Teachers and learners brave cold weather for a beach clean-up
28 June 2021Curro Durbanville learners and teachers braved the cold weather on Youth Day to go to our first beach clean-up as part of our outreach program.
Why a beach clean-up? Cleaning up our beaches goes beyond the simple act of removing litter and creating a beautiful space to enjoy. Sure, there is nothing better than a long walk along a prestine stretch of sand but there are more important matters at stake – like the health of our ecosystems and the health of people.
Marine creatures either ingest or are entrapped by various man made products often leading to their death. These products are usually plastic in nature.
A new and potentially greater threat however, are the tiny plastic particles left behind as products break down. Microplastics. They are usually smaller than 5mm in length and when ingested release chemical compounds which are absorb by marine animals and people alike affecting their health. They don’t disappear either. They are passed from one creature to another through the food chain and can have a compounding impact on the health of all living things. Cleaning beaches is about taking responsibility for the places we enjoy, but it is also about taking responsibility for the health of the environment, our personal health and inevitably the future of our planet.
