This post is long over due, and I have to admit that I have been a little slack on keeping this blog updated. With the end of January in sight, I have made a resolution to update this page more regularly- first and foremost because I believe whole heartedly in the cause, and secondly because I feel like there is value to be added (in-keeping with the healthy brand philosophy of course).
I was listening to the radio on my way to work the other morning, surrounded by fellow commuters and looking out over the City from the new Warwick Triangle flyover. On the radio, Durban was being applauded for the efficient use of waste as a means to produce energy.
Being a Durbanite, one is often accustomed to harsh accusations of ‘backwardness’ and ‘slowness’ – the news that we are, reportedly, the only city in Africa actively and effectively pursuing this energy-harnessing option strongly contests those notions.
We are a stage in the world ‘lifecycle’ where we can no longer ignore the realities of human life on the planet- we can no longer pretend that our presence and activity on earth has no environmental or ecological effect. In turn, the sooner we are able to capitalise on our human capability of innovation and invention, the sooner we will begin to alleviate the stresses and strains that we put on the planet.
I remember watching a TV show a few years ago; they were discussing the evolution of power sources and the realities of global warming and green house gases. One of the guests on the show shared a sentiment (and I paraphrase here) that the Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stone.
We should be progressing to new sources of energy and power. Oil and electricity are becoming passé and we should all be actively pursuing new ideas and approaches. I acknowledge that this is becoming increasingly the focus of various industries and individuals, however I feel that this can also become the role of the ‘everyday’ person- you or I- in our ‘everyday’ capacity. Imagine concocting new ways of going about everyday activities- such as going to the gym, or for a walk- that could begin to address energy concerns.
Durban’s approach to methane gases and the use of landfills in addressing energy source is a huge step forward, and I feel that it is well worth taking a look at. In turn, I think that opportunity for extension exists- especially in South Africa where we have had well-publicized issues with electricity supply and availability.
Landfills are problematic pockets of waste that ‘litter’ our countryside; they are regarded as extremely hazardous, not only to human health, but to environmental surrounds. The harnessing and utilization of the poisonous gases created by the interlaid decaying matter is a positive step in a movement toward managing the waste of our every growing population. Rather than allowing the gases to escape into surrounding soil, air and in certain cases, water systems, the process of waste to energy allows for the generation of new energy.
See what Durban Solid Waste is doing by watching the video below: Watts in The Rubbish Heap? Durban, South Africa.
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