Cities and Communities Unite for a Greener World

Asia Pacific’s Cities and Communities Unite for a Greener World

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
7 SEPTEMBER 05

Asia Pacific’s Cities and Communities Unite for a Greener World

Sydney, Australia – From Manila to small Island Nations in the Pacific volunteers across Asia Pacific will take to the streets, parks and beaches next weekend to clean up, fix up and promote green living in their community.

Hundreds of thousands of volunteers from 29 Asia Pacific countries are expected to take part in the annual Clean Up the World Weekend, celebrated globally on the 16th - 18th of September.

Held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Clean Up the World campaign, now in its thirteenth year, empowers over 35 million people in over 110 countries to take simple, positive steps to improve and protect their environment each year.

“Our 2005 theme ‘Green Cities Green Communities’ is encouraging people around the world to look at ways they can reduce their environmental impact across the areas of waste, water and energy. This is of particular importance in urban areas as 75% of the planet’s natural resources are consumed in cities,” said Ian Kiernan AO, Chairman and Founder of Clean Up the World.

Volunteers from the most populous city in the Philippines, Quezon City, will raise awareness about the local environmental issues of waste management and rubbish in public places.

Students and teachers from schools throughout Chittagong, the commercial capital city of Bangladesh, hope to raise awareness about the city’s pollution problems.

In India, sustainable conscious youth will focus their attention on cleaning up the heavily polluted River Noyyal. The river reluctantly plays host to waste from Coimbatore and Tirupur, the two main cities in its basin.

Over 80,000 people will take part in a nation-wide clean up campaign at 600 sites across Taiwan.

The campaign extends beyond the urban environment with communities in coastal and mountain areas also planning environmental activities.

Ian Kiernan alongside staff from Clean Up the World’s global Patron, Fondation d’Entreprise Veolia Environnement, Dungun District Office and local environmentalist Captain Mokh will join hundreds of volunteers from across Malaysia in a clean up of the 10km shoreline from Seberang Pintasan to the famed turtle beach, Rantau Abang. The beach is one of the main nesting areas for sea turtles, and one of only six in the world to be visited by the giant leatherback. Rubbish has accumulated along the shoreline and plastics, petrol cans and nets can be found in the surrounding water.

Refugee camps located in the hilly north of Thailand have few facilities to cope with waste management and the associated health issues. Volunteers will hold a series of environmental information sessions for camp residents to raise awareness.

Tonga’s Princess Nanasi will lead a contingent of environmentally conscious volunteers who will be working to address the issues of solid waste disposal in the Pacific.

“I encourage more groups to register as Members of Clean Up the World. Join us in creating greener cities and communities across the world,” concluded Ian Kiernan.

Communities across Asia Pacific are encouraged to register with Clean Up the World by visiting www.cleanuptheworld.org. Members receive information and materials to assist with the promotion and implementation of environmental activities.

Clean Up the World is a campaign held in conjunction with our Primary Partner UNEP. Patron – Fondation d’Entreprise Veolia Environnement. Global Media Partner - National Geographic Channels International. Sponsor – Qantas. Supporter – The Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

-Ends-

NOTES: Based in Sydney, the Clean Up the World (CUW) global environmental campaign is an Australian initiative created in the wake of the success of Clean Up Australia Day, first held in 1990.

Detailed information about the campaign and CUW activities in your area/country is available. For more information please contact Lara Meredith at +61 2 9692 1205, lara@cleanup.com.au or visit www.cleanuptheworld.org. Photographs are available on request.

Activities planned in the Pacific include:

AUSTRALIA Artarmon Public School (Sydney, NSW) – Year-round waste reduction and recycling activities will culminate with a clean up of Artarmon Reserve over CUW Weekend. 400 students are expected to take part.

Mowbray Public School (Sydney, NSW) – In conjunction with Willoughby Council, all the students and teachers of Mowbray Public School will clean up the streets and parks surrounding the school.

Austins Ferry/ Granton Precinct Committee (Austins Ferry,TAS) – Volunteers will remove rubbish and weeds from the Poimena Reserve, home to a high concentration of native trees, grasses and wild flowers and a breeding ground for native fauna.

Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd (Perth, WA) – The staff of Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd, a prominent fishing company, will clean the streets of Perth over CUW Weekend.

Clean Up Railway (Melbourne, VIC) – In a solo effort to clean up the rail tracks of Melbourne, one volunteer will remove rubbish from the 3.5km track between Camberwell and Canterbury stations.

Cozy Consultancy Pty Ltd (Brisbane, QLD) – 50 volunteers from this publishing business will clean up Les Atkinson Park, embracing 18ha of open space and wetlands.

Frank Ford (Adelaide, SA) – Frank Ford will focus his clean up activities on the coastal environment by cleaning up Semephore Beach, a popular recreational spot for locals and voted ‘Best Adelaide Beach’ in 2005.

Friends of Children Foundation (Chadstone, VIC) – Focusing on the impact of rubbish on animal life, primary school children and community volunteers will clean up along Scotchman Creek, surrounding the Melbourne Waters retarding basin. The creek, considered to be a site of regional zoological significance, is home to many breeds of birds and fauna.

Harbour Dive (Mornington, VIC) – Divers will take to the harbour around Mornington Pier to remove rubbish that is threatening marine life.

Lions Club of Wantirna Inc (Wantirna, VIC) – Volunteers will focus on removing rubbish from Colliers Reserve and surrounding waterways.

Lismore Community Health (Lismore, NSW) – Under the banner ‘Smoke Free – Break Free’, participants from a Quit Smoking course will plant trees and clean up throughout Lismore.

Surfrider Foundation Capricorn (Yepoon, QLD) – Volunteers from this environmental group will focus on cleaning up the sand dunes of Yepoon over CUW Weekend.

BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) – Hay Point Services (Sarina, QLD) – Some 100 volunteers will clean up Hay Point Beach, a popular recreation and turtle nesting spot. 1,000 seedlings will also be planted along the foreshore. A calendar, comprising of primary school childrens’ environmental drawings, will be distributed to volunteers.

FIJI Clean Up Fiji (National) – Clean Up Fiji Day on the 17th of September is a national day aimed to empower people to clean up the streets and beaches across the 300 islands in its archipelago. Some 20,000 locals, mainly children, are expected to take part. The event is well attended by local celebrities, Military and Navy representatives and business and government leaders. Marine rubbish from boats is a key offender and will be a focus for the clean up.

KIRIBATI Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development (National) – Every year the 40,000 people living in South Tarawa generate some 6,500 tonnes of waste – threatening the health and wellbeing of local communities. The Ministry, who has been a CUW Member since 1994, works to support a number of waste reduction initiatives, including returning cans, PET bottles and biodegradable green bags.

MICRONESIA Keep Yap Beautiful (National) - Keep Yap Beautiful is an environmental youth group that will focus their attention on cleaning up the pristine coral reefs throughout the tiny island.

Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) (National) – KIRMA has coordinated a paper recycling project throughout six public elementary schools and will also distribute seedlings to community groups and schools. Over 200 volunteers will also be involved in an island wide clean up, coordinated in conjunction with local resource management committees. NEW ZEALAND 2Ways Co.,Ltd (Christchurch) – With the assistance of Christchurch City Council, international students and New Zealand locals will unite to clean up along the Avon Riverbank in Hagley Park, a popular recreation spot.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA Kasela Palu Group (Pom and Lae) – 200 volunteers are expected to take part in clean up activities across the townships of Pom and Lae, Papua New Guinea’s second largest city.

SOLOMON ISLANDS Australian High Commission - Honiara Solomon Islands (National) – In a nationwide effort to remove rubbish from the streets and beaches of the Solomon Islands, the Australian High Commission will mobilise 4,000 volunteers in a clean up over CUW Weekend.

Honiara Beautification Committee (Honiara) – From the airport to White River, 500 school children and community volunteers will take place in clean up activities across Honiara.

