JON HOUZET
TWO young social change warriors on a 3000km journey around the South African coastline, picking up other people's trash, passed through Port Alfred last week.
|
A BURDEN
FOR CHANGE: Camilla Howard and Michael Baretta, the CAN DO! Trekking for Trash duo walking along South Africa's coastline, stopped over in Port Alfred recently Picture: JON HOUZET |
Friends Camilla Howard and Michael Baretta, both originally from Cape Town, set out from Alexander Bay on the border of Namibia in October last year and plan to reach Kosi Bay by late April.
One of their goals is to collect seven tons of litter along the way, and they are already well on their way, having collected four tons so far.
But their more far-reaching goal is to help change people's attitudes and behaviour about littering, encouraging local communities to initiate clean-ups in their areas.
"We were both taken by how badly South Africans litter and we wanted to do something bold," said Baretta.
He said they decided on a coastal clean-up because so much litter is carried by rivers and ends up on the beaches.
"But it's a national message, not just coastal," he said.
The friends, who have known each other since high school - Baretta is now 31 and Howard is 30 - said they had been planning their trek for about a year and a half.
Howard was already a crusader for causes, having walked up Mount Kilimanjaro barefoot to raise money for Red Cross Children's Hospital.
Previously she started a short course cooking school in Cape Town with her mother, who still runs the business.
Baretta gave up his job with a marketing agency in Johannesburg.
"This took a lot of planning, scheduling and pitching to sponsors," he said. "It's hard when you've got a day job."
The pair are sponsored by Nampak Bev Can and Div Food, and Collect a Can, and their project is named CAN DO! Trekking for Trash.
They walk 20-30km a day and have a support person following them in a car, which also carries some of the equipment they cannot lug themselves.
"On the west coast we camped along the beach, but as our Facebook following grows we've been sponsored accommodation," said Howard. "In Port Alfred it was My Pond Hotel."
As for the litter they pick up, they try recycle as much as they can and involve local municipalities.
"We fill a bag every day and it does become pretty heavy. There's not always a path and the wind's quite a factor. We carry it till we can dispose of it, sometimes we use our vehicle to carry it," said Baretta.
The most common litter they come across is plastic bottles and plastic bags. And among the odd things they have found are counterfeit money, crack pipes, lots of TVs and an assortment of other electrical appliances.
They have also had some cuts and falls, encountered numerous snakes and made risky river crossings.
Their feet are feeling the pain now more than ever, but they agree the journey has been worth it.
While they were in Port Alfred they promoted a clean-up on East Beach on Saturday, but only two people showed up to help.
Baretta and Howard have launched a competition on their popular Trekking for Trash Facebook page, encouraging people to initiate clean-ups in their communities and post the pictures of their efforts on the Facebook page to strand a chance of winning R5 000. The competition ends in late April.
Follow their progress on or via Twitter @Trekking4Trash.