Disused plastic bottles transformed into beautiful silk scarves, Nansha vigorously protects mangroves and reduces sea floating waste

"Today, I brought a small object to all my friends. This beautiful silk scarf is actually made of three discarded plastic bottles." At a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on July 11, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Guo Fang showed a silk scarf when introducing the results of the construction of the Beautiful Bay. Guo Fang introduced that the plastic bottles used to make silk scarves all came from the public welfare beach clearing operation in Nansha District, Guangzhou.

The reporter learned that this silk scarf is a cultural and creative work with the theme of "Saving the Ocean" and the main tone is colorful colors and beautiful marine life. The picture has various marine life patterns such as turtles and coral reefs. Human children ride small boats to wander in the ocean and coexist harmoniously with marine life.

Not long ago, this silk scarf was still a plastic bottle beside the mangrove forest in Nansha. Over the past few years, Nansha has vigorously protected mangroves and reduced the pollution of mangroves by sea floating garbage through various measures such as the "Beach Cleanup Action". As a result, these plastic bottles ushered in this change of destiny.

Beautiful cultural and creative products are actually transformed from plastic bottles

On the afternoon of July 11, at the mangrove theme science popularization department of Tantou Village Library, the reporter saw the silk scarf brought by the Guangzhou City Marine Double Carbon Research Association. It is completely invisible that this silk scarf is transformed from a plastic bottle. It feels delicate and smooth to the touch, and is no different from an ordinary silk scarf.

"Our cultural and creative series of products has two themes, namely 'Saving the Ocean' and 'Protecting Mangroves.'" Du Yuyan, deputy secretary-general of the Guangzhou City Ocean Double Carbon Research Association, told reporters that these cultural and creative products composed of silk scarves and hair bands are made of plastic bottles picked up by volunteers from the edge of the mangrove forest.

After the plastic bottles are picked up, they go through multiple steps such as factory cleaning, slicing, and drying, and finally become beautiful cultural and creative products. "To make such a batch of cultural and creative products, it takes us about a month from the start of design to completion." Du Yuyan told reporters that the original intention of designing cultural and creative products was to let the public participating in the theme activities truly feel the magic of garbage recycling and turning waste into treasure. This silk scarf is made from plastic products (PET materials) such as mineral water bottles recycled by the Jingtan Campaign through a series of professional treatments. The raw materials of every three mineral water bottles can be used to make a silk scarf.

Advocate a low-carbon and environmentally friendly lifestyle

Scarfs are made of low-carbon and environmentally friendly materials, turning waste into treasure, realizing the artistic and scientific comprehensive utilization of renewable resources such as plastic products, and also advocating people to practice a low-carbon and environmentally friendly lifestyle. According to Du Yuyan, a long silk scarf made from three recycled plastic bottles can reduce carbon emissions by 85.32 grams. "These silk scarves will not be sold to the public for the time being. They are currently mainly distributed as gifts to the public participating in the event as a commemoration and encouragement."

The reporter learned that in 2022, with the support of the United Nations Development Program's Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program, the Guangzhou City Marine Dual Carbon Research Association officially launched Tantou Village Mangrove Protection and Restoration Project based on its own advantages in marine ecological protection and restoration.

In more than two years, the research society organized more than 50 replanting and habitat restoration operations, and involved children and parents in them to promote the important role of mangroves through science popularization.

"During this process, we found that mangrove forests have developed root systems, and plastic bottles, glass bottles, etc. can easily be hidden in them. Moreover, they float from the sea with the tide every day, destroying the ecological environment of mangrove forests." Du Yanyu told reporters that he hoped that through these silk scarves, the public could always remember the importance of protecting the marine ecology and not throw garbage at will in daily life.

Protecting the mangrove forest Nansha is in action

This hard-won silk scarf shows Nansha's efforts to protect mangroves in recent years. Nansha is rich in marine resources, with a sea area accounting for nearly 90% of Guangzhou City and a coastline length exceeding 190 kilometers. In addition, Nansha has the largest area of mangrove forests in Guangzhou, covering an area of 198.18 hectares. In 2023, Nansha District will also establish mangrove forest chiefs for the first time in Guangzhou, hiring 9 town (street) level deputy forest chiefs and 1 person in charge of district-affiliated state-owned enterprise to serve as mangrove forest chiefs, clarifying the areas of responsibility, management and protection goals and main responsibilities, and realizing grid management of mangrove resources.

In recent years, Nansha District has continued to increase mangrove protection efforts. Prepare and implement the "Special Plan for Mangrove Protection and Restoration in Nansha District (2022-2030)" to promote the construction of Guangzhou City Coastal Zone Protection and Utilization Comprehensive Demonstration Zone, the Nansha Wetland coastline ecological restoration project, and the coastline improvement project on the north side of Humen Bridge (Guangzhou section). Project, Nansha District mangrove creation and restoration integrated services and other projects.

At the same time, in order to prevent sea-floating garbage from polluting mangroves, Nansha has coordinated special rectification actions and implemented centralized "cleanup" twice a year. On the basis of consolidating the results of centralized "cleaning and drifting", we will increase investment in coastal waters, continuously improve the daily cleaning mechanism for water garbage in rivers and coastal waters, and promote the normalization of coastal waters cleaning. In 2023, a total of 289,300 cleaning personnel, 46,500 supervisory inspections, 164,700 ships were dispatched to clean up water surface and coastal waters in all towns, streets, rivers and coastal waters in the district, and nearly 30,500 tons of garbage were cleared. Inspection found 9421 problems, all of which were rectified.

Nansha also continues to clean up and transfer sea-floating garbage. After the sea-floating garbage comes ashore, it will be transferred from the local town and street sanitation department to the Fourth Resource Thermal Power Plant of Guangzhou City for disposal. Zero landfill of primary garbage in the district will continue to be achieved, with a harmless treatment rate of 100%.