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A survey of 200 sites in 20 countries around the world has found that bisphenol A, a synthetic compound that mimics estrogen and is linked to developmental disorders, is ubiquitous in Earth’s oceans.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is found mostly in shatter-proof plastics and epoxy resins. Most people have trace amounts in their bodies, likely absorbed from food containers. Its hormone-mimicking properties make it a potent endocrine system disruptor.

In recent years, scientists have moved from studying BPA’s damaging effects in laboratory animals to linking it to heart disease, sterility and altered childhood development in humans. Many questions still remain about dosage effects and the full nature of those links, but in January the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that “recent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children.”

The oceanic BPA survey, presented March 23 at an American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco, was conducted by Nihon University chemists Katsuhiko Saido and Hideto Sato. At an ACS meeting last year, they described how soft plastic in seawater doesn’t just float or sink intact, but can break down rapidly, releasing toxins. In their new findings, they showed that BPA-containing hard plastics can break down too, and found BPA in ocean water and sand at concentrations ranging from .01 to .50 parts per million.

As for what those numbers mean for public and environmental health, it’s hard to say. BPA can cause reproductive disorders in shellfish and crustaceans, and doses below a single part per trillion can have cell-level effects, but the path from water and sand to ocean animals needs to be studied.

One disturbing possibility is that BPA could bioaccumulate, with animals eating BPA-tainted animals that have eaten BPA-tainted animals, finally reaching high concentrations in top-level ocean predators and the humans who eat them. For that to happen, BPA would have to be stored in fatty tissue, rather than passing quickly through the body.

“That’s a really difficult, unsettled question,” said Shanna Swan, a University of Rochester environmental medicine specialist who wasn’t involved in the survey.

In a 2009 Environmental Health Perspectives study of BPA concentrations in people who had recently fasted, Swan found that BPA levels remained high longer than expected. It’s possible that BPA indeed accumulated in their fat, said Swan. They could also have picked up BPA from as-yet-unappreciated non-dietary sources, such as household dust or leaching from PVC water pipes. Or both scenarios may be true.

The BPA contamination found by Saido and Sato likely comes from a mix of boat paint and plastic. About three million tons of BPA-containing plastics are produced each year. The United Nations estimates that the average square mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of plastic trash.

“Marine debris plastic in the ocean will certainly constitute a new global ocean contamination for long into the future,” wrote Saido and Sato in their presentation.

Source: Wired

Ocean garbage patches are increasing in size and already extend over hundreds of kilometres.  Plastic is the main culprit; discarded water bottles forming a large percentage of the trash.  It may be nearly impossible to completely clean up this pollution but we can at least stop using as many plastic disposable items as possible.  I’ve heard some Earth Day tips; one of them is to reuse disposable water bottles.  Caution must be exercised here; if you reuse these bottles, do it only once or twice and never leave them in the sun or expose to high heat (e.g. dishwasher) or freezing temperatures.  Although somewhat controversial, these reused bottles are said to begin breaking down and may release harmful chemicals into the water which you then drink.  The best water bottle material is glass which is inert.  See an earlier Water Rhapsody post about the effect of water bottles on the environment and bottled water vs tap water.

Sustainable housing is not a new idea, but there are many different ideas surrounding the term sustainable building, some of them always changing. People have varied sustainable plans when designing a house, but in reality you can narrow sustainability down to some basic ideas.

The best sustainable housing is…

Traditional Zulu village built with sustainable materials

Sustainable at each level. From choosing a site and clearing the land. Your choice of materials and your building ethics (i.e. recycling waste). Your energy system and landscaping.  At each level of the planning and building process there are sustainable aspects you can consider.

A sustainable home has a light footprint and takes up less space. You can sort of build a green McMansion but that majorly defeats the true purpose of sustainable design.

The best sustainable materials are locally acquired, efficient, and recyclable. You can go further by choosing materials that have been reclaimed and by using only what you need. For example, two sinks in the bath, may be overkill.

Sustainable housing requires less fuel to heat or cool and maximizes natural vs. non-renewable resources for energy. Wind, solar, proper landscaping, window quality, and more are all ideas surrounding sustainable energy for housing.

Sustainable housing makes the most of water use with things like water efficient appliances, rainwater systems, and low-water landscaping.

Interior design is also a consideration. Non-toxic paints, clean air techniques, reclaimed floors, sustainable furniture, and more all contribute to overall sustainable design.

