Joburg Zoo is on a clean-up campaign

RELATED LINKS: Joburg zoo makes learning fun ITS Discovery Centre is the first of its kind at a Gauteng zoo; here the Johannesburg Zoo will nurture children's natural desire to learn and to play. Read more Joburg Zoo earns world-class status THE Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria has recognised the improvements at the Johannesburg Zoo, awarding it world-class status. Read more City officials go on safari to Parys Zoo Farm HEADED by the mayor, a group of City officials spent the day in the Free State where they inspected Johannesburg Zoo's new Parys Zoo Farm. Read more

Campaign focuses on litter at zoo Schoolchildren will highlight the problem of litter by spending the day collecting rubbish thrown on the ground by visitors to the zoo. August 24, 2007 By Millicent Kgowedi VOLUNTEERS from schools across the city will gather at Johannesburg Zoo to alert people to the amount of littering that takes place at the zoo. The Litter Awareness Day takes place on Friday, 24 August. It is organised by the zoo; Community Connect, which connects volunteers and welfare organisations; and the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots & Shoots. Teams of school volunteers will take part in the big clean up. "Chivirikani Primary School in Katlehong Gardens and Impangela Primary School in Kaalfontein are some of the schools that will be helping with the clean-up; zoo staff will also be assisting," said Lawrence Tshokgole, the organiser. Gaby Sidley, from Community Connect, said litter was an enormous problem in South Africa. "It does major damage to the environment; it is a major socio-economic issue; it is unsightly; it costs a great deal of money to undo; it is hazardous to people; and it damages infrastructure. Despite all these facts, people continue to litter around South Africa in unimaginable volumes." A litter awareness campaign takes place at the zoo on 24 August Holding a litter awareness campaign at the zoo was one way of making people aware of the extraordinary amount of litter dumped at just one facility, she said. All the litter collected on the day will be dumped in a cage close to the entrance for visitors to get an understanding of the volume of rubbish thrown on the ground. "Placing the litter in a cage strategically close to the entrance for three days will, we hope, help bring the message home. Litter is everyone's business and we need everyone in the community to be aware so they can begin to assist us to win the battle against litter," she added. Littering was about respect - people who littered generally did not respect themselves or other people and did not care about their environment, Sidley said. The initiative aimed to change people's approach to this sentiment. People did not think litter was a problem, she said, adding that the campaign aimed to raise awareness and to build a culture of respect. Sasko and Parmalat are supporting the project by feeding the volunteers, while the Plastic Federation of South Africa is providing clean-up bags. "We will have bread and juice for the schoolchildren," Sidley said. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za