Good News

BULLETIN 5 November

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Prince William began a four-day trip to South Africa by meeting young environmentalists from Africa and Asia and playing rugby with local schoolchildren in Ocean View, Cape Town. The trip centres on his annual environmental sustainability-focused Earthshot Prize ceremony, which will be held in the city tomorrow. Western Cape premier Alan Winde says the awards ceremony being held in the province is massive:

# South Africa’s Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is one of the winners of the Global Responsible Tourism Awards. The awards are a standard bearer for the positive side of the travel industry. The five-star eco-lodge in Gansbaai in the Western Cape was recognised in the employing and upskilling local communities category. Profits from the lodge fund the Grootbos Foundation, which gives free skills and business training to locals in the areas of hospitality, horticulture, entrepreneurship, and biodiversity. Other winners include Rajasthan Studio in India and Thailand’s Sivatel Bangkok Hotel.

# SANParks has implemented safety and infrastructure upgrades across its 21 parks for the 2024 festive season. Key measures include K9 units, aerial support, community partnerships, and joint operations for improved visitor safety. SANParks spokesperson JP Louw says 1.1-billion-rand infrastructure upgrades funded by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment are underway, including in Kruger and Addo parks. He also confirmed volunteer safety services launched at Table Mountain, urging visitors to remain patient amidst ongoing refurbishments and follow safety guidelines.

# The City of Cape Town has announced a star-studded lineup for this year’s festive lights switch-on in Adderley Street on the first of December. The lineup includes chart-toppers Mafikizolo, Fagrie Isaacs, and Candice Thornton, reggae legends Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels, and award-winning DJ and music producer Mörda. The festivities will be led by Alan Committie and Lunga Tshuka, two of South Africa’s beloved comedic talents. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the event is a chance to come together and celebrate what is to come. 

# And finally: Japan has launched the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, to the International Space Station. Developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, this palm-sized satellite will orbit 400-kilometres above Earth, testing timber’s durability for potential lunar and Mars missions. Made from honoki wood, LignoSat demonstrates a renewable, low-pollution alternative to metal satellites. Scientists say if successful, it could spark future sustainable space construction, with applications from data centers to lunar housing.

Stay tuned for more news………….