Events

 

17 January, 2012

Press Statement

A Carbon Caring Way to Gather and Celebrate

Events hosts and organizers are invited to add a new element to their gatherings, conventions, parties and even weddings by turning them into carbon neutral. Low carbon way of living has been called for in the world’s efforts to mitigate the climate change crisis.  

“Carbon reduction actions should not only be taken by governments, but also in all levels of the society, if we want to at least half our greenhouse gas emissions in 40 years’ time. We should do that in tangible, measured, scientific and communicative ways Continuous improvement is needed in our carbon management.  AA good labeling scheme can help promote this approach”, said Prof. Kin Chung Ho, an environmental scientist and advocate, who chairs the advisory group to the CarbonCare® Labeling Scheme.

CarbonCare® Label is a newly released scheme for awarding recognition to measures taken by organizations in achieving continuous carbon reporting and remarkable reduction results in their organizational, activities or products levels.  The Labeling scheme, issued by carbon specialist Carbon Care Asia (CCA), was developed according to international standards, guidelines and local practices.

CarbonCare® Event is one of the categories under the CarbonCare® Labeling Scheme, which supports organizations and individuals to achieve carbon neutral status for their events, through measuring and reducing the event’s footprint, and balancing the rest through purchasing carbon offsets or carbon credits. It adopts leading carbon neutral event practices, and places high importance to transparency and communications.

“In addition to scientific measurement and reduction, CarbonCare® Label principle underscores the importance of communication to engage wider awareness, participation and support to an organization or host’s carbon actions. The Label is an excellent communications platform”, said Mr. Chong Chan Yau, chairman of Carbon Care Asia, a carbon solutions provider set up by a group of sustainability and strategic development experts in Hong Kong 

CarbonCare® Event scheme can be applied to all types of events, from individual weddings and corporate annual gatherings, expos, concerts to mega sports events.

On 17 January, 2012, CCA presented four CarbonCare® Event labels to recognize contributions of companies from different sectors to tangible actions in mitigating climate change impacts. Prof. Kin Chung Ho, who is Dean of School of Science & Technology and Professor in Environmental Studies of The Open University of Hong Kong, presented the awards to representatives from Canon (HK), Freudenberg & Vilene International Ltd, Friends of the Earth (HK), The Hong Kong Policy Research Foundation Limited and On Kee (HK) Environmental Recycling Ltd.

 “The human civilization needs a carbon revolution, and we have only a short time frame. We need to come forward with ingenious imagination and significant steps. We just can’t afford wait and see, if we want to avoid the climate calamity. We face the global challenge of turning all our actions, products and entities into low carbon impact”, Mr. Chong Chan Yau added.

Hong Kong’s first carbon credits embedded Chinese New Year red packet is released by CCA to celebrate the lunar new year of the Dragon. The Panda Carbon Credits Lai See Packet carries a message about the footprint of 88 kg of carbon emissions and that it can be offset. The offset comes from carbon credits issued by a United Nations validated afforestation and reforestation project in Northwest Sichuan, adjacent to several biodiversity hotspots which are the natural habitat of many endangered animals – most notably the giant pandas. Guests at the gathering were given as souvenir a Panda Carbon Credits Lai See. The carbon credits embedded in the red packets were used to offset the event’s emissions, making the event carbon neutral.

“Only limited edition of 600 of this Lai See was produced for the year of the Dragon. We hope this creative design will inspire more imaginative yet real carbon care Chinese actions in the significant year of 2012”, said Dr. Trini Leung, executive director of CCA.

Founded several years ago by top sustainability experts with strong knowledge in global sustainability trends and carbon reduction solutions, CCA has been promoting and helping numerous organizations and corporations in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia to undertake tangible carbon care actions in response to the pressing call for mitigating the climate change crisis. To help clients achieve carbon neutral status for their events or operations, CCA also offers a variety of carbon offsets sourced from internationally accredited projects of the highest standards and strong local sustainability benefits in China, ranging from a forestation project in Sichuan, a hydropower project in Yunnan and a wind farm in Ningxia.

~End of statement~

Media reports:

‧Oriental daily  (18 Jan 2012)

‧The Sun         (18 Jan 2012)

‧Apple daily     (10 Jan 2012)

Photo Captions:

1.       Officiating guest and keynote speaker at the CarbonCare® Label Award Ceremony Prof. Kin Chung Ho, Dean of School of Science & Technology and Professor in Environmental Studies of The Open University of Hong Kong, highlighted the importance of tangible and impactful carbon reduction actions from corporations and organizations.

 

2.       Prof. K. C. Ho received Hong Kong’s first “Panda Carbon Credits Lai See” from Mr. Chong Chan Yau, Chairman of Carbon Care Asia (CCA). 

3.       CarbonCare® Label awardees (Canon HK, Friends of the Earth (HK), Freudenberg & Vilene International Ltd, The Hong Kong Policy Research Foundation Limited and On Kee (HK) Environmental Recycling Ltd.), hailed for their commitment and pioneering carbon caring actions, pictured with Prof. K. C. Ho and CCA directors.