Spring has arrived, that time of the year I not only spring clean my house, but spring clean my lifestyle. While I try my best to lead a low waste, sustainable life, it’s impossible to have no impact on the planet. This year, I’ve identified…
Nicole Rycroft is one of a growing crew of people who work tirelessly at changing how we impact Earth. Most of her work has focused on protecting ancient and indigenous trees from becoming wood pulp. She does this through the not-for-profit she founded, Canopy, which…
You may have noticed the work of an organization called Fossil Free South Africa. It’s currently running a social media campaign, Spotlight, calling for SA’s biggest pension and investment funds to help savers divest from coal, gas and oil. To date, about 1500 people have…
Two years ago I made the switch from conventional tampons to a menstrual cup. I wanted to reduce the amount of waste for which I was responsible. I also wanted to limit my exposure to the synthetic, and often harmful, chemicals associated with conventional menstrual…
Wrapped in post-consumer plastic, Rati Lekalakala imagines being an animal in the same situation. This is not much of a stretch of her imagination: high concentrations of plastic materials have been found blocking the airways and stomachs of hundreds of species. Plastic is often ingested…
You may have seen the World Wildlife Fund’s promoted posts on Facebook and on Instagram. WWF South Africa has launched a technical apparel project in South Africa. I’m a huge fan of innovation in the garment sector and the fact that WWF is playing in…
Making very public commitments to give up single-use plastic shopping bags, influencers (including musicians, actors, public servants) reached thousands of people. For Plastic Free July 2018 one person per day pledged to "refuse to buy or accept single-use plastic shopping bags. I will take my…
With Plastic Free July underway, now is the time to take stock of my zero-waste journey. This month-long campaign raises awareness of our global plastic waste problem while encouraging people to avoid single-use plastic through the #choosetorefuse challenge. I have made good headway since I…
South African designer Porky Hefer’s new artworks depict a kingdom of giant soft toys. Called Endangered, the collection will make you weep. The day before the sculptures were shipped off to Switzerland to be exhibited, a group of journalists were invited to a private viewing.…
Welcome to Twyg, Sarah Robyn Farrell! Talking Rubbish is Sarah's new monthly column about living as lightly as she possibly can. She writes about the trials and tribulations of reducing, recycling and refusing, and of finding ways to lessen her carbon footprint. I woke up to…
When you walk along the Atlantic coast's sandy white beaches in Cape Town, it's easy to be distracted by the startling magnificence of the scenery. The ice blue waves crash down onto beaches and smash into black brown rocks. On sunny days men and women,…
Not far from where she does new moon beach cleanups in Muizenberg, Aaniyah Omardien spent her happiest times as a child. “On hot days, my mother would pack a picnic supper and we’d go to Dalebrook tidal pool in Kalk Bay to have long swims…
For anyone with a modicum of respect for life, it is upsetting to watch the PETA video about mohair farming in South Africa. The sound and visuals of goats in distress are powerful and emotive. The video makes a call for a ban on mohair. But…
https://vimeo.com/110161344 After watching the River Blue my attitude to water, and to my wardrobe has changed. Yours will too. The Vancouver-produced documentary is a sobering look at the fashion industry and how it has prioritised profit over planet. The film, released in 2017, takes you…
You’ll remember Bolt Threads from a striking yellow dress designed by Stella McCartney last year. She used a spider silk grown in Bolt Threads' laboratory. The fabric innovators this week introduced the world to its second new-generation material. Called Mylo, it is “the first commercially…