During the month of June, Trudon (Publishers of the Yellow Pages) distributed 1 500 trees to the fortunate residents of Braamfisherville, Gauteng, as part of an ongoing effort to green townships.

On the 28th and 29th of May, McCarthy rally drivers and FirstRand’s very enthusiastic team of volunteers arrived in the North West province in a convoy of 25 vehicles and 100 employees, after a long 3 hour drive through to Wolmaranstad. They were on a mission to deliver teacher reading material to 12 under resourced schools in the region.

In celebration of World Environment 5 June 2011, Food & Trees for Africa have distributed another 3 662 Trees for Homes in Mdantsane Eastern Cape thanks to the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). In keeping with this year’s theme, “Forests, nature at your service”, these trees are part of the 45 000 the NLDTF has provided for under-served and disadvantaged communities across the country. This contribution reflects their ongoing commitment to social upliftment and poverty alleviation in South Africa.

With the support of ConVista Consulting, learners at the Khayelitsha Special School have had the opportunity to learn permaculture food gardening skills for the last year and a half.  They are now proud to announce the launch of their garden which signifies the culmination of these teachings.

Cadosi Corporate Consulting is professional outsourced procurement and print optimization company that has performed analysis on a variety of major corporations and identified key areas of savings for anyone using printers, copy machines or telecoms devices. Many companies are now saving hundreds of thousands of rands monthly.

With the link between deforestation and food security increasingly apparent, EduPlant is delighted that the theme of this year’s World Environment Day on 5th June is “Forests – Nature at your Service.”

The road to Makapanstad is long and dusty and peppered with small communities eking out a living in the flat expanse of bushveld. Prieska, One Ten... the names flash past along with the cattle and donkeys.

Alwin Kgopa is a force of nature. With her infectious laugh, “can do” attitude and determination to empower and uplift the communities surrounding her home in Mankweng, Limpopo, she is also a force to be reckoned with.

With that as a rallying call, MTN’s 21 Days of Y’ello Care initiative kicks off across the mobile operator’s vast footprint in Africa and the Middle East today. This has seen thousands of MTN staff volunteers taking part in various tree-planting initiatives for 21 days.

For pictures click here

Africa 2.0 is an advocacy group of young Africans from across the continent who have a collective vision for Africa and are committed to finding sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing economic and social issues facing Africans today.

Some members of FTFA staff for whom Zulu is not a first language are taking the plunge and learning Zulu through Rosebank Language Centre's introduction to Zulu Class. This is a great step towards inter cultural integration- ngiyabonga utisha.

Coca Cola Shanduka Beverages (CCSB) continues with its “Live for a Difference” initiative.  The Campaign “Live for a difference” is CCSB’s commitment to make a positive difference in the communities it serves by redesigning the way the company works and lives so that sustainability is part of everything it does. 

The International Year of Forests, 2011, saw Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) enter the final year of a three year agreement with the Raith Foundation. This project started in 2009 with the aim to distribute 14 136 Trees for Homes to community members in Burgersfort in Limpopo, Vosloorus in Gauteng and Kanana in the North West. With all but 2 556 trees already in the ground, the face of these communities has already been radically changed thanks to this wonderful programme.

We all know charities are going digital. But not all digital campaigns are created equal. Enter the seasoned team from Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) with something really fresh – a mobisite that not only asks for donations, but in true “pay-it-forward” fashion, gives a lot to its donor community.

Audi South Africa’s Tree Planting Initiative in conjunction with Food & Trees for Africa, continues to gather momentum with a further 9 005 plantings planned for 2011.

A recent public outcry in Sandton prompted the importer to support an initiative to replace uprooted trees on Sandton Drive.

The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF)is supporting 45 000 Trees for Homes for 45 000 residents of low cost settlements across South Africa in 2011, The International Year of Forests. This contribution to Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA)has also given 900 residents of the beneficiary communities an opportunity to receive training and some payment as community educators who are becoming climate change and greening leaders.

Coca Cola Shanduka Beverages (CCSB) continues with its “Live for a Difference” initiative.  The Campaign “Live for a difference” is CCSB’s commitment to make a positive difference in the communities it serves by redesigning the way the company works and lives so that sustainability is part of everything it does. 

