Green initiatives are taking root on campuses, with the latest seeing more than 130 students from seven secondary schools coming together to showcase creative ideas for environmental protection as part of the Sustainable School Explorer Program last month.
Coorganized by Arup, an engineering consulting company, and education specialists from La Violet Education, students participated in the six-month program focused on creating innovative "green solutions."
The range was surprisingly wide, with projects including environmental installations, themed campaigns and engineering prototypes, and addressed critical topics such as energy regeneration, water conservation and plastic waste reduction.
"We look for engineers from the present generation," said Andy Lee, Arup's east Asia region chairman. "We wish them to continue to prosper in life on this planet. Students can be empowered to turn their ideas into action, delivering tangible results that can be enjoyed for years to come through the program."
Creativity and enthusiasm for sustainable engineering was evident, despite the youngest of them being just 11 years old and starting secondary one.
Drawing inspiration from the concept of a kinetic energy generator, a group from St Stephen's Girls' College came up with an invention called the Crackling Energy Room.
That's a homemade electricity-generating bike in their classroom, which serves as the power source for a refrigeration unit, to produce cool air. All you need to do to activate the installation is ride the bicycle.
"Just let students be creative on their own," said Yau Wing-yee, head of the school's physics department and coordinator of STEAM, of the inspiration behind the installation. "Their initial motivation was simply getting fit."
As for Kwun Tong Maryknoll College, students designed a musical instrument made from recycled plastic bottles. The bottles connected to transparent tubes filled with noble gas to enable them to produce music when being tapped.
Students also came up with a musical presentation in their self-made eco-friendly themed music video.
"We like music, so we put our favorite things into our inventions," said Tam Yu-hin, one of the students. "The device we designed only cost about HK$100."
St Catharine's School for Girls students came up with a smart paper towel holder.
Their device displays encouraging messages like "Thank you for your support on environmental protection" whenever a tissue paper is dispensed and a reminder on the need to protect the environment if you take more.
Students from TWGHs Li Ka Shing College presented a prototype of their Ka Shing Garden project, a sustainable garden featuring a water retention lawn and a solar greenhouse.
A CNEC Lee I Yao Memorial Secondary School team came up with Planting for Green, a mini "wetland" created by using low-maintenance irrigation systems made from recycled waste.
Students from Chong Gene Hang College treaded water with an aquaponics installation and a teaching kit as part of an educational display.
At SKH Leung Kwai Yee Secondary School, it was a plastic-free day campaign, with their principal aim being to eliminate the use of disposable cutlery and containers at the canteen.
"Youngsters are all very creative," said Lee from Arup. "And the things they think about can be very different from adults, they can do things outside of the box.
"Many participants from the girls' school showed great performance," he added. "This program of the Sustainable School Explorer Program also aims to bring awareness of gender diversity in the engineering industry."
"Students have developed problem-solving skills during the program," said Tang Kam-ming, principal of CNEC Lee I Yao Memorial Secondary School.
"It's also an opportunity to enhance and upgrade school facilities, prompting students to reflect on their own relationship with the community."
roxanne.li@singtaonewscorp.com
