In line with the environmentally friendly message of Herald Corp.’s first H.eco Forum, the venue was filled with plastic-free, reusable and recyclable products. These included paper banners and souvenirs made of coffee grounds.

Under the theme “We Face the Climate Clock,” H.eco Forum 2021 was held Thursday in a multipurpose hall on Nodeulseom, an artificial island in the middle of the Han River that features an ecological park. 

“The forum ditched the use of one-use products as they pose serious peril to the already ailing climate. Instead, we used eco-friendly items to show our commitment,” said Kim Allim, team leader of the H.eco Forum Secretariat, on the sidelines of the forum.

Part of Herald Corp.’s campaign to address the world’s biggest threat, the climate crisis, the stage set consisted mostly of reusable materials. Banners and ornaments used onstage were made of reusable paper, and the forum slogan was engraved on a cardboard banner. Herald Corp.’s logo was made of reusable paper. The attractive logos, banners and stage decorations looked the same as plastic-based decorations under the stage lights. 

Eco-friendly reusable plastic cups from Trash Busters, a social enterprise that strives to reduce the use of disposable products, replaced single-use cups. The cups bore the message “It is not a big deal,” meaning small steps can create a better planet. Forum participants were asked to rinse out their cups if they wanted another beverage.

Pencils made of coffee grounds were handed out as souvenirs. Coffeebak Project Secretariat, an organization that collects coffee grounds from local cafes and uses them to make the pencils, warned that coffee grounds emit greenhouse gases when they are buried underground. 

Guests and speakers wore reusable name badges as well.

By Byun Hye-jin and Park Jun-hee 
(hyejin2@heraldcorp.com) (junheee@heraldcorp.com)