as this year and start selling them next year.

They unveiled ‘the Volvo FL Electric’, a 16-tonne truck that can be configured with different battery packs for a capacity between 100 and 300 kWh for a range of up to 300 km (186 miles).

Volvo Trucks also launched an all-electric garbage truck with up to 200 km of range.

In September, the company then unveiled an all-electric and autonomous truck without a cab.

Except for that last one, all of Volvo’s electric trucks are based on their existing truck programs and now they are also going to release an electric version of their Volvo VNR truck.

They released several teaser images today:

Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, commented about the upcoming vehicle:

“We are proud to announce the Volvo VNR Electric, designed to support cities focused on sustainable urban development and fleets operating in a range of regional-haul and distribution operations. The Volvo VNR Electric leverages the versatility of the new Volvo VNR series with a proven fully-electric powertrain, and represents a strategic stride toward a comprehensive electrified transport ecosystem. Cities prioritizing sustainable urban development can leverage electrified transport solutions to help improve air quality and reduce traffic noise. Cleaner, quieter, fully-electric commercial transport also creates opportunities for expanded morning and late-night operations, helping cut traffic congestion during peak hours.”

They didn’t announce the specs just yet, but they did say that the truck will be “operating in distribution, regional-haul and drayage operations.”

Volvo Trucks says that they will demonstrate them on the road in California as soon as next year.

The state participated in the truck program with CARB awarding $44.8 million to SCAQMD for the Volvo LIGHTS project.

Following the test program next year, they say that the VNR Electric will go on sale in North America in 2020.

Article Provided by Electrek

In the story, retweeted by Vincent, Response claims all versions of the Model 3 currently available in the US — long- or medium-range battery, rear- or all-wheel drive — will be available to Japanese customers as well. With rear-wheel drive + the medium-range battery, the price in Japan is about ¥5,190,000 ($46,000). With all-wheel drive and the long-range battery, the price is ¥5,980,000 ($53,000). The Model 3 Performance will sell for ¥7,230,000 ($64,000).

On the other side of the world, add South Africa to the growing list of countries where Tesla will have a store. Elon Musk tweeted on December 11 that Tesla is planning to open its first store in his native country next year. Well, probably next year.

When are one of these opening back home, boet?

Probably end of next year

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While that is good news for South Africans, the idea of bringing electric cars to that nation is fraught with technical challenges. The electrical grid there is chaotic, with rolling blackouts common. Selling cars will be easy. Creating a network of Supercharger locations to keep them charged will be hard. So far, electric cars are enjoyed only by South Africa’s wealthiest citizens, according to Fortune.

South Africa is the most industrialized nation on the African continent but it still faces major challenges in meeting the needs of its citizens. Basic necessities such as access to clean water are still unavailable to many of its citizens. Earlier this year, Cape Town came very close to running out of drinking water for its residents because of an extended drought. Tesla may find South Africa is more ready for its solar energy and storage products than electric cars.

Article Provided by Clean Technica

Why is this important?

As one of the leading bottled water company in Kenya, we would like Dasani to diverse from using plastic bottles as they are a menace not only to our environment but to also to every citizen who has to suffer from the effects of plastic pollution. Don’t be among the companies that contribute to the blockage of our drainage system especially during the rainy season causing floods in the city. 
We have been told that recycling and better waste management are the answers.But, we know that over 90% of plastic has not been recycled.

WE ASK YOU TO CUT YOUR USAGE TO STOP THE DEMAND FOR THESE ITEMS!

The more that businesses move toward biodegradable or reusable alternatives, the cheaper they will become, and the less plastic makes its way into the environment.

Article Provided by: Vuma Earth