REACHING OUT | Environmental Protection Department

During 2003 the EPD worked with the Hang Seng Bank to train employees to be green ambassadors within the company. The intention is that all ... Skiptomaincontent REACHINGOUT REACHINGOUT TheEnvironmentalProtectionDepartment's(EPD)missionistotreatandpreventpollution.Butinordertocarryoutthismissionsuccessfully,weneedthecommunity'sunderstandingandsupport.Appealsandadvertisingcampaignshavehelpedtoraiseawareness,butthegreatestimpactshavecomethroughamoredirectapproach-byreachingout.Environmentalprogrammeshavebeenestablishedforeverysectorofsocietyandhavehelpedtochangethehabitsofmanypeople,especiallyinregardtowasteseparationandrecycling. Whenourfirstoutreachprogrammesstartedintheearly1990s,environmentalawarenesswaslowandtherewerenolarge-scalerecyclingprogrammes.Fewschools,businessgroupsorcommunitygroupswerecarryingoutenvironmentalactivities.Today,afteradecadeofventuringintothecommunity,thesituationisreversed:mostsectorsofsocietyarerecyclingandmanyareinitiatingtheirowngreenevents.Reachingouthashelpedtobringthecommunityintothegreenfold. APHYSICALPRESENCEINTHECOMMUNITY Theyear2003wasaspecialmilestoneinthedepartment'soutreachefforts,foritmarkedthe10thanniversaryofthefirstEnvironmentalResourceCentre.Thesecentresplaceaccesstoinformationabouttheenvironmentfirmlyinthecommunity.ThefirstcentreopenedinWanChaiinDecember1993andwasfollowedbytheestablishmentofcentresinTsuenWanin1997andFanlingin2003.Theyfeatureenvironmentalactivities,gamesandgeneralinformationforthepublic,andtheyhavebecomeverypopular,withvisitsortoursbookedmonthsinadvance.Butwhilethecentresservetheirneighbourhoodswell,theirreachislimitedbybeinginafixedlocation.TheEPD,togetherwiththegovernment-appointedEnvironmentalCampaignCommittee(ECC)whichorganisescommunity-basedgreenactivities,thereforehaveintroducedseveralinitiativestobringenvironmentalactivitiestoplaceswherepeoplegather,suchashousingestatesandshoppingmalls.   (Topleft) Childrendressedasasealion,anEskimoandaTibetanhelpofficiateattheopeningofthe"GreenWisdomLibrary"atFanlingEnvironmentalResourceCentre. (Topright) TheEPD'sCommunityRelationsOfficer(right)afterdeliveringatalkonenvironmentaldevelopmentandyouthstotheSoongChingLingChildren'sFoundation. (Bottomleft) ChildrenenjoyingthefacilitiesaboardtheMobileEnvironmentalResourceCentre. (Bottomright) TheMobileEnvironmentalResourceCentre. AMobileEnvironmentalResourceCentrestartedoperatingin2001whichfeaturesalloftheactivitiesandresourcesavailableinthefixedcentres.Itisthefirstliquefiedpetroleumgasvanandalsohasroomfora"greendesk"wherestudents,housewivesandotherresidentscanobtainspecificinformationforschoolprojects,homemanagementandotheruses,andhavetheirquestionsanswered.AgreendeskisalsofeaturedintheCommunityGreenNetworkProgramme,establishedin2002,inwhichEPDofficersvisithousingestatesinthelateafternoonandearlyeveningtoanswerresidents'questionsanddiscussanyconcernstheymayhave,suchaswasterecyclingarrangements.In2003wegave106talksinthiscontextattendedbymorethan2200residents. ENVIRONMENTALRESOURCES EnvironmentaleducationprogrammeorganisedforchildrenattheWanChaiEnvironmentalResourceCentre TheFanlingEnvironmentalResourceCentreopenedin2003andisthelargestcentreyet,atabout400squaremetres.ItisfittedoutwithfurnituremostlymadefromrecyclablematerialsandhasamuralatitsentrancethatwascreatedfromwasteconstructionmaterialsbyStudentEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassadors.Amongitsmanyfeaturesareinteractivegames,modelsonhowtoreducepollution,demonstrationsofnoisepollution,afuelcellbattery,asolarenergydisplayandphotographsandmaterialsdonatedbyexplorerDrRebeccaLee. Meanwhile,theWanChaiEnvironmentalResourceCentrecelebratedits10thanniversarybyintroducingspecialprogrammesonwastereduction,paper-makingandgames,andproducingaguidebookletonanearbytrail."ExploringtheWanChaiTrail"describestheplantsandspeciesthatcanbeseenonthe45-minutewalk.Inadditiontotheresourcecentres,theEPDrunsanEnvironmentalEducationandInformationCounterthatprovidesschoolsandcommunityorganisationswithdisplays,gamesandothermaterialsfororganisingtheirowngreenevents.       