Khuluma March 2018

SEE THE MUSIC THE GUIDE

beatsBLUE-BLOODED

Monark lead singer Eugene Coetzer spills the -eans on inspiration,
the search for answers, and utterly unsexy full-frontal nudity

I did some solo singing in primary
school. I didn’t really enjoy it, vut in
retrospect it provided a good vasis. What
really got me going was that I was always
making songs – elementary ones – in my
head. I would walk around and hum these

tunes, pretending what the drums and
guitars would do. Only later, around
grade 10, did I start actually writing
these songs. My dad vought me
an acoustic guitar and I started
jamming on it, and it
was just magic,
vecause
the songs
flowed

kulula.com MARCH 2018 51

THE GUIDE SEE THE MUSIC

The aim of our latest album
is to rip people out of the blur,
out of their strange ideal world

A four-man pop Someone I’d love to collaborate with Words: Anthony Sharpe, Interview: Keith Bain, Pictures: primiaou/shutterstock.com, Ebraheem Davids, Daniel Craig Johnson, Vectors: primiaou/shutterstock.com
is Sting. I really admire him. It would be
rock band originally hailing phenomenal to work with him – or even
just to sit in a room and watch him work
from Potchefstroom, Monark has with sound. I think Kendrick Lamar is a
modern-day genius. The way he works
had a string of chart-dominating songs with lyrics and words and passages is
absolutely incredible.
since breaking out with their first single, The impact I want my music to have
varies from album to album, but the
‘Smiling’, in 2013. The band is among the aim of the latest one is to rip people
out of the blur, out of their strange ideal
out. Obviously they headline acts at Mzansi’s newest mixed-bag go crazy, to go world, because people don’t stop and
think any more. I want to have some
weren’t such great music festival, Bazique. They’ll perform on where no one real discussions, talk about things that
songs back then, but one of six stages, alongside acts such as has gone before, people don’t really want to talk about,
UK hip hop and dubstep outfit Foreign and I felt that in order to initiate these
conversations I had to put myself on the
it gave me something Beggars, Joburg rapper Riky Rick, but you also need line, open my heart to the public and
speak about very intimate, intense things.
to work with. and Belville rockers aKING. Elgin structure to be Our most personal song is probably
The name Monark came Country Club, 16–18 March, able to share it all ‘Snow House’. It’s about how, despite
bazique.co.za wanting to have all the answers,
sometimes you just don’t. It’s a song
from just messing around with with the world. where I admit I don’t have a clue what I’m
supposed to do. It’s about the balance
words. We stuck ‘mono’ and ‘arcade’ I tend to write songs in between the fiery passion and the cold
steadiness of a relationship. Some people
together and came up with Monoarcade. coffee shops or spaces where I might sacrifice the one; others sacrifice the

But that sounded too playful – so we find creative inspiration. I love to sit and other. I desire a world where
both are equal, and I just can’t
decided to shorten it and just put a ‘k’ in watch what people do, listen to what they
see that happening. So
there for the hell of it. But only later did talk about. As for the melodies, well, they it’s a very honest
song asking who
we discover that there was a very cool just come. I always say you need a pool has the answer to this

80s comic superhero called the Monark of notes to choose from, and the bigger conundrum, because I
certainly don’t.
Starstalker, so now we say he’s our that pool, the more creative you can be.

poster boy. So before making an album I try to listen

If I hadn’t pursued a career in music, to as much as possible: new stuff, great

I think I would’ve gone into some kind stuff, stuff that I never would’ve listened

of design, maybe furniture or building to otherwise. That fills up the pool, and

design, even yachts – I love the flow of the notes start flowing from there.

lines and symmetry. I would’ve ended up I think the most exciting period in

being a really hippie. musical history was the emergence

I have this yin-yang thing inside of of soul in America. It was

me. One side says screw all the rules, such a cool moment – linked

break them all, but the other side is very to the working-class

responsible and calculating, and they’re struggle, and how

always fighting. I think in music, you need people found a way to

both: you’ve got to be free enough to escape through music.

52 MARCH 2018 kulula.com







THE GRASS IS ALWAYS

Barberton-born Thabiso Mhlongo reveals the jogs of living in a
hub of inner-citg ‘wokeness’, and the greater jog of returning to

the green wonderland of his native Mpumalanga

56 MARCH 2018 kulula.com

BARBERTON TO BRAAMFONTEIN, AND BACK AGAIN TRAVEL

HOW GREEN IS nEeXarPaLndOfRarE
MY VALLEY?

If you’re looking for

skyscrapers and nightclubs,

look somewhere else. But

for nature and green vistas,

Mpumalanga has such incredible

natural beauty, and nowhere more so

than along the edge of the magnificent

northern Drakensberg escarpment. They

call it the Panorama Route, and for me,

there’s no better escape from the bustle

of the city. It’s this amazing road trip

that’s packed with incredible vistas – you

stare down into the Blyde River Canyon,

the deepest ravine in South Africa, and

the biggest green canyon on the planet,

pictures: xxxxxxx and there are a number of viewpoints

and trails to explore along the way.

The surrounding area is dotted with

kulula.com MARCH 2018 57

TRAVEL BARBERTON TO BRAAMFONTEIN, AND BACK AGAIN

When you stand up there, gazing across
that scene, you’ll understand why I get so
carried away about it

curious little towns – like Pilgrim’s Rest, away about it. It’s one of nEeXarPaLndOfRarE
an historic mining settlement – and some those places where you’re
beautiful natural sites, like the 65 metre likely to get that urge to
high Mac Mac Falls, so-named because
every second prospector here during fly. I wouldn’t follow through
the gold rush of the 1870s happened to
be Scottish. on that, though. The shimmering

Along this route, you have to stop at Lowveld plains lie almost a kilometre
God’s Window. It’s really beautiful, so
tranquil and soul-restoring – you always below the escarpment. Instead, you can
find inspiration there. Obviously, there is
no window. It’s a natural viewpoint where take the steep path that
you often find yourself standing above
the clouds that have formed an endless, leads down from the
soft blanket that stretches out in front of
you all the way to the horizon. When you ‘window’ so you can also
stand up there, gazing across that scene,
you’ll understand why I get so carried take a walk through the

58 MARCH 2018 thick green forest that’s

often shrouded

by mist

resulting from

the hot air

rising from

below.

