ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FESTIVAL CLOSES, BUT THE WORK GOES ON
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SENIOR MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, BARONESS DUNN, PLACED THE LAST BLOSSOM ON THE COMMITMENT TREE, THE SYMBOL OF HONG KONG'S FIRST EVER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FESTIVAL, AT THE FESTIVAL'S CLOSING CEREMONY IN CHATER GARDEN THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON.
COMMENTING ON THE TWO-WEEK FESTIVAL, BARONESS DUNN SAID: "OVER THE PAST DECADES, HONG KONG HAS EVOLVED INTO ONE OF THE WORLD'S MAJOR COMMERCIAL CENTRES. BUT IT HAS SUFFERED FROM SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION PROBLEMS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF ITS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH AS WELL AS POPULATION GROWTH.
"IT IS TIME FOR US TO CALL A HALT TO THIS DETERIORATING SITUATION. WE SHOULD BEGIN TO TAKE STEPS TO IMPROVE OUR ENVIRONMENT AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING A BETTER LIVING PLACE NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES BUT ALSO OUR COMING GENERATIONS.
SHE SAID THIS IS IN FACT A LONG-TERM BATTLE AND COULD ONLY BB SUCCEEDED WITH THE CONCERTED EFFORTS OF THE DIFFERENT SECTORS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
"THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FESTIVAL INDERD REPRESENTS A MAJOR INITIATIVE IN AROUSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN OUR SOCIETY AND HAS PROVED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN, BARONESS DUNN SAID.
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THE FESTIVAL, ORGANISED BY THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE (ECC) SET UP EARLY THIS YEAR, HAS COMBINED A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY EFFORTS TARGETED AT IMPROVING ENVIRONMETNAL PROTECTION.
IN HER CLOSING REMARKS, CHAIRMAN OF THE ECC, MRS PEGGY LAM SAID: "THE MOST DRAMATIC AND SIGNIFICANT RESULT OF THIS FORTNIGHT RAS BEEN THE MOBILISATION OF INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND BUSINESS AT ALL LEVELS, AND THE COOPERATIVE EFFORT FOR A SHARED CAUSE.
"FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE GRATEFUL AND EXCITED BY THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO OUR SYMBOLIC COMMITMENT TREE. NEARLY 18,000 LEAVES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE RECORDED THEIR OWN PERSONAL PLEDGE TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,
"ALTHOUGH WE SEE THE FESTIVAL AS AN ENORMOUS SUCCESS IN TERMS OF THE WAY PEOPLE AND COMPANIES HAVE SO ACTIVELY AND WARMLY RESPONDED, THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS LIES WITH ALL OF US,
MRS LAM SAID.
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SHE ALSO STRESSED THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST ALL WORK ΤΟ PUT PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR STRONGER LEGISLATION AND ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDUCE WASTE, RESULTING IN A STRONGER COMMITMENT.
"WE MUST ALSO ENCOURAGE OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES TO MAINTAIN A COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND BUILD SUPPORT FOR THE LONG TERM.
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