Durban — The Sustainable Seas Trust is encouraging businesses and individuals to join its flagship project, Operation Clean Spot (OCS), as the country and the world celebrate the impact that Nelson Mandela had.
“In honour of Madiba’s 67 years of public service, SST is asking you to spend just 67 minutes of your time (during the week of 17 to 23 July) to do your bit for the environment by adopting and cleaning a spot near you,” said CEO Janine Osborne.
She said that by claiming a clean-up spot in each of our communities, “we commit to making a tangible difference in the lives of our neighbours, friends, and family – helping to ensure that plastic waste does not enter our waterways and end up in our oceans.”
Osborne said plastic’s long lifespan leaves a lasting impact on the life of our oceans.
“Communities are jumping aboard with OCS, so we’re celebrating its expansion beyond our shores and further into Africa. As we reflect on our successes, we look at how communities are beginning to see the benefits of the initiatives implemented by SST hand-in-hand with our strategic partners.
“You can also join existing clean-ups hosted by various registered partners and by selecting a location near you on the Operation Clean Spot Map. Big change often begins with small actions. By sacrificing a mere 67 minutes of your time in honour of Madiba’s legacy, you’ll also be helping SST fuel momentum in ridding Africa of waste that ends up in our oceans,” said Osborne.
She said litter, pollution, and illegal dumping are all issues that plague South Africa and Nelson Mandela Bay.
“Mismanaged waste has far-reaching, devastating impacts, with many unseen impacts on human and ecosystem health as well as on the economy. Operation Clean Spot (OCS) aims to rid Nelson Mandela Bay of 90% of the mismanaged waste which currently litters the city.”
She said that OCS hopes to do this by engaging all stakeholders (government, businesses, industry, schools, individuals and more) and encouraging them to take ownership of their “spot”.
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