By Willem Snyman FRESH.NGO
Today's cleanup event in Centurion: ‘Everything went extremely well - what a positive and inspiring day providing hope for our environment. Upon estimation over 350 people attended the event. Some helped clean the styrofoam flotsam in the thick almost enchanted forest bordering Royal Elephant Hotel; others, including children, were at the top of this area busy with eco-bricks and cleaning the mounds of trash left over from the old cleaning sites. The spirit of giving reigned, with all ages and races coming together to heal our environment. Hundreds of bags of rubbish were removed from this natural area. Much remains so we'll have to come back a few times.
It is amazing to see how the clean up events have grown and the entusiasm it now generates. It is heartwarming to see how many truly care to make a difference.
Thirty people enjoyed early morning yoga on the hotel’s lush green lawns. There were beautiful stalls with all kinds of interesting eco-friendly items. After the cleanup all gathered on the riverside lawns of Royal Elephant Hotel to enjoy fabulous music by Valor Green. Great prizes were awarded by co-organisors Khanyiso straws and Eco-warrior. A crystal healing ceremony by Tarryn Fisher helped put positive vibrations into the water with remaining crystals to keep healing the river. Seeing the first baby fish in the river again raised our spirits, what a sign of hope for the recovery of our eco-systems.
Three intrepid canoeists paddled all the way downriver from Lewendewoord Church and their epic journey symbolically opened the river again as a passage for beauty.
There are still two huge styrofoam and rubbish blockages near the hotel that need to be taken out. They are functioning as natural litter traps at the moment. We met afterwards to discuss the planned installation of other litter traps upstream and clarified some of our ideas.
A special thanks to Sean, Kirsty and Dominique for bringing the event together and to all who helped to make this possible. A great thanks to all our volunteers who came through and selflessly gave time and energy to the environment making this a special and eventful day.
We will keep growing and restore our planet's water and riverine nature, push back the destructive chaos of pollution and bring the beauty, tranquility and health of a thriving bio-diversity back into all of our lives. Thanks.’
Willem Snyman FRESH.NGO
Well done to Bianca Wannenburh the Eco-brick team who managed to make 200 bricks from waste!
Photos supplied by Willem Snyman, Leone, Wendy McMaster, Mark McClue