Green Quest: Overseas and Local Sustainability Programme

 What is Green Quest (城林綠影) 
The Undergraduate Halls believes GREEN is a living style in striving for balance and aiming for economic, social, and environmental sustainability.  Green Quest is an annual programme organised by the Undergraduate Halls since 2014/15. It aims to enhance green awareness of HKBU students through local projects and overseas experiential tour. After the green journey, students share their experience from the programme and pass the green messages forward through student-initiated workshops/ activities. Green Quest in Chinese is 城林綠影, which literally means a quest for green shadows through the city jungle.

Programme Structure
Green Quest includes three components: Training, Experience (Local Project Internship / Overseas Tour) and Post Trip Sharing.

1. The Green Foundation
   A series of online and offline training provided by experts and professional organisations on green and sustainability topics. 
2. The Green Journey
   As highlight to the Green Quest, students will engage in local project internship / overseas tour. Through hands-on experience, students will develop new understandings to how green initiatives could be implemented into everyday life. Since 2020-21, students brainstorm and work in teams on local engagement projects guided by renowned supervisors and the Undergraduate Halls.
2. The Green Giving
   Green Questers, participants of Green Quest will share their experience and insights from the programme and pass the green message forward through student-initiated workshops/ activities (See Green Quester).

Green Quest Local Project Internship
The Undergraduate Halls (UGH) is recruiting Green Questers, student interns who are devoted to promoting green and sustainability in the Halls and in Hong Kong. Under the internship, students will work in small teams to brainstorm, prototype, test and implement green community projects with guidance from professional supervisors.  

Major Supervisors:
Dr. TANG Chin Cheung, Director of Environment Education of Ecobus (Hong Kong) Environmental Foundation
Mr. Eric WONG, Alpinist, Expedition Guide and Documentary Photographer, Co-found of Asia Youth Alpine Mentors Programme (AYAMP)
Mr. Jeffrey WONG, Registered Professional Town Planner, Council member of The Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP)

Other Supervisor:
Mr. Ken See-Ho CHING, an experienced ecological photography; senior trainer of environmental education and ecotourism; awardees of “Ten Outstanding Young Persons Selection 2006”; Founder and Director of “Eco-Education and Resources Centre”

Programme Design and Schedule:
1.   CCL Seminars by Supervisors > October
Responsible Adventure And Travel (13 Oct, 7pm-8:30pm, zoom)
By Mr. Eric WONG, Alpinist, Expedition Guide and Documentary Photographer, Co-found of Asia Youth Alpine Mentors Programme (AYAMP)
Creating A More Age-Friendly, Inclusive Community In Hong Kong - From The Perspective Of Urban Planning (18 Oct, 7pm- 8:30pm, zoom) 
By Mr. Jeffrey WONG, Registered Professional Town Planner, Council member of The Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP)
Challenges And Opportunities On Initiating Environmental Education In Hong Kong (20 Oct, 7pm-8:30pm, zoom)
By Dr. TANG Chin Cheung, Director of Environment Education of Ecobus (Hong Kong) Environmental Foundation

2.   CCL Project Management Workshop By Mr. Ken See -Ho CHING > 27 October, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
3.   Project Internship (incl. meeting with supervisor, planning and implementation of project)  > November 2022 to April 2023
Consultation hours with supervisor will be decided between the team and the supervisors when the teams are formed.
4.   Project Showcase > 13 April 2023, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Participants will present to the BU community on the project delivered or delivering.

Refundable Deposit:  HK$ 1,000 (fully refundable upon completion)
Recognition:  On successful completion of the 30-hour internship, participants will receive 1) a full refund, 2) a $750 allowance as supported by the Subsidised Internship Scheme, 3) a certificate and 4) CCL
Eligibility:  Open to all UGC-funded degree seeking Undergraduate students, with priority to Halls residents
Major Medium of Instruction:  English
[Extended] Application Deadline:  12 October 2022, 8am
Selection Interview:  11 -13 October 2022
REGISTER



About the Supervisors
1.      Dr. TANG Chin Cheung, Director of Environment Education of Ecobus (Hong Kong) Environmental Foundation
Dr. Tang received his PhD from The University of Hong Kong. His research interests include plant systematics, molecular phylogenetics, biogeography, ecology, environmental education and social-environmental relationship. He is passionate in promoting environmental education and social environmental campaigns. He is now the Director of Environment Education of Ecobus. He has been a lecturer in the School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University for four years. He was also elected to be a director in the Board of Directors of The Conservancy Association. Recently, he was appointed as a member of the Publicity Working Group of the Environmental Campaign Committee. 

 

Ecobus (Hong Kong) Environmental Foundation
Ecobus (Hong Kong) Environmental Foundation was registered as a tax-exempt charity in 2017. By undertaking and promoting environmental life education, we aim at fostering whole-person development of children and teenagers. Morality, intelligence, physical fitness, interpersonal relationship and aesthetic sense are five major aspects of nurture and development that we offer. As a young green NGO in Hong Kong, we have been devoted to environmental education in a multifaceted approach. We often integrate diverse elements (e.g. arts, culture and games) into our activities, aiming to provide holistic activity experience for participants.

2.      Mr. Eric WONG, Alpinist, Expedition Guide and Documentary Photographer, Co-found of Asia Youth Alpine Mentors Programme (AYAMP)
Mr. Eric Wong is an alpinist and documentary photographer from Hong Kong who specialises in landscape, mountaineering and wildlife photography in the Alps, Himalaya and Polar region.
In 2016, he became the first foreigner graduated in the Khumbu climbing centre and qualified as professional mountaineer with other local Sherpa climbers. In 2017 he started his climbing projects in various mountain ranges.
Eric started his Polar guide career with G Expedition in 2019. As a polar guide works in both the Arctic and Antarctica areas, the role requires plenty of outdoor expertise’s including kayaking, zodiac driving and route setting for scientists and guests.
Also as an documentary photographer, Eric’s works has been published in National Geographic, Leica Fotografie International Gallery Master Shot and several lifestyle travel magazines.