Furtherexpansionofourcommunityoutreachworkishamperedonlybyalackofresources.TheEPDandECCdonothaveenoughstafftoeducateandorganiseeveryoneinthecommunity.Theythereforehaveputmucheffortintocapacitybuildingandtrainingthetrainers,suchasEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassadors,andsettingupparticipatoryprogrammesthatdonotrequirealargenetworkofsupportstaff. TRAININGTHETRAINERS Theideaoftrainingtrainersbeganintheschools,withprogrammesaimedatengagingstudentsinenvironmentalactivities.TheStudentEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassadorSchemeinvitesprimaryandsecondaryschoolstudentstoorganiseandparticipateingreenactivitiesoncampus.Theyreceivetrainingandwritereportsabouttheirwork,andthebesteffortsarerewardedwithatripoverseasoranenvironmentalleadershipsummercamp,sotheycanlearnmoreaboutenvironmentalprotectionactivitieselsewhereandenhancetheirleadershipabilities.Theschemestartedin1995with220schoolsand1659StudentEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassadors(SEPAs)andbytheendof2003hadgrownto724participatingschoolsand11907SEPAs(seeboxon"EnvironmentalEducation"fordetails).TheworkofSEPAsisenhancedbyteachertrainingcourses,whichequipteacherswiththeknowledgeandskillstobetterdeliverenvironmentalmessagestostudents.   (Top) MrMikeStokoe,DeputyDirectorofEPD,presentssouvenirtoMissBoBoChanforherappointmentasthe"HonourableEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassador". (Right) SEPAsjoinMrsRitaFan,GBS,JP,PresidentoftheLegislativeCouncil(secondfromright)andMrRonnieWong,JP,ChairmanoftheECC(secondfromleft),topromote"WaitGreen,EngineOff"amongdrivers.   ENVIRONMENTALEDUCATION SchoolsandtertiaryinstitutionsareamajorfocusoftheEPD'sandECC'scommunityprogrammes.TheStudentEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassador(SEPA)Schemenowhas11907primaryandsecondaryschoolstudentambassadors.In2003,SEPAsorganisedschool-basedactivitiesforabout400000students.SomeoftheoutstandingambassadorswenttoBangkoktolearnaboutenvironmentalprotectionthere,andothersjoinedanenvironmentalleadershipsummercamptopolishtheirleadershipskills.Inaddition,theECCandEPDorganisedsevenworkshopsforteachersonvariousenvironmentalthemes. OtherorganisationshavejoinedforceswiththeECCinschool-basedcampaigns.TheMTRCorporationhasjoinedwiththeECCforthepasttwoyearstosponsoranenvironmentalleadershipprogrammeforSEPAsandambassadorsfromtheScouts,GirlGuidesandJuniorPoliceCall.TheAEONEducationandEnvironmentFundsupportedtheBangkokenvironmentalstudyvisitforOutstandingSEPAsinsummer2003.TheECCandShellHongKongLimitedhavejointlyorganisedanawardsschemetorecognisetheenvironmentaleffortsoftertiarystudentsinHongKongandyouthsintheMainlandsince1997-98.In2003,ninestudentclubsfromtertiaryandvocationalinstitutesinHongKongreceivedfinancialsupporttoorganiseenvironmentalprogrammesontheircampusesandcompetedfortheECCShellEnvironmentalAwardsforTertiaryandVocationalInstitutes.Similarsupportwasgiventoinstitutionsacrosstheborder.Alsoin2003,theECCco-operatedwiththeStateEnvironmentalProtectionAdministrationtolaunchtheNation-wideCompetitiononEnvironmentalProtectionWebPageDesignforprimaryandsecondaryschoolstudentsontheMainland.AnexchangeprogrammewasorganisedwhichincludedastudyvisittoHangzhouforwinnersfromHongKong,whilewinnersfromtheMainlandcametoHongKongtovisitpointsofenvironmentalinterestandmeetwithstudentsinHongKong.TheECCalsoworkedwithHongKongDisneylandin2003toorganisethe"JiminyCricket'sEnvironmentalityChallenge"forprimaryschools,withthewinningclasstobeinvitedtoaspecial"Heroes"awardceremonyinHongKongDisneylandin2006.     (Top) Winnersofthe"NationalEnvironmentalProtectionWebPageDesignCompetitionforPrimaryandMiddleSchools"fromtheMainlandmeetstudentambassadorsinHongKongwithsponsorshipfromShellHongKongLimited. (Bottom) WithsponsorshipfromAEONEducationandEnvironmentFund,SEPAsplaygamewithlocalstudentsduringtheirstudyvisittoBangkok. (Right) OutstandingSEPAsparticipateinteambuildingtrainingintheEnvironmentalLeadershipSummerCampwithsponsorshipfromtheMTRCorporation. Apartfrompromotinggeneralenvironmentaleducation,theECCorganisesactivitiesfortargetedpurposes.Awasterecyclingcampaignhasbeenintroducedinpre-schools,primaryandsecondaryschools,andtertiaryandvocationalinstitutes.TheHongKongGreenSchoolAwardhasbeenestablishedforprimaryandsecondaryschoolstoencouragewiderpracticeofenvironmentalmanagementinschools,withthecashprizessponsoredbytheBankofChina(HongKong)Ltd.forbuildingresourcecentresororganicfarms.Thisawardwasextendedtopre-schoolsin2003.Aprogrammewasalsoorganisedin2003topromoteappreciationofnatureandorganiccomposting,byaskingstudentstogrowcherrytomatoplantsinpotsmadefromrecyclablematerialsandencouragingschoolstoplantnativetreespeciesontheirgrounds.ThisprogrammewasjointlyorganisedwiththeKadoorieFarmandBotanicGardenandtheHongKongTreesConservationAssociation,withsupportfromtheAEONEducationandEnvironmentFundandsponsorshipfromtheRotaryClubofKowloonGoldenMile.     (Topleft) Thelaunchofthe"JiminyCricket'sEnvironmentalityChallenge"withHongKongDisneyland. (Right) WithsponsorshipfromBankofChina(HongKong)Ltd,theFourthHongKongGreenSchoolAwardislaunchedfeaturingstudentsfromwinningschoolsandofficiatingguests. (Bottomleft) JudgesselectthebestplantingandpotdesignintheOrganicPlantingCompetitionforPrimaryandSecondarySchoolStudentsinHongKong-CherryTomatoContest.         ThesuccessofthestudentambassadorschemeledtheECCtoextendtheconcepttoyouthgroupssuchastheGirlGuidesandScouts,andtothegeneralcommunity.Elderlyambassadorswereappointedin2000.Propertymanagersandresidentsofhousingestateswereappointedin2001.Theyareprovidedwithtraininginsuchthingsashowtocarryoutwasterecyclingcampaigns,keeptheenvironmentcleanandorganiseactivitiesforresidents.During2003theEPDworkedwiththeHangSengBanktotrainemployeestobegreenambassadorswithinthecompany.Theintentionisthatallambassadorswillusetheirtrainingtohelpeducatetheirpeersaboutgreenknowledgeandpractices. Moretargetedtraininghasalsobeencarriedoutforspecificstakeholders,throughtheGreenLeaderProgrammewhichendedinMarch2003.About10000stakeholdersin10fields-commerceandindustry,transport,theDistrictCouncils,non-governmentandcommunityorganisations,teachersandprincipals,women'sgroups,businessandservices,youthcentres,theOwners'CorporationsandMutualAidCommitteesofhousingestatesandgreengroups-wereinvolved.Theylearnedaboutsuchthingsasintroducingenvironmentalmanagementsystemsintotheirorganisationsandsettingupwasterecyclingprogrammes.Moreover,in2003morethan2000civilservantsattended135environmentaleducationsessionsonsuchtopicsasenvironmentallegislationandcontrol,environmentalimpactassessment,environmentalmanagement,sustainabledevelopmentandrenewableenergy. Centraltoallofourtrainingprogrammesisthemessagethateveryonemustreducewaste.ThisisamajorconcernfortheEPDandHongKong,whichisfacedwithalandfillshortageasdescribedintheWastechapter.Moresignificantlyfromacommunityawarenessstandpoint,itisanareawhereindividualscanmakeadifference.TheEPDandECChavesupportedthismessagebyputtinginplaceanextensivesystemthatenablespeopletoseparatetheirwasteforrecycling. HELPINGOTHERSTOACT