Monty Brett Environmental and Cultural Courses Newsletter |
March 2011 |
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Wow – we certainly seem to be living through interesting times (isn’t that a Chinese curse?). With so much political turmoil going on in northern Africa and the Middle East, our politicians having slanging matches and overstepping the boundaries in preparation for the municipal elections in May, and now the earthquake and tsunami that has hit Japan, it’s been an eventful year so far.
Earth Hour takes place from 8.30 – 9.30 pm on Saturday 26th March, when millions of people all around the world will switch off their lights to take a stand against climate change. Log onto the Earth Hour website for further information: www.wwf.org.za/earth_hour_2011.
Coming up this year:
A Parliament of Owls Geoff Lockwood is a most entertaining speaker, and never more so than when he’s discussing owls, one of his favourite topics. He has some hilarious tales to tell about his encounters with these feisty birds – you’ve simply got to hear his story about climbing onto the Delta Environmental Centre roof with a waste-paper basket on his head! And of course, raptor rehabilitation expert Lorna Stanton will be bringing her range of live owls to visit on the second evening. There’s the tiny Scops Owl and the Giant Eagle Owl with its pink eyelids, and lots in between. You absolutely cannot afford to miss these two evenings.
Dates: April 4th and 7th, 2011 Times: 18h30 to 21h30 each evening Venue: Wanderers Club, Illovo, Johannesburg To book: Press “reply”, or click here kim@montybrett.com. Or call 033 266-6954.
LBJs (Little Brown Jobs) and Waders These are the little blighters that make identification really difficult. Just when you’re impressing the mob with your knowledge, along comes an LBJ that stumps you. You know the type – furtive, cryptic, maddeningly stealthy, with colours that disappear into the undergrowth. Ignoring them won’t make them go away, so you might as well get to know them properly. Geoff Lockwood and Clive Hopcroft will make all abundantly clear in this four-evening course, with plenty of hints and tips on how to tell them apart for once and for all.
Dates: June 20th, 23rd, 27th and 30th Times: 18h30 to 21h30 each evening Venue: Wanderers Club, Illovo, Johannesburg To book: Press “reply”, or click here kim@montybrett.com. Or call 033 266-6954.
There is still space on both of these trips. The details are as follows: Southern Madagascar Dates: 31st October to 16th November, 2011 Costs: Euros 2 613 per person sharing, plus approximately R9500 per person for flights. The itinerary includes the Ranomafana National Park, famed for its twelve species of lemur including three species of Bamboo Lemur, and birds such as Brown Emutail, Forest Rock-thrush and Pollen’s Vanga. The draw-card of this park is the evening opportunity at the Belle Vue feeding station to see Fanoloka (Striped Civet), Ring-tailed Mongoose and Brown Mouse Lemur. Also on the itinerary are Isalo National Park and Reniala Private Reserve, which are a botanist’s and birder’s delight.
Northern and Eastern Madagascar Dates: 15th to 29th November, 2011 Costs: Euros 3 194 per person sharing, plus approx R9 750 per person for flights. The itinerary includes Ankarana, Montagne d’Ambre Reserve (home to stump-tailed chameleons and leaf-tailed geckos) and Masoala Forest to see the many different species of lemurs, birds and other endemic species.
If you’d like to see the full itineraries, please email me on kim@montybrett.com and I’ll forward them to you.
PLEASE NOTE: the dates for this course have changed. Originally to have been in July, the course will now run in October. It’s going to be a real treat, filled with fascinating and insightful tidbits about the music world. Richard and Sue Cock are wonderful speakers, and their passion for their subject shines through. A must for music lovers.
Dates: October 11th, 13th, 18th, 20th, 2011 Times: 18h30 to 21h30 each evening Venue: Wanderers Club, Illovo, Johannesburg To book: Press “reply”, or click here kim@montybrett.com. Or call 033 266-6954.
Other items that may interest you: Kilimanjaro I’m keen to climb this mountain again, and had hoped to do so this year, but things haven’t fallen into place. I’m putting the trip on ice till 2012, probably around July or thereabouts. If you’re keen to join me, do let me know and I’ll keep you in the loop with developments.
Antarctica By all accounts, the continent of Antarctica is quite astonishing in its beauty and uniqueness. The itinerary options make for mouth-watering reading – let me know if you’d like to see them, and I’ll email them to you with pleasure. kim@montybrett.com.
