LOCALS CLEAN UP BEACHES, REEFS AND COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTH EAST ASIA

Bangkok--Sep 8--UNISBKK Concern for coastlines, coral reefs and sea vegetation has sparked coastal clean ups around the South China Sea. Thousands of people throughout Southeast Asia will clean up seas, beaches, rivers and lakes as part of the Clean Up the World campaign. Communities throughout Southeast Asia are holding activities to raise awareness of how rubbish in the environment effects our waterways and ultimately our seas and oceans. "In an area as diverse as Southeast Asia it is important that everyone helps reduce the impact of waste on the environment and the surrounding seas and oceans," said Mr Ian Kiernan AO, Chairman and Founder of Clean Up the World. In Indonesia, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, is promoting a national campaign involving clean ups of local beaches and waterways, mangrove planting and rubbish management training. The Ministry will be talking to students, guides, scouts, fisherman and coastal communities to raise awareness of the effect of waste on the environment. Clean ups will take place in Davao, Phillipines, the world's largest city in terms of land area and home to an array of flora and fauna including the endangered Philippine eagle and the rare waling waling orchid. Along the Davao Gulf volunteers will remove marine rubbish from Punta del Sol and near the Island Garden City of Samal. Ongoing projects include an artificial reef installation and removal of crown-of-thorn starfish around Dadatan, Kopiat and Samal Islands. Dulwich International College is coordinating clean ups around Thailand's largest, most populous island, Phuket. Over 400 volunteers will be involved in removing rubbish from the beach and Andam Sea. Environmental concern for the deepest lake in Southeast Asia, Lake Matano, will motivate over 200 volunteers to participate in 'Clean Up the Lake' day. Threats to this region include commercial fishing, development and the introduction of non-native species. Led by the Soroako Diving Club, volunteers will remove rubbish from Matano Lake and its surroundings. Travel Adventure Company, Gecko's is organising clean up activities around Siam Reap and the Angkor area, home to the largest religious monuments in the world. The tour group will clean up Western Baray, the old lake that provided irrigation water during the Angkor period. Today the Baray is used as a local swimming and picnic spot. Clean Up the World, held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme, mobilises over 30 million volunteers from more than 100 countries annually to clean up, fix up and conserve their local environment. "I encourage more groups and people to register for free as Members of Clean Up the World and take simple, positive steps to protect their environment," said Mr Kiernan. By joining Clean Up the World members become part of a UNEP endorsed global network of people and organisations concerned about the environment. Members receive information and materials to assist with the promotion and implementation of environmental activities. The 2004 Clean Up the World Weekend, 17 ?19 September, will be an opportunity for Members and volunteers from around the world to celebrate year round environmental achievements and will be a time of action as volunteers get physical and clean up their local area. For more information about any of these activities or to register as a Member visit www.cleanuptheworld.org or contact [email protected]. Clean Up the World is a campaign held in conjunction with our Primary Partner UNEP. Major Sponsor ? Duskin. Global Media Partner - National Geographic Channels International. Internet Partner - Secure Interactive. Sponsor ? Qantas. Supporter ? The Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. NOTES TO LOCAL MEDIA: Detailed information about Clean Up the World activities in your area/country can be obtained by visiting www.cleanuptheworld.org or by contacting Melissa Hayes ([email protected]) or Lara Meredith ( [email protected]) Activities planned in Southeast Asia include: Cambodia Phnom Penh ?The Ministry of Environment is organising a 'Clean Up Our City' campaign and with the help of 500 volunteers, will remove rubbish from the streets of Phnom Penh over the Clean Up the World Weekend. Cambodian Volunteers for Community Development (CVFCD) run year-round waste education programs in underdeveloped urban areas of Phnom Penh and at the University of Fine Arts. The program aims to train people to generate income using waste recycling. Over 1000 volunteers and residents will join together to clean up the streets and water sources around the City. Siam Reap ? Travel Adventure Company, Gecko's is organising clean up activities around Siam Reap and the Angkor area, home to the largest religious monuments in the world. The tour group will clean up Western Baray, the old lake that provided irrigation water during the Angkor period. Today the Baray is used as a local swimming and picnic spot. Indonesia National ?The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is promoting a national campaign involving clean ups of local beaches and waterways, mangrove planting and training on rubbish management. The Ministry will be talking to students, guides, scouts, fisherman and coastal communities to raise awareness of the effect of waste on the environment. Indonesia is bounded by the Indian Ocean and numerous seas including the Java, Bali, Savu, Timor, Banda, Arafura and Flores. Jakarta ? Over 10,000 volunteers will participate in clean ups around the coastal tourism area of Taman Impian Jaya Ancol. Organised by the Alumni Association of Indonesia ? Australia Youth Exchange Program, students from schools across Jakarta will remove rubbish from parks, beaches and coastal areas. Matano Lake ? Environmental concern for the deepest lake in Southeast Asia, Lake Matano, will motivate over 200 volunteers to participate in 'Clean Up the Lake' day. Threats to this region include commercial fishing, development and the introduction of non-native species. Led by the Soroako Diving Club, volunteers will remove rubbish from Matano Lake and its surroundings. Local residents and visitors will be encouraged to keep the lake clean for the enjoyment of all. Kenjeran Beach (Surabaya)? Around 6000 people will participate in a clean up of Kenjeran Beach, located at the most remote southeastern corner of Surabaya. Laos Luang Namtha - Each year in October, a small guesthouse and restaurant in Laos cleans up rubbish left behind by the thousands of people that attend the annual boat race festival. Located in the northwestern province