Friends of the Earth (HK) Annual Report ࠗಋΔଈɾʤɀཌྷȹཌྷααం 2010 Room 1301-1302, 13/F, Block A, Sea View Estate, 2 Watson Road, Hong Kong ۩ࠗಋ˵ӯևϫ༞໔ࣵౡɣ෨$࢔ᅢ Tel: (852) 2528-5588 Fax: (852) 2529-2777 Email: [email protected] Website: wZZIRHRUJKN 2010 Friends of the Earth (HK) Annual Report 6WDIIᓻࡗ ࠗಋΔଈɾʤɀཌྷȹཌྷααం Director ᐢ෦ԑ EDWIN LAU ჳަቂ Development Manager ೕࢄ຤ଉ JANET FOK ፳๥შ Development Offi cer ೕࢄ˚ͨ CHLOE MOK ୣ̽з Who’s Who at LEO WONG ˔ࡼౣ Assistant Development Offi cer Хଉೕࢄ˚ͨ CONTENT Friends of the DAVID CHUNG ᒉነౣ ͌፣ Environmental Aff airs Manager ᏷ྊԑ৻຤ଉ HAHN CHU χ࿵ੜ Earth (HK) 0HVVDJHIURP WKH&KDLUSHUVRQRIWKH%RDUGRI*RYHUQRUV Senior Environmental Aff airs Offi cer ঢ়ज़᏷ྊԑ৻˚ͨ ᘆᖽ ໎ԑѫ˚࢐ ٮMICHELLE AU ਂാ ࠗಋΔଈɾʤιࡗ MERRIN PEARSE ၆ܱ THOMAS CHOI ᇞࡼ̵ WKH3DWURQ Environmental Aff airs Offi cer ᏷ྊԑ৻˚ͨ ΊᙷᖳХɁ CATHY CHAN ஹኮඔ %RDUGRI*RYHUQRUV SZELING CHENG ሲ܆ୋ WKH'LUHFWRU ໎ԑѫ CELIA FUNG ඟ໱ᗫ ᐢ෦ԑ Research Coordinator ޢӠ଻ᘐ CATHERINE LAU ჳܑз Chairperson ˚࢐ Project Manager ඖ͌຤ଉ MR ROBERT YOUNG ฦ̵ხͱ́ VIVIEN CHENG ሲ঎ጝ 0$-25:25.2) $LU Vice-chairperson ৹˚࢐ ࣩي Project Offi cer ඖ͌˚ͨ ɀཌྷȹཌྷα˚߬ɮА DR VIVIAN WONG ඡᖭౣ఍ᔢ́ QUINTINA HO Єඏփ Honorary Treasurer ࿘ᙷ̇࢒ ؀CAROL KWAN ᗐཽ MR STANLEY WONG ඡႩሣͱ́ (QHUJ\ ؀JANET YUEN ঠዷ Honorary Secretary ࿘ᙷो࣊ ॶ฻ קڥSAM YUEN ঠ MRS KAREN BARRETTO ཽ͉࠷ɤɡ Senior Accounts Offi cer ঢ়ज़ผ߮˚ͨ :DVWH CARRIE WONG ඡ֗ۜ ذMR DANIEL CHENG ሲʼᐱͱ́ ᄠ Administrative Offi cer Ϸܧ˚ͨ MR GEORGE COOMBS 0U*HRUJH&RRPEV DENISE KWOK ஬ዷ୥ MR FRED HO Єନᐊͱ́ China Project Manager ɻਝඖ͌˚ͨ :DWHU ᖭૠᄐɤɡټ MRS ASTOR KAM YUAN SHUWEN ঠૠʼ ˋ PROF FREDERICK LEE ң๒ଽઠ઒ China Project Offi cer ɻਝඖ͌Хଉ PROF CARLOS W. H. LO ያ̷ᒤઠ઒ FRANKIE CHOI ᇞ͓ቂ MRS MEI NG дʿॐᑈɤɡ REBECCA LI ңԙ 2QJRLQJ*UHHQ3URMHFWV PROF NORA TAM ᖭუშઠ઒ ඖ͌ړChina Project Assistant ɻਝඖ͌Хଉ ੒உ᏷ CHEN ZHIQIANG ஹҁੜ Patron ΊᙷᖳХɁ HUGO CHENG ሲ፦ม JUSTICE HENRY LITTON ईᛷ࠷ؒւ 2WKHU0RYHPHQWV China Liaison Offi cer ɻਝᐲ೼˚ͨ ԯˢ৽ྸ CHEN YING ஹߜ WEN WEI ʼ৩ %HD)ULHQGRIWKH(DUWK ၤΔଈݯʤ )LQDQFLDO2YHUYLHZ ลᙴܧɀཌྷȹཌྷαα۹ল $FNQRZOHGJHPHQW სᑢ Message from... FRIENDS OF THE EARTH(HK) ANNUAL REPORT 03 ᘆᖽ ࠗಋΔଈɾʤαం Message from the Chairperson of the Board of Governors ໎ԑѫ˚࢐ᘆᖽ ˞c༅฻ʥਿพֲ͛੡ّܛϤᐿ̜ؿɮАeԞαc̯ผ౨શॶτҡΛؿʻٽ ڳᙔʨӎcޑኝಲಕeᒖಳˀ̯˦̎ؿɣΔቊ՗ࣵᄄܥLast year, in my Chairperson’s message, I outlined the environmental challenges which we face in the world today, ȹα༦˾cɣࡼࠍྦྷؿ ΔܰЄ೩ಠɩ՗ ׅࢄcᘗᙩ൬үeྦྷޚand that we will have to respond with better resolve, energy, as well as more resources. Σ๫፾౵௦ঁйേ˖ɁcɣϬಳ᛹ɁؿवᕝɈc˞ʥɁᗘ ॶ฻ؿྦྷכzzˮܯ࣏ཋᄥೕ́ؿᕶݴcɖಲੱΔ్͐ȿɁᗘؿ෭܃ॲ࢕eΔቊ One year