Just in time for World Environment Day (oh, and the World Cup, of course), the industrious folk of the Cape Town Green Map have just launched a shiny new second edition print map.

The Cape Town Green Map is part of the Green Map movement – a community of over four thousand local green living sites around the world. Cape Town Green Map is powered by Open Green Map – an interactive mapmaking tool that quickly allows us to share green sites such as: biodiversity hot spots, green spaces, sustainable living projects, alternative energy sites, recycling projects and drop-offs, local green events, markets, eateries, responsible tourism, green accommodation, eco products and services, green attractions, alternative energy sites and more.

And it’s quite mind-blowing just how much is available around every corner – everything from local fresh produce markets, to eco-centres, to community gardens and cultural heritage sites.  In fact, there’s so much that it takes a little time to get used to all the different icons (love them, I do), and figure out just exactly what you’re looking at.

I think it’s fantabulous that, through this map, visitors to our beautiful city will be able to find and support our many eco-friendly locations and establishments, and not just the usual tourist hotspots.

So, what’s special about this edition? It has over 120 listings, better map panels, new information boxes, a “catchy cover image”, and is divided into easy-to-use sections:

• great green outdoors – City nature reserves and parks
• transport – getting around the city with a smaller environmental footprint
• good food – where to eat organic
• organic/local markets
• tours – of the eco-friendly variety
• sleep well – where to find environmentally responsible accommodation
• visit – places, centres and projects with a ‘green’ or environmental theme
• shopping – stores that focus on eco/organic products

Information boxes highlight great green reads, events, blue flag beaches, recycling and box delivery schemes.

The new edition map is available either as a download, or in print form (on sustainably produced paper, naturally) at Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information Centres, City Nature Reserves, City of Cape Town events and other green events, and at the green sites listed on the map.

DISCLAIMER: Please use any event information as a guide only. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy thereof, things do change – and the best way to make sure something is definitely on is to contact the event organisers themselves. Full bells’n'whistles disclaimer here.