IT was another dreary turnout for the volunteers at the recent KZN Beach Clean-up at Blue Lagoon, despite the perfect sunny weather.
Although only seven people showed up to support the initiative, the three organisers of the event said they did not feel despondent about the efforts.
“Support varies. We have had some clean-ups that are poorly-attended and others that are well-supported. At some stage we have had up to 100 volunteers,” said founder and Durban North resident, Natalie Gorven.
Fellow organiser, Presha Soogrim, who is also a nature conservationist, said for her every clean-up was a success, because every piece of litter they pick up could potentially save the life of a sea turtle or other marine life.
“I have seen many sea turtles who have either swallowed plastic or become entangled in our litter. Every piece of litter we pick up means there is one less piece of litter that can affect our marine life. It is the small changes that matter,” she said.
What’s more, Soogrim said every clean-up facilitates awareness regarding the issue of littering.
Andrew Botterill said he was shocked by the amount of fishing line he collected on the beach.
In addition to continuing with their cleaning efforts, Soogrim said they hoped to partner with the municipality to facilitate awareness programmes to eradicate littering at the core.
The clean-ups are generally held on the third Saturday of the month. The next clean-up will be held on Dairy Beach on the Durban beachfront. Contact kznbeachcleanup@gmail.com. The public can also follow the organisation on Facebook.
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