This campaign is fresh, but our cause unfortunately smells like it turned long ago.
In time, #CleanGwangju hopes to exist as a sustainable partnership between the Gwangju International Center, Gwangju City Hall, the 2015 Universiade, and Gwangju citizens - locals and the international community together - and that means you, all of us fortunate enough to call the City of Light our home. For no matter how long. ROMANTIC BACKGROUND STORY |
#CleanGwangju was started by American English teachers Adam Greenberg and Lianne Bronzo, a couple known among our community - he, for his founding of CREATE and GIFT and she, for the Gwangju Freecycle and CAUSE Banana Bread.
Previous environmental efforts include work at The White House Council on Environmental Quality and touring the United States on the 2008 Presidential Election Campaign Trail, living on one of two 39' 1989 Bluebird school buses converted to run on recycled waste vegetable oil and solar power, giving presentations on renewable energy and advocating for a more participatory democracy - voting with clean energy in mind. (You know, hippie stuff.) Also, beach clean-ups.
...
As the Summer of 2015 rolled in upon the mountains of Mudeungsan, Adam and Lianne enjoyed casual strolls around their neighborhood after dinner. The brisk air and cool night-time sky was a welcome respite from the sweaty humidity of an afternoon in the classroom.
Walking the block was always a wonderful time - but the litter... They couldn't not notice all the litter in their neighborhood. The couple found themselves looking down to dodge trash rather than taking in the last of the evening sun's red-orange hue.
So they turned around, went back inside, up 5 flights of stairs, got two plastic bags and only one pair of gloves - sharing one opposite hand each - and went back outside.
Previous environmental efforts include work at The White House Council on Environmental Quality and touring the United States on the 2008 Presidential Election Campaign Trail, living on one of two 39' 1989 Bluebird school buses converted to run on recycled waste vegetable oil and solar power, giving presentations on renewable energy and advocating for a more participatory democracy - voting with clean energy in mind. (You know, hippie stuff.) Also, beach clean-ups.
...
As the Summer of 2015 rolled in upon the mountains of Mudeungsan, Adam and Lianne enjoyed casual strolls around their neighborhood after dinner. The brisk air and cool night-time sky was a welcome respite from the sweaty humidity of an afternoon in the classroom.
Walking the block was always a wonderful time - but the litter... They couldn't not notice all the litter in their neighborhood. The couple found themselves looking down to dodge trash rather than taking in the last of the evening sun's red-orange hue.
So they turned around, went back inside, up 5 flights of stairs, got two plastic bags and only one pair of gloves - sharing one opposite hand each - and went back outside.
WHY?
First, why not? We live here.
Secondly, people notice the litter problem in Gwangju.
Visitors in particular. And they talk about it.
Adam and Lianne are regular hosts of CouchSurfing.com. And though the couple has only called Gwangju home for nearly three years now, when a guest remarked on how he expected Gwangju to be cleaner - how other cities were much cleaner - it stung.
A purposeful sting though perhaps... a burn that motivates, the kind of irk that makes you want to make a change.
The kind of change that Michael Jackson sang about (RIP).
In your life. Or in your home.
Still, lots of people talk.
And not much gets done.
Gwangju, it's time for doing.
Secondly, people notice the litter problem in Gwangju.
Visitors in particular. And they talk about it.
Adam and Lianne are regular hosts of CouchSurfing.com. And though the couple has only called Gwangju home for nearly three years now, when a guest remarked on how he expected Gwangju to be cleaner - how other cities were much cleaner - it stung.
A purposeful sting though perhaps... a burn that motivates, the kind of irk that makes you want to make a change.
The kind of change that Michael Jackson sang about (RIP).
In your life. Or in your home.
Still, lots of people talk.
And not much gets done.
Gwangju, it's time for doing.