on, the environmental challenges are no less daunting. While the earthquake and tsunami in Sendai, c҈ᔄϊዀผΛᑢͲ᛽ࡗɮЦɈɺኜcΈ໎ԑѫιࡗؿҙɃ՗ֻኪcᑹτ܃௖ Japan, were caused by natural forces, they do however prove to be a powerful reminder of how devastating such ಲᆯ჏ॗc҈ࠨ௄ੀಲؒ෱ཫؿӎᗒ΀ዀᅶᔀΕԅːɺᖇցؿΔቊ੓ɐeɁᗘ c˞ʥԯˢ၆ϳ྆᛽ؿ਄ܛࠨؿผࡗdຮɮ՗ͬพ (DUWK 3DUWQHU ؿ᎖᎖ʻ҈ ຒॶhڈforces can be, and how powerless we, as humans, are in confronting such forces of nature. And the explosion of ྦྷޫҌؿԗፆcঢ়ЅԯΪͲೡ۹c˘ȹϤʹΔcᜑɣࡼ᛽ผԷޫҌԎ ᙩೕࢄϤኍ৞eܛ˿the nuclear power plants in the aftermath of the quake should also serve as a grim reminder of human folly: in our ၤcݯΔଈؿ ࠧ೽Ϭɯ੓ԞடೌߕᗒeܯɖȹϤʹΔcɁᗘؿ෭ insatiable appetite for energy consumption, we are putting potentially unimaginably destructive forces on such unstable and earthquake-prone areas. We put our faith in technology to keep us safe, but time and again, we have ฦ̵ხ ΪͲcɺ༦ʋಳਐᕀ୮୮eΔଈ຤ዃყຒαcɷੀ৽ྦྷޚseen that technology cannot be fail-safe. Time and again, our own folly have brought about massive suff erings. ඨ଻ؿዝ๏ೕཋᒖಳ ࠗಋΔଈɾʤ˚࢐ ࣱ३ȿ൚༦˸ᅕڏ᛽ᔝʝι๏d͏ؖ՗ʨಳࣩcЎɁᗘඩ͂ȹϛ቗αۯؿذ౺ The traditional alternative of fossil fuels also provides little room for comfort. It has taken Mother Earth hundreds ʝ͏ዝࢿcଐ́ใ۩ࣩ᛽cҡݯɁᗘؿ́Φ੓Ԟᗒ˞෱ཫؿۤ९eᒖಳʪඈd of millions of years to build up our fossil fuels reserve by turning dead plants and animals into the coal, oil and gas deposits around the world, but it has only taken us little more than a century to turn more than half of these deposits ࠓdᅸϒ೩ᅳ૱ؿ˿ʹ́ॶ฻ݯ҈ࠨ੓ԞѴશcЎߗ߬С͂˿ʹ́ॶ฻ԞొԜ ౧ˤؿʿ࣐eڈcᛷಳʋٽinto the greenhouse gases which, in turn, pose hitherto unimaginable dangers to our very existence. Although ȹցೡ۹ؿዝࢿˈԝc༏பʋಳ࿾ renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and tidal waves are clean and do off er hope for the future, there is still a long way from being able to supply them as a meaningful fraction of our energy needs. So this is clearly an ቱဳࠗಋΔଈɾʤɁɈτࠉcЎʋေသֺॶ࠮ኒɣࡼಕʭྦྷΔଈؿवᕝeɮАؿ unsustainable path that we are taking. ࣏ʶcగܰ߬ొ࠮ҡ૜ᅳdҡᓯ޸ؿ́ݠᅡβiಕᄠdʹ͂dʹ́dʥʹ஥e FoE (HK) is a small voice in this world today, but we must use this small voice to advocate reduction of our impact on this planet. Accordingly, the main thrust of our eff orts have been to promote cleaner and leaner living: to reduce, ༦˾ȹαc̯ผᐲ΃ʔͳਿพᐲ๷ొˮȹӡͶʿ࣐c࠮ᘪࠗಋΕɊαʑྡྷଊҰ re-use, regenerate, and recycle. ܪؿʿ࣐d੣฻፾ಕʭᄡ቗ؿઉذᑷЛႇ஥ᄠܢ˳ᘪۺ൴ಕʭኀeذˀᄠ ௩ؿܰc؀೩eܛؿʻވԝΣಕʭඨ଻ɻβඝࡽപ௰ؿͫ൴ cʥ˱ੜྦྷΑνพ In the past year, FoE (HK), together with the Professional Commons, has come up with proposals to help HK to ᛽dነّ೩c౨྆ړผᘪࡗd᏷͓ؒܢ˳cܛreduce daily waste by 6,000 tonnes in 10 years. The proposals included the adoption of waste avoidance policy ʿ࣐ొˮඩȹܱ౨cɰᏵΈʿʻ measures, tackling food waste at source (such as cutting down on the number of dishes on lavish Chinese Message from eذ൬ࠗಋभ̳ಕʭႇ஥ᄠڔႩॶٽશ banquets), and to provide more support to the recycling industry. We were delighted that, within just one week, many parties – including legislators, green groups and academics also voiced their support, which hopefully will the patron ˂cȹଠ਄˱ّΕࡧտ௖ᆅؿɍ࠯ٽᙩᄈܛੴཋˈᑩؿຝॶιᐜα⠇ك .lead to a meaningful reduction of waste production in the long run ಕʭખ൚༦ʔኀؿɀ࣪ʝဧeϾΩୂכ೩ޚ൚༦ຒ۹ཋcޘ΋Ɉຝ The energy-saving project “Power Smart” continued to grow in 2010, achieving a saving of over 23 million kWh ຝॶɺ௰τСҝഁ᏷ྊcҡॶעཋ༩۹cಕఝ൚༦eുޘ߶ࡼ࢓ڥɾ of electricity during the three hottest summer months, which means a reduction of over 16,000 tonnes in CO2 ΊᙷᖳХɁᘆᖽ ፠eټޘemissions. The top household category winner saved over 1,500 Kwh of electricity in three months and achieved ྡྷ჌Δຝ a saving of over 56%, thus proving that saving energy not only helps the environment, but also helps to bring real Earthquake in New Zealand, tsunami in Japan, fl ooding in Thailand are just three of savings to the family budget. ,ࣩሔॖྦྷʔଠ৪੖࿚ιᗲࠇۤ९e҈ࠨɺ the recent events which remind us how the forces of nature can, with a mere shrugيࣩሔॖ̯ܰผ̊ȹ࠯ኝ௿e༏ᖾي ؿʿβ஢ү૭Ҽ˚߬ᄠࣩԞ฻ؿᓿβࣜؖӹሤe˥Ɂܪc˞சೝ࠹֚ܧᒾ༝႓ Air quality is another battle ground of FoE (HK). Roadside air pollution is a serious threat to public health. We overwhelm the eff orts of mankind. ޚϭʌʋ̰֚ܧɰѧιcکȹαכᅟؿʔଠጺ໺ξܞࣩሔॖيhave continued our eff orts to lobby the government to use the carrot-and-stick approach to phase out old diesel ̖શؿܰcቱဳ ᅟe҈ࠨҡΉ͇േਿࡗʔອҙേ᏷ At the heart of every community there lies a reverence for nature. This reverence canܞvehicles which are the worst polluters. We remain disappointed that, although the public consultation on Air Quality ᎶҡณcʦᜮΛᅕਝࡼξɰઔ͂༖ᗲࣟؿ Objectives (AQO) review was completed a year ago, the government has still not renewed Hong Kong’s obsolete be expressed in many forms. Programmes to combat the eff ect of climate change, c˞ҝഁܪՅҡΛྡྷ჌ઉج༠ɺ࿶eΕ̰Ԟȹαc҈ࠨผᘗᙩٲྊѫؿ̖ᓻc AQO standards to the more stringent modern standards, which have been adopted in most countries. We even of environmental degradation, and of human waste, are simply manifestations of a ࣩሔॖeيunderlined our disappointment by fi ling a complaint to the Ombudsman to probe into the