As South Africa gears up to host the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) in Durban at the end of November 2011, kulula.com and national greening enterprise Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) are working harder than ever to green areas in and around Durban.

Soweto residents from Braamfischerville Extension 13 received 444 trees, thanks to a joint initiative between vehicle and asset finance specialist WesBank, and Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA).

Braamfisherville was built in 2005 when Alexandra residents were moved there after the blasting of the Juskei River caused flooding and damaged many homes. The township has grown and now encompasses almost 2 500 low cost houses, for a mostly unemployed community.

Make The Heaven, an organisation spreading peace, hope and planting trees have for the last two years, brought eco volunteers to South Africa. These gentle people have sponsored and planted thousands of trees, and implemented food gardens in the poorest areas.

In March this year, organisations, individuals, schools and youth group climate change leaders and heroes were generously applauded and rewarded at the second annual Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA). The CCLA, a carbon neutral event itself, is supported by the South African Post Office, Post Bank and Pick n Pay.

For pictures please click here

“Please sms ’CCLA‘ to 34747”, the affable Simon Gear, Talk Radio 702 presenter and MC at the recent Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA) evening, boomed over the microphone.

The audience at the Sandton Sun, the who’s-who of corporate South Africa’s green cognoscenti, fiddled with their cell phones. Clearly for more than one executive this was a first on their latest Blackberry or iPhone. Soon over half of the audience had negotiated their way through a CCLA branded survey on a mobi site and could focus again on a choice panel of guest speakers, meet CCLA sponsors, including the SA Post Office, Pick n Pay and Primedia, and cheer on an impressive array of the Climate Leaders and Heroes of South Africa.

Let’s forget about carbon for one day and focus on a simple fact: trees are life. Over a billion people living in extreme poverty rely on forests to survive. They need trees to provide food, shelter, fuel, and to preserve the very fabric of their culture. And we all need the oxygen they provide, the food, fuel, shelter, building materials, shade, and beauty. So lets get planting this Earth Day!

The theme for Earth Day 2011, 22 April, was `A Billion Acts of Green`, recognising the power of millions of individual actions to green our environment, so we, and future generations, can live sustainably. Already over 45 million actions by individuals, corporations and governments have been recorded, making A Billion Acts of Green the largest environmental service campaign in the world.

Through the generous support of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF), Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA)  is planting 5 000 indigenous trees in Kuyasa RDP settlement and the surrounding areas over the next few weeks.

In collaboration with FTFA, five Telkom employees have planted 50 trees at schools around South Africa. This green initiative was the result of an Arbor Day 2010 competition run by Group Communication and Brand on Channel T.

There are no seedling companies producing purely organic seedlings. The seedling mix they use is impregnated with inorganic fertilizers. To counteract this we at FTFA have started raising our own using saw dust.

SLOGGI is all about ‘the feel good factor.’ Their brand tagline is ‘Hello Day’ - seizing each day and living each day to it’s fullest. The underwear brand is very happy-go-lucky, fun, and energetic. They’ve chosen to donate money because they want to do their part to help keep our world wonderful, since it’s the only one we’ve got.

The first of the Eastern Cape National Lottery distributions took place in Duncan Village in March with 2000 trees being distributed through the Trees for Homes Programme. The majority of the trees were fruit trees with the rest being hardy indigenous trees. It was wonderful to see community members from all age groups coming to collect (or help carry) trees for their homes.

Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization with supporters in 150 countries around the world who are linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to their community and the environment. A non-profit member-supported association, Slow Food was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

For Beagle Watch Armed Response, client safety is their business. This means responding quickly and effectively to both seen and unseen threats. Now, they are extending this commitment to a much broader sphere by taking action against climate change, a threat to us all. Carbon footprints and offsets are buzzwords today, but they require effort to turn the 'talk' into the 'walk'.

