With a blue plastic drum and an information newspaper, Xoliswa Sekoebetlana goes from shack to shack in her impoverished community of Langrug.She is a water warrior, spreading the word of a simple system that will keep litter and the grey water from washing dishes and clothing away from the Berg River. Instead, the grey water is taken by underground pipes to nourish newly planted trees.Langrug, an informal settlement where 6,000 residents struggle to make a living away from the gaze of tourists buying R1,000 meals in nearby Franschhoek, has all the problems of any "squatter camp".Stagnant water lies in unpaved streets where children play, dogs feast on rubbish, and litter clogs the river.This hand-to-mouth existence makes environmental planning a challenge, but the Western Cape government is determined to get it right, hence the "Genius of Space" project based on the water-collection drums.Nokhawulezile Mkeli, a mother who does her washing on her lap in a plastic bowl, said: "Every day we must wash our dishes and our clothes, but this water sits and starts to stink."There is no quick fix for getting buy-in from the broader community, however. Sivuyile Tembani, from Greenhouse Systems Development, said: "People aren't always open to changing how they live. They are also proud and might feel like we are saying the way they live now is dirty."She hopes word of mouth and the information newspaper will do the trick. Also crucial is the community forum of about 15 people.Sekoebetlana, who sits on the forum, said: "When we plant the trees, people come and join us and talk to us. Then others come out of their shacks and say, 'We don't want trees here,' but then the neighbours explain why it is a good thing."Environmental scientist Claire Mollat said litter and grey water in the river had far-reaching effects."Drinking water is contaminated, health concerns arise, agriculture in the area is affected, and the general environmental health of the region suffers."The next phase of the project will be turning litter into a resource by "upcycling" it, at the same time creating employment.For community leader Solomon Sonxi, squatters are caught in limbo - staying in a place that feels temporary and inadequate, yet with no prospect of moving."I want to change the mindset of our community," he said."I want to say: 'Just because we live in an informal settlement doesn't mean we can't live in a cleaner environment.' I am excited by this project, especially the trees, which are about beauty and giving shade in summer." Copying from all of creation The Genius of Space project is part of a broader biomimicry umbrella institute called Biomimicry South Africa."Biomimicry is basically the act of copying nature," said institute founder Claire Janisch.Examples would be:• Learning the recipe of spiders' webs to create strong, life-friendly synthetic materials;• Learning from coral reefs how to make cement that can separate and store carbon; and• Copying the micro patterns on a shark's skin to make an anti-bacterial surface...