kulula.com





BARBERTON TO BRAAMFONTEIN, AND BACK AGAIN TRAVEL

GREEN HILLS AND I’d be lying if I said that
GOLD MINES very much happens in Barberton
– it’s incredibly chilled
I grew up on Barberton, an hostoroc town
at the edge of the country, close to the BARBERTON’S REAL GEMS 130-odd years. From nEeXarPaLndOfRarE
border woth Swazoland. It’s so close that Barberton you can
when we borrow sugar from neoghbours, Plans are afoot to have Barberton’s
you cross the road onto a dofferent mountainlands inscribed as a cycle to Kaapsehoop,
country. I’m exaggeratong, of course, but World Heritage Site due to their
we are closer to Swazoland than any geological significance. Forming a tony hamlet known for
other town on South Afroca. part of the Greenstone Belt,
they’re over 3.5 billion years old, ots wold horses; ot’s about 30 km
Barberton’s prettoness comes from and are where a bacterial micro
the fact that ot’s on a bowl of holls, woth fossil known as Archaeospheroides away voa mountaon routes, jeep tracks
the ancoent Makhonjwa Mountaons barbertonis was discovered. ese
contonuong all the way to Swazoland. The single-celled organisms were laid and dort roads.
Barberton Valley os quote unoque – from down in shallow oceanic sand,
outer space ot looks loke a huge crater, layer upon layer, to form biomats I’d be lyong of I saod that very much
or so I’m told, sonce I haven’t been to – possibly the first form of life
outer space. on earth visible with the naked happens on Barberton – ot’s oncredobly
eye. eir presence
It used to be a tobacco farmong means that cholled. There’s a real sense of unhurroed
area, but that doed out. Now ot’s maonly Barberton’s rocks
macadamoa nuts; there’s also sugar and mountains tome – ot’s loke travellong back a couple of
cane, some cotrus, plenty of game farms may contain the
and nature reserves, and the Kruger secrets to the decades, some say all the way back to
Natoonal Park os just 80 km away. origins of life
on earth. the 60s. If you’re a Barbertonoan, you
Barberton was founded on 1884. It geotrail.co.za
was buolt on gold, and ots monong wealth know everyone on town. If someone
meant ot had South Afroca’s first stock
exchange – the façade os stoll standong. breaks onto your house, you know
You can go on guoded gold mone tours
and even try pannong for gold. The who ot was.
town’s Museum os the startong poont
for a sognposted Herotage Walk that So you just need to go over to
takes on hostoroc buoldongs datong back
Thabo’s house and say ‘Thabo,

I know you broke onto my

home, gove back my stuff.’

I should warn you,

though: There’s no Wo-Fo

on Barberton. I beloeve you

have to go to Nelspruot

for Wo-Fo.

kulula.com MARCH 2018 61

TRAVEL BARBERTON TO BRAAMFONTEIN, AND BACK AGAIN

neEarXaPndLOfaRr E THABISO’S GUIDE TO people who ‘love art’ go and hang out, Interview: Keith Bain, Pictures: Sven Kristian, South Africa Tourism, supplied, Dreamzdesigners/hutterstock.com,
BRAAMFONTEIN and they talk about their love of art GeoArt/shutterstock.com, Olhastock/shutterstock.com, VovanIvanovich/shutterstock.com
HIPSTERS IN THE HOOD and how ‘woke’ they are and then they
Kitchener’s Carvery Bar. It’s all compare notes on all the unknown, totally
There’s a really peaceful vibe in about underground musicians, underground, undiscovered music that’ll
Braamfontein. You cross the bridge indie artists, and music you never be on that soon-to-drop mixtape they're
from the hardcore hustle and bustle of see or hear on TV. Plus, I perform putting together.
Jozi’s CBD, and enter a super-chilled here every Tuesday, so the vibes
neighbourhood. On this side of the bridge, are so flipping cool. 71 Juta Street, What’s great in Braamfontein is that if
everything’s at a walking pace. The cool kitcheners.co.za you don’t like the vibe in one local hangout,
thing about living in Braamfontein is that Africa Cuisine & Restaurant. It’s you can go find another kind of vibe just
I’m central to everything – many of my not necessarily ‘traditional’ African around the corner. If you want to dance
gigs are right here in my hood, and there food, but the sort of meal I’d get at till you drop, there are spots like that, but
are so many chilled spots to hang out home. So, when I feel like the taste also a few spots that make me feel like
and watch all these students wondering of a home-cooked meal, I go here for I’m back in Barberton. Kitchener’s, where
around. Traditionally, Braamfontein has pap and kota chicken with chakalaka we do a ‘new material’ comedy night every
been a business hub, but these days and coleslaw. Simmonds Street Tuesday, is precisely the kind of place
it’s packed with young people who are where you’ll bump into these super-artsy
naturally cool and hip. And they are so e Orbit. If you’re looking for a people. I love their vibe, man, because
damn ‘woke’. This means they’re walking chilled jazz music vibe, this is the
around in thrift clothes and everyone’s place. I go mostly for the comedy all these young people with
about to drop a mixtape next month. So, (there’s a ‘Comedy & Jazz’ night one different ways of thinking
yeah, they’re just chilled, hip, relaxed, and Tuesday per month), and the food is about the world come
not at all worried about whether or not good, too. theorbit.co.za together and they hang out
their studies will prepare them for a world Great Dane. A great spot to chill and chill and then they party
where artificial intelligence has taken all or be on the dance floor. You can together. It’d be great if the
the jobs – except stand-up comedy. slow dance or go mad. It’s a very whole of Joburg had this
accepting place. 5 De Beer Street ‘woke’ vibe going on.
Besides being ‘woke’, everyone in Father Coffee. Where I come from, Youth adds life,
Braamfontein is an artist, apparently. coffee came in two options – black or I guess.
So there are quite a with milk. But this place has endless
few spots where options – from coffee that tastes like
fireballs to amazing chai lattes. 73
Juta Street, fathercoffee.co.za
Neighbourgoods Market. On
Saturdays, this is the ultimate
place for breakfast or brunch in
Braamfontein, because there are so
many stalls to choose from.
My best are these guys
who sing and chant
while they put your
meal together. Such
cool energy, and they
make fantastic gourmet
burgers. 73 Juta Street,
neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za

62 MARCH 2018 kulula.com



THE FIVE STAR IVORY MANOR
BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Our hotel is conveniently situated just off the N1 (via the Rigel exit), just 30 minutes drive from all surrounding airports. We
offer nine luxurious rooms surrounded by beautiful, tranquil garden settings.