Environment Bureau’s ༏ᖾʥ۩ʑؿ deeper truth: That we stand in mystical awe of the forces of nature. delay in pursuing this matter. In the year ahead, we will continue to call for more concrete steps to improve roadside ፖፖ̰గཋኂʥཋɥஉௐ́ଐّஐͨԹొ֚ܧair quality as well as indoor air quality. Ετݓཋɥ՟ёʿࠍcࠗಋ It is my perception that this life-force drives the eff ort of all the staff of FoE (HK), τᗐؒܪα˂ˀ঴ྡྷכɰ֚ܧ੒̖શeɻਝڈˮ͓ؒউ࣐c˥҈ࠨ On toxic electronic waste, we are also disappointed that Hong Kong is even lagging behind the Mainland in of the Board of Governors of FoE (HK) and the volunteers of FoE (HK). I take this .ɻ opportunity to salute them all, and to thank them for their eff ortsכ܃ʋΕদሃૃສdΑνd୮ଉؿஐͨሂᙔc˥̯ಋႩႩໃ֚ܧenacting Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) legislation. China’s WEEE legislation went into eff ect on ˥cЎࠗಋ st 1 January 2011, while Hong Kong is still debating who should shoulder the responsibility of disposal, collection ਝʑΔeΐϊc̯ผΕα˂˚৽ઐˮӪʶΑν޸௃ི߮cՓᝑΈވ and recycling of electronic waste. FoE (HK) has therefore taken the initiative to launch a “Conscientious Recycling ဟဳؿዀ࿚ѢഁΑν୮ଉeི߮ઐˮඩȹ࠯˂cɰτ Henry Litton, GBM֚ܧ͚ʀՇۂੀᓿཋɥଐ Charter” in September 2010, aiming to encourage and facilitate the public to send their electronic waste to proper (ʔӝᏪ۰ߠdਆ෨ʥͬพᖋອ޸௃e Patron, Friends of the Earth (HKܢ˳collection points under government monitoring for recycling. I am happy to report that just in the fi rst month, over ൚༦࠯௰Ͻc 500 public and private residential estates and commercial properties have signed the charter. ᘬፚޑณϹᙬΔቊdˀ̯ࣵᄄd࣮ਝˋӎ೩ܢ˳౨ೕ́ؿԯɻడ࠯ԑͧٶ ˱ඖ͌cΊ਄ٴȹαȹ۹ؿ၆யͱቂ౺ኹݠ৽ᘗᙩιݯԯɻȹ࠯Շᚭ The annual “Tree Planting Challenge” remains one of the most popular projects for FoE (HK), with 760 participants ฻ ˖ɁcɣϬಳؿۤɈΛფੜɣcΔଈᐳȹᐳ٘గॶ࿉าɁᗘЦɈؿι׮e܆ˋc̯ผඝٱࠁயʔ්΋ɈိɎȿ౱ኹߛeαپےΕّ planting 10,000 seedlings in Shing Mun Country Park in 2010. In the Xunwu village in Jiangxi where the Dongjiang ఖउጊ׭ϐ฻፾cʥΕ๫ΔҦ̵՗ነ́ԾХɎc΃ᅚိɎޘϐϹכRiver originates, FoE (HK) has planted another 10,000 tree seedlings in early 2010 with villagers and students in the ඖ͌ɖΕϽ ଊٲɣϬಳആಳ঴ฑeɣࡼ஦༦ɺ΃ʿβྦྷޑະcড়ɥ໧مɺሃͨЄȹ࠯ ՗ါήپణֺˀc̯ผᐲ΃ᄤήd׭ଢ଼d෨ވ˖area. Another water campaign to save water took place as part of “World Toilet Day”, when FoE (HK) partnered with ࣡ኹߛeϊ̔cΕ ೩೩cذNGOs from Guangzhou, Dongguan, Xiamen and Fuzhou to investigate leakages from water taps in public toilets ˮԞcᇽΣྦྷҊࣩ࠰ᛰʝdҝഁ᏷ྊਐᕀd୮ଉɁᗘଐ́ؿᄠ ؿ̵ං྆᛽ȹ঴ሁ݅ɻਝʑΔ՗ࠗಋؿʔణˋ௹࿳ˋੱؗcݠ৽мʵȿΛΊ ԅٖಲѼؿۤɈ˥ɁᗘވiϬಳޚȿȹ࠯ҡ૯ᄙؿभܮboth in the Mainland and in Hong Kong.