Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 11 October 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# Human activity is continuing to drive what the World Wide Fund for Nature calls a catastrophic loss of species. It found the world’s wildlife populations have plummeted by 73-percent in 50-years, from elephants in tropical forests to hawksbill turtles off the Great Barrier Reef. The report is based on the Living Planet Index of more than five-thousand bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile and fish population counts over five decades. Habitat degradation and loss was the biggest threat to wildlife, followed by over-exploitation, invasive species, disease, climate change and pollution.

# The Department of Water and Sanitation says follow-up testing is ongoing after cholera was found in the Harts and Vaal Rivers in North West and the Northern Cape. Residents are warned not to drink or touch untreated water from these rivers. The department’s spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, says routine sampling revealed the presence of cholera at five locations, prompting municipalities to improve their water treatment processes:

# And finally: The Electronic Waste Association of South Africa is launching its second nationwide E-waste Day campaign today, encouraging citizens to recycle electronics. This year’s initiative includes over 100 drop-off points and a week of eco-activism featuring consumer rewards and industry collaboration. Last year, people turned up in droves to recycle their e-waste, with 164-thousand-kilgrams collected over one weekend. The rate of e-waste recycling in African countries is sitting at below one-percent.

Stay tuned for more news………….