(Hong Kong, May 7, 2017) According to the figures released by the government, Hong Kong people produce, on average, over 3,600 tons of food waste a day, which is equivalent to the weight of 312 double-decker buses. How to reduce and handle food waste properly is, for sure, an important issue that we have to tackle without delay.
Hang Lung Properties collaborated with green group “Food Grace” to recruit 40 primary school students as Little Food-Wise Talents. Through a series of engaging activities, the program hoped to encourage them to reduce waste at the source. Mr. Wilfred Kam, Assistant Director (Project Construction), and a group of Hang Lung volunteers accompanied the Little Food-Wise Talents on a visit to an organic farm yesterday (May 6). During the visit, they learned about the handling of food waste and the operation of the aquaponics system that has a much lower carbon footprint. They also got hands-on with farming and making environmentally friendly soap out of food waste, and unleashed their creative talents designing a plan for food waste reduction.
Hang Lung has placed a heavy emphasis on mitigating the environmental impact of the construction and operation of its projects. Mr. Wilfred Kam, who oversees the construction and development of projects on the Mainland, has made sustainability a priority with attention to cost effective construction methods as well as strategies to reduce and handle construction waste. He said, “Colleagues with various roles in different departments can all help to implement best practices to protect the environment. Today, I was able to learn, together with the students, about the food waste issue which is closely related to our daily lives. I hope they can understand that they can also play a role in building the sustainable communities for the future.”
Besides visiting the organic farm yesterday, the group of Little Food-Wise Talents also had the opportunity to collect surplus produces from fresh markets in Tai Po district. They also learned to cook signature dishes using the food they collected. Hang Lung looks forward to facilitating more educational programs with the reduction of food waste as one of the central themes in the future.
