NATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP WEEK CELEBRATED LOCALLY
December 18, 2008 by dyertrust
The week of 15-19 September, National Coastal Clean-up Week, was celebrated in style, with big yellow garbage bags and matching rubber gloves, by the Dyer Island Conservation Trust and Mr Dreyer’s Grade 6 Class from Blompark Primary. The 34 students of the class were eager participants in performing a local beach clean up along the shores of Franskraal Beach stretching to the mouth of the Uilkraal River Estuary. This clean up was part of the 23rd annual International Coastal Clean-up sponsored by Ocean Conservancy and is advertised as the “World’s Largest Volunteer Effort for the Ocean”. This global effort is critical for creating awareness internationally, but most importantly locally, for the impact that marine litter can have on our environment and marine life.
DICT was provided with bin bags, gloves, and data cards by Ocean Conservancy for the clean-up. With the data cards the students had to record all of the types of garbage found on the beach. The class filled approximately 30 bags full of foreign objects that were found along the stretch of beach. The most common items found were plastic bags, plastic and glass bottles, fishing line and pieces of Styrofoam. International volunteers from Kleinbaai based shark cage diving operators Marine Dynamics and White Shark Projects, and Andrew Teubes from the Overstrand Municipality were also on hand to help the class sort and organize all of the waste found on the beach.
The class was given Ocean Conservancy certificates, information brochures as well as caps, in appreciation of their clean-up efforts. Please remember that our beaches must be kept clean on a daily basis, and not only once a year. Please use waste bins located along beaches to dispose of your garbage instead of throwing it on the ground.
