Outside silence ... Dr Reon Brand

Dr Reon Brand is the perfect iStart2 ambassador. Not only is he an expert on sustainability issues, but he is also a remarkable artist. Reon is Senior Director, Future Directions at Philips Design in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. His primary role is to work with multiple Philips stakeholders to explore future directions for the Philips Strategic Company Innovation program.

 
Dr Brand was born in Cape Town, South Africa and graduated with a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Cape Town. We chat about future sustainability - or what he calls "regeneration" and his art, which takes inspiration from Picasso and Dali amongst others in a vibrant display of passion and creativity. Reon shares some of his expectations about a future world, lessons learnt from his work in China and he offers personal insights into his world as an artist.

To listen to the show, which was recorded in the Amstel Hotel, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, just click play:






In our next show we are privileged to have one of South Africa's most prominent business leaders our country has produced, in the studio. Our topic: South Africa in 2030.  Don't forget to Like our facebook page if you are interested to follow the unfolding of the iStart2 journey (Top left) :-)

Tune in @18h30 on Radio Today. Listen on Radio Today 1485 AM, dstv Audio Channel 169 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za.

WakaWaka ... This light for Africa ... Maurits Groen

1.5 billion people around the world - a quarter of humanity - have no access to electricity, and hundreds of millions more face regular blackouts. The effects of this energy poverty are enormous. Lacking power and light severely reduces the quality of life. Kerosene lamps are widely used for lighting, yet they are very inefficient, dangerous and expensive, and have extensive health and environmental drawbacks

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Maurits Groen, Anthony Droppert and Camille van Gestel

In Haarlem, close to Amsterdam,  we chatted about sharing the sun. Maurits Groen, Anthony Droppert and Camille van Gestel spoke to me about sustainable solutions for our planet ... the successful 'Buy one, give one' crowdfunding of the WakaWaka Power Light last January, has resulted in over 12.000 solar lights for Haitians living off-grid! We are taking hands ... this light for Africa ... waka waka... 

To listen to the interview, click play:



Become part of the iStart2 tribe by "Liking" our iStart2 facebook page and join our movement. Let's take hands to create a more sustainable world.

Join me every Monday at 18h30 (SA Time) and listen to the show on Radio Today 1485 am in Jo'burg, catch us nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 169 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za.

Radio Today. Radio that delivers!

A silent show ... Karin Hougaard

left foot
no sound
right foot

no ground
looking down
on an alien sky
left foot no sound
right foot no ground
looking down on an alien sky

a silent show

screaming stars
dancing dust
a deceitful red moon ...
 

Encore to thoughtful words, beautiful music and a powerful performance by Karin Hougaard in her show Alien Sky. What a privilege to have had a personal and up close chat to Karin at the end of her visit to South Africa. We chatted about her recent Alien Sky shows, play some of her new songs, find out about her passion for the environment and look at what the future holds. An honour to partner with Karin on the iStart2 initiative.

Karin is a trendsetting, multi award-winning South African singer-songwriter. Since her debut as teen singing sensation in the 1980’s, she has released 10 groundbreaking albums and is included on various compilations. As actress Ms. Hougaard has performed in various stage plays in Europe and South Africa and appeared in innumerable television programs and talk shows. Over and above her music and acting career - Karin has had various one-woman art shows featuring her paintings and graphic works. She has published a book of Afrikaans poetry and her writing is included in an anthology of short stories by critically acclaimed South African authors.

To listen to a podcast of the interview just click "play" below:



Become part of the iStart2 tribe by "Liking" our iStart2 facebook page and join our movement. Let's take hands to create a more sustainable world.

Join me every Monday at 18h30 (SA Time) and listen to the show on Radio Today 1485 am in Jo'burg, catch us nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 169 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za.

Radio Today. Radio that delivers!

Smile Warrior ... Abel Pienaar

Our guest, Dr Abel Pienaar, is co-founder and director of SES, the Centre for Contemporary Spirituality. He studied under Thich Nhat Hanh (Zen Buddhist, France) and learnt from the Dalai Lama, Fr. Thomas Keating, Bishop John Selby Spong, Kobus Krüger en Ken Wilber. To Abel free flow of information and access to different ideas is very important. Even more important is the freedom to decide for yourself, without censorship, how you actually want to live your life. Abel writes a weekly column in the Rapport Newspaper.
 

Some of the interesting questions in my discussion with Abel: Why did he leave the NG kerk? What really happened at the "Woordfees" in Stellenbosch? How does he see the concept of "heaven and hell" ? Why are people reluctant to take hands across religious barriers? How can we build bridges across those barriers that divide us?  Click below to listen to a podcast of the show.



Congratulations to the winner of our lucky draw competition. Dexter Pienaar. ( No relation to Abel! ) He wins  two tickets to Karin Hougaard's show, Alien Sky, in the Atterbury theatre on Friday night.  He writes:

How I, Dexter Pienaar, make this world more sustainable:

Being a student studying food science and nutrition I have seen time and over again how big companies readily exchange quality of ingredients for profit. This usually has an impact on the environment as these cheaper ingredients are produced in large quantities and are subject to genetic modification, pesticides and growth hormones. I am however not condoning these methods/substances but in these dire times with increasing food prices, I have made my own vegetable garden and herb garden.

