initiative continues in Rotterdam, Bangkok and Hong Kong SAR, since its launch in Brunei Darussalam on 17 April 2013.
Rotterdam chapter
On Saturday, 25 May 2013, Rotterdam (the Netherlands) will raise awareness on the harmful impact of excessive use of plastic on the environment. Ms Kina MARKOVA (18th ASEF University participant) will closely work with ASEF, Zero Plastic Week, a non-formal initiative, and the Environment Centre Rotterdam, to exchange bags in the shopping area located at the Beurstraverse/Hoogstraat. Zero Plastic Week was started in 2012 by a group of six volunteers in the Netherlands, which will later invite consumers to abstain from buying any plastic items for one week.
Bangkok chapter
Bangkok (Thailand), which consumes 600,000 plastic bags every day, will be our next destination to promote the use of sustainable bags. ASEF will cooperate with Ms Nathalie SAJDA (18th ASEF University participant) and a-chieve, a Thai social enterprise, to run a campaign on sustainable consumption behaviour. The campaign will primarily engage the youth to learn and practice sustainable consumption.
On Sunday, 2 June 2013, around 100 Thai young people will invite passers-by at the Chatuchak Weekend Market in central Bangkok to swap their plastic bags for sustainable ones.
Hong Kong chapter
On Saturday, 8 June 2013, the in Hong Kong SAR, China, will take place at the Ladies Market in the Mongkok district. Co-organised by ASEF, Ms Candy TSANG (18th ASEF University participant) and the Joint-College Environmental Innovation Alliance, pedestrians in one of the busiest shopping districts in Hong Kong will be invited to use more sustainable bags instead of plastic ones.
The collected plastics will be creatively reused by a group of Hong Kong artists. They will use the plastic to make an artwork related to a local Chinese festival in September. This artwork will be showcased at various colleges and universities in Hong Kong to further raise awareness of the detrimental effects of plastic waste.
[Upd] The ASEF Green Action initiative in Hong Kong SAR, China, will be rescheduled to Saturday, 27 July.