Sponsors of the `Moola for Amanzi` competition, The Netherlands Embassy, received multiple innovative proposals in the ‘Grande finale’ of the ‘Battle of the concepts’ competition. This is a business concept competition that has kick-started Small and Medium sized enterprises in the water and sanitation sector in South Africa, and Moola for Amanzi aimed to uncover business plans that bring effective and efficient solutions to water & sanitation issues in South Africa.

According to Kevin James, of the Carbon Protocol of South Africa, who convened the adjudication, “This year, the judging panel were blown away by the depth and innovation of the initiatives undertaken in South Africa to fight climate change.  This is certainly reassuring and an indication that, with a little foresight, climate change can be countered. South African businesses, individuals and NGOs are leading the way towards a more sustainable future.”

From bamboo bikes to biomass briquettes: UNEP unveils SEED Award Winners

Nairobi, 3 November 2010 – A novel solar device that turns waste heat into electricity in
rural China, a Ugandan business that manufactures stationary from agricultural waste, a
bamboo bicycle project in Ghana and a female-run business in South Africa making a
hand-held laundry device that saves water are among the 30 winners of the 2010 SEED
Awards, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

Phuthaditjhaba is the former capital of Qwa Qwa. The city has received thousands of RDP houses over the past decade, and many new areas have developed on the outskirts. These areas, including Phuthaditjhaba, Bluegumbosch, Clubview, Riverside and De Build, have been chosen as the recipients of 5 000 fruit and indigenous trees from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund through Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA). The area is dry, dusty and eroded and will benefit in many ways from this greening and more environmental awareness that FTFA will deliver.

Yesterday 800 fruit and indigenous trees were planted by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) in France, a settlement on the eastern outskirts of the deforested and semi rural landscape of Pietermaritzburg. These are the first of 5 000 trees and further tree distribution events are scheduled to take place in April and June. 

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

This year sees Audi SA enter the second of its three year greening project and they are doing it in true ‘Vorsprung’ style – planting 9 005 trees in the Western and Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal.These fruit and indigenous trees will result in around 225 hectares of urban forest, and will also be registered with the United Nations Billion Tree initiative.

The City of Johannesburg Mayor, Amos Masondo, visited the community of Alexandra on 22 March 2011, World Water Day. The mayoral visit is conducted annually to value services and projects that have been implemented on the financial year. This year Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), together with National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF), distributed 300 trees to  residents of newly developed houses at Alexandra Extension 10 to celebrate this day.

For pictures please click here

Bidvest company, Konica Minolta South Africa, formed a partnership with South Africa’s national greening and food gardening social enterprise, Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), in 2008. 4 100 trees were planted in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, to offset carbon emissions.

Food & Trees for Africa will distribute 168 indigenous trees to residents of Delft to celebrate Water Week 2011.  International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocate sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year the theme is - Water for Cities – Responding to the Urban Water Challenge and the message will be delivered to residents of dusty Delft in the Western Cape.

The previous Premier of Mpumalanga announced the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga & Tourism Flagship Programme in February 2007 and this led to Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) and the Mpumalanga provincial government planting 180 000 trees until October 2009. Mpumalanga was thus the first province in South Africa to recognise the many benefits of greening and set aside a budget to address this.

Every year the Department of Water Affairs celebrates National Water Week in South Africa during the month of March, which also features World Water Day on the 22 March. The primary aim of the local campaign is to raise awareness about the role of water in social and economic development to motivate a change of attitude towards water use.

For more pictures on this event click here

Judging by the number of entries received for the 2011 Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA), it seems that South Africans are already taking heed of the world wide movement towards a lower carbon future to combat the effects of climate change.

EcoPack supplies a new generation of highly versatile food packaging products that are 100% compostable, biodegradable, and derived from annually renewable sources. As their products are manufactured in China and Taiwan, they also incur carbon emissions through the shipping. So EcoPack are planting trees through FTFA to contribute towards offsetting their Carbon Footprint, and thereby making their sustainable products even more ‘green’.

For the events industry, less is in fact more.  In other words, events that feature models decked in sushi, elaborate stage lighting and decadent decor are so last season!