Source: Best Green Home Tips

Woman preparing a cow dung floor. Once dried, compacted and sealed, these floors can be polished to a mirror finish

‘Sustainable building’ has long been practiced by people all over the world.  In Africa this was (and still is in many places) the only way to build.  Thatching grass, wood and clay mud were harvested locally to build comfortable houses with less impact on the environment than any modern house built today.  However, we can use the materials and methods of old and combine them with modern technology and knowledge to build much more eco-friendly homes.  Even if we only take certain elements of green building design and incorporate these into our building plans, it will be beneficial to the environment.  This of course, is assuming that you are planning to build a new home from scratch.  There are many ways of improving your existing home’s energy and water efficiency without drastic changes to the structure.  Earlier posts on this website examine ways of creating a rain garden, reducing swimming pool water consumption, improving washing machine efficiency, harnessing water power, green building water efficiency, and you’ll find many other posts that discuss ways of reducing your environmental footprint.  Wherever water conservation is concerned, Water Rhapsody can provide solutions; see the many benefits of our water saving systems.

With the best intentions in the world as a green consumer, it’s easy to get put off when you compare the price of organic food with regular mass-produced products. People who are on a limited budget may have the inclination to buy their groceries ethically, but when we stand in the store and check out the prices of our ethically-produced food, it can be tough to make a decision to stay green and add on an extra twenty percent to our weekly grocery bill.

Just as free-range foods cost more than battery-farmed produce, or Fairtrade products can cost up to thirty percent more than other types of foods, so organic produce tends to be significantly more expensive than other forms. There are a number of reasons for this, and understanding the rationale behind it can make it much easier to make an informed purchasing decision and reduce the sting of the increased cost.

Compensating for reduced crop yields

On average, an organic crop yields approximately twenty percent less than a conventional crop, due to the fact that the growers do not rely upon pesticides and chemicals to enhance the return on what has been planted. This means that agricultural methods are less rewarding when it comes to gaining value for money through the farming process. Some crops such as potatoes can yield as much as forty percent less when farmed organically, and this cost has to be recouped from the sale of the produce.

Accommodating higher production costs

It costs more to grow organically than it does to rely on chemicals, and this cost is incurred through the labour taken to produce a decent crop. Factors such as weeding add to the overall time and effort taken to produce a great organic crop, and labour-intensive farming needs to be funded. Onions and carrots need to be carefully looked after when they are grown to organic standards, taking up much more resource than conventional mechanisms.

Mitigating the cost by balancing it with environmental risk

This said, the cost to the environment is significantly higher when it comes to traditional famring methods. Pesticides and fertilizers can make our living expenses shoot up through increased medical treatment needs, and experts suggest that using agrochemicals such as methyl-bromide can deplete the ozone by up to twenty percent. This in turn leads to higher risks from skin cancers, so the price overall is balanced by going organic. When we look at the cost of producing a crop such as strawberries using chemicals, people do not factor in the expense of treating people who have adverse medical reactions, so the true weighing up of organic versus traditional methods of farming is not currently an accurate figure.

When all the hidden costs to the environment and our health are taken in to consideration, buying organic suddenly doesn’t seem so expensive, does it? It’s an established fact that buying organic produce is better for the environment, and better for us in the long term, so it’s worth stretching the budget a little in order to buy green, ethically-produced and healthier foods.

Source: Life Goggles

It is sometimes difficult to decide when an organic product is substantially more than it’s non-organic counterpart.  However, once you have established that it is certified organic, the cost becomes less important when you compare the taste and also the knowledge that harmful chemicals will not be entering your body or the environment.  Choose organic whenever possible, it’s healthier for you and the environment.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water geyser, rainwater harvesting system, gray water system or water tank (we are authorised JoJo Tanks dealers and supply and install the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Gift giving is arguably one of the best parts of the holiday season. Unfortunately, with the bestowing of gifts also comes incessant waste. According to Earth911, discarded wrapping paper and shopping bags in the U.S. total more than 4 million tons annually. Moreover, the EPA states holiday gift-wrapping is largely attributed to the approximate 25 percent increase in curbside waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

By reducing their consumption of one-time use wrapping and utilizing sustainable alternatives, consumers can go green and save some green. Here are ten aesthetic and unique alternatives to gift-wrap.

