This week’s photo series is “The East is Green“. In the run up to Earth Hour this Saturday, and in the wake of officials once again declaring “war” on pollution in China at the “Two Sessions” meetings in Beijing, we’re looking at some of the country’s recent attempts to improve environmental conditions – from grassroots NGOs to technological innovations and more.

This image comes from a recent clean-up operation by Rendu Ocean, a volunteer organization founded in Shanghai in 2007. They claim to be “the only NGO in China to focus on the issue of marine waste” and over the years have grown from arranging simple trash collection operations along Shanghai’s shoreline, to now hosting a wide range of marine waste monitoring and research activities, including the publication of an annual report.

They still perform regular clean-up operations however, and also work with companies and schools to carry out a number of education initiatives highlighting the issues around marine waste in China. They have also built ties with similar organizations across the globe.

For more information, visit their website (Chinese only) here.