Rhodes University campus events

relating to environment

Rhodes University is proud to showcase a large variety of environmentally related events. Numerous . The list below includes RU Environmental Committee events and other environmental events held on campus which have been brought to our attention.

2012 Events

• 2 March: Water Circle Seminar. See details below.
• 12-17 March: SRC Environmental Week. See details below.
• 18 March: RU Green Fund Run. See details below.
• 31 March: Earth Hour. See details below.
• 20 April: Water Circle Seminar. See details below.
• 14-18 May: Rhino Week at RU. See details below.
• 28 June - 8 July: Reimagining: Creative Practice in Sustainability. See details below.
• 1-7 September: RU Arbor Week. See details below.
• 5 October 2010: RU Environmental Awards. See details below.

14-18 May: 

RU Saving the Rhino: Organised by the SRC Environmental Councillor and student environmental groups at Rhodes University, Rhino Week at Rhodes University features informative events and action drawing attention to what can and is being done to save our rhinos from extinction.

• All Week: Rhino Action Stations - Day Kaif (outside RU Library) and front of Drostdy Arch - drawing attention to what can and is being done to save our rhinos. Sign the petition. Buy black ribbons, T-shirts, stickers (to raise funds for rhinos recovering from poaching), and get raffle tickets to win a game drive at Kariega Game Reserve, home of the courageous Thandi. 
• Tuesday 15 May: All welcome.
  Venue: RU Eden Grove Blue, Lucas Avenue
  Time: 18:30 (refreshments will be served beforehand)
  Event: Thandi's Incredible Recovery - update by Wildlife Veterinarian, Dr William Fowlds  
• Wednesday 16 May: All welcome.
  Venue: RU Eden Grove Red, Lucas Avenue
  Time: 17:30 for 18:00 (refreshments will be served beforehand)
  Event: Panel discussion on Strategies for Preventing Rhino Poaching.
  Panel members include:
  - Ma Yue (RU Chinese Language studies): international perspective
  - John O’Brien (Shamwari): conservation / zoology perspective
  - Brent Cook (wildlife investor): conservation / economic perspective
  - Ron Weissenberg (businessman): economic perspective
  - Michael Glover (RU Philosophy): ethical perspective  . 
• Friday 18 May: All welcome.
  Venue: RU Union Lawns (adjacent to RU swimming pool), Prince Alfred Street.
  Time: 17:30
  Event: Candlelight Vigil – rhino poetry (open mic), Drumsoc. Bring your own picnic.
               – followed by a musical concert:
  Venue: Union, Steve Biko Building, Prince Alfred Street.
  Time: 20:00
  Event: Graeme Watkins Project Concert (in collaboration with ROAR), raising funds for rhinos. Tickets available at the door.

More info: Ruth Krueger 076 295 8045, g10k2679(at)campus.ru.ac.za or Kate Janse van Rensburg 073 610 8620, environment(at)theoppidanpress.com

28 June to 8 July:

• Reimagining: Creative Practice in Sustainability:  ReImagining Programe 2011 - a series of National Arts Festival events hosted by the Environmental Education Sustainability Commons. This mini festival will include public lectures, workshops, exhibitions, a craft market, sustainability food, performances and the second Climate Fluency Exchange leading up to COP17. Input for the programme via the 'Eco Logic Studio' (before April 2011).
• Venue: ELRC (Environmental Learning Research Centre), behind Alumni House (Lucas Avenue).
• Time: t.b.a. (also in the National Arts Festival programme).
• More info: Injairu injairu.kulundu(at)gmail.com; also read about CopArt & the National Arts Festival

1 to 7 September:

• RU Planting Trees: Arbor Week at Rhodes University. Organised by Communications and Development Division at Rhodes University.
• Are you interested in indigenous trees? Want to find out more about Rhodes University's choices for Arbor Week? Contact Grounds and Gardens. Thank you for your interest!
• More info: the Manager, grounds(at)ru.ac.za

Friday 5 October:

• Rhodes University Environmental Awards: a celebratory award ceremony where the Vice-Chancellor presents floating trophies and certificates to winning nominees. 2011 Environmental Award Nomination Form final.doc
• Closing date for nominations and applications: 10 September 2011.
• More info: RU Environmental Awards or contact Nikki on 046-603.7205 or email environment(at)ru.ac.za

Past Events

2 March:

• Acid Mine Drainage in the Witwatersrand - by Prof Fred Ellery. Interdisciplinary Water Circle Seminar, organised by the Catchment Research Group, RU Geography Dept.
• Venue: Dept of Environmental Science (off Somerset St), St Peter's Campus, Rhodes University.
• Time: 13h00 - 14h00.
• More info: crg.geography(at)gmail.com

12 -18 March:

SRC Environmental Week - the launch of the Green Hat Revolution: Organised by the SRC Environmental Councillor and student environmental groups at Rhodes University. More info: g10k2679(at)campus.ru.ac.za or 076 295 8045

We all wear different hats in our day-to-day lives, one for each of our roles. Some of us might wear the hats of sister, student, book-club member and soccer enthusiast. Others might wear the hats of poet, brother and surfer. But there is one further hat that we should all be wearing, and all the time at that. The Green Hat. Regardless of who we are and what we do, we have a duty to ourselves, to others, and to the environment. That is the Green Hat. It should not be difficult for every student to find a Green Hat to fit them, either. Environmental Week has been split into seven theme days this year - something for everyone!

