STORMS RIVER – The Earthlings, a Storms River community environmental youth group that has earned three SANParks Kudu Awards over the past three years, is launching two local projects in July to support Plastic-Free July, a global movement helping millions of people reduce plastic pollution through simple, everyday choices.
The first project is the Adopt-a-Spot Competition, which aims to get people in their community involved by choosing a space, caring for it and becoming champions for that area.
This competition will start in July and end in October with R6,000 in cash prizes to be won.
Winners will be announced in November.
The competition is a bid to encourage community participation and is being launched to coincide with Plastic-Free July.
Each year, individuals, organisations, schools, and communities take part and find practical ways to refuse plastic.
The second project is the One Bag for Nature, a clean-up drive in Storms River on 28 July.
The Plastic-Free July initiatives are the latest chapter in a remarkable conservation story that has seen the Earthlings earn three SANParks Kudu Awards, an annual recognition of SANParks staff, external stakeholders and individuals for their contributions to enhancing SANParks.
The Earthlings was founded by Joslin Bauer in 2019 when she identified a need among children in the village to be outdoors and off the streets, so she started doing walks in the local forest and fynbos with them.
Since its inception, the group has cleaned many spaces in their community.
“We have removed bags and bags of litter, cleared dumping hotspots and worked hard to create cleaner and healthier environments, at first by ourselves and on many other occasions with help from stakeholders,” said Bauer.
She said the Kudu Awards are hosted annually in recognition of both SANParks staff and external stakeholders and individuals for their contributions and efforts in enhancing SANParks.
“The Earthlings received the 2025 Kudu Award in the Community Contribution to Conservation in recognition of outstanding grassroots leadership in advancing environmental restoration and community empowerment in the Storms River and Kou-Kamma area,” said Bauer.
She said the award states they have restored natural spaces, inspired civic pride, and fostered a culture of environmental responsibility “through innovative clean-up initiatives, education, and collaboration with SANParks and local partners; and that their vision and dedication embody the spirit of sustainable community-driven conservation.”
Bauer has since received two Kudu Awards for her work with the Earthlings, and said the awards are for the children and because of the children.
Her 2023 Kudu Award was the Women in Conservation Award for Youth Empowerment, which celebrates and recognises women who are groundbreakers in conservation, environmental education, tourism, and socio-economic development.
Bauer said based on her work with the Earthlings, the award recognised her for her contribution to sustainable conservation and leading the way in a bold and impactful manner in an industry that is underserved by female entrepreneurs.
Her work with the Earthlings also led to the 2024 Kudu Award for Individual Contribution to Conservation.
Bauer said this specific award recognised her for her insatiable drive to inspire and empower people in the community by promoting volunteerism and community involvement in environmental and conservation programmes.
For more information or to sponsor the Earthlings, email Joslin Bauer at joslinabrahams634@gmail.com.
ALSO READ: Western Cape Health Department opens R11.4m Linen Depot
