The YEA participants attended a full-day design thinking course on 29 July, where they learnt valuable and comprehensive skills on how to design and manage a project. In the morning, our design thinking course trainer, Aki, introduced the concept of design thinking to the participants, and they did a design thinking sprint together. The four phases of design thinking were explored: empathy, define, ideate, and prototype. The students spent time learning the concept of empathy through a fun exercise to gather information and emotions on the pain points of their target audience. Then, they presented to the other groups on their craziest, most beloved, most inefficient, and most reasonable solutions to conceptualise the phases of ideate and prototype. In the afternoon, the students continued their journey of design thinking. The concept of pain point was reiterated, which prompted the students to rethink why a certain action is taken by a group of people, the processes that led to such action, and how to choose which part of the process they should focus their solutions on. They learned different types of observation and how they can gather information through various means, such as interviews and questionnaires. We look forward to seeing the project ideas from students generated using the design thinking skills they learned on the day.

On 30 July, our YEA attendees had a site visit to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, guided by Professor Arthur Lau, the Associate Professor of the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST. During the visit to HKUST’s central cooling system, our attendees learned about the use of heat pumps to generate electricity, which is several times more efficient than conventional methods. The system repurposes the heat generated to boil hot water for showers within the university, demonstrating over 20 years of sustainable operation with 9 chillers. This advanced system uses eco-friendly refrigerants that are safe, non-flammable, and have a low global warming potential, making them third-generation refrigerants. Following this, our YEAs participated in the Personal Footprint Workshop, where they explored both water and personal carbon footprints. The median carbon footprint per person in Hong Kong is 3.9 tonnes, highlighting the need for individual action towards sustainability. We were then introduced to the Smart Sustainable Campus at HKUST, featuring cutting-edge technologies such as an AI tray detection system to monitor food waste, a WELL water spring, and an aquaponics system at the university. The campus also boasts EV charging stations, smart parking system and a significant solar panel installation, second only to Hong Kong Disneyland. This field trip provided our YEAs with invaluable insights into sustainable practices that drive HKUST’s commitment to environmental stewardship. A big thank you to HKUST for hosting us and sharing their inspiring initiatives!

On 24 July, our YEA attendees visited the WEEE · Park, a waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling facility located in Tuen Mun’s Ecopark. We were given a tour of the recycling facility, which spans 3 hectares (roughly the size of four football pitches!) and is 30% covered by greenery. We had the privilege of observing the behind-the-scenes of WEEE ·Park’s recycling processes, from the unloading stage to the sorting of extracted materials such as iron, aluminium, copper, and plastic. During the tour, our attendees learned about the WEEE · Park’s services, which are split into three different stages: Recycling, Collect, and Detoxify and Dismantle. The park operates four recycling lines to accommodate a variety of electronic equipment, including refrigerators, aircons, washing machines and driers, and TVs and laptop monitors. Our attendees also learned about how WEEE · Park brings significant benefits to Hong Kong’s society. It not only helps extract valuable materials from electronic equipment for future use, but also prevents harmful toxins in equipment (such as the mercury within LCD screens) from entering our drinking water and environment. Thank you to WEEE · Park and their staff for facilitating this fruitful and engaging visit!

On 24 July, the Civic Exchange team as well as the attendees of Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador Programme (YEAs) visited the New Life Plastics Ltd, an integrated partner in the value chain with the Hong Kong government, producers to final consumers, through recycle, reborn, rebottle, and sustainable plastic education. Throughout the visit we tuned into the introduction about the vision, mission, and work of the company, and explored the process of handling recycled plastic bottles. Particularly, it demonstrated the definition of ‘circular economy’. For instance, they produced a new bottle through the recycled bottle. People may not be aware that the raw material of bottle is petroleum, a factor leading to climate change intensification. Using recycled plastic bottles (rPET) instead of standard PET bottles can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60%. Additionally, the process of handling recycled plastic bottles is environmentally friendly. For example, they applied solar panels and wind energy as the cost is not prohibitive and can also be helpful for the environment. However, the YEAs have also noticed that although the recycling facility can process up to 160,000 plastic bottles per hour, the current daily recycling amount only reaches 30% of its maximum capacity. The recycling rate for waste plastic in Hong Kong is low, resulting in many plastic bottles not being recycled. If everyone takes active steps to recycle more plastic in their daily lives, it could help drive industry development. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to New Life Plastics Ltd for their time and insight sharing.

