Although 2010 FIFA World Cup™ is now only a fond memory, it did leave a few legacy projects that have benefitted Cape Town in its wake. The Cape Town Green Map is one such project that has kept up the Soccer World Cup momentum by growing its readership via print and web media.
Now in its third edition, the print map has been very well received and has been distributed far and wide, including at COP 17 in Durban, and in New York and Brisbane, Australia! The cover of the third edition features the Mayor of Cape Town on a bicycle. The map has a strong sustainability focus and includes strategic branding for the Climate Smart Cape Town Campaign, ahead of the COP 17 conference in Durban. The map also made its way to COP 17 via the Climate Train! The print edition focusses on Cape Town’s pressing environmental and sustainability issues, and centres on public transport, waste and recycling and biodiversity.
The Cape Town Green map website is receiving a steady flow of visitors with the green blog proving to be a popular read. The map also has its own Facebook page and over 1 000 Twitter followers.
During 2011, Arts and Crafts Maps (A C Maps) the project partner with the City department responsible for producing the map (Environmental Resource Management), hosted two Norwegian interns for a few months on the project. This was arranged with UCT’s Students’ Health and Welfare Centres’ Organisation (SHAWCO). The interns helped organise a Cape Town Green Map forum workshop with ‘green’ participants from all over Cape Town. The event was hosted free of charge by the Vineyard Hotel in Claremont. They also initiated a project with Abalimi Besekhaya and the ‘Harvest of Hope’ vegetable box delivery scheme, using the Cape Town Green Map network to spread its message and increase its subscription base.
Project manager Arne Purves was recently elected to sit on the International Green Mapmakers Advisory Council and interacts on a regular basis with the GreenMap System network partners around the world. Project partner Philip Todres from A C Maps boosted the map’s exposure with visits to the home of the Open Green Map System offices in New York. He also arranged several strategic media interventions, including a radio interview on SAfm where founder of the GreenMap System, Wendy Brawer was featured in an interview, and SAfm’s Enviro Show with Nancy Richards.
Following the success of the Cape Town Green Map, the Cities of Johannesburg and Durban have approached the project team for advice on setting up similar projects in their Cities. There should soon be additional Green Maps in South Africa!
The fourth edition of the map will be printed in the near future, and promises to be better than its predecessors. Watch this space for details!
