Eagle Environmental

Author: clareh

  • 2 HOUR CYANIDE “MINI-COURSES”

    These courses[1] are designed to provide basic information and key indicators to set delegates on a path to develop and improve their existing systems and initiatives. They are not “certified” courses but are “enrichment” courses based upon the knowledge and experience of the presenter, Arend Hoogervorst[2], a long-time ICMI-certified Lead Auditor, Mining Auditor and Production Auditor.

    • Cyanide Change Management

    An introduction to what is needed for a Cyanide Code cyanide change management procedure or system. This will contrast to existing traditional change management thinking.

    • Cyanide Emergency Response Plans

    This course discusses what the Cyanide Code needs in Cyanide Emergency Response Plans and provides a series of alternatives, as well as “Best Practice” options to consider for these Plans.

    • Cyanide Mock Drills

    This packed course considers different types of cyanide mock drills, in addition to the Cyanide Code required drills. The following are included:

    • Full cycle drills
    • Partial Drills (“to the gate”)
    • “Stop/Start” drills
    • Equipment Practice Drills (donning and doffing, using trailer equipment, stretcher carrying, vertical and horizontal cyanide victim decontamination, etc.)
    • Timing Drills

    Placement, use and quantity of cyanide emergency equipment is based upon timing. The “3-5 minute survival window” dictates where, how, and how many equipment items. Used in conjunction with the baseline risk assessment, it will assist in the provision, placement and use of the equipment. The course helps plan timing drills for optimising quantities of cyanide emergency equipment.

    • Planning and Operation of Cyanide Evacuations

    This course provides food for thought in developing plans and procedures for cyanide evacuations. It includes planning assembly locations (wind direction), who does and does not evacuate, who takes charge of the evacuation, attendance registers, search and rescue decisions, and all clear announcements.

    • Ideas and Options for PTOs (Planned Task Observations)

    It is well-known that everyone hates PTOs, observers and those being observed alike. However, these valuable exercises can often identify improvements for procedures, and, in some cases, give advanced or “near miss” warnings of potential accidents and incidents. This course motivates for the better use of PTOs and gives hints and tips on PTO training and motivation.

    • Basics of Cyanide Chemistry

    This introduction to the basics of cyanide chemistry is designed to provide more of the “how’s and why’s” of cyanide management and its associated cyanide chemistry. This is not a detailed cyanide chemistry course, but an introduction with insights for the “non-expert”.

    • Cyanide Decommissioning

    This mini-course unpacks cyanide decommissioning as required in Standards of Practice 5.1 and 5.2 and clarifies requirements, contrasts Closure Plan requirements and Cyanide Code requirements and demystifies exactly what is required to comply.

    [1] The presenter is open to considering other topics that could be added to this list.

    [2] See www.eagleenv.co.za for further information and the downloads page for CVs.

  • Environmental Ponderings-24

    Food Gardens – Food for the Body and the Brain

    DIFFICULT TIMES

    We are living in difficult times. Money is short, jobs are scarce, and many people are looking for alternative sources of food and income. Some of us are desperately trying to keep to our sustainable living principles. Others, like UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, are not.

    KLOOF – A CASE STUDY

    Let’s use Kloof as a case study. Many residents have larger properties and could easily create space to establish small gardens to grow food, or at least herbs, to supplement their food requirements. Small gardens are not going to threaten biodiversity or introduce alien species. They will, however, bring us closer to the realities of sustainable living.

    ALLOTMENTS

    In an article in the Financial Times Weekend Edition recently, John Aglionby said that the economics of the allotment (small gardens rented by groups of residents in the UK) made little monetary sense, but in terms of health and well-being, they reap many returns.

    FOOD GARDENS UNLIMITED

    Some 40 years ago, when I was involved in community work in Soweto, we worked with an organisation called Food Gardens Unlimited. Their premise was that it was possible to establish small gardens (at that time, we worked with “door-size” plots), which could supplement food sources and aid in mental and physical well-being. I can still remember the immense joy and satisfaction of grannies and grandchildren alike, achieved from preparing their beds, sowing their seeds, weeding the beds and watching the fruits of their labours turn into food for the table.

    SIZE DOESN’T MATTER!