According to Jeunesse Park, founder of Food & Trees for Africa, on behalf of the Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA), “Events generate an enormous amount of carbon emissions and many organisations have recognised that hosting an event can have significant and serious environmental implications. Carbon is embedded in the flights and the other travel arrangements necessary for people to get to and from an event, in the electricity used during an event, in the food served as well as in other associated activities. These emissions can be reduced through the implementation of ‘green’ and resource-efficient events.”

The time to act is now - if not for you, then for future generations.  Time is running out and your planet needs you!

This strong call for action from Jeunesse Park, founder of Food & Trees for Africa, on behalf of the Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA), is not a threat, nor a scare-tactic – it’s a fact.  South Africa is the 12th largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world and one of the largest per capita on the planet. As the country gears up to host the United Nations COP17, the important climate change conferences that seek to reach fair and legally binding climate change commitments from countries around the globe, bold leadership is is needed.

“Although South Africa has outlined ambitious targets to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, time is indeed running out to secure our children’s future.Climate Change is one of the greatest threats to the survival of the human species on this planet, and both urgent and meaningful action is required to combat it.” So says Kevin James of the Carbon Protocol of South Africa, on behalf of the Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA).

KnowledgeTree, a leading provider of online document management solutions, has continued its support of Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) by providing another year of free software to the organisation.

Beginning in 2010 with its initiative to donate trees and the involvement of the KnowledgeTree team in planting them, the company has made FTFA an important element of its commitment to social responsibility.

For the FTFA family, the start of 2011 was an exciting time as our field officers from around the country gathered to attend the annual workshops for the FTFA team and trainers from the 17-21 January 2011.

The search for South African Climate Heroes is on!

New small business member, InfoSlips is also purchasing trees/certificates as gifts and is now promoting FTFA through their website www.infoslips.com to customers and their recipients.

 InfoSlips replaces your flat paper documents with interactive electronic versions. InfoSlips saves you money while giving your customers a great experience, all while helping to cut down on the paper your business uses.

FTFA is proud to be associated with InfoSlips and looks forward to a partnership that will benefit the planet and people in under resourced communities.

One would think that a nursery – by virtue of the fact that its business is trees – is ‘green’ by default. But take into account factors such as the electricity, fuel, fertilizer, containers, plastic bags, paper and transport that are required to produce trees and, like any other product, a container-grown tree can tread heavily on the Earth in terms of the carbon footprint it leaves behind.

For more pictures click here

One of the major sponsors of this years’ FTFA Annual Review is AfriSam. AfriSam has been running its own carbon footprint reduction drive since 1990 and their experts have researched and developed Eco Building Cement, which drastically reduces the average carbon footprint for cement. AfriSam is also responsible for programmes such as the AfriSam-South African Institute of Architects’ Awards for Sustainable Architecture. Find out more at www.afrisam.com

Most travellers are aware of the carbon emissions they're responsible for as they zig-zag across the planet on jet fueled airliners. And if they're not, they will be after they've seen these billboards and plasma screen displays designed by Lowe Bull for Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) and installed by Continental Outdoor.

The messages use familiar marketing terms and lingo from the airline industry to point out that passengers can offset their carbon footprint (and guilt) a few easy clicks away. The friendly tone used to sell special fares, loyalty programmes and safety instructions was given a light hearted twist that is an engaging way to deliver an important message.

By simply visiting the FTFA website travelers can find out how many trees it takes to neutralize the effects of the equivalent air mileage they clocked during a flight. Once the carbon offset has been calculated they can choose to buy trees to the same value or whatever they are able to donate. We hope this initiative takes off.

Creative Director, Lowe Bull

“Although South Africa has outlined ambitious targets to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, time is indeed running out to secure our children’s future. Climate Change is one of the greatest threats to the survival of the human species on this planet, and both urgent and meaningful action is required to combat it,” so says Kevin James of the Carbon Protocol of South Africa, on behalf of the Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA).

On the 23rd of September 2010, Pioneer Foods Ltd and Food & Trees for Africa, South Africa’s national greening, carbon offset and food gardening social enterprise,celebrated Arbor Month with volunteers at  Mafolofolo High School, in Sibayeng, Sovenga, Limpopo.

