Merit: Green living is a shared responsibility we all need to take on
As Hong Kongers are increasingly aware of the need to ensure the supply of resources for the future generation, green living the latest trend of sustainable lifestyles in Hong Kong. To make it happen, everybody - corporations, schools and individuals - need to take part.
In an international city like Hong Kong, corporations expect profitable return in their operations. How can green strategies be thoroughly carried out by firms while achieving a win-win solution benefiting the community?
Mr Sunny Yeung, Executive Director of Sino Land Company Limited, believes in joint efforts and striking a balance between maximizing profits and upholding corporate social responsibility, particularly in maintaining a sustainable environment.
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“Can we do better than just putting green plants on the roof?”, he asks.
In celebrating the 10th anniversary of ‘Mission Green Top’, an innovative programme ‘Sino Green’ has been launched by Sino Land Company Limited. The programme combines urban farming and community engagement by bringing the less privileged together with the broader community to practise a green lifestyle through collective force. An organic farm was set up on the rooftop in a Sino’s commercial building in Kowloon Bay. The tenants of the building are welcome to sell their farm products to the community on a monthly basis. Through the ‘Adopt a Plant’ scheme, the company has been partnering with Hong Chi Association whose teams will take care the rooftop garden, while spreading the awareness of sustainable living among staff and the community. Other firms in Hong Kong have since followed their footstep and taken the programme as a model to promote green living in their offices.
Meanwhile, Sing Yin Secondary School, has also been carrying out the same mission.
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The first school in Hong Kong being named “The Greenest School on Earth” by the U.S. Green Building Council, the school campus boasts some amazing green technology.
Firstly, there are 768 pieces of solar panels in use to generate seven percent of the school electricity, of which 302 of them are transparent thin-film solar panels. They are implemented inside window glasses, acting as sun shades to block vigorous sunlight. Then, there is a school lift that can generate electricity. Students are encouraged to take the lift more, which can help reduce 42 percent of electricity annually. Other than the hardware, the school has launched many programmes to promote green living around the campus. For example, in 2012, there was a “Green School, Green Family” campaign to encourage students and parents to conduct energy saving activities at home, and take the message of green living back home.
More and more people are putting green living in action. What about you? What can you do to contribute to green living?