Asia Youth Alpine Mentors Programme (AYAMP)
ASIA YOUTH ALPINE MENTORS PROGRAM (AYAMP) programme is a non-profit programme for young people (aged 19-24) who aspire to become alpinists and polar explorers. The initiative promotes clean, lightweight, and low-impact climbing and exploration. Recently co-founded by the alpinist, polar research and expedition guide - Wilson (Wai Yin) Cheung and Eric (Sheung Keung Wong), an outdoor photographer and Polar expedition guide in Asia.
AYAMP connects seasoned alpinists with technically proficient young climbers who aspire to climb the world’s greatest mountains and facilitate further exploration in the frontier on our planets or beyond. AYAMP is a way for mentors to interact with younger, not-as experienced, climbers & explorer, who dedicated their lives to climbing mountains and exploring polar regions. This is where we can share that knowledge.

3.      Mr. Jeffrey WONG, Registered Professional Town Planner, Council member of The Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP) 
Mr. Jeffrey Wong is a registered professional town planner.  As the Council member of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP), Steering Committee Member of Walk DVRC and the Advisor of Hong Kong Public Space Initiative (HKPSI), he has been organising various community engagement and educational programmes to promote the value and importance of town planning and public space to all walks of life.  Together with other young passionate professionals, Mr. Wong founded LEAPS in 2015, a dedicated real estate and construction professional platform with a goal to generate innovative solutions to current land and housing as well as other social issues, leveraging their professional expertise and insight.  In 2017, he also became one of the Co-Curators of Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture (Hong Kong) focusing on the evolving mixed use developments in Hong Kong.

 

The Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP)
Formation of the HKIP was initiated in the mid-1970s.  In May 1991, the HKIP became a statutory body with the enactment of the HKIP Incorporation Ordinance 1991 by the Legislative Council.  The HKIP is recognised by all concerned local and overseas organisations as the professional planning institute representing the planning profession in Hong Kong.

The objectives of the HKIP are:

• to promote and safeguard development and the environment in Hong Kong in the best interests of the community;
• to raise the status and to safeguard the interests of the town planning profession and those engaged in it;
• to promote the community’s awareness of the contribution of town planning;
• to secure the confidence of the community in the professional qualifications of members of the Institute; and
• to promote co-operation and understanding with other institutes and associations with similar objectives.

 

 

Under the supervision of WWF-HK, student interns initiated and delivered three online local programmes to explore and promote green and sustainability in Hong Kong.

1) Simplycity (IG: @simplycity.hk)	2) ECO-friendly Trial	3) Waste Reduction Campaign (IG: @wrc_greenquest)

Sharing from interns:
... the Green Quest Programme has provided me an opportunity to learn more about how to educate and promote my beliefs in environmental conservation and also taking them into practice.

... the mentors’ training and supervision is very supportive. They suggested many ways for us in enhancing the activity. Their ideas also encouraged me to discover more related applications and activities, which has broadened my horizons.  

... the project taught me that "Every Small Action Counts." Before the project, I always thought that the most efficient approach to environmental conservation was to have a large impact on the entire world, but as the research progressed, I discovered that we might save the Earth's resources by gradually modifying our own behaviour... My action also encourages my family members to try supporting the local farming shops and changing their lifestyles to be minimalist. Although the process requires a lot of time, I am glad that I gained the opportunity to join the Green Quest Project and to bring changes to my family.

... Performing simple living gives me new insights and reflections on my lifestyle. I would definitely perform simple living and even be a minimalist in the future... I am now trying to have a vegetarian diet 2 days a week... my family is pleased to follow the diet with me. I also start deculturing and trying to minimise my stuff and my desire in purchasing.

...  I learned a lot from organising the Campaign. The programme has increased my knowledge, and drawn my attention on the plastic waste issues that we may neglect easily in Hong Kong.
... I gained a lot of insightful learning and experiences from the Green Quest: Local Project Internship, delivered a successful project for participants, and gained a great friendship from working with my fantastic teammates. The programme is a good present for giving me a wonderful memory before my graduation this year. A great thank you again!

Under the supervision of WWF-HK, student interns initiated and delivered three local programmes to explore and promote green and sustainability in Hong Kong.

1) Green Trail Quest	2) Upcycling Workshop: Coffee Ground Soap	3) Prototype design on Coastal Cleaning device

Sharing from interns:
… As a geography student, I already have some knowledge about environmental protections and green issues like plastic or food waste problems and sustainable development, therefore this internship allows me to put my knowledge into practice.

... This internship gave me a chance to experience how to organise an event… and polish my skills in many different aspects. This is a great opportunity for me and I did not regret participating in this programme!

… From the workshop, I learned the process of soap making and it reminded me that coffee grounds are also a food waste. I think it is easy for us to neglect some issues in daily life, if we don’t put enough attention. I am also inspired that no act is ever too small. All the small acts would be able to make great impact when they are summed up.

… The internship broadens my horizon and allows me to explore different green issues in Hong Kong that lead me to be more responsible to protect our environment.

… From now on, I would be more mindful whenever I go to beaches. I never realised that beaches could be habitats of fragile organisms. I would be more careful when making plans to go to beaches. I would also pledge to help clean beaches and invite more people to join.

… I found that I have the ability to explore different possibilities of career planning from this internship experience. Although I am not a biology student, I can still organise an eco-tour with the help of a partner. Most importantly, I understand the importance of goals. Until something is done, others will not understand why you are doing these things. However, if you create value for the idea, then people will support you …