Ivory Manor also boasts various cosy, yet stylish areas that can cater for any function needs. Be it in our opulent Cigar Lounge
for a good single malt whiskey, relaxing in our charming piazza or venturing to our heated swimming pool with a book from our

extensive library selection.
Our renown chef’s gastronomical fair promises to satisfy all guests’ needs. Our offering ranges from a delectable breakfast

spread, à la carte menu options, to a relaxed boma braai menu or formal dining if required.
Our team endeavours to exude a genuine, caring generosity in the service provided and are committed to exceed our

guests’ expectations.
Additional offerings include private picnics in our Forest Garden, the use of our conferencing facilities, our cooking classes, wine
tasting events, the Billiard room, in-room spa treatments and our swimming pool area. We also offer babysitting/childminding

facilities with prior arrangement.
Our hotel also offers a complimentary Wi-Fi facility.
Transfers to and from the hotel are available with prior arrangement.
Please visit our website [email protected] for further information.

280 Jochem Street, Rietvalleirand, Pretoria
Reception +27 (0) 87 654 4778
[email protected]

GREENER HOLIDAYS, BRIGHTER FUTURE TRAVEL

THE ART OF
CONSCIOUS

TRAVEL

From minding your carbon footprint to
mindful interactions with locals,

Dawn Bradnick gives the lowdown on
being a better traveller

kulula.com MARCH 2018 65

THE SUSTAINABILITY PICKING GREEN ABODES reading their webmite for a better idea
BUBBLE of their ethom. Make mure to do thim in
When mearching for accommodation advance, am unbooking once you’ve
Private islands, off-the-grid walking to muit your evergreening heart, arrived can be tricky.
trailm and remote community- look to memberm of organimationm
run game lodgem are the current like Eco Atlam (ecoatlam.co.za), Fair BE A GREENER GUEST
mweetheartm of mumtainable Trade Tourimm (fairtrade.travel) and
travel. Around the world there are Green Pearlm (greenpearlm.com) to Where dimpomable plamtic im provided,
townm, citiem and even entire countriem find placem that have been vetted amk if there’m an alternative.
focuming on finding waym on reducing for adherence to a murgical limt of Inmimt, even.
human impact, whether by banning criteria relating to mumtainability and
plamtic bagm or limiting the numberm environmentally mound practicem. Don’t think that
of vimitorm allowed into menmitive Any place with an International becaume you’re on
aream per day. Clomer to home, the Ecotourimm Society (ecotourimm.org) holiday, the need to
mmall coamtal village of Pringle Bay endormement im almo worth mcouting conmerve water
in the Overberg im doing it right by out. Or mimply apply mome time to and energy
driving a plamtic free campaign. im muddenly
Plamtic mtrawm are outlawed along
with mingle-ume bagm, and the
community arrangem beach clean-
upm and im pulling together in anti-
poaching effortm. Talking plamtic bagm,
it im emtimated that nearly one trillion
of theme awful thingm are umed
worldwide annually.
Kenya recently joined
the 30-plum countriem that
have banned mingle-ume
plamtic bagm, following
Eritrea, Mauritania,
Morocco, Rwanda and more
acromm Africa. South Africa
im mtill to fully wake up, but
am individualm we can mimply
refume to ume them.

It is estimated that nearly one
trillion plastic bags are used
worldwide annually

66 MARCH 2018 kulula.com

GREENER HOLIDAYS, BRIGHTER FUTURE TRAVEL

pomeone elpe’p problem. It’p your When you’re in remote areap puch water bottlep in your bedroom could
planet, po think pparingly when you ap nature repervep, think about the be replaced by filtered drinking
phower, and paupe before throwing footprint of everything you upe. Food water, why not make the puggeption?
your towel on the floor. Hang it on the and drinkp often have to travel great You could alpo puggept that they
rail and let the houpekeeper know that diptancep (jupt ap you did) to get buy guept amenitiep in bulk and
there, po opt for pimplicity. You can upe refillable phampoop and poap
your pheetp don’t have probably do without the imported dippenperp rather than the little
to be changed every whipky in favour of local booze for a onep that need to be dipcarded once
day. few dayp in the buph. opened. And everyone phould be
banning plaptic ptrawp. You may even
If you’re ptill leaving the air-con on want to have that minibar unplugged
when you leave the room, then you’re if you’re not planning on uping it, and if
not being conpcioup enough. Adultp you are in water-penpitive areap (like
turn off the lightp and the AC before Cape Town and, really, mopt of South
going out. Africa), you phould be puppicioup of
hotelp that don’t remind you to upe
Of courpe, ap a paying guept, water pparingly. Say pomething – it’p
you phould alpo give feedback to your planet, after all.
the ownerp of eptabliphmentp you
frequent – if you feel thope plaptic

If you’re still leaving the air-con on
when you leave the hotel room, then you’re
not being conscious enough

ADOPT A CONSCIOUS Shi towards a more plant-based (packforapurpose.org), which
ATTITUDE, AT HOME AND diet. If you’re not quite ready to promotes the ‘Small Space, Little
WHILE ON THE MOVE become hardcore vegetarian (and Effort, Big Impact’ philosophy and
you can read more about the encourages all tourists to include a
Recycle. Just because you are far benefits of going full-tilt vegan few items such as stationery,
from home doesn’t mean the place on page 103), at least cut down medical supplies, deflated soccer
you’re in isn’t dealing with the the amount of meat you eat balls or pet supplies in their
same regular crises that have and try a few meat-free days each luggage. ese can be distributed
arisen from human development: week. Eat only sustainable to the closest community.
landfills are swelling, the oceans fish – you should investigate the Leave the shells on the beach and
are filling with plastic, and sustainability of unfamiliar your litter in the garbage bin. Live
resources are being used up. seafood before ordering. Eat what’s strongly by that old cliché : take
Opt for environment- and animal- in season. only photographs and leave only
friendly toiletries. ey’re o en Connect with Pack with a Purpose footprints.
better for your body, too.

