Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 7 August 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# The South African Weather Service has issued a yellow level 2 weather warning from tomorrow until Saturday between Lamberts Bay and Cape Agulhas. Strong to gale-force north-westerly winds of approximately 50- to 65-kilometre per hour are expected and wave heights reaching six to eight metres are expected on Friday afternoon and Saturday. The Weather Service warns of challenges for small vessels, disruptions to small harbours and ports, as well as beachfront activities. Residents are advised to remain vigilant and cautious when travelling in coastal areas.

# The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department has already embarked on its yearly No-Mow initiative, as part of an environmental effort to encourage biodiversity and promote sustainable gardening practices. Mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, Patricia van der Ross, says the initiative involves refraining from mowing certain areas, particularly public green spaces and gardens. She says this is to help protect ecological processes that promote the growth of distinctive Fynbos vegetation:

# And, leaving streetlights on all night seems to make plant leaves tougher and harder for insects to eat. Scientists at a Chinese university in Beijing studied about 180 trees around roads in Beijing that are illuminated by streetlights. They measured how much light each tree was getting and then studied almost five-thousand-500 leaves. The leaves’ toughness, nitrogen levels, tannins and water content were all measured, which gave the scientists an idea of how the trees were using their resources. The lights also seem to impact the wildlife around them.

Stay tuned for more news………….