of Laos, the Boat Landing Guest House in Luang Namtha collected over six pick-up truck loads of rubbish last year. The two-day boat racing festival celebrates the close of the Buddhist Lent and unfortunately leaves behind plastic bags, balloons, paper and broken bottles in the Namtha River. Philippines National - Ecological Waste Management run environmental activities such as removing rubbish from waterways and tree planting programs across the Philippines. Bacolod - The Balayan Community Development and Volunteer Formation Office has organised Barangay Clean Up and Clean Up Pta Tay Tay events. Over 2000 volunteers are expected to participate at Clean Up sites in Barangay 7 and Barangay Villamonte on the 11th September. Volunteers participating in Clean Up Pta Tay Tay will remove rubbish from the seashore and undertake mangrove planting in the area. The organisation has also established a Solid Waste Management Program based at the University of St La Salle in Bacolod City. Agusan del Norte and Butuan City - Volunteers from the local and national government, academia and the business sector will work together to clean up the scenic province of Agusan del Norte. Organised by the DENR Environment Management Bureau, Caraga the clean up is supported by an ecological solid waste management project throughout the year. A clean up is also planned in Butuan City in September. Davao ? Clean ups will take place in Davao, the world's largest city in terms of land area and home to an array of flora and fauna including the endangered Philippine eagle and the rare waling waling orchid. Focusing on the Davao Gulf, Aquamarine Protection and Preservation Alliance (APPA) and 30 volunteers will remove marine rubbish from Punta del Sol. Ongoing projects include an artificial reef installation and removal of crown-of-thorn starfish around Dadatan, Kopiat and Samal islands. Davao Reef Divers Club, Inc. works to control outbreaks of crown-of-thorn starfish and will remove rubbish from around the Island Garden City of Samal and selected spots along the Davao Gulf. A Waste Education Program, in coordination with local government institutions, will be held to increase people's awareness on coastal waste issues. The seminars will take place in Samal and the Davao Gulf area from August to December. Malaybalay City ? Clean Up Kalawa-ig Creek, organised by the Environmental Conservation Organisation Venture will enter phase two on the third weekend in September. Over 100 volunteers will remove rubbish from the creek and provide waste education to residents along the creek's banks. Manila ? Over 2,500 scouts and leaders will be involved in environmental activities to raise funds for a local wheelchair making organisation. Led by Boy Scouts of the Philippines and Metro Manilla South Council, volunteers will remove plastic rubbish from Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Pateros and Taguig and run a paper-recycling project in Alabang. The Australian Embassy will clean up La Mesa Dam Watershed and is organising a public seminar on the conservation and development of Manila's water source. Over 200 volunteers are expected to attend. Hope Christian High School and local Scout Groups will remove rubbish from the streets and gutters around the school. A recycling program will be held in September to raise funds for the school. Negros ? Clean Up Negros, organised by Eco Trekkers Society Inc, will be held on 18 September and is expected to attract 1500 volunteers. Volunteers will participate in coastal and urban clean ups across Negros, the 4th largest island in the Philippines. Eco Trekkers Society Inc also runs an ongoing trail maintenance program in North Negros Forest Reserve. Each month, Green Earth, BEC organises clean ups of beaches in the Sipalay and Negros Occidental areas to remove rubbish left by locals and tourists. Paraiso ? Advocate for the environment, Rotary Club of Paraiso coordinates clean ups and tree planting activities throughout the year with the help of community and government members. Activities are held once every three months and attract around 100 volunteers from Rotary, the community and government organisations. Quezon City - Kabalai will clean up Ninoy Aquino Wildlife Centre with the assistance of 100 volunteers. Located in Quezon City, the centre boasts over 38 species of trees and shrubs commonly found in local forests. The centre is also home to the Philippine eagle, Burmese python, parrots, peacocks, monkeys and deer. The volunteers will remove rubbish from the centre's lagoon and train youth on Ecological Solid Waste Management. Singapore Singapore Environment Council will mobilise 8000 volunteers in a national clean up campaign. The Council consists of 40 organisations and 5 schools that conduct year-round clean up events. Thailand Meala ? Located in the hilly north of Thailand, Meala is a refugee camp for Karen refugees displaced from Burma. Each year the camp organises volunteers to clean up plastic that has travelled down the stream to the farmland of Kleh Mu Sot and Htee Ger Nee villages. Local primary schools,middle schools and high schools take part in the clean up. The camp also works on educating students and their parents about waste. Maha Sarakarn ?Clean ups in Payak and Nadun, located in the Maha Sarakarn district in the heart of Northeast Thailand are being coordinated by Clean Up the World Member Aree Malipan. The clean ups focus on removing rubbish and planting trees around Payak Lake. The Member is also developing education programs to promote Clean Up the World, teach students in local schools to separate rubbish for recycling prior to disposal and contains a tree planting activity. Chon Buri ?Volunteers from Regents School will remove rubbish from beaches around Pattaya and conduct an ongoing recycling program. Phuket - Dulwich International College are coordinating clean ups around Thailand's largest, most populous island, Phuket. Over 400 volunteers will be involved in removing rubbish from the beach and Andam Sea. Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City ? The Department of Natural Resources & Environment is organising clean ups in the heavily populated Ho Chi Minh City. Over 1000 volunteers are expected to participate by removing rubbish from Cu Ci district. Hue ? Ending at the South China Sea, the 30km Perfume River or Huong River runs through Hue and is edged by the citadel, gardens, pagodas, towers and temples. The Centre for Environment, Resources and Biotechnology, a new Member of Clean Up the World in 2004, will be holding clean ups along the river and will run waste education projects at the local university. End. --InfoQuest (NT)--