Story | [Cultural Context] Locally, there are policies in place in an effort to curb marine plastic pollution. From levies on plastic bags, and fines on littering, to reducing plastic use and deter improper disposal, but it is not nearly enough. Evident in the fact that Hong Kongers continue to throw away 5.2 million plastic bottles, 136 tons of plastic in total, on a daily basis. [Creative Idea] SEABED is the world’s first mattress fashioned from over 48,000 plastics recovered from the depths of our oceans. To confront policy makers with the severity of the issue, SEABED was smuggled into a hotel room around the convention center during policy summits, allowing policy makers to - sleep on it, before sharing their views. SEABED was also displayed in a public exhibition hosted by Greenpeace to drive awareness and engagement with Hong Kong's general public, inspiring them to exert greater pressure on local policy makers. [Results] Shortly after SEABED, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed a new policy banning all single-use plastic utensils in Hong Kong starting April 22nd 2024. The SEABED exhibition directly engaged an audience 5 times the size of Greenpeace's previous ocean protection events. We collected over 3000 signatures in the form of personal commitments to change, as well as directed much interest and attention towards different policy summits in the region, allowing constituents to exert greater and more precise pressure on policymakers. Greenpeace also saw an encouraging 25% uplift in donations during our campaign period. And while SEABED's story is far from over, it is definitely off to a strong start. |