A Plastic Ocean
A Plastic
Ocean
Our Initiatives
We have developed a range of initiatives that aim to end plastic pollution, develop green thinking, and foster a sustainable community in Hong Kong.
UN Endorsed Ocean Decade Action
#OneTonneLess: Shoreline
Cleanup and Waste Audit
Beach clean ups are our last defense to preventing plastic entering our seas. We need to be ambitious.
As one of the endorsed UN Ocean Decade Actions, we aim to clean up at least 1 tonne of ocean waste every year if not more. Join us in protecting our oceans and let's surpass our target!
This is not just your typical clean up service. It is also a citizen waste audit, where we figure out what makes up most of Hong Kong’s beach waste.
This data provides valuable proof to work with our government to address the root cause of our beach waste.
A City of Biodiversity
Biodiversity Preservation
and Citizen Science Training
A healthy intertidal region is vital for the preservation of local biodiversity, and A Plastic Ocean Foundation supports the recovery of different intertidal areas in Hong Kong including Starfish Bay and Ha Pak Lai through regular clean ups, waste analysis and the promotion of ethical outdoor activities.
Apart from the intertidal ecosystem, we also work with different stakeholders to enhance marine biodiversity including pearl oyster cultivation.
#GreenCollar
Holistic Waste Management
Service and Green Vocational
Training Program
Green-Collar incubation Hub (#GreenCollar) is A Plastic Ocean Foundation’s unique new green recycling vocational training, mentoring, and incubation program.
Based in the northwest New Territories, our program will empower and train young adults to start careers and later mature into thought leaders in Hong Kong’s green recycling industry.
Recycling is not just blue-collar work! #GreenCollar is our new term for green recycling specialists who have a passion and love for our planet and oceans.
Our program originates from combining the social need for job creation for under-educated young adults, the recycling industry’s need for new talents, and society’s need for greater accessibitlity for recycling.
#OperationYu
Enhancing Climate Resilience
We advocate climate equity for the Most Affected People and Areas (MAPA).
Ha Pak Nai is located along the northwestern coast of Hong Kong. Ha Pak Nai is more susceptible to disturbances resulting from climate change. Think of intensified typhoons, extreme waves and storm surges. And then there’s flash flooding of mountain streams…
Identifying the challenge of climate equity, we aim at empowering underprivileged communities that are rooted in Hong Kong’s coastal area.
These coastal communities are unable to take preventive measures against adverse weather conditions due to lack of knowledge and resources. Furthermore, they are not capable of mutual-aid and self-help.
Our goal is to nurture a communal sense of climate consciousness. We also want to help develop climate resilience in areas like Ha Pak Nai. This can be done through the restoration of the natural environment, and by making MAPA visible to the public.
Nature-based Solution -
Project Prosperity
The First Bamboo Afforestation
Initiative of Hong Kong
‘Project Prosperity’ is the first bamboo afforestation program in Hong Kong. We work together with community partners and specialists. We aim to rehabilitat abandoned farmland by planting bamboo in order to restore the ecosystem at Ha Pak Nai. Through its plant characteristics, bamboo can help removing elemental pollutants and prevent further habitat destruction.
Planting bamboo not only offers a sustainable option for farmland rehabilitation, but also contributes to marine conservation. Bamboo forms a natural barrier that stops plastic waste from ending up in the sea.
Along with the green recovery that bamboo can play a part in, bio-based product manufacturers can also benefit from the harvest of locally grown bamboo.
This project will also create green job opportunities to the underemployed youth workforce in the rural area. By bringing together young and veteran farmers, APOF hopes to build intergenerational knowledge exchanges on agriculture, environmental conservation and green future.
Nature-based Solution -
Marine Restoration
Marine farms and eco tours
A healthy marine environment is essential not only for the marine life, but also for our own survival. Hong Kong started out as a farming fishing village, so many generations of Hong Kongers have lived from the sea. However, marine resources are not inexhaustible. We are witnessing the loss of biodiversity in our oceans and coastal habitats. Now is the time for us to make up for the loss and restore our oceans.
Keeping the sea water clean is the very first step. Currently, we are using bivalves filter feeders as a nature-based solution thanks to their amazing water filtering capacity. These organisms are capable of filtering huge amounts of water and thereby removing pollutants and excessive nutrients from the sea.
Our filter feeder farm contributes to keeping a part of Hong Kong coastal waters clean and healthy. Meanwhile, the sustainably managed farm will also attract different marine organisms to stay and feed, thus revitalizing marine life.
Our workshops and eco tours will introduce you to the natural and sustainable mechanisms that remediate the negative human impact on our oceans.
STEM for the Ocean
STEM4Ocean - Stand for Ocean!
A Plastic Ocean Foundation sees STEM education as a vital means to spark creativity in the essential journey to recover our oceans from human impact.
STEM for the Ocean is a holistic learning journey for primary and secondary school students developed under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Other than interactive STEM-classes, we also offer opportunities to visit a local sustainable pearl farm, participate in community projects and introduce positive impacts to the community.
Our yearly target is to provide at least 1000 STEM class opportunities for students across Hong Kong.
