Thursday, 2 September 2010

One of the challenges of modern day living presents itself in the form of food substances that come in packets or bags. Once a bag has been opened we need to take measures to seal it again to keep the remaning food fresh and delicious!

This is especially important as all the best types of food snacks come in packets – nuts, cereal, dried fruit etc. Conventionally people make use of a clothes peg or specially manufactured plastic clip to perform the packet-sealing function. Another option is to use re-sealable zipper bags but these can be a bit expensive.

One of our readers sent in a brilliant idea which not only solves the fresh food problem but is also a great way to recycle old water bottles (if you are not opposed to buying those in the first place). In just 3 easy steps we present to you:

The idea

1. Cut the top of the bottle off, right at the neck.

2. Create a perfectly sealed system by sticking the top of the bag through the hole and replacing the lid.

3. Make sure you recycle the rest of the plastic bottle and enjoy your snacks, which are sure to stay fresh for a good while.

This is a great example of the kind of small things we can do in our own homes to make a difference. Remeber to submit your small ideas to the Small Things competition you could win a T-shirt from Mingo Lamberti and a book on going green!

Congratulations to our latest Small Things winners Patricia and Nimit – you will be notified over email soon!

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Today we celebrate not only the first day of Spring but also Arbour Day! It’s a day to remember the importance of trees and forrestry. 1 September marks the start of National Arbour Week which runs until 7 September. During this time all South Africans are encouraged to learn more about our indigenous trees and their significant role in our environment.

Each year different types of tree are planted to commemorate Arbour Day. Usually two species are selected, one common tree and one rare one. 2010’s common tree is the Fever Tree, aka Koorsboom , aka Acacia xanthophloea. This year there are three rare species – Cape Gardenia, Bell Gardenia and Tonga Kerrie.

Fever Tree (not only a psychedellic rock band)

Greenpop’s Tree-volution

Greenpop is an organisation which has set a target to plany 1000 trees in the Western Cape in 2010. This energetic bunch has organised a number of plantings in Cape Town and surrounding areas for Arbour Week and beyond. dontbeapassenger will be joining them this Friday at Masikhululeke Creche, and on some of the later dates listed below. We’d love to see you there!

When and where you can help

Friday 3 September

Masikhululeke Creche
Contact: Ilana Shone 0824910860
Need: TBA
Planting time: 10.30 am
Address: Joe Slovo Community (off Koeberg Road,Makro/Milnerton way)

Saturday 4 September

Vrygrond Community Centre
Contact: Abe Taylor 0834353577
Need: 10-12 trees
Planting time: 10.00am
Address: 66 Vrygrond Avenue
Directions: On Vrygrond Avenue 100m from Sunrise Educare Preschool (see above), opposite Capricorn Primary.  +/- 30km from Cape Town
Co-ords: -34.083868, 18.487544
Map Link: http://goo.gl/maps/lgJh

Capricorn Primary School
Contact: Siddieka Hassen 0837786522, Peter and Beulah (caretakers will be there) 0217010798
Need: Acacia trees, TBA
Planting time: After finished at community centre
Address: Vrygrond Avenue, Muizenburg
Directions: From Prince George Drive (direction towards Muizenberg): turn left into Vrygrond Avenue.  Continue over stop street and continue straight.
Co-ords: -34.084479, 18.487439
Map Link: http://goo.gl/maps/uFF4

Monday 6 September

Intshinga Primary School
Contact: Sivukile Woman’s Group, Lungi 0833985371
Need: Approx. 10-15
Planting Time: 10.30am
Directions: Head along N2, offramp to Manenberg. At Traffic lights opp Police Station turn left. Go over bridge, keep straight. 1st Turn left, then first left again to school gates.

Wednesday 8 September

Saartjie Baartman Centre
Contact: Rosemary Cox 021 633 5287
Need: 6 Trees
Planting Time: 10.30 am
Address: Old Avalon Building,Klipfontein Rd (opposite Nico Malan Nursing college) Athlone

Saturday 11 September

Carehaven
Address: Tarentaal Road, Athlone
Co-ords: -33.955166,18.537251
Map Link: http://goo.gl/maps/j15m

Saturday 18 September

DHL Planting Day
Contact: Amy Biehl Foundation, Lucinda 0712443712

Sigawu Primary School
Address: 3231 Cnr Pauli and old crossroads, boys town, old crossroads
Contact: 021 386 7434
Directions:

Bonga Primary School:

Address: NY 144 Gugulethu                                                                                                                                               Contact: 021 637 8295
Co-ords: -33.975916, 18.565097
Map Link: http://goo.gl/maps/HmMX

Saturday 2 October

Mfuleni Centre for Early Childhod Development
Contact: Sarah Uppink 0726135328
Need: 15 Trees
Address: 356 Tokwana Street, Mfuleni
Co-ords: -33.989897,18.670154
Map Link: http://goo.gl/maps/XB4u

We are aware that some of this information may is incomplete, for updates you can contact admin@dontbeapassenger.com or Greenpop on their website.

