About the Hong Kong International Coastal Cleanup Challenge

Organized by Ecovision Asia and presented by Nomura, The Hong Kong International Coastal Cleanup (HKICC) engages thousands of volunteers every fall in removing trash and debris from our beautiful beaches and waterways. Testament to the rapidly increasing awareness levels of the Hong Kong community, the HKICC has grown substantially since its humble beginnings as a small grassroots event in 2000, with 8,690 participants last year picking up 36,126 kg of trash from nearly 150km of shoreline.

The HKICC is much more than just an annual cleanup; it represents a year-round commitment to reducing the amount of trash washing up on our shores through education, action and advocacy. This year, as part of that commitment, Ecovision Asia is launching a region-wide “Plastic-Free Pledge” campaign to help reduce the use of single-use plastic, the number one item littering Hong Kong beaches. Participants can pledge to adopt simple habits such as using re-usable bottles for drinks and bags for shopping, as well as choosing less packaging and recycling whenever possible.

The promising thing about the problem of marine debris is that it is entirely preventable. By helping to reduce trash and single-use plastic waste, everyone can take a role in making our seas cleaner, healthier and more resilient.

About the International Coastal Cleanup

Ecovision’s HKICC is part of a huge global effort, coordinated by Ocean Conservancy and now in its 26^th year. The International Coastal Cleanup was started in 1986, by one woman walking along the beach in Texas. Disgusted by the amount of trash she saw, she organized a beach cleanup. Her singular vision evolved into what is now a worldwide movement. Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup has now been growing and thriving for 26 years around the globe, engaging volunteers from Hong Kong to Honolulu in doing their part to protect oceans.

To date, over 8.5 million volunteers from 152 countries have picked up almost 150 million pounds of trash as part of the International Coastal Cleanup, recognized as the world's largest volunteer effort for the ocean!  Over the past 25 years, Ocean Conservancy beach cleanup volunteers have collected enough cups, plates, forks, knives and spoons to host a picnic for 2 million people!  The 8 million pounds of trash collected during the 2010 Cleanup would cover about 170 football fields!

Teams around the globe hit the beaches every fall, beginning on Ocean Conservancy’s annual flagship day on the third Saturday in September. Volunteers fill out standardized data cards on the trash they find, and the data is collected, analyzed, and published in Ocean Conservancy’s global Marine Debris Index. The report provides a roadmap for eliminating marine debris altogether by reducing it at the source, changing behaviours that cause it, and supporting better policy.

No special abilities are required to participate in the ICC, only a desire to help. Participants learn first-hand that the problems of marine pollution, animal entanglement and toxic debris start with careless behaviour and that solutions are within their grasp.

Grab your friends, colleagues and family and join us in cleaning up our beautiful beaches and marine areas! This year’s Hong Kong International Coastal Cleanup Challenge will take place from September 17th – October 17th, 2011.

| More...