TheWasteRecyclingCampaigninHousingEstatesfirstbeganasatwomonthpilotprojectinMarch1998,atatimewhenfewhouseholdsparticipatedinrecycling.Althoughbusinessandindustryhadlongbeenengagedinrecycling,domesticrecyclingwasalmostnon-existent.TheECCthereforearrangedforrecyclingbinstobeplacedin41participatingestates,forwastepaperandaluminiumcans.Italsoprovidedpublicityleafletsandsupportforpromotionalactivities. Thepilotprojectwashugelysuccessfulandthecampaignhasgrownrapidlyandsteadilyeversince.Frommid-2000onwards,therecyclingprogrammewasextendedtoincludeplasticbottles.Newhousingestatesjointhecampaigneveryyearandbytheendof2003,1333housingestateswith1.58millionhouseholdswererecycling.Thequantitiesofwastecollectedhavealsocontinuedtoincreaseandin2003,nolessthan146000tonnesofwastepaper,9000tonnesofaluminiumcansand1000tonnesofplasticbottleswerecollectedforrecycling.Significantly,people'sawarenessanduseoftherecyclingbinsisalsoincreasing,asshowninrecentsurveys.   (Topleft) Theopeningofthe"EnvironmentallyFriendlyHome"atSiuOnCourtinNovember2003. (Topright) Winnersofthesloganandlogodesigncompetitiontoencouragetheuseofrechargeablebatteriesreceiveawardsatthepresentationceremony. (Bottom) TheWasteRecyclingCampaigninHousingEstates(PhaseVII)islaunchedwithademonstrationonhowtouserecyclingbins. Followingthesuccessofthehousingestatecampaign,theECCintroducedwasterecyclinginitiativesinotherplacesinHongKong.Recyclingbinshavebeenplacedin1199primaryandsecondaryschools,withfundingchieflyfromtheHongKongJockeyClubCharitiesTrust.Sincethelaunchoftheschemein2000,almosteveryschoolinHongKonghasbeeninvolved.Pre-schoolsarealsojoiningtherecyclingdrive.Miniaturebinshavebeenprovidedto870pre-schoolstoeducateyoungchildrenaboutseparatingwaste,fundedbytheZontaCluboftheNewTerritories. Communityandgreengroupsarealsotakingupthewasteinitiativebyorganisingrecyclingforhard-to-reachplaces,suchasvillagesandolderneighbourhoodsthatarenotorganisedinestates.Since2001$13.82millionfromthegovernment'sEnvironmentandConservationFundhasbeengivento24communityandgreengroupstoorganisemorethan40wasterecoveryprojects.Thesegroupsarealsoorganisingrecyclingforitemsnotcoveredbythehousingestatecampaign,suchasinkjettoners,drywasteandfoodwaste. Thesuccessoftherecyclingprogrammehashelpedtoshowhowcommunityoutreachcanmakeadifference.Schools,housingestatesandothershavebeengiventhemeansandsupporttorecycle,andtheyaredoingsoingreaternumbersthanever.Manyofthemhavestafforresidentswhoarenowequippedwiththeskillstopromoterecyclingandotherenvironmentalinitiativesintheirorganisations.TheEPD'sandECC'seffortstoeducateandtrainpeople,andreachoutintothecommunity,havetakentimetomakeanimpact,buttheyarebearingfruit.TheonusforenvironmentalprotectionhasmovedonfrombeingtheresponsibilityoftheEPD,toonethateverybodyshares.   (Topleft) Displaypanelsbeingbroughttohousingestates,featuringtipsongreenliving. (Topright) Pre-schoolpupilslearntousethewasterecyclingbins. (Bottomleft) Childrenshowgreatinterestattheexhibitioncornerofproductsmadefromrecycledmaterials. (Bottomright) EPDstafftalktoaMutualAidCommitteeaboutenvironmentalprotection.   INVOLVINGBUSINESS   (Top)TheHonElsieLeung,GMB,JP,SecretaryforJustice(centre),withotherofficiatingguestsatthelaunchofthe2003HongKongEco-BusinessAwards. (Bottom)AForumonBusinessOpportunitiesforSMEsintheEnvironmentalProtectionIndustryisheldduringtheHongKongEnvironmentalProtectionFestival2003topromotewasterecyclingandrecoverytoSMEs.   