REACHING OUT

The Environmental Protection Department's (EPD) mission is to treat and prevent pollution. But in order to carry out this mission successfully, we need the community's understanding and support. Appeals and advertising campaigns have helped to raise awareness, but the greatest impacts have come through a more direct approach - by reaching out. Environmental programmes have been established for every sector of society and have helped to change the habits of many people, especially in regard to waste separation and recycling.

When our first outreach programmes started in the early 1990s, environmental awareness was low and there were no large-scale recycling programmes. Few schools, business groups or community groups were carrying out environmental activities. Today, after a decade of venturing into the community, the situation is reversed: most sectors of society are recycling and many are initiating their own green events. Reaching out has helped to bring the community into the green fold.

A PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY

The year 2003 was a special milestone in the department's outreach efforts, for it marked the 10th anniversary of the first Environmental Resource Centre. These centres place access to information about the environment firmly in the community. The first centre opened in Wan Chai in December 1993 and was followed by the establishment of centres in Tsuen Wan in 1997 and Fanling in 2003. They feature environmental activities, games and general information for the public, and they have become very popular, with visits or tours booked months in advance. But while the centres serve their neighbourhoods well, their reach is limited by being in a fixed location. The EPD, together with the government-appointed Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) which organises community-based green activities, therefore have introduced several initiatives to bring environmental activities to places where people gather, such as housing estates and shopping malls.

(Top left) Children dressed as a sea lion, an Eskimo and a Tibetan help officiate at the opening of the "Green Wisdom Library" at Fanling Environmental Resource Centre. (Top right) The EPD's Community Relations Officer (right) after delivering a talk on environmental development and youths to the Soong Ching Ling Children's Foundation. (Bottom left) Children enjoying the facilities aboard the Mobile Environmental Resource Centre. (Bottom right) The Mobile Environmental Resource Centre.

A Mobile Environmental Resource Centre started operating in 2001 which features all of the activities and resources available in the fixed centres. It is the first liquefied petroleum gas van and also has room for a "green desk" where students, housewives and other residents can obtain specific information for school projects, home management and other uses, and have their questions answered. A green desk is also featured in the Community Green Network Programme, established in 2002, in which EPD officers visit housing estates in the late afternoon and early evening to answer residents' questions and discuss any concerns they may have, such as waste recycling arrangements. In 2003 we gave 106 talks in this context attended by more than 2 200 residents.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

Environmental education programme organised for children at the Wan Chai Environmental Resource Centre

The Fanling Environmental Resource Centre opened in 2003 and is the largest centre yet, at about 400 square metres. It is fitted out with furniture mostly made from recyclable materials and has a mural at its entrance that was created from waste construction materials by Student Environmental Protection Ambassadors. Among its many features are interactive games, models on how to reduce pollution, demonstrations of noise pollution, a fuel cell battery, a solar energy display and photographs and materials donated by explorer Dr Rebecca Lee.

Meanwhile, the Wan Chai Environmental Resource Centre celebrated its 10th anniversary by introducing special programmes on waste reduction, paper-making and games, and producing a guide booklet on a nearby trail. "Exploring the Wan Chai Trail" describes the plants and species that can be seen on the 45-minute walk. In addition to the resource centres, the EPD runs an Environmental Education and Information Counter that provides schools and community organisations with displays, games and other materials for organising their own green events.

TRAINING THE TRAINERS

The idea of training trainers began in the schools, with programmes aimed at engaging students in environmental activities. The Student Environmental Protection Ambassador Scheme invites primary and secondary school students to organise and participate in green activities on campus. They receive training and write reports about their work, and the best efforts are rewarded with a trip overseas or an environmental leadership summer camp, so they can learn more about environmental protection activities elsewhere and enhance their leadership abilities. The scheme started in 1995 with 220 schools and 1 659 Student Environmental Protection Ambassadors (SEPAs) and by the end of 2003 had grown to 724 participating schools and 11 907 SEPAs (see box on "Environmental Education" for details). The work of SEPAs is enhanced by teacher training courses, which equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to better deliver environmental messages to students.

