Job Duties

• Mainly be responsible for creative online promotion in environmental and conservation information
• Design and manage social media posts
• Conduct background researches and interviews
• Assist events such as Cleanup, DIY workshop & seminar (online or face-to-face)

Requirements

• 1-2 years volunteer experience in environmental activities is greatly considered
• Students studying in relevant field such as Arts & Science, Conservation, Urban Studies, Communications or Education are welcome
• Advanced skills in popular graphic software (e.g. Photoshop or illustrator) are adventage
• Video and audio editing skills are preferred

Interested candidates please apply with (1) full resume and (2) cover letter by e-mail (info@greensense.org.hk) on or before Friday, 28 April 2023

The first Action for Cleanup the Countryside have been successfully held on 6 May 2018. Green Sense fellows with 34 volunteers went to Po Toi Island to clean up the waste and carry out an ecotour at the same time. The main purpose of the event is to arouse the public concerns of plastic waste problems and increase their awareness of environmental protection. Moreover, it is important to introduce the biodiversity in Hong Kong to the public and to understand the importance of our countryside.

It was a sunny Sunday. All volunteers gathered at Blake Pier, Stanley. Before taking the ferry to Po Toi Island, our tour guide explained safety concerns and eco-friendly hiking etiquette.

After arrival, many of us can immediately felt the peace and comfort of the natural environment. We were refreshed! We passed through some old stores and a diesel-electric set. We experienced their simple and austere lifestyle.

After passing the areas of residents, we visited to Po Toi School. Some volunteers were eager to clear the rubbish on the path right away. Po Toi School is a building with historical value. It reflected how was the school life in the past. Although it has been abandoned for decades, its structure maintains and we can even peek at the classroom through a broken window.

Walking along the coast, we arrived the Po Toi Rock Carvings which constructed over 3000 years. It is one of the declared monuments in Hong Kong. It consists two parts: One group on the left consists of lines resembling, while the other on the right is composed of spirals in an interlocking arrangement. Many of us spent a lot of time in taking photos with the carve. We were amazed the crave stood in good shape.

Volunteers started to clean the island. They were separated into two groups: One going uphill cleaning hiking trail and and the other for the coastal area. Many garbage was buried in the bush as Po Toi Island is a famous place for camping. Moreover, a lot of disposables were left there. For example, foam boxes, disposable utensils, aluminium cans, plastic bags and even LPG cylinders! The most difficult part for us is to collect a considerable amount of the “foam balls” which were naturally grind into different sizes. Even though it was hard to collecting the rubbish in high temperature, we were devoted to do so. All of us are willing to do more to compensate for the environment, and to protect the Earth.

After cleaning the island for a whole day,  volunteers carried bags of waste and head to the pier after the waste audit. Plastic disposables account for the most. The amount of waste collected are shown below:

Fortunately, some tourists were touched by our action and some of them promised to reduce the waste and minimize the pollution in the future . Public education are exactly means to influence the community altogether . All of us should set an example for our next generation by taking action in environmental protection.

If you have missed the volunteer action in May, please enroll the next”Action for Cleanup the Countryside ” at Tung Chung Bay on 12th August. Please click https://goo.gl/rDKwVP for enrollment and information.

The tour started at the Peak Galleria, we witnessed the problem of light pollution. After that, we walked along Harlech Road to Lung Fu Shan Country Park. Frogs, spiders, centipedes and other nocturnal animals were seen from time to time. We gained an insight on the characteristics of different amphibians, reptiles, various animals and plants.

Hong Kong is well known of its high density of skyscrapers, and is called “concrete jungle”. Yet, there are many natural creatures living right beside us, and all we have to do is to look around carefully. Green Sense hope that participants could understand the relationship of human and nature through this ecotour, as well as ponder on the balance and trade-off between urban development and natural environment.

There are about 40% of land area designated as country parks and special areas, which nurtured a vast diversity of flora and fauna. To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Country Parks,  all are welcome to join the celebration programmes, visiting by oneself is also not difficult.

Hiking Scheme (Leisure and Cultural Services Department): http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/healthy/hiking/index.html

Enjoy Hiking (Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department): http://hiking.gov.hk/eng/trail_list/type.htm

More photos of the events: https://flic.kr/s/aHskWUNMiY

Back in 2011, Greening Master Plan (GMP) was first developed by the Government in the New Territories, and extended to all densely populated districts. Vast sums of 350 million was proposed to the Legislative Council in 2014 for the plans.

The tour started at the public area on the podium of IFC, Central. In viewing the implementation of the Central GMP, participants hovered around the Central Pier area. The greening practices,  the identification of different management departments  and the suitable species of urban trees were introduced.

More about GMP: http://www.cedd.gov.hk/tc/greening/

Please stay tuned for the next “Monthly Green”!