    The size of these gardens is immaterial. They can be as small as you wish, with the option of growing the size, as you get better at managing the growing space. At the lower end, one can grow herbs in circular pots that hook around gutter down-pipes. I have seen so-called, postage stamp gardens dedicated to growing a range of fresh herbs for their adjoining kitchen. The “door-size gardens” can produce bunches of carrots, cabbage, green beans, and other vegetables. The sky is the limit, depending on your available space and how much time you are willing to devote to managing it.

    PESTS

    I can hear some of you muttering and pointing a finger at the destructive and devilish ways of our resident vervet monkeys who delight in scouring any attempt at gardens. Yes, they are a problem, but there are many ways of deterring them: Sturdy shade tunnels can make gardens more productive and keep the monkeys at bay. Grow your crops in vegetable bins protected by wire netting. Sprinkle chilli peppers on the vegetables to make them less palatable. Google is a wonderful source of informal ideas to grow vegetables and protect them from pests.

    THERAPY

    Tending a garden, no matter how large or small, is a therapeutic and mentally relaxing pursuit. There are many stories and accounts of how sick, battered and exhausted individuals have been encouraged to take up gardening with great success. The results have far outweighed the benefits of anti-depressants, “uppers and downers”, headache and migraine pills and other pharmaceutical aids. It is not a universal problem solver or the panacea of all ills, but it is a start, if only a small one, in practising sustainable, healthy living.

    Think about it and make a start this weekend!

    Arend Hoogervorst is an environmental scientist with 40 years of experience in South Africa in environmental management and sustainable development in local and central government, commerce and industry and private practice.

    © Arend Hoogervorst, 2023.

  • Environmental Ponderings – 21

    Floods and Drought

    Flood or Drought?

    The recent floods are still fresh in our minds and we have started receiving messages from the authorities to save water. Many people’s first reaction is to say, “make up your mind, have we got too much water or too little water?”

    Our Status

    Sadly, it is not quite as simple as that. In the past, we had a (mostly) clear separation between “wet” and “dry” seasons. Climate change put paid to that and now there are many additional factors that affect the type of rainfall we receive, when we receive it, and the quantities that we receive. We also must not forget that South Africa is a water-scarce country. It ranks as one of the 30 driest countries in the world with an average rainfall of about 40% less than the annual world average rainfall.

    Population and Water

    We also have a problem with population settlement and water storage. The number of people globally is increasing rapidly, especially in Africa. We are also seeing a steady and growing number of people moving from rural to urban areas. We are rapidly running out of feasible sites for the location and operation of dams to provide these people with potable water.

    El Niño/La Niňa

    In drought conditions (usually triggered in Africa by the “El Niňo” climatic phenomenon) we suffer from a shortage of rainfall. This means our dams do not fill up or get replenished and we run short of potable water for our population. In flood and high rainfall conditions (usually triggered by the “La Niňa” climatic phenomenon), we experience disastrous flood impacts on our lives, families, infrastructure, and livelihoods..

    Time Scale

    The two phenomena can last from between 3 and 7 years but this can change. It means that storage of water has become a critical part of not only our survival, but the quality of our lives and our lifestyles.

    Mist Belt

    The Upper Highway area includes the commonly described “Mist Belt” which has a higher percentage of precipitation than many surrounding areas. We should be using that phenomenon to collect the water and store it in tanks for a variety of uses. You use it for basics such as watering the garden and washing the car. Or you could connect it to your toilets and use it to flush toilets, thus saving valuable potable (treated) water. Or you could go the whole hog and filter and treat the water to potable standards and reduce your reliance upon (expensive) municipal mains water.

    Costs

    Yes, I hear you say, but this all costs money which we don’t have at the moment. If you talk to your financial advisor, you will find that there are many different innovative and cheaper ways of funding water collection and storage systems (and, incidentally, solar power and geyser systems). All of these schemes and options will become more attractive as we see the cost of water and electricity rise rapidly in the coming years. More worryingly, the availability and reliability of permanent supplies are also becoming a serious problem.

    Action or Inaction?

