HKUST Sustainability Newsletter, January 2014

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Jan 2014

Happy 2014! New year celebrations may have come and passed, but we are still feeling

the glow of spending time with our cherished family and friends. This time of year

reminds us of what is really important in our lives, and reminds us to appreciate our

luck and good fortune.

It reminded us also that sustainability begins with the act of appreciation – a sustainable

UST is a place where we appreciate the beauty of our incredible surroundings; we

appreciate the knowledge and skills we gain from this educational experience, and we

appreciate the good friends and memories created in this wonderful school.

We are going to be thinking a lot about the idea of “appreciation” this year, and how

appreciation really is the heart of sustainability. If you have any thoughts on this, or

special memories you’d like to share, please

pass them along

or post them on our

Facebook page

(and don’t forget to “like” us while you are there!)

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as

well.” -Voltaire

One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure– Student Hall Check Out Recycling Campaign Many people don’t like cleaning their rooms–we always seem to find things that we don’t need or never knew we had! HKUST’s Student Hall Check Out Recycling Campaign makes room-cleaning a lot more meaningful, as unwanted but usable personal items are collected and donated to local charities for redistribution or resale at a lower price to those in need. Read more

One Million Dollars–What Would You Do? What would you do with one million dollars? What if you were told that the money could lead to some exciting discoveries and progress in making the world more sustainable? Join us to find out what HKUST and Ford have decided to do with one million dollars! Read more

The Fruitful Experience of Organic Farming What is it really like to be a farmer? 2013 has come to an end, and so has the fall farming session for HKUST’s Organic Farming program. The program has been proven a popular and fun activity year after year. Join us in an interview with a weathered enthusiast and participant of the organic farming program! Read more

Email :[email protected]

Phone : 2358 8227 Website : Green.ust.hk

Subject: Sustainability Newsletter

From: Safety <[email protected]>

Date: 1/28/2014 10:59 AM

To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>

CC: <[email protected]>

If you cannot see this page properly, please click here to read the online version.

Story of Interest

Personal Spotlight

Did you know?

Green Rewards When

Caught Green Handed

Have you ever taken a moment to digest the fact that HKUST has a food waste problem? According to a student study, 70% of HKUST students have produced food waste at the canteen in the past. Discover what initiative our Sustainability Unit has whipped up to raise the awareness of this issue! Hint: $20 food vouchers for vegetarian meals involved. Read more

Contact Us

Do you have any ideas and views on building a sustainable HKUST community? Please feel free to talk to us and share with us.

Sustainability Unit

Health, Safety and Environment Office

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

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Green Ambassador Green Societies Promotion The beginning of semester is to commence, bringing with it new challenges and a fresh wave of student society promotions, full of fun games, chanting and other activities. In collaboration with the Students' Union, a 3-phase Green Ambassador Green Societies Promotion will be launched to encourage HKUST's student societies to be more sustainable and consume resources in a responsible way for their promotional activities and inauguration. They can also share photographs of their efforts in encouraging sustainable behavior around the campus. Find out more about the competition now! Read more

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Announcements Sustainability in the News

2014.1.24

One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure–Student Hall Check Out

Recycling Campaign

Many people don’t like cleaning their rooms–we always seem to find things that we don’t need or never knew we had! HKUST’s Student Hall Check Out Recycling Campaign makes room-cleaning a lot more meaningful, as unwanted but usable personal items are collected and donated to local charities for redistribution or resale at a lower price to those in need. With the successful outcome of the previous summer period, where 890kg clothes, 154kg of commodities, and 980kg of waste paper were collected, the recycling campaign has returned this winter! At HKUST, one of our sustainability principles is “waste is failure,” reflecting the reality that there is absolutely no value or advantage to wasting resources, space, human capital, or finances. With that in mind, think about the waste we produce every day. As much as we wish it, trash bins are not portals that magically make things we don’t need disappear. Instead, these discarded items are sent to landfills (or as we like to call them, “failure zones.) The convenience of rubbish bins has made throwing things away all too easy. But as the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and this is what our Student Hall Check Out Recycling Campaign aims to promote! Organized by the Student Housing and Residential Life Office, the campaign is a collaboration with charities to collect unwanted but usable personal items for redistribution and resale. Through this campaign, personal items are given a second life.