TONGA, KINGDOM OF AusAID Tonga Solid Waste Management Project (Tongatapu) - Princess Nanasi will lead a contingent of environmentally conscious volunteers who will be working to address the issues of solid waste disposal, protection of coastal areas and marine life, protection of groundwater from contamination by waste, and reduction of dengue fever incidence over CUW Weekend. The mass clean up is coordinated by the Solid Waste Management Project and will focus on the island of Tongatapu including the urban area of Nuku’alofa.

Activities planned in Asia include:

Partnerships in Environmental Management for Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) (Pan-Asia) – PEMSEA, a regional environment program working with Asian countries to promote sustainable development of the sea, have thirteen coastal management projects in nine countries around the East Asian Sea. CUW activities will focus on three of the projects in Bali and Danang in Indonesia and Batangas in the Philippines. The impact of rubbish on tourism will be the focus in Bali with a number of beach clean ups and awareness raising activities about plastic rubbish taking place. A sanitation project in Danang will work with local organisations on the issue of solid waste and waste water management. While in Batangas the preservation of coral reefs will be the focus in a large scale coastal clean up.

BANGLADESH British Council (Chittagong) – Students and teachers from schools throughout Chittagong, the Commercial Capital City of Bangladesh, will turn their attention to addressing the pollution problems of the country and clean up the streets of Chittagong over CUW Weekend.

Association for Social Development & Distressed Welfare (Khulna) – 75 school children from Laxmikhola village, a remote area where there is no provision for a school sweeper, will take to their school grounds in a clean up event that aims to motivate children to clean the school regularly. The Association for Social Development & Distressed Welfare will also coordinate meetings aimed at encouraging the community to reduce the use of polythene plastic bags.

CAMBODIA Ministry of Environment (Koh Kong) – The Ministry of Environment has been a CUW Member for 11 years and will this year focus their attention on cleaning up Koh Kong, an area known for its white sand beaches and tropical rainforest. Over 1000 volunteers will take part.

Gecko’s Adventures (Phnom Kroum) – Travellers from Gecko’s Adventures, an Australian adventure travel company, will remove rubbish from the small village Phnom Kroum, situated on the banks of the great Tonle Sap Lake, as part of their tour of Cambodia. The lake, home to 300 species of freshwater fish, is the lifeline for thousands of Cambodians and the clean up hopes to raise community awareness about the importance of a clean environment.

HONG KONG Green Power (National) – The Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the biggest events in the Chinese calendar, is a time of celebration that unfortunately leaves behind large amounts of rubbish, particularly packaging from the traditional festival food, moon cakes. Following the celebration, Green Power, the major green group in Hong Kong, will mobilise 2,500 volunteers in a mass clean up of festival rubbish throughout Hong Kong’s beaches and parks.

INDIA Rural Education and Development Project (Salem District, Tamil Nadu) – Under the banner ‘Clean Up Our City’, 300 community members will take to the streets of Valapadi, Palayam and Attur over the three campaign days.

East Coast Research and Development (Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu) – The Thoothukudi Harbour has suffered from the impact of heavy pearl fishing and volunteers will work to clean the harbour beaches over CUW Weekend. Rubbish from the Tamiraparani River, the chief river of the district, will also be removed.

Green Youth Foundation (Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu) – Youth, working towards a sustainable future, will focus their attention on cleaning up the heavily polluted River Noyyal. The river reluctantly plays host to waste from Coimbatore and Tirupur, the two main cities in its basin.

Muthamil Education and Rural Development Society (Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu) – The rural Dindigul District is an important water and agricultural source for the local community. Volunteers will remove rubbish, particularly plastic, from throughout the district which has 300 water pumps and five acres of irrigated land.

Planet 3 (Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh) – ‘Forum for Better Waste Management’ aims to educate the public on the need for proper waste management and recycling. It will bring together businesses, schools and community members in discussions about disposal, e-waste and recycling.

People Science Forum (Mysore, Karnataka) - CUW weekend coincides with the 200th weekly community eco-literacy campaign in Mysore. Awareness raising activities surrounding these events will take place.

