The Environmental Planning & Climate Protection Department and Imagine Durban are hosting a climate change competition for schools.   The competition is open to all high schools in the eThekwini Municipal Area. Schools can win a state of the art green technology in the form of either a solar a SOLAR THERMAL WATER HEATER or a RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM.

To enter the competition, pupils (with or without the support of a teacher) need to compile a report and design a poster on climate change. The report must not exceed 5000 words and should cover:

• The science of climate change
• climate change mitigation: reducing greenhouse gases
• climate change adaptation: adapting to the impacts, and
• “save the world” solutions that are innovative and specific to eThekwini Municipality. 

Submissions may be typed or handwritten and can be submitted in isiZulu, English or Afrikaans. 

Closing date for entries is 12 noon on the 7th of June 2010.

The Eco Design Initiative 2010 is now calling for entries from emerging designers in South Africa – all schools of design are welcome. You have until 30 April to submit your sustainable creation that is a durable product or service that minimises adverse impacts on the environment, whilst making every day life simpler and more pleasant.

Behind the initiative is a campaign that encourages growth and transformation of entrepreneurial concepts in South Africa. The idea is to encourage designers and industry to 'rethink' the way they do things, and the campaign includes the Eco Design Competition, the Fresh Talent Workshop and showcase opportunities both in South Africa and Sweden.

Read the full article at Urban Sprout ...

The International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment is organised annually by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer, and Nikon Corporation. It has been held since 1991 and has received over 190,000 entries from children in over 100 countries. This year's competition will focus on "Biodiversity: Connecting with Nature".

Children who are between the age of five and 13 years may submit entries. The children’s paintings will focus on concrete actions to preserve biodiversity such as tree planting, marine and animal conservation, restoration of coral reefs, etc.

Application Information

The Imagine Durban Project in partnership with Durban Industry Climate Change Project is launching a business electricity saving competition.  This competition is an opportunity for businesses to participate in a five month long process that will involve monitoring their current electricity use, identifying electricity efficiency interventions, implementing those interventions and then monitoring the effectiveness of the interventions.   

The winning business and four runners up will be profiled in a four page pullout that will be published in the Metro Ezasegagasini in April 2010.  The Metro Ezasegagasini is distributed throughout Durban.  R50 000 worth energy efficiency & renewable energy products will also be donated to a school chosen by the winning business.  This R50,000 prize has been sponsored by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.