Located outside student halls and seafront cafeteria, the recycling zones collect four categories of items–electrical appliances, commodities, waste paper and linen based items except pillows.

So why does the Student Housing and Residential Life Office organize this activity twice a year? “In order to promote the concept of sustainability, we strive to encourage students to live a green life within the student halls as far as possible. Every year during check-out time, particularly the one in June, residents tend to throw away a lot of items which they may not be able to bring home or do not want to bring home. Some of the items concerned may still be in good and working conditions so we will gather and donate them to the NGOs for those in need and reuse them.” The Student Housing and Residential Life Office also aims to promote a more sustainable habits, encouraging residents to live a 3R life– Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.

With the great general welcome and support from residents, the campaign will continue to promote the concept of reusing and sharing in the HKUST community. There are already initiatives taken by residents like the Live Green Community of Hall VI and waste recycling campaign in Hall III and more can be done on educating our students about recycling. Let us all be inspired by such lifestyle changes and to recognize the amount of unnecessary waste we produce. The next time you throw something in the bin, remember– this is going to a landfill, not a magical black hole!

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2014.1.27

One Million Dollars–What Would You Do?

What would you do with one million dollars? What if you were told that the money could lead to some exciting discoveries and progress in making the world more sustainable? Join us to find out what our students are doing with a one million dollars research funds from Ford and HKUST!

As the focus on sustainability has been increasing in the past decade, more resources have been invested in the research and development of sustainable solutions in different industries. This gave rise to a partnership between Ford Motor Company and HKUST to create a Ford- HKUST Conservation and Environmental Research Grants Program, which aims to encourage innovation in the field through the availability of research funds. Last year, 23 Master of Science students from the School of Engineering were awarded funding totaling HKD1 million. So how is it being spent?

All research projects granted are related to environmental sustainability and conservation engineering, with a focus on green motoring and transportation. Let’s have a talk with some of the awardees of the research fund!

Praveen Balaj

Please give a brief introduction about your topic and what you will be doing in your research.

Currently, vehicles use a conventional air conditioning system that is coupled up to the engine directly. This as a result places a burden on the engine, taking up some of the engine’s capacity to operate. The idea is to replace the entire conventional air conditioning system with an adsorption air conditioner. What is an adsorption air conditioner you may ask? It is a system that will be powered by the heat of the exhaust gas released by the vehicle instead of using energy from the engine, increasing engine efficiency by 10-15%. By making use of the extremely hot exhaust gas that is constantly being pumped out of the vehicle, this conventionally lost energy can be made use of. This will be a very big project which requires lots of funds as it is still a relatively new technology. We currently have completed the design, and thus our main task to focus on will be fabricating it.

What inspired you to come up with your idea?

The adsorption air conditioner has already been implemented in buildings, using the same concept of harnessing heat energy of exhaust gases to power a cooling system. However, the implementation in buildings is a very big system, often taking up the space of several rooms! Being an automotive guy who worked in automobile industry, I thought that it would be interesting to adapt this system for cars. The main challenge is we have to make it very small to fit into a car. How do you think your work will contribute to society/sustainability? The car market is growing, especially in those of emerging markets that are experiencing a rise in income. I hope that this research will help introduce this air conditioning system that will help save fuel and make an impact by harnessing the often-lost heat energy of exhaust gases.

Jessica Wang

Please give a brief introduction about your topic and what you will be doing in your research.

Many people are suffering from air pollution and the energy crisis. As a result, electric vehicles have become a new trend to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, the main drawback of electric vehicles is the battery, which provides lower performance than the use of gas in gas-fueled vehicles. Such batteries utilize thermal management systems, which are used to manage heat flow and temperature distribution inside the battery system. I will be exploring the feasibility of mixing graphene, a material that has good properties and extremely high thermal conductivity, to the existing phase changing materials to make up for its lack of thermal conductivity. This will help avoid premature aging of the battery, thus extending its life span.

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What inspired you to come up with your idea?

The traditional phase changing materials used do not allow the thermal management systems used in electric vehicle batteries to achieve its maximum potential. Furthermore, graphene is a relatively newly discovered material and I believe that it will have a promising role in future technological developments. How do you think your work will contribute to society/sustainability? I have already had experiences in working with graphene enhanced phase changing materials. The results show that the performance will be improved, providing a simpler potential solution in regulating the thermal management system temperature compared to using a liquid. The performance of the battery is an extremely big hurdle in making electric vehicles more prominent and popular in the vehicle industry. Thus I hope the research will help improve electric vehicles that will be the sustainable transportation of the future.