Clean Enviro Committee (Maharashtra State) – Under the banner ‘Clean Up Tembri’, the re-use, reduce and recycle notion will be promoted throughout the seven villages located in central India’s largest industrial area. Led by Village Chiefs, Clean Enviro Committee will engage the community in tree planting activities, clean ups, separation of organic and non-organic waste and awareness raising activities like airing the CUW promotion video.

Kisolaya (Doom Dooma Tea City, Assam) – Tea is an important economy for local communities within Assam, with the State producing 1/6th of the world’s tea. ‘Clean Up our Tea City’ will focus on removing rubbish from tea factory sites and along river banks.

Rainforest Action Group (North Lakhimpur, Assam) – 70 volunteers will take part in a clean up of North Lakhimpur’s streets, market places and bus and train stations. Recycling will also be introduced in homes throughout the district.

National Forum for Environmental Studies and Conservation (Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh) – Environmental science students, attending the forum focusing on solving environmental issues on a non-profit budget, will also clean up Ewing Christian College to celebrate CUW Weekend.

Social Institute for Development and Rehabilitation (Karur, Tamil Nadu) – ‘Clean Up Our Home and City’ will comprise of waste management programs, environmental education for children, awareness raising activities and clean ups throughout the city of Karur. 100 volunteers are expected to take part.

SSCUWIC Porbandar (Porbandar, Gujarat) – With the assistance of local Scout and Guide groups, 2,000 people will take to the streets, beaches and industrial areas of Porbandar, an important harbour city.

Society for Litigation Awareness and Aid for the Public (Dindigul, Tamil Nadu) – Volunteers aim to raise community awareness about the management of natural resources.

Peace and Disarmament Society of Kerala, Global Information Network for NGOs, Women’s Health & Development Centre, Literacy Mission Vidya Kendram, National Women’s Welfare Centre (Trivandrum, Kerala) – Recognising the impact a clean environment has on tourism, these health, education and environmental organisations will unite to initiate a number of environmental activities in September throughout Kerala, one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia. Activities include an environmental education conferences for children, waterway clean ups, seminars and exhibitions, training days and film screenings.

Prithvi Innovations (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh) - Prithvi Innovations are coordinating a week long eco film festival focusing on the issues of solid waste management, global warming, rain water harvesting and air pollution.

INDONESIA Yayasan Indonesia Bersih (National) – Thousands of volunteers will participate in ‘Clean Up Indonesia 2005’, a series of environmental activities that will be held across the country. Tree planting will take place along Ciliwung River, running through the Bogor Botanic Garden in Jakarta, and in Bandung, a mountainous area prone to landslides. A clean up will take place along the banks of the Menado River and mangroves will be planted along the shores of the December 26 tsunami affected Banda Aceh. Mangrove forests act as a natural barrier to protect the shoreline against future tsunamis.

Sahabat Alam (Kendal, Central Java) - With only 5-10% of mangrove forest still in existence in Java, volunteers will focus their attention on mangrove planting at Tapak Beach. A clean up will also take place where volunteers will remove organic waste for composting.

Nusa Alam School (Batulayar, West Lombok) – Students and teachers from the centrally located Nusa Alam School, will remove rubbish from throughout the village.

Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (Bantul, Yogyakarta) – 400 university students will be involved in a clean up of the university campus and surrounding areas.

Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Semarang) – The Ministry promotes a national program on coastal clean ups but will be focusing their attention on Semarang over CUW Weekend. Activities include rubbish removal from beaches and waterways, mangrove planting and awareness raising activities with Scouts, local fisherman and coastal communities.

Clean Up Tabanan (Tabana, Bali) - Clean Up Tabanan will run an education program in 25 high schools and 30 elementary schools throughout the district, aiming to teach students the reduce, reuse, recycle principles.

JAPAN Amway Nature Center (National) - The philanthropy section of Amway, Japan, Inc., Amway Nature Center, will hold a series of beach and river clean ups across Japan. Gunma-ken Tone-River, supplying water to some 30 million inhabitants of Tokyo, will be cleaned up. Rubbish will also be removed from Ishikawa-ken Uchinada Beach and the popular surfing spot, Chiba-ken Kujyukuri-Beach.

