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Beauty and the beasts on our beaches

We have some of the most beautiful beaches in Africa. I love walking on the long white sand dunes of the Noordhoek beach. If I manage to get out there by 7am, I get the feeling of being somewhere wild, the sand has been washed by the ocean and no footprints left from the day before, in the distance will be a few riders on horses. Some days I sit and watch surfers and baby seals glide across the prefect turquoise waves. And our generation is so very lucky to still get the chance to enjoy it.

There are days, especially after big storms, when I feel scared and sad while taking the walks. Amongst the mountains of seaweed I find hundreds of plastic bottle tops, packets, torn peaces from unknown objects, thrown away and forgotten. The reality hits hard. People who live by the oceans, people who survive from its natural bounties are witnessing slow death of our oceans and its lifeforms.

“Don’t borrow the present from our future” – African proverb

Cape Town is specifically thriving from its tourist and film industry. Its these unique landscapes, our mountains, white sand dunes, beaches, surfing and ocean life, that people wish to experience and share. Restaurants, hotels, Airbnb, model agencies, production houses, magazines, advertising agencies, photographers, stylists, make up artists, set designers, think about how many jobs exist here just because of this natural beauty we have around us. As a photographer, I often do photoshoots for fashion, lifestyle and advertising clients on the beach and never get tired of spending days outdoors.

If each person picked up a few peaces of plastic when walking by on the streets, of the mountains, from the beaches or when out surfing in the waters, what difference would that make to our children’s life when they are our age? What does that mean. It takes a few seconds to stop and put it in a pocket. At home crush all the plastic collected from the day and put into an empty plastic bottle. There are companies that take these “building bricks” to make homes for people.

So many easy ways to stop the plastic pollution: buy a few durable cotton bags for grocery shopping, give kids wooden or material toys, don’t use plastic straws and coffee cups, instead of cling wrap opt for bees wax reusable paper, take drinking water in a glass bottle, and reuse or recycle. Get creative with what you have instead of throwing away and buying extra things, save that cash for a rad holiday somewhere in nature instead. Parents and teachers can teach children to have respect for nature, it starts small but it can have a massive effect if we all did a little something.

Just imagine all the good things that can come from a few thoughtful seconds in each persons daily lives. Join the eco revolution thats awakening in South Africa, be part of the solution and not the problem. Here are a few places to contact and some ideas to be part of:

SA in Top 20 Worst Polluters

RAD Documentary to watch

Ocean Pledge

Sustainable Seas Trust

Ecobricks

Cotton Hemp Shweshwe eco friendly bags

Glassware at Faithfull to Nature

Reusable Bees Wrap at Own Grown

Recycled Green Toys at Timber Toys

Wooden Toys at Bootoo