Click below to listen to the Ear 4 the Earth Series podcast
Food feature:
Water feature:
Recycling feature:
Energy feature:
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Killing your babies
Yes I know it's hardly the description you'd expect from a sound editor or a journalist of any nature, but this term is the territory of editors around the world. It describes the act of deleting and deleting and deleting awesome sound (or material) because you simply don't need it, or it wont fit. In my case, it will not fit. My slots are only ten minutes each and I want to stick to the professionalism assigned.
As 4 ten minuters, it's an easier idea to market and sell, and it just makes it more broadcastable as it is an easy number to fit into a Radio Grahamstown schedule. Editing otherwise is going well, but it is slow work and there is a lot of sound to listen through. The problem is I have so much that I lose track of what I want to keep while picking up mroe material that I want to keep an hour into the audio.
I am getting better at this process though for sure...compared to previously in the year, and I am able to kill my babies and move on a lot quicker. Im quite happy with most of the sound I have although I think I could've got more for a greater scope for the electricity feature. Although the Wind Farm issue iss the major thing on the lips of Grahamstonians and the potential it holds for us to move closer to an independent and greener town. So from this point of viewm I knew I wanted to focus on Garth Cambray's views, backed by some others.
I am enjoying putting the series together and look forward to any other projects of a similar nature soon, especially for communtiy radio where you can refer to places and people a locals, and build that sense of community that a small place like this really has going for it.
keep track for some audio uploads soon!
As 4 ten minuters, it's an easier idea to market and sell, and it just makes it more broadcastable as it is an easy number to fit into a Radio Grahamstown schedule. Editing otherwise is going well, but it is slow work and there is a lot of sound to listen through. The problem is I have so much that I lose track of what I want to keep while picking up mroe material that I want to keep an hour into the audio.
I am getting better at this process though for sure...compared to previously in the year, and I am able to kill my babies and move on a lot quicker. Im quite happy with most of the sound I have although I think I could've got more for a greater scope for the electricity feature. Although the Wind Farm issue iss the major thing on the lips of Grahamstonians and the potential it holds for us to move closer to an independent and greener town. So from this point of viewm I knew I wanted to focus on Garth Cambray's views, backed by some others.
I am enjoying putting the series together and look forward to any other projects of a similar nature soon, especially for communtiy radio where you can refer to places and people a locals, and build that sense of community that a small place like this really has going for it.
keep track for some audio uploads soon!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Waterless toilets!
Today I managed to sit down for a great interview with Nikki Kohly, Safety, Health & Environmental Officer in the Rhodes University Estates Division. Her insights were awesome to say the least...very inspired and inspiring. I will use quite a bit of her interview in my piece because she spoke well to the inequalities that exist in Grahamstown and the opportunity that is possible to make our water situation better. She outline very well the need for better ablution, and the need that there is for proper water supply, as well as the science of water.
The sustainability that goes into her household and garden is an example of what one person can do to make a difference, a big difference. I look forward to the addition she has made to my series.
At the moment I am also trying to get creative making a jingle for the show. Its proving tough. Couple days to go till its hopefully done!! Thanks again to Nikki, as well as Robyn Hills who gave me an in depth desciption into permaculture, how people can take better advantage of their gardens, and agriculture, whether its a couple of trees, a veg garden or in their diet. So far, so good...couple more interviews today and Im getting there! :)
The sustainability that goes into her household and garden is an example of what one person can do to make a difference, a big difference. I look forward to the addition she has made to my series.
At the moment I am also trying to get creative making a jingle for the show. Its proving tough. Couple days to go till its hopefully done!! Thanks again to Nikki, as well as Robyn Hills who gave me an in depth desciption into permaculture, how people can take better advantage of their gardens, and agriculture, whether its a couple of trees, a veg garden or in their diet. So far, so good...couple more interviews today and Im getting there! :)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Rubbish and stuff
So I've just come back from a very enlightening interview with the main voice on my Recycling feature, Angie Thompson. She heads up the Masihluhle recycling project at the rubbish dump in Grahamstown, and together with a staff of 19 (at present) they do some serious work that is out of the way, and what your average resident forgets about as soon as they put their waste in the bin.
What I have seen today is that the 2 bag system, that has been recently put in place in Grahamstown, is actually working. What this does is it encourages residents to divide their waste into recyclables, and other waste by putting 'normal' waste in black bags, and recyclable waste in clear or orange bags. What it does essentially and practically is helps those who are employed up at the dump to sort through our waste.
