Dr. Rebecca Lee, Polar Museum Foundation Ltd
Rebecca has spent the last 22 years communicating the signs of global warming and widespread pollution in remote Polar regions (north and south) and Mount Everest to local Hong Kong people. This has been done both to inspire future generations to look after the environment and provide a positive outlook for young people.
Through her publications and polar expeditions with scientists and young people, she has inspired over 400,000 people. Many have heard her talks on the environment, and many more will have seen her ten books and 11 videos that educate and activate interest and action. She is particularly inspired by the reaction of young people to her talks and seeks to encourage them to reach their full potential.
In 1986 when the expeditions to Antarctica showed that the ozone layer was being damaged Rebecca focused on the protection of water, land and air and the linking of climate change to the impact on the people of Hong Kong and China.
Concerned about the early signs that pollutants were having an impact on the climate, such as ozone depletion and the presence of pollutants in the Polar Regions, Rebecca wanted to highlight the impact that industrialised society was having on the environment and to make the inhabitants of Hong Kong and China aware that they were all linked to the causes and the solutions. She also wanted to build a communication bridge between the scientific work done by Chinese scientists in these regions and the people of Hong Kong and China.
Rebecca saw 22 years ago that developed countries controlled the degree of pollution, yet in China, there were few regulations and a lack of interest in protecting the environment. She realised that the way she could influence the situation was through public education and working with young people in Hong Kong and China.
Rebecca was inspired by the establishment of the Chinese Antarctic station in 1985, and in 1990 she stopped working as a graphic designer and sold her apartment to begin travelling and learning about the polar regions with the Chinese scientists. The project of a Polar Museum is still ongoing, and she is a constant speaker and producer of books and videos.
Rebecca has been privileged to travel to these exciting extreme environments and wants to share her experiences through the talks, books and videos with the community, especially young people. The feedback from them as they take an interest in the environment has been a great reward for her and keeps her determined to establish her goal of the museum filled with stimulating displays that connect the visitors to the greater environment.
Progress
Locally in Hong Kong
She has spoken to over 400,000 school children and delivered talks weekly. She has published ten books and 11 videos.
Nationally in China
She has become a trusted member of scientific research teams and communicates their work to the Hong Kong and China public.
Internationally
She has spoken to Chinese community groups and universities in Australia and Canada on the impacts of global warming and held photographic exhibitions in Canada, Australia and New York.
In the long term, she wants the establishment of the Polar Museum to carry on the message of the importance of preventing environmental damage.
She believes the government could be a big help in helping achieve a better environment through the implementation of positive regulations and the encouragement of new initiatives. People are willing to change however the government needs to adopt a similar attitude.
She works with other environmental groups in Hong Kong such as Friends of the Earth, Education Department and Green Power. She speaks to groups each week, and her videos are distributed to teachers who can use the material in their lessons.
Rebecca hopes to see that the establishment of the Polar Museum would be culmination and continuation of her work with young people. She hopes in this way to connect young people to the environment and to provide them with a good future that is less polluted. She wants young people to reach their potential and feel through her example that “If she can do it, so can they… and do it even better!”
- Tel : (852) 2840 0339
- E-mail : polemuseum@biznetvigator.com
- Website : http://polemuseum.hk/polar/
