| Our
mission is to enhance the environmental awareness of all Force members
through education and publicity, and to encourage their participation
in conserving the environment; to work with relevant organisations
to incorporate environmental management in the Force; to develop and
maintain a management system to improve the environmental quality
of its activities; and to comply with relevant legislation and codes
of practice.
Commitment and Management
During 2003,
the Steering Committee on Green Management, which is chaired by
the Director of Finance, Administration and Planning and comprises
civilian and disciplined representatives from various Formations,
continued to serve as a focal point in directing energy and environmental
management. The five Regional Green Management Committees under
the stewardship of leading commanders also helped to strengthen
green efforts within the Force.
Waste Reduction
In line with
Government targets, the Force managed to cut down consumption of
paper in 2003 by 7 per cent, and consumption of electricity by 3
per cent. Measures such as communication by e-mail, photocopying
on both sides of paper, using recycled paper and re-using of envelopes
have become staff habits at all levels. Reference materials or information
were disseminated by e-mail and e-bulletin boards instead of by
hard copies. A review conducted by Kwai Tsing District on the distribution
of morning reports on screen instead of in hard copy revealed a
possible annual reduction of 31 per cent in used paper. Other waste-minimising
measures adopted included the purchase of rechargeable batteries,
the use of environmentally friendly plain paper fax machines and
the provision of electronic greeting cards.
Unnecessary
energy consumption was cut as far as possible by a series of housekeeping
measures such as setting a higher room temperature for cooling systems
or reducing water temperature for gas boilers, encouraging staff
to use staircases for inter-floor traffic, shortening operation
hours of lifts, and routine checking to switch off lights and air
conditioners both within and outside office hours.
As suggested
by Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), two heat
pump systems were installed in the Airport Police Station in September
2003. Following this installation, gas water heaters could be removed
while hot water supply was maintained, resulting in a significant
reduction in gas consumption. The installation of over 1 000 electronic
ballasts was also completed in the Airport Police Station in October
to increase the lighting system efficiency.
Staff Environmental Awareness
To sustain environmental
awareness among our staff, the Force publicised useful tips on green
management in internal publications and through the intranet. "Green
Corners" were set up in many divisions to act as forums for
exchanging ideas on green management. The Police Training School
(PTS) incorporated green management concepts into its training programmes
and activities, and briefings on green management for PTS staff
were organised with the assistance of Hong Kong Productivity Council,
Environmental Protection Department and EMSD. Other initiatives
to foster staff participation and awareness included competitions,
suggestion boxes, an incentive scheme for collection of recyclable
waste and the appointment of energy savings project teams or ambassadors.
Recycling and Other Initiatives
During the year,
waste paper, can and plastic bottle collection points were placed
Force-wide and private contractors were engaged for collecting used
paper. The Mongkok Police District also arranged for a contractor
to collect seized pornographic VCD and DVDs for recycling.
The Planning
and Development Branch continued to bring green measures into Police
buildings, such as the installation of special showerheads, window
blinds and timer-switches for air-conditioning units. The inclusion
of energy-saving devices was one of the core elements in the planning
and design of the new Police Headquarters complex. The Force as
a whole entered the competition for "Energy Efficiency and Conservation
in Government" in the category of "Best Practice Awards" and 10
police premises entered the "Venue Saver Awards".
Achievements and The Future
Following the
success in Wong Tai Sin District, the PTS won the 2003 Green Office
Award (Gold Award) of the Hong Kong Eco-Business Awards run by the
Hong Kong Productivity Council. This success marked PTS's remarkable
achievements in savings through focused strategies such as not heating
the swimming pool in winter, reductions in electricity usage (by
30%) and paper consumption (by 50%). The use of solar energy was
also a breakthrough on the green management front. PTS's efforts
will no doubt energise environmental awareness at all levels and
set a role model for the Force on green management.
For the future,
the Department will continue to adhere to the 3-R principles of
"Reduce, Re-use, Recycle" in our day-to-day housekeeping. Planned
actions in the coming year will include setting consumption targets
and actively pursuing new environmental initiatives and inviting
views and suggestions in connection with promoting a green culture
within the Force. |