Green Connections progress report 1st July – 9th August 2012 Prepared by Sisi Liu [email protected] ; Reviewed by Robert Gibson [email protected] Date: 9 AUG 2012 Summary: Green Connections started in July 2012 with the recruitment of Sisi Liu, a Research Assistant reporting to Robert Gibson and working as ‘Green Connections Facilitator’. It is an initiative to connect members of the CityU community who are interested in addressing environmental and sustainability issues and problems. The connections are with each other, with sources of information and with environmentally concerned parties outside CityU including NGOs, Businesses, government organizations and other Universities. Green Connections activity up to 9 th August: 1. Contacting CityU offices, departments and societies to determine how to work well together and then agreeing a ‘Mission Statement’ (see attachment) for Green Connections with them. Offices contacted include: CDFO, CIAO, EDGE, EPS, Office of VPRT, SDS and the City Youth Empowerment Project (CYEP) for volunteer services 2. Facilitate Environmental Protection Society making a proposal for Satish Kumar’s to talk at CityU on 2 December 2012 o Connection is made with Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Gardens (KFBG). o A proposal for this event is submitted to KFBG. o Connect EPS with Joint-University Environmental Protection Forum to further promote the event. 3. Establish link between CYEP and Tenghoi Conservation Organization for volunteer service projects o 11 AUG 2012, Tenghoi will run its Carbon Trade Game for CYEP’s Environmental Protection Workshop for newly immigrated youth. o 28 AUG 2012, 8 CYEP volunteers will help Tenghoi run its Carbon Trade Game training for 120 staff members of Baptist University Affiliated School (Shek Mun) o 30 AUG 2012, 3 CYEP volunteers will help Tenghoi run a Carbon Trade Game Session for business leaders at The Third Experiential Learning and Development Conference. 4. Plan Green Connections website (www6.cityu.edu.hk/greenconnections) which is expected to be online in September. The website will include news, sustainability@cityU, Green Knowledge and Get Involved sections. It is designed to complement CityU’s Green Web and CDFO’s coverage of the environmental performance of CityU’s campus. 5. Planet Room (G313 AC2): Planet Room is provided by SDS for student societies working on environmental issues. SDS has agreed to Green Connections ‘hosting’ the Planet Room to help and encourage student environment projects and activities. The Planet Room will have a small section of books and videos where students can borrow and will encourage students to access more of this material from the CityU library. The first batch of books and videos will be ready by September. In addition, projector and screen has been ordered by SDS and will be installed in August. 6. Student Registration Day: Green Connections put its poster with QR code linked to Green Connections’ Facebook page at the Environmental Protection Society’s recruitment booth. Green Connections e xternal contacts made and potential projects identified: 1. Tenghoi Conservation Group- Carbon Trade Game : Internship and volunteers, game session to student societies, possible to introduce to certain courses. 2. Business Environment Council: various of environment events, internships and volunteers 3. Civic-Exchange: environment events and activities, internships, student researches and projects (e.g. Walkability project) 4. FeedingHK: Food bank volunteers 5. WWF: various of activities and information 6. Eco-Vision: plastic clean up projects 7. KFBG-Film show: host film show and debriefing session on CityU campus August-September Work Plan: 1. Establish Green Connections Website 2. Develop partnership with external contacts listed in the previous section 3. Support the CYEP and Tenghoi Carbon Trade Game partnership 4. Develop programme of ‘ Green Connections Events’ and hold first one. 5. Follow up with EPS for Satish Kumar Talk and Film show possibilities 6. Develop CYEP HK Cleanup volunteer session in face of Plastic Disaster due to Typhoon last month.