Tzu Chi Foundation Distributes Over 1000 Hand Towels Downtown

Over 18,000 more to be distributed throughout the region this week

The Tzu Chi Foundation Canada took to the streets today to give away free, pocket-sized hand towels in downtown Vancouver to remind people that simple everyday actions, like using a cloth hand towel to dry your hands instead of paper towel, make a big difference to the environment.

The hand towel blitz was part of Tzu Chi's YouProtocol campaign, a call to action for individuals to take the environment into their own hands instead of leaving its protection solely up to governments and industry. Launched in Metro Vancouver and modeled after the international Kyoto Protocol, the YouProtocol challenges individuals to do their part to protect the planet. The campaign focuses on two simple actions people can do everyday when washing and drying their hands: Turning down the tap to conserve water, and using cloth hand towels instead of paper towels. Individuals are being urged to sign the YouProtocol at www.youprotocol.com.

"The first step towards living in a more environmentally-friendly way is to change your daily habits," said Gary Ho, CEO of Tzu Chi Foundation Canada. "Using a cloth hand towel instead of paper towel saves both energy and paper. We hope that when we give people reusable hand towels, it will make them think about all the little things they can do to reduce their impact on the planet."

Over the next week, Tzu Chi will be giving away 20,000 hand towels, wrapping up with their annual Harmony Festival on May 3rd in Richmond, which is expected to draw more than 2,000 people. Everyone who attends the festival will also be given a complimentary cloth hand towel. The festival will feature interactive demonstrations teaching people how they can live in harmony with the planet and will be attended by several Lower Mainland Mayors, including Sam Sullivan, Derek Corrigan, and Malcolm Brodie.

About The Tzu Chi Foundation:

The Tzu Chi Foundation is a non-profit Buddhist organization founded in 1966 on the east coast of Taiwan, dedicated to giving material aid and inspiring humanity. The Canada chapter was founded in 1992, and has been recognized by 'Tzu Chi Day' proclamations by the cities of Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey and Port Moody. The Tzu Chi Foundation has dedicated itself to the fields of charity, medicine, education, environmental protection, and the promotion of humanistic values and volunteering. For more information, please visit http://en.tzuchi.ca.

Gary Ho, CEO of Tzu Chi Foundation Canada, is available for media interviews.


- posted April 28, 2008