World Conservation Congress Kicks-Off Tomorrow in Hawaii!

The IUCN World Conservation Congress brings together more than 6,000 high-level leaders, indigenous groups, NGO’s, scientists, educators and artists from all over the world to help shape the direction of conservation and sustainable development. Held every four years, the 2016 event, “Planet in the Crossroads” will take place September 1-10 in Hawai’i.

Jack will be participating in several events in association with the World Conservation Congress including the “Smog of the Sea” film screening and panel highlighting the 5 Gyres SEA Change research expedition and solutions to microplastics in the oceans. 

Jack will visit the Hawai’i Convention Center to view a community art installation made from plastic debris removed from local Oahu beaches, curated by artist Maika’i Tubbs. The One-Ounce Project, a culmination of the Honolulu Museum of Art exhibition "Plastic Fantastic?" and the WCC workshop "Power of Art in Conservation: Art and Marine Conservation," is made from one-ounce bundles of plastic marine debris. Since February, visitors to Honolulu Museum of Art have been making sculptures from one ounce of marine plastic debris—to make pollution tangible and to create units for this large-scale art installation. Each bundle represents the one ounce of plastic an average American uses and discards every three hours.

Jack’s Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation has worked very closely with Congress organizers to ensure a green event, including important steps to reduce single-use plastic and to repurpose wasted food. The goal is to host a Congress that is plastic-free, paper-low and zero waste. Learn more at IUCN’s My Green Congress.