21 november 2003 environmental education & communication re. energy lindie buirski tel: (021)...
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21 NOVEMBER 2003
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION RE. ENERGY
Lindie BuirskiTel: (021) 487 2839E-mail: [email protected]
CITY ENERGY STRATEGIES CONFERENCE
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING STRATEGY
BACKGROUND
The City of Cape Town (CCT) has adopted an Integrated Metropolitan Environmental Policy (IMEP) in which environmental education is identified as both a strategy, and a tool in other sectoral environmental strategies. This EE & T Strategy, adopted in October this year is a framework for planning and implementation and aims to:
• guide decisions regarding environmental education and training in the CCT• ensure that the achievements and quality of current best practice is maintained• address concerns regarding environmental education and training, and link the CCT’s programmes to broader initiatives.
STRATEGIC GOALS:
1. The citizens of Cape Town are environmentally aware and able to share proper responsibility,
and
2. CCT staff are competent in environmental matters pertaining to their responsibilities.
TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ARE:
1. Provide adequate systems and resources for EE & T
2. Include environmental awareness in induction and refresher programmes
3. Help Council & managers understand the CCT’s environmental responsibilities
4. Provide customised environmental training for workers & managers
5. Develop & resource the education and training implications of IMEP6. Make available accessible, high quality environmental (management)
information
7. Align school initiatives with Department of Education programmes and Curriculum 2005
8. Provide EE & T programmes and ensure their quality9. Improve efficiency and effectiveness of CCT EE & training
10. Set up channels for the sharing of resources, lessons learnt and ‘best practice’.
11. Establish performance criteria for EE & T
12. Seek NQF accreditation and utilise the Skills Levy for staff environmental training
13. Develop and resource the CCT nature reserves as key implementation sites for EE and, where relevant, training
A Strategic Approach should be adopted, consisting of:• Focused, goal directed programmes• Influence on and provision of information to other agencies• Partnerships• Internal collaboration.
Environmental Education (EE) is not confined to the classroom and not aimed only at children; despite the formal ring to the term ‘education’, it has life-long relevance to people from all walks of life. It is integral part of the socio-economic development processes required to ensure equality and a better quality of life for all. EE is an interactive process and encourage learners (youth and adults) to participate actively in the learning process: asking questions, making contributions, investigating issues and developing solutions with others. EE encourages critical thinking, address values and commitments, help learners to solve problems and make informed decisions and develop the ability to act with understanding.
Education needs to provide skills to take action.
Environmental communications is a more limited endeavour, with a specific task of getting specific information or ideas across to people, seen here not as ‘learners’ but as ‘target audiences’. While a communication campaign can be a valuable component of environmental education, the processes should not be confused. Communications is generally more a one-way process, than interactive. It is not open-ended, as it aims to change a limited set of behaviours in defined ways. Information (e.g. a pamphlet on water shortages) and messages (e.g. a “Don’t Litter” poster) can raise awareness and can be used for educational processes, but cannot on their own achieve the required educational outcomes outlined above.
ENERGY EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION
CASE STUDIES
21 HOUSEHOLD PROJECT Grace Stead
BACKGROUND
21 Households is a Local Agenda 21 (LA21) project that aims to concretise sustainable development for everyday life so that the ordinary people can live and act more sustainably. The idea of the project is to implement the objectives of Agenda 21 relating to economic, ecological and social issues, at a household level. This project has successfully been implemented in Germany and has been specially adapted for Cape Town by German volunteers.
21 private households from along the Lansdowne / Wetton corridor (Wynberg, Mannenberg and Khayelitsha areas) were taught how to become actively involved in the sustainable management of their lifestyles.
COMMUNICATION & EDUCATION (Target audience: Communities)
The project was run over nine months where the various households got together twice a month, once for a workshop and once for an outing. Each month had a different theme that was discussed, namely: Waste & Recycling, Energy, Water, Culture, Transport & Housing, Environment & Nutrition, Safety & Security, Finance & Conflict Management.
During the workshops and outings households learned of better ecological behaviour through information sharing, e.g. how to recycle practical ways or how to reduce waste, how to save energy and water, how to build a food garden and how to live healthier. Households were also encouraged to raise local issues and bring in their own suggestions to help making life in their community more sustainable in the future.