JEAN (National) – From Hokkaido to Okinawa, some 300 clean ups will take place in the ‘International Coastal Cleanup Campaign’ across Japan. Focusing on marine environment conservation, the clean ups will focus on beaches, lakes and river banks. Over 30,000 people are expected to take part.

MALAYSIA Tanjong Jara Resort (Dungun, Terengganu) – Ian Kiernan, Chairman and Founder of Clean Up the World, alongside staff from Clean Up the World’s global Patron, Fondation d’Entreprise Veolia Environnement , will join hundreds of school children, businesses and community volunteers from across Malaysia in a clean up of the 10km shoreline from Seberang Pintasan to the famous turtle beach, Rantau Abang. The beach is one of the main nesting areas for sea turtles, and one of only six in the world to be visited by the giant leatherback. Large amounts of rubbish can be found along the beach and plastics, petrol cans and nets pollute the once pristine waters. The clean up event hopes to highlight the need for a clean tourism, make Seberang Pintasan, Kuala Abang and Rantau Abang a greener place to live and most importantly educate the local community on the importance of a clean environment.

Global Environment Centre (Petaling Jaya, Selangor) – Pencala River, a tributary to the Klang River in Kuala Lumpur, is an urban river heavily polluted from rubbish and waste discharge. 100 volunteers will clean up the river over CUW Weekend as part of the Centre’s integrated river basin management program.

Yasan Anak Warisan Alam – YAWA (Kuala Lumpur) - As part of their work overseeing the conservation of the upstream of Pencala River, YAWA will work in collaboration with the Global Environment Centre on clean up activities over CUW Weekend.

MALDIVES ProDivers Dive Center – Kuredu (Kuredu Island) – Kuredu is a tourist island resort, famous for its abundant fish life and coral reefs. However in recent times, the coral reefs have been polluted with rubbish. Divers from the center will remove rubbish from the reefs while snorklers will clean up around the jetty and Kuredu Lagoon over CUW Weekend.

Vakarufalhi ProDivers (Vakarufalhi Island) – On this small island where everything is imported, heavy tourism has resulted in a large amount of rubbish polluting the island’s beaches, lagoon and reefs. In response, local volunteers will unite in a mass clean up of the island over CUW Weekend. Rubbish will be burnt and used for land reclamation

Soneva Environmental Equilibrium (Lankan Fushi Atoll) – In line with the Green Cities, Green Communities theme, 500 volunteers will take part in ‘Green Day ‘ and plant trees across the atoll.

Komandoo Prodivers (Komandoo Island) – Volunteers from this dive school will remove rubbish from the reefs and beaches of Komandoo Island, a popular tourist spot.

NEPAL Clean Up Banepa (Banepa) – Dick North, a retired Australian optician, aims to educate local school children about the environment. He will hold a series of talk in schools across Banepa and will mobilise the community in clean up and tree planting activities.

Support Nepal (Janakpur) – Local school children alongside representatives from the municipal authority will clean up Janaki Temple, Nepal’s biggest temple visited by thousands of devotees every day. The clean up event hopes to raise awareness in the local community about the importance of proper waste disposal.

PAKISTAN Waste Busters (Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad) – Waste Busters will focus their attention on cleaning up three major Pakistani cities over CUW Weekend. Volunteers will take to the streets of Karachi, Pakistan's commercial centre and largest city; Lahore, Pakistan's cultural, educational and artistic centre; and Islamabad, a new and modern city. Activities will culminate with a celebration in Lahore with the Australian Ambassador expected to attend.

Environment Protection Society (Faisalabad) – 20 volunteers will clean the streets of Faisalabad city, the third largest city in Pakistan.

Human Resource Social Welfare Society International (Peshawar, Shabqadar and Charsadda) – Clean ups and awareness raising activities will take place throughout Peshawar, Shabqadar and Charsadda, the three largest cities in the North West Frontier Province.

