Two members of our youth club – Ocean Defenders – looking for pieces of microplastics among the shells on the beach.

Have you ever walked past a piece of litter because it’s “just one piece”? Surely just leaving one piece behind won’t hurt, right? Wrong! Leaving one piece of litter behind is one piece more that could add to the approximately 10 million metric tons of plastic that already lie and fester in our oceans.

Looking at that number could instill a sense of hopelessness in people and make them question whether picking up one piece of plastic really makes much of a difference. The truth is, picking up that one piece means one less piece ending up in the ocean. Now, imagine 8 billion people picking up one piece of plastic. That makes a world of a difference.

Our Ocean Defenders youth club participates in a beach cleanup around the Kleinbaai tidal pool.

Not only that, but picking up one piece prevents that one piece from breaking down into millions of pieces of microplastics that will never disappear from the planet. Bigger pieces of plastic can cause entanglement and gastrointestinal blockages, but microplastics and nanoplastics can accumulate into the organs and tissues of marine animals.

In fact, microplastics can absorb all sorts of contaminants, metals, and pathogens that end up in marine animals. Some of these marine animals, like fish and shellfish then end up on our dinner plate: toxins, plastics and all! Five years ago, scientists already estimated that each person consumes at least 5 grams of plastic (the weight of one credit card) per WEEK!

So, beach cleanups are not only in the interest of the planet, but also for our continued existence as the human race. It is time for us to prioritise reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic properly! Some ways to do this include:

1. Use reusable bags and water bottles.
2. Buy microplastic free cosmetic products (e.g. use exfoliants with natural products – not microbeads).
3. Follow local recycling guidelines to ensure plastics are recycled correctly.
4. Advocate for and support policies aimed at reducing plastic production and waste.
5. Look for products with minimal or no plastic packaging. Support brands that prioritize sustainability.