As the Western Cape heads into winter, the official dam level stats in the province have started to rise in recent weeks. However, the six major dams in the province – the Berg River, Steenbras Lower, Steenberg Upper, Theewaterskloof, Voëlvlei and Wemmershoek – are cumulatively down on a similar period last year. The good news is that […]

Shanghai on Monday recorded its hottest May day in 100 years, the city’s meteorological service announced, shattering the previous high by a full degree. ALSO READ: President Ramaphosa congratulates Turkey’s Erdogan on election win “At 13:09, the temperature at Xujiahui station hit 36.1 degrees Celsius, breaking a 100-year-old record for the highest temperature in May,” a post on the service’s official […]

The Free State has recorded an improved increase in dam water levels this past week, thanks to the slight rains. However, a rainy winter season is expected. ALSO READ: Stage 4 and 5 load shedding to be implemented this week Dam water levels have been increasing throughout several provinces in the country and the Free […]

Article originally published on GroundUp By Ashraf Hendricks Citizen scientists trained through a University of the Western Cape project are helping to train school children to monitor their environment. Data collected on river water quality is shared with an international programme. Plans are for the project to expand to other provinces. More than 200 schoolchildren in Limpopo have […]

A slight rainy period is expected in some parts of the Western Cape during the cold winter season ahead. This will at least keep balance or an increase in the dam water levels of the province. ALSO READ: Western Cape: Warning issued for DISRUPTIVE rain and FLOODS Unlike other provinces, the Western Cape might be blessed […]

More than 200 schoolchildren in Limpopo have been trained to capture precious data about water quality from boreholes and rivers near their schools in a project linked to the United Nations and run by the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Citizen scientists trained through a University of the Western Cape project are helping to […]

Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club star Tatum Botha will participate in the 2023 Ardagh Glass Packaging World Oceans Day Swim at the Durban Beach Club on 10 June, supporting a cause near and dear to her heart. The 19-year-old is one of the top surf lifesavers in the country and has made a strong mark at a national […]

For a long time, there has been grave concern among conservationists over declining standards in South Africa’s provincial nature reserves. Now a recent report by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) says many provincial reserves are in a shocking state, compromising the long-term survival of wildlife and ecosystems. If biodiversity is to be conserved, it will require […]

Excavation for a vast open-cast copper mine in the heart of the Lower Zambezi National Park has begun. The bulldozers’ move into Zambia’s pristine wildlife sanctuary and famous tourist attraction follows a decade-long fight by activists trying to stop the mining. The move follows an about-turn by Zambia’s government environmental agency and by President Hakainda […]

The Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Councillor Beverley van Reenen, on Tuesday, 16 May, spoke at a Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) event hosted by GreenCape and the City’s Sustainable Energy Markets Department. ALSO READ | City of Cape Town will donate to NSRI annually to assist with towing of marine life Councillor Van Reenen discussed the City’s plans to […]

As the Western Cape heads into winter, the official dam level stats in the province have started to thankfully rise in recent weeks. ALSO READ | Eastern Cape dam water levels update However, the six major dams in the province – the Berg River, Steenbras Lower, Steenberg Upper, Theewaterskloof, Voelvlei and Wemmershoek – are cumulatively down on a […]

New parents want to do what’s best for their baby and the planet when it comes to the all-important nappy change. Around the world, another 45 babies are born every ten seconds. Each of these babies will require nappies that need to be changed frequently. So it’s understandable that new parents want to do what’s […]

The Eastern Cape province is also expected to have less rain during the winter season, which means the dam water levels will decline over the period. ALSO READ: Western Cape dam water levels update Just like many other provinces, the costal province is expecting a dry winter season ahead. The effects of that are already […]

A slight rainy period is expected in some parts of the Western Cape during the cold winter season ahead. This will at least keep balance or an increase in the dam water levels of the province. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa reiterates resolve to end loadshedding Unlike other provinces, the Western Cape might be blessed with slight […]

Many corporations claim their products are “green-friendly.” But how do you know if what they’re selling is truly eco-safe? SciLine interviewed Thomas Lyon, professor of sustainable science, technology and commerce at the University of Michigan, on how to buy environmentally sustainable products, whether carbon credits actually work and the prevalence of greenwashing. WHAT IS GREENWASHING? […]

Flying is a highly controversial topic in climate debates. However, aviation accounts for around 2% of global carbon emissions. ALSO READ: Cape Town: Eco-wildlife Big 5 reserve to open near the city The aviation sector has a responsibility to reduce its impact on the environment by implementing measures that reduce carbon emissions. The International Air […]

Research shows that the world is undoubtedly warming. And, as the global average temperature keeps rising, heat waves are increasing in their frequency, duration and intensity for most of the world’s regions. But that doesn’t mean cold weather will disappear entirely. While annual extreme cold events are becoming less frequent and less intense, as you’d […]

Winter is an important season for South African agriculture, with some of its key field crops being produced during the cold months of June, July and August, and maturing after that, with harvesting in December. Preparation of the land for winter crops begins in April, which is also the same time harvesting of the summer […]

There is so much sewage spilling out of broken pipes and manholes due to pipe blockages in Sannieshof in the North West that part of the cemetery is flooded and some graves are inaccessible. Sewage floods homes, streets, and a cemetery in a North West Province municipality. Residents go without drinking water for days as […]

South African farmers are preparing to grow winter wheat, canola, and barley as the preparation of land for winter crops starts in April. All of South Africa’s wheat production takes place during the winter months. Image: The Conversation. Winter is an important season for South African agriculture, with some of its key field crops being […]

A penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible from South Africa on Friday, 5 May 2023, according to Angelo Ricardo G Hoorn of the Severe Weather and Information Centre SA. ALSO READ: A list of full moons this year – including a BLUE MOON WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE THE ECLIPSE? A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs […]

NEWS IN A MINUTE: Listen or watch the full versions of the ”Penumbral lunar eclipse visible in SA this FRIDAY” article in a minute. A penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible from South Africa on Friday, 5 May 2023, according to Angelo Ricardo G Hoorn of the Severe Weather and Information Centre SA. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs […]

Over 1 226 tonnes of litter and illegally dumped waste is removed to landfill from the Cape Town CBD every year by the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID). It’s equivalent to over 100 000 kg every month, which is the amount of dung produced by 40 African elephants. The stench is almost as bad. To […]

Africa’s valuable ocean resources have drawn the interest of foreign nations, particularly those in the West and Asia. How they exploit these resources can be problematic because these oceans offer a wide range of important resources – from fish to minerals and hydrocarbons – that are also crucial to the continent’s economy and food security. […]

The National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) welcomed the rains that fell in the Western Cape catchments over the weekend and earlier this week, and the Berg River Catchment area saw a notable increase in dam levels. INDIVIDUAL DAMS REMAIN STABLE, BUT BERG RIVER CATCHMENT AREA SHOWS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE The DWS spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, said […]