Diepsloot children go green
DIEPSLOOT - Within the next 10 years water shortages will likely be a fact of life for most people on the planet says co-founder of Green Beings, Alex Frost.
Children from Diepsloot took part in a clean-up of the Jukskei River at Northern Farm.
The clean-up was co-ordinated by environmental organisation Green Beings as part of their River Rehab programme.
After collecting 70 bags of rubbish from three separate sites along the river, the children took part in a series of workshops.
The workshops included, Water Testing MiniSASS which allowed the children to catch invertebrates in the wetland to determine water health.
Another workshop was the Boxi Boxi Aquatic Food Pyramid which allowed the children to learn about the effects that humans have on their natural environment, and how all living beings are interconnected.
The last workshop was a Habitat and Biodiversity Game which saw the children exploring the trees and animals that are common to Northern Farm.
The 60 children learnt about the African porcupine, white stinkwood trees, the sacred ibis and wetlands.
River Rehab is an ongoing initiative that creates awareness and educates communities about becoming active citizens to conserve the natural waterways.
“As future leaders of South Africa we need to realise the importance of clean rivers and how local biodiversity depends on a healthy ecosystem to thrive,” said Alex Frost, co-founder of Green Beings.
“Without clean water there is no life, and a clean environment is vital for human health. It is through initiatives such as this that awareness is created about our rivers and water as a vital natural resource.”
Frost added that South Africa was a water scarce country with very little rainfall throughout the year. The drought experienced this year and last year have created serious and widespread detrimental effects across the country and has made South Africans more aware of their water consumption.
He further added that within the next 10 years water shortages will likely be a fact of life for most people on the planet. “We cannot afford to pollute and destroy our drinking water sources, but that is exactly what we are doing, often without knowing it,” Frost said.
“We need to continue to promote awareness, encourage a healthy environment and educate communities on the importance of our natural resources that our livelihoods depend on.”
Details: greenbeings@live.co.za
