South African Swimmer Continues to Fight Against Plasticby Rosa Domingos | 12-12-2018 17:01 |
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 Former competitive South African pool swimmer Sarah Ferguson¡¯s close encounters with nature on her recent Elephant Coast expedition have unequivocally reinforced her determination to expose the dangers of plastic pollution (Enviro Editor, 2018).  Sarah Ferguson, an ambassador for the SPAR Eastern Cape Stop Plastic campaign, swam 100km in six days on the Elephant Coast in Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal last month to highlight the threat of plastic pollution. Picture: Wofty Wild She's an ambassador for SPAR Eastern Cape¡¯s Stop Plastic campaign. Moreover, she has swam 100km over a six-day period, from Ponta Dobel (Mozambique) to Sodwana Bay in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) in July of 2018 In July, Ferguson linked up with SPAR EC to support them in their Stop Plastic campaign, which was launched in April.  An example of the pollution found on the beaches when Sarah Ferguson, an ambassador for the SPAR Eastern Cape Stop Plastic campaign, did a 100km swim on the Elephant Coast in Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal last month to highlight the threat plastic poses to the environment. Picture: Wofty Wild The Eastern Cape retail giant are focused on ending the practice of single-use plastic by encouraging consumers to consider the dangers the material poses to the world and offering them alternative and viable packaging options (Enviro Editor, 2018). The main aim of the swim is to create a seven-part documentary series which Ferguson¡¯s environmental movement, Breathe Conservation, is producing to demonstrate the threat of plastic pollution. During her swim, the Cape Town-based physiotherapist said her intimate encounters with ocean animals had made a lasting impression (Enviro Editor, 2018). She spoke about the importance of society taking responsibility for the threat posed by plastic (Enviro Editor, 2018). ¡°The issue of plastic pollution is a global one,¡± she said. ¡°The marine animals I was privileged to swim amongst are essential for our ecosystem. ¡°They do not have a voice to speak out on the negative effects of human ignorance and waste and I am choosing to use my voice to advocate on their behalf (Enviro Editor, 2018). ¡°We are destroying the planet we are called to look after. It is not too late to change but if we do not change our behaviour today, the next generation may not have the privilege of encountering marine life like I have been blessed to encounter.¡± Besides the documentary series for social media, she said she would be talking to various institutions to emphasise the problem. ¡°I will be doing talks at schools and corporates where I share my experiences of swimming in the ocean.
An example of the pollution found on the beaches when Sarah Ferguson, an ambassador for the SPAR Eastern Cape Stop Plastic campaign, did a 100km swim on the Elephant Coast in Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal last month to highlight the threat plastic poses to the environment. Picture: Wofty Wild ¡°We want to drive home the importance of education and behaviour change regarding plastic pollution and eliminating single-use plastic from our daily lives." their motto for Breathe [Conservation] is to live deeply and tread lightly. This is a message she tries to live by and encourages others to do the same. Source: Enviro Editpr,. 2018. SA Swimmer Sarah Ferguson continues fight against plastic.[Online].Available: https://www.environment.co.za/environmental-issues/sa-swimmer-continues-fight-against-plastic.html. Aug 15, 2018. Accessed: Dec 11, 2018.
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