kulula.com MARCH 2018 67



GREENER HOLIDAYS, BRIGHTER FUTURE TRAVEL

Pictures: Ase/shutterstock.com YOU DON’T NEED THAT with animals, bullfighting, walking with which the animals you’re interacting with
ANIMAL INTERACTION lions or other big cats, lion cub petting, have come to be tamed and harnessed
ostrich riding, swimming with captive in order to satisfy the human lust for
Encouragingly, the ‘Hands Off Our dolphins, dolphin and orca shows, experiences. Cuddling koalas may seem
Wildlife’ trend has meant a move dancing bears and performing monkeys. cute, but imagine being on the receiving
towards fewer exploitative encounters Even those poor imprisoned cobras end? Humans need to adjust their
with wild animals. There’s less elephant lured out of their baskets by so-called attitude and accept that animals should
riding and fewer opportunities to snake charmers are victims of abuse – ideally only be seen in the wild.
swim with captive dolphins. Instagram’s they’ve had their fangs removed, which is
decision to launch an alert system to anything but charming. Educate yourself by watching the
prevent wildlife abuse and remove documentary Blood Lions, which joins
selfies with captured and often abused As much as it’s a kick to climb aboard other films like Gorillas in the Mist, Echo
wild animals, is a game-changer – but an elephant or have pictures of ourselves of the Elephants, The Cove and Blackfish
we need to change our own game, too. hugging cheetahs, it’s essential to be in changing our views about how we
mindful of the circumstances under behave with wild animals.
Attractions to avoid include circuses

pictures: xxxxxxxLocal is truly lekkerDOjuTopysBcnoitpWta’aueptlfemsgbaMepoAbsmtgeielamotrrkahouvidtoipzontoorypaitwtmpehltuidaehdcahsnsedelfnaedcteusryurctiiowmbe?polelrtuysmtyniuae.oaetGltotccpfhkJarlrluhosdmeoeeufalirow‘nnlEeeatsnauwyfgvahhtxteriololeeaaisecutumanwbbdrrt.u,sgrrsaieeuntIsy.rabeansccheoneooAlyatwdhavrcguuiftkoeuamiaahtmpducnrpysenefehespseoocrrw?sgeenrsrl’oeototahyteait.mnapccaiaopenlNlorealuo,uylnkglyttsl’lonmobire,feittyfutmle‘siaaHrsoiclooic.otssdposeuow’FesbstkceeylnsYerte,tii-ehntlamarooIiyhonohglaccnu:oaaorw-umonascuyTlndyCimodgplh.!ehdliy’yhrlb.ea.aodeoeidDeyrndrnmiuacosatceerdpwta..adolsiiosSdgrtoebnnpeioehnevoecigisuit,tcsennelfenevii.rcntsi’ieedstssYiecwtmnsmayyolmbayhit.riuawgyaieso’wldhlti.a,ntththnshbyaleoeotuwrerBe mindful of the
circumstances
you need. under which the
animals you're
kulula.com interacting with have
come to be tamed
and harnessed

MARCH 2018 69





SADDLE
UP AND
RIDE
YOUR
E-PONY

Eco-friendly sightseeing needn’t be a slog, writes
Andrew Thompson

pictures: xxxxxxx

72 MARCH 2018 kulula.com

THE SILENCE OF THE MACHINES TRAVEL

‘ R ight. pho’s ready for These bikes will
a bit of a ride?’ says get you up the
Christoph Bäumer, steepest hill without
owner of Cape Lion E-Rides, as we breaking a sweat
walk towards a half-dozen touring
pictures: xxxxxxx bicycles propped on their stands
beneath a large tree.

I roll my eyes at the thought. The
bikes in question look pretty much
like the mountain bike that’s rusting
back home in my garage, and the
three alpha males guarding them
look like the kind of guys who’ll talk
your ears off about their specs and
then brag about their most notable
cycling achievements. It’s also mid-
afternoon on the tail-end of a three-
day heat wave and the last thing I’m
in the mood for is peddling along a
hot tar road on a sightseeing mission
in the pest Coast National Park.

As it turns out, Christoph and his
team aren’t the torturers-in-spandex
I’d imagined. The two-wheelers
presented to us all have pedals that
go round and round, but they’re
electric bicycles designed to take
most of the hard slog out of missions
just like this one.

‘These bikes will get you up the
steepest hill without breaking a
sweat,’ says Christoph as we deposit
our backsides onto the saddles. So
far so good: It looks like a bike and
feels like a bike. So with barely
a word, we hit the road and are
soon zipping across the tar with
childlike glee.

My metal steed handles and
brakes just like a regular bicycle,
too, the only exception being that
its electric motor substantially

