14 December 2002

Male: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme today led the "Cloth Shopping Bag" campaign in Maldives, an island in Southern Asia, to bring about greater awareness for the environment on the occasion of International Volunteer Day (IVD).

The campaign aim to reduce use of plastic bags in an effort to clean up the island. Volunteers from various agencies urged shoppers and store owners to use cloth shopping bags by distributing 1,000 bags bearing the slogan, "My bag cares for environment, does yours?" and setting up information stands about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment.

UNV worked with several volunteer-sending organizations including the Volunteer Services Organization, the Australian Youth Ambassador for Development and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.