Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Beach clean-up record attempt
IN AN attempt to break the world’s longest beach clean-up record and save the environment, 21-year-old environmental activist Zoë Prinsloo started her continuous beach clean-up of 27 hours to create awareness of the environment.
Zoë is the founder and CEO of her non-profit company, Save a Fishie, which she founded at the age of 16, and has been conducting regular beach clean-ups across beaches in South Africa.
The clean-up started yesterday at 10am at Milnerton Beach and will conclude today at 1pm. Helpers welcome!
Zoë said she her first beach clean-up at age10 and has done over 300.
“After my first clean-up, I realised how much litter was on the beach and at that young age it was difficult to find something that I could do and feel like I am making a difference.
“Coming to the beach and physically taking litter off the beach is an amazing way to make a difference and get people talking and thinking about why we are doing it. I find it incredibly therapeutic and calming.”
“The litter we pick up at this beach (Milnerton Beach) is so degraded and damaged that it can’t always be recycled, but we do have a company on board with us, which will be taking the litter and sort through it and try to recycle what they can.”
A few months ago, Zoë and her team embarked on a trip around South Africa’s coastlines and within 71 days, they did 111 clean-ups.
She said they are dealing with a bad wash-up spot at one part of the beach, with pile of shoes, soles, clothes, fishing line, rope, toys and a car glove box.
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed by the private sector, and in alignment with John Dory’s “Zero Waste” initiative, the restaurant group has stepped up to support Save a Fishie and Zoë on this ground-breaking record attempt.
For every John Dory’s Hake and Chips sold, R1 is donated to fund more projects such as these.