Vancouver Aquarium and WWF-Canada Join Forces on The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
“The Vancouver Aquarium is excited to partner with WWF-Canada to help meet our goal of engaging as many Canadians as possible from north to south and coast to coast,” said Jill Dwyer, program manager, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. “More people than ever are concerned about our environment and are looking for ways to help. Participating in an annual cleanup in their own community let’s people take action and contribute to taking care of our critical shorelines and waterways. For many people, it is an easy way to get actively involved with an environmental initiative for the first time.”
“Canada’s oceans and freshwaters are essential parts of our ecosystems, economy and culture, and are infinitely valuable to Canadians. WWF-Canada is committed to protecting these resources and to giving Canadians the opportunity to care for these national and local treasures through the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup,” says Christina Topp, Vice President, Communications and Marketing, WWF-Canada. “We’re proud to take a leadership role in this event and to help expand the cleanup to involve even more Canadians.”
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is also proud to welcome its 2010 presenting sponsor, Loblaw as well as national sponsor, The Home Depot Canada Foundation. All sponsors provide critical funding that helps broaden the program’s reach to engage Canadians in keeping our shorelines clean.
“Loblaw is committed to reducing waste and having a positive effect on the environment. Loblaw and its customers, through the national plastic shopping bag reduction program, have diverted more than 1.3 billion plastic bags from Canadian landfill. We are pleased to support important initiatives like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup from the proceeds of our national reduction of plastic shopping bag program and help to make a difference in communities across the country,” says Bob Chant, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Loblaw Companies Limited.
Businesses, community groups and individuals can register now for the 2010 cleanup by visiting www.shorelinecleanup.ca.
The Great Canadian Shoreline cleanup is a grassroots direct action conservation program started by the Vancouver Aquarium. The program inspires Canadians to become environmental citizens by bringing communities together to achieve real measurable impacts on the environment. The 2010 annual Great Canadian Shoreline cleanup takes place September 18-26. Register at www.shorelinecleanup.ca.
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is the largest cleanup in Canada and one of the largest cleanups in the world contributing to the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Since inception of the program, nearly one million kilograms of shoreline litter has been removed from our fragile ecosystem.
About the Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is a global leader in connecting people to our natural world, and a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, conservation practices, education, research, and direct action. Learn more at www.vanaqua.org.
About WWF-Canada
WWF-Canada is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with more than 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Learn more at www.wwf.ca or www.facebook.com/wwfcanada.
About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is Canada’s largest food distributor and a leading provider of drugstore, general merchandise and financial products and services. Loblaw is one of the largest private sector employers in Canada. With more than 1,000 corporate and franchised stores from coast to coast, Loblaw and its franchisees employ over 138,000 full-time and part-time employees. Through its portfolio of store formats, Loblaw is committed to providing Canadians with a wide, growing and successful range of products and services to meet the everyday household demands of Canadian customers. Loblaw is known for the quality, innovation and value of its food offering. It offers Canada’s strongest control (private) label program, including the unique President’s Choice®, no name® and Joe Fresh Style® brands. In addition, the Company makes available to customers President’s Choice Financial® services and offers the PC® points loyalty program.
About The Home Depot Canada Foundation
As the charitable arm of The Home Depot Canada, The Home Depot Canada Foundation is committed to using its skills, knowledge and resources to build affordable, sustainable housing and vibrant, environmentally responsible communities for Canadian families in need. Bringing together volunteerism, do-it-yourself expertise, product donations and monetary grants, the Foundation supports affordable, sustainable housing projects, local neighbourhood improvement projects and community initiatives focused on the environment. Each year, associates from The Home Depot volunteer over 60,000 hours of hands on service on community projects across Canada through Team Depot, the company’s volunteer program. For more information, please visit homedepot.ca/foundation.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Jean Fong
Communications & Special Events Coordinator
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
1-800-375-8776
Charlene Chiang
Director of Communications
Vancouver Aquarium
604-659-3453
Josh Laughren
Director, Communications
WWF-Canada
416-484-7708 (office)
647-400-9578 (cell)