On 24 July, the attendees of Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador Programme (YEAs) participated in two intensive workshops: waste management and sustainable consumption, to equip them with the knowledge and skills to drive substantial climate change action. During the waste management workshop, YEAs explored the critical link between waste, climate change, and pollution. This workshop was delivered by Natalie Leung, our Senior Community Empowerment Officer at Civic Exchange. The session culminated in a thought-provoking panel discussion with Ms. Suzanne Cheung, Head of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Swire Coca-Cola Hong Kong, and Mr Cosmo Lo, circular economy expert, who shared their insights on sustainable waste practices and innovative solutions in Hong Kong. In the sustainable consumption workshop, the focus was on four key aspects: eating, traveling, buying, and combating illegal wildlife trade. This session was delivered by Charlie Yip, our first YEA winning team member and Communication Intern at Civic Exchange. The workshop also featured an engaging panel discussion with Chef Jacky Chui, Executive Sous Chef at Le Méridien Hong Kong, and Ms Christine Chow, founder of Tove & Libra, who provided valuable perspectives on adopting sustainable consumption habits. After these enriching workshops, our YEAs shared their initial ideas for their sustainable projects. They formed groups, fostering collaboration and getting to know one another better. Civic Exchange is incredibly proud of our YEAs' dedication and enthusiasm in driving climate action and are looking forward to seeing their projects come to life. Together, we are making strides towards a sustainable future!

On 22 July, the attendees of Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador Programme participated in two workshops: nature-based solutions (NbS) and decarbonisation, to equip them with the knowledge and skills to drive climate change action. During the NbS workshop, our YEA attendees learned about the concept of nature-based solutions, and how we can leverage nature to tackle climate change risks. The workshop was delivered by Kitty Tam, our Programme Lead at Civic Exchange. She emphasised that both mitigation efforts, such as restoring carbon sinks, and adaptation efforts, such as implementing sustainable farming techniques, are equally vital for tackling climate change. The session culminated in a panel discussion with guest speakers Dr. Felix Leung, Climate Change Fellow at The Nature Conservancy, and Mr. Tobi Lau, Senior Manager at WWF Hong Kong. From our expert speakers, the YEA attendees gained valuable insights about how NbS is currently being implemented in Hong Kong and its future potential. In the decarbonisation workshop, the focus was on three key sectors: buildings, transport, and power. The workshop was delivered by Wing Tsang, our Assistant Manager at Civic Exchange. She explored the measures available for decarbonising each of these sectors, including green building techniques and renewable fuel sources, and the future of these industries in Hong Kong. This session featured a panel discussion with guest speakers Ms. Margaret Wong, ESG manager at Towngas, and Ms. Joanne Lai, who works in Sustainable Development of Swire Properties. The panelists gave our attendees a deep dive into how their respective companies are using cutting edge technologies to achieve decarbonisation goals. Civic Exchange is proud of our YEA attendees’ attitude of curiosity and enthusiasm, and we look forward to how they will use their newly gained knowledge in designing their projects. We would also like to thank all our panel speakers for their time and valuable insights!

On 22 July the attendees of Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador Programme participated in two engaging group activities, Climate Fresk and Megawatt, with the aim of learning about climate science and renewable energies through activity-based learning. Climate Fresk is an interactive workshop designed based on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. It allows participants to build a visual timeline of the Earth's climate history. Our YEA attendees worked in groups to arrange a set of cards containing scientific information about climate-related events, causes, and effects, creating a comprehensive mind-map. Each group then presented their final mind-maps and Climate Fresk experience. The attendees enjoyed the hands-on way Climate Fresk explored climate literacy and expressed that the game helped them understand the feedback loop between human activity and worsening environmental impact. Later in the day, our attendees split into new groups to play Megawatt, a beautifully designed card game in which players aim to build an electricity grid with the highest power generation capacity and lowest environmental impact. Megawatt explores various energy sources, such as fossil fuels “Coal” and “Gas”, as well as renewable energy sources such as “Hydro”, “Wind”, and “Solar”. Through the game, our attendees learned that the successful electricity grid is comprehensive, instead of heavily relying on a particular energy source. The real-world applications of this message were brought to light by Mr. Jimmy Hau, Asia Pacific Marketing Supervisor at ExxonMobil. Mr. Hau explained ExxonMobil’s initiatives in advancing lower-emission technologies such as carbon capture and storage, advanced biofuels, hydrogen, and lithium, to achieve a more comprehensive, diversified resource portfolio. We would like to thank Mr. Hau for his time and valuable insights. Our YEA attendees had a packed day full of enriching activities and learned a lot as a result!