Swarovski Binoculars Buying Swarovski quality means a making a purchase for life. The company offers outstanding after-sales service, and life-time guarantees on their products.
There are some new products in the Swarovski range: SLC 10 x 42 HD (high definition) EL 10 x 32 Traveller New EL 10 x 42 Swaro-vision
For prices and availability, please contact Monty directly on 082 824‑9374, or email him on monty@montybrett.com.
Monty has managed to get hold of a Swarovski AT80 telescope with a 20 – 60 zoom lens, for the amazing price of R15 000 including VAT. If you’re interested, please give him a call on 082 824‑9374, or email monty@montybrett.com.
Well, that’s it for another couple of months. Even with the elections, the oil-price hikes, and the rising cost of living, there’s always something to smile about in our beautiful country.
Warm regards,
Monty Brett Courses P O Box 314, Nottingham Road, 3280 Tel: (033) 266-6954 Fax: 086 652-7662 Cell: 082 824-9378 email: kim@montybrett.com website: www.montybrett.com
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Our contact details
Monty & Kim Brett P O Box 314 Nottingham Road 3280
Tel: (033) 266-6954
Fax: 086 652-7662
Email: kim@montybrett.com
Web: www.montybrett.com
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Quotes |
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It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves. Edmund Hilary
Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man’s doing but my own. I am the force. Elaine Maxwell
If who I am is what I have, and what I have is lost, then who am I? Anonymous
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Unwanted emails … |
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…are such a headache.
If you don’t want to hear from us anymore, please reply and simply type “please unsubscribe me” in the body of the email, and I’ll take you off the mailing list straight away, no questions asked.
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Fabulous gift idea |
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If, like me, you’re always at a loss when it comes to pressie-buying, how about this for a clever idea: a year’s subscription to the bi-monthly Birds and Birding magazine – just perfect for anyone interested in birding and conservation issues.
There are several options you can choose from, including a youth option and a group membership (for schools, etc.) In addition, corporate membership is available to companies who want to support the efforts of Birdlife South Africa (and potentially save on tax too), and this comes with access to Birdlife's expertise and skills in conservation, sustainability and environmental planning.
To find out more about the different options, click here.
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Planet-saving Tips
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Some suggestions from WWF and other sources:
Drive less and drive smart: keep your car well serviced and maintained. Drive smoothly – hard stops and starts can increase your petrol usage dramatically. And use public transport if you have that option. Eat more veggies: Eggs, meat and dairy cost a lot to produce in terms of fodder, transportation and maintenance. Switch all your light bulbs: to compact fluorescents or light-emitting diodes. Pay your accounts on-line: very little paper is wasted, and you won’t waste time in bank queues. Turn off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth: You can save up to 9 litres of water a minute. Flush with less water: Put a water hippo (2l bottle filled with water) into your cistern. Don’t overcharge: Turn off appliances at the wall. Cell-phones, shavers and the like all continue to draw electricity even when they’re fully charged. A TV left in standby mode uses nearly a quarter of the electricity it uses when it’s on.
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Recycling Is So Easy
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Recycling uses much less energy than using virgin material, so it really can make a huge difference to the planet, and it’s something we can all do so easily.
I’m now recycling in earnest, as I just can’t bear seeing bags and bags of household waste being tossed on an ever-rising pile at our local dump, and I’ve been amazed at how simple it really is.
I’ve set out the different containers in the scullery and informed everyone in the household, so they know where to put what. We rinse cans and other dirty containers before disposal, to prevent odours and mess in the car. There’s really not much more to it than that.
Our closest recycling depot is in Howick, so we drop the bags there on Saturdays, when we go down to watch our son play sport. Done and dusted!
As feel-good strategies go, this one is a no-brainer – you get to do the planet a big favour with minimal effort.
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Interesting Website
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I’ve come across a really lovely website that I’d like to share.
Raptitude is written by David Cain, a young Canadian who has the ability to dissect everyday events with amazing precision and clarity. The home truths he writes about make such sense – they’re simple and straightforward, yet profound. He’s like a wise old soul in a young body.
His article 88 Truths I’ve Learned About Life is worth a read – just click on the title to access the article.
One of my most favourites is This is Your Life’s Work, which is serious food for thought.
Let me know what you think.
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