Stand the chance of winning one of 4 GreenPan Boston 24cm frying pans valued at R369.99, when you purchase a tree for a loved one or for a needy community.

In 2009, funds were made available by the Hyde Park Shopping Centre for the implementation of a Permaculture food garden project at Rietvallei Secondary School near Kagiso in Gauteng. As this deserving project had made a success of the initial funding, it was presented as a potential project to Pangea to send a group of their volunteers to help to develop the gardens.

The volunteers came from various communities bringing with them their interest, willingness to learn and eager participation as they helped set up the Permaculture food garden for the coming spring season.

The volunteers’ day was a great success. The volunteers gained an opportunity to learn Permaculture aspects, concepts, ethics and principles and we trust this knowledge will be shared with others, benefitting the residents of Rietvallei and neighbouring communities. The learners and educators were motivated and empowered to take charge of greening their school environment.

FTFA continues to receive media attention. This is vital in helping us to spread awareness and information about the environment, climate change, greening, sustainable development and all the good work we do with help from our wonderful supporters. FTFA knows that change begins with one and thanks the media for helping us to reach out towards getting to that critical mass of consciousness that will bring about the change we need for ourselves and the planet. Check out the great recent interview in Business Day Health News from Marika Sboros on FTFA founder Jeunesse Park, the extensive coverage on FTFAs bright young Joanne Lee Rolt, a Mail and Guardian young SA entrepreneur and finalist in the Johnny Walker Strides competition, all the good work Audi SA is doing with FTFA, the Absa, Engen, Woolworths Trust funded EduPlant updates and much more on FTFAs media pages http://bit.ly/9P5bBY

June 08, 2010                                                                                                    Press Release

Lemnis Lighting, through its South African subsidiary Lemnis Lighting Africa, has been selected by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) in liaison with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Department of Energy, Department of Tourism, Central Energy Fund, Eskom and the Local Organizing Committee, to be a key contributor in helping to offset the carbon emissions generated as a result of the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

BENEFITS Personalised fax to email number. Full web administration tool that allows for the control of all incoming and outgoing faxes. No maintenance. No hardware or software required. 24 hour support. Faxes are received in your email inbox. Number non geographic, faxes can be received anywhere in the world. Reduce operating cost for line rentals, expensive fax consumables and paper. Faxes are stored for 5 years at no additional cost. ENVIRONMENT Eliminating hazardous fax machine consumables. Reduce the volume of paper used. Reduce your electricity consumption.

FTFA has partnered with Green Planet who have a climate smart and energy lean FAX TO EMAIL solution. How can you make a difference? All that you need to do is make use of one of FTFA’s 086 FAX TO EMAIL numbers. This is another simple way for a company to go greener by turning to digital technology FAX TO EMAIL. FAX TO EMAIL is one of the most advanced digital faxing solutions available on the market today, designed for corporates, government, SMME’s and private individuals. FTFA, through Green Planet, can now provide you with a premiere desktop fax solution, enabling you to combine the best features of fax technology with the convenience of email into one powerful easy to use tool. Thus you are able to improve communications, control the flow of information into and out of your environment and increase productivity while lowering costs, and your carbon footprint. FTFA would like to be your innovative, proudly South African, green pioneer partner of choice as you go FAX TO EMAIL. The solution is not an unfamiliar one and the technology is the same you are familiar with. The only difference is that currently the existing provider retains the revenue whereas each time that you receive a fax on one of our FTFA 086 FAX TO EMAIL numbers this revenue will be made available to FTFA, thus helping us to achieve our objectives of a greener, more sustainable and healthier planet and society.

Solomon Mondlane volunteered to work at FTFA and the team soon saw what a remarkable man he is with many talents and great passion, so Solomon is now part of the FTFA team running the volunteer programme and assisting with the trees programmes.

We are thrilled to announce the winners of FTFA’s inaugural competition run on the website and through previous newsletters.

Congratulations to Mr Derek Wong of Global Hair Extensions cc, of Ferndale, who won a Solar Monkey, bought certificates several times over the last three months to give to his clients, with the trees going to communities that apply to FTFA for help.
 