1. Old Maps – With the advent of the Internet and free navigation services such as Google Maps and Maps.com, maps have become virtually obsolete. Use old maps you have lying around as unique gift-wrap.

2. Shopping Bags – Looking for a chic wrapping alternative? Reuse trendy shopping bags you acquire throughout the season.

3.  Newspaper/Magazines – In a similar vein, trying using old newspapers and magazines to wrap. Just be cautious of inky newspaper print that can transfer to skin and clothing.

4. Gift Bags – While they may not be original, gift bags are a great wrapping substitute because they can be reused multiple times.

5. Fabric Scraps – Have small scraps of fabric lying around? Place your gifts in the middle of a scrap and secure the ends with ribbon. Or tie the ends in a bow or knot.

6. Children’s Artwork – Your kids’ scribbles and pictures can be unconventional yet heartfelt wrapping.

7. Reusable Items – Think buckets, baskets, kitchen bowls or anything else that can hold your gifts and be reused by the recipient.

Source: Modern Eco Homes

Reusing old gift wrapping paper is another alternative; encourage your family to open presents with care and pack away the used gift wrapping for reuse next Christmas.  While this will not save a lot of money, it certainly reduces your waste and helps the environment.  Using sustainable alternatives as described in the article above also makes your wrapping paper unique and personalized.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga have combined (water and energy are linked!) to offer high quality water conservation systems and solar energy solutions.

Contact us for a free quote on a rainwater tank,  rainwater harvesting system, grey water recycling system, Atlas Plastics & JoJo water tanks (we are authorised JoJo Tanks dealers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo – best water tank prices in the Lowveld!), green plumbing systems or solar water geyser (made by Solsquare in Germany).

All our water systems are installed by qualified Water Rhapsody consultants and our Solsquare solar geysers are fitted by Eskom-approved solar installers (so that you can claim cash back from the Eskom renewable energy rebate scheme).

If Eben Bayer has his way the evil that is extruded polystyrene foam, generally referred to as Styrofoam, will be replaced by mushrooms in the next few years. Polystyrene is in everything: packaging materials, coffee cups, takeout containers, insulation, even flotation devices. Made in part from petroleum, polystyrene is basically indestructible and thus non-biodegradable – it is estimated that polystyrene takes up 25% of U.S. Landfill space.  To replace polystyrene Bayer, with partner Gavin McIntyre, invented Greensulate a mushroom based insulation that can manufacture itself in 5 days.

How can a product manufacture itself? Greensulate uses fast growing mushroom mycelium to bind agricultural castoffs like seed and corn husks in a mold producing insulation and packaging pieces. The mushroom’s mycelium, which is analogous to a plants root system, uses the energy trapped in the agricultural castoffs to create microscopic webs that spread through organic matter until it is one tightly knit block, corner piece, or whatever shape is desired.

Bayer and McIntyre developed the new packaging material guided by 4 key principals.  First, they wanted a product that could be constructed from local open feedstock, so instead of petroleum China could produce insulation from rice by-products, or the US could use corn castoff.  Second, the product should self assemble to save energy and reduce the need for large machinery.

Luckily, mycelium grows most effectively in the dark saving the company a buddle on electricity. Third, they wanted a 100% biological yield so that even the waste products were fully incorporated into the final product. Finally, they needed a product made completely of natural polymers so the product could be 100% biodegradable even improving soil if it was thrown into a compost bin.

Source: Celsias

Water Rhapsody Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems, grey water recycling and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ). Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, hospitals, schools, lodges & hotels.   Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitary hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a free quote on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/grey water system today!

The loss of amphibian species is often the first warning sign that an ecosystem is in grave danger.

IN DANGER: Critically endangered Haitian frogs recently rescued for captive breeding and cryobanking as insurance against their extinction in the wild. (Photo: Claudio Contreras)

Haiti may be headed for a massive extinction event, one comparable to the sudden disappearance of dinosaurs, a group of biologists from Penn State warns. The group is currently taking action to prevent this loss. Blair Hedges, one of the researchers, has announced the creation of a species-rescue program for Haiti’s threatened frogs and other species.

“Unless effective help arrives soon, it is inevitable that there will be mass extinctions, and I think they are in progress,” said Philippe Bayard, president of the Audubon Society of Haiti.

Water Rhapsody Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems, grey water recycling and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ). Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, hospitals, schools, lodges & hotels.   Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitary hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a free quote on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/grey water system today!