Thursday, 26 August 2010

Meet the Maker is a series of profiles on the good people at Optimal Energy who are hard at work producing Joule, South Africa’s first electric car. We caught up with Peter Seboyeng, an industrial designer who is involved in developing the interior of the vehicle.

1. What made you want to pursue this career, and how did you get to where you are today?

From a young age I always loved drawing. Playing car toys brought me close to the automotive world and I was always fascinated about how things are made. I used to make different wired cars and battery controlled cars out of perfume tins. However, sketching was always my passion and daily meal. I think I had an intuitive feeling that what I was doing was going to pay back eventually.

When I was in about grade 9 in high school, I was dedicated in to drawing cars and products. One day each of us in the class was asked what we wanted to be after school.

“I want to design cars,” I said. My teacher and classmates were puzzled because they had assumed I wanted to be an artist. They also realised that they didn’t know of any car designers and hadn’t even heard of the profession.

I didn’t know what field of study would lead me in the right direction, until I came across a book called My Career. I was excited to discover an Industrial Design course at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the University of Johannesburg. And that’s how it all started.

2. What does your job as an Industrial Designer for Joule entail?

My job involves conceptualising the best possible design solutions for the product. Detail design is very important in enhancing the overall design of Joule. What I love about design is that one can create emotions; it’s a human contribution towards our culture, and also a very strong marketing weapon.

3. Can you give us an idea of what the finished design will be like?

The design of the car looks sexy, with swoopy lines and flowing surfaces, very much a resolution of the current prototype. It is the technology that intrigues me – Joule doesn’t have the complexity of the hybrid car because it is purely electric. It’s quiet, and that to me speaks of efficiency and comfort. The materials used were chosen with lower carbon emissions very much in mind.

4. How is designing the interior of an electric vehicle different to of a normal car or other electric vehicles?

I believe the interior of an electric car needs to shout efficiency – the dials and lack of a gear lever simply create the feeling of clean energy. We wanted to make Joule a serious car. Many other electric vehicle manufacturers believe that the look and feel of their product needs to be very different from that of conventional cars. The result is that the design becomes incredibly cold and the cars tend to look like toys or kitchen appliances. We tried to avoid this with Joule.

5. Can you tell us about your career plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

I want to go where no other designer has gone, to capture the future and put it on wheels.

6. What do you love about our country and what makes you proud to be South African?

South Africa is a beautiful country. There are many opportunities, compared to other European countries. We have a lot to do in order to compete with other third world countries, and that to me is an opportunity.

7. Are you environmentally conscious in your own lifestyle? If so could you share a green living tip?

Not down to the last detail, but I try hard to live up to green values. Even things like simple responsible shopping are the beginning of green living! I look for environmentally friendly items on the shelves because that’s where it starts – small changes can lead to big significant changes.

Previous Meet the Maker profiles:

Annie Bekker

Wim Fuls

Hugo de Kock

Friday, 20 August 2010

The 26th winner of the ‘Small Things Make a Big Difference’ competition is Adam – congratulations! Here’s his idea for those whose minds need a bit of refreshing:

Make telephone directories optional

Those bulky Telkom directories become more and more redundant as people increasingly turn to the internet as a first port of call for contact information. Until they do become optional be sure to recycle your big block of paper annually!

The Small Things prize consists of a copy of Simon Gear’s book Going Green as well as a T-shirt designed exclusively for dontbeapassenger by Mingo Lamberti.

Keep those green ideas coming and you could be the winner of the next giveaway! Congratulations once again to Adam for sharing his winning idea!

Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Encounters is an annual South African and international documentary film festival, and 2010 marks it’s 12th year running. Having received over 800 films from all over the world, the team selected just over 50 to showcase at this year’s event including international award winners and SA world premieres.

The festival started on 12 August and runs until 29 August so there’s still plenty of time to catch some thought-provoking cinema at The Bioscope in Johannesburg , as well as Labia on Orange and V&A Nu Metro in  Cape Town.

Green films

This year the Encounters Documentary Festival includes ten excellent green films, including much talked about features like Dirt! The Movie and The Yes Men Fix The World. You can read about all ten films and their screening times and venues here.

I’ll be watching Earthchild and Unearthing the Pen this Friday, tickets are only R39 from Computicket – join me to support green documentary film!