Good Thinkers Organisation for Human Development (Kasur) – Volunteers from Good Thinkers Organisation for Human Development will hold a one day orientation program to train local street sweepers on waste management practices. 20 volunteers will also clean the streets in Qaudir abad, Kasur.

Sawera Foundation (Chishtian) – Focusing on litter and waste management in school grounds and concerned about the health of the environment for children, volunteers from Sawera Foundation will initiate clean up activities in local schools.

Envirotech (Islamabad) – Envirotech works in collaboration with the local university and school to combat environmental pollution. The group will hold a series of environmental pollution control courses at Alama Iqbal Open University aimed to address local environmental issues like drinking water purification and pollution control.

PHILLIPINNES Clean Up the Philippines Movement (National) – ‘Clean Up the Philippines Day’ will call on volunteers from all sectors of the community to register and organise their own clean up events across the Philippines. Groups already registered include Accademia di Maria Mediatrici (ADMM), who will clean up throughout a residential row-housing project in San Marino City, and Christian School (Pila, Laguna) Inc, who will clean up their school grounds and surrounding areas. Clean ups will also take place in Barangay Sta. Clara Sur, Pila, Laguna and Villa Leoncia and trees will be planting in Puno Para sa Kalikasan. The event is organised with the support of the Philippine Australian Embassy, Special Concerns Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Education.

Bahay Tuluyan (San Antonio, Quezon) – The tropical Niing creek is an important water source for the surrounding communities, used daily for laundry, bathing and swimming. However extensive rubbish, particularly plastic bags, is beginning to pose a health risk. Led by Australian volunteer Catherine Scerri, Bahay Tuluyan will hold a series of events aimed to draw attention to the environmental damage caused by littering. Pablo the turtle will star in a puppet show titled ‘Life of a Plastic Bag’, a photo exhibition, a film and a clean up of the creek will all take place over CUW Weekend.

Ecological Waste Management (Pagadian City) – 500 women will display items made from recycled materials at the ‘Women’s Zero Waste Product Display and Sale’ fair. A mass clean up and mangrove planting event will also take place along the Pagadian coast with 13,000 volunteers taking part.

Environmental Conservation Organisation – Venture (Eco-Venture’s) (Malaybalay City) - Eco-Venture’s have been running a year long campaign to improve the state of the waterways of Malaybalay city. Over CUW Weekend, volunteers will focus on cleaning up Kalawaig Creek, a heavily polluted tributary body of water that traverses the Kaamulan natural park. Trees will be planted in Capistrano Mountains and an environmental education campaign will take place in local schools and colleges.

Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO) (Tagbilaran City) – Panglao Island, with its pristine waters and underwater life, has been polluted with large amounts of beach rubbish and marine debris. 500 volunteers will work under the banner ‘Clean Up Our Island’ to remove rubbish and raise awareness.

Aquamarine Protection and Preservation Alliance (Padada) – 150 people, including divers and community volunteers, will take part in underwater and coastal clean ups throughout Padada. Rotary Club of Paraiso (Quezon City) – Waste management and rubbish in public places are two leading environmental issues in Quezon City, the most populous city in the Philippines. Rotary Club of Paraiso will hold environmental education activities in St Nicholas Learning Centre, an elementary school with an outreach arm to poor urban children, and will hold a clean up and awareness parade in the surrounding streets.

SEAFDEC FishWorld (Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz) – SEAFDEC FishWorld, an aquarium and museum, will mobilise over 3,000 students, teachers and community volunteers in a series of clean up activities throughout the coastal municipalities in the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz. With the waterways providing livelihood to fisherman and drinking water to residents, the mass clean up hopes to raise awareness about the impact of water pollution on daily lives.

Green Earth, BEC (Dipolog City) – CUW Weekend will signal the end of Green Earth’s Signature Campaign, aimed at stopping commercial logging and mining. The campaign began in December 2004 and 5,000 signatures have been collected.

Environmental Management Bureau – Caraga (Butuan city) – CUW Weekend will mark the end of a month long coastal clean up campaign in which 200 public and private sector volunteers took part.

