Cape Cadogan and Topia Water: Reducing Plastic Waste, One Bottle at a Time

Cape Town’s coastline is breathtaking, with its golden sands and rolling waves, but it also bears the global burden of ocean pollution. Plastic waste washes ashore daily and is a stark reminder of humanity’s impact on the environment. Addressing this issue requires more than concern; it demands action. The trash collection event hosted by Cape Cadogan and Topia Water is one such initiative.

Standing on Lagoon Beach, looking at the plastic litter strewn across the sand, the scale of the problem was undeniable. Plastic bottles, food wrappers, fishing line, and bottle caps lay tangled among the dunes. Every piece of rubbish told a story of convenience at the cost of the planet. Our team from the Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel and Topia Water, armed with gloves and collection bags, set out to make a difference this World Water Day.

As we worked, the conversation turned to the bigger picture. Tom from Topia Water shared some sobering facts. One million plastic water bottles are sold every minute, and that number is expected to double by 2030. If we continue on this path then, by 2050, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish. Furthermore, a single one-litre plastic bottle requires up to five litres of water to produce, package, transport, and refrigerate, before it even reaches the consumer. The environmental cost is staggering.

Sean, the General Manager at Cape Cadogan, pointed out the impact our partnership has had in tackling the issue. With Topia Water’s systems in place, we are not only eliminating plastic waste at the source but also reducing our carbon footprint by removing the need for the production and transportation of bottled water.

Tom commented that preventing plastic waste is about more than just water bottles. It is about shifting mindsets and making sustainability an integral part of business operations. At Topia, the goal is to help their partners reduce their environmental footprint without compromising on guest experience. It is a mission that aligns perfectly with our own commitment to responsible hospitality. The clean-up was a reminder that while prevention is the ultimate goal, every small action matters. This sentiment was shared amongst the volunteers as there was a wonderful sense of purpose amongst all those involved.

As the sun set on the now clean stretch of sand, we noted that although the scale of ocean pollution is daunting, so is the collective power of people working towards a solution. A single beach clean-up may not solve the crisis, but it raises awareness, inspires action, and strengthens our commitment to doing more. This day and our partnership has shown us that sustainability is about making progress, no matter how small the step. That action brings us closer to each other and a world with less waste and more conscious choices. The more people who join this journey, the greater the difference we can make.

By installing Topia’s sustainable hydration systems at MORE Family Collection properties, we have removed the need for prepackaged bottled water, even in remote locations like our safari lodges. Instead, guests enjoy premium drinking water without the environmental toll of plastic waste. We offer fresh, filtered water in glass bottles at Cape Cadogan and Upper Union Restaurant, while our safari lodges provide guests with reusable metal water bottles.

These efforts have already kept over a million plastic bottles from entering landfills and our oceans, the equivalent of twenty Olympic-sized swimming pools full of discarded plastic. Our partnership with Topia Water is making significant strides in reducing single-use plastics at our properties, and today was an extension of that commitment beyond our walls to the very place where plastic waste often ends up – the ocean.

To see more about our day at the beach, watch our Youtube video below.