Subsistence farming is a common lifestyle in many African states. It includes the rearing of domestic animals and the cultivation of crops for home and domestic use, as opposed to doing so for commercial purposes.

Farming of this kind is not a discipline one needs to go to university for, it is often passed from generation to generation, which in turn means it is not a science in the strictest sense.

This then makes it open to set backs due to ignorance, and lack of proper knowledge pertaining to successful farming. One such set back is the effect that improper farming methods may yield, particularly on the environment.

In the rise of global warming, climatic patterns are not as predictable and clear set out as in past times.Excessive rainfall and droughts are being recorded in countries around the world, however to the average uneducated simple farmer, a drought is countered by blind hope for a yield regardless of the prevailing conditions.

Thus in the rural areas, it is not uncommon for people to till the soil during spring and actually putting seeds to the ground, even when there have been reports of an oncoming drought.

Whilst governments do well to inform their citizens on impending natural disasters, they have the greater responsibility to advise on how to go through the drought while minimising human induced negative environmental impact, amongst other things of course.

Tilling the soil just before a drought can be catastrophic, in that the loose soil is vulnerable to wind which can blow away top soil, leaving the harder subsoil which does not effectively retain water when rains do eventually come. This may have long lasting effects on the ability of such soil to grow vegetation in the future, which in turn can lead to soil erosion.

Uneducated farmers who sometimes are inexperienced in farming under harsh conditions need to be informed on how to deal with the effects of global warming, so as to mitigate further damage to the environment.

It is no secret that the richest industrialized countries of the world owe a great deal of their wealth to exploitation of the environment and natural resources.

For a long time, the effects of such exploitation on climate change were not given due consideration, now that the subject is of great importance it becomes necessary to ask the hard questions as to who shall bear the greater burden of climate change mitigation.

Since the invention of the steam engine and industrialization, much of the west has realized tremendous economic growth and development. Great inventions in machinery and the industrial revolution brought about changes in the way we generate wealth.

Then electricity began to be used commercially to literally power the world and thus propelling development to unprecedented feats. These new discoveries and inventions were quite beneficial for Europe and North America, however for the longest time the vast majority of African states remained dark and underdeveloped.

The situation has not changed much for most of Africa.

Much of the environmentally destructive technologies have remained in hands and control of the world’s richest countries. Pound for pound, rich countries are responsible for a great deal of the carbon that has been emitted into the atmosphere since industrialisation began in England in the mid 18^th century.

The global crisis that is climate change cannot be apportioned where mitigation measures are concerned. It is not possible to divide the global sphere as it were and assign different parts of it to those held responsible.

The fight against climate change will realize results sooner by applying concerted efforts, which is why it is important that every team player in the global village be on board. That being said, it is argued that richer countries have a heavier burden to bear than developing African states. Since rich countries have benefited immensely from activity that has contributed to climate change, they must be pioneers (in a sense) in the fight against it.

The most obvious way in which this can be done is by ploughing resources in Africa. Many African countries are unable to meet the environmental obligations, or participate in a meaningful manner in climate change mitigation because of a lack of resources.

Wealthy countries should be ready to fund all programs and technical projects required by African states if they are to participate effectively.  Such funding would go a long way into training government officials, raising community awareness, developing appropriate policies and legal frameworks, and carrying out necessary rehabilitation measures.

This brand of restorative justice is more necessary than it is optional. Most African states simply cannot afford to allocate much funds to climate change and environmental matters, not with other pressing matters that take priority.

Developed countries must step up, after all they are the biggest beneficiaries of the industrialization that got the world in this mess.

From time to time we read a lot of news about innovation in the lighting industry and new means of producing light which is green and energy efficient.

Apart from electricity which powers incandescent and LED lights, solar is another option for generating power. Due to its cost and practical application this alternative source of energy is not widely used in many developing countries.

Recent research at the University of California claims kerosene lamps which are used in most part of India and Africa are more hazardous to the environment and human health than we think. Designers Martin Riddiford and Jim Reeves from London have designed a light which is powered by something present in all countries, something abundant like the sun; it is none other than gravity.

How does it work?
The GravityLight contains an LED lamp that is activated by a weight which is hanging from the lamp. The weight is filled with either sand or stones and weighs approximately 9 kg. It only takes a few seconds to lift the weight, which creates enough energy for half an an hour of light. The most intriguing part is that it does not need any battery keeping costs low, or any circuit to store the energy which is going to power the lamp. The team initially worked to produce low cost solar lights but after more than 3 years of research the gravity driven light was found to be more effective.

This unit can also power other devices such as cellphones and tablets via ports provided in the front panel of the unit. The developers are trying to reduce the cost of the unit to $5 so that the light is accessible for people in developing countries. As a first step the designers hope to gift the lights to villagers in both Africa and India to use regularly.

