Every voice counts… even mine: how Fion Lam took action to detox the outdoors

Blogpost by Fion Lam

 One week, 150 actions, 21 countries. Outdoor lovers around the globe have taken to the streets, shops, fields, mountains and woods everywhere to ask The North Face and Mammut to stay true to their values of love and respect for nature and stop using hazardous chemicals now.

 

These activities were designed together with outdoor enthusiasts and Greenpeace supporters in the spirit of open campaigning. One of them shares their story:

My name is Fion Lam, I’m an engineer in the healthcare industry in Hong Kong. Five years ago I was shocked by a series of documentaries showing isolated cancer villages in Asia, surrounded by factories that are poisoning our air and water. That’s when I decided to take part in environmental protection.

I first heard about the problem of PFCs being used in outdoor products from Greenpeace. PFCs are hazardous chemicals and some can be dangerous to human health and the environment. I was surprised to find out that PFC pollution has now spread almost everywhere - they were found in Hong Kong’s reservoirs and even in the Arctic!

I want to urge manufacturers to quit using PFCs in outdoor products, so I joined a local group to develop direct, non-violent actions. I attended several workshops as part of the co-creation project for the Detox Outdoor campaign. During the workshops we were inspired to brainstorm as many ideas as possible, without any boundaries. This really helped us to think out of the box.

We discussed and chose activities, and in late 2015 we formed a team of 40 people. Together we hiked to the top of a mountain with the most beautiful views of Hong Kong. In very cold weather, dressed only in boxer shorts and undershirts, we spelled out our message calling for outdoor brands like The North Face and Mammut to Detox.

Our next activity, planned for late February, will take place right in front of The North Face’s shops. We want to make sure that messages like "A PFC-free Outdoors" reach staff, management and the customers.

I'm happy to be part of the Greenpeace co-creation team, to take part in direct action, to raise public awareness, and to put pressure on The North Face and Mammut to re-think and re-design outdoor products.

Check out the Detox Outdoor Global Action.

Every voice counts. Mammut and The North Face need to take action and listen to their customers around the world.

Join now on detox-outdoor.org

Fion Lam is an outdoor lover and a volunteer for Greenpeace East Asia.