    We have plenty of evidence to show that climate change has become an integral part of our lives. We need to recognise the threats and opportunities that exist and begin to act. Have you thought about the feasibility of water storage or solar energy on your property? If not, are you going to wait until the next flood or Stage 8 electricity load shedding and 13 hours of blackout per day, before you make any decisions?

    Arend Hoogervorst is an environmental scientist with 40 years of experience in South Africa in environmental management and sustainable development in local and central government, commerce and industry and private practice.

    © Arend Hoogervorst, 2022.

  • Swiss retailer rolls out ‘coffee balls’ to replace capsules

    (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP News)

    https://apnews.com/article/switzerland-climate-and-environment-83cc3ee9959e48301b98d68d15693b64

    BERLIN (AP) — Swiss retailer Migros said on Tuesday that it is launching a coffeemaking system designed to replace capsules that produce thousands of tons of waste worldwide each year.

    The cooperative said its spherical capsules — described as “coffee balls” — are fully compostable, unlike the plastic and aluminum containers popularized by its rival Nestle under the brand Nespresso 36 years ago.

    Migros said its coffee balls are encased in a thin, flavorless, seaweed-based cover that can be discarded with the spent coffee after use. The company said the CoffeeB system, which also features a special coffeemaker, will be rolled out first in Switzerland and France this year, followed by Germany in 2023.

  • Climate Finance for Sustainable Agriculture

    Webinar –Click here to watch the recording.

    From the Climate and Sustainable Investment: Newsletter 2

    The South African Financial Sector ESG Analytical Services’ Project presented its first webinar on 8 June 2022. The Webinar focused on Climate Finance for Sustainable Agriculture and showcased inspiring instruments that enhance environmental and socio-economic impact focused on regenerative agriculture by Restore Africa Fund, cultivated meat by Mzanzi Meat and Nedbank Citrus Shade-netting finance facility.

  • Environmental Ponderings – 20

    Theme – Krantzkloof – A Nature Reserve near Durban

    “…As we distance ourselves further from the natural world, we are increasingly surrounded by and dependent on our own inventions. We become enslaved by the constant demands of technology created to serve us…”

    David Suzuki

    David Suzuki is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster and environmental activist who has inspired me, personally and professionally, for many decades. As a modern-day thinker, he has frequently spoken about the importance of keeping sight of human dependence on the Environment for the survival of humankind.  As an environmental activist, he has spoken out frequently about the human impacts resulting in climate change and the importance of communing with Nature and the Environment.

    I thought about Suzuki when I heard that the previously harmonious relationship between Ezemvelo Wildlife and the Kloof Conservancy was deteriorating. It appeared that Ezemvelo Wildlife (the managers of Krantzkloof Nature Reserve) was not listening to calls from the surrounding communities for better access to the reserve. Fencing and gates were becoming onerous and limiting community access. Whilst issues such as crime and non-payment of entry fees are important, it is also important for managers of reserves to listen to their users and work with them to improve access and usage.

    If all humans disappeared today, the earth would start improving tomorrow. If all the ants disappeared today, the earth would start dying tomorrow.

    David Suzuki

    Krantzkloof enables us to refresh our contact with the environment and remind us that we are part of Nature, not controllers of it. Our “stuff” pollutes, poisons and contaminates the organisms and ecosystems that depend upon Nature for survival. If we lose sight of the basics which support our survival, extinction starts to become a reality.

    That contact with our natural environment through, for example, visits to Krantzkloof or other conservation areas is a way of refreshing and reminding us of the environment that we ultimately depend upon. This can be carried forward by the reminder that we should do our best to plant indigenous and endemic species in the spaces and areas that we occupy. (And, of course, remove the exotics!)

    Planting native species in our gardens and communities is increasingly important, because indigenous insects, birds and wildlife rely on them. Over thousands, and sometimes millions, of years they have co-evolved to live in local climate and soil conditions.

    David Suzuki

    Going back to a part of Suzuki’s first quotation, “the constant demands of technology” create pressures on resources and energy, resulting in the severe impacts that we are experiencing due to climate change. The recent release of the latest IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Report in August 2021 has underlined this. The report and its supporting documents make heavy reading, but the World Resources Institute has published an article called “The 5 Big Findings from the IPCC’s 2021 Climate Report”. The five findings are: –

    1. We’re on course to reach 1.5 degrees C of warming within the next two decades.

    2. Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C by the end of the century is still within reach but requires transformational change.

