"To give away money is an easy matter in any man's power. But to decide to whom to give it, and how large and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man's power nor an easy matter." Aristotle

GreaterGood South Africa has created South Africa's first social investment 'stock exchange' where carefully selected projects are listed and offered to the public as investment opportunities with a social return.

The South African Social Investment Exchange (SASIX) provides independent research, evaluation and monitoring to ensure that listed projects meet a set of criteria, including the ability to deliver measurable returns. These returns are social rather than financial but they are nonetheless vital for development in South Africa.

A prospectus is printed quarterly and detailed Project Proposal Profile documents are available on this website, outlining each investment opportunity. They include a risk analysis, the minimum investment required and metrics portraying the qualitative and quantitative life change that is expected as a result of the project.

As well as promoting a new approach to public and corporate participation in social development, SASIX aims to build a culture of accountability for social performance amongst beneficiary organisations.

• Find out how SASIX works ...
  

Attendance increased significantly at the 30 th edition of the Durban International Film Festival, reports Peter Rorvik, Director of the festival and the Centre for Creative Arts.

“Attendance figures were up this year with over 22, 471 at the 280 festival film screenings, representing almost 5,500 more than in 2008, despite there being 26 less screenings this year. Workshop and seminar attendances were also up with 1650 film enthusiasts attending 38 seminars and workshops, indicating a great level of interest in the creative and technical processes of filmmaking. Separately, aspirants from community organisations participated in the AV UKZN video production workshop for first-timers, while Mtuthuzeli Matshoba ran a programme for scriptwriting in indigenous languages. Talent Campus, a cooperation project with the Berlinale Film Festival, hosted 38 young filmmakers from 20 different African countries in a five-day workshop programme themed Roots and Shoots: Creating a new African Cinema .”

The newly appointed Minister of Arts and Culture, Ms Lulu Xingwana visited the festival and commented “The Durban International Film Festival has through the years become South Africa 's leading exhibition platform for local and international productions. It has demonstrated excellence in audience development programmes and contribution to the training and development of filmmakers", adding that she was “glad to see the NFVF, IDC, the Provincial and local government all pulling together to deliver an excellent festival."

The Minister viewed Izulu Lami ( My Secret Sky ) which was the official opening film for the festival and Shirley Adams , which scooped a number of awards at the festival closing. The strong concentration of South African content comprised 9 feature films, 23 documentaries, and 44 short films.

Festival Manager, Nashen Moodley said: “Higher attendance, a great group of filmmakers, including many new talents, excellent audience interaction and workshops, and deals made in the background … we're really happy with the way the festival went, and look forward to an even better year in 2010. We're grateful to our funders, the visiting filmmakers, and the Durban audience for making it happen.”

“…And most importantly, with all of these policies, start now. Conditions will be far better in the long run if the City begins addressing this unfolding challenge immediately. The transition cannot be done quickly; the City faces a limited window of opportunity to begin, after which adaptation will become enormously difficult, painful, and expensive. There is no time to lose.” 

Extract from the report on Energy Bulletin, here.

In March 2009 the the San Francisco Peak Oil Preparedness Task Force published its report on the city’s vulnerability to peak oil and gas. The report acknowledges the threat to San Francisco from peak oil and gas and includes a raft of recommendations. On 23 July the report was slated to be presented to the Board of Supervisors at the Government Audit Committee meeting.

San Francisco was born at the beginning of the oil age, and the city has flourished during an era in which fossil fuels became the foundation of our economy and society. Petroleum and natural gas heat our homes and light our offices; they fuel the trucks that bring us our food and the cars and buses that move us around; they drive our industries and power the information technologies that marvel the world. Today, the City and its inhabitants are utterly reliant on fossil fuel energy: 84% of the energy consumed in San Francisco comes from oil and natural gas.

Because petroleum and natural gas are finite resources, this situation cannot last. If San Francisco is to thrive in the 21st century and remain a world-class city, it must begin planning today for how to maintain itself in a postfossil fuel age….

…As production of oil and natural gas eventually begin to decline, San Francisco will face a painful adjustment – unless it prepares in advance. Experts are divided on exactly when the decline will begin, with some arguing that the peak of production may not occur until as late as the 2030s, and others positing that the peak has, in fact, already happened. Regardless of the exact date of the peak, what is clear is that the sooner the City of San Francisco addresses this looming threat and prepares for the difficult transition ahead, the better off the City and its residents will be.

It is the job of the Peak Oil Preparedness Task Force to assess the degree and nature of San Francisco’s vulnerability to an eventual, inexorable rise in fuel prices, and ultimately a scarcity in oil and natural gas.