Newsletter No. 15

CUHK Newsletter No. 15 Feb.1991 Wong Fook Yuen, the Centre for Environmental Studies was formerly established in December 1990. Until a permanent home is found, the centre is temporarily housed on the third floor of the Elizabeth Luce Moore Library of Chung Chi College, sharing office space w i t h the Department of Architecture. Organization The University has appointed Dr. Leung Yee as the director of the centre and has set up an executive committee to oversee its operation. Members of the committee include D r . Wo ng Po Keung (who also serves as the associate director of the centre) and Dr. Wong Chong K im of the Department of Biology, Dr. Wong Tze Wai of the Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dr. Lam K i n Che of the Department of Geography and Dr. Kelvin Chan of the Department of Pharmacology. A First in Hong Kong The centre now has a preliminary research core comprising some 20 University researchers from such diverse departments as biology, geography, c ommu n i ty and f am i l y med i c i ne, pharmacology, microbiology, anatomy, government and public administration, education, philosophy, information engineering, computer science, and electronic engineering. This is the first research institute in Hong Kong to draw on the experience and expertise of a multi-disciplinary team to tackle from a wide range of perspectives complicated environmental problems of the modern society. This is exactly where environmental sciences are heading. As Dr. Leung Yee points out, ‘Faced with a complicated andmore and more serious environmental situation, we can no longer study the problem from the perspective of a single discipline and tackle it from a single direction .' The centre invites and indeed treasures the participation of other academic staff members of the University who may be interested in environmental affairs. Research Focuses For the present, the work of the centre is focused on four areas: 1 . Technical analysis of wastes and the study of treatment methods. 2. Research on the health hazards of environmental pollution, and on environmentally-induced hygiene problems and their solutions. 3. The development of environmental monitoring and decision support systems to assist decision makers and administrators in formulating appropriate environmental protection strategy. 4. The development of education programmes to stimulate environmental awareness, and a data bank to facilitate the enactment of environmental laws and policies. Funding The Centre for Env i r onmen t al Studies aims at financial self-sufficiency. Support will be solicited from private organizations and foundations; income for operating expenses will also be generated through j o i nt research projects and consultancy services. Environmental Protection on the Campus Committee on Environmental Hygiene and the Environment Officer Two years ago many staff members complained about the roaming mosquitoes on the campus. At about the same time, the problem of climbing plants that endangered other trees was identified. In April 1988 ， a Committee for Environmental Hygiene was established by the University to oversee the overall environmental situation on the campus. The committee consists of 12 members, including college representatives, administrators, and representatives from the Buildings Office, the Health Centre, and the Departments of Biology and Geography. The University also recruited an environment officer to be responsible for the actual monitoring of the situation. The environment officer is required to frequent every narrow lane and obscure corner on the campus and to detect whatever might be harmful to the campus environment. The present incumbent is Mr. Choi Y i m Hong. Mr. Choi does not work alone. The Buildings Office is always there to support him whenever problems have been identified and remedial measures are required. In addition, Dr. Wilkin Cheung and Dr. Wong Po Keung of the Department of Biology serve as guest advisers, ready to lend a helping hand whenever Mr. Choi comes across difficulties. Scope of Task In principle, the environment officer is responsible for all environmental problems on the campus. In practice, due to limited manpower and the absence of really severe problems, Mr. Choi's work is mainly related to two major issues: water quality control and mosquito control. Other environmental affairs will be attended to as time permits Mr. Choi to do so. Colleagues who detect any environmental problems on the campus or would like to make suggestions for improvement may fill out a standard form and send it to Mr. Choi, or call him direct at Ext. 2379. Water Quality on the Campus M r . Choi maintains a constant monitoring system to ensure good water quality on the campus. Twice every month he visits 13 selected spots such as the Lily Pond and collects water samples for the analysis of colon bacilli level, oxygen content, and biochemical oxygen requirements, and for performing various experiments. During one such visit, the water quality of the streams near the Chung Chi Staff Club was found to be contaminated. 5