On January 24, Civic Exchange hosted the KEL Nature-Based Solutions Workshop, bringing together educators to explore practical ways to promote sustainability, climate change awareness, and decarbonisation efforts within schools and communities. The workshop began with a talk on environmental education by Dr. Xoni Ma from Outdoor Wildlife Learning Hong Kong. He emphasised the urgency and importance of environmental education in Hong Kong and explained how biodiversity is categorised into genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity. Participants then engaged in a hands-on biodiversity board game, Law of the Forest, designed by Dr. Ma and his team. The game introduced various habitats and species in Hong Kong, such as wild boars, snakes, and birds, while illustrating the intricate relationships between species as they compete for survival. The game highlighted the remarkable biodiversity Hong Kong enjoys despite its small land area. In the second part of the workshop, participants took a guided tour of The Harbour School’s Marine Science Centre, a teaching and research facility where students can closely interact with marine creatures and conduct their own research. Participants were introduced to various marine species housed within the facility, including different types of reef fish, jellyfish, corals, crabs, and more. They even had the opportunity to touch a horseshoe crab and a stingray in the touch tank. After the tour, interactive stations were set up where participants engaged in hands-on experiments, such as squid dissection and examining seaweed under a microscope. The centre provided a rare opportunity to observe the diverse marine creatures commonly found in Hong Kong—many of which are typically only seen by divers. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the participants who attended the workshop and contributed valuable insights on integrating environmental education into schools under UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework. Teachers strongly expressed the need to incorporate ESD into school curricula to ensure students receive proper exposure to sustainability topics. They also suggested including student projects and research related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and making ESD a mandatory component within the values education framework in the short term. Civic Exchange would like to express our gratitude for all educators who participated in the workshop. This event served as a powerful reminder of the essential role educators play in shaping a sustainable future. By equipping teachers with the tools and knowledge to inspire their students, we take one step closer to fostering a greener, more conscious generation.

On 14th December, Civic Exchange hosted the KEL Decarbonisation Workshop, bringing together educators to explore practical ways to promote sustainability, climate change awareness, and decarbonisation efforts within schools and communities. The workshop began with Climate Fresk, a three-hour interactive game designed to teach participants the fundamental science of climate change and empower them to take meaningful action. Based on IPCC reports, the game encourages participants to actively contribute to building the Fresk, ensuring high engagement and enjoyment while fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between human activities, climate change, and the societal challenges it presents. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the facilitators who generously devoted their time to raise participants’ environmental awareness through interactive experiments. In the second part of the workshop, participants visited the renovated former Wan Chai Environmental Resource Centre, kNOw Carbon House in Wan Chai, an educational resource centre dedicated to raising awareness about carbon neutrality and sustainability. Apart from exploring the original architecture and some of the historical items from the century-old Old Wan Chai Post Office, participants also learnt about the four main decarbonisation strategies, ways to achieve sustainability in daily life, and examples of recycled wood products in the garden. They also had the opportunity to create their own reusable beeswax food wraps, which promotes the idea of reducing of disposable plastic items and encourage participants to apply more environmentally friendly food storage methods in their daily lives. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the participants who attended the workshop and contributed valuable insights on how schools can reduce waste and adopt greener practices under UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework. Teachers offered practical suggestions, such as implementing more project-based learning on climate change and sustainability and promoting the principles of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) within schools. Civic Exchange would like to express our gratitude for all educators who participated in the workshop. This event served as a powerful reminder of the essential role educators play in shaping a sustainable future. By equipping teachers with the tools and knowledge to inspire their students, we take one step closer to fostering a greener, more conscious generation.

