CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia can be considered the outreaching arm of CUHK in fostering green education and promoting carbon reduction in the community. The Go Green Community – Jockey Club Carbon Reduction Partnership Scheme sets out to make Hong Kong a better place by taking immediate, effective actions to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas (GHG) and to influence the values and behaviour of the public, in particular the future generations who are our hope for a sustainable future.

Through inviting schools and NGOs to join and assisting them to conduct carbon audit, implement environmental education and organize environmental activities, the Scheme aims to set up sustainability standards for Hong Kong schools and NGOs to gauge their performance and alter their behaviour for building a more sustainable environment in Hong Kong.

In its pilot phase 33 schools and seven NGOs became partners of Gaia. They participated in workshops, focus group meetings, sharing sessions and environment fairs. Carbon audits were carried to measure GHG emissions, and Low-carbon Leader Certificate Courses were organized for members to equip them with the know-how of carbon audit and skills in promoting and managing sustainability projects.

Last but not least, a Go Green Community Education Kit was produced to give practical knowledge on: causes of and challenges brought about by climate change; carbon footprint and carbon audit; and carbon reduction at the individual and community levels. It is available in both student and teacher editions, and is provided free to all schools in Hong Kong.

The pilot phase of the Scheme was completed with flying colours in mid-2014. One of the Scheme’s partners is Ng Yuk Secondary School, a pioneer in green education with a mission of educating environmentally responsible citizens for the future. Its many awards and recognitions in conservation matters are testimonies to the school’s philosophy and achievements.

Mr Chan Chai-yuen, one of the movers and shakers of Ng Yuk’s green initiatives, told Oceans & Sky, “Environmental protection is very much in the ethos of the school, on all levels and both inside and outside the classroom. For example, leftover food would be made into new dishes in the domestic science classes, and vegetables are grown on the roof. Recycling of old books, mooncake boxes and waste papers, to cite just a few examples, are recurrent events on the school calendar.”

At Ng Yuk, environmental issues are commonly found and integrated in most of the subjects such as Chinese, English and Liberal Studies. Students infuse their studies and activities with environmental awareness and efforts, learning and practising the English language while growing organic vegetables on the roof and creating art objects from recycled materials.

Mr Chan said, “Ng Yuk and the Go Green Community Scheme are born partners whose coming together has taken to a higher level the worthy work already done by each on its own. The tailor-made recommendations in the carbon audit report are a tremendous help to us in developing effective, target-oriented strategies for furthering our environmental efforts and reducing our carbon footprint. I am truly appreciative of the opportunity and the platform offered jointly by the Chinese University and the Jockey Club.”

The Go Green Community Scheme has now embarked on its second phase and has thus far recruited 17 schools and one NGO as new members. Together with the original members, they are expected in the near future to pass on the baton of carbon reduction and spread the environmental message farther and wider in the society at large.