Celebrated every year on June
5, World Environment Day, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), promotes positive eco-action, and creates ideal opportunities for
individuals and communities to understand the importance of world heritage and
environmental protection. This year’s theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,”
highlights the importance of plastic-free eco-systems, and urges consumers to
reduce their reliance on single-use or disposable plastics.
In line with this year’s
theme, UNEP is encouraging individuals and communities to take action by
focusing on the plastics that go into our natural waterways. Plastic is one of
the biggest pollutants in our oceans today. Every year, the world uses 500
billion plastic bags; every year, at least eight million tons of plastic end up
in the world’s oceans—the equivalent of a full garbage truck every minute—damaging
marine life and threatening human health. The amount of garbage that end up our
waters is growing, and experts predict that the annual amount of plastic trash
tumbling out to our seas, oceans and rivers will more than double in the next
10 years.
LG Electronics, which is
always at the forefront of responsible social and environmental contribution,
supports UNEP and World Environment Day by rallying nearly 40,000 employees
across all its offices around the world to take action and become agents of positive
social change. This is the ninth consecutive year that LG employees worldwide
have come together to contribute to the rehabilitation of the community and the
environment.
This year, LG Electronics
heeded UNEP’s call for citizens and companies to organize and participate in
coastal and riverbank clean-ups, and arranged a 24-hour “relay” event where its
offices across the globe engaged in a clean-up activity benefiting the local
community. The event occurred on May 24 with the team from LG Electronics Philippines
kicking off the relay.
According to a study, the
Philippines is the third biggest source of plastic ocean pollution in the
world. To help offset this reputation, LG Philippines provided assistance to
the Pasig community, where its office and warehouse is located, by helping in
the weekly clean-up and rehabilitation of one of the more polluted areas along
the Pasig River.
Forty-five employees,
including LG Philippines Managing Director Inkwun Heo, rolled up their sleeves
and tirelessly gathered waste such as plastic bottles and caps, plastic
packaging, cans and even old toilet seats. The LG employees were joined by 30
volunteers from the Solid Waste Management group of the Pasig City government.
More than 50 large bags of garbage and waste materials were collected from the
site. After the activity, the cleaning materials purchased and used by LG’s
employees, such as gloves and rakes, were donated to the Solid Waste Management
group of Pasig City.
“We are proud to see so many
LG Philippines employees embracing sustainability consciousness, and
volunteering their time and effort into helping the environment and the Pasig
community,” says LG Philippines managing director Mr. Inkwun Heo. “This program
will raise our employees’ awareness on the importance of contributing back to
the society while leaving behind a long-lasting impact.”
LG is also committed to
promoting a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle by offering a range of
innovative home appliances designed to counteract a number of environmental
threats. LG’s eco-friendly initiatives are at the forefront of the ongoing
revolution in renewable power, increased energy efficiency and environmentally
friendly production.
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