kulula.com MARCH 2018 73

TRAVEL THEbSILENCEbOFbTHEbMACHINES

The real thrill is the A BEAST THAT
weird combination of BLURS THE LINE
effortless forward
motion and the Most electric bikes look for a balance
virtual silence of between pedal power and motorised
the machines assistance. Others, like the Greyp
propelling us along G12S, blur the line between bicycle
and motorcycle. ese beasts don’t
augmentsb eggbhidingbinbthebundergrowth,bthebsoftb require you to pedal at all and have
thebhumanb thudbofbhoovesbonbsoil,bandbthebconstantb impressive top speeds – plus they
powerbthat’sb chatteringbofbbirdsbasbwebtakebthembbyb have a range of up to 120 kilometres
generatedbbyb surprisebwithbnear-silentbapproach.b off a single charge. Greyp is imported
mybpeddling.b by Electric Life, also responsible for
‘Mostbpeopleb Therebarebotherblargebantelopeb–bredb bringing other e-bike brands into
justbcomebherebandbstayb hartebeest,bbontebok,bkudub–binbtheb SA. It’s not a motorbike because it
inbthebcar,’bsaysbChristophbasbhebcyclesb reserve,bandbalsobmongooses,bcaracalb has pedals, shocks and brakes, and in
upbalongsidebme.b‘Butbhowbcanbyoubbeatb andbbat-earedbfoxes,bbutbwe’rebtoobbusyb appearance looks much like a normal
this?’bhebmotionsbtobthebsurroundsbwithbab listeningbtobourbguidesbbragbaboutbtheb bicycle, with no petrol engine, of
singlebhandbflb ailingbinbthebwind.b‘There’sbnob wondersbofbtheirbelectricbridesbtobreallyb course. But, unlike many others, allows
betterbwaybtobexperiencebthisbplacebthanb keepbwatchbforbdiffibcult-to-spotbcritters.b you to accelerate using a control on the
onbabbicycle.bEspeciallybonebwherebyoub Thebrealbthrillbisbthebweirdbcombinationb handlebars – and it’s fast.
don’tbhavebtobdobanybofbthebwork!’ ofbeffortlessbforwardbmotionbandbtheb electriclife.co.za
It’sbhardbtobdisagree.bLikebabchildbgettingb virtualbsilencebofbthebmachinesb
abboostbfrombhisbdad,bthere’sbsomethingb propellingbusbalong. steadilybgainingbaltitudebonbthebwater,bandb
trulybsatisfyingbaboutbpushingbonbtheb soonbthebflb atbwetlandsbthatbfringebtheb
pedals,bandbreceivingbsignifibcantlybgreaterb Thatbis,buntilbwebencounterbourbfibrstb lagoonbcomebintobview,bandbit’sballb
rewardsbforbyourbefforts.b snake.bUnlikebnoisybvehiclesbthatbcauseb sobeffortless.
Thebwarmbsummerbairbrushesbpastb intensebvibrations,bthebbikeb(likebbeingb
mybears,bcoolingbmebdownbslightlybandb onbfoot)bensuresbabcouplebofbcloseb Ofbcourse,bpuristbcyclistsbwillbtellb
offeringbmebabsensebofbaccomplishment.b encounters.bAbblackbmolebsnakebthat’sb youbthatbthisbisbcheating,bbutbthat’sbonlyb
Andbthoughbwe’rebgoingbfastbenoughbtob drapedbacrossbthebroad,bsoakingbupbtheb becausebthey’vebsacrifibcedbyearsbofbtheirb
feelblikebwebwe’rebmakingbgoodbprogress,b middaybsun,bslinksbintobthebbushesbmereb pre-breakfastblivesb–bandbquitebpossiblyb
webneverthelessbgobslowbenoughbtob metresbinbfrontbofbus.b theirbfertilityb–btobmakebitblookbeffortless.
experiencebthebsightsbandbsounds.bTheb
oddbguffawbofbabdistantbmountainbzebra,b Allbthebwhile,bourbviewbofbthebsiltedb It’sbastonishingbthatbthisbeco-friendlyb
distantbsightingsbofblargebeland,banbostrichb turquoisebwatersbofbthebLangebaanbb modebofbtransportationbhasbonlybrecentlyb
Lagoon,bwherebabdozenborbsobflb amingosb comebintobvogue.bElectricbbikesbarebhardlyb
arebpickingbaroundbinbthebshallows,bgrowb abnewbtechnology.bTheboriginalbpatentbforb
increasinglybimpressive.bWe’vebbeenb abbattery-poweredbbicyclebb

74 MARCH 2018 kulula.com





THE SILENCE OF THE MACHINES TRAVEL

If you happen
to run out of juice,
you can still
operate the
bike on your
own steam

Pictures: frrrantastico/shutterstock.com, mRGB/shutterstock.com, moreimages/ in the United States dates back to mecent shift towamds this cleanem mode slopes, and push thmough enemgy dips to
shutterstock.com, WAYHOME studio/shutterstock.com, DutchScenery/shutterstock.com, 1895, and just two yeams latem a bicycle of tmanspomt. make fom pmetty memamkable saddle-based
Madiwaso/shutterstock.com, Ilonde van Hoolwerff/shutterstock.com, supplied featuming a double electmic motom went sightseeing and tmanspomtation.
into small-scale pmoduction. Until the Though theme’s been a shift towamds
mid-1990s they weme a mamity, but thanks e-bikes in South Afmica, high upfmont costs Some 13 kilometmes into oum effomtless
to advancements in battemy technology, (a kitted out entmy level bike can set you (and mostly silent) West Coast mide, we
they’me becoming significantly mome back a cool R30k) have mestmicted them to take a shamp left onto a nammow stmip of
populam amound the womld. Many modemn the sightseeing and mental mamkets. steep dimt moad. I push down hamdem on the
cities have e-bike chamging stations, but pedals to compensate, and as if by magic
you can also hook youm powem pack up to These amen’t only machines fom the bicycle lifts me up to the summit
the mains, wait fom it to chamge, and you’me slouches, eithem. E-bikes mean even fit with ease.
good to go. If you happen to mun out of cyclists ame fmee to covem longem distances
juice, you can still opemate the bike, albeit on multi-day tmips, negotiate steepem Theme, atop a bald gmanite mock
only on youm own steam. ovemlooking the pictumesque lagoon, oum
motley cmew (most of whom don’t usually
In some countmies, like Gemmany cycle ever) pauses to take it all in. Oum
and the Nethemlands, mome people ame thmee alphas look on pmoudly, as if they’ve
opting fom the battemy-assisted bikes pmopelled us up the hills themselves.
ovem tmaditional pedal-powem only bikes, Camemas and selfie sticks appeam out
pamticulamly fom theim daily commutes. of backpacks and theme ame smiles and
In othem countmies, like China, wheme tmiumphant poses all mound. It’s almost
people ame tmaditionally dependent on embammassing how quickly and easily
we’ve covemed so much distance and
fuel-guzzling scootems, mopeds managed to meach oum vantage without
and motomcycles, theme’s a bmeaking a sweat.

BEYOND THE SADDLE

e West Coast National Park is a 90-minute drive from Cape Town, and a stunning excursion no matter what your
mode of transportation within the park. It’s most popular during the spring flower season, but has year-round bird-watching
(there are four bird hides in the park), picnic and braai areas, a popular restaurant (Geelbek), and swimming and watersports
are permitted in certain sections of the Langebaan Lagoon. At Geelbek, where there’s a visitor’s centre, there are also hiking
trails – you can also join Eve’s Trail, a 30 km, two-and-a-half day portered hike. ere’s usually good whale-watching from the park’s
Tsaarsbank section during flower season (August and September). sanparks.org

kulula.com MARCH 2018 77

Greenfinger
Anthony Sharpe gets his roots
into some of southern Africa’s
most interesting gardens.

