Information about Johannesburg, South Africa

The initiative was envisioned as an immersive environmental education programme, delivered by programme beneficiaries who were trained in the installation of a number of technologies. In each of 40 schools, the project installed energy efficient lighting, a solar water heater and rainwater tank to reduce school utility costs; the stored water would irrigate food gardens that were stewarded by learners; the food would complement school feeding schemes, with the food waste and school toilets leading to a biogas digester that would provide energy for cooking.

FWEN entry points:

Food : For urban learners, understanding how food is grown helps challenge the urban-consumer/rural-producer paradigm; in some schools, food was produced in a consistent manner to supplement school feeding, while in others, the gardens became derelict, particularly due to poor handover between years.

Water : new source and storage capability –increased water availability for irrigation [particularly useful in schools with inadequate piped water] –reduced potential cost for water services.

Energy : new source for cooking (biogas), with improved energy efficiency through installation of EE lightbulbs, and reduced energy costs due to solar water heating and biogas.

Waste : recycling bins installed to promote separation at sources –however this was often poorly linked to whether wastes were collected separately in different neighborhoods.

IFWEN