Masihluhlue employs a staff to sort through this waste and there is space for much more employment so that mroe waste can be sorted and more waste can be recycled. According to Angie, most of the rubbish that we throw away is recyclable stuff, and people are getting involved slowly but surely.
She really spoke well and passionately and I hope to do this establishment justice so that more Grahamstonians can see that the recycling project is a success in the making.
What I have seen today is that the 2 bag system, that has been recently put in place in Grahamstown, is actually working. What this does is it encourages residents to divide their waste into recyclables, and other waste by putting 'normal' waste in black bags, and recyclable waste in clear or orange bags. What it does essentially and practically is helps those who are employed up at the dump to sort through our waste.
Masihluhlue employs a staff to sort through this waste and there is space for much more employment so that mroe waste can be sorted and more waste can be recycled. According to Angie, most of the rubbish that we throw away is recyclable stuff, and people are getting involved slowly but surely.
She really spoke well and passionately and I hope to do this establishment justice so that more Grahamstonians can see that the recycling project is a success in the making.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Food and Water
Not many people out there understand the amount of water it takes to produce the things they love. I recently interviewed Kath McConnachie, the head of Rhodes Organisation for Animal Rights. She is very knowledgeable about these kind fo things, specifically realting to food production, and is a firm activist in ths arena. She was easy to interview and provided lots of statistics and mind-boggling facts. I will definitely use a lot of her stuff to direct clarity on the issue to the community. Let's look at some of the stuff she presented as well as some further research I have done.
It takes 14 litres of water to convert a chicken into a carcass for consumption.
For a cow it takes about 900 litres, a pig takes 300 litres and a sheep 250 litres.
Looking further into this, and to gain some perspective on the matter: If every South African family ate one less chicken a month, it would save 1.5 billion litres of water per year. That is enough drinking water for 21, 000 low income families for a year. This is according to Compassion in World Farming.
According to Water Footprints, it takes as much as 90 litres of water to produce 1 pint of beer, 600 litres to produce a 2 litre soda bottle, and a startling 2,270 litres of water to produce one single pair of Levi's jeans.
Im not only finding my research helpful for my show, but enlightening for my own awareness too.
I hope you follow me on this journey to a more sustainable lifestyle!
It takes 14 litres of water to convert a chicken into a carcass for consumption.
For a cow it takes about 900 litres, a pig takes 300 litres and a sheep 250 litres.
Looking further into this, and to gain some perspective on the matter: If every South African family ate one less chicken a month, it would save 1.5 billion litres of water per year. That is enough drinking water for 21, 000 low income families for a year. This is according to Compassion in World Farming.
According to Water Footprints, it takes as much as 90 litres of water to produce 1 pint of beer, 600 litres to produce a 2 litre soda bottle, and a startling 2,270 litres of water to produce one single pair of Levi's jeans.
Im not only finding my research helpful for my show, but enlightening for my own awareness too.
I hope you follow me on this journey to a more sustainable lifestyle!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Welcome to my blog!
Howzit! and welcome to Ear 4 the Earth!
This series of shows focuses on issues of the environment that have become important globally, but also in my small town Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
I am very passionate about the beauty of the world we live in, but having grown up in the bush and all over Southern Africa, the local effects on the environment hold a special place with me.
With the Eastern Cape being the economically poorest regiono of South Africa, there is a large demographic who do not understand or even know that there is a crisis on our hands. I want to target the people of Grahamstown through our local Radio Grahamstown, and introduce them to the issues that are becoming an increasing worry. I am focusing on Food/Health, Water, Energy, and Recycling, outlining the topics and enlightening people to how easy a solution in one's lifestyle can be.
At the moment I am doing the Food feature. Look out for more blogs and podcasts to follow the progress of the 'Carbon Cutout'. I am hoping to build this as a model or template that can be followed and implemented in other communities or towns, making way for local by local environmental change. Enjoy!
This series of shows focuses on issues of the environment that have become important globally, but also in my small town Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
I am very passionate about the beauty of the world we live in, but having grown up in the bush and all over Southern Africa, the local effects on the environment hold a special place with me.
With the Eastern Cape being the economically poorest regiono of South Africa, there is a large demographic who do not understand or even know that there is a crisis on our hands. I want to target the people of Grahamstown through our local Radio Grahamstown, and introduce them to the issues that are becoming an increasing worry. I am focusing on Food/Health, Water, Energy, and Recycling, outlining the topics and enlightening people to how easy a solution in one's lifestyle can be.
At the moment I am doing the Food feature. Look out for more blogs and podcasts to follow the progress of the 'Carbon Cutout'. I am hoping to build this as a model or template that can be followed and implemented in other communities or towns, making way for local by local environmental change. Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)