Sustainability Week: 25 – 29 July 2012

• Appropriate responses to global crises cannot be disconnected from each other.

  Climate change, financial crisis, peak oil/energy security, food security, waste generation, water and soil degradation, the destruction of habitat and the extinction of species all impact each other directly or indirectly in a matrix of connectedness.

  Everything we do – from the food we eat to the buildings we occupy, to the vehicles we drive, to the goods and services we procure and which are procured on our behalf down the value chain, to the mining and processing of resources, and manufacturing and exportation and importation of goods – impacts the environment which is a globally interconnected system.

  Understanding this interconnectedness is fundamental to understanding the true cost of our actions.  The most compelling arguments for change cannot therefore be made in the absence of the ‘full picture’, and if investors can only see the immediate cost/benefit return, then the opportunity for that investment to contribute to the solution may be lost and the risk that it might therefore contribute to the problem is exacerbated.  In the event of the latter this negative consequence is locked in for the duration of that investment, which could be decades, even centuries.

  Introducing Sustainability Week – connecting the dots!

  Be there as South Africa engages on these critical issues in an effort to make our economy and society more resilient to external shocks such as drought, run away oil prices, extreme weather events etc. Sustainability Week features sessions on Resilient Cities; Green Building; Water Efficiency and Protection; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Waste Minimisation and Recycling; Social Housing and the Green Economy.

  Sustainability Week features a 5 day exhibition from 25-29 July, with the first 3 days focussed on trade visitors and running alongside the various conferencing activities, and culminating in the Green Home Fair over the weekend.

  Green Home Fair welcomes the public to visit the exhibition and to learn more about the various products, services and technologies that are moving SA towards a more sustainable future.  The weekend programme will feature a series of lectures by leading environmental organisations, aimed once again at educating people about how it all fits together and about the role they can play in making South Africa a greener place.

  	After 6 years of advocacy and knowledge sharing it is now fair to ask: why has green building not become standard practice for new buildings and refurbishments in South Africa?  This conference will explore the state of the market, policies and regulations in SA; showcase global leadership, successful policy and seek to create a consensus based series of recommendations for South African regulation authorities.	Read more
  	Is it possible to imagine a world with zero waste-to-landfill? What if packaging was minimised and all packaging was recyclable? All e-waste reclaimed by manufacturers? Imagine a policy framework which only tolerated this approach and charged a massive premium for collection of non-separated waste? We open the dialogue from the point of this vision and ask the sticky questions.	Read more
  	Day 1: Water and Climate Change – Adapting to Climate Change in SA will largely be a water issue. Day 1 will feature presentations, a workshop & a collaborative report. Day 2: Acid Mine Drainage – Finding Consensus and Proposing Action. Join leading stakeholders to interrogate the possible solutions in a constructive problem solving forum, which could save Gauteng from a calamitous outcome.	Read more
  	According to the Deputy Minister of Transport, Jeremy Cronin, the key drivers of transport emissions in SA relate to: a poor modal mix; a lack of sufficient mitigation incentives and problematic socio-economic geography. This Conference will use these points as headings for three distinct discussions. In each case a report back will be generated and circulated to government and the private sector.	Read more
  	Smart Grids for SA Cities – A more sustainable approach to energy requires a decentralisation of production typified by multiple small producers feeding into a two way grid that optimises peak demand through a matrix of buy/sell rates which incentivise users to adapt their demand to maximise their energy savings/income. This is not a new idea yet in SA smart grids seem a long way off – why? Experts engage…	Read more
  	It can be argued that individual households have more power to change the world’s carbon footprint than industry or commerce do. The home-owner’s choices trigger a chain of events through the economy & environment. GHF communicates with homeowners & the public about how to improve environmental health, increase communities’ climate resilience, conserve resources & live healthier lifestyles.	Read more
  	Is your business leveraging its green journey for advantage? SA’s imminent carbon taxation is about to enforce much greater levels of accountability for environmental impact on business but customer demand for low impact products and services will continue to be the largest driver of the green economy. The Green Business Seminar provides environmental leadership for business and industry in SA.	Read more