Ford and HKUST Announce Student Winners of Conservation and Environmental Research Grants

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2014.1.20

The Fruitful Experience of Organic Farming

What is it really like to be a farmer?

Established in 2007, HKUST’s Organic Farming Program allows students and staff to experience the fun of organic farming on campus in LG7. It did not take long for members of the HKUST community to snap up the available plots, so to meet the overflowing demand, HKUST’s Eco Park in Tsueng Kwan O was added to the program. The Eco Park contains growing plots, but also contains areas for Chinese herbal garden cultivation, green slope research project, and even has a solar array to supply the energy needs. Every year, over 150 students, colleagues and alumni participate in the program. By using principles of ecology, organic farming allows participants to understand and experience sustainable agriculture. The organic farming program has been proven an extremely popular and fun activity year after year. Find out what makes so many people join this activity in an interview with one of HKUST's longest and most enthusiastic organic farming supporters!

Winson Yau, a green-fingered FMO staff, is a passionate advocate and participant of the Organic Farming program. Having worked at HKUST for over 20 years, Winson’s organic farming experience reaches back to before he joined the university. Winson has participated in the organic farming program since the beginning, planting “anything allowed in Hong Kong.”

What did you plant?

Well, I have planted all sorts of things–anything that was allowed to be planted in Hong Kong! My favorites are tomatoes as they make good trophy vegetables and lettuce as they attract fewer insects. Other plants, such as bok choi and choi sum are harder to plant as they attract more pests.

What are some of the best moments during your participation in the organic farming program?

Staff generally like to take walks around the outdoor area of LG7 after lunch. I always enjoy sharing with them and showing them around. Many colleagues are actually interested in farming, but there is a shortage of land, so I hope the school can expand the program in the future to accommodate other enthusiastic green-fingers!

What were some difficulties that you encountered?

As with all organic farming, pests are unavoidable. For example, you may find that snails and bugs have eaten your crops. But I believe that it is part of nature. Respect the eco system and the food cycle will operate properly.

With that in mind, we use different strategies to stop insects. For example, we incubate seedlings at home, or even at the office if we have a window, and transfer them into the ground to avoid birds eating our seedlings before they have the potential to grow! Also, we use nets to protect them from bugs, rotate our crops and plant a wide variety of plants scattered across many plots so that the insects cannot sense the distinctive smells of the plants they want to consume. Planting specific species that ward off insects, such as herbs, are also extremely effective.

What are some insights that you have gained? Any final thoughts? Humans are always trying to overcome nature’s laws. This has created many catastrophes and I believe that we need to respect nature, and return to the state where we were working with nature’s rules. The widespread use of insecticide has not only killed off pests, but also earthworms, which are key to keeping the land fertile and loose. Now, many areas lay barren, dry and cracked. We should work with what nature has given us, and use nature to our own advantage. For example, we can plant beans, which extract nitrogen from the air and enriches the soil from it, prior to planting vegetables to obtain a better yield. We can also plant beans next to corn, and let the tall corn stalks act as masts for beans to grow around. During the summer, potatoes can be planted so that its rich foliage can shield the earth from the sun, yet keep it warm during the night.

Organic Farming in LG7

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Calendar of Events Archives Green Channel

competition

Green Ambassador Green Societies Promotion

Organized by SU and Sustainability Unit

Sponsored by the Hang Seng Bank Green Ambassador Program, a 3-phase Green Ambassador Green Societies Promotion will be launched to encourage student societies in HKUST to act environmentally-friendly and consume resources in a responsible way.

Phase 1 – Promotional Period (February)

Prize : $1,200 (one award)

During the Promotional Period in February, the HKUST Sustainability Unit will partner with the Student Union to offer a prize to the student society that promotes their activities in the most sustainable manner. A group of judges will select the winner.

A checklist of green actions will be provided to all student societies as suggestions on how to green their promotions. Each participating society is encouraged to even go beyond the green actions on the checklist. In order to be eligible for the prize, societies are required to submit a 150-word description of their actions, plus related photos. Interview and site visits will be arranged for the judges to make final decision of the award.

Application Deadline: 5 February, 2014 Result Announcement: 24 February, 2014

Please submit your application to the Student Union [email protected] by 5 February.

