Safari Notes

Touted as a promising alternative energy source for decades, solar panels crown rooftops and roadside signs, and help keep spacecraft powered. But how do solar panels work? Simply put, a solar panel works by allowing photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity. Solar panels actually comprise many, smaller units called photovoltaic cells. (Photovoltaic simply means they convert sunlight into electricity.) Many cells linked together make up a solar panel. Each photovoltaic cell is basically a sandwich made up of two slices of semi-conducting material, usually silicon — the same stuff used in microelectronics. To work, photovoltaic cells need to establish an electric field. Much like a magnetic field, which occurs due to opposite poles, an electric field occurs when opposite charges are separated. To get this field, manufacturers "dope" silicon with other materials, giving each slice of the sandwich a...

The evidence is in: Renewable energy is viable, reliable, and ready to go – all that’s missing is the political will to kick start an energy revolution in South Africa and the rest of Africa. Here are some of the most common myths about renewable energy - just that – myths that don’t stand up to reality. Not only for South Africa, but for the rest of the African countries - the facts are overwhelmingly in favor of using renewable, sustainable, clean energy: Right now, renewable energy is actually already cheaper than coal and nuclear power at every step.  Renewables technology is ready to go, and is working reliably in countries around the world.  The key to getting a constant supply of electricity from renewable energy is to have a mix of sources: solar and wind power, natural gas, and anaerobic digestion plants. By having a mix of sources which are spread over a wide area, we ensure there will always be a supply of energy.  The reality is that South Africa’s a...

Ecotact Ever heard of Ecotact ? Few companies or projects have captured my imagination as this Kenyan company. A company that is so ingenuous and creative that it has won world wide recognition and several international awards. Incredibly, very few Kenyans know or have ever heard of it. As they state on their site:

Lifestraw LifeStraw is a portable water filter, manufactured by a Swiss company: Vestergaard Frandsen - that removes all bacteria and parasites responsible for causing diseases, especially diarrhea. Many people in Africa have to boil water to kill harmful parasites and bacteria in the water. Which means burning charcoal or firewood; which means the cutting down of trees. A few months ago, Vestergaard Frandsen launched a project called Carbon for Water - to provide hundreds of thousands of their water filter to Western Kenya. Nearly 900,000 LifeStraw® Family water filters will be installed in almost all households in the Western Province of Kenya beginning on 26 April. The province-wide, door-to-door, free distribution program will last almost six weeks and reach about 90 percent of all homes without access to safe municipal water sources. It will provide point-of-use water filtration for Kenyan residents for at least 10 years and do so without any cost to local residents, gov...

Kenya Renewable Energy Of developing regions, Africa has had the highest percentage rise in investments in renewable energy; in sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya is leading the way. With electric power being unreliable and power bills rising, many Kenyans - of whom 25% use electricity - are turning to solar panels; both in urban and rural areas. Solar power is clean, very convenient and in the long run, cheaper to use. Many hotels, furnished apartments for rental and households around Nairobi, are opting for solar panels to heat up water; in rural areas, where most use the uneconomical and the very unhealthy kerosene lanterns, many are now turning to solar power; one Kenyan company - Solantern - is very much assisting in that. Kenya is already a leader of renewable energy with three quarters of the country's energy coming from hydro-power and a further 11percent coming from geothermal sources . When the Lake Turkana Wind Power plant is completed, it will be the largest of its kind i...

Join the World Wildlife Fund to stop oil sands from Canada blowing into Europe: The European Union (EU) is about to make a decision that could define if we move towards a better, cleaner world or a short-sighted, dirty energy future. We need the politicians who are deciding on this legislation to hear our voice and make the right choice! Take action by signing the Petition !

In the next few days, World leaders will decide on how to control the effects of Climate Change. Many countries will be at Copenhagen for the meeting, but only a handful of rich, powerful countries' decision will matter. For the poor nations, like those in Africa - although they have the least adverse effect on the climate and are the most affected by Climate Change, they will have the least say at the conference. And for Africa, Climate Change could be the greatest danger we are now facing . It could be a matter of our survival. What happens in Copenhagen matters. Matters most to Africa. Africa accounts for just less than five percent of global greenhouse emissions, but the continent suffers the most. In the the last few months, millions of people have lost crops, livestock and even their lives through drought that have swept through Kenya; in the last few days, in Kenya, diarrhea, an indirect result of the drought and then the heavy rains, has already killed several people. Fro...

Rarely do I read any thing about Kibera, as encouraging and elating as this article from The Standard . Here are some excerpts: Having a kitchen garden in the city is a preserve of residents in leafy suburbs. But what previously could only be a fantasy for slum dwellers has become a reality for Ms Mariam Abdala, a Kibera resident. This is how it works: Seedlings are planted on the sides of earth-filled sacks that are placed besides doorsteps, on verandas or even rooftops. One bag can support up to 30 seedlings. Many families in Kibera have adopted this mode of farming, perhaps setting precedent for a green revolution in Africa. The ‘hanging gardens’ of Kibera account for several acres of land. Residents refer to them as gunia gardens. And just like Israel’s agricultural magic, residents are zealously turning the slum green. At a time when food prices have soared, many residents in the largest slums in Africa can harvest vegetables at their doorsteps. Even schools have picked up the ide...