On 3rd December, Civic Exchange hosted the KEL Waste Management Workshop, bringing together educators to explore practical ways to promote sustainability and the circular economy within schools and communities. The workshop kicked off with a new game led by Green Earth, designed to help teachers understand the current waste generation situation in Hong Kong. Through this game, participants learned how to differentiate recyclable materials and the proper ways to recycle different products. With participants divided into groups and encouraged to compete on their recycling knowledge, everyone was highly engaged and thoroughly enjoyed the activity. In the second part of the workshop, we visited O·PARK1, Hong Kong's first organic resources recovery centre located in Siu Ho Wan. O·PARK1 adopts anaerobic digestion technology to convert food waste into biogas (a source of renewable energy similar to natural gas) for electricity generation whilst the residues from the process can be produced as compost for landscaping and agriculture use. Participants were given an insightful tour of the facilities and learned about the complex process involved in sorting food waste before it can be turned into biogas. This reinforced the crucial message that clean recycling is essential. Next, we travelled to Green@Islands, one of the main Green@Community stations in Tung Chung. There, participants learned about the work of Green@Community in Hong Kong and the challenges of conducting recycling efforts in remote areas such as outlying islands. We also had the chance to visit their community garden and book-swapping corner — two initiatives aimed at reducing waste at the source. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the participants who attended the workshop and contributed valuable insights on how schools can reduce waste and become greener under the standards of UNSECO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Teachers shared helpful suggestions, such as making green audits compulsory at schools to assess waste generation and implementing food waste recycling bins in school canteens while educating students on their proper use. Additionally, it was suggested that schools conduct regular checks on water fountains to ensure quality, encouraging students to bring their bottles and reduce waste at the source. Civic Exchange would like to express gratitude to all educators who participated in the workshop. This workshop served as a powerful reminder of the vital role educators play in shaping a sustainable future. By equipping teachers with the tools and knowledge to inspire their students, we are one step closer to building a greener, more conscious generation.

On 29 November 2024, Hong Kong 2050 is Now launched the Key Environmental Education Leaders (KEL) Programme Nature-based Solutions Webinar. The KEL Programme aims to empower educators to nurture the next generation of environmental leaders by offering comprehensive training to principals, teachers, and educators from local schools in Hong Kong. We are honoured to have Ms. Suzanne Cheung from CLP Holdings Limited and Ms. Sheila Wong from The Nature Conservancy as our speakers. Ms. Suzanne Cheung opened the webinar by introducing the concept of the circular economy, a key principle in waste management. She emphasised that the circular economy is not synonymous with recycling; rather, it encompasses the entire product lifecycle. This includes considering whether a product’s design is recyclable or reusable, as well as its disposal method at the end of its life. Suzanne highlighted that, while renewable energy is growing in popularity, many materials used in renewable energy facilities are not recyclable. She also pointed out that circular economy requirements are now a part of many Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards for large companies in Hong Kong. As demand for green talent continues to rise, enquiring ESG and sustainability skills will be increasingly important and advantageous for both job markets and business needs. Next, Ms. Sheila Wong presented their project on recycling used oyster shells, showcasing how circular economy practices can also benefit biodiversity in Hong Kong. The Nature Conservancy collects oyster and mussels shells that are disposed from seafood industries and restaurants, and uses them to construct oyster reefs, which act as an ecosystem engineer for oysters and other shellfish to grow on. These oysters and shellfish provide significant environmental benefits, as one Hong Kong oyster can filter up to 30 liters of water per hour, improving water quality andeven stabilising shorelines. The pilot project aims to restore oyster reef near the Three-Runway System and Yung Shu Au in Tolo Harbour, and aims to increase job opportunities, reduce landfill waste, restore lost oyster reefs, promote sustainable development in local communities, and bring ecological and socio-economic benefits to Hong Kong. During the Q&A session, participants asked insightful questions, such as how schools can implement circular economy practices, how renewable energy materials are currently being disposed of, and where to find guidelines on what can be recycled. One participant also emphasised the importance of hosting workshops in schools to further promote recycling, especially that of electrical appliances. These questions reflect a growing interest in waste management and the role the education sector can play in helping achieve the government’s “Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035”. We are deeply grateful to our speakers for sharing their expertise and enthusiasm during the webinar, and we look forward to continuing the conversation on waste management in schools and across the education sector.