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The Lee Woo Sing College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) recently held the Green Education Day and invited the founder of Taiwan Green Island Elephant Social Enterprise, Mr. Lee Meng-fa, together with the Green Island Elephant, to introduce the development of environmental education and sustainability initiatives in Taiwan to students, staff and alumni.  The College would like to take this opportunity to call for public awareness of the conservation of nature and the earth’s resources.  The Green Island Elephant is now on exhibition in the College’s outdoor courtyard until February next year.  Members of the public are welcome to visit it.

Green Island Elephant Makes his First Visit to CUHK

Lee Woo Sing College is committed to promoting green living.  The Green Education Day held every year is one of the spotlight green education events of the College.  Through various activities, the College encourages students and staff to practice green living.  Mr. Lee Meng-fa, also known as the ‘father of Green Island Elephant (the Elephant)’, brought the Elephant from Taiwan to CUHK for exhibition, and participated in a series of lectures and exhibitions to introduce Taiwan’s practices in green education and sustainable development.

The College Associate Master Professor Yam Yeung said, ‘In addition to green technology and hardware, the College also actively promotes green culture among students and staff by organizing regular recycling programmes, flea markets and other waste reduction activities.  The College’s effort in green education is widely recognized.  We were awarded the silver award of the 2014 CLP GreenPlus Recognition Awards (Public Organization, Utility, University category).’

Mr. Lee Meng-fa said, ‘I would like to thank Lee Woo Sing College for offering me the opportunity to share Taiwan’s development of environmental protection, eco-tourism and sustainable tourism with the CUHK community.  I hope we can join hands to promote environmental education in Taiwan and Hong Kong and further enhance the friendship between the two places.’

Green Island Elephant – from waste to green ambassador

In a waste auction in 2009, Mr. Lee Meng-fa bid NT$100 for the Green Island Elephant, an old-style slide in the shape of an elephant .  He intended to repair the slide and return it to its original place to let everybody’s childhood memories be passed on.  By coincidence, he learned that the children living on Green Island were hoping that the elephant could tour Taiwan by installing wheels on it.  He then gave up his senior position in a finance company and embarked on the ‘Green Island Elephant tour of Taiwan’ in 2010 to promote environmental protection and sustainable development.

Green Mission of Lee Woo Sing College

The emblem of Lee Woo Sing College consists of three Chinese characters: ‘People, Mountain and Harmony’.  Under this philosophy, the College actively promotes green living and students’ awareness of environmental issues, so as to create a sustainable College.  In addition to several first-in-Hongkong energy-efficient infrastructures such as the hostel smart meter, the College is going to install a high efficiency solar power system in early 2016 to further reduce carbon footprints.

To learn more about the Green Island Elephant exhibition and related events, please visit the College website (www.cuhk.edu.hk/ws) or call 39431504 for inquiries.