Since arriving at Solid Green in July 2019, I have assisted on several projects such as the Pullman Hotel in Accra, Ghana, and a hotel in Dunkeld, Johannesburg. I am currently working on an interior certification for a corporate Head Office in Sandton; the Emerald Lifestyle Centre for Legaro Properties in Hyde Park; and the WDB Investment Holdings office in Dunkeld.

Being part of such a proactive team means being able to play my part in making a difference – not just in helping projects achieve Green Star certifications, but also in people’s lives by ensuring that the built environment, where we spend up to 90% of every day, is an environment in which occupants can thrive. Coming from an interior design background, my passion has always been about the human factor – how people interact with their space and how space is used, not in its most functional sense, but in creating a system of design where people can find wellbeing in that environment.

I believe that, in our current global environmental crisis, it is the duty of all humans to play their part in being environmentally conscientious. According to the World Green Building Council’s ‘Advancing Net Zero’ report (2019), the building and construction industry is responsible for 39% of all global carbon emissions. This statistic should greatly concern all of us that live and operate in these spaces on a daily basis. So, I am honoured to do my part in trying to ensure that this number starts to decrease.

An open mind is extremely important to me as a young professional. I am concerned at the reluctancy of the workforce to take on new graduates; and I think that industry professionals are often quick to shut out ingenious solutions that are different to the norm. Young professionals are often met with brick walls when entering the workplace, and often face biases that include stereotypes based on social standing, gender, age and physical ability. Actively working to include more diverse, capable young professionals in the work sector can only be a benefit to society at large.

I think that people in this country and beyond stand to gain so much through education on sustainability and being environmentally conscious. There is a huge gap between the knowledge held by sustainability consultants and that of the average man in the street of Braamfontein. Environmental conscientiousness should not be confined to trending tweets about bushfires and global warming. Instead, it should be taught and practiced in schools, the work environment and homes everywhere. We cannot rely on anyone but ourselves to change the world. We have to do it – one lifestyle habit at a time.

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The potjie started at 09:00, and the remainder of the team arrived to support and add spirit to the occasion. The potjie was made to a secret recipe with lamb shin as the primary ingredient, and assorted vegetables. To accompany the lamb potjie, we set up our solar cooker and made rotis. While our rolling pin skills may not have been up to scratch, everyone was impressed with the solar cooker as a sustainable feature.

When the Judges arrived to taste our food, they were impressed with the combination and the spirit of the group. The potjie must have been good as no leftovers remained! It was a truly great day in honour of a good cause. The event was held to raise funds for the Abland Group Foundation, which provides help to communities with skills development, socio-economic development and enterprise development. Unfortunately, Solid Green did not place in the Top 5 winners, but we represented ourselves well and are looking forward to the next competition.

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Day 1 was spent cooking as a team at the Wickedfood Earth Cooking Class. The host, Mike Crewe-Brown, introduced us to Wickedfood Earth, a self-sustaining working farm in the Magalies Valley subscribing to the ethos of ‘the responsible use of sustainable resources’ including a sustainable food philosophy.

The team paired off to prepare a delicious lunch that was later enjoyed in the veggie garden. Marloes and Gavin made the Fresh Tomato and Sweet Chilli cold soup (especially suited for the vegans among us); Alex and Dash cooked the Perfect Roast Chicken on the braai; Bronwyn and Chilu excelled at labour intensive Roast Potatoes; Annelide and Jeffy cooked (and tasted!) delicious Sauteed Vegetables; Giant and Wayne were responsible for the Spicy Roast Butternut and Beetroot Salad (a serious undertaking); and Noma and Khosi’s Seasonal Fruit crumble took the cake.

In the afternoon, teams of four joined forces to create adverts for Solid Green. Giant, Chilu, Khosi and Jeffy produced a touching and slightly disturbing video with hard hitting graphics, soundtrack and captions. Noma, Marloes, Gavin and Alex made a TV advert, starring a watermelon, with a ‘Greenie’ informing a ‘Clueless’ about the benefits of going green. Annelide, Dash, Bronwyn and Wayne produced an award-winning music video, changing up the lyrics of a 90’s classic, and telling the story of a grey guy who was inspired by Solid Green to become a green guy.

Day 2

Day 2 kicked off with a murder mystery themed ‘Murder in Manhattan’, with a pool-side debate on who the killer may be. The Best Dressed award went to Annelide, with Outstanding Acting awards going to Alex, Dash and Khosi. This was a great way to get the team talking in a different environment, and the game was played for long after it was finished… getting out of character seemed tricky for some!

Later that day, we embarked on a two-hour sunset cruise on Hartbeespoort Dam close to the dam wall. The winds picked up and clouds rolled in from the west, making the trip a little longer than expected. However, back at the Lodge we rallied around the Karaoke Box with a few G&Ts followed by a midnight swim.

On our third and final day, we were guided around the Sterkfontein Caves, a very cool experience involving lots of stairs and a highly recommended shadow puppet show. Then we headed back to the city, so start 2019 with renewed enthusiasm and much-improved cooking skills!

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