Open Streets latest event in South Africa took place on the 25^th May 2013. The ethos behind Open Streets is to promote local community pride transforming streets into areas that people can walk, cycle or even dance freely through. Open Street events now take place all over the world in over 100 cities with the latest one in South Africa held on Lower Main Road, Cape Town.

Along Lower Main Road from Main Road in Observatory to Malta Road in Salt River a diverse group of people of all age groups took part in this predominantly pedestrian event. From 13h00 to 17h00 the road was closed off to motorised traffic allowing people to stroll about, play giant chess, skateboard, walk about on stilts, play street football, do yoga or to get artistically creative on the pavements and tarmac. (more…)

www.janegoodhall.co.za

The Jane Goodall Institute has just launched a Volunteer Programme in April 2013 at their chimpanzee sanctuary close to Nelspruit, South Africa. The sanctuary rescues chimpanzees from circuses, zoos, the bush meat trade and also takes in orphaned chimps from all over the world. The dedicated team at Chimp Eden provide a safe and loving environment where chimps are given the best treatment possible.

Early beginnings

Jane Goodhall is an extraordinary woman having dedicated nearly her whole life to learning more about chimpanzees and working tirelessly to spread her message. Her fascinating life really took off when she was 22. Having saved very hard as a waitress she bought a round-trip ticket to Africa leaving England in 1957. She went to stay with her friend’s family who lived on a farm in Kenya and within a few weeks had met and become friends with the famous archaeologist and palaeontologist Louis Leakey. He hired Jane to work for him as an assistant and asked her to set about studying a group of chimps that lived on the lake shore in Tanzania. At the time not much was known about chimpanzees and Luis Leakey was keen to understand if they could help him with his work on evolution. (more…)

Earth Hour 2013 will take place on Saturday 23^rd March between 20h30 and 21h30 throughout the world.

www.earthhour.org

The first Earth Hour took place in Sydney, Australia on the 31^st March 2007 and was started by the WWF Australia. The original idea was to raise awareness of climate change and to promote discussion and was initially called the ‘Big Flick Off’. It is important to understand that the event isn’t designed to be an exercise in energy or carbon reduction but a symbolic event.

In 2008 the event marked its anniversary by going international with 35 other countries joining in covering over 400 cities. The growing awareness created by Earth Hour also helped to align other initiatives which had already begin in cities like San Francisco which had been running its own ‘Lights Out’ event in October each year. San Francisco dropped this October event in support of Earth Hour. (more…)

Photo courtesy moholoholo.co.za

A trip to a game reserve in South Africa is on many people’s bucket list and our country is blessed with some beautiful national parks as well as stunning private game reserves. For many visitors the thrill is all about getting the perfect photo and seeing the animals in their natural habitat.

The on-going survival of these animals is of huge importance and the role that the parks and reserves play should never be underestimated. For a number of years now Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, which is not far from Hoedspruit in Limpopo, has been actively engaged in rescuing and rehabilitating injured, poisoned or abandoned animals. They have combined a unique educational experience with a luxurious holiday at their Moholoholo Mountain View Camp or Ya Mati venue.

Their aim is to, where possible, rehabilitate the animals back into the wild but in some severe cases they are impelled to offer a permanent home at the Rehabilitation Centre. These animals are often used as part of their education programme and in some cases to provide ‘up close and personal’ experiences under close supervision. (more…)

Photo Courtesy of ClusterBalloon.com

One of my favourite animated movies is ‘Up’ the story of a renowned explorer called Charles Muntz who vows one day to return to Paradise Falls in Venezuela. After his wife dies and with the threat of having to move into a retirement home Muntz decides to convert his house into an airship and fly to Paradise Falls. To do this he attaches thousands of helium balloons to his house and flies off on his dream. It’s an amazing story but one person seems to have taken this idea to another level.

Matt Silver-Valance used to be a volunteer paramedic for the Western Cape Ambulance Service and he has decided to strap himself to hundreds of helium-filled balloons and then float across the water from Robben Island all the way to the mainland of Cape Town. The stunt has been named ‘The Robben Island Balloon Run’.

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