    3. Our understanding of climate science — including the link to extreme weather — is stronger than ever.

    4. The changes we are already seeing are unprecedented in recent history and will affect every region of the globe.

    5. Every fraction of a degree of warming leads to more dangerous and costly impacts.

    It is now critical that we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and cut back on unnecessary use of energy. Whilst it is difficult for individuals to influence fossil fuel usage, everyone CAN cut back on unnecessary waste of energy. The obvious strategies include saving energy by cutting wastage (don’t leave lights and appliances on unattended or unused), switching to using solar geysers, planning car trips to carry out multiple tasks, saving on extra journeys, and using low energy or energy-efficient appliances and equipment.

    As Kloof residents, we are fortunate to have a nature reserve (Krantzkloof) right in the middle of our suburb. It’s there to help us understand the world we live in and give us the pleasure, relaxation and inspiration to ensure that our place in the Environment is as a part of the Ecosphere, not a consumer of it. Furthermore, by saving energy, we can all do our part in reducing the human impacts causing climate change.

    Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. It is time to re-examine some of our deeply held notions that underlie our lifestyles.

    David Suzuki

    Arend Hoogervorst is an environmental scientist with 40 years of experience in South Africa in environmental management and sustainable development in local and central government, commerce and industry and private practice.

    © Arend Hoogervorst, 2021.

  • Environmental Ponderings-19

    People and Environmental Problems

    Environmental problems?

    Why do we have environmental problems? There is a very glib answer to this question, and that is because of people. However, it is more complicated than that because people are all different.

    Environmental Worldviews

    I clarified my thoughts when I was introduced to the concept of differing environmental worldviews. Your environmental worldview is your set of assumptions and values concerning how the natural world works and how you think you should interact with the environment.

    Personal Perspectives

    Once you begin to think about that from your own personal perspective, you realise that there are many of those assumptions over which you have no control. For example, perhaps you feel that you don’t want to drink water that contains chlorine. Suppose you live in the city and you are reasonably well off. In that case, you can choose to buy spring water or install water filtration and reverse osmosis equipment on the inflow point of your municipal water supply. However, suppose you are poor, unemployed, and live in a supported informal settlement. In that case, you do not have the choices or opportunities to choose anything other than the water supply provided to you, which probably contains chlorine.

    Choices or Circumstances?

    You may also not be able to make a set of values and assumptions because your education is limited and you don’t know what options you have and the consequences of these options.

    Complexities

    The viewpoints that one could begin to develop around these thoughts could take several books to explore and discuss from all of the various social, political, ethical and moral stands. I don’t have the space to do that here. However, I can pose a number of questions to the readers of this publication to allow them to consider which set of assumptions and values they are currently following and if there are changes that could be made which could materially benefit the environment.

    Environmental Ethics

    A good starting point when thinking about one’s assumptions is to consider the environmental ethics behind what you do, or don’t do. Consider some of these fundamental ethical questions and write down your answers in bullet point form on paper.

    • Why should we care about the environment?
    • Are we the most important species on the planet, or are we just another one of the earth’s millions of life forms?
    • Do we have an obligation to see that our activities do not cause the extinction of other species? If so, should we try to protect all species or only some? How do we decide which to protect?
    • Do we have an ethical obligation to pass the natural world on to future generations in a condition that is as good or better than what we inherited?
    • Should every person be entitled to equal protection from environmental hazards, regardless of race, gender, age, national origin, income, social class, or any other factor? (You might recognise this as containing some of the basic tenets of environmental justice.)
    • Should we seek to live more sustainably, and if so, how?

    Groupings of environmental worldviews

    You may find that your answers will fall into one, or a combination of, three major groupings of environmental worldviews. They are: –

    1. A Human-centred environmental worldview

    This world view sees the natural world as a support system for human life. Two sub-sets of this are, a planetary management worldview and the stewardship worldview. Both sub-sets suggest that humans are separate and in charge of nature, and humans should manage nature for their benefit. Any depletion or degeneration of natural resources or ecosystems should be managed using human, technical ingenuity to find a substitute.