Highlights can be viewed at the photo gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHskXdXbFM

Kai-to ferry departs from Aberdeen to Po Toi

Visitors could reach Po Toi by Kai-to ferries that depart from Aberdeen or Stanley. Take a walk from the Po Toi Pier, you could find a few stalls and a seafood restaurant, selling all kinds of local specialties. One of the must-buy items is Po Toi seaweed. Visitors have the opportunity to appreciate the natural beauty of the Island, and also support local businesses full of local characteristics and memories. The ecotour offers a taste of the fishing village specialties while promoting the Island economy, which fulfils the principle of sustainability. Meanwhile, participants could have a glimpse of local lifestyle by getting in touch with the Island residents. Due to its remote location, Po Toi Island still does not have stable electricity supply. The Island is only powered by diesel generators from 6am to 6pm, causing inconvenience to the residents. Even when summer heat peaks, they could only use rechargeable electric fans to cool down. Isn’t it quite unbelievable that Hong Kong has such a primitive place?

Residence and restaurant along the Po Toi Pier 

You could walk into history as long as you leave the inhabited area. Take the stone steps and you will find Po Toi School, as if a time machine brings you back to an old village school. Although it is now abandoned, you can still see the classroom and the structure that are filled with an old school atmosphere. The single building structure that contains only one classroom stands as a sharp contrast to the well-equipped schools nowadays. Keep walking the steps, you will be led to another abandoned building – Mo’s Family House. You might have a general idea about how people used to live based on the House’s architectural style and structure. It was built between hillsides. The magnificent walls and luxurious stairs design demonstrated the high status of Mo’s family at that time. These rare historical remains serve as an important platform for later generations to understand lifestyles in the past. They are more meaningful than the words written in textbooks.

Po Toi School 

Tired after walking uphill? You may take a rest near the stalls and refresh yourself before heading to the next destination – Rock Carvings on Po Toi. The Carvings are one of the declared monuments in Hong Kong, a status that indicates its historical significance. Although the totems and words are not clear or understandable, but you could feel the hard work done by our forefathers who did not have books or electronic devices to record and express their reverence for nature.

Rock Carvings on Po Toi

If you keep walking on the hiking trail, you will find a paved trail that leads you to the southernmost tip of Hong Kong. On the way you could appreciate the many faces of granite rocks after different levels of weathering and erosion, such as block disintegration and honeycomb weathering, which resulted in the interesting shapes of the rocks. You could find a lot of great spots for photography, for example, the Palm Cliff that has experienced block disintegration, the Tortoise Rock that looks like it is treading uphill, and the Monk Rock. Every rock is unique, and therefore it is worth visitors to understand how the geography in Hong Kong has shaped the process of rock formation. Once you finish this section of the hiking trail, you could reach the Lighthouse 126 where you could enjoy the wonderful panorama of the South China Sea. No wonder so many tourists pitch their tents here. Although the walk is not an easy one, it is worth the effort in order to see the natural wonders with our bare eyes.

The Monk Rock

On the way to the southernmost tip of Hong Kong

Ecotour is not only about appreciating the nature, but also about understanding the interdependent relationship between human development and environment protection, in which land planning is one of the issues that should be in the spotlight. Po Toi Island is facing a controversial change of land use, which is the plan of property developers to build niches in the name of increasing the supply of niches. The dozens of Island residents disagree with the plan. Many see the property developers as ignorant to the natural habitat of the Island. Po Toi is a natural reserve of ecological diversity. Any construction could destroy its ecological balance, and its habitat should be preserved. The ecology should not be ruined to build niches, luxury homes or hotels for the sake of city development. Some people argue the lack of stable water and electricity supply is the reason to develop Po Toi Island. However, it is unknown whether the residents’ basic needs would be satisfied after the development. It is crucial to balance development and conservation. Visiting Po Toi Island could stimulate one’s reflections on the needs of the residents and the importance of ecology. The Island’s development must be carefully considered.

Will it be a positive change for Po Toi if it is to become a country park? Despite the fact that economic development is limited in a country park, the residents are guaranteed a better living standard as well as protected homes. It is therefore not surprising to see this suggestion being backed by the residents. They care more about their daily lives than big-scale economic development. In fact, the Po Toi land use controversy is only the tip of an iceberg – Hong Kong has a lot more land planning issues that worth our attention.

Starting in Dec 2015, Green Sense will launch a series of  ”Green Living” activities in Lee on Estate, Ma On Shan, Shatin, Programme. From introduction of “Green Travel” seminar, 3 DIY green workshops and 3 “Green Travel” in the countryside nearby, we hope to promote the “green living elements” to the community and residents would recognize and treasure more about the nature neighbourhood.

Details and enrollment: http://greensense.org.hk/LeeOn