'Trash Bash' beach clean-up highlights urgent need to protect oceans
According to the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, 488 kilotonnes (kt) of plastic enter our environment every year, with nearly 90% of ocean species studied showing signs of plastic contamination.
Beach clean up trash bash I Picture: CapeTalk
May is a big month for ocean lovers.
From Endangered Species Day (17 May) to Biodiversity Day (22 May) and World Turtle Day (23 May), it’s a time to honour the incredible life beneath the waves and the urgent need to protect it.
On Saturday, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation teamed up with Primedia Cares, CapeTalk, and Save A Fishie for a 'Trash Bash' beach clean-up at Lagoon Beach.
Located between the Diep and Salt Rivers, this beach is a hotspot for pollution, collecting everything from stormwater run-off to urban waste.
Presenter Zain Johnson chats with Sara-Jayne from the Beach Clean-Up on Saturday morning at Milnerton Lagoon Beach.
Listen to the conversation below:
At the time of chatting with Sara-Jayne, Zain says there were close to 80 people on the beach, with another 50 expected from the Save a Fishie Foundation.
"There's nothing nicer, Sara-Jayne, then to hear the waves coming in early in the morning - and you get this nice fresh sea smell. It's a wonderful day out here on the beach."
Zain Johnson - CapeTalk presenter
Save a Fishie Foundation embarks on seven-week coast-to-coast beach clean-ups. Last year, they collected 38 tons of plastic that they prevented from entering the ocean.
"We don't need a million people on one day. We need a million people, one each day, to keep the beaches clean."
Zain Johnson - CapeTalk presenter
Why Milnerton Lagoon Beach?
It's a busy beach, for one thing, but it also has two river mouths at either end.
"It is the downstream plastic that comes down from the outlying areas where people tend to dump things into the rivers - and that then lands up in the oceans."
Zain Johnson - CapeTalk presenter
Things to know:
Bags and gloves for the clean-up are provided, so just bring yourself and a pair of comfortable shoes and get started helping clean up our beaches!
"Beach clean-ups like Trash Bash are a powerful way to take action, connect with others, and highlight the urgent need to protect our marine environments."
- Phumza Jongihlathi, Community Relationship Coordinator at the Aquarium
"Trash Bash isn’t just a clean-up, it’s a statement that we care, we act, and we believe in the power of community to drive change."
- Trish Taylor, Head of Primedia Cares
According to the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, 488 kilotonnes (kt) of plastic enter our environment every year, with nearly 90% of ocean species studied showing signs of plastic contamination.
It doesn’t stop at sea life; microplastics have been found in our food, water, and even breast milk.
But small actions matter, like choosing to use less plastic, recycling more, or lending a hand at your local beach clean-up can all help turn the tide.