1. Environmental awareness
House Committees 2018
31 Jan 2018
Nikki Kohly – Safety, Health & Environmental Officer

2. What are some of the big…….….….. Environmental Issues?
Pollution
Degradation
Unequal access
Poverty, crime
Poor & marginalised lack access to resources, are worst affected.
RU, Grahamstown, South Africa, worldwide.
Water
Waste
Energy
Food
Biodiversity

3. … some of the big……………...….….. Environmental Issues
Water: Water restrictions apply in our town. Water supply is too low. Threatened by droughts, poor sewage & waste management. Pollution of catchments impacts our health.
Energy: Costly. Coal-fired power causes pollution, impacts our health. Delays in implementing renewable energy. High energy consumption is linked to higher residence fees.
Waste: Our throw-away culture leads to excessive waste. Littering & illegal dumping. Poor law enforcement & landfill site management impacts our health.
Biodiversity: Diversity of life is a natural insurance policy, vital for food security. It is threatened by invasive species, changes in land-use & climate, which makes society vulnerable.

4. Our planet: supplying natural resources and absorbing our waste
Ecological Overshoot IF
everyone lived the average American lifestyle, we’d need 5 planets!
Our planet: supplying natural resources and absorbing our waste

5. What is………………….……………. Environmental Sustainability?
Living within the limits of what natural ecosystems can provide.
“Social-ecological perspective” of sustainability: human social world & natural ecosystems interconnected.
Ability to lead a good life – have clean air, drinkable water and healthy food, as well as opportunities to learn, generate income, and live in a peaceful and just society – linked to how we relate to and care for the natural world.

6. What is needed…………….……………. Constructive Action
SUSTAINABILITY
Education & Research
Water
Energy
Waste
Biodiversity
Travel
Organisation
Procurement

7. Inspiring role models RU Environmental Award winners!

8. Look around … there are many people who are making a difference… being PART OF THE SOLUTION!
Dr Gladman Thondhlana (RU Enviro Science)
Research on improving human well-being; links between wild resource use, rural livelihoods & household welfare issues; pro-environmental behaviour (energy, water, recycling); sustainable natural resource management; founder of RU Trees for Life Project
Prof Nosi Ngqwala (RU Pharmacy)
Research on water, sanitation, removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater, passionate about science communication, community engagement, 2017 Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans

9. Prof Wangari Maathai (Kenya)
Green Belt Movement - tree planting - enviro conservation, women's rights.
Rene Ngongo (DRC)
Biologist and environmentalist - protection of forests & social justice, founder of OCEAN (helping Congolese people fight against deforestation)

10. Action!
In res: coordinated by Environmental Reps

11. Water Wise Action WATER www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/water
Enviro Reps involve residents
Put up signs & send out WhatsApp alerts
Leaks: report immediately & chase up!
WATER

12. Water Wise Action Enviro Reps involve residents
Rainwater tanks (res, donate)
Water testing
Re-usable water bottles
Herb/veg patch

13. Waste Wise Action WASTE www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/waste
Enviro Reps involve residents
REDUCING waste
Recycling
Re-use shopping bags / cloth bags
WASTE

14. Waste Wise Action Enviro Reps involve residents Hazardous waste:
Res/Hall worm farm
Liquid fertiliser – “Vermitea”
Veggie garden
Hazardous waste:
Separate CFLs, batteries, sharps, chemicals, body fluids, etc - safe disposal
Cigarette butts - safe disposal

15. DID YOU KNOW?
Cigarette butts = toxic trash, most commonly discarded waste worldwide (1.69 billion pounds = 177,895 elephants)
Buying tobacco: keeps families in poverty (in SA a smoker spends 10.6% of national median income on 10 cheap ciggies a day).

16. Energy Wise Action ENERGY www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/energy
LED
Safety!

17. Other Enviro Action

18. Where to get…..................………. Support and Information?
Enviro Reps webpage
SRC Environmental Councillor
Environment webpages
Follow the links: ACTION, RESOURCES, POLICY, etc etc

19. Thank you!