GO!
Jan 2015
Green Office Programme (GO!) Phase 3 launch ceremony and briefing session officiated by Associate Vice-President Prof. Fung Tung

Green Office Programme Turns Mandatory and 1000th Green Buddy is Born

Phase 3 of the Green Office Programme (GO!), which marks the mandatory participation in 'GO!' by all CUHK offices, was successfully launched on 17 November 2014. Seventy-six administrative, academic and research offices joined the programme, bringing the total number to 182.

'GO!' is a platform for the University to promote, support and acknowledge the green practices of its offices. All participating offices are required to nominate a 'GO!' Contact Person who will liaise with the programme and disseminate information to other members of the office. 'GO!' promotes various simple green actions in four priority areas: energy conservation, waste reduction, green purchasing and awareness and engagement, and requires participating offices to fulfil at least half of these action items listed in a 'GO! Checklist'. Prior to 2014, CUHK offices were invited to join 'GO!' on a voluntary basis. Starting from 2014, participation is mandatory for all CUHK offices, in accordance with the University's medium-term sustainability goals set by the Administrative and Planning Committee (AAPC).

At the launch ceremony and briefing session held at Yasumoto International Academic Park, Associate Vice-President Professor Fung Tung welcomed the 'GO!' Contact Persons and introduced the vision of 'GO!': 'Awareness brings behavioural and cultural changes,' he said. 'Support from offices, by adopting green practices, is a must for the University's sustainability initiatives to succeed. As our "GO!" Contact Persons, you will all play an important role in helping to make CUHK and the world a better place.'

Flora Lee, Sustainability Officer of the Campus Planning and Sustainability Office, also shared guidelines and tips on implementing action items on the 'GO! Checklist'.

Mandatory participation of all CUHK offices in the Programme is an important step forward that will facilitate implementation of many campus-wide initiatives, such as institutionalizing the purchase of 100% recycled paper, collection of campus-wide paper use figures, and banning single-serving bottled water at indoor events.

For more information on the Green Office Programme (GO!), visit www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpso/go!/gop.html

Introduction of the Green Office Programme (GO!) to representatives of new member offices

'CU Green Buddies' Scheme Welcomes 1000th Member

Associate Vice-President Prof. Fung Tung presents a special souvenir to Ms. Flora Lo, the 1000th CU Green Buddy

The 'CU Green Buddies' Scheme, a programme under the Green Office Programme (GO!) that targets individual students and staff as agents of change, also reached a milestone by recruiting its 1000th member in October 2014, less than a year since its launch in November 2013. Members of 'CU Green Buddies' pledge to carry out six simple green actions in their daily lives and set an example for their friends, relatives and coworkers.

The 1000th 'CU Green Buddy', Ms. Flora Lo of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, was invited to share her ideas on green living.

When leaving a room, I switch off equipment like lights, the computer monitor and the printer where possible. Switching off the monitor, in my opinion, is particularly important because people tend to forget it needs to be turned off separately from the computer. In my office, it is standard practice for us to switch off the lights and computers when we leave in the evening, so it is not too difficult to carry out the green actions of 'CU Green Buddies' in my daily life.

Occasionally, I take the stairs from the ground floor to my office on the 9th floor when I go to work in the morning. It takes just a few minutes' extra time and is not too strenuous if I take my time. I don't drive, so I use the public transport to get around. I live close to the hospital, so once or twice a week, I jog home along the Shing Mun River. It is a 5 to 7 km jog and takes a little over an hour to complete. Though it may not be much, I hope it can help cut carbon emissions and inspire people around me to think of positive actions they can take in their own lives. The exercise is certainly beneficial to health!

I usually bring my own lunch so I seldom need to eat out. On the rare occasion that I visit the canteen near our office in the Prince of Wales Hospital, I ask for 'less rice' when placing my order and sometimes share a meal with a colleague.

To keep the use of disposables to a minimum, I have a set of reusable cutlery at the office for use at meals and try to bring my own water bottle whenever I go out to exercise.

In the office, I try to reuse paper that has text on only one side where possible. Our office has a practice of collecting non-confidential waste paper for colleagues to reuse as drafting paper.

The six actions of the 'CU Green Buddies' pledge are:
  1. Whenever possible, I will power off electrical appliances/equipment that will remain idle when I leave a room.
  2. I will use the stairs to walk up one floor or down two floors whenever I can.
  3. I will try my best to avoid wasting food, such as by requesting less rice at canteens.
  4. I will try my best to avoid using disposable containers, such as by bringing my own water bottle to events, or by supplying my own cup and lunchbox when buying takeaway.
  5. I will walk to cover short distances on campus instead of driving or taking the school bus whenever possible.
  6. I will minimize waste generation by practising the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.

For more information on the 'CU Green Buddies' Scheme, go to www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpso/go!/cu-green-buddies.html

 

The Sustainable Campus e-newsletter is published by the Information Services Office and the Campus Planning and Sustainability Office, CUHK.