Winners of the CLiP STOMP Awards Announced – South Africa

Media Release

Winners of the CLiP STOMP Awards Announced – South Africa

The winners of the inaugural the Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLIP) STOMP Awards were announced at the CLIP Innovation Conference: “STEM the tide of plastic waste in Africa” hosted by the Sustainable Seas Trust in Cape Town on 5 December 2019.

From the 63 entries five winners were selected in five categories: Technology or Technical Design, Product, Adult Inspire through Creativity and Youth Inspire through Creativity, and Special Recognition for Action.

The winning entries were as follows:

The Technology or Technical Design Award went to The Mermaid Tear Catcher, submitted by Clare Swithenbank-Bowman from the KwaZulu-Natal, North Coast A recycled plastic “frisbee” that essentially is used to sieve out nurdles and other small plastics from the sand and facilitates people getting involved in citizen science projects. The judges said that the entry was a “fun, creative community solution to removing plastic waste that could be easily replicated anywhere in the world.”

Finalists in this category were Wildtrust – Pyrolysis Machine from Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal and Games Tangibl, submitted by Jean Greyling from Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.

The Product Award went to Patch Bamboo Plasters submitted by Dr Milliea Anis. Judges said that it was “an unique, practical and tested product that has been courageously trialed in South Africa, and importantly replaces plastic products that most overlook without thinking twice.”

Finalist in this category also included The Big Scoop SA submitted by Alexis Wellman from Cape Town, Beeswax Wrap submitted by Mica Da Silva from Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal and The Mutea EcoPod submitted by Liam Bulgen from Cape Town , Western Cape.

Luke Rudman’s The 12 Plastic Monsters, a performance art work that uses plastic waste to convey the horror of plastic pollution, won the Adult Inspire through Creativity Category. Judges said that they loved the entry as it was brilliantly creative and driven by a passion for the oceans, citing it as inspiring and unique.

Finalists in this category were The Well Worn Theatre Company submitted by Kyla Davis from Johannesburg  and The SuperScientists Project by Codemakers NPO, submitted by Justin Yarrow from Berea in Durban, KwaZulu Natal. 

The Youth Inspire through Creativity was won by The Oceano Reddentes NPC submitted by twelve year old Jade Bothma from the Western Cape, who started the non-profit that is “Saving the sea one piece of plastic at a time” through education, awareness, and research.”

Finalists in this category were The Future Kids submitted by Rocco Da Silva from the Western Cape and Norman Klutsky Eco-Warrior of the High Seas - Eden College submitted by Jean Van Elden, Berea, Durban KwaZulu-Natal

The Special Recognition Award for Action went to Singakwenza, submitted by Julie Hay from KwaZulu-Natal. Singakwenza, which means ‘we can do it’ in isiZulu, provides low cost, high impact health and early education through empowerment programmes to economically-disadvantaged communities, particularly in rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal.  Much of what they do involves recycling of plastic waste. This entry impressed the judges in terms of showing tangible impacts on both waste and social upliftment.

Finalists in this category were Captain Fanplastic, submitted by Nwabisa Joba from the Western Cape and The Ethekwini Conservancies Forum, submitted by Paolo Candoti from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal 

‘Most of these finalists and some other entrants that very much impressed the judges, attended our CLIP Conference, and were able to present their projects to delegates working and researching in the marine pollution sector,” said Kyle Briggs, Contest Lead from the UK's Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) which leads the CLIP Programme. “It was a really exciting two days of knowledge-sharing and looking at practical solutions to the marine pollution problem which we hope will help contestants develop their ideas further. These creative ideas from the STOMP Awards form part of CLIP’s efforts in finding creative solutions to plastic waste. It sends a clear message that plastic pollution is not only confined to scientists or policy-makers, and that anyone can innovate. Together people from all walks of life can find tangible solutions that have real impact. Congratulations to all the winners, finalists and everyone who entered with a  commitment to find solutions to the plastic pollution challenge!.”

For more information about the awards go to www.stompawards.co.za. 

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CLiP'S STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastics) Awards – Public Voting Has Started

Media Release

CLiP'S STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastics) Awards – Public Voting Has Started

Public voting has started for the inaugural Commonwealth Litter Programme's STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastic Pollution) Awards, which was initiated to discover and encourage innovations to reduce and eliminate marine plastic pollution.

