21
-
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1982
LITTER FROM COUNTRY PARKS TOPPED 3 000 TONNES
*****
THE AMOUNT OF RUBBISH COLLECTED FROM COUNTRY PARKS LAST YEAR WAS ENOUGH TO FILL 31 STOREYS OF CONNAUGHT CENTRE, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS) OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR JOHN WHOLEY SAID TODAY.
HE TOLD ROTARIANS OF HONG KONG ISLAND EAST THAT SOME 3 000 TONNES OF LITTER WERE COLLECTED FROM 5 000 LITTER BINS PROVIDED IN THE COUNTRY PARKS.
*AT 10 KILOGRAMS PER CUBIC METRE, 300 000 CUBIC METRES REPRESENTS A PILE OF LITTER 50 METRES BY 50 METRES AND 120 METRES HIGH.
IT IS A DAUNTING TASK TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS VOLUME OF LITTER EACH SUCCESSIVE YEAR, HE SAID.
MR WHOLEY SAID THAT TO HELP OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM THE DEPARTMENT WAS ORGANISING VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE SCHEMES WHERE INTERESTED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD ASSIST IN COUNTRY PARKS MANAGEMENT WORKS.
+HIKING GROUPS HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD IN THIS WORK AND HAVE COLLECTED 2 000 BAGS OF LITTER FROM THE MOST REMOTE COUNTRYSIDE LOCATIONS. THE COMMUNITY CHEST 'CLEAN FOR CHARITY' SCHEME HAS RESULTED IN THE COLLECTION OF 700 BAGS OF LITTER WHILST OUR OWN 'CARE FOR THE COUNTRY PARKS' SCHEME HAS RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF WORK PROJECTS INVOLVING THE COLLECTION OF 600 BAGS OF LITTER TENDING 3 000 TREES AND ASSISTANCE WITH OTHER SIMPLE 'ESTATE WORK, HE SAID.
THE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE ACTIVITY, HE SAID, BECAUSE THE YOUNGSTERS ENJOYED IT. AND IT WAS CERTAIN THAT A PERSON'S ATTITUDE TO THROWING LITTER INTO A STREAM WOULD CHANGE IF THEY EXPERIENCED THE UNPLEASANT JOB OF RETRIEVING SOMEONE ELSE'S LITTER FROM A SIMILAR SITUATION.
HOWEVER, THE PRINCIPAL PROBLEM IN ORGANISING THE ACTIVITY, HE ADDED, WAS THE LACK OF FUNDS FOR THE PROVISION OF TRANSPORT AND, IDEALLY, PACKED LUNCHES WHICH FORM A GREAT INCENTIVE FOR GROUPS OF VOLUNTEERS AND OF SUPERVISORS WHO WERE WILLING TO TAKE CHARGE OF SUCH GROUPS.
+WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE,+ SAID MR WHOLEY, IS MORE SPONSORSHIP OF THIS TYPE FROM SERVICE CLUBS.
+IDEALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PUT A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS IN TOUCH WITH A SPONSORING ORGANISATION AND THEN TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A WORK PROJECT WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT A PREDETERMINED DESTINATION. THE ASSISTANCE OF A SPONSOR IN PROVIDING A COACH AND LUNCHES IS FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN THE GIFT OF MONEY WHICH, FOR THIS TYPE OF PROJECT, IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO ADMINISTER, HE SAID.