[greenyes] INCINERATION POISONS THE ENVIRONMENT, HURTS ASIAN TOURISM

[RicAnthony@no.address]

Dear Friends.? The following letter was signed by over 45 groups from
various countries and handed over yesterday to the organizers of the Asian
tourism conference in Hong Kong.? In our letter we urge governments in Asia
to discontinue waste incineration and desist from building burners and? to
support community-driven, healthy, socially just and sustainable discard
management systems.? We also urge tourist associations to work will all
stakeholders towards reducing tourism waste to zero or darn close.? Thanks
to Kevin May and Greenpeace China for initiating this and thanks to all who
signed up!? Manny C. Calonzo

14 July 2003

The Chairperson
International Cooperation for Tourism Development under A New Paradigm
Boao Forum For Asia (BFA) and World Tourism Organization (WTO)

INCINERATION POISONS THE ENVIRONMENT, HURTS ASIAN TOURISM

Dear Friend,

We write to express our deep concern about the practice of wasting and
burning in Asia.

Asia is undoubtedly one of the favored destinations for tourists. The region
is teeming with energy springing from the dynamism of its people and their
splendid cultural heritages of arts, songs, and religions.? The warmth of
the Asian peoples and the beauty and diversity of her environment have lured
people from near and afar to explore Asia, begetting mixed results,
including the disruption of traditional way of life, the exploitation of
children, women and ethnic minorities and the degradation of the
environment.

The fast changing economic and industrial development of Asia, which tends
to imitate the throw-away culture of industrialized countries, is creating
mountains of unseparated trash, threatening the health and survival of
communities. Changing consumption patterns and lifestyles, particularly the
increasing use of plastics and disposables, are generating mounting garbage,
which are then dumped, landfilled or burned openly or in incinerators.

While recognizing citizens' efforts to find sustainable solutions to Asia's
burgeoning waste problems, we are saddened by the penchant of policy makers,
including those from international funding institutions, to see incinerators
as magic machines that will get rid of society's wastes.

We deplore the use of this outmoded waste disposal technology that poisons
our environment, our bodies and food supply with toxic chemicals, including
cancer-causing dioxins.? Incinerators put the health of citizens at risk,
including tourists who are coming to Asia to enjoy its vibrant culture and
relax in a healthy environment.

We therefore call upon the organizers and participants of the Conference on
"Revitalizing Asian Tourism: International Cooperation for Tourism
Development under a New Paradigm" to join us in our crusade towards a
healthy environment that is free from incinerators and pollutants.? We ask
you to:

1.? Urge your respective governments, through your Tourism Ministers or
Secretaries, to discontinue waste incineration and desist from building new
incinerators for whatever waste streams and to support community-driven,
healthy, socially just and sustainable discard management systems.

2.? Urge tourist associations to work with all stakeholders, including
tourism ministries/departments, tourist information offices, travel
agencies, airlines, hotels, resorts, restaurants, vendors, service providers
and the tourists themselves, towards reducing tourism waste to zero or darn
close, as part of the paradigm shift of the industry.


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ricanthony@no.address