Duncan Pritchard, Project Manager of Green Corridors, the Durban-based non-profit organisation tasked with managing the awards programme, reports that over 60 submissions have been made.

"We are pleased with the number of entries we have received in this first year of the awards," he says. "The entries have varied in terms of category, and in terms of the kinds of individuals and organisations making submissions. For us, that is a positive start, as we want to use the awards to inspire South Africans to finds solutions to the plastic crisis."

Entries have been made in five categories: technology or technical design, consumer products, youth and adult inspire through creativity and action and special recognition category for organizations and individuals doing great things to find solutions. "As expected we have had entries from Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, but we have also seen a significant number of entries from the Eastern Cape, and inland areas."

"What is particularly interesting is the number of entries by young people, who are doing significant work in trying to find solutions to the plastic crisis. We have also seen some interesting tech innovations, giving us enormous hope that people are thinking of the future, and this certainly speaks to the overall vision of the awards."

Public voting is open until Friday 15 November, thereafter, a panel of judges will start their judging, with finalists announced on Friday 22 November.

Representatives of the final entries in the Technology or Technical Design and the Product Development categories will be hosted, and their innovations showcased at the CLIP Innovation Conference: STEM the tide of plastic waste in Africa in Cape Town on 4 and 5 December 2019. Other entries will also be showcased at this conference, which is co-hosted with the Sustainable Seas Trust.

CLIP is led by the United Kingdom through the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), funded by the UK's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

All voting takes place online. To view the entries go to https://www.stompawards.co.za/index.php/vote

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Caption to photo 1603 by Val Adamson:

Marine Environmentalist Aphiwe Notshaya (left) reveals to young eco-warriors, Shridhar Ramlagan, Matthew Jolley, Zoe Paige van Niekerk and Nhlamulo Khosa, how plastic nurdles, small plastic pellets, end up in the ocean and on the beaches affecting our marine life and the environment. With plastic  pollution in the oceans creating major environmental and health challenges, the STOMP Awards aims to encourage people to come up with creative  and innovative solutions to stem the flow of litter into the sea. Entries to the awards are open online at www.stompawards.co.za and close on 8 November. Winners will be announced at the CLIP Innovation Conference: STEM the tide of plastic waste in Africa in Cape Town on 4 and 5 December 2019.

Search is on for the next great 21st century science, technology and technical innovation that will help reduce and eliminate plastic waste

Search is on for the next great 21st century science, technology and technical innovation

that will help reduce and eliminate plastic waste in South Africa

The search is on for science, technology and technical innovations that will help reduce and eliminate plastic waste, and be the next great 21st century innovation that could change the world, as the UK-based Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLIP), introduces its STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastic Pollution) Awards in South Africa.

The awards, which are open to all South African residents, are grouped into four categories: Technology or Technical Design, Product Development, Inspire through Creativity, and Action. 

Finalists in the Technology or Technical Design category will present their ideas or projects at CLIP’s Innovation Conference co-hosted by the Sustainable Seas Trust, titled STEM the tide of plastic waste in Africa, in Cape Town in 4 and 5 December. The winner will also receive a trip to the UK in 2020, to attend the London CLIP Conference, along with winners from across the Commonwealth, where they will showcase their project. They will also receive further research and development mentoring and support from industry experts at South Africa’s  Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

With 90% of marine litter made up of plastics that originate from land and sea-based sources, it is one of the most widespread problems facing oceans, and key to coming up with solutions to this plastic pollution problem, are the science, technology and technical innovators. 

Speaking about their involvement in the awards Jerome Andrew, Senior Researcher and Project Manager at the CSIR said, “With the ever-increasing challenges around marine plastic that has a direct impact on the quality of life for the people of this country, and its marine life, we are very excited about the possibilities and potential of some ideas that may come through this initiative. It is our organisational objective to undertake directed, multidisciplinary research and technological innovation that contributes to the improved quality of life of South Africans. So we look forward to seeing the submissions and hopefully there will be one brilliant innovation that we can support in becoming a sustainable solution to the plastic problem.”

‘While we are encouraging people to enter into any category in the awards, we are particular interested from a long-term and sustainable point of view, in those studying, researching and working in the science, technology and technical sectors who are the thinkers and creators that are finding new ideas, inventions and innovations that cut across so many aspects of our 21st century lifestyles,” says Duncan Pritchard, from Green Corridors in Durban, the Project Manager of the Awards. “This a global problem and we are looking for those individuals or institutions in South Africa who may have the solutions the world needs. Wouldn’t that be awesome to have a South African innovation blaze the trail in stamping out marine pollution?”

