Coral Triangle Instagram Contest Frames Plastic-Free Lifestyle Challenge for a Cleaner Ocean

Media Release

Coral Triangle Instagram Contest Frames Plastic-Free Lifestyle Challenge for a Cleaner Ocean

18 May 2017, Manado, Indonesia – In conjunction with the Coral Triangle Day Celebration held every 9 June, WWF, the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF), and development partners launched an Instagram photo contest today called ‘Say No To Plastic’. This social media contest, running from 18 May to 9 June, encourages ocean lovers to take action while framing the urgent problem of marine plastic pollution.

The contest aims to raise awareness about the consumption and use of single-use plastics. Participants from around the world can post photos showing single-use plastic products as they encounter them in daily life, highlighting their harmful impact on marine ecosystems. Posts should use the hashtags #sayno2plastic and #coraltriangle, and can also be shared on Facebook or Twitter, showcasing what individuals are doing to reduce plastic waste.

The Top 3 photographs will be selected by a panel of acclaimed photographers and environmental advocates, including James Morgan and Tommy Schulz. Prizes include:

• 1st Prize: 3-day, 2-night dive holiday at Scuba Junkie Malaysia
• 2nd Prize: 3-day, 2-night stay at Puri Dajuma Eco Resort, East Bali
• 3rd Prize: Chilly’s Bottle and other exciting prizes

Additionally, the Top 5 photographs with the most ‘likes’ will receive a People’s Vote prize – a Coral Triangle coffee table book featuring the story of ‘Amazon of the Seas’ with breathtaking photos.

This Instagram contest hopes to inspire the public not only to capture moments but to actively reduce plastic use, positively impacting over 130 million people living along the coasts of the 6 million square-kilometer Coral Triangle region. The Coral Triangle is the planet’s richest center of marine life and coral diversity, spanning six countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.

Collective action to reduce plastic use is more critical than ever, as our oceans are increasingly polluted by consumer waste. Alarmingly, three CT6 countries rank among the top ten biggest marine polluters in the world: Indonesia (No.2, 187.2 million tons), the Philippines (No.3, 83.4 million tons), and Malaysia (No.8, 22.9 million tons) (Jambeck et al.).

2017 marks the sixth year of Coral Triangle Day, a landmark regional event celebrating World Oceans Day with one simple message: protect the ocean that sustains us all.

For more information on the #sayno2plastic Instagram contest, visit www.coraltriangleday.org/contest

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About CTI-CFF

The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is a multilateral partnership of six member states working together to sustain extraordinary marine and coastal resources by addressing crucial issues such as food security, climate change, and marine biodiversity.

At the Leader’s Summit in 2009, these governments adopted a 10-year CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action (CTI RPOA) to safeguard the region’s marine and coastal biological resources. The RPOA has five goals: strengthening seascape management, promoting ecosystem-based fisheries management, improving marine protected areas, enhancing coastal community resilience to climate change, and protecting threatened species.

CTI-CFF implements its work with support from Development Partners including USAID, the Australian Government (Department of Environment and Energy), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, WWF, and Coral Triangle Center (CTC), alongside collaborators SPREP, SEAFDEC, and GIZ.

Media Contact

Andie Wibianto
Communication and Information Manager
CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat
www.coraltriangleinitiative.org
E: andiewibi@cticff.org
M: +62 856 765 3939