Two Oceans Aquarium at Sunset Beach for post-storm Trash Bash

by Philip | Jul 16, 2024 | Green, News | 0 comments

Trash Bash Cleanup, Milnerton, Two Oceans Aquarium

The Two Oceans Aquarium’s Trash Bash team is heading to Sunset Beach for a winter beach post-storm cleanup on 20 July 2024. The recent storm activity thrashing the Western Cape coast has left beaches inundated with pollution from fast-flowing river run-off and ocean swells.

The Trash Bash team encourages all Capetonians and visitors to grab your buckets and gloves to join them for some much-needed outside adventure and post-storm beach cleanup. Look out for items, such as plastic bags, bottles, straws, sweet wrappers, and even the microplastics made up of small pieces of broken hard plastic, contributing to the plastic pollution washed up on Cape Town beaches.

.What to bring: Weather-appropriate clothing, water (in a reusable bottle), reusable gloves (like the ones you use for gardening or doing dishes), and your enthusiasm.
“In the past few weeks, due to one of the infamous Cape storms, we have seen rivers burst their banks, seaside neighbourhoods thrashed by powerful waves, and flooding across the city. As a result, our shoreline has seen an influx of litter scattered across its beaches. Now is the time to engage our Trash Bash community with an important beach cleanup,” said Helen Lockhart, Two Oceans Aquarium Conservation and sustainability Manager.

Sunset Beach will have been directly affected by its proximity to Cape Town Harbour in Table Bay. Storms that hit coastal cities close to major harbours, such as Cape Town, experience increased amounts of marine debris deposited on their beaches. The run-off from overflowing rivers traveling through densely populated neighbourhoods, carries various types of pollution into the oceans and onto our beaches, contributing to the worsening conditions of pollution on our beaches.

Dangers of plastic pollution:
Post-storm beach conditions are a stark reminder that our world ocean is in serious condition, facing a crisis caused by negative human impact. It desperately needs us humans to turn the tide on plastic and other pollution severely damaging the marine environment. The ingestion of plastics and entanglements in ropes, box ties and fishing nets by marine animals show clear signs of this dire situation.

“A staggering number of various sea animals die each year from either ingesting plastic or becoming entangled in plastic debris. Studies have shown that millions of seabirds have ingested plastic, plastic is found in virtually every turtle that is rescued and rehabilitated by the Two Oceans Aquarium Turtle Conservation, and the Marine Wildlife Management Programme rescues seals, sunfish and other marine animals from entanglements on a regular basis,” warned Talitha Noble-Trull, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre Manager.

A first defence against plastic pollution in our oceans is to make more conscious decisions around our everyday plastic use. Some easy to implement suggestions are to buy fresh rather than prepacked fruit and vegetables, to pass on the balloons on your up-coming birthday party and opt for alternatives such as flags or bunting, refuse a straw for your drink or a lid for your takeaway coffee, and finally say no to single-use plastic bags.

Make a difference and join the Trash Bash community
A winter Trash Bash event is a great way to shake off the indoor blues, spend time with friends and family, breathe in the fresh air, and have fun while doing something positive for the environment. All Trash Bashers leave feeling fulfilled, informed, and more proactive. For more details see below.

WHAT: Sunset Beach Trash Bash
WHERE: Sunset Beach, Forata Drive, EXIT 9: M5 NORTH Milnerton | please park on Forata Drive or in nearby parking lots.
WHEN: Saturday, 20 July 2024 09h00 to 11h00
INFO: Sunset Beach Trash Bash VISIT | Facebook page | Two Oceans Aquarium, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa 8001 | See also Cape Town Green Map

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