The winner of a Solar Gorilla is Ms Ingrid Koor of Senderwood in Gauteng who purchased trees 15 trees for a disadvantaged community.

Many thanks to Rene Winter of Wintec Solutions for providing these wonderful prizes. For more information on the Solar Monkey, Solar Gorilla and other great eco products, see www.wintecsolutions.co.za.

The Earth Centre at Backsberg Wine Estate in Paarl is up and running with the appointment of Claire Warren as the Manager. This green building is an information hub, workshop, meeting and event venue that hopes to provide a space for sustainable development and climate change action, inspiration, education and solutions. The cob, solar-powered building on Backsberg Estate, 30 km from Cape Town, will also form the base from which FTFA will operate in the Western Cape. Both FTFA and Backsberg have a strong environmental commitment and the Earth Centre is the product of their shared vision for visible change.

40 years ago an American Senator started Earth Day to inspire awareness and appreciation of the Earth and bring environmental issues to the attention of congress and the public. Today observations and celebrations include all social sectors, nationalities and cultural groups around the world and Earth Day is a successful catalyst for ongoing environmental education, action and change. Earth Day activities offer important points of entry to address worldwide environmental concerns as well as the opportunities for individuals and communities to focus on their local environmental problems. Local activities include clean-ups, restoration projects, tree planting initiatives, water harvesting methods, parades, fairs, conferences, and concerts.

Our sincere, heartfelt gratitude goes to Lyn Jones from Continental Outdoor, formerly INM Outdoor, for displaying FTFA's  thought provoking billboards which are produced by Pie Street Advertising. For the past three years, this media has attracted much attention to FTFA's work with short punchy captions and beautiful imagery. We are grateful to these sponsors, who feel as passionately about climate change and food security as we do.  When you are next at an airport, look around,a hungry child may be watching you..

Johannesburg (11 March) -The first winners of the inaugural Climate Change Leadership Awards were announced at a function at the Sandton Sun on Thursday, 11 March 2010.

The Climate Change Leadership Awards 2010 recognise, reward and celebrate South African businesses, community-based organisations or individuals who are leaders in climate change issues, and who are taking the lead through positive voluntary action by implementing a range of activities related to combating global warming. These important awards will also do much to promote awareness and action towards a low carbon economy and thus a more sustainable planet.

Well done to Joanne Rolt, FTFAs Trees for Homes and EduPlant Manager who received a bursary in celebration of this course. The first Global Carbon Exchange(GCX) Certified Carbon Footprint Analyst course, offered by distance learning institution INTEC in partnership with the GCX,  to teach the green audit skills required to comply with mandatory greenhouse gas emission reporting, was officially launched in Cape Town.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM HERE.

Food & Trees for Africa is now one of the beneficiaries receiving funds from the Woolworths My School My Planet cards and urges all friends and supporters of FTFA who shop at Woolworths to apply for a card.

Join the nursery industry at their autumn trade fair on 10 March 2010 and see displays of seeds, seedlings, pots, herbs, water features and much more…Go to http://www.sana.co.za/ for more information

FTFA is excited to announce its first in house competition thanks to Wintech Solutions who brought  us PowerTraveller with some amazing solar products that are “Worldwide Power Solutions for Technology that Travels™”.

Our `Staff Member of the Month` award goes to Joanne Rolt who tirelessly, passionately and enthusiastically manages the EduPlant and Trees for Homes programmes with skill and precision. 

Speaking of the Earth, Earth Hour on the 27th of March is fast approaching, and we encourage all of you to switch off those lights at 20h30 and spend an evening around candles.

 

Well done to all nominated for these prestigious awards

Well, 2010 has gotten underway, and we hope you are all as excited as we are for this new beginning. FTFA moved into new premises in early January and we are settling in nicely. …

World Wetlands Day 2010 focused on wetlands, biodiversity and climate change and the 2010 World Wetlands Day slogan is Caring for wetlands – an answer to climate change. 

Congratulations to the Ilanga Permaculture Project! The project won second place in the 2009 Initiative Africa Awards.