Energy Theme: Energy is a basic need; therefore it was important to keep this in mind during the planning of the 21 Households project. This is important because 20% (one fifth) of low-income groups’ income (in informal settlements) goes towards energy provision. Therefore it was considered important to inform the households of different energy options and how this impacts on their daily lives
Objectives of Workshop and Outing were to raise awareness:
* of the different energy sources * on how one can save energy
* of the importance of energy * on safety around the home
* on the importance of integration of energy into housing
Comments and suggestions from households: See energy as a basic need, it should be incorporated in all the themes and energy must not be focused on in isolation, but as an ongoing process in relationship to other themes. (E.g. Energy & Housing, Energy & Transport, etc). A greater focus on practical experience was emphazised.
An independent audit was done on each household at the start of the project to determine their level of use and this was compared with an audit at the end of the project.
Results (Energy theme)The audits indicated some change in lifestyle:- Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs well used, but marginal differece at households level- Khayelitsha households all used parafien for cooking, Mannenberg households all used gas and the Wynberg households gas and electricity.- Interesting was that most people in Khayeltsha had one or more fridge/freezer as they buy bulk.- None of the Khayeltisha or Mannenberg households had hot water geysers.Lessons learnt: Changes were made where the people had opportunities (free CFL bulbs e.g.) but few people used their own initiative due to the high cost implication.
THE WAY FORWARD- To Link the 21 Households project to the City’s Servicing Informal Settlement project (+ 140 settlements with an estimated 78 000 dwelling units) by looking at themes like water, waste, energy, safety and security and community building.
PARTNERS on the Energy theme
Development Action Group (DAG), Sustainable Energy Association (SEA) and Sustainable Energy & Environmental Development (SEED)
For more information:Grace Stead
(021) 918 7424E-mail: [email protected]
BUILD SAFE & LIVE SAFE PROJECT Monwabisi Booi
This project is aimed at improving the living conditions of people living in informal settlements, low-income areas and RDP housing.
The aims are:
- To capacitate communities to build and maintain their residential areas in a safe and health manner
- To help communities use energy in a safe, efficient and healthy manner
- To assist implementing agencies to plan and implement their projects integrating energy and environmental issues.
COMMUNICATION & EDUCATION (Target audience: Communities and Schools)• Established a demonstration centre.
• Produced a video called 'Home Sweet Home’ for use in the centre and during presentations.
• Implemented a greening project: Planted 1500 trees in Kuyasa settlement to green the area and to stabilize the dune sand.
• Embarked on an energy and environmental awareness raising programme amongst schools.
• Energy Workshops with teachers (primary and secondary schools)
• A Drama competition for Secondary schools and an Arts competition for Primary schools were organised around energy issues as discussed during the workshop.
• Organised Sustainable Housing Training for building inspectors (done by Development Action Group). This training is a shift towards a more educational approach in addition to traditional law enforcement.
• Limited numbers of information flyers available
• Article on the project published in the City’s Environmental Leaflet
DEMONSTRATION CENTRE- The Demonstration Centre has exhibits that practically demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency, use of renewable energy and alternative building materials. - Illustrative posters, pamphlets and books inform the public about building and energy ‘best practices’.
THE WAY FORWARD- Road-show to strategic areas of Khayelitsha, whereafter it will be housed at a strategic location that is frequently visited.
- Continue the annual Sustainable Housing Training for building inspectors as well as planners and housing practitioners.
- Possible link to the Servicing Informal Settlements project.
- Find funding and capacity to continue the energy and environmental awareness raising programme amongst schools.
- Additional exhibits needed (e.g. water and waste).
PARTNERS
SEED, Abalimi Bezekhaya, Ward 98 Development Forum, Bonesa, Development Action Group and SSN Chrysalis
ELECTRIFICATION OF INFORMAL TOWNSHIPS
Neil February, Thabo Macholo & Lunga BoboBACKGROUND
The objectives of the project are:- To eliminate the illegal wiring crossing public roads around informal settlements which are a danger to the public.
- To provide electrical connections to entrepreneurs operating spaza shops and taverns.
- To provide electricity to community facilities such as halls and crèches.
- To provide electricity supplies to as many dwellings as possible within the limits of engineering practicalities in order to raise living standards, stimulate home industries and enable students to study at night.
- To render the supply of electricity to informal townships as safe as possible in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
- To address the following Strategic Priorities determined by Council:• An equity and redistribution strategy; A strategy to target zones of poverty and/or social disintegration; An economic development and job‑creation strategy; he promotion of community safety.
