Environmental Education in LTFC

Environmental Education in LTFC 環保教育
LS Forum (1): Sustainable Development in Hong Kong 可持續發展

In Hong Kong, the Chief Executive made it clear in his 1999 Policy Address our endeavour to building Hong Kong into a world-class city and making Hong Kong a clean, comfortable and pleasant home would require a fundamental change of mindset. Every citizen, every business, every Government Department and Bureau needs to start working in partnership to achieve sustainable development.
Let』s find out the updated news from the following link:

http://www.susdev.gov.hk/html/en/sd/index.htm
http://www.susdev.gov.hk/html/en/su/20051214sdhk.pdf
http://www.rec.org/REC/Programs/SustainableCities/

Question: What are the ways to turn Hong Kong into a sustainable city?

LS Forum (2) --- No Air-Con Day in LTFC 無冷氣日

Imagine it's a hot summer day, and there is no air-conditioning. It might be hard to bear, but if you knew how much damage air-conditioning does to the environment, you would not grumble.

On June 1, over a hundred schools in Hong Kong will switch off their air-conditioners in support of the No Air-Con Day Campaign organised by non-profit environmental group Footprint.

The campaign aims to raise students' awareness of the relationship between fossil fuel - including coal which generates electricity - and the greenhouse effect, which leads to serious environmental damage.

According to a study conducted by Footprint, about 96,000 kilowatts of electricity is needed to generate air-conditioning for 100 schools for a day.

In the process, 60 tonnes of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere.

It will take 17 months for a forest the size of a soccer pitch to absorb that amount of carbon dioxide. Over the past 10 years, the average global temperature has risen from 22.9 to 23.3 degrees Celsius. Six of the seven hottest years in Hong Kong were recorded after 1990. And global warming is causing polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise.

In 2001, Tuvalu - a tiny island chain on the Pacific Ocean - warned that it could become the first victim of climate change and disappear under the waves.

Tuvalu - 26 square kilometres of land scattered over nine atolls - is home to 11,500 people. None of the atolls is more than 4.5 metres above sea level. Already, half of Tuvalu's population has moved to New Zealand. The rest are keen to pack up and go before the dire prediction comes true.

It is time to take action to save the Earth before it is too late.

Of all the electrical appliances used in schools, why did Footprint pick air-conditioners?

'Air-conditioners consume the largest amount of electricity - about 60 per cent of total consumption,' said Ho Ka-po of Footprint.

'Air-conditioners are switched on even when it's not very hot. They are what we call 'selfish' electrical appliances. While you are enjoying the cool air indoors, hot air is being emitted to the street.'

For more information on the No Air-Con Day Campaign, visit www.footprint.org.hk.

環保教育 – 無冷氣日 (School circular issued on Friday, 7th May 2010)

為響應環保機構「自然足印」的呼籲，本校將於6 月1 日上午8:00 至10:40 關掉所有房間之冷氣（圖書館及電腦室則可豁免，但須將冷氣溫度調節至攝氏25.5 度以上或關掉其中一部冷氣機）。該活動的目的是希望讓同學感受能源短缺的生活，反思如何正面享受貼近自然的生活方式，以行動向公眾證明同學節約能源的決心，對社會大眾負起示範作用。希望得到家長支持，勉勵同學能以持久忍耐的態度，積極參與此次活動。

Newspaper Clippings
「無冷氣日」省19萬電費
2008-6-3

【大公報訊】第五屆「無冷氣日」有三百零三所中小學響應，今年有超過二十萬名師生參與推動環保，僅一日便減少排放一百三十三公噸二氧化碳，節省電費逾十九萬元，突破歷屆紀錄。
環保教育團體自然足印昨天舉辦「無冷氣日」，呼籲全港學校和市民停開冷氣一天，以行動減低溫室效應及減少不必要的能源浪費。今年參加的三百零三所學校中，包括了天主教善導小學、博愛醫院鄧佩瓊紀念中學和孔聖堂中學，共逾二十萬名師生參與，突破歷屆紀錄。
「無冷氣日」昨在天主教善導小學舉行開幕儀式，「無冷氣日」籌委會主席郭穎暉在活動致辭時說，冷氣耗電佔本港夏季用電量超過五成，排放大量二氧化碳。第五屆無冷氣日以「低碳生活」為主題，希望市民和青少年從日常生活開始節約能源。他表示，活動為全港學校減少十九萬度用電量、一百三十三公噸的二氧化碳排放，以及節省電費逾十九萬元。
參與「無冷氣日」的天主教善導小學師生表示，天氣陰涼，不擔心無冷氣會影響上課，「我們支持環保，開風扇代替冷氣。」為響應環保，天主教善導小學還在校內開設再生能源發電機、天台花園及有機耕種等，讓學生感受綠色生活。

環保教育團體自然足印公佈調查結果， 67間回應中小學約有 65%在氣溫 25℃更低時開冷氣，有學校甚至在 20℃度便開冷氣。

自然足印今年一至二月，發出傳真給約 1,000間中小學，但只有 67間學校作出回應。當中約 65%表示課室氣溫低於 25℃或以下已開冷氣，低於政府建議的 25.5℃。

自然足印今年六月一日推行無冷氣日，初步有逾 100間中小學響應。該組織今年更推出識用冷氣計劃，希望中小學提高節能標準，當課室溫度達到 28℃時才開冷氣。

自然足印指， 28℃才開冷氣，相對 25℃便開冷氣，估計可額外節省 31個上課天，約 30,000度電力能源。

全港約 100間學校參加 28℃才開冷氣計劃，每年可節省約 300萬度電力，同時減少 2,000噸二氧化碳排放。相當於 3個維多利亞公園(50個足球場)面積的樹林以 1年時間吸收量。