Twitter Transcript of JAGs Contribution to the City of Joburgs Growth and Development Strategy Public Participation Process Theme:

Environment 21 September 2011 (Read from the bottom up - most recent tweet at the top)

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov OK folks, it's bye-bye for now ... :)) @GDS2040 1 minute ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup RT @JoburgAdvocacy: #jgov Yay! Found a pic of the Obs food garden too: http://yfrog.com/kheqdurj @GDS2040 2 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup RT @JoburgAdvocacy: #jgov Check it out! Pic of azaleas in Rome in the spring: http://yfrog.com/nvu2jxj @GDS2040 2 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov And finally for this evening, check out the awesome Cities in Transition Network: http://www.transitionnetwork.org/ @GDS2040 3 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup Sadly, we're not amongst them at present :)) RT @S_P_S: Here is a useless stat - 0.7% of the world's population is drunk at any one time. 6 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup

#jgov Yay! Found a pic of the Obs food garden too: http://yfrog.com/kheqdurj 7 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Check it out! Pic of azaleas in Rome in the spring: http://yfrog.com/nvu2jxj 8 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov In Rome the city puts out potted azaleas on the Spanish Steps every spring - HUGE tourist attraction. @GDS2040 9 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We also LOVE the idea of street-level container gardens. Cities like Rome and Sydney do this very well. @GDS2040 13 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We're also all for greening the city's roofs. Not such a wild idea - check out Green Roofs for Healthy Cities: http://bit.ly/1XJj1 17 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Businesses can also sponsor food garden start-ups - lots of benefits to environment, ppl & sponsors. More here: http://bit.ly/q0G7UG 19 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup Cupcakes aren't the size of VW beetles :)) RT @TOMolefe: Complete this sentence, "When ideas and reality do battle..." 21 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Hey, there's sunshine all winter and lots in summer, so Jozi's ahead of the game on that one! @GDS2040 22 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov The #CoJ shld also take the lead on renewable energy at local level. @GDS2040 23 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Residents who can afford it shld also consider using green power rather than Eskom power. More here: http://bit.ly/nP1SU7 25 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Geysers account for approx. 36% of domestic power usage. @GDS2040 27 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Back on the climate change issue: suggest solar geysers be mandatory in all new buildings. @GDS2040 27 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup Heheh! For short distances only! RT @dacritic: @JoburgAdvocacy hopefully your bicycle have some motor where you don't cycle alot #lazy 28 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @katarsus Also suggest setting up an active residents' association. See e.g. the I Love Kensington Assoc's FB page: http://t.co/yf9RBfOJ 29 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @katarsus Chat to your ward councillor for a start. There's a list in our document archive: http://t.co/AsGzbu4w. @GDS2040 31 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup :)) RT @WorthITfin: YES! RT @JoburgAdvocacy: #jgov How about considering spot fines for littering? 33 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @katarsus Infrastructure has to be developed to accommodate bicycles e.g. dedicated bicycle paths. @GDS 2040 33 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov In Oxford (England), the town's pedestrianised zone features buskers and street performers GREAT! @GDS2040 34 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Pedestrianised zones also make cities more people-friendly :)). @GDS 2040 35 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We also like the idea of pedestrianised zones that are off-limits to cars and trucks. @GDS2040 36 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Bicycles are used very successfully in cities as diverse as Beijing, Ottawa, Amsterdam and Florence (Italy). @GDS2040 37 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Back on the issue of climate change, we're all for making Joburg a bicycle- and bicycle taxifriendly city :)) @GDS2040 38 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @WorthITfin Zactly! We also like the idea of indigenous healing plant gardens :)) @GDS2040 39 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @amandzing Will DM you contact details for Observatory Food Garden. 43 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @katarsus We feel there's a need for both forms of transport and that they can work together rather than in opposition. @GDS2040 52 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @katarsus Any time! And yeah, access to clean water is actually guaranteed in Section 27 of the Bill of Rights. @GDS2040 53 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Informal settlements built on vulnerable flood plains should also be a priority. @GDS2040 56 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We also need to improve our stormwater drainage system as rainfall increases. @GDS2040 57 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov In terms of climate change, we also need to improve public transport in order to reduce dependence on private vehicles. @GDS2040 58 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @katarsus All of the #CoJ's by-laws can be accessed and downloaded here: http://t.co/jtnyziR8 59 minutes ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov More info. about carbon footprint calculations here: http://bit.ly/aSvrq 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @dacritic Yeah, again, the selling of 'street food' needs to be regulated - for environmental as well as health & safety reasons. #Dangerous 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov The term 'carbon footprint' refers to the amount of greenhouse gases we produce in our dayto-day activities. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Start by using the Food and Trees for Africa carbon footprint calculator to determine your carbon footprint: http://bit.ly/aszhgR 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov And, yeah, more long-term we need to consider how to mitigate and manage the effects of climate change. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @dacritic #CoJ needs to assist by providing adequate bins and refuse collection services. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup @ @dacritic Yeah, we're in favour of a SMALL "stall fee", as it encourages pride and ownership. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Food and Trees for Africa runs a great buy-a-tree scheme - fab gifts, memorials or carbon offsets. See http://bit.ly/9Sh95z 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov The #CoJ is the largest cultivated forest in the world. How cool is THAT?? @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov As far as greening the environment is concerned, we're ahead of the pack in that one :)). @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Two very successful food gardens are being run in Observatory and Kensington, and there are several in Soweto. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov At community level, we love the idea of using fallow municipal land for community food gardens. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We're all for informal trade, but we do believe it needs to be regulated. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov And we're really against live chickens being sold in the streets (for all sorts of reasons)! @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov More: environmental by-laws need to be strictly enforced - including by-laws concerning overdensification. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Media campaigns to communicate the importance of recycling cld also be very successful. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov They cld be given microloans to buy collection carts and cld take recycling to decentralised Pikitup collection points. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Existing informal recyclers cld be incentivised to assist with this. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov On recycling: we're all for mandatory recycling. It's a must in any big city. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov In parks: how about fragrance gardens for visually-challenged people? Communities cld get involved in setting them up. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup Revenue cld be used to place more litter bins and employ more people to manage them. RT @katarsus: @JoburgAdvocacy spot fines very good idea 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We also LOVE the run-through fountain in the Orlando West park - great idea for inner-city parks. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov On the subject of parks, what about a programme of sponsored benches? Revenue could be used to maintain and improve parks. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Oh, and dog poop bins in all City Parks! :)) @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov How about considering spot fines for littering? This works very successfully in other big cities, like London. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Other important environmental issues include littering and recycling. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Local Caxton newspapers wld also surely be keen to be media partners for an initiative like this. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Prizes cld include, for instance, night tours of the Joburg Zoo or trips to the Botanical Gardens in Roodepoort. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov This wld encourage environmental awareness from an early age and fun prizes would create lots of interest. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov How about an annual essay competition for learners in primary and secondary schools in the #CoJ? @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We also believe environmental education needs to be high on the city's agenda. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgiv Ageing sewage systems in older suburbs get flooded regularly during the summer, and raw sewage then flows into river systems. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov A complete audit of the stormwater and sewage systems around rivers and lakes needs to be undertaken. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Again the #CoJ needs to spearhead action on issues like these because they affect the city's residents directly. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Action on this and the Jukskei River has been floundering partly due to lack of cooperation between diff. levels of govt. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Bruma Lake, for example, has E. Coli levels thousands of times higher than the safety levels set by the EPA in the USA. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Another urgent environmental issue is the quality of surface water (i.e. rivers and streams). @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov The people of the city have a LOT to lose if AMD isn't managed properly, so we feel the #CoJ shld take the lead on this. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov It cld also work with civil society orgs. like the Federation for a Sustainable Environment to plan and implement solutions. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov This task team could then drive communications with other levels of govt. and facilitate action on the AMD issue. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov We'd suggest that the city set up an AMD task team as a matter of urgency. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov And while we understand AMD isn't only a local govt. issue, we feel the #CoJ has a critical role to play in managing it. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov While AMD is a legacy issue, how it is managed now is a governance issue. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov AMD in the central mining basin below the #CoJ is also likely to reach environment-critical levels within the next year. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov If urgent action isn't taken on AMD soon, decants can be expected on the East Rand within a year. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Highly acidic and radioactive AMD is already "decanting" on the West Rand. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov Some scientists have called AMD "the greatest environmental challenge SA has ever faced". @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov To start with acid mine drainage (AMD) is an issue that requires urgent attention. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov While we agree that climate change is an important long-term focus, we feel the the #CoJ needs to get the basics right first. @GDS2040 1 hour ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov The @GDS2040 web site states that climate changes is "one of the major challenges to be taken into consideration". 2 hours ago

JoburgAdvocacyJoburgAdvocacyGroup #jgov This week's @GDS2040 theme is the environment. More here: http://t.co/b3FNtxCG 2 hours ago