I’ve been writing for Thought Leader for roughly two years, and consistently on the same types of issues. I write about consumerism, “affluenza”, climate change, environmental degradation, oil and coal addiction, and the politics of eating meat — and after each piece, when I go through the comments, I’m left with the same overwhelming feeling: […]
Mike Baillie
Mike is a young environmentalist. He is also very interested in issues relating to consumerism, consumption, and the capitalist system in Africa.
Mike also has his a worm farm, rides a bike to work, and doesn't own a television. He loves reading, going for long runs, and is humbly learning to surf.
Posted inLifestyle
Flesh eaters
Nothing I could tell you about meat production will shock you. The factory farms and the routine, unrelenting torture of animals; the environmental cost of producing the amount of meat we eat; the amount of antibiotics and hormones relentlessly pumped into the animals because of how they are raised — and what those antibiotics mean […]
Posted inEnvironment, Lifestyle, News/Politics
Thoughts on the Greenpeace action at Eskom
Recently Greenpeace Africa took action at Eskom’s Megawatt Park, dumping five tonnes of coal at one entrance to the power utility’s headquarters. The act was a protest against the way Eskom produces South Africa’s electricity, 90% of which comes from climate-changing coal. As the twelth largest CO2 emitter in the world, located at the foot […]
Posted inEnvironment, Lifestyle, News/Politics
There’s no place for fracking in our future
Recently I went to a public debate about fracking in the Karoo. The motion debated related to the moratorium that’s been imposed — should it be permanent or simply scrapped altogether? The four speakers — two in favour of the moratorium, and two against — each presented their views and spoke about numerous aspects of […]
Posted inEnvironment, General
Shell, fracking and job creation
The degree to which Shell disgusts me is no secret, and this will not be the first time I write about the multinational. Take the worst aspects of capitalism, the most perverse levels of greed, and the highest disregard for nature: combine them and you have the Shell corporation. Whereas in the past Shell has […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, Lifestyle
Powering madness
For a while now I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how recent events in Japan and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are similar in some way; what’s the link between them? I’m not talking about some weird conspiracy theory, like the one linking the Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
Maybe individuals can’t change the world
In the blogs I write I’m always careful to include what individuals can do about climate change and environmental issues. It’s about presenting a complex and daunting issue, but then discussing ways we each do something about those problems. Recycle, ride your bike rather than drive, don’t over consume, switch to energy savers, lobby government, […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, Lifestyle
Nuclear: A phone call away?
The good news is that energy department officials have been facing pressure from MPs to cut South Africa’s dependence on coal. The bad news is that a few MPs seem to think that nuclear energy can help achieve this. Following some time with French nuclear company Areva, DA MP David Ross recently told the portfolio […]
Posted inEnvironment, Lifestyle, News/Politics
Population explosion!
Some time later this year, probably toward the end of October, the 7 billionth person will be born, and judging by birthrates, (s)he will most likely be Indian. The jump from 6 billion to 7 billion people on the planet will only have taken 12 years. The birth of this 7 billionth person raises important questions about […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, Lifestyle
Shell-shocked
I think it’s outrageous that Shell sponsors part of the environment section on the National Geographic website. What makes the situation even more ironic is that right beneath one of Shell’s adverts on the page is National Geographic’s slogan: Inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888. Now I don’t think there are many […]
Posted inLifestyle, Media
Thou shalt want, more
Imagine for a minute you woke one morning to find all advertising replaced with religious scripture. If you are Christian, imagine the messages were Muslim, and vice versa if you’re Muslim. Every logo, billboard, television advert and radio spot, now a quote from the Bible. How would you respond? I’m pretty positive that people would […]
Posted inLifestyle
The real zoo city
I live just down the road from the Joburg Zoo. Close enough that on quiet nights you can sometimes hear the lions roar. At first the thought of lions caged-up in the city seemed sad; now I’m not so sure how I feel. Perhaps it’s because I like the thought of the pandemonium that would […]