More than 700 housing estates and buildings support “World Environment Day 2013 – Love Food, Waste Not” Campaign
The following is issued on behalf of the Environmental Campaign Committee:
In support of World Environment Day (WED) 2013, over 700 housing estates and buildings have registered to organise various environmental activities with a focus on food waste reduction. Representatives of participating housing estates and buildings were invited to share their experience at the “World Environment Day 2013 – Love Food, Waste Not” publicity event held by the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) today (June 5) to commend their efforts.
Those officiating at the event at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill included the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing; the Chairman of the ECC, Mr Lam Chiu-ying; and representatives of supporting organisations, namely Hong Kong Housing Authority, Hong Kong Housing Society and Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies Limited.
Addressing the event, Mr Wong said Hong Kong’s daily per capita solid waste generation rate is high when compared to the rates of neighbouring cities at a similar level of development. Of this solid waste, 40 per cent is food waste. Noting that members of the public can put into practice food waste reduction at home, he pointed out that the recently launched Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign would promote food waste reduction in the territory through educational programmes, publicity activities and concerted efforts with different sectors.
The “World Environment Day 2013 – Love Food, Waste Not” Campaign is one of the signature events under the theme of “Fresh Hong Kong” of the “Hong Kong: Our Home” Campaign and aims to enlist support from housing estates as well as residential, commercial and industrial buildings to drive home the message of food waste reduction. The programme has been well received, with more than 700 housing estates and buildings signing up, which is double last year’s level of participation. Participating housing estates and buildings have organised environmental activities for residents or tenants, such as food donation, workshops on food waste recycling, exhibitions and carnivals.
During today’s event, representatives of three participating housing estates shared their experience in organising environmental activities and promoting food waste reduction. In addition, the organiser presented prizes to winners of the “World Environment Day 2013 – Love Food, Waste Not” Video Filming Competition and the ECC MTR Environmental Award for Schools 2013 Wallpaper Design Competition at the event. Winning entries were also on display at the venue together with exhibition panels and booths on food waste reduction.
About 50 Food Wise Ambassadors of the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, recruited to promote the message of treasuring food resources and minimising food waste in the community as well as at the corporate level, also joined today’s public event.
The United Nations has been celebrating WED on June 5 every year since 1972 to encourage worldwide efforts to protect the environment. The theme for this year is “Think.Eat.Save”.
Founded in 1990, the ECC aims to enhance public participation to protect the environment. It holds promotion events for WED every year and organises environmental programmes, including the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence, the Hong Kong Green School Awards and the Student Environmental Protection Ambassador Scheme. Information on WED activities is available at www.ecc.org.hk. For details of the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, please visit its dedicated website: www.foodwisehk.gov.hk/en.
Ends/Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:16