READY BOARD
- Provide light in dwellings, even in shacks.- The connection cost is R1 300 per dwelling. The customer pays a subsidised fee of R154. Every time you buy electricity 14% will be deducted till you’ve paid the full R154. No cash is exchanged.- Get 30 units free. This works out @ 40cents per unit = R12 per month, to get this you have to use your card and buy your free units from a vendor. A high % of people only use this 30 units per month.- There is a toll free number for problems.- If people do not use their board it can be detected and they then get a visit from the team to find out why.- On average the team install 800 – 1000 boards per month
COMMUNICATION & EDUCATION (Target audience: Communities)
- After identification of an area the team approach the ward councillor, community leader and civic organisation to explain the project.- The Road show bus was used to communicate and educate people around energy issues and how to work a Ready Board (unfortunately no longer in use)- During an ‘Open day’(workshop) possible customers receive information around the save use of electricity and affordability of the Ready Board and the dangers of illegal or unauthorized connections.- Materials used during the workshop: brochure, display boards, colour charts on energy issues.- After the workshop people can apply for a Ready Board.- New customers get a pre-installation visit. During installation, people again get trained on how to use the board, they also get a Starter Pack (e.g. meter gets pre-loaded). After some time they will get a post installation visit to see if everything is working ok.
THE WAY FORWARD Possible connection to the Servicing of Informal Settlements Project
Continued education drive, and installations
More publicity to promote the ‘project
More and focussed staff training – professional development of City staff.
For more information:Neil February083 630 7963
E-mail: [email protected]
IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE TYGERBERG ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IN PAROW
Lodewyk Jansen & David Christopher
BACKGROUND
The City of Cape Town is embarking on a programme to save energy as a part of the Cape Town Energy Strategy: Cities for Climate Protection Programme. Part of this programme involves improving the energy efficiency of buildings used by the City, where opportunities for saving huge amounts of electricity and money have been identified.
The project initiater, Mark Borchers, Director of Energy Develpment Group, did a survey to decide which of the Bellville or Tygerberg Administration Building in Parow to choose for the project. Parow was chosen because it is smaller making it more manageable, with supportive and enthusiastic staff, its reputation for taking the lead with new ideas, and the already identified savings opportunities.
Why save energy?
1) To reduce the environmental impact of energy use
2) To save money
It has been estimated that the Tygerberg Administration building can save about130 000 kilowatt-hours (or units) of electricity per year. This means a saving ofabout R 37 000 and 140 tons of CO2 per year.
The aim:- To reduce the electicity consumption at the Tygerberg Administration building by 20% by November 2003.
- This was achieved on 13 November 2003! This means a reduction of 12.1 tons C02 and monetary savings in excess of R3 190 per month.
- Congratulation to the team!
How will electricity be saved at the Tygerberg Building?Phase one: Technical interventions1. Changing all the incandescent (bulb) lights to compact fluorescent lights (480
replacements).2. Solar water heating – replacing main hot water cylinders in the building. This reduces
electricity use for water heating by about 50%.3. Timers on the hot water geysers4. More efficient urns –– called Hydroboils.
Phase two: Staff behaviour change regarding electricity use:1. Switch off lights when leaving the office, even for an hour.2. Switch off the air conditioner when leaving the office for an hour or two.3. Turn the airconditioner thermostat so it doesn’t heat or cool the office as much – sometimes
people set it to ‘max’ without thinking.4. Don’t rely on the airconditioner only – sensible dressing also saves much electricity (if it’s
cold wear a jersey in the office!)5. Set your computer to ‘hibernate’ when not used for more than half an hour, and switch off
the computer when you leave the office for more than 2 hours.
COMMUNICATION & EDUCATION (Target audience: City of Cape Town Staff)
Phase one (technical interventions)
Regular e-mails on the background, progress, feedback and the way forward.
A project brochure with a compact fluorescent bulb for each staff member sponsored by Nova Lighting.
Article in staff newspaper, Contact.
Osram’s booklet on availbale energy saving devices
Information Boards (Savings Chart) in Foyer for the public and at the lifts for the staff on the progress of the project. This gets updated weekly
Phase two (focus on staff behaviour change.)Questionnaire to all staff (still in the process of analysing this) Whatch this space!
THE WAY FORWARDContinues monitoring and staff feedback.Information Board Savings Chart updates on a regular basis.Possible Item to council to ‘sell’ the project (Hopefully once the project has shown what can be done, it is expected that the programme will be rolled out to other City buildings)
For more information:David Christopher
Tel: (021) 938 8067E-mail: [email protected]
SUMMARY
Various City staff members are taking on additional roles as educators and communicators for projects, but they do not always get the recognition for what they do in this regard. They need to get more support and get exposed to professional development opportunities like attending conferences like these.
We cannot fix our energy problems by technology alone. We need to communicate and educate people alongside technological developments.