We are so excited to announce that Rocking the Daisies has once again won the SA Climate Change Leadership Awards! The CCLA are the first awards in South Africa to recognize, reward, motivate and celebrate South African businesses, communities, individuals, youth and schools that are taking the lead through positive voluntary action by implementing a range of activities to combat global warming.

The CCLA also contributes significantly to inspiring and promoting awareness and action towards a low carbon economy, and thus a healthier society and a more sustainable planet.

Its great to see that a modest Cape Town Festival has been able to catch the attention of the Climate Change Leadership Awards for the second year running. Proof that the amount of careful planning, particular effort and the work of a team of dedicated organisers and partners really can help to be a positive influence for South African festivals and sustainable, enjoyable lifestyles in general!

Now, it’s our chance to thank you:

Thank you to every person at Rocking the Daisies 2010 who helped in his or her own way. Whether you threw rubbish in the right bin, saved water when brushing your teeth, bought hemp, carpooled, donated or just played responsibly. The pat on our back is a pat on your back too!

Lets see what we can accomplish at Rocking the Daisies 2011!

Since May 2008, the Darling Wind Farm has generated sustainable wind-powered energy. Their initial intention was to divide the energy between Eskom and companies who wish to purchase sustainable energy off the grid directly. They have been doing so successfully for four years, but due to increasing demand, have opened up the purchase of energy to individuals as well. By buying your green energy directly off the grid, you are doing your bit to reduce our national carbon emissions.

Thankfully, our local government sees the great value in this too – “The City of Cape Town will use half [of the energy produced by the Darling Wind Farm] for its own needs and sell the remaining power to individuals and companies supporting green electricity generation.”

So what exactly does “green power” mean? By erecting these impressive yet graceful wind turbines, the Darling Wind Farm avoids the production of heaps of Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Nitric Oxide and fossil fuels (that leave unsightly scars on our landscape and contribute directly to global warming), to name but a few of the bi-products that occur when producing traditional energy. Not only that, the wind farm avoids the use of tons of water – something that SA is in very short supply of. Wind turbines get powered by wind, which then simply turn generators – its simple and beautiful! The wind farm not only generates power, but local job creation and tourism too! However, one of the best things of all is that this “clean” power is part of the reason why Rocking the Daisies can continue to be such a green, as well as world-class, festival!

This gem of SA’s sustainable energy is situated only 70km outside of Cape Town between Darling and Yzerfontein. Rocking The Daisies is proud to be part of this initiative and supports local industry by ensuring that we purchase energy prior to the festival and therefore guarantee that we have as minimal a carbon-footprint as possible!

It’s wonderful to know that the Cape’s biggest resource, the gusting wind can be converted into something so useful that doesn’t harm out environment. We’re a Cape Town Festival that tries our best to incorporate the best that our province has to offer and the Darling Wind Farm is certainly one these.

Perhaps it’s time to start thinking seriously about where most your energy comes from and to find out how to purchase sustainable and clean energy?