Four new homes in Roseville, Calif., earn official WaterSense labeling as part of a program that’s similar to EnergyStar but focuses on home water conservation instead of energy efficiency.

I’ve always wondered if the EPA’s EnergyStar for Homes program was a bit lonely and in need of some official, watery company to truly help homeowners achieve full green home-dom. Well, it appears that that company has arrived with WaterSense labeling for new homes, a partnership program that zeroes in on the water efficiency of newly built residences. Now, like EnergyStar, the WaterSense label will not only be applied to certain products (showerheads, faucets, toilets, and the like) but to entire homes as well.

Entire water-efficient homes and communities aside, have you purchased any WaterSense-branded products like faucets, toilets or showerheads?

Source: Mother Nature Network

While WaterSense is a USA-based organisation, there is nothing preventing other nations from using WaterSense programmes as a model.  In South Africa, Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems have unofficially become the leading water conservation company.  Water Rhapsody has a water-saving solution for just about every household, school, lodge and business.

Water and energy are linked and with the impending global water- and energy crisis, everyone should be conserving and collecting rain water and renewable energy.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems has incorporated Yes Solar Mpumalanga so that we can offer solar water heating systems to further reduce your environmental impact.  Yes Solar is the Mpumalanga distributor for Solsquare Solar Energy Solutions- high quality German-engineered solar energy systems that are competitively priced.  Solsquare solar geysers are SABS- and Eskom-approved and are fitted by qualified, Eskom-accredited solar installers.  In South Africa, home solar water heaters generally amortize their initial cost within 36 months (at current Eskom rates). Now is the time to install a solar geyser while the Eskom rebates last (this money will run out eventually) and before the looming energy crisis arrives.  Solar water geysers can reduce household electricity costs by up to 50%.

Water Rhapsody’s WWF AWARD-winning water conservation systems (product demo) include rainwater harvesting systems, grey water recycling systems, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flushing mechanisms and rainwater tanks (we are authorised  JoJo Tanks & Atlas Plastics water tank dealers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo- best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).

Our water and solar systems will save the environment while you save money on water and electricity bills; get free water and free water heating!

Contact us for a free quote on a solar geyser, water system or water tank.

Crocodile River - Nelspruit/Mbombela

NELSPRUIT – It is not safe to drink water from any river in Mpumalanga.

This alarming fact is just one of the concerns  mentioned in the most recent report by Inkomati in Mpumalanga.
Inkomati is South Africa’s first catchment management agency and was launched in the province in November 2006.
According to this report several rivers in Mpumalanga, including the Crocodile River that flows through Nelspruit, is fast becoming too dangerous to use for the watering of farm crops or even to swim in.
The massive impact of the state of local rivers has forced the Department of Water Affairs (DWA), as well as the Ehlanzeni and Mbombela municipalities to intervene.
Polluters of the Crocodile River are being brought to book in efforts to reduce the dangerous high levels of the E. coli virus.
According to Mr Brian Khoza, national spokesman for DWA, one criminal case has been opened against a polluter of the Crocodile River.
“The department uses a section of the National Water Act to direct those who are linked to  pollution to take measures to prevent further pollution.
“This entails the issuing of notices and directives and in some cases has led to the pursuance of criminal cases against the alleged polluters,” said Khoza in a statement issued to Lowvelder.
According to him the department is also strengthening the regulation unit that was formerly known as the Blue Scorpions (Water Scorpions) and plans to pursue civil cases against polluters.
“The department will also be implementing a waste discharge system in the near future.
“We will  work closely with NGOs and academic institutions within the province to ensure that human resource capacity is being built to be able to respond to pollution challenges,” said Khoza.
The Ehlanzeni Local Municipality has started a community awareness campaign to try and educate community members about water pollution and how to prevent it.
As part of the  awareness initiative the Nkomazi Municipality called a community meeting to create insight   into water purification methods at home and inform the community of rehydration methods for those suffering from diarrhoea and cholera.
A total of 30 Chlor-Floc sachets were issued to 80 community members who attended the meeting. One sachet can purify 25 litres of water.
Municipal officials of Nkomazi also indicated that plans are underway to construct two mini water purification plants, that would be funded by DWA to solve the water crisis in the area.
The Mbombela Municipality indicated that it would ensure that the right measures are taken to curb illegal dumping that adds to water pollution.
In a reply to Lowvelder, the municipality said that traffic officers are designated as law enforcement officers and have a mandate to take drastic steps against those caught dumping refuse illegally.
The Mbombela Municipality also committed itself to tend to all complaints about illegal dumping within 48 hours.

