hong kong cleanup 2015 introduction
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Now celebrating its 15th year, the Hong Kong Cleanup has engaged over 200,000 volunteers in cleaning up over 17 million pieces of trash from our beautiful country parks, coastlines and urban areas, and is established as a well-loved and vital part of the Hong Kong event landscape. Its aim is to educate, empower and advocate Hong Kong citizen on waste reduction in support of a cleaner, healthier future for Hong Kong and the planet. HKcleanup.orgTRANSCRIPT
8 MILLION TONNES OF PLASTIC FROM LAND TO SEA EACH YEAR “The quan2ty entering the ocean is equal to about five grocery bags full of plas2c
for every foot of coastline in the world.” – CNN
“5 trillion pieces of plas2c are floa2ng in the world’s oceans, collec2vely weighing nearly 269,000 tonnes.” – The Guardian
China ranked top polluter as figures suggest total plas2c liOer ending up in the seas could rise tenfold by 2025.” – BBC News
Source: Plas4c Waste Inputs from Land to Ocean, Jenna Jambeck, University of Georgia
1 EVENT 15 YEARS 200,000 PEOPLE 17,000,000 PIECES OF TRASH
Established in 2000 as the city’s first community coastal cleanup, the Hong Kong Cleanup has evolved into a civic movement and is now the region’s largest environmental volunteer event.
THE CHALLENGES
With its expansive coastal areas, Hong Kong has a special rela2onship with the marine environment, and as such this event has inspired tens of thousands to take part in its protec2on. Beach cleanups bring awareness to the vast and vital issue of marine debris, and allow par2cipants to engage with their coastal ecosystems.
Hong Kong’s country parks are one of our most valuable assets. They offer not only beau2ful vistas and recrea2onal ac2vi2es, but also absorb carbon dioxide and are rich in biodiversity. Detrimental amounts of liOer and trash can be found in all of our country parks. Cleanups educate about liOering and its effect on the natural world we all need and enjoy.
Every day, more than 10,000 street cleaners manually remove copious amounts of liOer from our city streets. Trash from our homes, offices and schools is sent to already-‐full landfills, or swept down storm drains and washed out to sea. Cleaning our city streets will provide an eye opening experience for many.
To empower Hong Kong ci2zens to become ac2ve agents in keeping our beau2ful coastal areas, country parks and city streets safe, clean and trash free
To increase awareness and ins2ll a level of understanding that communi2es are pivotal to changing a]tudes towards environmental protec2on
To advocate for change in policy related to waste management, liOering and pollu2on, and for improved coordina2on of government departments to minimize Hong Kong’s waste produc2on.
OUR MISSION