Eco Trekkers Society Inc. (Negros Occidental) – Environmental youth organisation, Eco Trekkers Society Inc., will clean up urban and coastal areas of the third District of Negros Occidental with the help of 600 local youth.

Clean Up Dipolog (Dipolog City) – A press conference where local community leaders will sign an agreement to sustain cleanliness will signal the beginning CUW Weekend activities in Dipolog City. 300 volunteers, including local scouts, will take part in a coastal clean up of Baybay Galas, while tree planting will take place in the city with the support of local media and council representatives.

Davao Reef Divers Club, Inc. (Davao City) – Divers will remove non-biodegradable waste from the reef, water and beaches over CUW Weekend.

Hope Christian High School Boy and Girl Scout Group (Manila) – By cleaning the streets and rubbish clogging the gutters, recycling and removing illegally dumped items, the students of Hope Christian High School hope to set an example to the local community on the importance of a clean environment.

Foundation for Community Based Resource Management (Carrascal, Cantilan, Lanuza, Cortes and Tandag) – 500 volunteers will take part in coastal clean ups of Carrascal, Cantilan, Lanuza, Cortes and Tandag

SRI LANKA Green Circle - Dambadeniya Development Foundation (Narammala City) – High incidences of dengu fever, poor air quality and an unclean environment have resulted in the need for a significant public awareness program in Narammala City. Over CUW Weekend Green Circle will work in collaboration with the Public Health Department in coordinating a number of clean up and tree planting activities across the city. Showing their support will be the local Government Medical Officer, Police Chief, Education Director and the Principles and students of 28 local schools.

TAIWAN Good Neighbour Foundation (National) – 80,000 people will take part in a nation-wide clean up campaign at 600 sites across Taiwan. Formed by the 7-Eleven Corporation, the Good Neighbour Foundation also conducts year round environmental activities.

Eco Equipments Inc. (Magong City) – Volunteers will remove rubbish from a local beach situated in front of the Guanyin Temple.

TIMOR LESTE Husik Diki Moos – Keep Dili Clean (Dili) – ‘Clean Up Dili Day’ will comprise of youth and international volunteers removing rubbish from local beaches.

THAILAND Rayongwittayakom School (Muang District) – 100 students from large public school, Rayongwittayakom School, with the help of Municipality representatives will remove rubbish from the school grounds and surrounding beach, Sri-Muang Park and Rayong River.

Federation of Trade Union – Kawthooki (Maela, Umpien and Noe Po refugee camps) - Located in the hilly north of Thailand, Meala, Umpien and Noe Po refugee camps have few facilities to cope with waste management and the associated health issues. To address the issues, Federation of Trade Union – Kawthooki with the assistance of health related organisations will hold environmental information sessions throughout the camps in the lead up to CUW Weekend.

Regent’s School (Banglamung) – Students will remove rubbish from a local beach that borders the fishing village of Ban Amphur.

Da - Laa Volunteers for Social Development (Bangklam district) – Da – Laa have coordinated an environmental seminar and clean up in their local village.

VIETNAM Center for Resources, Environment & Biotechnology, Hue University (Hue) – World Heritage Site Hue’s Citadel, fortress of the former capital destroyed in the Vietnam War, will this year be the focus of a mass clean up. Aiming to protect Vietnam’s cultural heritage, volunteers from the center will clean up the grounds surrounding the Royal Palace and improve landscaping.

Ho Chi Minh City Environmental Protection Agency (HEPA) (Ho Chi Minh City) – Under the banner ‘Keep Our City Green and Clean’, 1,500 volunteers will remove rubbish and plant trees along Ho Chi Minh City’s heavily polluted river and canal banks.

Vietnam Environment Protection Agency (VEPA) (HaTay province) – The national launch of the CUW campaign in Vietnam will take place in HaTay province in which some 4,000 volunteers will plant trees and clean up the roadways, rivers and public places. VEPA, who under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, has the task of raising public environmental awareness, has also coordinated clean ups across 63 Vietnamese provinces and cities.

ENDS

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