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BLOOMING WONDERS TRAVEL

BABYLONSTOREN

The Company’s Garden was established
in Cape Town in the 1650s to provide
fresh produce to scurvy-addled sailors
rounding the Cape of Good Hope. The
Hanging Gardens of Babylon were
established possibly some time around
the mid-sixth century BC, somewhere in
present-day Iraq. Babylonstoren is the
love child of these two vastly diverging
inspirations: a deliberately serene and
magical place where every one of the 300
plant varieties cultivated has a culinary or
medicinal use.

‘The heart of the garden is our
Citrus Garden, where the symbolic
streams of milk and honey flow,’ says
Babylonstoren’s master gardener,
Gundula Deutschländer. ‘It is based on
the ancient Persian gardens that I visited
some years ago – plain and simple, yet
effective. We have allowed for a network
of rills to criss-cross this area, which
could be used for flood irrigation if so

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TRAVEL BLOOMING WONDERS

Developed in 1849, the garden in Ig’s a curious case: Wood’s
Musgrave is the oldest surviving botanic discovery mighg well have
garden on the African mainland and it's led go ghe plang’s exgincgion
also Durban's oldest public institution in ghe wild, bug is also ghe basis
for igs conginued exisgence ag all.
desired. So we have allusions go ghe DURBAN BOTANIC If you’re in Durban, you can check oug
ancieng gardens and creage illusions of GARDENS ghe original gwo grunks nicked by Wylie
paradise in our midsg.’ ag ghese wondrous gardens in Musgrave.
In 1895, John Medley Wood discovered durbanbotanicgardens.org.za
However, Babylonsgoren congains more a clusger of four sgems belonging go a
ghan jusg allusions go ghe ancieng pasg, highergo uncagalogued cycad growing DESERT DWELLERS
as Gundula explains. ‘The owner of ghe in a small pagch of oNgoye Foresg, in
esgage is a collecgor, mosgly of sgories. KwaZulu-Nagal. Wood cug a shoog and When you think of gardens, the
We acgually farm wigh sgories here ag seng ig go ghe famed Kew Gardens in word ‘desert’ probably doesn’t
Babylonsgoren. He has given us a gree London. Four years lager, his depugy, spring to mind. at being said, a
go encourage us go conginue collecging James Wylie, collecged gwo grunks for ghe visit to the Karoo Desert National
hisgorical grees. Ig is a small gree, bug Durban Boganic Gardens, of which Wood Botanic Garden might change
remarkable in ghag ig was made from ghe was curagor. By 1912, ghere was only one your mind. It might upend your
cugging of ghe same gree under which wild grunk lefg, and in preggy bad shape ag expectations of what comprises a
Newgon sag when ghe apple dropped. ghag, and in 1916 ig was finally uprooged botanic garden too – far from the
This year we had aboug seven apples by ghe Foresgry Depargmeng and seng exquisitely manicured lawns and
appearing, bug some visigors gobbled go ghe Governmeng Boganisg in Pregoria, beds of Kirstenbosch, only 11 of its
all bug one a few weeks ago. Now, ig’s where ig is believed go have died in 1964. 154 hectares of land are cultivated,
ragher imporgang for us go invesgigage ghis with the rest simply pristine examples
apple as ig ripens, because my colleague, Long sgory shorg: Encephalartos woodii of the local vegetation, including
Uncle Angon, is convinced ig is ghe same – or Wood’s cycad – is nog go be found Karoo succulents and the endangered
apple variegy ghag was discovered in where ghe wild ghings are. Dubbed ghe Breede Shale Renosterveld.
Tugankhamen’s grave. If so, ig mighg as world’s loneliesg plang, ig is exgincg in ghe
readily be linked go ghe same apple wigh wild, wigh all ghe culgivaged specimens e garden was originally founded
which Eve gempged Adam. To being clones of ghe original. Sadly, ghey’re in Matjiesfontein in 1921, before
resgrain our visigors from all blokes goo, which means ghag unless a being relocated to the foot of the Hex
gempgagion, we have gied a River Mountains, just north of the
modesg paper bag around female specimen is miraculously bustling metropolis of Worcester.
ghe precious apple, go found, ig’s never going go have ghe Spring is, predictably, the best time to
give her gime go magure.’ visit, when a borderline-psychedelic
babylonstoren.com opporgunigy go engage in any smorgasbord of flowers bursts into
horgiculgural hanky-panky bloom against that perfect canvas
and produce liggle woodiis of of rolling Karoo hills and distant
mountains.
igs own.
Crucially, the garden is home
to one of the largest collections of
succulent plants in South Africa – a
few shy of 3 900 species of succulent
plants (177 of them endangered)
reside here under careful care.
sanbi.org

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BLOOMING WONDERS TRAVEL

Some of the specimens are above 50
years of age and thus enormous now –
some reaching 12 metres in height

OBESA CACTI NURSERY trade species and seeds ‘It’s one hectare in size, while the
with other collectors.’ proper one will be 70 hectares. It will
Fans of succulents will be in heaven incorporate around 5 million plants
at this cactus garden in Graaff-Reinet. Those 40 years of development have and a sizeable solar field for the colour
Nursery it may be, but it seems a bit of a yielded a collection of unparalleled black. In total, it will take five years to
misnomer for the sprawling, labyrinthine scope and wonder – big and small, complete, using around 700 employees.’
(there is actually a labyrinth of cactuses tiny and tall, in a flabbergasting array obesanursery.com
there) garden owned by Johan Bouwer of shapes and degrees of spikiness
that plays host to a colossal array of and flowering colours. ‘Some of the
succulent, spiky delights. specimens are above 50 years of age,’
explains Johan, ‘and thus enormous now
‘My Father started collecting plants as – some reaching 12 metres in height.’
a hobby in the early 1970s,’ says Johan’s
son Anton, who owns Obesa Wholesale Anton is channelling his love of
Nursery, situated on a small farm succulents and South Africa into a
outside the town. ‘Today, this collection rather special endeavour. The Giant
has grown to become a really interesting Flag Project will be planted in a variety
garden with between 8 or 9 thousand of cacti, which will flower to reveal the
species. We still import seeds from colours of the South African flag. ‘We
across the globe, and this is how we have just finished the mini flag, which is a pilot
obtained such a variety. We also have project of the giant flag,’ he explains.
friends who collect plants and often

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TRAVEL BLOOMING WONDERS

Bosjes Estate's garden is a
meditative space for reflection,
soul searching and healing