A festival, a party, a life changing, eye opening experience………….from Joanne Lee Rolt

Words cannot portray the enormity of the affect that the past week has had on my life. I will be eternally grateful to Jeunesse Park, Paul Coleman – The Earthwalker, his beautiful wife Konomi Kikuchi, Tentsukuman and to all who made this wonderful experience part of my journey.

This event took place at the beginning of November and was well attended by many of FTFAs supporters. It was also a function to present FTFA’s annual review, designed by Pie St Advertising with sponsorship from Willard Batteries and Antalis South Africa. Simon Gear was the guest speaker, as always entertaining and presenting a strong environmental and climate change message. Founder Jeunesse Park shared the achievements of the social enterprise.

Sowing its seeds, Rocking the Gardens was the first offshoot of Rocking the Daisies and was attended by approximately 5000 people. Hosted at Emmarentia Dam and forming part of the Old Mutual Encounters Series, Rocking the Gardens was co-hosted by Complete Events, and Oppikoppi Productions.

Johannesburg
 
Climate change is now a crucial international issue and warnings about global warming have been extremely clear for a long time.
 
The Climate Change Leadership Awards 2010 will recognise, reward and celebrate South African businesses, community-based organisations or individuals who are taking the lead through positive voluntary action by implementing a range of activities related to combating global warming.
 
“These important awards will also do much to promote awareness and action towards a low carbon economy and thus a more sustainable planet,” said Jeunesse Park, Founder of Food & Trees for Africa.

The four winners of the 2009 NGO Web Awards were announced in Cape Town in October 2009. The three winners in the category best use of social web were Food and Trees for Africa, South African History Online and Media and Training Centre for Health.

Speaking at the event, Jan Moolman, Manager of SANGONeT’s Civil Society Information Programme said: “The quality of the entries we received this year show that many NGOs are beginning to explore the potential uses of social media in the work. The number of organisations with Facebook pages and Twitter feeds has grown significantly since last year.” Moolman also pointed to the increasing trend evident in the over 60 entries using social media to complement their primary web presence. SANGONeT Executive Director, David Barnard handed the certificates over to the winners, all of whom were present at the event to receive their awards. Three of the winners received prizes to the value of R10 000.

FTFA is extremely proud of their site and social media and thanks brilliant webmaster Douw Jordaan of Goodwebmarketing for his tremendous efforts. All who know Douw are impressed with his great skills and talent and www.trees.co.za is attracting over 40 000 unique visitors a month.

The 24th October 2009 saw the unveiling of a new space for environmental change in the Western Cape. The Earth Centre, a collaboration between Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) and Backsberg Estate Cellars, opened as an information hub, workshop venue and learning centre. It will provide a space for sustainable development and climate change action, inspiration, education and solutions.

As a friend of Hopenhagen, you know that in order to make the UN Climate Change Conference a success, we’re going to have to draw upon the power of the people. Here are some ways you can help make this happen. Help us lead the leaders by visiting hopenhagen.org today. Sign the Climate Petition. Become a citizen. But most important, use your position in the sustainability movement to get the story of Hopenhagen out there. Tell your friends and family, blog about it, talk about it in interviews and speeches. Use every platform you have to encourage the world to get involved and sign the petition, too. Because the more of us who do, the more our leaders will recognize the world is serious about change. Let’s turn Copenhagen into Hopenhagen. 

SIGN THE PETITION

RALEIGH, NC — October 13, 2009 — KnowledgeTree®, an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) provider focusing on affordable document management software that is easily installed and used by business professionals, today announced the launch of a green IT promotion benefiting Food & Trees for Africa to promote environmental sustainability. As part of this initiative, for every new sale over $4,500, KnowledgeTree will plant a tree in Africa on the customer’s behalf.

The 1st of September was ‘Spring Day’ and the start of South Africa’s National Arbor Month. Arbor Month aims to create awareness of the need to plant and maintain indigenous trees. AMERICAN shutters, specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of shutters and blinds, have made an initial investment in 100 trees to be planted within disadvantaged communities in Cape Town.

FTFA is a proud contributor to the United Nations Environment Programme Billion Tree Campaign that has now reached 7 billion trees—one for every person on the planet!!

