So who brushed their teeth this morning? If you do not fall in the “I did!” category then I think there is something you need to do before you continue reading this…
But what does brushing teeth have to do with the wonders of the deep blue? Toothpaste! Did you know that toothpaste contains the jelly of the Kelp? So too does mascara, lipstick and so many other products we use on a daily basis. Disgusted? You shouldn’t be. Back in the day before realising the different uses of the Kelp, whales were killed in order to produce these ‘niceties’. How do I know this? I attended a presentation at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town recently.

The Aquarium has this incredible programme where they allow school children to be involved in an interactive presentation and learn about the ocean and its creatures: the Adopt a School project. It is so interactive that the kids could touch baby crayfish, star fish and a number of other sea animals.

Among all the things we learned in the 30 minutes, was another way of using Coke (the soft drink that is…). If you are stung by a blue bottle (a cousin of the jelly fish), rub some coke on the affected area, and you’ll be a-key-o-kay. And if you don’t have coke you can use something that is freely available – urine… Well, even with all the prices going up I think I will pass on the free ‘solution’ and use the Coke!

By Jeanne Fredericks