RANT: Shame on You, South Africa - 128th in the World!

The 2012 edition of the annual Environmental Performance Index (EPI) rankings was released. Compiled by a team at Yale University, it ranks countries according to their commitment to, and performance on, environmental issues, as well as, interestingly, the human health-environment connection.



I had heard that South Africa had ranked poorly. So I had to see for myself. I scanned the list and my horror/ anger just grew as my eyes went further and further down the list. Finally I found the country of my birth and in which I country reside - there it was in 128th position.

128th place in the world!!!

It was with much embarrassment that I saw us in 5th-last place out of the 132 countries ranked, under the cringeworthy header of "EPI Rank weakest performers" - only Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iraq did worse. Even countries ravaged by recent war (Libya, 123rd) and ongoing civil war (Syria, 113th) ranked better than us. It's disgusting.

Embarrassed and disgusted I may have been with how poorly South Africa ranked, but was I in any way surprised? To be perfectly honest, not at all.

In fact, if anything, these results do validate what I have always known about this country in the strongest and most uncertain terms. Yes, I do indeed live and work in a country and society that is as polluting-and-greenwashing-window-washing-we-pretend-to-love-organic-and-all-things-green-whilst-we-expand-our-carbon-footprint-ever-more as most others on this planet.

Furthermore, if anything, it just vindicates my constant, neverending frustration at having been an environmental/ sustainability consultant in this country for 14 years now.

 I am vindicated for so many reasons, including:

• Years of blank stare apathy in my classes
• Years of shrugging apathy in my seminars
• Years of apathy to recycling
• Years of apathy to sustainability
• Years of apathy to anything green
• Years of the dirtiest electricity available
• Years of two-faced, cynical government policies
• Years of great legislation and nearly non-existent enforcement
• Years of GMO-poisoned food
• Years of some of the unhealthiest air in the world
• Years of colleagues who don't even understand climate change
• Years of being patronized by greenwashing business 'leaders' and managers

Yes, years of annoying, despairing, horrendous bullshit greenwashing at every level.

Years of wondering what it must be like to do environmental/ sustainability work in countries like Switzerland, Norway, France, Italy, the UK or Sweden (ranked 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th , 9th and 10th this year, respectively). Or even Costa Rica for that matter, ranked 5th in the world according to the EPI. What a pleasure.

It's always been a case of shame on you, South Africa.

At least something good came out of me seeing South Africa fare so poorly in the 2012 EPI rankings. Vindication for me and what I have endured in this country all these years. Self-centered it may be, but nevertheless the undeniable truth.

I can at least take some comfort from that, however limited.

Do you get my point?