Source: The Lowvelder Online

Intentional (and even unintentional) polluters of waterways should be charged with culpable homicide; every year countless people become seriously ill or die from drinking contaminated water.  Mere fines for big industry does not seem to be a deterrent- the fines are probably incorporated into their budgets and they simply continue polluting. It would be great to see traffic officers apprehending people who are caught dumping refuse illegally, however it seems unlikely that they’ll willingly do this when they can pass their time sitting at speed traps, writing out fines for traffic ‘crimes’.

Water Rhapsody Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems, grey water recycling and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ).  Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, hospitals, schools, lodges & hotels.   Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitory hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a free quote on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/grey water system today!

Friday 19 November is World Toilet Day and although the first flush toilet was invented over 400 years ago in 1596, almost 2,5 billion people – or 40% of the world’s population – still have no access to toilets and proper sanitation.

Lack of sanitation is the world’s biggest cause of infection and one of the problems that continues to keep many of South Africa’s children out of school.

While members of the public in 58 countries around the world take part in a project called The Big Squat, here in South Africa one of the country’s biggest manufacturers of consumer goods will also be renovating school toilets at a primary school in Soweto.

Unilever’s Domestos brand will visit Sapebuso Primary School in Soweto on Friday to present its 515 pupils with refurbished toilets.

Sue Stringer, Unilever marketing director, says “As an international leader in home hygiene, Domestos is continually committed to public awareness of good health practices and the refurbishment project in Soweto is just one way in which Domestos is making a difference.

“A massive 2,5 billion people worldwide have no proper sanitation and here in South Africa thousands of learners stay away from school because of sanitation problems. Our project in Soweto is just the start of a campaign to raise awareness about a problem that affects our children and stretches all around the globe.”

One of South Africa’s most outspoken “toilet activists” and a member of the World Toilet Organisation (WTO), Trevor Mulaudzi has partnered with Domestos for World Toilet Day. The WTO was launched in 2001 and now has 235 member organisations in 58 countries, all working towards eliminating the toilet taboo and delivering sustainable sanitation.

During the 90s Mulaudzi left a very comfortable career in geology to focus on the importance of clean and working toilets at South African schools, starting a company called The Clean Shop that has become synonymous with clean toilets in schools.

“Clean toilets is a major factor in keeping children in schools,” he says. “Lack of sanitation is the world’s biggest cause of infection: One gram of faeces can contain 10 million viruses, one million bacteria, 1 000 parasite cysts and 100 parasite eggs.”

Mulaudzi will be joining Domestos to talk toilets and sanitation to South Africans this month.

Source: Media Update

Toilets, like running water, are taken for granted for people who have never lived without either.  The WTO is to be commended for raising awareness; not only will poor communities lives be improved but proper controlled sanitation is also a big plus for the environment.  Everyone who has a toilet should be mindful that toilet flushing uses a large percentage of household water.  Install a toilet hippo in the cistern (even a brick will do) to reduce the volume of water flushed.  A better solution would be to install a water-saving toilet mechanism such as Water Rhapsody’s Multiflush (see product demo).  This system replaces your existing flushing mechanism so there’s no need to go out and buy expensive low-flow toilets.  Another advantage of the Multiflush is that there is full control of how much water is flushed- keep flushing until the pan is cleared and then let go the lever.  With low-flow toilets there are only two options- half flush or full flush and neither may be appropriate and water wastage can occur.

Water Rhapsody specializes in environmentally friendly water conservation systems that include rainwater  harvesting systems, rainwater tanks and gray water recycling systems (see the benefits of Water Rhapsody’s systems).  Once installed, our rainwater harvesting system is very neat and is designed for minimum maintenance, is integrated into your existing water supply.  Our water systems can be adapted to small households or to large office blocks, hotels and schools. Should you have questions about our water systems, see rainwater FAQ and grey  water FAQ. Our merge with Yes Solar Mpumalanga enables us to offer high quality, German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems (why buy a solar water heater?).

Contact us for a free quote on a solar water geyser, water system or JoJo water tank or water tank stand (we are authorized dealers for JoJo Tanks in South Africa and also supply high quality Atlas Plastics water tanks to the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Lowveld and to the rest of South Africa).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat!