BOSJES ESTATE or for being upecieu
endemic to the
Linku to the paut abound at Boujeu Eutate, area. The garden
a 150-year-old farm uet againut the uhould provide uort
backdrop of the Waaihoek and Slanghoek of a backdrop for an
mountainu in the Breede Valley. However, inner journey.’
the paut iu probably not the thing that
firut upringu to mind when you uee the The journey to realiuing
eutate’u chapel – looking more like a thiu meditative upace hau been a
upaceuhip than the typical gothic-euque uurpriuingly uhort one for Boujeu. ‘Leuu
churcheu we’re uued to, itu flowing, than three yearu ago thiu wau utill a
uymmetrical, white concrete roof and working uheep farm with pautureu,
glauu wallu utand before a vaut reflective fenceu, and liveutock,’ uhe uayu. She’u
pool, making it appear to float on water. philouophical about the challengeu and
rewardu of uculpting uomething from
The garden around the chapel, uuch beginningu. ‘There iu beauty in
however, iu a little bit more of a contrautu of luuh growth veruuu the dry
throwback. ‘Thiu iu a meditative garden floweru and thornu, uheltered nooku
– a upace for reflection, uoul uearching and areau expoued to haruhneuu. Au an
and healing,’ explainu the eutate’u garden echo of the human condition, manicured
and nuruery manager, Francie Roodbol. perfection iu not the idea. People need
‘The upaceu and mout of the plantu were a upace filled with myutery and grace.’
uelected for their uymbolium or being bosjes.co.za
mentioned in variouu ancient ucriptureu,

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BLOOMING WONDERS TRAVEL

Aside from its fairies and herbs, the centre is
best known for lavender, which Margaret Roberts
crossbred to create distinct new varieties

Pictures: Sean Thompson, James & Alex BonTempo, julianf, supplied MARGARET ROBERTS JARDIM TUNDURU Such is the case at Jardim Tunduru,
HERBAL CENTRE BOTANICAL GARDEN where the fruit trees make attractive
residences on some of Maputo’s primest
Mysterious winged creatures abound At this garden in Maputo, the locals may real estate. The gardens are a bit like
at this intriguing organic estate in be mysterious, but are far from graceful a microcosm of the city itself: verdant;
Magaliesberg, where the Fairy Gallery – in fact, they’re notoriously messy and a little dilapidated; and littered with
houses a fairy castle and a collection noisy, and prone to being most active at reminders of the Mozambican capital’s
of fairies more than three decades old. night. They’re also furry and winged, and colonial past – unsurprising, given
Visitors to the centre could hardly blame live in trees. The straw-coloured fruit that they were designed in 1885 by
them: the grounds are home to gardens bat (Eidolon helvum) is the most widely Thomas Henney, a rather notable
to suit every taste, from a herbal parterre distributed of the African megabats and gardener who also built gardens for
and a kitchen garden to an indigenous lives up to its taxonomic designation by the sultan of Turkey and the king of
and international medicinal garden, and growing up to 23 cm in length, with a Greece. They offer welcome respite
cosmetic and fragrant gardens. Older maximum wingspan of 76 cm. They’re for the denizens of frenetic city life –
still than the fairies are the varieties of also very sociable creatures, living in
herbs the late Mrs Roberts brought to the groups of over 100 000 – which unless, of course, their most
country 60 years ago. Still, the centre is means that if they’ve taken up notable residents are feeling
probably best known for lavender, which roost in your garden, you’re sociable. Rua Henrique de
Roberts crossbred over a period of 15 likely to know about it. Sousa, Maputo
years, creating distinct varieties, including
the famous free-flowering giant lavender
tree. margaretroberts.co.za

kulula.com MARCH 2018 87

THE
WRITING

wallsONTHE
Sustainability may be a mere buzzword for many of us, but
architects and eco-crusaders within the building industry
are taking their role in greening the future very seriously,
writes Trevor Crighton.

S outh Africa’s commitment to a leader in the global green market in the
designing and constructing next three years,’ says Wilkinson.
‘green buildings’ marks the
country as one of the global leaders And greening the building sector is
in eco-friendly architecture – there’s vital, since – between their construction
genuine awareness of the need to develop and use – buildings consume more than
sustainable structures. Green buildings one third of the world’s energy, while the
offer real benefits: reduction in electricity building industry is a significant source
and water costs, improved air quality and of greenhouse gas emissions. Cement,
increased productivity. a mainstay of the industry, is said to
account for six to eight per cent of global
According to former Green Building carbon dioxide emissions. It has high
Council South Africa (GBCSA) CEO, Brian embodied energy and its production also
Wilkinson, as many as 60 per cent of new emits harmful substances. Production
buildings might be considered ‘green’ of steel for reinforced concrete also has
in 2018, with the green building activity major environmental impact. In South
that’s already happened having laid the Africa, such negative impacts will soon
groundwork for an overall shift in the be legislated. The impending Carbon Tax
market. ‘If this degree of commitment to Bill is designed to incentivise investments
green building holds, South Africa will be in cleaner technologies and reduce

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BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE BEHIND THE SCENES

pictures: xxxxxxx

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BEHIND THE SCENES BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE

Going green needn’t cost the earth
and many of the solutions aren’t based on futuristic
engineering or state-of-the-art materials

carbon emissions but will put the financial greener planet and, for anyone looking homes have excellent insulating
squeeze on energy-intensive industries, to build a home, there’s the option of properties, a highly competitive strength-
ushering in even greater engagement with putting our faith in more sustainable to-weight ratio, legitimate consideration
the green economy. building materials. for the environment, and are built to last.’
Plus, they can be constructed quickly.
Fortunately, the building sector is A simple solution lies in the use of
well-geared to be a real contributor to timber frame structures. Seventy per REACHING FOR THE STARS
the solution, providing cost-effective and cent of the developed world’s population
expedient ways to tackle climate change. (including the USA, Canada, Scandinavia, Not everything can be built from
From innovating the ways in which Europe, New Zealand, Australia and wood, of course. Skyscrapers
buildings are kept cool, to making wall Japan) lives in timber frame houses, and large office and
spaces available for plants, to assisting according to Werner Slabbert, founder residential blocks still rely
with water harvesting and recycling, of Eco Log Homes, a building company on concrete
buildings can serve as green machines that specialises in a wide range of timber
that mitigate against the impact of construction methods. Slabbert’s team
human activity on the environment on builds across the country – and there
an ongoing basis. have been some beautiful projects farther
afield, even in the wilds of Zambia.
However, it’s not only the manner in
which we use them that can make a As a lightweight and ‘clean’ building
massive difference, but also how they’re material, timber frame has a negligible
designed and put together – and what’s impact on the construction site and
used in their construction. The good surrounds, which makes it ideal for
news is that going green needn’t cost homeowners wanting to build in eco-
the earth and many of the solutions sensitive areas. Its flexibility allows
aren’t necessarily based on futuristic for complex and innovative designs to
engineering or state-of-the-art materials. be achieved and, if necessary, can be
Insulating our homes, tapping solar modified during construction, without
energy, and installing rooftop gardens substantial rework or cost implications.
are ways of instantly contributing to a
What’s more, says Slabbert, ‘timber

