FedEx Taiwan Teams Clear 221kg of Beach Debris

When 55 FedEx team members and their families rolled up their sleeves at Linkou North Jetty Beach on August 15, they weren't just picking up trash. They were turning environmental commitment into tangible action, hauling away 221 kilograms of marine debris from a coastline battered by ocean currents and plastic pollution.

The cleanup marked the second year FedEx Taiwan has partnered with the RE-THINK Environmental Education Association to protect New Taipei City's shores. After last year's strong turnout and enthusiasm, the company doubled down on its commitment, making beach conservation a centerpiece of its annual Purple Week service initiative.

But this wasn't your typical cleanup. Volunteers participated in interactive challenges like the "Unusual Marine Debris Challenge" and "Microplastic Rapid Screening Challenge," turning trash collection into detective work that revealed the hidden scale of plastic pollution.

Before hitting the beach, team members joined an online education session about "Life Cycle Thinking" to understand how everyday purchases end up as ocean waste. Once on site, they sorted and identified debris, connecting the dots between consumer choices and the plastic bottles, fishing gear, and microplastics littering the shoreline.

Linkou North Jetty Beach faces constant pollution from ocean currents, river flows, and coastal activities. The hands-on experience gave families a front-row seat to the marine debris crisis, making the abstract concept of ocean pollution suddenly very real.

The Ripple Effect

This cleanup is just one wave in a much larger movement. Since 2013, RE-THINK has organized over 200 beach cleanups, mobilized more than 90,000 volunteers, and removed 330 tons of marine debris from Taiwan's coasts.

FedEx is betting that environmental action works best when it becomes a family affair. Paul Sousa, Managing Director of FedEx Taiwan, emphasized how bringing families together creates lasting impact that extends beyond company walls and into daily life choices.

The company encouraged participants to carry lessons learned into their homes by reducing plastic use, recycling more consistently, and making environmentally conscious decisions. Jason Huang, RE-THINK's founder, hopes these hands-on experiences inspire families to integrate environmental responsibility into their everyday routines.

When companies turn service days into learning experiences, they create volunteers who understand not just what they're cleaning up, but why it matters.