(Top) Mr Mike Stokoe, Deputy Director of EPD, presents souvenir to Miss Bo Bo Chan for her appointment as the "Honourable Environmental Protection Ambassador". (Right) SEPAs join Mrs Rita Fan, GBS, JP, President of the Legislative Council (second from right) and Mr Ronnie Wong, JP, Chairman of the ECC (second from left), to promote "Wait Green, Engine Off" among drivers.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Schools and tertiary institutions are a major focus of the EPD's and ECC's community programmes. The Student Environmental Protection Ambassador (SEPA) Scheme now has 11 907 primary and secondary school student ambassadors. In 2003, SEPAs organised school-based activities for about 400 000 students. Some of the outstanding ambassadors went to Bangkok to learn about environmental protection there, and others joined an environmental leadership summer camp to polish their leadership skills. In addition, the ECC and EPD organised seven workshops for teachers on various environmental themes. Other organisations have joined forces with the ECC in school-based campaigns. The MTR Corporation has joined with the ECC for the past two years to sponsor an environmental leadership programme for SEPAs and ambassadors from the Scouts, Girl Guides and Junior Police Call. The AEON Education and Environment Fund supported the Bangkok environmental study visit for Outstanding SEPAs in summer 2003. The ECC and Shell Hong Kong Limited have jointly organised an awards scheme to recognise the environmental efforts of tertiary students in Hong Kong and youths in the Mainland since 1997-98. In 2003, nine student clubs from tertiary and vocational institutes in Hong Kong received financial support to organise environmental programmes on their campuses and competed for the ECC Shell Environmental Awards for Tertiary and Vocational Institutes. Similar support was given to institutions across the border. Also in 2003, the ECC co-operated with the State Environmental Protection Administration to launch the Nation-wide Competition on Environmental Protection Web Page Design for primary and secondary school students on the Mainland. An exchange programme was organised which included a study visit to Hangzhou for winners from Hong Kong, while winners from the Mainland came to Hong Kong to visit points of environmental interest and meet with students in Hong Kong. The ECC also worked with Hong Kong Disneyland in 2003 to organise the "Jiminy Cricket's Environmentality Challenge" for primary schools, with the winning class to be invited to a special "Heroes" award ceremony in Hong Kong Disneyland in 2006.     (Top) Winners of the "National Environmental Protection Web Page Design Competition for Primary and Middle Schools" from the Mainland meet student ambassadors in Hong Kong with sponsorship from Shell Hong Kong Limited. (Bottom) With sponsorship from AEON Education and Environment Fund, SEPAs play game with local students during their study visit to Bangkok. (Right) Outstanding SEPAs participate in team building training in the Environmental Leadership Summer Camp with sponsorship from the MTR Corporation. Apart from promoting general environmental education, the ECC organises activities for targeted purposes. A waste recycling campaign has been introduced in pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, and tertiary and vocational institutes. The Hong Kong Green School Award has been established for primary and secondary schools to encourage wider practice of environmental management in schools, with the cash prizes sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Ltd. for building resource centres or organic farms. This award was extended to pre-schools in 2003. A programme was also organised in 2003 to promote appreciation of nature and organic composting, by asking students to grow cherry tomato plants in pots made from recyclable materials and encouraging schools to plant native tree species on their grounds. This programme was jointly organised with the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden and the Hong Kong Trees Conservation Association, with support from the AEON Education and Environment Fund and sponsorship from the Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile.     (Top left) The launch of the "Jiminy Cricket's Environmentality Challenge" with Hong Kong Disneyland. (Right) With sponsorship from Bank of China (Hong Kong) Ltd, the Fourth Hong Kong Green School Award is launched featuring students from winning schools and officiating guests. (Bottom left) Judges select the best planting and pot design in the Organic Planting Competition for Primary and Secondary School Students in Hong Kong - Cherry Tomato Contest.

The success of the student ambassador scheme led the ECC to extend the concept to youth groups such as the Girl Guides and Scouts, and to the general community. Elderly ambassadors were appointed in 2000. Property managers and residents of housing estates were appointed in 2001. They are provided with training in such things as how to carry out waste recycling campaigns, keep the environment clean and organise activities for residents. 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 ambassadors will use their training to help educate their peers about green knowledge and practices.

More targeted training has also been carried out for specific stakeholders, through the Green Leader Programme which ended in March 2003. About 10 000 stakeholders in 10 fields - commerce and industry, transport, the District Councils, non-government and community organisations, teachers and principals, women's groups, business and services, youth centres, the Owners' Corporations and Mutual Aid Committees of housing estates and green groups - were involved. They learned about such things as introducing environmental management systems into their organisations and setting up waste recycling programmes. Moreover, in 2003 more than 2 000 civil servants attended 135 environmental education sessions on such topics as environmental legislation and control, environmental impact assessment, environmental management, sustainable development and renewable energy.

Central to all of our training programmes is the message that everyone must reduce waste. This is a major concern for the EPD and Hong Kong, which is faced with a landfill shortage as described in the Waste chapter. More significantly from a community awareness standpoint, it is an area where individuals can make a difference. The EPD and ECC have supported this message by putting in place an extensive system that enables people to separate their waste for recycling.

HELPING OTHERS TO ACT

The Waste Recycling Campaign in Housing Estates first began as a two month pilot project in March 1998, at a time when few households participated in recycling. Although business and industry had long been engaged in recycling, domestic recycling was almost non-existent. The ECC therefore arranged for recycling bins to be placed in 41 participating estates, for waste paper and aluminium cans. It also provided publicity leaflets and support for promotional activities.