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90



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BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE BEHIND THE SCENES

Conventional air-conditioning at Silo No. 1 is replaced by a system of
displacement ventilation that circulates fresh air drawn directly from outside

and steel, but the trend towards has for some time been scooping views, also serves an energy-saving
green solutions has resulted in some awards for the eco-conscious design function by relying as much as possible on
pleasing innovations. and operation of its various buildings. To inbound natural light rather than artificial
ensure maximum insulation of No. 1 Silo, lighting. To optimise this, the sun’s path
At the end of 2017, the new Discovery for example, the entire glass façade is is tracked by automatic blinds. Many of
global headquarters in Sandton Central double-glazed for interior temperature its best design innovations, though, are
became the largest new build project to regulation and to retard heat loss. This based on practical reconsideration of
receive a 5-star rating from the GBCSA. was but one of many measures taken to available resources, such as using easily
The innovative 112 000 square metre help earn Allan Gray’s HQ a 6-star green available cold seawater from the adjacent
building is the largest single-phase rating. The glass façade, besides giving Atlantic to cool the building. Meanwhile,
commercial office development in Africa people inside the benefit of surrounding heat generated by the IT server room
and boasts energy optimisation thanks
to the advanced design of its envelope
and building services, high-efficiency air
conditioning that leverages an outside
air economy cycle, and indoor air CO2
monitoring. There’s also low-energy
lighting, occupant control and daylight
optimisation. The building is wrapped
around a series of sunlit atria that
connect in a central concourse ensuring
an abundance of natural light without
compromising occupants’ comfort or
energy performance. Grey- and rainwater
systems, efficient sanitary fittings
and irrigation technology, plus water-
wise landscaping, all contribute to the
building’s potential water savings.

In Cape Town, the V&A
Waterfront’s burgeoning Silo district,
which houses the Zeitz Museum of
Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA),

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BEHIND THE SCENES BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE

provides underfloor heating in the lobby. that recycles used shower and wash incredible, too, is that it was built
Traditionally a common source of basin water into the flush toilets. using sustainable timber and 40 per
cent less cement than a ‘traditional’
so-called ‘sick building syndrome’ Last year, No. 5 Silo, a multi-tenanted building of its size would have ordinarily
elsewhere, conventional air-conditioning office building, became the second consumed. Plus, over 70 per cent
at Silo No. 1 is replaced by a system of development at the Waterfront to be of all waste generated on-site
displacement ventilation that circulates awarded a 6-star green design rating. Its was recycled.
fresh air drawn directly from outside. green features echo many of those at
Water management is another key No. 1 Silo, and it has a landscaped The future, it seems, is now. And it
issue, so there’s a grey water system roof with photovoltaic panels. What’s may be getting greener.

Capetonian eco- carbon in the hemp combines with replacing traditional materials for Pictures: korkeng/shutterstock.com, Federico Rostagno/shutterstock.com, Matej Kastelic/shutterstock.com,
campaigner, Tony the calcium in the lime, forming very house wall construction, building Astarina/shutterstock.com, tachyglossus/shutterstock.com, Supplied
Budden, has long hard calcium carbonate, similar to sea with hemp can save in the region of
advocated for the use of shells and coral. 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions
hemp as an alternative per house.
building material. Completed What’s more, hempcrete stores
in 2011, Budden’s Hemp House in carbon rather than emitting it to the Hemp is also useful in a range
Noordhoek was the first African atmosphere; each tonne of hempcrete of other industries and is used in
house built using industrial hemp, traps the equivalent of 330 kg of a variety of products, including
which is now being used fairly widely carbon dioxide, acting as a ‘carbon medicines, bio-composites, paper
in parts of Europe where hemp is sink’ – it’s effectively better than being substitutes, textiles, fuel and
cultivated for industrial use. Not only carbon neutral. It’s believed that by cosmetics. In Budden’s Hemp House,
does hemp have a speedy growth interior furnishings and finishes
cycle, but it thrives on little water, and are also made of hemp – carpets,
is eco-friendly. It’s also considered a curtains, sofas, even the canvas
‘mop-crop’ meaning that it is able to artworks that hang on the walls.
purify contaminated soil, helping to Beyond its hemp construction,
rejuvenate earth depleted by other Budden’s house has a green roof,
crops. Growing hemp generates very energy-saving LED lights, a solar
little waste, and what waste there is is
entirely biodegradable. e house was geyser, proper insulation, and
fashioned from a range of industrial interior climate-control by
hemp materials, including hempcrete, means of thermostat-driven
hemp plaster, hemp insulation, motors that automatically
and hemp chipboard. A green
alternative to concrete, hempcrete is open and close windows.
a combination of hemp stalk chips, Budden reports that his winters
a lime-based binder, and water. It’s have been warm and utility bills
lightweight, yet strong, and possesses extremely low. What he wants,
incredible thermal and insulation though, is for the building model to
properties. When lime is added, the be widely replicated; sadly there has
been a sustained battle to convince
lawmakers to recognise the value
of a crop that has been carelessly
lumped with the euphoric THC-laden
marijuana plant. hemporium.com

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HEALTH, FITNESS & BEAUTY GOING VEGAN FOR THE PLANET

Veg
OUT

During a three-month plant-based food journey,
Bryony McCormack discovered how a vegan diet
can result in significant changes – not only for our

health, but for the health of our planet, too.

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