KAROO NEWS - Almost two years ago, on 26 October 2021, a group of ladies initiated a garbage collection project they call "Trash Tuesdays".
The motivation behind this initiative was the amount of rubbish they saw on their daily Mountain Drive walk.
The group of walking enthusiasts share a deep concern for the environment and their community. Each member brings a black garbage bag and a pair of tongs to collect garbage alongside the riverbed of Mountain Drive. They decided to do it on Tuesdays to coincide with the municipality's weekly refuse removal day. They occasionally redirect their efforts towards the local park where the parkrun takes place every Saturday.
This area is used by participants of parkrun as well as passing tourists on their way to the Valley of Desolation and is often an embarrassment due to litter accumulation.
The women collect an average of eight bags of garbage every week. Since their inception, they have gathered between 135 and 150 bags of trash; quite a heap!
A substantial portion of the litter they collect in the river and park consists of recyclable materials. They say they cannot understand why so little recycling is done, as broken black bags of litter that they pick up in the river contain 90% of recycling rubbish.
They believe that increasing recycling awareness would not only simplify their task but also support the recycling business, which offers free collection services and plastic bags every Monday. The group extends an open invitation to anyone interested in joining their initiative. They meet at the Donkin complex every Tuesday at 06:30 and welcome individuals for a healthy walk, friendship, or participation in "Trash Tuesdays."
Contact Pottie Potgieter at Graaff-Reinet Recyclers on 082 921 7142 to find out when he picks up the recyclables in your area.
Many of the discarded items the ladies collect are recyclable.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