Should you have any inquiry, please email to [email protected], or visit our webpage or Facebook page

Phase 2 – HKUST Sustainability Facebook

Celebration (March)

March starts off with HKUST Sustainability Week, and to celebrate the Green Ambassador Program is sponsoring the HKUST Sustainability Facebook Celebration. Student societies are encouraged to take pictures of actions or activities during promotional period that are contributing to a more sustainable campus. Some examples could include:

- Using reusable water bottles instead of plastic bottles - Encouraging the use of the recycling bins

- Promoting the idea of wasting less food - Participating in the Green Monday campaigns

- Generally having fun while embracing the beautiful outdoor campus life!

From 1-15 March, participating student societies can email up to 20 pictures along with the details of the activities. They will be uploaded on the HKUST Sustainability Facebook page new photo album. The society that gains the largest number of “likes” will win the prize of $1,200!

Want some hints to help your society win?

- Be creative! No one likes to see serious photos. The more interesting, the more people will like them.

- Tag your friends in the photos – they will thank you later.

- Encourage your friends to “like” the photos AND the Sustainability page. The more likes, the better.

- Need ideas for more great photo opportunities? Look to the Sustainability Guide for HKUST Students for inspiration.

1 March Student societies can start sending photos to [email protected] for inclusion in the FB album

1-15 March Photo albums will be open for likes, comments, and new photos

Green Ambassador Green Societies Promotion

Phase 1 – Promotional Period (February)

Phase 2 – HKUST Sustainability Facebook Celebration (March)

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15 March Photo album will be set as private for counting “likes” 21 March Results Announcement

Participating student societies can email the photos and enquiry to the Sustainability Unit at [email protected], or visit our webpage or Facebook page

Phase 3 – Green Inauguration (April)

During the Inauguration Period in April, the Green Ambassador Program will offer $500 awards to up to 15 student societies that organize their activities in the most sustainable manner. A group of judges will select the winners.

Student societies will receive a checklist from the Sustainability Unit of suggestions of practical actions societies can take to green their inaugurations. In order to be eligible, societies will need to fulfill at least two of the listed items, and are encouraged to do even more. In addition, societies will need to submit a 150-word description of their actions, plus related photos.

Based on the submitted materials, judges will make final decision of the awards. The top 15 societies will be rewarded with cash incentive of $500. An additional $500 “Sustainability Leadership Award” will be given to the top two societies who show the strongest commitment to sustainability throughout their Inauguration. 28 April Deadline of material submission

9 May Results Announcement

Please submit your application electronically to [email protected] by 28 April. Should you have any inquiry, please email to [email protected], or visit our webpage or Facebook page

Date : January 21- March 1, 2014

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2014.1.13

Green Rewards When Caught Green Handed

“Caught red handed – To be caught in the act of committing a misdemeanor, with the evidence there for all to see.” While this phrase dates back to as early as the 15th century, the HKUST Sustainability Unit has introduced a new twist to the term for the 21st century: “Caught green handed – To be caught in the act of committing a sustainable act, with the evidence there for all to see.”

Caught Green-Handed is one of the Sustainability Unit’s newest initiatives aimed at encouraging sustainable behavior among the HKUST community. The idea is simple – you act sustainably, we show you appreciation with a small gift (and we show the world on our Facebook page). Launched just prior to the fall semester break of 2013, the first session awarded a total of 15 people with $20 vouchers for enjoying a vegetarian meal at the Coffee Shop when they were caught green-handed in finishing their food.

So why is finishing your food a sustainable act? Food waste reflects inefficient resource allocation and, as the term suggests, waste. According to Food Wise Hong Kong campaign, we dispose 3,600 tons of food waste in landfills every day, representing about 40% of municipal solid waste. When food is wasted, all the land, water, fertilizer and labor needed to grow that food are also wasted. Yet a study conducted by a HKUST Social Science Student in 2013 summer for his internship at Oxfam Grow campaign revealed that 70% of HKUST students have produced food waste at the canteen in the past, reflecting the widespread practice of this unsustainable behavior. Yet simple actions can remedy this, such as finishing your food or requesting a smaller portion, which is exactly what Caught Green Handed aimed to promote.

Although the first period of the Caught Green-Handed Promotion has come to a close, stay tuned as more of such sustainability promotions will be launched!