Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 18 June 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# The minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy says the health and wellbeing of communities especially in rural areas, are intricately linked to the health and productivity of the land. The department’s spokesperson, Peter Mbelengwa, says land and soil are essential for food, renewable energy, and water security, which are crucial for people’s survival:

# A South African initiative transforming waste into community empowerment, has been nominated for the prestigious EarthShot Prize. Founded in 2015, Litter4Tokens has prevented over 2.2-million bags of waste from reaching the ocean by exchanging waste for tokens redeemable for goods. Nominated in the “Build A Waste-Free World” category, this initiative fosters environmental sustainability. The initiative has created over one-thousand-800 jobs in regions like KwaDukuza and Gqeberha.

# And finally: Scientists from the University of Cambridge in England have found that an item widely used in kitchens can absorb planet-heating carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They used activated charcoal and “charged” it like a battery and found it would absorb carbon dioxide directly from the air. Scientists were able to separate the carbon dioxide from the charcoal by heating the sponge to between 90 and 100 degrees breaking the bonds between the CO2 and the hydroxide ions. The scientists say their technique requires far less energy and can be powered by renewables alone.

Stay tuned for more news………….