Becoming a ‘greenie” no longer involves forsaking your cellphone and razor to take up organic hemp farming in the Tsitsikamma forest. As the environment becomes a permanent fixture on the corporate and political agenda, people from all walks of life are finding ways to minimise their impact on the planet. And, with the advent of Green Drinks Johannesburg, the opportunity to meet fellow green people has just increased exponentially.
The worldwide networking phenomenon that brings environmentally focused individuals together over their favourite cocktails has finally hit South Africa. Started in the United Kingdom, in 1989, Green Drinks is a way for people working in the environmental sector to meet, chat and forge connections that will further the green cause. Active in 223 cities across the globe, Green Drinks calls itself an informal, organic, self-organising network, where everyone invites someone else to ensure a diverse, but like-minded, crowd.
Launching on May 30 at Primi Forum in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, the first local Green Drinks event will see government, NGOs, business and the media network without the pressure of a formal setting. Green Drinks Johannesburg is organised by former Big Brother housemate and eco-entrepreneur, Irvan Damon. Damon who has, among others, an environmental policy-making masters from UCT, says that after Big Brother and his involvement in the entertainment industry, Green Drinks seemed the ideal way of bringing these two very different worlds together to create social change.
‘It’s about bringing movers and shakers together, who then take green values back to their homes and networks and implement them there,” says Damon.
The events will deal with topical, relevant issues that affect South Africans, from our current energy crisis to debates around what effect the car you drive has on climate change, says Damon. Each month there will be a mini-panel to discuss the latest trends and developments in the environmental sector, ensuring that South Africans aren’t left behind as the green cause advances globally.
‘Any kind of forum where environmental organisations can get together to share information and ways to help one another is very important,” says Jeunesse Park, founder and CEO of Food and Trees for Africa, ‘and it’s nice to attend that sort of thing in an informal setting.”
Parks, along with JP Louw, CEO of Indalo Yethu the national environmental awareness campaign, will be at Green Drinks Johannesburg. The organisation says that as it is fairly new and Green Drinks is a monthly, informal event for people in the environmental field they see it ‘as a way of forming partnerships” with the right people.
Damon isn’t concerned that the green drinks gatherings will lose momentum as the months go by.
‘I think that, with my passion for all things environmental, and the global impact that climate change has on everyone, we will drive these networking sessions consistently,” he argues.
‘Green drinks is a small beginning and gives a voice to those wanting to make a difference.”
In a step to make the event truly environmentally friendly, Damon’s own eco-fashion accessory range will be replacing the usual goodie bags on the night. The Carbon d’ Afreeque bags, created in association with Gabby Alberoni of Brandgurus, are made from PVC billboards reclaimed before they are incinerated or go to a landfill site, and then used to make the accessories range.
For more info go to www.greendrinks.org, or contact Irvan Damon at [email protected] or call him on 073 692 7386