217 
This article by Simon Gear first appeared on the MoneySmart website (www.moneysmart.co.za) in Jan 2012.
One of the most illuminating things you will ever do in the management of your home is to take the time to fill out an energy calculator.
230
This column by Simon Gear first appeared on the Don’t Be a Passenger blog (www.dontbeapassenger.com) in January of 2011
The Kilimanjaro ice cap has become a poster child for global warming.
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This article by Simon Gear first appeared on the MoneySmart website (www.moneysmart.co.za) in Dec 2011.
What a month it’s been. At a time when the world’s leaders should be closely attending to events at COP17 in Durban, Europe’s leaders have had their hands full averting a collapse of the Euro. And quite rightly too.
209
This article by Simon Gear first appeared on the MoneySmart website (www.moneysmart.co.za) in Nov 2011.
COP 17 is on its way and we have another opportunity to watch the human animal wrestle with its own nature. Here is a golden opportunity to look beyond short term disadvantage, and pull together to avert the environmental disaster that awaits us if prompt, decisive action to tackle climate change isn’t taken. Unfortunately, what will actually happen is not very much.
210
This column by Simon Gear first appeared on the Don’t Be a Passenger blog (www.dontbeapassenger.com) in October of 2010
There is very little solace for those who hope that we can appeal to humanity’s higher faculties. Looking back over history, we have made many startling about turns and changes of course, but every single one has been forced upon us by external crises or has been driven forward by profit.
242
This column by Simon Gear first appeared on the Don’t Be a Passenger blog (www.dontbeapassenger.com) in May of 2010
Until District 9, every UFO movie worth its salt had the aliens landing in the US. I personally think that this is an entirely accurate reflection of our interaction with extra terrestrial civilisations. Across the world, really, really big things can happen, but if a CNN camera crew isn’t there, we only learn about them weeks, months, maybe even decades later.
217
This column by Simon Gear first appeared on the Don’t Be a Passenger blog (www.dontbeapassenger.com) in April of 2010
I recently spent a diverting couple of hours wandering around a completely ‘off-grid’ house, powered by a combination of solar panels and liquid gas. What continues to strike me about these set ups is the degree to which green energy solutions are about looking at every aspect of your power, not just at where your electricity comes from.
213
This column by Simon Gear first appeared on the Don’t Be a Passenger blog (www.dontbeapassenger.com) in February of 2010.
South Africans revel in their frontier mentality. We like to think of ourselves as tough, rugged and adaptable. It shows in our newspaper headlines, our holiday choices and our international ex-pats’ reputation as hard workers.
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An opinion piece published in Landscape SA magazine, 2008. This column won an award at the 2008 "Practising the craft: writing about climate change and global warming" conference at Kirstenbosch in July 2008.
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This article was written by Simon Gear.
Forget carbon footprints. Water is the big bear in the woods for South Africa. Already, it seems like Cape Town barely needs a week of sun in winter to set them back for the rest of the year. Everywhere else relies on ingenious but massive projects to shift water over mountains and between reservoirs to ensure that our towns don’t run dry.