Early childhood development rises from the (tr)ash
It is a fact that many children find themselves in barren school classes and playgrounds because their parents, educators and caregivers are often unaware of the importance of providing opportunities for purposeful play in the early years. Fortunately, researchers from the NWU, under leadership of Prof Mariette Koen, are joining forces with Singakwenza, a non-profit ECD organisation, to present workshops to teach adults on the importance of play and how they can make their own toys and learning materials out of recycled materials.
read more |
Plastic problem: NWU researchers highlight major data gaps
Our oceans are choking on plastic debris. In fact, marine plastic debris is one of the most pressing environmental concerns facing the world today, with devastating effects for both humans and the environment. But just how big a culprit is South Africa? Prof Henk Bouwman from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences says that this is by no means an easy question to answer because of gaps in the available data. "Until fairly recently the assumption was that South Africa is the 11th worst contributor to marine plastic pollution," he says.
read more |
Insects: putting edible creepy crawlies on the menu
While many people cringe at the thought of consuming bugs, entomophagy – the term for eating insects – has been practised for hundreds of years in South Africa. In the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, flying ants, grasshoppers, mopane worms, African metallic wood-boring beetles and edible stinkbugs are delicacies. However, because of the influence of mass media, many South Africans perceive insects as disease-carriers and crop destroyers, instead of noting the crucial role they play in food security, nutrition, soil improvement and pollination.
read more |
