Greening for the future of my offspring

Spending a lot of time  outdoors boosts children's spiritual connection  with the Earth and the sense that they need to protect it, researchers report. The small new study included 10 children, aged 7 and 8. According to the authors, a strong attachment to nature was seen in those who spent five to 10 hours a week outside. "These values are incredibly important to human development and well-being," researcher Gretel Van Wieren, an assistant professor of religious studies at Michigan State University, said in a university news release. Peacefulness and happiness "We were surprised by the results. Before we did the study, we asked, 'Is it just a myth that children have this deep connection with nature?' But we found it to be true in pretty profound ways," she added. Read:   5 great tips for the outdoors Children who spent a lot of time outdoors expressed feelings of peacefulness, happiness and a sense of belonging in the world, the investigators

Many a parent has surrendered to the indomitable will of a child who refuses to eat any fruit or vegetable. Other kids go through fads where anything green is considered toxic or the only form of fruit that passes their lips is a fruit smoothie. Surveys show that the consumption of fruits and veggies is dropping to worrisome levels among children. Many kids replace such foods with processed products that have little or no nutrition, such as soft drinks instead of juice. Jane Collins, the medical director of London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, says parents should try any way they can to inveigle children to eat their fruits and vegetables. In her column for The Times of London, Collins describes the necessary nutrients that children miss as finicky eaters: Vitamin C  helps the body to absorb iron and to heal wounds and keeps skin and gums healthy. It is easily destroyed by heat so food is best eaten raw or only lightly cooked. Sources include citrus fruits, ki

Many people in smaller gardens simply feel that they barely have space for a patch of lawn and a flowerbed, let alone a herb or strawberry garden. Well, here’s some great news.   We’re letting you in on 2014’s best smaller garden secret. Install the planet friendly streamlined 750L JoJo Slimline™ rainwater harvesting tank, then simply wrap it and plant it up to create more garden space in a matter of hours. Strawberries and herbs mixed with some colourful annuals simply thrive in this unique vertical garden. And here’s how you do it:   Measure up your tank and make a planting bag out of a strong landscaping material with as many good-sized pockets as you like.  Alternatively, contact an expert who tailor-make and deliver your tank garden warp.    Position the bag around the tank and make the holes to accommodate the piping and taps for the drip irrigation system.   Cut small holes along the top of the bag and thread a stainless steel cable through. Connect the cabl

1 in 9 people around the world, totaling 780 million people, lack access to an improved water source. We have to make a difference. These frightening stats quoted by Miss Earth 2013, Ms Ashanti Mbanga, at the installation and handover of a 2500L JoJo rainwater harvesting tank to the Solwazi Primary School in Drieziek Orange Farm, indicate the fact that a very real water problem exists around the world and specifically in South Africa. “We have a water Our water issues include both the quantity of water available and the quality of that water, said Ms Mbanga, “and, if we as young women, do not become involved in providing solutions, how would we be able to create better lives for the children in South Africa?” Ms Mbanga believes that working in Orange Farm is a step in the right direction. “With the assistance of JoJo Tanks, one of our proud Miss Earth sponsors, we are able to provide a rainwater harvesting tank to Solwazi Primary so that they can capture and store rain

As the world focuses its attention on the importance of freshwater and sustainable management of freshwater resources on World Water Day (March 22, 2014), we are focusing our attention closer to home and specifically on the ongoing burden of transporting water in the rural areas. The JoJo Water-on-Wheels tank offers an affordable and practical solution to the thousands of women and children who are usually responsible for the difficult and time-consuming task of fetching water.   This tank was designed to fit perfectly into a builder’s wheelbarrow making it the ideal option to transport water from a communal tap or a location away from home. Because this clever design requires no heavy lifting, it eases the difficult task of fetching water, allows for easier transport of greater quantities of water and saves many hours for those who have to fetch water for every day use.   The JoJo Water-on-Wheels tank, available in 70L and 100L sizes, is completely self-containe

The JoJo rainwater-harvesting calculator. A smart way to determine the tank size you require Rainwater harvesting remains the simplest and most efficient way to collect FREE rainwater for a multiple of domestic uses.   For most houses, 90% of the water that falls on the roof inevitably finds its way into the downpipes. Everyone should take advantage of this FREE water supply from the sky by simply connecting a rainwater-harvesting tank to a downpipe. But, most often, it’s the size of the tank required that causes the biggest headache because it’s important to balance supply and demand with the right sized tank(s) so that there’s adequate water supply during long dry periods. That is why JoJo Tanks designed a rainwater-harvesting calculator that allows you to easily establish the amount of water you are able to capture on an annual basis and the ideal size of the tank(s) you would need to install. The calculation does take into account the efficiency factor of different