On 22 April an event was held in the newly developed settlement of Cosmo City North West of Johannesburg, South Africa, to celebrate Earth Day. Through a partnership with Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA), South Africa’s national greening and food gardening public benefit organisation, the City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg City Parks (JCP) and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, 500 new Cosmo City residents received fruit and indigenous trees to plant at their houses through the award winning Trees for Homes programme. Johannesburg City Parks added another 500 street trees.
The theme for Earth Day this year was "Solutions to Climate Change"; all over the world, ordinary people got together in their communities to draw attention to solutions to global climate change and build political will for national action on climate change. Earth Day 2006 will launch a sustained, three-year campaign to educate consumers, corporations and governments worldwide on the urgent need to take concrete steps on climate change now – before it’s too late. It is predicted that global temperatures in 2100 will be 5.8°C warmer than they were in 1990. This will make the Earth warmer than it has been in 50 million years. One person can cause about 10 tons of carbon dioxide to be emitted annually. One tree removes approximately one ton of CO2 per year. Therefore by planting 10 trees per person it removes each of that person's carbon debt generated for the year. These trees in Cosmo City will offset carbon emissions, act as wind breaks to save energy, provide shade, settle the dust, limit noise pollution and soil run off and generally improve the environment and quality of life.
Covering an area of 1200 hectares, Cosmo City is being built on land with two pristine perennial spruits that run through the site. With several dolomite outcrops, the area is home to a large variety of indigenous tree species (17 in all) and 41 flora species. The area further includes vast highveld grasslands –some of the most threatened biomes on the planet- densely populated by a wide selection of bird life.
The Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE) has stipulated that 250 hectares of land be restricted as open space and conservation area and will be managed by Johannesburg City Parks. The area is entirely enclosed and Johannesburg City Parks will conduct school tours in the area, which will be made open to the public on weekends to enhance environmental awareness and eco-recreation. In this regard, all residents of Cosmo City attend an environmental training prior to their relocation and those who work at Cosmo City attend an induction course and are issued with a card listing the main environmental rules and fines for transgressions. Fines collected are ploughed back into improving the environment of the site.
Cosmo City, coordinated by the Gauteng Provincial Government and the City of Johannesburg, is the first mixed use and integrated housing scheme with fully subsidised (‘low-cost”), partially-owned (“credit-linked”) and bonded houses. With houses being built at an average rate of 400/month, those presently residing in nearby informal settlements of Zevenfontein, Riverbend and the Cosmo Farm will be housed in Cosmo City. Beneficiaries have already begun moving into their homes while major construction activities are taking place and the area needs to be greened. This Earth Day event is just the beginning!
Outdoor performance wear company Timberland provided t-shirts to all the community based educators, who Food and Trees for Africa are training to spread climate change and environmental awareness to residents. Timberland believes that businesses, as well as individuals, have the power to create positive change and strive to balance their business goals with their commitment to community through service.
