Post Date: 17 January 2014

冬營遊 - Winter Camp 2013-14

This past winter, the Division of Environment hosted the annual winter camp to raise students’ awareness about some of Hong Kong’s pressing environmental issues. This year’s camp agenda consisted of three major components: a food recycling experiential workshop, field trips, and a discussion session about the relationship between development and the environment.

The first area of focus at the camp was food waste, the major contributor to domestic waste in Hong Kong and the cause of various social and ecological issues. On the first day, the students participated in a food recycling experiential workshop. Divided into four teams, they collected food waste at a wet market in Tai Po. They then enjoyed a meal prepared from the collected foodstuffs. After the activity, the students shared their thoughts and reflections about the experience at a debriefing session. They also brainstormed ways to eliminate the food waste problem in Hong Kong. By collecting unwanted food and turning them into delicious cooked meals, the students not only reduced the volume of food waste that day, they also developed a better understanding about how Hong Kong’s current eating habits and food residues impact the environment.

On the second day of the camp, the students paid a visit to Pak Lap Village to explore another local environmental issue: land use. The progress of recent building projects in Pak Lap Village has been affected by pressure from green groups and nearby residents. The excursion, along with an explanation by local guides, allowed students to see a real life case about the conflict between development and environmental interests.

The students then visited Geopark, where they were able to appreciate the beauty of natural landscape and reflect on the environmental and social costs of the modern lifestyle.

To conclude the activities, an in-depth topic discussion session was held on the last day of the camp. During the 3-hour session, students exchanged their views – in both small groups and with the larger group – about the use of country park enclaves. In addition to expressing their views, they also participated in role-playing activities where they had to integrate the knowledge they gained from the previous days’ events, take divergent views into consideration, and make compromises in the best interest of involved parties.

After the winter camp, the students gained a deeper understanding about current environmental issues affecting Hong Kong. Hopefully, the students will be able to apply what they have learned in their everyday life and start making positive changes to the environment. 

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