The pilot project was hugely successful and the campaign has grown rapidly and steadily ever since. From mid-2000 onwards, the recycling programme was extended to include plastic bottles. New housing estates join the campaign every year and by the end of 2003, 1 333 housing estates with 1.58 million households were recycling. The quantities of waste collected have also continued to increase and in 2003, no less than 146 000 tonnes of waste paper, 9 000 tonnes of aluminium cans and 1 000 tonnes of plastic bottles were collected for recycling. Significantly, people's awareness and use of the recycling bins is also increasing, as shown in recent surveys.

(Top left) The opening of the "Environmentally Friendly Home" at Siu On Court in November 2003. (Top right) Winners of the slogan and logo design competition to encourage the use of rechargeable batteries receive awards at the presentation ceremony. (Bottom) The Waste Recycling Campaign in Housing Estates (Phase VII) is launched with a demonstration on how to use recycling bins.

Following the success of the housing estate campaign, the ECC introduced waste recycling initiatives in other places in Hong Kong. Recycling bins have been placed in 1 199 primary and secondary schools, with funding chiefly from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Since the launch of the scheme in 2000, almost every school in Hong Kong has been involved. Pre-schools are also joining the recycling drive. Miniature bins have been provided to 870 pre-schools to educate young children about separating waste, funded by the Zonta Club of the New Territories.

Community and green groups are also taking up the waste initiative by organising recycling for hard-to-reach places, such as villages and older neighbourhoods that are not organised in estates. Since 2001 $13.82 million from the government's Environment and Conservation Fund has been given to 24 community and green groups to organise more than 40 waste recovery projects. These groups are also organising recycling for items not covered by the housing estate campaign, such as inkjet toners, dry waste and food waste.

The success of the recycling programme has helped to show how community outreach can make a difference. Schools, housing estates and others have been given the means and support to recycle, and they are doing so in greater numbers than ever. Many of them have staff or residents who are now equipped with the skills to promote recycling and other environmental initiatives in their organisations. The EPD's and ECC's efforts to educate and train people, and reach out into the community, have taken time to make an impact, but they are bearing fruit. The onus for environmental protection has moved on from being the responsibility of the EPD, to one that everybody shares.

(Top left) Display panels being brought to housing estates, featuring tips on green living. (Top right) Pre-school pupils learn to use the waste recycling bins. (Bottom left) Children show great interest at the exhibition corner of products made from recycled materials. (Bottom right) EPD staff talk to a Mutual Aid Committee about environmental protection.

INVOLVING BUSINESS

 

(Top) The Hon Elsie Leung, GMB, JP, Secretary for Justice (centre), with other officiating guests at the launch of the 2003 Hong Kong Eco-Business Awards.

(Bottom) A Forum on Business Opportunities for SMEs in the Environmental Protection Industry is held during the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Festival 2003 to promote waste recycling and recovery to SMEs.

 

The Hong Kong Eco-Business Awards are held annually to recognise private sector efforts to green their operations. In 2003, 139 organisations entered the competition, which featured the categories of Green Office Award, Green Property Management Award (Private Housing) and Best Environmental Reporting Award. The Environmental Protection Festival was held in November and featured a forum on business opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises in the environmental protection industry, with a specific focus on promoting waste recovery and recycling. The use of rechargeable batteries was promoted in schools and the community, and an awards presentation was held for the Green Parent Contest, in which students wrote essays about their parents?environmental lifestyles. The contest received more than 1 400 entries and was sponsored by the AEON Education and Environment Fund.

ANNUAL CELEBRATIONS

Guests holding up their "green wishes" at World Environment Day 2003 celebrations.

Hong Kong holds two annual green celebrations, World Environment Day in June and the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Festival at the end of the year. World Environment Day was overshadowed by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), so activities were organised outdoors. The "Walking for a Green and Healthy Hong Kong" featured green trail walks along 31 different routes. About 100 000 people joined the event in 18 districts in Hong Kong.

The Environmental Protection Festival was held in November and featured a forum on business opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises in the environmental protection industry, with a specific focus on promoting waste recovery and recycling. The use of rechargeable batteries was promoted in schools and the community, and an awards presentation was held for the Green Parent Contest, in which students wrote essays about their parents?environmental lifestyles. The contest received more than 1 400 entries and was sponsored by the AEON Education and Environment Fund.

Looking Ahead

Continue to implement environmental education programmes to promote community involvement in waste reduction and recovery. Strengthen partnership programmes with professional associations and the private sector to encourage green practices. Foster various Environmental Protection Ambassador Programmes for students, youth groups, community groups and the property management sector. Broaden and fortify the Community Green Network through outreach programmes. Organise a broad range of education programmes and guided visits at the Environmental Resource Centres. Continue to produce environmental education materials for target groups. Collaborate with the State Environmental Protection Administration of China to organise a Nation-wide Environmental Competition for youths.