Trash Bash
“Beach cleanups are vital as they prevent plastic and other trash from being deposited into the ocean and beyond our shores. Cleaning a beach is one of many easy and fun ways of contributing to our responsibility for ensuring a healthy natural environment while providing data for scientific studies. It is also an opportunity to connect with nature,” says Helen Lockhart, Conservation & Sustainability Manager for the Two Oceans Aquarium.
What is Trash Bash?
Trash Bash is an opportunity for enthusiastic, ocean-minded people to participate in regular beach cleanups around Cape Town. Since 2018, the Two Oceans Aquarium's Trash Bash campaign has visited many of Cape Town’s beaches and has had thousands of volunteers take part in the cleanup, removing litter from the beach and recording the items found.
Trash Bash uses the Dirty Dozen methodology, which focuses on the 12 items often found littering our city's beaches. These collected items, such as plastic bags, bottles, straws and sweet wrappers, are recorded to provide data to citizen science projects on the sources and impacts of plastics in the ocean. Being mindful of the types of plastic litter collected also helps Trash Bash attendees to gain a better understanding of their own contributions to the growing ocean plastic crisis.
At Trash Bash, participants typically organise themselves into small groups, with one person taking on the role of the scribe and recording all of the items collected, while the other team members are responsible for picking up and identifying the trash.
The dangers of plastic pollution...
Pollution, like the dirty dozen, is one of the prime threats to the ocean. Our Foundation’s Marine Wildlife Management Programme frequently disentangles Cape fur seals ensnared by plastic cords, cables, ropes, and discarded fishing gear. Seabirds, too, get caught in fishing lines and plastic cords. Our Turtle Conservation Centre regularly rescues turtles that have ingested plastic or been entangled in discarded fishing gear. Studies estimate that by 2050, there will be more plastic by weight than fish in the ocean.
The scary thing about plastic is that it cannot break down, biodegrade, or become part of the natural system again. Instead, plastic breaks up infinitely – a single-use water bottle will break into smaller and smaller pieces until even plankton mistakes it for food. Our marine life, from turtles and seals to anemones and urchins, is in grave danger.
Trash Bash is all about making a positive difference in the health of our ocean. We all want to enjoy the ocean and its abundance for years to come, so let’s protect the ocean’s future (and ours) while we have the chance.
Beach cleanup locations 2024:
Make beach cleanups a regular part of your schedule! Join the Two Oceans Aquarium at one of our monthly Trash Bash cleanups (the third Saturday of the month) or at one of the ad hoc cleanups that are added to our calendar throughout the year. You can also follow these events on our Facebook Page or by subscribing to our regular email newsletter.
- Sat 20 January 2024 - Sunset Beach
- Sat 17 February 2024 - Hout Bay Beach
- Sat 9 March 2024 - Kite Beach, Table View (in partnership with FNB and Clean C)
- Sat 16 March 2024 - Monwabisi Beach
- Sat 6 April 2024 - Muizenberg Beach (in partnership with FNB and Clean C)
- Sat 20 April 2024 - Sunset Beach (prizes sponsored by Suzuki)
- Sat 18 May 2024 - Hout Bay Beach (prizes sponsored by Suzuki)
- Sat 15 June 2024 - Monwabisi Beach
- Sat 20 July 2024 - Sunset Beach
- Sat 17 August 2024 - Hout Bay Beach
- Sat 21 September 2024 - Monwabisi Beach (World Cleanup Day)
- Sat 19 October 2024 - Sunset Beach
- Sat 16 November 2024 - Hout Bay Beach (CANCELLED)
- Sat 21 December 2024 - Monwabisi Beach
Community is key!
Trash Bash aims to look after the environment and values the opportunity for community building and connection. The Aquarium sees the invaluable importance of those who consider themselves part of the family and community. Spending time outside and with like-minded people creates a sense of responsibility for the environment and brings people together to care for areas within their communities. What better place to bring an Aquarium community together than on our shores?
Come and join the Aquarium team in connecting, helping the environment, and creating awareness around plastic pollution in our marine environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anyone and everyone with a passion for the ocean and helping our environment!
You don't need to sign-up - walk-ins are aways welcome, but responding to our Facebook events is helpful for planning!
Trash Bash happens roughly every second month! We spend two hours on a Saturday morning (usually from 09h00 to 11h00) cleaning up our chosen beach. Keep an eye on our social media for the next event!
Here are the locations for Trash Bash 2024:
- Sat 20 January 2024 - Sunset Beach
- Sat 17 February 2024 - Hout Bay Beach
- Sat 16 March 2024 - Monwabisi Beach
- Sat 20 April 2024 - Sunset Beach
- Sat 18 May 2024 - Hout Bay Beach
- Sat 15 June 2024 - Monwabisi Beach
- Sat 20 July 2024 - Sunset Beach
- Sat 17 August 2024 - Hout Bay Beach
- Sat 21 September 2024 - Monwabisi Beach (World Cleanup Day)
- Sat 19 October 2024 - Sunset Beach
- Sat 16 November 2024 - Hout Bay Beach (Two Oceans Aquarium Birthday Celebration)
- Sat 19 December 2024 - Monwabisi Beach
Sunblock, a hat, water (in a reusable bottle), reusable gloves (like the ones you’d use for gardening or doing dishes), and a smile.
A first defence against plastic pollution in our oceans is to make more conscious decisions around our everyday plastic use. Some easy-to-implement suggestions are to buy fresh rather than prepacked fruit and vegetables, to pass on the balloons at your upcoming birthday party and opt for alternatives such as flags or bunting, refuse a straw for your drink or a lid for your takeaway coffee, and finally say no to single-use plastic bags.