All categories are important to a holistic approach to dealing with the plastic pollution problem and will be awarded and acknowledged. CLIP, however, recognizes that innovations in the technology or technical design category will be where the practical solutions will emanate. 

CLIP is led by the United Kingdom through the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), funded by the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and has partnered with Green Corridors, a Durban based non-profit organisation to roll out the awards programme in South Africa.

For more information about all the categories and prizes or to enter go to www.stompawards.co.za. Entries close on 8 November after which there is a public voting period for one week until 15 November.

Commonwealth Litter Programme Announces STOMP Awards for South African Innovations that will help reduce and eliminate plastic waste

Media Release

Commonwealth Litter Programme Announces STOMP Awards for South African Innovations that will help reduce and eliminate plastic waste

The Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLIP), the international science and outreach programme working in partnership with governments, universities, NGOs and communities in countries across the Commonwealth to take action on plastics entering the oceans, has announced the introduction of its STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastic Pollution) Awards in South Africa.

The STOMP Awards form part a nationwide activation ahead of the Cape Town “CLIP Innovation Conference: STEM the tide of plastic waste in Africa” in Cape Town on 4 and 5 December 2019. The conference, which is co-hosted together with the Sustainable Seas Trust, aims to practically address STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) solutions to tackling and preventing marine litter. Entries to the STOMP Awards will be showcased at the conference and all entrants are invited to register for this free conference.

CLIP is led by the United Kingdom through the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), funded by the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and has partnered with Green Corridors, a Durban based non-profit organisation to roll out the awards programme in South Africa.

"Up to 90% of marine litter is made up of plastics, originating from both land and sea-based sources.  This makes plastic pollution one of the most widespread problems facing our oceans today. If we are to tackle this issue, urgent, coordinated and effective action is paramount," says Thomas Maes, principal marine litter scientist of CLIP. "We are working collaboratively with countries across the Commonwealth to try to find tangible and practical geographic and environmental solutions and are using these awards as a means to galvanize solution-based thinking around the issues of plastic pollution and in particular how it impacts on the oceans.”

The STOMP Awards recognize and reward individuals, civil society organizations, interest groups and youth that are taking action and making an impact on the reduction of marine plastic pollution in South Africa. 

“These Awards create a fantastic opportunity for individuals and groups to come together to act, create and innovate with a common purpose,” says Thomas Maes. “We aim to educate and communicate to a wide range of communities, the urgent need to change behaviours around the use of plastics, and to bring tangible and actionable opportunities for change to the forefront.”

The awards, which are open to all South African residents, are grouped into four categories: Technology or Technical Design, Product Development, Inspire through Creativity, and Action.

Technology or Technical Design category is recommended for (but not limited to) students and researchers in the science, technology and engineering fields, who are working with new and innovative design and or technologies that will help reduce or manage plastic pollution and encourage circular economy thinking. 

The Product Development category is also open to South African registered small to medium micro-enterprises who have consumer products or services that are innovative and allow consumers to reduce their plastic waste.  

The Inspire through Creativity category is divided into an adult (17 years and older) and youth section (16 years and younger). The aim here is to encourage people to use creative arts, artwork, photography, short films, dance, sculpture, graffiti, advert campaigns or any other art form to inspire people into creating a better planet.  It is hoped that the creative work can live as a legacy to future generations to inspire them not to revert back a world without concern about the environment.

A Special Recognition Award for Action Category recognizes individuals, schools, civil society organizations or informal groups for the work they do in implementing cleanups, or developing and implementing projects to mitigate waste, reduce plastic, change behaviours or create awareness at a local, community level. 

There are a variety of educational and experiential prizes for the winning entrants ranging from business development support to resource libraries. Representatives of the final entries in the Technology or Technical Design and the Product Development categories will also be hosted, and their innovations showcased, at the CLIP Innovation Conference in December with the winners announced during the conference. The finalist entries in the Inspire through Creativity and Special Recognition Award for Action Categories will also be showcased at this conference where the winners will be announced.

Entries are now open and close on 8 November, and must be made online via www.stompawards.co.za.   There is a public voting period for one week from 8 to 15 November.

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