What sort of future do you want? A green one – or a bleak one?

David Wolstenholme, Director of the Natural & Organic Products Exhibition.

One way to begin is to adopt an environmentally sound lifestyle, and do our utmost to ensure that others do so as well – and that includes pressuring individuals, businesses, industries and others to get their act together – before it's too late.

The clock is ticking and it's The 11th hour

Our sick planet deserves our immediate action. This is according to The 11th Hour, a documentary narrated and produced by Leonardo di Caprio, recently presented as an exclusive preview by the Natural & Organic Products Exhibition, which took place in Cape Town between 12-14 October. The movie is not scheduled to open in South Africa until 16 November, 2007.

The film uses a compelling collage of images and commentary from more than 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders, to point to the opportunity for the current generation to help heal the planet. While warning viewers that we have a limited amount of time in order to repair our damaged environment, offers a message of hope.

Exploring how humanity has arrived at its ‘11th hour' – or the last moment when change is possible – the film outlines how humankind's activities during its short time on the planet have disrupted the delicate balance that makes life on Earth possible, as well as what we can do to reduce our impact on the environment.

“The 11th Hour is a call to action to reconsider how we live and what we eat; all to the benefit of our planet,” observes David Wolstenholme*. “We have a shared responsibility – wherever we live and whatever we do – to live sustainable lifestyles.”

Sustainable living means balancing today's needs with the needs of future generations of life on the Earth. It is a deliberate lifestyle choice characterised by personal responsibility, appropriate use of technologies, cooperative economics, individual resourcefulness and simply consuming less. Effectively, sustainable living involves an attitude that we are all stewards of the environment who have a responsibility to live in harmony with Nature, something that has been upset since the start of the industrial revolution.

Fortunately, South Africans are the most concerned about climate change and its effects, according to a recent survey by Synovate among respondents in 21 countries. It would follow then that local consumers are open to various lifestyle changes to improve the health of our planet and encourage others to do the same.

Anticipating the desire of many South Africans to learn how to lighten their ecological footprint, the fourth annual Natural & Organic Products Exhibition that took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 12-14 October, featured more than 250 exhibitors to educate and assist consumers looking to ‘go green'.

Now South Africa's largest authentic natural and organic forum, the exhibition provided a wide range of natural and organic food, cosmetics and body care products, as well as cleaning materials, building technologies, eco-fashions and home textiles for living a more sustainable lifestyle. The exhibition also featured a Lifestyle Stage program with more than 50 presentations, workshops and shows, plus an Organic Wine Garden, Conscious Cooking Corner and a Love Fresh Love Local food pavilion.

“Now is the time to take some simple steps to change the way we live in order to meaningfully rehabilitate the Earth,” adds Wolstenholme.

For more information, visit http://www.naturalandorganic.co.za/no.

Go organic to rejuvenate SA's declining agri-business sector

Turning to the subject of South Africa's agri-business sector, Wolstenholme says the sector is not living up to its potential and the organics industry could be the answer to this declining sector, as well feeding South Africans, creating jobs and preserving the health of our soil, air and water.

“Currently, agriculture is dragging down South Africa's economic growth rate. Land reform has been an abysmal failure. Equally as troubling, other African countries are beating us to the punch with their focus on organic farming and food production. In doing so, they are creating thousands of jobs and supplying quality produce for both their domestic and international markets,” he writes.

The concern about what we eat and where it comes from is fuelling the organics industry. But even though it is the fastest growing segment in the food sector with 30% annual growth, the organics industry remains grossly undersupplied.

Food safety is, and will continue to be, a significant global issue. The recent high-stakes trade battle between two of the world's powerhouse food producers, namely China and the United States, threatens to pull many other countries, including South Africa, into a new era of more rigorous inspections for food exports and production practices.

Beyond the rhetoric and political posturing, however, China has quietly set aside 250,000 sq. km of land for certifiable organic food production. The ramifications of this are enormous.

How South Africa responds to the challenge of global food safety and organic food supply will be a major factor in determining its place as a leader in African economic growth, innovation, sustainable living and environmental stewardship.

Unfortunately, when it comes to organics, South Africa is not a leader. Comparable economies such as Brazil, Columbia and Argentina are far ahead. In fact, there are several African countries we would do well to emulate, for example:

•Kenya has created two million farming jobs (the majority of whom are women) growing organic vegetables and a further million jobs growing flowers for the European Union.
•In Uganda there are 35,000 certified organic cotton farmers and a further 15,000 in conversion. The price for their cotton is 60% higher than conventional (i.e. grown with GM seed and using fertilizer) cotton. In South Africa, there isn't one organically certified cotton farm.

At the other end of the supply chain, retailers around the world are taking the lead in ‘going green.' The American juggernaut Wal-Mart – the world's largest retailer – is the largest seller of organic milk and has placed a put option to buy the world's entire organic cotton. Whole Foods, the leading retailer of natural and organic foods is now the fastest growing retailer worldwide.

In South Africa, we desperately need a far-reaching green strategy that encompasses the entire supply chain, from farming practices to processing and marketing. Organic farming could be an answer to job creation and form the base for our economy to grow at similar rates to both China and India.

This organic, job creation opportunity is one that South Africa cannot afford to miss. I challenge the government and private sector to recognise the benefits for our citizens, economy and the environment.

*David Wolstenholme is Director of the Organic Freedom Project, a South African private-sector initiative to create 100 000 jobs by 2014, as well as stimulate sustainable trade through the farming and processing of organic produce and bio-fuel.