Simple Innovations Change the World
AET AFRICA innovates, manufactures and supplies energy efficiency products
Dear ReWilder,
Sometimes it is the simplest innovations that change the world. The global south has the tendency to look to the north for ideas, inspiration and innovation; but more and more the global north’s solutions to our problems are not transferable to the south and don’t match our needs or local contexts.
“Sometimes innovation isn’t always looking at new things. It’s to go backwards and say, but there’s a simpler way of doing this, and a cheaper way of doing this. We must start developing our own technology and not always looking at the rest of the world to help us. Because we’ve got our own solutions, and we’ve got our own problems.” - Mike Romer
ReWild had the opportunity to tell the story of SEED | AET Africa, an organisation innovating, manufacturing and supplying energy efficiency products for water heating and cooling systems, and researching new innovative technologies in South Africa.
Local initiatives like AET Africa solve multiple problems at once, and this is the power of localised production, and local innovations that solve context-related problems. AET Africa is not only helping to save South Africans money on energy bills and increase energy efficiency, they are also providing much-needed jobs in the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape has the highest unemployment rate in South Africa - with over 47% of adults currently unemployed.
Alongside AET Africa, South Africa is seeing growth across all emerging green sectors which offers us a spark of hope that we are moving in the right direction. The Green Economy Inventory for South Africa (GEISA) reveals that South Africa has over 32 green economy-related policies and strategies; and if well-coordinated and implemented, these would attract more investment in green economy sectors and help to effectively transition South Africa to a green economy.
We are at a pivotal crossroads where, as a country, we have the opportunity to rebuild our economies in a way that is good for the planet, increases job creation, and brings much needed social development to rural areas previously left out of development rhetoric. AET Africa is showing us how it’s done.
News from ReWild Africa 🐘
Sovereign Nature Initiative is hosting a webinar this evening, ‘WHY Reconnect’ at 6pm SAST, featuring our very own Sam Chevalier who will be giving a talk on understanding life’s ecosystems: Biomimicry & Deep Ecology as gateways to build a new relationship with the ‘more-than-human’. Register here.
Robbie Rorich, a friend of ReWild, is making Art for Change. He has sculpted mini elephant sculptures to raise funds for the Addo to Eden Corridor (see photo below). The sculptures are selling for R2100 with half the profits being donated. Robbie is planning on creating 300 of these sculptures to support wildlife corridors! Get in touch with him at robertrorich@gmail.com.
Wild regards,
Team ReWild Africa