NAIROBI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Big names in Kenya's entertainment and media industries on Thursday launched a new campaign to raise awareness on plastic waste that is choking marine life at unprecedented levels.
The campaign dubbed Plastic Revolution was launched at an occasion to mark World Ocean Day and will entail sailing the eastern and southern African coastline to push for action on plastic litter that has suffocated marine ecosystems globally.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Professor Judi Wakhungu in her remarks at the launch of the campaign said that plastic waste pose a grave threat to ecological health of large water bodies like oceans, lakes and seas.
"Our cultural icons should be at the forefront to campaign for healthy oceans whose contribution to sustainable development is enormous. We need everyone on board to re-energize action on ocean pollution," Wakhungu said.
The plastic revolution is a pioneering environmental conservation initiative that harnesses the power of performing arts to highlight dangers facing global oceans as a result of plastic pollution.
According to a statement, the campaign is embedded in the FlipFlopi project that has commenced building of a 45 tons sailing dhow in Lamu Archipelago using plastic waste collected from East Africa's coastal beaches.
The dhow once completed in mid 2018 will embark on a 5,250 kilometers journey from the Kenyan coast to Cape Town to raise awareness on the plight of marine ecosystem that is grappling with multiple threats like solid waste pollution, acidification and human intrusion.
Wakhungu said the expansive Kenyan coastline has become an epicenter of plastic waste that has compromised the health of fish species and mangrove forests.
She noted that new technologies are required to promote solid waste management in order to reduce the burden of plastic litter in the oceans.
"We need to promote the concept of reduce, recycle and re-use as a means to contain plastic waste in water bodies," said Wakhungu, adding that the Kenyan government will not revoke an earlier plastic ban despite pressure from manufacturers lobby.