At nights, most of Africa is dark, but wherever you are, if you use artificially generated light - join and turn off your lights for Earth Hour . Starting in New Zealand's remote Chatham Islands, thousands of cities, towns, and landmarks around the world will start to go dark for Earth Hour on Saturday evening. Up to a billion people worldwide are expected to participate in this global voluntary blackout by switching off their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time. The movement, sponsored by the conservation nonprofit WWF, is designed as a symbolic gesture in support of action against global warming . Read more from the National Geographic .

Biofuels are produced from plants and plant-derived materials. They reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse-gas emissions when used to power engines, cars and other road vehicles. Can biofuels be the answer to a greener and more sustainable future for our Planet? Biofuels, if extracted from certain plants and in certain ways, can serve us very well; but for it to be produced from food plants such as: wheat, corn, oil palm, sugar cane, sugar beet and soy - would only bring more misery than good. Already, with the recent high rise in the price of oil and the use of food plants to produce biofuels, food prices, World wide, rose so high that many people across the Globe have been driven to hunger. And then there is the problem of more land and more water being required for the production of biofuels; which could lead to deforestation and be destructive to our water resources. To clean up our environment, is very important and to find alternative means to serve our energy needs, is neces...

Its very simple and very much worth your time. To take action! Go to the campaigns section of the World Wildlife Fund ; or the Australian organization which is helping very much with the campaign on Climate Change: The Big Switch .

Will the Mau Forest be saved? Kenyan leaders and politicians, in a bid for votes, have always failed in reaching an agreement on the Forest; most have always put their political interests first, than the Forests . And that's what they continue to do now . They do this, while an environmental disaster lies in waiting. " Effort should be made to save the forest because it is the source of lakes and rivers. Scientific reports say Lake Nakuru will be the first to dry ," recently said the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga. Most Kenyan leaders and politicians know the dangers of not protecting the Mau Forest; but fearing in losing votes, they have always failed to act to save the Forest. "Forest destruction will be a major blow to Kenya's biological diversity, since forests harbor 50% of Kenya's plant species, 40% of mammal species, 35% of butterfly species and 30% of bird species - all on only two percent of the land mass. Logging in the Mau Forest wil...

Want to make a Difference. Small, but still a difference? Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming. On March 31 2007, for one hour, Sydney made a powerful statement about the greatest contributor to global warming – coal-fired electricity – by turning off its lights. Over 2.2 million Sydney residents and over 2,100 businesses switched off, leading to a 10.2% energy reduction across the city. What began as one city taking a stand against global warming caught the attention of the world. In 2008, 24 global cities will participate in Earth Hour at 8pm on March 29. Earth Hour is the highlight of a major campaign to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their emissions on an ongoing basis. It is about simple changes that will collectively make a difference – ...

I am celebrating Eid Ul Fitr , after 29 days of Ramadhan and fasting. Unexpectedly, and giving me, more to celebrate for - is the gift from the Nobel Foundation ! They have just awarded this year's Peace Price to Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . Though I some times disagree with the way the Nobel Prices are awarded, I find it very comforting and encouraging, that such a reputable and very highly regarded body, has the wisdom and foresight to reach such a decision - very much unlike our many 'leaders' and politicians. The Peace Price to Gore and the IPPC , like the 2004 one awarded to Wangari Maathai - will make more people aware and responsible in saving our Planet and making it safer, cleaner and sustainable. Very hopefully: World 'leaders' and politicians too, will wake up. At the same time: each and every one of us, in however small a way it may seem, can help in saving our Planet ! Photo: Actnow

Live Earth is a 24-hour, 7-continent concert series taking place on 7/7/07 that will bring together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis. Live Earth will reach this worldwide audience through an unprecedented global media architecture covering all media platforms - TV, radio, Internet and wireless channels. Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group and other international organizations to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve global warming. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is the Chair of the Alliance and Partner of Live Earth. For more, visit: LIVE EARTH THE CONCERTS FOR A CLIMATE IN CRISIS

The recent report by the UN's 'consortium of scientists' was bleak. The report, predicts: drought, flooding and extinctions in this century . Poorer developing countries, especially Africa, will suffer most; the report also says poor African countries will battle to cope with the devastating effects of climate change. Lakhani says South Africa and other countries will experience climatic chaos rather than climatic change. Help celebrate Earth Day. There are simple ways to help our planet . Each and every one of us can help in this; can help, in saving our Planet, if that's now possible. Some scientists are already saying that: it's too late. Still, whatever little each and every one of us can do to help, to assist - in reversing the process - we should do. Please DO what you can! Image: noaa

WWF has teamed up with Google Earth to show how destructive we , human beings, have been. From the Amazon to Cameroon to Indonesia , we have been immensely destructive and merciless to our world. WWF through, Google Earth, will show too - its global projects. I quote from WWF (12 Mar 2007): The global conservation organization announced that from today more than 150 of its projects will be added to Google Earth, the satellite imagery-basedmapping product. “People interested in conservation and the environment now will be able to visit WWF projects in some of the world’s most threatened and biologically diverse places from their home computers,” said WWF International’s Director General James Leape. With more than 45 years of on-the-ground experience, WWF is excited that people everywhere will have the opportunity to zoom in on a sample of our projects and gain a better understanding of just how big the conservation challenge is and some of the things we are doing to address it.”

The fourteenth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development opened yesterday at the UN headquarters in New York. Much will be discussed and written about; little will be achieved or sustained. With the current way we are managing our planet, in a few years from now, there won't be much to sustain. What with extinctions and global warming ! It is shocking to read how we are using, should I say: mis-using our forests ; Africa's are doing no better !