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Pirate protects marine life from plastic in new Captain Fanplastic audiobook

23 Sep 2021

In celebration of this year's International Coastal Clean-up Day (18 September), Captain Fanplastic, in partnership with the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, launched its first pirate songs and audiobook - The Legend of Captain Fanplastic - at the Two Oceans Aquarium during Captain Fanplastic's Sounds for the Ocean event.

The Legend of Captain Fanplastic tells the story of how a friendly pirate saves ocean creatures from plastic and then turns that plastic into treasure. © Leon Swart - 123RF.com.

The event featured musical and storytelling performances by Alessandro Gigli and Zolani Mahola, ocean speakers such as Zandile ‘The Black Mermaid’ Ndhlovu and ended with a message in a bottle activity by all attendees as a pledge to the ocean.

Book encourages new thinking around plastics

According to author and owner of the Captain Fanplastic brand, Ruben Hazelzet, The Legend of Captain Fanplastic demonstrates how harmful plastic waste is to our precious marine life and how it can be turned into amazing treasure if recycled correctly.

He says the book “already has had an impact on kids from all our programmes with various schools in South Africa and the Netherlands”. It is available in both English and Dutch, and is suitable for all ages, especially for nine to 12-year-olds who are keen to learn about the environment and conservation.

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Ann Lamont, executive chairperson of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation said there is a “need to start encouraging children to consider plastic differently and to actively think about regenerative ways of living in general”.

“The amount of discarded plastic on land and in our oceans is unsustainable. If we start a movement to inspire change now around plastic among young people, this can help sustain and conserve marine life,” Lamont said.

”You buy one, we give one”

In order to help spread the message even further, Hazelzet said through its ‘buy one-give one’ initiative, Captain Fanplastic will match each online purchase of The Legend of Captain Fanplastic.

“We’d like to invite the public to join us, so, if one wants to, for example, buy two books, we will automatically give two books to communities to match their purchase,” Hazelzet said.

All proceeds from Captain Fanplastic’s Sounds for the Ocean event will go to the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation and Captain Fanplastic which will further assist in raising awareness about the importance of responsible plastic consumption and production.

The Legend of Captain Fanplastic is available for purchase via The School of Sustainable Development and Takealot.