GreenHome sponsors beach cleanups

Not long ago, we sponsored the Cape Town Beach Cleanups with some hessian bags to see if it would help them to reduce their reliance on plastic bags to clean up the beaches.

It made a difference to the amount of plastic bags they needed to use, so we sponsored 100 Jute bags for them to use at all the beaches around Cape Town where they do cleanup operations.

We cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that caused the problem in the first place. Part of the reason why we have a problem with so much plastic washing up onto the beaches is that we are very reliant on plastic in the first place. And plastic is not the problem if it is used with careful consideration. The problem comes when we use a substance that doesn’t biodegrade for single use products, such as packaging. We have developed a throw away mentality and we are so used to it that we don’t consider other options.

Beach cleanups are very important and its wonderful that they are happening regularly on so many beaches around Cape Town. We were concerned to see that each of the volunteers for the beach cleanups were being a plastic rubbish bags to collect the litter on the beaches. It would be better to be able to collect the rubbish from the beaches without introducing more single use plastic items into the environment in the first place.

The Jute bags we sponsored are reusable, reducing the amount of plastic bags needed to conduct beach cleanups every month. Also, they are made from natural materials. When they are finished with, they can be disposed of in a well managed compost heap.

And that is how we like it!