By Alanna Rebelo – Senior Researcher, Agricultural Research Council; Karen Joan Esler – Distinguished Professor of Conservation Ecology, Stellenbosch University; Patricia Holmes – Plant ecologist, Stellenbosch University; Tony Rebelo – Scientist, South African National Biodiversity Institute. First published in The Conversation on March 17, 2025 Underground seed banks in South Africa that date back over […]
Continue readingAll Articles
The quest for sustainability: understanding environmental degradation
by Prof Leon Hugo, former head of the Department of Geography at Pretoria University. First published in Environatics.co.za It’s a sobering reality that thousands, primarily children, succumb annually to dire environmental conditions and hunger in Africa. There looms a genuine threat of our planet’s production systems collapsing, potentially leaving us all without sufficient food. Since […]
Continue reading
Making wine takes a lot of energy. How South Africa’s vintners can cut back
by Alan Brent – Professor of Engineering Management and Sustainable Systems, Stellenbosch University This article was published in The Conversation Wine production consumes large amounts of energy and generates a sizeable quantity of greenhouse gases. A looming carbon tax and greater consumer awareness about reduced energy use has led to a growing interest in the […]
Continue reading
Food waste in South Africa is dumped in landfills – study weighs up healthier and more sustainable options
by Anne Fitchett, Retired Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand – this article was first published on 10 December 2025 in theconversation.com Every year, millions of tonnes of food end up in South Africa’s landfills. This is a wasted resource that deepens environmental damage, worsens food […]
Continue reading
Amazing pineapple leaf powder that fights crime and pollution: new research
by Bienvenu Gael Fouda Mbanga, Research fellow, Nelson Mandela University – this article was first published in theconversation.com In South Africa, manufacturers of pineapple juice and other pineapple products discard thousands of tons of pineapple leaves every year, with most ending up in dumpsites. The leaves are seen as agricultural waste and usually treated as […]
Continue reading
Biodiversity: A Reader
by GST Staff Biodiversity loss must stop by 2030 to protect Earth’s life-support systems BIODIVERSITY LOSS MUST be halted by 2030 to keep the Earth’s life-support systems stable, according to new research. Across species, ecosystems, and the natural processes that move water and nutrients, the study acknowledges the danger inside the systems people rely on […]
Continue reading
Waste, Pollution and Recycling: A Reader
by GST Staff Cactus waste could become a low-cost building material Construction sites don’t usually bring cactus plants to mind. Still, engineers think leftover material from prickly pear cactus farming could offer a cleaner, lower-cost way to make building materials. At first, the idea may sound unusual. But it points to a real problem in […]
Continue reading
Jules of the Karoo: premier home of the springbok
by Anne Kruger, GST Correspondent In the heart of South Africa’s Northern Cape lies Jules of the Karoo Safaris, a testament to sustainable tourism and conservation. This working Merino sheep farm is renowned for its Springbok breeding and trophy hunting. These combined activities ensure sustainability. As a member of GST, the GST measure and manage […]
Continue reading
Sustainability steps: Municipal waste disposal changes in the pipeline
by Anne Kruger, GST Correspondent With the growing importance of environmental sustainability in mind, GST recently looked into the current status of the waste disposal process in the Drakenstein Municipality. Despite the fact that Drakenstein Municipality has a successful recycling process for inorganic waste implemented throughout the municipal area, this is not considered enough to […]
Continue reading
South African tourism faces a sustainability tipping point as eco-fatigue takes hold
PRESS RELEASE – Cape Town Travellers want to make sustainable choices, but eco-fatigue and skepticism are changing that conversation, says Dr Niel du Toit, CEO of Go Sustainable Tourism. Here he explores why trust is the new currency of tourism and what industry players must do if they want to avoid falling off the map. […]
Continue reading