The Garforth-Venter's Launch New Green Book

Riaan and Michelle Garforth-Venter, South Africa’s eco-couple and pioneers of eco-educational television shows, have launched their first book, aptly titled, ‘The green line: a South African guide to green living’, in conjunction with Lapa Publishers, to coincide with their new ‘Greenline’ television series on SABC 3 and their new website www.thegreenlinetv.com.

Printed by Paarl Media, the book uses green innovations with mineral oil and VOC free offset inks (volatile organic compounds) and is printed on Sappi’s Masuga paper, which is produced from sugar cane waste and not trees. Where wood fibre is used, it is derived from sustainably certified and well managed forests that have the FSC™ (Forest Stewardship Council CoC) certification and the paper is 100% recyclable. The book is now available in mainstream bookstores countrywide and can be purchased via the Lapa Publishers website www.lapa.co.za  as well as www.thegreenlinetv.com.  

Comments Riaan and Michelle, “Since we started producing wildlife and environmental television shows and creating eco sustainability workshops countrywide we realised that many people still presume that implementing green initiatives in their home and workspace is just too overwhelming. Compounding the problem is the fact that all reading material on shelves are books written in either the UK or the USA and not relevant to South Africa. We noticed there wasn’t much available about the ‘how to’ of sustainable living in South Africa. Therefore, we decided to compile a guideline for South Africans written by South Africans and call it The green line: a South African guide to green living, based on the new television series.”

The green line: a South African guide to green living book is filled with practical tips on how to get started and it also highlights local companies and outlets to make your green journey attainable.  The new website, www.thegreenlinetv.com, also covers Riaan and Max’s Do-It-Green, instead of D.IY, slot taken from the show which provides systematic guidance on projects such as recycling and how to re-use in and around the home making it safer for the whole family.

The green line: a South African guide to green living bookstarts with a glossary of green-terminology that will simplify the reader’s journey. The book is further divided into the following sections:

Section 1 covers the world we live in, presenting the latest stats about why going green is no longer negotiable.

Section 2 provides practical, step-by-step ideas to create sustainable living in your environment, be it at the office, your suburb or township, high-rise apartment or townhouse.

Section 3 covers the plight facing the natural world that sustains human-life, from air quality updates, to soil, water, endangered species and marine conservation. Here are the facts as to why we must urgently learn to make sustainable lifestyle choices.

Riaan and Michelle have added personal thoughts about their green journey, including how to make your own home-cleaning products and cosmetics, wormeries and even why keeping chickens in your garden is a must!

In 2010, Riaan and Michelle conceptualised, produced, and appeared in their television series, ‘Love & Mortar’ on DSTV’s the Home Channel, where they built a green, luxury family home making use of available green construction materials in South Africa. They gathered expertise available in the country and used the latest eco-products and services that were and still are relevant to South African homes. The building process showed viewers step-by-step how they too could create the same or transform elements of their existing home to be more eco-efficient. Riaan also showed viewers how to enhance their DIY skills in an eco-friendly way by re-using items such as off-cuts of wood, installing energy efficient lighting, planning the home’s grey-water system and rain-harvesting tanks etc

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