EDN - Earth Day Network
04/18/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/18/2024 03:23
EARTHDAY.ORG and The Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation Join Forces To Attempt the BIGGEST Clean Up Event of 2024 – on Penang Island, Malaysia
Penang Island, Malaysia (April 16, 2024) - EARTHDAY.ORG, the force behind the global phenomenon that is Earth Day, is partnering with The Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation, Penang Island City Council and World Clean Up Day Malaysia, to complete the largest cleanup in Earth Day history, on beautiful Penang Island, in Malaysia. This event is bringing together 100,000 volunteers to clean up the beaches and forests and then plant over one million trees on the island. This record attempt (the largest cleanup event in Earth Day history) will be confirmed by the Malaysia Book of Records.
Penang Island, located off the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, is renowned for its stunning landscapes, gorgeous beaches, and vibrant cultural heritage. But because of the Island's huge tourism sector, Penang Island is also overrun with plastic pollution, which is harming its people, its precious biodiversity and severely damaging its once pristine ecosystem. The clean-up will run from April 21 through April 22.
TV host, zero waste advocate and climate communicator, Melissa Tan, is a proud EARTHDAY.ORG Ambassador, and will be in attendance during the Youth Impact sessions, which will run on April 20, 21 and 23.
"The end of the plastic crisis takes cohesive, radical change backed with action at all levels," said Melissa Tang, EARTHDAY.ORG Ambassador. "Plastic pollution is literally in our biological systems, in our bodies, in our lungs. There is no time for half measures, and we all need to step up."
The 2024 Asian Environmental Summit will host these Youth Impact events, amongst others, with attendees from international NGOs, as well as members of the Malaysian government, taking part. Everyone coming together to discuss ending plastic pollution and finding ways to prevent plastic waste from ending up in the environment and inside all living things in the form of microplastics.
Michael Karapetian, The Great Global Cleanup Coordinator, at EARTHDAY.ORG, emphasized their commitment to solving this plastic crisis, "Our collaboration with The Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation is not just about removing plastic trash from the environment. We need to implement long-term solutions to stop plastics from ending up in the environment in the first place."
The Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation's Co-Founder, Henry Kok-Kheng TEH, expresses his excitement for this event, "Our goal is to activate 5% of the Malaysian population to join in and create sweeping changes across Penang Island and the country. With their help and support from The Penang Governor's Foundation and the Penang Island City Council, we can make a permanent change here in Malaysia to solve the plastic crisis."
This cleanup also highlights the stance of EARTHDAY.ORG and the Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation on the UN Global Plastic Treaty, INC-4, which is being negotiated over Earth Week this year in Ottawa, Canada.
EARTHDAY.ORG's 2024 Theme is PLANET VS PLASTICS - uniting individuals, NGOs, businesses, and governments in an unwavering commitment to call for a 60% reduction of plastic production by 2040. For the sake of human and planetary health.
"We are incredibly proud to have such amazing partners and we are excited at this incredible record attempt," said Katheen Rogers, the President of EARTHDAY.ORG. "We predict that the vast majority of the trash we clean-up will be plastics. It is plastics that is wrecking our environment, harming our wildlife and impacting human health."
About EARTHDAY.ORG: EARTHDAY.ORG's founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over 1 billion people annually, to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. EARTHDAY.ORG is working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG. It's not a day, it's a movement. Media: Sarah Davies, [email protected]
About The Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation: The Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to humanitarian and environmental causes. With a mission to make a positive impact on society, the foundation works tirelessly to support communities in need and promote sustainable practices. Media: Henry Teh,[email protected]
About MELISSA TAN: MELISSA TAN is a TV host, actress, climate activist and zero waste advocate. She writes and creates digital content on sustainable living and fashion, climate action on her social media and website, heymelissatan.com. Melissa was named an Ambassador for EARTHDAY.ORG, and is a trained Climate Reality Leader and the Country Coordinator for Fashion Revolution in Malaysia. She co-founded a social movement organization, The Green Guerrilla.
Media inquiries for Melissa Tan: [email protected]
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