City to Host Youth Environmental School Climate Change and Energy Week

The City of Cape Town's Environmental Resource Management, Disaster Risk Management and Electricity Services Departments will be hosting a Climate Change and Energy Week from 16 to 19 August 2010. The focus will be on electricity savings/safety and Disaster Risk Management.

There is no doubt that temperatures are rising and climates are changing - causing rising sea levels and flooding, changing rainfall patterns (more floods in places while some areas will become dry and desert-like) and a decline in the availability of fresh water. It will affect our living conditions (extreme storms and heat), our food supplies (serious shortages of food in Africa) and our health (rising temperatures, more pests, more illness). Cape Town and its surrounding region, as well as our emerging economy, are particularly vulnerable to a changing climate.

South Africa also faces many years of electricity supply shortage, and rising prices. Some challenges in life may make us feel powerless, but in this case we all have the power to be part of the solution. We all have the power to save. Using electricity more efficiently at home saves money, helps save the Earth's resources and reduces climate change impact.

The City is developing a significant Electricity Saving Campaign. It is aimed at encouraging Cape Town's residents to improve their efforts to become more energy efficient at home and reduce their electricity consumption by at least ten percent (10%).

It may seem daunting, but knowledge allows us to prepare ourselves. The most important thing is that we know what to do about the problem - we just have to change our knowledge into actions!

The aim of Climate Change and Energy Week is to make learners from primary and high schools across Cape Town aware of the following:

• The effects of climate change on our biodiversity.
• Alternative energy sources.
• The story of electricity and energy.
• Adaptation and mitigation measures that we can take and put in place.
• Climate change is increasing disasters, droughts, extreme storms and desertification.
• How to save electricity.
• Street light vandalism and electricity safety.
• What we can do to make a difference.

Learners will learn more about all of these issues through plays, presentations, music, and visiting interesting places like Kirstenbosch and the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.

This week forms part of the City's Youth Environmental School (YES) Programme and is hosted in partnership with Jungle Theatre Company, Centre for Conservation Education, South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Eskom and Metro Rail.

Issued by:
Communication Department
City of Cape Town