What an inspiring idea and a completely clean and green one too!

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In some welcome, positive news from Zimbabwe, the Southern African nation is to introduce its first ever climate legislation.

Following an increase in floods over the past decade, undoubtedly caused by climate change, the government of Zimbabwe put forward a draft bill that recognized in theory climate change as an actuality.

Yet practical action has been a long time coming. Labelled a regime by many in the international community, it is unlikely that Robert Mugabe is responsible for the decision to introduce binding regulations on pollution.

In stark contrast to floods in Western Zimbabwe, other parts of the country are experiencing crippling drought bordering on famine situations in townships heavily reliant on agriculture. The Zimbabwean government out-sourced consultation on its environmental issues to the nation’s environmental institute, whose report in-turn recommended a move towards stringent efforts in reducing pollution.

Sadly for the long suffering people of Zimbabwe, who have little say in the running of their government, the positive consequences of this new legislation are unlikely to be observable in this generation. Furthermore, no deadline has been put in place to hold the legislative process to account. Zimbabwe is no stranger to political stagnation, yet it would seem even the Mugabe government cannot falsify the existence of global warming as a threat.

There is room for optimism in the government’s recognition of the problem, particularly significant since Africa is an area where the cumulative affect global warming is likely to coagulate and cause extensive mal-distribution of resources.

What is needed in the mean-time is structural change that can support the Zimbabwean people who are unlikely to benefit from new energy policy. The domestic agenda could well do with a fresh start – only immediate intervention to help those suffering as a result of extreme weather will be of any use from a humanitarian perspective.

The emergence of Zimbabwe’s first ever climate change law is nonetheless a benchmark in the country’s slow and painful move towards greater democracy and political stability.

Arts and crafts constitute the most popular tourist attraction in Swaziland. Tourists from lands near and far are a regular sighting at the many market places shopping for Swazi culture inspired souvenirs to take back home after their holiday is done.

The traditional arts community relies heavily on the natural environment to create their art pieces. Many of these art pieces are made from raw materials found in nature such as trees, clay soil, animal hide, different types of grass, and varying types of stone. Like all manufacturers and producers that rely heavily on nature for their products, the art community also has a responsibility towards nature.

Most of the artists in Swaziland are either self-taught or are trained informally. There is absolutely nothing inferior about informal training, however one must concede that because informal training is bottom-line oriented, not much emphasis is given to the resources which sustain the art culture. So apprentices may not be trained in optimal usage of raw material, the obtaining consequence is that one may find that a whole tree is exploited for only one art piece when it could have produced more. The same goes for sustainable grass harvesting in the production of mats, and methods and many other forms of natural resource extraction.

The government of Swaziland would do well to engage with the arts community in a bid to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement. Government has an interest in keeping Swazi art and crafts alive, and it also has an interest in preventing damage to the environment when it can. It is submitted that the approach taken by government should be more support than regulation. Thus government sponsored initiatives and workshops would be highly beneficial.

The art community also has an interest in doing all that is necessary to make sure that natural resources are exploited in a manner that is sustainable.

A trend for the trend-setters. Eco fashion is becoming the hot new thing and one of the most fashionable of all is leading the way.

Stella McCartney has a new found conscience that has led her to create a range of eco-friendly sunglasses. For Spring Summer 2012, Stella McCartney launches a new ‘eco-friendly’ collection of sunglasses. It is a sustainable collection with the use of raw materials stemming from natural origins, such as castor-oil seeds and citric acid. The collection is made from over 50% natural and renewable resources, and to top it off McCartney’s offices and studios are powered by a clean energy.

You don’t get any more famous than Bono. His label Edun, along with partner Ali Hewson, is inspired by Africa. Their aim is to encourage other brands to trade with Africa in order to help lift the economies of Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008 Edun established the Conservation Cotton Initiative Uganda (CCIU) together with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Invisible Children. CCIU provides funding, training and enterprise support to cotton farmers to help build sustainable businesses in Northern Uganda, one of the poorest areas of Uganda which is recovering from 25 years of civil war.

Katharine Hamnett is a tireless advocate for environmental issues and has been since the 1980′s. Katharine is a true campaigner for the use of organic cotton. Her iconic slogan tees are produced to the highest environmentally friendly standards and are the height of eco-chic.

Marc Jacobs has recently opened an eco-friendly flagship store in Tokyo. The building is a multi-level glass and rock building that is ecologically sound. He creates eco-friendly tote bags that are super cute too.

American Apparel reduces their carbon footprint wherever possible and they reuse and recycle most materials in the company. They have solar panels on their large factory and feature a 100% organic cotton range.

So forget straw-like hemp sacks as fashion. You can be fabulous and eco-friendly all at the same fashionable time!