Image related to website content

Don’t Be Trashy campaign fights waste on land and sea in Western Cape

4 Sep 2025

CapeNature, in partnership with Soapbox and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP), is working on the “Don’t Be Trashy” Drive to address the growing threat of waste to ecosystems across the province.

The campaign aims to tackle pollution in both terrestrial and marine environments, where plastic and non-biodegradable waste is putting increasing pressure on biodiversity. It combines public awareness, education, and community action to reduce waste and drive long-term behavioural change.

Western Cape Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell said government has an important role to play in guiding communities to change and improve their handling of waste.

We need to grow our understanding of the value that can be unlocked from waste. Let’s explore simple ways in which we can benefit from the circular economy that lies hidden in many trash items we simply throw away without a second thought.

Anton Bredell, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning

A key focus of this year’s drive is the protection of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which play an important role in sustaining ocean health. Pollution doesn’t respect boundaries and even waste generated far inland can travel via rivers into the ocean, impacting critical marine ecosystems. Collaboration across sectors and communities is essential to protect these environments.

The impact of waste is not just unsightly; it has significant impact on natural ecosystems. On land, litter disrupts habitats, contaminates soil, and affects wildlife. In our oceans, waste entangles marine animals, degrades coral reefs, and introduces toxins into the food chain. The “Don’t Be Trashy” Drive is a call to action for all communities, schools, businesses, and individuals to be part of the solution.”

Dr Ashley Naidoo, CEO of CapeNature.

The campaign highlights how everyday actions like littering and illegal dumping contribute to environmental degradation. Through clean-up events, educational activities, and social engagements, CapeNature and its partners are promoting sustainable practices like recycling and reducing single-use plastics.

Soapbox, through its Captain Fanplastic Programme, is adding a creative and educational dimension to the campaign, particularly among young people.

If we want to see lasting change in how we treat our environment, it starts with what we teach our children. Through our gamified storytelling adventures and outdoor experiences, we turn environmental education into something memorable, fun, and impactful. We pride ourselves on being able to reach 11 countries with vital education for many young people. Over the past three years, we’ve reached more than 15 000 learners, inspiring them to become “Plastic Pirates” and community changemakers. Campaigns like “Don’t Be Trashy” reinforce education reform based on creativity, curiosity, and real-world action, which is key to building a generation that sees waste not as rubbish, but as a resource.

Ruben Hazelzet, Head of Programme at Captain Fanplastic.

CapeNature is calling on all individuals to join the campaign by taking part in clean-ups, report illegal dumping, and reduce waste at source. The Entity also encourages all to support the work being done in nature reserves and MPAs.

The public can share the campaign message online using #DontBeTrashy.

For more information and updates on upcoming events, visit www.capenature.co.za or follow CapeNature on social media.

Share:

Related News

CN Access Week Mobile Blog Post
1 Sep 2025
Celebrate the 11th annual Access Week and grab your chance to experience nature for free!

Rediscover the beauty of the Western Cape’s protected areas during the 11th annual Access Week, taking place from 20 to 26 September 2025. CapeNature is celebrating over a decade of breaking down barriers to the Western Cape’s natural spaces, with free day visitor entry to selected reserves across the province. 

Caucasian male fishing in a pond surrounded by tall green water reeds Med
26 Aug 2025
Catch and release helps to conserve the Western Cape’s indigenous fish

Freshwater ecosystems across the Western Cape are rich in biodiversity, supporting a variety of indigenous fish. However, these species are increasingly threatened by the spread of invasive alien fish species, that prey on indigenous species and compete with them for food, space, and breeding grounds.

Cape Nature Green Noise Blog Image with Julia Louw from Wesgro Tourism and Itumeleng Pooe
19 Aug 2025
Celebrating innovative, resilient women in tourism

Women are thriving in tourism and wielding influence from the boardroom to hiking trails, where they beat a pathway for others to follow. They occupy 70% of the tourism workforce in South Africa, and their voices are being amplified in the sector now more than ever. A powerful yet often overlooked statistic that underscores their vital role in the sector.

Klein Estuary Image 1
15 Aug 2025 by Pierre de Villiers
Rivers, Watersheds, and the Klein Estuary: A 2025 Natural Breach Event

Over millions of years, South Africa’s rivers and watersheds have evolved through the forces of erosion, rainfall, and shifting geology. A river catchment, or watershed, is an area of land where all surface water flows toward a single river, stream, or channel, eventually reaching the sea.

Seagull image by taryn elliott
14 Aug 2025
Avian Influenza detected in Western Cape: Public urged to stay alert, not alarmed

High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI or “bird flu”) is a viral disease of birds that can also, on rare occasions, infect humans and mammals. The virus spreads through bird faeces and droplets from the nose and mouth, and is present in other body fluids and tissues of dead birds. The disease can cause high mortality rates in domestic poultry.