I love cooking and having a herb garden in the backyard is so much more convenient than having to drive to your local fruit and vegetable store. Having your own vegetable garden makes this world so much more sustainable. We can all grow our own food believe it or not. We have all been brainwashed to believe that everything we need has to be bought in shiny wrapping and packaging. When you grow your own fruits and vegetables you immediately eliminate the “plastic factor” i.e. The packaging you would have had to remove before chopping up your cabbage for dinner. A lot less harmful pesticides are used, it’s much more convenient for yourself, you enrich the soil and save a lot of money every month.

I make this world more sustainable by producing my own food and refusing to believe that I have to buy everything from a store. - D Pienaar.

Become part of the iStart2 tribe by "Liking" our iStart2 facebook page and join our movement. Let's take hands to create a more sustainable world.

Join me every Monday at 18h30 (SA Time) and listen to the show on Radio Today 1485 am in Jo'burg, catch us nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 169 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za.

Radio Today. Radio that delivers!

Save me ... Muneera Salie

Do you want to save energy and electricity costs? Have you installed a solar geyser at your home? Is it affordable?  Do you know about Eskom's rebate programme? Why are banks not helping? Is it time for a green bank? Do you think enough is being done to help consumers and government to achieve the goal to install 1 million solar geysers by March 2015?

Muneera Salie, an energy and research analyst at Frost & Sullivan, is quoted in the Business Day saying:" Something needs to be done to stimulate the demand side of the market in order for substantial growth to occur." Business Day states that the poor uptake of solar geysers was due to the initial outlay, which made it unaffordable to most people.

We chatted to Muneera, a chemical engineer, about the findings of her research report, on the iStart2 show. Eskom yesterday vowed to keep the lights on at all costs. Maybe it is time to help ourselves to save costs and do our bit to keep our own lights on.

It was Earth Day on the 22nd April and we listen to Michael Jackson's Earth song and the beautiful music of Karin Hougaard, For you and Frightened Heart. Win two tickets to Karin's show, Alien Sky, at the Atterbury Theatre on 3 May 2013. Email your Earth day pledge to pierre@istart2.com to be part of the draw. To listen to the podcast just click "play".



Become part of the iStart2 tribe by "Liking" our iStart2 facebook page and join our movement. Let's take hands to create a more sustainable world.

Join me every Monday at 18h30 (SA Time) and listen to the show on Radio Today 1485 am in Jo'burg, catch us nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 169 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za.

Radio Today. Radio that delivers!

Find me in the Kitchen at Parties ... Laughing Chefs & Lötter de Jager

Lötter de Jager is a painter. He paints because he loves it, only painting what he sees as beautiful, and his work is his interpretation of such beauty. He does not aim to convey a message, but rather to tell a story. It is his intent that people who view his work experience a deep emotion, whether it be happiness or sadness, love or anger, light or dark! He will be exhibiting his work on 25 April at the iStart2 Hub.

Laughing Chefs realises the responsibility that they have not only towards our community and our planet, but also towards the next generations. They support the principles of sustainability, and aim to apply them at every event they create. This includes minimising waste, energy usage and emissions, conserving water and including the local community. Furthermore, they make use of fresh, seasonal and ethical products, from reputable and responsible suppliers. They hope that the care they take to conserve our planet, our future and our children’s future will be tangible in all they do!

We are giving away two tickets to Karin Hougaard's show - Alien Sky - on 3 May in the Atterbury Theatre. Just listen to our show (on podcast below), email your reply to pierre@istart2.com and stand a chance to be a lucky winner at our draw on 25 April. Book tickets early at computicket if you don't want to miss this beautiful performance by Karin Hougaard.



Become part of the iStart2 tribe by "Liking" our iStart2 facebook page and join the movement where we take hands to create a more sustainable world.

Join me every Monday at 18h30 (SA Time) and listen to the show on Radio Today 1485 am in Jo'burg, catch us nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 169 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za.

Radio Today. Radio that delivers!

End of the Innocence ... Brandon Borgelt

Brandon Borgelt is a sculptor of nudes, wildlife and Native Americans. Sitting Bull's fight is as real today as it was then...

We chat to Brandon about his views on sustainability, the banking system, conspiracy theories and his work as an artist. A gentle guy with strong views about the world we live in. The Eagles and Don Henley's music echoes the song of the earth:

"But I know a place where we can go
That's still untouched by men
We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by
And the tall grass wave in the wind"

To listen to the show, just click play:




Become part of the iStart2 tribe by "Liking" our iStart2 facebook page and join the movement where we take hands to create a more sustainable world.

Join me every Monday at 18h30 (SA Time) and listen to the show on Radio Today 1485 am in Jo'burg, catch us nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 169 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. Radio Today. Radio that delivers!