We are proud to announce that Jeunesse Park, Founder of FTFA, has been invited to join the Global Advisory Board of OgilvyEarth, a network of global Ogilvy companies dedicated to helping global brands become leaders in sustainability. She is currently in New York, meeting the OgilvyEarth Board, comprised of members from around the world, including one of Barak Obama`s Environmental Advisors, Mr Bill Bekker.

Special commendation for innovation -- Energy efficiency and carbon management: Food & Trees for Africa

Climate change is arguably the most important issue of our time and the biggest environmental challenge that we face

Backsberg Estate Cellars, South Africa's first carbon neutral winery, has once again been recognised for its leading role in adapting to cellar and farming practices that are environmentally friendly by winning the 'Mail and Guardian' Greening the Future award in the Agricultural category.
 
These annual awards honour the achievements of companies and organisations throughout South Africa that work to ensure a better environmental future for our children and the planet. In 2008 Backsberg won the Greening the Future award in the category of Energy Efficiency and Carbon Management.

Climate change adaptation and response is attracting increasing government and corporate participation in their attempt to react meaningfully to this human challenge.  Standards are being set up internationally and nationwide and most are entering this space with integrity. But, with so many now playing on this global stage a need for clarity and best practice standards is crucial.
Now a group of interested and concerned people and organisations in South Africa have realised this and have launched the Carbon Protocol of South Africa to provide security in the quality and standards of climate change response.

Studio Bela in the new Morningside Shopping Centre presented the extraordinary work of Kevin Factor in September 2009 and donated funds raised from auctioning off a framed limited edition print to FTFA. FTFA Board member Mr Dali Tambo was the guest speaker at the launch.

Ulusaba, Sir Richard Branson’s private game reserve in South Africa, joined FTFA to celebrate ‘Arbor Month’ for the entire month of September 2009

Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) is facilitating many events for communities, sponsors and government during Arbor Month, September 2009. The following is a list of these events to date. This list is being updated as new events and trees are received, until the month is complete. Should you wish to attend any of these events, contribute trees to some of the many more communities approaching FTFA for help or want more information please contact us.

Tonedef Media has implemented a completely green policy, offsetting all carbon emissions emitted through the business for 2009. In association with Food and Trees for Africa, all carbon emissions generated by the company have been off set.  

This great green festival that annually offsets its carbon emissions with Food & Trees for Africa will take place from  9 to 11 October 2009 at CLOOF WINE ESTATE, Darling (1 hour from Cape Town) and starting at 10am on Friday 9 October.

Lowe Bull SA was one of only seven international agencies to win a Cannes Dove at this year’s Cannes Lions 56th International Advertising Festival.
“Printer”, the agency’s campaign for non-profit greening organisation, Trees for Africa, took top honours in the “Favourite Film” category.

 "At the Make the Heaven project, led by Tentskuman, I visited 5 organic rice paddies that Koichi (who with his wife Maru have given up their house for us to stay in) is growing from heirloom rice, saw the shitake mushroom spores embedded in the logs which they will wait two years to harvest and their neat small vegetable gardens" said Park.

I have always believed intrinsically in the idea of partnerships – if for no other reason than two brains and two commitments are better than one. Some of the best partnerships that I have ever been involved with however, have been sans contracts. Consequently, I am feeling very excited and without any trepidation at going into a paperless “partnership” with Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) – an NGO headed by a most wonderful lady, Jeunnesse Park. Jeunnesse and I have known each other for  many years and connect on a number of levels. Besides our value systems, one of these levels is care for the environment.

Food & Trees for Africa is proud to announce the first climate change advertisement. This extreme future weather report was created by Pie Street Advertising. Many thanks to Simon Gear, our weatherman, Picture Tree for contributions to production, Powertech Batteries (motorists can contribute to the fight against global warming by returning their scrap vehicle batteries to their nearest Willard Battery dealer)" for sponsoring some of the hard costs and Oracle Airtime Sales for showing this on DSTV. Thanks also to SABC for airing this ad. Now Talk Radio 702 is running the radio spot as well! Click on the Video Feed on the right hand side.