[Editor's note:] Recently, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) received a report saying that the Nandaihe Xianluo Island Recreation Center in Funing District, Qinhuangdao City, Liaoning Province, has placed a large number of plastic jellyfishes into the sea. After on-site investigation, the situation is true. CBCGDF immediately sent an open letter to the relevant authorities asking them to stop placing plastic jellyfishes immediately and to retrieve the plastic jellyfish that had been thrown into the water. It is also necessary to ensure that no similar behavior occurs, and that there is a sign prohibiting the throwing of plastic products and promoting waste separation and recycling. Here is the full text of the open letter to be published.

A Letter on the Recommendation that the Nandaihe Xianluo Island Recreation Center Immediately Stop Placing Plastic Jellyfishes into the Sea

Qinhuangdao Municipal People’s Government, Tourism Bureau of Funing District, Nandaihe Xianluo Island Recreation Center,

Recently, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foudantion (CBCGDF) received reports from volunteers that the Nandaihe Xianluo Island Recreation Center in Funing District of Qinhuangdao City was photographed with a large number of plastic jellyfishes floating in the sea. These seemingly "beautiful and exquisite" toys may bring economic benefits to the business, but in fact, this benefit will be far less than the harm caused by this "decoration" to the environment. Plastic waste that is discarded or placed in the oceans and waters will cause an incalculable environmental disaster. According to authoritative statistics, more than 8 million tons of plastics are abandoned in the ocean every year, which not only threatens the survival of marine wildlife, but also causes serious damage to fisheries and tourism, as well as the entire marine ecosystem.

President Xi Jinping pointed out: Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. To carry out the development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing, and accelerate the formation of spatial patterns, industrial structures, production methods and lifestyles to conserve resources and protect the environment, leaving time and space for natural ecology to rest and recuperate.

The Plastics Reduction initiative is now widely practiced around the world. The United Nations (UN) has taken 2018 as the “year of battle on plastic waste”. Beverage companies also plan to replace plastic bottles with aluminum cans. The “plastics reduction” operation has been carried out vigorously in the international scenario.

In order to promote the reduction of plastic waste pollution in China, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) has launched a series of “Reduce plastic, Pick up plastics” initiatives and activities: recommending the organizers of events/meetings to cancel the supply of bottled water; recommending the take-away companies to provide the option that no disposable tableware for consumers; recommending no plastic products decorations at public places; recommending schools not to use plastic book covers for students, etc. The “plastics reduction” initiative is an inevitable trend to promote the protection and development of the ecological environment.

China is building an ecological civilization. In the past industrial civilization era, the development concept of human conquest of nature and excessive demand for nature has fallen behind. At present, China's various fields pay more attention to the concept of ecological environmental protection and the harmonious development of people and nature. In the new era, we need to change the misconceptions that do not respect nature in the era of industrial civilization, cultivate people to establish new values of ecological civilization, and improve the public's consciousness and sense of responsibility in protecting the environment. Only in this way can we practice the idea of Xi Jinping's ecological civilization construction in the new era and practice the scientific thesis of "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".

In order to promote the ecological civilization construction of Funing and cultivate a sustainable eco-tourism concept, CBCGDF recommended that the Nandaihe Xianluo Island Recreation Center be immediately banned from placing large quantities of plastic jellyfishes into the water, and the plastic products that have been thrown into the water will be salvaged as soon as possible. Scientific means should be used for recycling, while ensuring that no similar situations occur; and setting up banned placards such as prohibiting the throwing of plastic products in the water and advocating waste separation and utilization.

We are writing this letter and look forward to hearing from you.

(Photo source: the tourist who reflected to CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/9285.html

By / Niu Jingmei