Paul zimmerman
Paul Zimmerman is CEO of Designing Hong Kong, an elected District Councillor representing the Pokfulam constituency, and a board member of Civic Exchange, Professional Commons, Hong Kong Democratic Foundation, and the Patient Care Foundation. His Hong Kong Government advisory functions include the Harbourfront Commission.
Paul has a Masters in Social Science (Economics) from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and a Masters of Arts (Transport Policy and Planning) from The University of Hong Kong. He arrived in Hong Kong in 1984 and became a Chinese citizen in 2012.
Current campaigns of Designing Hong Kong:
1. Waste Reduction (beverage packaging, food containers)
2. Conservation (reduce and reverse loss of country parks, wetlands, and areas reserved for agriculture, green belt and other conservation uses)
3. Sustainable Urban Development (master planning, land supply, urban renewal/over development, harbourfront, infrastructure)
4. Liveable City (walkability, harbourfront, public space)
Doug Woodring
Doug Woodring is the Founder of Ocean Recovery Alliance, a non-profit organization which is focused on bringing innovative solutions, technology, collaborations and policy together to impact positive improvements for the health of the ocean. He is the winner of the prestigious 2018 Prince Albert Prize for Innovative Philanthropy for his work with the ocean.
Two of his international programs were launched at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2010, the Global Alert platform, and the Plastic Disclosure Project. In 2008 he co-founded Project Kaisei, which focused on the plastic in the North Pacific Gyre, and he is a UNEP Climate Hero for his efforts. Mr. Woodring has been on the advisory board of the XPrize, and The Economist’s World Oceans Summit, and in 2011, he co-authored the United Nations Environmental Program Yearbook chapter on the danger of plastic in the ocean.
The group is the first NGO in the world to be working with both UNEP and the World Bank on plastic pollution and ocean issues. He is on the Advisory Committee of Wharton’s Institute for Global Environmental Leadership, and is the founder of the Plasticity Forum, first launched at the Rio+20 Earth Summit, and since held in Hong Kong, New York, Portugal, Shanghai, London, Dallas, Los Angeles and Sydney, with the event focusing on the future of plastic, and where the leaders are going with solutions, innovations, and opportunities, for a world with a reduced waste footprint.
Laurel ChoR
Laurel Chor is a freelance journalist and National Geographic Explorer from Hong Kong who takes photos, writes, and makes films. Currently, she is focusing on China’s impact on the environment. Her ongoing photo project “Health in Harmony, Planet in Disharmony” looks at traditional Chinese medicine, its users, and the origin of its plant- and animal-based remedies. She hopes that the project can help spark an informed conversation about TCM’s impact on global biodiversity.
Passionate about wildlife conservation, Laurel is the founder of the Hong Kong Explorers Initiative, a project that encourages people to explore and appreciate the city's wild side, and has spoken to thousands about Hong Kong's biodiversity. In 2013, Dr. Jane Goodall appointed her as the ambassador for the Jane Goodall Institute in Hong Kong.
Laurel is also a rugby player. In 2017, she was a member of the first Hong Kong team to play in the Rugby World Cup. She graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a BS in International Health and Development.
Suzanne Younan
Suzanne Younan is the founder of Green Dragons HK. Green Dragons HK was formed after a series of devastating typhoons revealed the extent of plastic pollution in the ocean. Suzanne, a keen dragon boater herself, turned to the dragon boat community to take action. The aim of the organisation is to encourage dragon boat teams to commit to plastic free paddling and to encourage dragon boat festival organisers to reduce single use plastic at race events.