TheHongKongEco-BusinessAwardsareheldannuallytorecogniseprivatesectoreffortstogreentheiroperations.In2003,139organisationsenteredthecompetition,whichfeaturedthecategoriesofGreenOfficeAward,GreenPropertyManagementAward(PrivateHousing)andBestEnvironmentalReportingAward.TheEnvironmentalProtectionFestivalwasheldinNovemberandfeaturedaforumonbusinessopportunitiesforsmall-andmedium-sizedenterprisesintheenvironmentalprotectionindustry,withaspecificfocusonpromotingwasterecoveryandrecycling.Theuseofrechargeablebatterieswaspromotedinschoolsandthecommunity,andanawardspresentationwasheldfortheGreenParentContest,inwhichstudentswroteessaysabouttheirparents?environmentallifestyles.Thecontestreceivedmorethan1400entriesandwassponsoredbytheAEONEducationandEnvironmentFund.   ANNUALCELEBRATIONS Guestsholdinguptheir"greenwishes"atWorldEnvironmentDay2003celebrations. HongKongholdstwoannualgreencelebrations,WorldEnvironmentDayinJuneandtheHongKongEnvironmentalProtectionFestivalattheendoftheyear.WorldEnvironmentDaywasovershadowedbytheoutbreakofsevereacuterespiratorysyndrome(SARS),soactivitieswereorganisedoutdoors.The"WalkingforaGreenandHealthyHongKong"featuredgreentrailwalksalong31differentroutes.About100000peoplejoinedtheeventin18districtsinHongKong. TheEnvironmentalProtectionFestivalwasheldinNovemberandfeaturedaforumonbusinessopportunitiesforsmall-andmedium-sizedenterprisesintheenvironmentalprotectionindustry,withaspecificfocusonpromotingwasterecoveryandrecycling.Theuseofrechargeablebatterieswaspromotedinschoolsandthecommunity,andanawardspresentationwasheldfortheGreenParentContest,inwhichstudentswroteessaysabouttheirparents?environmentallifestyles.Thecontestreceivedmorethan1400entriesandwassponsoredbytheAEONEducationandEnvironmentFund.       Mission Topromotecommunityenvironmentalawarenessthroughcampaigns,publicity,educationandactionprogrammes,withaviewtoharnessingthecommunity'ssupportfor,andcontributiontoachievingdesiredenvironmentalgoals,therebysecuringalongtermsolutiontoenvironmentalproblemsthroughdevelopmentofanimprovedenvironmentalethicwithinthecommunity.     Highlightsin2003 OpenedtheFanlingEnvironmentalResourceCentreandcelebratedthe10thanniversaryoftheWanChaiEnvironmentalResourceCentre. ExtendedtheGreenSchoolAwardforenvironmentalmanagementtopre-schools. Recruited11907studentsfrom724schoolsasEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassadors. ExtendedtheWasteRecyclingCampaigninHousingEstatesto1 333estates,upfrom1 200in2002. CelebratedtheHongKongEnvironmentalProtectionFestivalbyorganisingthe"ForumonBusinessOpportunitiesforSMEsinEnvironmentalProtectionIndustry"topromotewasterecoveryandrecycling. Organisedgreentrailwalksin18districtsfor100000participants,onthetheme,"WalkingforaGreenandHealthyHongKong",tocelebrateWorldEnvironmentDay. CompletedtheGreenLeaderProgramme,providingcapacitybuildingandtrainingfor10 000stakeholderstobegreenleaders. Conducted135sessionsonenvironmentalprotectionforover2000civilservants.     LookingAhead Continuetoimplementenvironmentaleducationprogrammestopromotecommunityinvolvementinwastereductionandrecovery. Strengthenpartnershipprogrammeswithprofessionalassociationsandtheprivatesectortoencouragegreenpractices. FostervariousEnvironmentalProtectionAmbassadorProgrammesforstudents,youthgroups,communitygroupsandthepropertymanagementsector. BroadenandfortifytheCommunityGreenNetworkthroughoutreachprogrammes. OrganiseabroadrangeofeducationprogrammesandguidedvisitsattheEnvironmentalResourceCentres. Continuetoproduceenvironmentaleducationmaterialsfortargetgroups. CollaboratewiththeStateEnvironmentalProtectionAdministrationofChinatoorganiseaNation-wideEnvironmentalCompetitionforyouths.