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(Press Release 10th June 2022) Exhibitions, conventions, recreational activities, social gatherings and sports events returned as the economy recovers. Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, The Green Earth launched its one-stop Green Event Resources Platform today providing information like planning tips for carbon-and-waste-light events, green venue recommendations and sustainable catering services to help the event industry run green events.

The platform’s launching ceremony was officiated by Mr. Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment, Mr. Bryan Wong, Head of Charities (Grant Making), The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr. Edwin Lau, Founder and Executive Director of The Green Earth (TGE), and two long-distance runners Christy Yiu Kit-ching and Chan Ka-ho.

TGE also opened its Earth Moments-A Rendezvous with Event Waste exhibition from today till 12 June at The Mills in Tsuen Wan. The exhibition features art works recreated with collected event waste including a huge wave made of 744 plastic bottles. The exhibition is free to the public.

TGE had great concerns about the huge amount of waste generated through events and started its Green Event Campaign in 2016 to provide environmental education, on-site recycling support and waste audit for all sorts of events like sports events and carnivals. It has provided support to more than 110 large-scale events, reached more than 660,000 people, saved more than 20 tonnes of items for reuse or recycling and started a green trend in the events industry which came to a standstill during the pandemic. The new programme, Jockey Club Events Go Green Programme, is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with new items including Green Event Resources Platform, Free Waste Reduction Support for Green Events and event volunteer training.

Events are expected to pop up as the pandemic eases. TGE founder Edwin Lau said, “I am worried that the pendulum of pandemic austerity will swing to revenge consumption with overindulgence in venue set-up, souvenir production and provision of disposables such as bottled water, disposable tableware and sanitary products.” It is with the aim to rekindle the zealot for green events that TGE launched its enhanced green event programme.

Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing said at the launching ceremony, “Big expositions need to change with the times and progress towards carbon neutrality. Green events can be more wondrous and edifying.” He reminisced about his days as an architect participating at the World’s Fair which is held every five years. The five-month long exposition was extravagant and created a huge amount of construction waste. Participating parties woke up to the call of Bringing Your Building Waste Away in the 2000 World’s Fair in Germany. He was impressed by the design of each country’s gallery which met the host’s demand for waste reduction and left the fair enlightened.

Wong was glad to see simplicity and environmental conservation the pursuit of the Tokyo Olympics and Beijing Winter Olympics. The games made it evident that exhilarating green events are achievable with a minimum of building needs.

TGE said Sustainable Events had become an unstoppable trend regardless of a halt of all events during the pandemic. Carbon neutrality was the goal set by the Tokyo Olympics. World Athletics announced compulsory implementation of sustainable elements in its games in April with a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Leaders of international events initiated Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The Pledge has received support from 230 parties of the event industry including event organisers, suppliers, convention and exhibition venue providers. Hong Kong parties include Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and local branches of the international companies.

The launching ceremony was graced by the ‘long-distance running couple’ Christy Yiu Kit-ching, champion of The 2021 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Women’s Marathon and who represented Hong Kong at the Olympic games and world championships, and Chan Ka-ho, champion of The 2021 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Men’s Half-Marathon and a running coach.

Christy acknowledged that she did not know how to deal with the cup-water providing for runners, which she found quite wasteful. The association she belonged once asked one organisation for plastic cup rental but found it unavoidable to transfer the cup rental and transportation fee to the runners to offset the cost. She asked the government to provide financial incentive to organisers providing reusable cups.

Chan Ka-ho recommended provision of edible water blobs which are blobs of water wrapped in a membrane made from seaweed extracts at running events to achieve zero-waste goal.

The running couple act on their green belief by bringing their own water bottles. They said they took part in running events if not to make their names but simply because they loved running.

New items added to Jockey Club Events Go Green Programme organised by TGE are as follows:

1. Green Event Resources Platform

● Plan “My Green Event”

TGE has provided green support for more than 110 events. Collaboration with various event organisers has taught TGE what a time-consuming and defeating experience it was for the organisers to plan green events alone, which resulted in their abandoning of green initiatives. Plan “My Green Event” provides free online consultation services. Organisers can help themselves to a free tailor-made green event plan listing step-by-step planning, reminders and available industry support by entering event specifics such as types of events, venue, event capacity, event content, etc.

● Green Event Procurement Search Engine

Event organisers can find all the service providers they need for the organisation of green events here. The information includes five categories: green event venues, event planning, catering services, other catering-related services, and green events. The search engine will be regularly updated with new categories to facilitate the location of green services for event organisers and help with the development of the green industry.

Service providers included in the search engine had pledged for the provision of specific waste and carbon reduction services.

2.Free Waste Reduction Support for Big Events

TGE provides free green support for charity events. Such free support includes advice, planning, environmental education and promotion support for work teams and participants, on-site recycling support, arrangements with reliable recyclers, and provision of review and report of green initiatives for the accomplishment of waste and carbon reduction.

3.Green Event Volunteer Training

Groups are welcome to contact TGE for free environmental training for volunteer groups. The training helps both with the implementation of green initiatives and an increased environmental awareness and knowledge.

Link to the published Green Event Resources Platform:https://greenevent.greenearth.org.hk/

Media enquiries:

Janet Yuen (Manager, The Green Earth) 37088380

Vivien Cheng (Director of Community Partnership, The Green Earth) 37088380