As I am writing this, Earth Day has just begun here. On the other side of the world, back at home it's still "yesterday". In celebration of Earth Day, a bit early, we enjoyed a relatively calm day of just a couple activities - first learning about the "Bushmen" - which is a somewhat degrading term for the San and other indigenous people who lived with the land, plants, animals and climate in the area. Oh, did I mention we also visited a nuclear power plant? I still need to digest all the information given to us, but am reassured that the site is doing its best and adheres to very strict internationally monitored safety and operational standards, similar to the Palo Verde site near Phoenix, of which I also heard a presentation about a month ago. It is interesting though, that I was actually able to be within 200 or 300 yards from a functioning nuclear reactor!
Tonight this American guy was given an outdated French 5 Francs coin, by an Englishman, at a the Melkbos (Milkbush) Rotary club in South Africa. Welcome to the global reach of Rotary.
Tomorrow, South Africans will be voting in another historically important national election, only their fourth since apartheid was abolished. It is a strong campaign by all sides, and interesting to see the tactics used by politicians, the opinions of the public, in a true multiparty system but one with an apparent majority and a potent group of varied runner-up parties that sometimes form a coalition as necessary. Oh, and alleged criminals potentially getting voted into office anyway. Tomorrow will be an interesting day, to see one of the world's youngest - and one of Africa's most stable - democracies, in action. The buzz is exciting!
Rewinding the clock a couple days, I had an outstanding day with Alistair Semple, a non-Rotary community leader in environmental matters in the Cape Town area. Through his contacts and expertise I was able to visit with someone who is managing invasive plant removal at the Table Mountain National Park (the enormous mountain in the center of Cape Town), visit a new recycling center which is under contract by Cape Town City Government for a pilot curbside recycling project (hand-sorting; no separate bin as of yet; many difficulties yet much enthusiasm); also visiting Ocean View secondary (high) school with an impressive principal and, while the school is in need of more resources certainly an energy that is contagious when I met with him; and ending the day with a visit to a community-based recycling, conservation, and jobs program. To say that they do so much more than even my own office's work - and with far less - is an understatement. Recycling, beach cleanup, invasive plant removal, school environmental education, litter cleanup, tree planting, the list goes on and on. I am always amazed that people in Cape Town are from so many other places, and choose to make this their home (it is, beautiful after all) and then dig in to the grittiest of the grit to help make the area shine as best as they can.
The Cape of Good Hope Rotary club also took us on an extensive tour to the Cape itself, far south - babboons, penguins, some kind of "bok" that I don't recall (a buck, or deer), ostriches, so much natural beauty of the mountains and ocean, two lighthouses, a winery, food, oceanside tea... it keeps on going, and we keep taking it in as a team!
Good night all,
BJ
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