Monday 12 March: The Environment and Food

12:00-14:00: Fry's veggie braai (Union)
12:00-14:00: Organic food cook-off (Eden Grove)
17:00-17:45: 'Homegrown Revolution' film screening (GLT)
19:00-20:00: Skype screening with Director of International ??? (GLT)

Tuesday 13 March: The Environment and the Law

13:10-14:10: Galela Amanzi and Legal Activism demonstration (Arts Minor)
18:00-19:00: Talk on environmental rights in a South African and global context (GLT) cancelled

Wednesday 14 March: The Environment and Faith

13:10-14:00 environmentalism from a Jewish perspective
18:00-20:00: Interfaith service focusing on environmental responsibility (Botanical Gardens)

Thursday 15 March: The Environment and the Economy

9:00-10:00 Patrick Bond, an eminent scholar in political and environmental studies from UKZN, will be Skyping in to speak on ecosocialism (Eden Grove Seminar Room II)
10:30-11:00: Vermiculture workshop (ELRC - the Environmental Learning and Research Centre, opposite Eden Grove Student Bureau)
11:00-12:00: Waste economy workshop (ELRC)
13:10-14:10: Ecosocialism vs green capitalism debate (Arts Minor)
14:30-15:15: Energy economy workshop (ELRC)
18:00-19:30: Jonathan Deal Skype talk on fracking (GLT)
19:30 Sheena Stannard directs a 'punk cabaret' show, "The Cabaret @ the End of the World" (St Andrew's College Drill Hall)

Friday 16 March: The Environment and Action

10:00-11:00: Skype session with international environmental youth groups (Economics B)
12:00-13:00: Talk by Muneer Tootla on waste removal NGO 'Tidy-it-up' (Botany Major) 
13:30-14:30: Permaculture theory workshop at St Augustine?s community garden (bus leaving from the Arch at 13:15)
14:30-15:30: Tree-planting and composting at St Augustine's community garden (bus leaving from the Arch at 14:15)
15:30-16:00: Q&A at St Augustine's
19:00-20:00: Anti-fracking demonstration (leaving from the Arch)
20:00-24:00: Battle of the bands

Saturday 17 March: The Environment and Art

09:00-11:00 permaculture workshop (book now with g10k2679(at)campus.ru.ac.za)
14:00-16:00: Introductory lecture on how to get involved in environmentalism at Rhodes
14:00-17:00: Tree-wrapping exercise with local school children (meeting at Zoo Major)
19:00-21:00: Environmental open mike session (Grotto Mojito)

Sunday 18 March: The Environment and Sport

13:00-16:00: Concert in the Botanical Gardens
16:00-18:00: Green Fund Run (RU campus, starting at Lucas Ave entrance to the Botanical Gardens).

Sunday 18 March: 

Green Fund Run 2012 POSTER

Rhodes University Green Fund Run/Walk: a fun event with a serious aim: to raise funds for Rhodes University's Green Fundto support of initiatives that promote sustainability.

• Open to ALL: Team (maximum 3 members) OR individual entries are welcome.
• Minimum donation: R10 per participant.
• Green Fund Run 2012 Entry Form: Registration before the event is encouraged. Buy your tickets at:
  • Scifest Africa ticket office - Monument building, Fort Selwyn Drive - or
  • Rhodes University Main Library - registration table outside, Friday 09h00-15h00
  • 30 minutes before (at least) - at the start/finish registration table .
• Route: view the Green Fund Run MAP.
• Start: at entrance to Makana Botanical Gardens, on Lucas Avenue, Grahamstown.
• Time: 16h30 - 17h30.
• Green Fund Run CHALLENGE: Challenge your colleagues, friends and even arch rivals to participate.
• The Green Fund Run is included on the Scifest Africaprogramme, tickets will also be available through their ticket office.
• More info: Green Fund Run or contact Nikki on 046-603.7205 or email environment(at)ru.ac.za

31 March:

• Earth Hour - I will if you will! Switch off your lights for an hour, or better still, do something to help uplift your community and make changes in your lifestyles to help reduce your ecological footprint.
• Venue: Wherever you are... at Rhodes University, or Grahamstown, or South Africa... anywhere on our precious planet earth! 
• Time: 20h30-21h30
• More info: srcenvironmental(at)ru.ac.za or environment(at)ru.ac.za

20 April:  

• Environmental Flows Around the World - by Prof Jay O’Keeffe. Interdisciplinary Water Circle Seminar, organised by the Catchment Research Group, RU Geography Dept.
• Venue: Geography Dept Seminar Room (A37), Rhodes University.
• Time: 13h00 - 14h00.
• More info: crg.geography(at)gmail.com

Previous years: 2011 Events, 2010, 2009, 2008.

Go to the Rhodes University ENVIRONMENT front page. Suggestions/Questions? Contact environment(at)ru.ac.za