Knysna to bag a bunch of dirt

KNYSNA NEWS - Keeping Knysna clean is a goal that many a resident endeavours to achieve, but one young Knysna resident in particular, is making good on this mission with a series of clean-ups scheduled from February.

The 17-year-old Sahara Thugunna, who matriculated from high school at the age of 16, is the driving force behind the 'What the Bag?' campaign which she launched mid-last year with the hope of reducing the reliance on plastic shopping bags by providing an environmentally friendly alternative.

This alternative comes in the form of reusable cloth shopping bags made from old, unused but no longer wanted fabric donated to the initiative.

"These bags I hand out for free and in return people pledged to use the bags and reduce their use of plastic bags and then they must pay it forward," Thugunna said. "So we're asking friends, family, and colleagues about the campaign, the message around plastic and how they can get their own free set of cloth shopping bags, thus creating a domino effect of connected change."

Thugunna has been working closely with Knysna Unlittered, a campaign aimed at to reducing the amount of pollution and litter which plagues the greater Knysna area, too.

Residents partake in a previous cleanup.

Their combined efforts involves a series of clean-ups to be held in and around Knysna throughout the year. Each clean-up will have a specific theme relating to an environmental day or happening.

"Four or five clean-ups will be held throughout the year, each one in theme with an important environmental date (i.e Earth Day or Ocean Week)," Thugunna explained.

The first clean-up of the year will come on 8 February in honour of World Wetlands Day (2 February), which will see participants snorkelling and diving around the Thesen Harbour jetties.

"We will be collecting discarded fishing gear, as well as conducting an on-shore clean-up of the Thesen causeway," Thugunna said. "We'll also be saving any of the marine life such as crabs and barnacles caught on the waste and returning them to the water. So it will be an event for anyone and everyone from the young and old to the adventurous and those that like to play it a little safer!"

Residents partake in a previous cleanup.

The clean-up campaign is not Thugunna's only aim for the year. She aims to sew 2020 bags in the year, all of which will be handed out for free. "I am currently running a crowdfunding campaign to sew the bags and am looking for local support from foundations or organisations willing to support the cause."

The first clean-up on 8 February is set to begin at 08:00/08:30 at the Thesen Harbour jetties. Interested parties can sign up via the Facebook event: Knysna Unlittered - Island Adventure Clean Up.

Residents partake in a previous cleanup.