    • A Life-centred environmental worldview

    This worldview states that all species have value in fulfilling their particular role within the biosphere, regardless of their potential or actual use to humans. Underlying the life-centred worldview is the belief that humans have ethical responsibilities to avoid hastening the extinction of species through human activity.

    • An Earth-centred environmental worldview

    This third worldview suggests that we are part of and dependent upon nature and the earth’s natural capital for all species, not just humans. This view suggests that human economic success and the long term survival of cultures depend upon learning how life on the earth has sustained itself for billions of years. The lessons learned need to be integrated into the ways humans think and act.

    What about those that don’t have an environmental worldview?

    It could be argued that those without an environmental worldview are working to different life agendas. Those agendas may be driven by money, religion, power or other different philosophies. The assumption here is that you have some form of environmental worldview, and you are following it to a greater or lesser degree. Perhaps the following questions could be posed to find out if you are doing enough to sustain your environmental worldview, and is there more that you could be doing?

    • Are environmental problems getting better or worse?
    • Am I satisfied with the answer to the first question?
    • Can I do anything to change that…if it needs changing?
    • Can I influence others to consider what their environmental worldviews are?
    • Has writing down the bullet point responses to the environmental ethical questions made me think further about my environmental worldview?

    Arend Hoogervorst is an environmental scientist with 40 years of experience in South Africa in environmental management and sustainable development in local and central government, commerce and industry and private practice.

    © Arend Hoogervorst, 2021.

  • Waterlight Converts Water into Energy with its Innovative Seawater-Powered Lamp

    Posted 3 May 21 By Design Indaba. From the WISA Newsletter – June 2021

    An innovation designed to serve communities with no access to electricity, WaterLight makes use of an available natural resource.

    According to the United Nations, electricity demand is expected to increase by 70% by 2035. It’s also estimated that fossil fuel reserves will be depleted in the next 52 years. This, in conjunction with the fact that an estimated 840 million people have no access to electricity, calls for new energy solutions. The cordless light converts a natural resource – salt water – into light, thanks to the process of ionization of an electrolyte made up of salt water that transforms the magnesium on the inside into electrical energy. 

    WaterLight is a more sustainable solution than solar energy for communities living off the grid. Not only longer lasting, it is also more efficient in that energy delivery is immediate (in contrast to solar lanterns that need to transform the energy) and more reliable (usable even in inclement weather). 
    In order to work, it needs to be filled with 500 millilitres of seawater – or urine in emergency situations – to emit up to 45 days of light. It also serves as a rechargeable battery for mobile and electronic devices.

    Read the full article here.

  • SA Plastic Pact

    From IWMSA Weekly Waste Digest 7 – 11 June 2021

    Establishing a national database for lifecycle assessment data

    Recording. Prof Harro von Blottnitz and Dr Pippa Notten of UCT presented the proposal for a National Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) database. Without such a database, LCAs will be more costly (up to 3/4 times more costly and take much longer); and the LCAs produced will not be representative of the SA context and therefore not accurate and credible. Relevant SA datasets  for various products (incl. packaging) will be developed and be made available so that all producers can access these datasets to conduct LCAs.

    Watch the webinar recording here.

  • A revolutionary new sustainable design platform

    Monday, June 14 2021 From GreenBuzz – Joel Makower

    If the circular economy is to scale beyond a relative handful of companies engaging in a relative handful of initiatives, it’ll need some pretty powerful tools to enable them to assess the impacts of their products across the full value chain: design, materials selection, sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, transportation, merchandising, customer use and beyond. And to leverage those insights to create the next generation of sustainable, circular, even regenerative products. Without such a holistic perspective, companies will likely continue to tinker at the margins of circularity: substituting a renewable material here, increasing recyclability there, or maybe creating a program to take back and refurbish or reuse old products. Tomorrow, at Circularity 21, a new tool will be launched that just might change the game: the Higg Product Module, part of a suite of applications created by the self-described “sustainability insights” startup Higg. Marketed as “the only software tool on the market that can help companies calculate at scale the environmental footprint of their products beyond carbon emissions,” it stands to raise the bar not just on sustainable and circular materials and products but also the transparency that increasingly is being demanded from a variety of stakeholders.
    Read on for a deeper dive into the application.  

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