Pauline the Polar Bear to Visit Hong Kong
Greenpeace’s surprisingly lifelike polar bear mascot is in town at the end of August to raise awareness about Arctic drilling and its effect on the environment.
Earlier this summer, you may have noticed a polar bear roaming the streets of Hong Kong. And it’s not any everyday polar bear—this realistic costume houses two volunteers who control its movements. And the bear has conviction to boot: Pauline the Polar Bear is touring Hong Kong on August 31 to raise awareness about oil-drilling in the Arctic on behalf of Greenpeace.
“The melting ice is not solely brought by climate change, but also oil drilling in the Arctic. We are asking people to join the Save the Arctic petition,” says Sandy Zeng, Greenpeace’s communications officer.
Pauline first gained attention last month at the Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong, where she protested The Lego Group for partnering with Shell—the Danish toy company is giving away Lego cars at Shell service stations. Greenpeace has argued that the Lego partnership may have an affect on children's perception of the oil company. Shell had originally planned to drill in the Arctic this summer, though this plan was later scrapped.
Apart from visiting the Ani-Com & Games in Wan Chai last month, Pauline has also made appearances outside Sha Tin Town Hall to promote the Save the Arctic Campaign and pose with visitors. Pauline’s world tour has been quite a trip: before landing in Hong Kong, she has made an appearance at a Radiohead concert in Rome, toured around the Lincoln Memorial, and demanded Russian energy company Gazprom to scrap its oil drilling plans in the Arctic.
See Pauline in Causeway Bay on Aug 31, where she will be available to meet-and-greet, before she heads off to Seoul and Chile. Aug 31, 12-7pm. Pedestrian Zone, Great George Street, Causeway Bay. Learn more about the Save the Arctic campaign at www.savethearctic.org.