Humanity’s demands on natural resources are sky-rocketing to 50 per cent more than the earth can sustain, reveals the 2010 edition of WWF’s Living Planet Report – the leading survey of the planet’s health.

The biennial report, produced in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London and the Global Footprint Network, uses the global Living Planet Index as a measure of the health of almost 8,000 populations of more than 2,500 species. The global Index shows a decrease by 30 per cent since 1970, with the tropics hardest hit showing a 60 per cent decline in less than 40 years.

“There is an alarming rate of biodiversity loss in low-income, often tropical countries while the developed world is living in a false paradise, fueled by excessive consumption and high carbon emissions,” said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International.

While the report shows some promising recovery by species’ populations in temperate areas, thanks in part to greater conservation efforts and improvements in pollution and waste control, tracked populations of freshwater tropical species have fallen by nearly 70 per cent – greater than any species’ decline measured on land or in our oceans.

“Species are the foundation of ecosystems,” said Jonathan Baillie, Conservation Programme Director with the Zoological Society of London. “Healthy ecosystems form the basis of all we have – lose them and we destroy our life support system.”

The Ecological Footprint, one of the indicators used in the report, shows that our demand on natural resources has doubled since 1966 and we’re using the equivalent of 1.5 planets to support our activities. If we continue living beyond the Earth’s limits, by 2030 we’ll need the equivalent of two planets’ productive capacity to meet our annual demands.

The United Arab Emirates and its two main cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi topped the list of nations with the biggest resource demand, followed by Qatar, Denmark and Belgium.

“The report shows that continuing of the current consumption trends would lead us to the point of no return,” added Leape. “4.5 Earths would be required to support a global population living like an average resident of the US.”

Carbon is a major culprit in driving the planet to ecological overdraft. An alarming 11-fold increase in our carbon footprint over the last five decades means carbon now accounts for more than half the global Ecological Footprint.

The top 10 countries with the biggest Ecological Footprint per person are the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Denmark, Belgium, United States, Estonia, Canada, Australia, Kuwait and Ireland.

The 31 OECD countries, which include the world’s richest economies, account for nearly 40 per cent of the global footprint. While there are twice as many people living in BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – as there are in OECD countries, the report shows the current rate of per-person footprint of the BRIC countries puts them on a trajectory to overtake the OECD bloc if they follow same development path.

“Countries that maintain high levels of resource dependence are putting their own economies at risk,” said Mathis Wackernagel, President of the Global Footprint Network. “Those countries that are able to provide the highest quality of life on the lowest amount of ecological demand will not only serve the global interest, they will be the leaders in a resource-constrained world.”

New analysis in the report also shows that the steepest decline in biodiversity falls in low-income countries, with a nearly 60 per cent decline in less than 40 years.

The biggest footprint is found in high-income countries, on average five times that of low-income countries, which suggests unsustainable consumption in wealthier nations rests largely on depleting the natural resources of poorer, often still resource rich tropical countries.

The Living Planet Report also shows that a high footprint and high level of consumption, which often comes at the cost of others, is not reflected in a higher level of development. The UN Human Development Index, which looks at life expectancy, income and educational attainment, can be high in countries with moderate footprint.

The Report outlines solutions needed to ensure the Earth can sustain a global population projected to pass nine billion in 2050, and points to choices in diet and energy consumption as critical to reducing footprint, as well as improved efforts to value and invest in our natural capital.

“The challenge posed by the Living Planet Report is clear,” said Leape. “Somehow we need to find a way to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly prosperous population within the resources of this one planet. All of us have to find a way to make better choices in what we consume and how we produce and use energy.”

Source: Clickgreen

Artificial shoreline on Sir Bani Yas Island

This probably shouldn’t come as a surprise in a region where fossil fuels sustain and account for most of the economy.  Having worked in the UAE, I noticed that many past unsustainable activities and developments have taken place with little thought for the environment (in many cases, through ignorance).  It seems that they are now eager to become more eco-friendly although many ecosystems are irreversibly damaged.  One example being where islands in the Persian Gulf have been increased in size- the reclaimed land covering coral reefs and creating seashore erosion that is only halted by daily shore repair (as occurs on Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi).

Water Rhapsody Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems, grey water recycling and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ).  Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, lodges & hotels.   Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitory hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a free quote on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/grey water system today!