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Earthwave to receive gift to combat global warming
by Howard Swanwick
01/09/2007:// The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens has donated 1 000 pack of seeds for indigenous South African trees to Earthwave South Africa to assist in the project’s efforts to reduce Global Warming.
The specially packaged seeds will be presented to those attending and participating in Earthwave’s attempt on the Guinness World Record for the most surfers riding one wave at Muizenberg, Cape Town on Sunday.
“It is with great pleasure that the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, flagship of the South African National Biodiversity Institute, participates in the Earthwave Global Surf Challenge 2007 in the effort to raise awareness on Global Warming,” said Augustine Morkel, the estate manager at Kirstenbosch.
“Kirstenbosch has always played a significant role in Greening Cape Town and now challenges all participants to take these seeds and plant them at their homes, or give them to a friend to plant, and tell them about the value of combating Global Warming by Greening the City.”
The Cape Town event is one of seven in the inaugural Earthwave Global Surf Challenge that will be staged on Sunday in Australia, Reunion Island, England, Argentina, Brazil and Tahiti.
Created by the Cape Town based Kahuna Surfing Academy, the Earthwave initiative is designed to showcase the worldwide surfing community and raise awareness about Global Warming. Each event stages an attempt on the Guinness World Record and uses the publicity generated as a platform to issue a ‘call to action’ on how to reduce our impact on climate change.
“We are delighted with Kirstenbosch’s contribution to Earthwave and its environmental causes,” said project coordinator Paul Botha.
“Trees are an integral part of the natural process that reduces the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Thanks to this donation, not only will thousands of trees be planted in Cape Town, but at least 1 000 people and their friends will be made aware of the climate crisis and hopefully start spreading the word on adapting to a more sustainable lifestyle.”
Sunday’s program at Muizenberg runs from 10am to 4pm and includes a talk on Global Warming by Stephen Law of the Environmental Monitoring Group and co-author of the book “A Brief Guide to Global Warming,” which outlines in easily understood terms what is described as “the most important issue of our age.”
Other talks and displays will be presented by the Shark Spotters program, South Peninsula Unity (SPU) and by wave and weather prediction guru Steve Pike from Wavescape.
There are tens of thousands of Rand’s worth of products donated by local businesses and surf industry companies that will be raffled, included in competitions such as a Dig for Gold and in lucky draws, along with an auction of beautifully decorated surfboards, accommodation packages and surfing memorabilia.
“We are most grateful for the support we have received from everyone we have approached to contribute to the inaugural edition of Earthwave and its worthy causes,” said Botha.
“We hope to be able to raise awareness of Global Warming and funds for environmentally sustainable projects such as the local Shark Spotters and SPU, the Jeffreys Bay based Supertubes Surfing Foundation and internet music download initiative Loadtheshow.”
“Ultimately we hope to start an Earthwave Scholarship at UCT that will fund students interesting in studying Earth Sciences, and specifically the effects climate change is having on our oceans and waves. With sufficient support we can get that started in the 2008 academic year.”
With the current frontal system lashing the Cape Peninsula predicted to abate on Saturday evening, Sunday’s attempt on the world record is expected to attract more participants than the 349 who broke the world record at Muizenberg in September 2006.
That event generated unprecedented media exposure and motivated Botha Snr and his son Dene, the owner of the Kahuna Surfing Academy, to challenge other surf schools and promoters around the world to run similar events on the first Sunday in September annually.
Not only will the organisers be trying to break the Guinness World Record on Sunday, they will also be trying to set Earthwave records for the most participants in an event, the most on a single wave and for the most money donated to environmental causes.
Those unable to attend the event at Muizenberg can participate in Earthwave by guessing the highest number of surfers who will ride a single wave on Sunday and winning R1 500 worth of premium branded accessories. Simply SMS the word WAVE, followed by a space, and the number of surfers to 35010. Each SMS costs R3. In the event of a tie, the person sending the most correct entries will win the prize.
See www.earthwave2007.com for comprehensive details on the Earthwave project.
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