HKUST continues to commit to environmental sustainability. The 4Rs concept introduced by the Environmental Campaign Committee is thoroughly applied in our campus community. Meanings of 4Rs are:

• Reduce: Make the best use of resources including water, electricity and gas and avoid unnecessary packaging.
• Reuse: Put some ideas on ways to change waste into useful products.
• Recycle: Before disposal, separate waste into different categories like paper, plastic bottles, glass bottles and aluminium cans to facilitate recycling.
• Replace: Avoid using disposable items. Use durable tableware, environmentally-friendly bags instead of plastic bags and handkerchief and towel instead of tissue paper.

You may easily find recycling facilities for paper, metals, plastic, rechargeable batteries, fluorescent tubes and CDs on campus. Management of food waste and used oil in catering outlets is also an ongoing effort.

Recycling facilities for paper, metals and plastic are available at different locations within campus and residential areas. Collecting bins for fluorescent tubes and bulbs are placed inside LG7 garbage room.

Organic farming is one of our GREEN activities welcomed by our students, staff, alumni as well as residents of Tseung Kwan O district. There are two organic farms, one of which is at LG7 lawn area and the other one is at Tseung Kwan O district near LOHAS Park.  In fact, organic farming is very welcome among our stakeholders. In every season, over 100 participants enjoy the farming and taste their own crops.

Organic farmlands located at LG7 lawn and Eco Park provide an oasis to busy HKUST members.

Incentive to promote green practice is also provided to our stakeholders. Since the use of takeaway containers made of non-biodegradable materials increases the burden of the landfill, some catering outlets provide cash discount if you bring your own cup/meal box. This event has been launched for several years.

Some of our catering outlets provide discount if you bring your cup/meal box.

Our commitment to "green practices" is not just confined to our campus. To alleviate the carbon emission, the University has launched the "Ride Sharing" program and continues to provide shuttle bus service to our staff. Up till now, 9 out of 11 coaches of the fleet comply with EURO latest standard on emission. We also worked with Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to provide private car emission test to our campus community. These can reduce greenhouse gas emission to our environment.

The University arranged the car emission test on campus for our staff.  The event was sponsored by EPD.

Students and staff actively take part in promoting environmental sustainability every year. The University supported the event "Earth-hour" organized by WWTF and "No air-con-night" organized by Green Sense. Students also launch the recycling activity during student halls checkout period.

Our campus actively participates in the public environmental protection activities. These included "Earth-hour" organized by WWTF and "No air-con-night" organized by Green Sense.

Many used materials like electric fan, mini hi-fi were collected and donated to the charity.

In 2010/2011, our continued efforts in environmental sustainability are recognized by the local government. These included:

• Silver Award in Commendation Scheme on Source Separation of Commercial and Industrial Waste – 2010/11
• Certificate of Merit in Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (Public Organization and Utilities) – 2011
• "Class of Excellence" Wastewi$e Label in 2011 

Let's continue to work together to make our campus and society more GREEN and comfortable. Use your creativity and talent to make sustainability possible.