> Dress for success

> Killing for honour

> Man marries four women

> Perfume do's and don'ts

> There's money in Mao

> Divorced via SMS

> Cape Town's Baby Expo

> Online sex users married

> US has stream dating

> Thinking about inking?

Today, 25 November 2009

› Boks are thugs - Ireland

Yesterday, 24 November 2009

› McBride: I'm being bugged

› Top ANC official hijacked

› Batting for Hersch

› Els gets thumbs down

› Maroga's salary summary

Bar the occasional shark attack or litter bug, South Africa has some of the best beaches in the world and some of them even have the Blue Flag to prove it.

'Blue flag?', I hear you say in confusion. Well, in a nutshell, the Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label awarded to around 3100 beaches in 35 countries, including South Africa, where you can be assured of clean water, good facilities and careful environmental management.

How it all started
The Blue Flag campaign is owned and run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an independent non-profit organisation. It works towards achieving sustainable development on beaches through applying strict criteria regarding water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, safety and other services. Not just any beach can call itself a Blue Flag beach.

The organisation started out in France when the first French coastal municipalities were awarded the Blue Flag in 1985 for dealing with sewage treatment and bathing water quality. From here on, the French concept of the Blue Flag was developed to include other areas of environmental management, such as waste, coastal protection and planning.

South Africa joined the campaign in 2001, when a select few of our beaches were the first in the world outside of Europe to receive the coveted Blue Flag status.

Strict criteria
Not only does the environmental factor play a pivotal role when awarding a beach its 'blue stripes', but the effort in being awarded a Blue Flag pays dividends in terms of increased tourism, which in turn provides increased employment in the area. However, before becoming a fully-fledged Blue Flag beach there are stringent criteria to adhere to.

Life's a beach
Every year an international jury panel, made up of representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Tourism Organisation and the FEE, decide on Blue Flag candidates. But this certainly doesn't mean 'once a Blue Flag member, always a member!' Blue Flags are only awarded for one season at time, and if some of the compulsory criteria are not fulfilled during the season or the conditions change, the Blue Flag will be withdrawn.

The criteria for Blue Flag beaches are based on four main factors, covering environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management and safety and services.

According to the FEE, information on the local ecosystems and sensitive areas in the coastal zone must be displayed, as well as details of water bathing quality and the Blue Flag campaign itself.

The beach area must also have a code of conduct prominently displayed, and the public must be able to request the laws governing the beach. All in all, visiting a Blue Flag beach means that you can be assured that it is clean and well-managed, both for visitors and the environment.

Where to find our Blue Flag beaches
In the Western Cape Clifton’s 4th Beach, Grotto Beach near Hermanus, Kleinmond, Mnandi and Stilbaai have all been awarded Blue Flags.

However, KwaZulu-Natal has proven to be the best bet for beaches, and boasts the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in South Africa. These are at Margate, Addington, Durban, Hibberdene, Lucien Beach, Ramsgate, South Beach, Umhlanga Rocks and Uvongo Beach.

Not to be left out though, the Eastern Cape also has its fair share at Dolphin Beach, Humewood Beach, Port Alfred and Wells Estate.

All in all, visiting a Blue Flag beach means that you can be assured that it is clean and well-managed, both for visitors and the environment. As they say, when visiting a Blue Flag beach, "Dis lekker by die see!

Useful Links:

• The official Blue Flag website at www.blueflag.org
• Visit the Wildlife Society for a list of which beaches hope to get Blue Flag status next year.