HK No Air Con Night 2016 Event Summary
Event Summary
Thanks to all parties supporting the 7th Hong Kong No Air Con Night on 7th October
Over 80 thousands families pledged to switch off air-con to reduce carbon emission
Hong Kong people switched off air con together to ease the climate change
Green Sense has carried out series of surveys on air conditioning. According to the survey last month, the abuse of air con is still severe. Air conditioning can account for 60% of electricity consumption in summer (July to August) and about 30% of the total consumption throughout the year.
Hong Kong No Air Con Night is an annual energy saving event held by Green Sense. Participants pledged to switch off the air con at home from 7pm on 7th Oct to 7am the next day. The event also urged people to reduce air con usage in daily life in order to break free from the air con and rethink how to use the energy and other resources wisely.
It is especially meaningful this year for two reasons. Not only in response to the agreement for setting a goal of limiting global warming to no more than 2°C in Conference of the Parties 21 (COP21), but also the carbon dioxide concentration exceeds the threshold of 400ppm. Global warming is an imminent problem to all creatures on Earth. Hong Kong Government and citizens should take action to save energy to tackle the climate change.
This campaign acquired full support from different parties. Environmental Protection Department and Hongkong Post have supported this event for consecutive years. Other government departments and public organizations such as Hong Kong Observatory, Water Supplies Department, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Electrical & Mechanical Services Department and Estate Agents Authority also showed their supports this year. Moreover, 12 Legco councilors and dozens of district council members joined No Air Con Night. Several political parties also joined this campaign to encourage citizens in different districts to turn off the air con.
Dr. Lee Lok Sze (Polar Explorer), Prof. Way Kuo (President and University Distinguished Professor, City University of Hong Kong), Prof. Yuk-Shan Wong (President, The Open University of Hong Kong), Prof. Lam Chiu Ying (Adjunct Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Prof. C.Y. Jim (Chair Professor of Geography, The University of Hong Kong) and Mr. James Hong, Akio (Travel Column Writer) are in the celebrity list. Prof. Ho Kin Chung (Dean, Science & Technology, The Open University of Hong Kong) and Professor Chan King Ming (Programme Director, Environmental Science, School of Life Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong) were the guests of honour in No Air Con Night 2016 Turn-off ceremony.
43 Universities and Higher Education Institutes and 292 schools (55 secondary schools, 124 primary schools, 1 special school and 112 kindergartens) took part in No Air Con Night.. There were thousands of teachers and students joined this campaign to experience and practice green living. Some schools also held different kinds of energy-saving activities such as switching off air con during school time in response to this campaign.
No Air Con Night was also supported by over 200 companies and organizations which promote this campaign to their staff. Over 700 buildings also encourage residents and tenants to join. Some property management companies even turned off air-con at some areas of buildings and estates.
According to the Hong Kong No Air Con Night 2016 registration website, there were over 80 thousands families and universities hall mates pledged to turn off the air con on No Air Con Night. As the weather become cooler in October, there might be many other unregistered families who also turn off the air con that night. The reduction of carbon emission and the heat to outdoor can be reduced as long as the importance of Less Air Con is established.
Green Sense is satisfied with the outcome and participation rate. We aim to arouse people to rethink their life style and understand the importance of saving energy from the increasing electricity consumption. This campaign also provided a chance for all citizens to reduce carbon emission in daily life.
The No Air Con Night 2016 Turn-off Ceremony was held again at Kwun Tong Promenade “Fly the Flyover 01″ this year. Other than the Moonlight Workshop, organic agriculture sharing, organic rice sharing and music concert cum movie screening were carried out. At that night, a hundred of people enjoyed workshops, music, movie and nature breeze together. The movie, Anachronic, showed the controversy between Macau development and light pollution which drove the audience to think about similar environmental problems in HK.
Green Sense hopes all had some good times on the No Air Con Night and were aware of the message of environmental protection. In order to reduce the waste production in holding activities, most of the material utilized in workshops were recycled and reused. Moreover, some workshops required participants to bring their own tools to avoid using disposable materials. At that night, ‘No Air Con Night’ reduced the temperature of the Earth as well as the pollution.
Part of the Celebrity List :
Prof. Way Kuo (President and University Distinguished Professor, City University of Hong Kong)
Prof. Yuk-Shan Wong, JP (President, The Open University of Hong Kong)
Prof. Lam Chiu Ying (Adjunct Professor of the Department of Geography and Resources Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Prof. C.Y. Jim (Chair Professor of Geography, The University of Hong Kong)
Dr. Rebecca Lee Lok Sze, MH (Polar Museum Foundation Ltd. Founder)
Mr. Shun Chi Ming, JP (Director of the HK Observatory)
Mr. James Hong, Akio (Travel Column Writer)
Mr. Mark, Mak Chi Ho (Animal Conservator)
Hon CHAN Hak-kan, BBS, JP
Hon. KWOK Wai-keung
Hon. WONG Ting-kwong, SBS, JP
Hon. HUI Chi-fung
Hon. OR Chong-shing, Wilson, MH
Dr. Hon. YIU Chung-yim
Hon. IP Kin-yuen
Hon. YIU Si-wing, BBS
Hon. Jeremy TAM Man-ho
Dr. Hon. Pierre Chan
Hon. Sixtus LEUNG Chung-hang
Hon. TSE Wai Chun, Paul
More about the event and Moonlight workshop, please refer to http://greensense.org.hk/noaircon
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