ASEZ WAO No More GPGP Forum at the Aquarium of the Pacific

ASEZ WAO, an international volunteer service group that consists of the Church of God young adult workers from 7,500 churches in 175 countries, hosted the “No More GPGP” Forum at the Aquarium of the Pacific to raise awareness about the issue of plastic consumption and pollution. An expert panel identified the challenges the GPGP presents and discussed why it is important for all people to take part in cleaning it up.

GPGP is an acronym for Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is a vast concentration of mostly plastic trash and debris floating in the Pacific Ocean. At an estimated 1.6 million square km, the patch spans an area two times the size of Texas. Though plastics are all around us and a convenient part of our daily lives; not everyone realizes the major threat they pose to the health of the earth. When plastics in the ocean are subjected to UV rays and constant friction from ocean waves, they easily break down into microplastics. These harm marine life and eventually humans, through food chain consumption.

All four guest panelist participated in signing an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), agreeing to work together in partnership with ASEZ WAO to solve this pertinent issue.

In keeping with its mission to “Save the Earth from A to Z,” ASEZ WAO adopted the mission to deliver a message to the international community that humans must prevent any more formation of the GPGP by collecting 80,000 tons of plastics that have been dumped on land. Why 80,000? It is because this is the estimated amount of plastic that makes up the GPGP, which will continue to grow unless humans take action. In order to prevent the GPGP from growing, ASEZ WAO plans to disrupt the pattern of plastic waste in the ocean by first cleaning it up on the land. For its effort in carrying out the “No More GPGP” Forum and initiative, ASEZ WAO received honors from the U.S. Senate and California State Assembly.

• 0:28 – Introducing ASEZ WAO and Entrance
• 1:06 – Program Presentations: ASEZ and ASEZ WAO
• 1:59 – Guest Speakers
• 3:16 – Panel Discussion
• 4:11 – Signing Memorandum of Understanding
• 4:45 – Guest Testimonials